Childhood Summary and Analysis

Musui was born to his father's concubine. She fell out of favor, and so Musui is born in the concubine's family home. His father's wife—who Musui regards as his real mother—takes Musui and gives him to a wet nurse, who then raises him. Musui is very naughty as a child and makes the household angry. In particular, he spends all day swimming in an ornamental pond, making the water muddy. He also steals sweets from his mother.

In another naughty event, when Musui was five he fights with a young boy, Chokichi, who steals and breaks his kite. Musui retaliates by hitting Chokichi in the face with a rock, bloodying him. Musui's father sees this and punishes Musui by tying him to a post and hitting him on the head with a wooden clog. Musui still has...