Directly the tanaki found he was alone , he crept cautiously through a chink of the window , thinking , as he did so , how lucky it was that he was not a fox , and was able to climb . Once outside , he hid himself in a ditch till it grew dusk , and then galloped away into the forest . While the food lasted they were all three as happy as kings ; but there soon arrived a day when the larder was as empty as ever . ` It is my turn now to pretend to be dead , ' cried the fox . So the tanuki changed himself into a peasant , and started for the village , with his wife 's body hanging over his shoulder . A buyer was not long in coming forward , and while they were making the bargain a wicked thought darted into the tanuki 's head , that if he got rid of the fox there would be more food for him and his son . So as he put the money in his pocket he whispered softly to the buyer that the fox was not really dead , and that if he did not take care she might run away from him . The man did not need twice telling . He gave the poor fox a blow on the head , which put an end to her , and the wicked tanuki went smiling to the nearest shop . In former times he had been very fond of his little son ; but since he had betrayed his wife he seemed to have changed all in a moment , for he would not give him as much as a bite , and the poor little fellow would have starved had he not found some nuts and berries to eat , and he waited on , always hoping that his mother would come back . At length some notion of the truth began to dawn on him ; but he was careful to let the old tanuki see nothing , though in his own mind he turned over plans from morning till night , wondering how best he might avenge his mother . One morning , as the little tanuki was sitting with his father , he remembered , with a start , that his mother had taught him all she knew of magic , and that he could work spells as well as his father , or perhaps better . ' I am as good a wizard as you , ' he said suddenly , and a cold chill ran through the tanuki as he heard him , though he laughed , and pretended to think it a joke . But the little tanaki stuck to his point , and at last the father proposed they should have a wager . ` Change yourself into any shape you like , ' said he , ` and I will undertake to know you . I will go and wait on the bridge which leads over the river to the village , and you shall transform yourself into anything you please , but I will know you through any disguise . ' The little tanuki agreed , and went down the road which his father had pointed out . But instead of transforming himself into a different shape , he just hid himself in a corner of the bridge , where he could see without being seen . He had not been there long when his father arrived and took up his place near the middle of the bridge , and soon after the king came by , followed by a troop of guards and all his court . ` Ah !
he thinks that now he has changed himself into a XXXXX I shall not know him , ' thought the old tanuki , and as the king passed in his splendid carriage , borne by his servants , he jumped upon it crying : ' I have won my wager ; you can not deceive me . '
anything bridge end king notion son spells start times wizard