[Russo-Japanese War]: Mori, Keien, and R. Nakagawa:

$2,000 · Offered by William Reese Company

[Otogi Hanashi: Seiro Saisei Momotaro = "Fairy Tale: The Rebirth of Russia-Fighting ... A fascinating and exceedingly rare Japanese e-hon, situating the classic myth of Momotaro in the context of the Russo-Japanese War, with the United States and Great Britain depicted as the proud parents of heroic young Japan. The core tale of Momotaro describes an elderly couple who discover a large peach—to their surprise, a boy who they name Momotaro (lit. "Peach Boy") emerges. The couple raise him and soon discover that he possesses enormous strength, and before long the boy sets off to pacify the vicious oni of the nearby island of Onigashima. Meeting friends in the form of a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant along the way, Momotaro vanquishes his foe and brings back their riches, which restore the health and fortunes of his adoptive parents.One of Japan's most enduring legends, the character of Momotaro became increasingly tied in with the Japanese national self-image beginning in the 19th century. This delightfully illustrated version of the tale, interestingly printed side-by-side with an original (if not entirely accurate) English translation, was printed at the outset of the Russo-Japanese War. Researcher Nahoko Kahara describes its contents in her article on the Momotaro myth:"Since the Meiji period, as Japan has engaged in foreign wars, Momotaro has often been interpreted as a Japanese soldier. In 'Momotaro: The Revival of Russo-Japanese Warfare' (1904), published the year the Russo

• Printing: later

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