The story of the little raccoon

The beginning of winter is fast approaching, and the mountains and fields are beginning to take on new colors like woven brocades.
 The setting sun's rays grow softer and softer as time passes... winter is finally upon us.
 Hello, this is Tanukimori Doroshuu, and my winter fur is just starting to grow in.
 This is the third time I have had the opportunity to speak to you. I am grateful for this opportunity.
 Well, today I was thinking of telling a story about something other than raccoons, but... since this is the third time, I think I'll tell you a story about raccoons again.
   Do you all know the monster called Mame-tanuki?
 It is a raccoon dog yokai that is mainly seen in western Japan and is sometimes called Mameda or Mametan.
 They are said to be smarter and more mischievous than any ordinary raccoon, and are even said to live in the storerooms of old houses.
 In the Nada region of Hyogo Prefecture, they are said to live in sake breweries and, being mischievous, cause all sorts of trouble for the people.
 However, the Mametanuki was revered even more than that.
 The reason for this was that if there were several of these little raccoons in the brewery, the sake made would taste even better, so not only would they be overlooked for their usual mischief, but they would even be in trouble if they were kept there.
 It is said that the reason why the raccoon figurines that you often see are holding sake bottles or bankbooks is because there is a story about the little raccoons and sake in the Nada region.
 Also, speaking of bankbooks, in "Ehon Hyaku Monogatari," Mame-tanuki is depicted holding a bankbook.
 It is said that he is using his scrotum as an umbrella and looking for snacks.
 ...That's right, when you think of raccoons, the scrotum comes to mind.
 Tanuki are often depicted using their scrotum for various purposes, and it appears that the Mame-tanuki also used it to trick people.
 The following story has been passed down.

 During the Genroku period, a haiku poet named Rosan met an elegant man in Takachiho, Hyuga Province (present-day Miyazaki Prefecture).
 The man invited Rosan, entertained him in various ways, and at the height of the party, a renga (couplet verse) was performed.
 He composed a haiku poem inspired by the eight-tatami room he was shown, and his companion joined in, repeating the poems.
 However, Rozan accidentally dropped his lit cigarette on the floor.
 Suddenly, Lushan flipped over.
 When Rosan came to his senses, he found himself thrown into a field, and the house he had been in had completely disappeared.
 When they asked the villagers later, they found out that it was the work of a small tanuki.
 What Rosan encountered was a small tanuki disguised as a human, and what he thought was a living room was actually the tanuki's stretched scrotum.

 What a pity. It must have been a fun time after you had composed the renku poem... Oops, sorry about that.
 In this way, the Mame-tanuki, like other monster tanuki, used his scrotum.
   There are also stories about small tanuki beings possessing people, and some quite terrifying anecdotes of them possessing people with the force of killing them.
 However, it is said that this bean-shaped tanuki only possesses those who have done bad things to tanuki, so as long as you don't do anything dangerous to tanuki, there is nothing to be afraid of.
 Please take good care of any raccoons you meet, including myself...
 Well, I'll leave that story here. It's cold tonight, so I'll warm myself up with some hot sake before going to bed.
 Oh, that's right, everyone, a little raccoon somewhere might be in the neighborhood looking for some snacks.
 I beg you to please treat me well.

 "On a rainy evening, a small tanuki went to buy sake with a sake bottle, and the liquor store owner, Bon-san, was crying. When asked why he was crying, he was told that the small tanuki's money was leaves."