Nihon Mukashibanashi: Saru Kani

Synopsis

This is an adaptation of the classic Japanese folktale known as "Saru Kani Gassen". Its central figures are a crab and a monkey. By a stroke of luck, the crab comes across a rice ball at the same time the monkey finds an apricot seed. The monkey has no use for the seed, so he offers to swap it for the crab's rice ball. The monkey promptly devours the rice ball, while the crab plants the seed and tends to it until it grows into a tall tree laden with apricots. Since the crab is unable to climb the tree to pick the fruit, he asks the monkey to gather the apricots for him. At that point, matters take a turn for the worse.