Synopsis

5. The Tea Ke�le

A holy priest of Japan bought an old bronze tea ke�le at a shop. At the
temple, as the priest fell asleep, the tea ke�le changed its shape and
became a badger. When the ke�le badger began to dance and sing
aloud, the surprised pupils at the temple chased it, but could not
catch it. And the badger became a tea ke�le again. The priest thought
the tea ke�le had a devil in it, so he sold it to a �nker.

The �nker kept the tea ke�le with him. At night, it changed into a
badger again. The badger explained that it was not a devil or the prod-
uct of any black magic. It also said that it had been tortured by people
previously. The �nker took good care of the ke�le badger. They both
became friends.

When the badger realised that the �nker was poor, it offered to help
him by performing as a circus animal. They named their show the
Bumbuku-Chagama. Many people came to watch the performance of
the talking walking shape-shi�ing badger. They earned a lot of money;
the �nker became rich.

A�er many years, the badger wanted to leave because he did not
want to remain a badger anymore. He wanted to become an ordinary
tea ke�le again.

Fulfilling his friend’s last wish, the �nker gave the tea ke�le and half of
his wealth to the temple.

It is said that the ke�le was worshipped at the temple for many years.

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