Once upon a time, Hage Badger of Awa came to meet Shibaemon Badger and suggested him that they should compare their abilities to disguise themselves. Shibaemon agreed and crossed the sea to Awa province. To begin with, Hage Badger displayed a disguise which looked like the feudal lord of Awa crossing the sea. There were many ships and steamers lined up in assortment. One could see all kinds of banners flying in the wind. The voices of sailors could be heard singing on the state barge. Shibaemon admired him a lot, “I have never seen such a clever disguise before. In return, I want to show you the illusion of a feudal lord’s pageant. On a certain day, before noon, go to the beach at Maiko and look on from the top of that pine tree.” In a few days, Hage Badger crossed over to Banshu. He climbed up the pine tree on the beach at Maiko and waited.
Shibaemon Badger Befools Hage Badger
After a while, a feudal pageant came from the west. There were innumerable feather adorned lances upraised and with the word, ‘‘Down on your knees! Down on your knees!” The horses and sedan chairs were glittered with ornaments. The samurai looked brutal. Hage Badger was totally carried away with admiration. Without a moment’s thought, he raised his hands up in the pine tree and started clapping. He said, “Impressive, Lord Shibaemon! It is exactly like the real pageant.” The admiration of Hage Badger was not without a reason. It actually was a real feudal lord’s pageant. Shibaemon had known of the tour beforehand and exhibited it to Hage Badger. The samurai in the pageant discovered Hage Badger and exclaimed, “Look, a badger is jeering at us from a high place like that!” They called him ill-mannered. They quickly rushed towards him and brought him down with their lances. The renowned Hage Badger of Shikoku was thus befooled by Shibaemon Badger and died.
