Monkey and Crab Japanese Folklore Mythology Fable Tale | Keisai Eisen Edo Period Vintage Woodblock Fine Art Print Legend Those who were unfortunate enough

Those who were unfortunate enough to come under its power would suffer from terror and despair

and are also often seen in temple and shrine decorations

and once it is awakened

8 trigrams

involve intricate designs of geometric patterns

Monkey and Crab Japanese Folklore Mythology Fable Tale | Keisai Eisen Edo Period Vintage Woodblock Fine Art Print Legend Those who were unfortunate enoughThis surimono print references a well known Japanese folktale in which a monkey takes advantage of a crab, claiming that persimmon seeds will grow into a fruit prodicing tree. The persimmons eventually ripen, and the monkey offers to pick them for the crab, only to eat them himself. In a fit of aggression, the monkey throws an unripe persimmon at the crab, fatally injuring her. Before the crab dies, she gives birth to offspring, who eventually grow up