In this Japanese folktale retold by Yoshiko Uchida, a man who had made a good living by snaring one wild duck a day with a long piece of rope decides that life would be easier if he were to trap a hundred at a time and relax for the next ninety-nine days. He learns a lesson that changes his life when, having caught ninety-nine ducks, they suddenly take flight, pulling him into the sky with them. The messages of the story are respect for nature (take only what you need), and the consequences of greed and laziness.
Gombei and the Wild Ducks Text / PDF / Audio (1,300 words)