“Ojiisan! Ojiisan! Here I am. Welcome to our home! Come along up here.”
Everywhere he heard chirrupings of “Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!”
Ojiisan was so happy. He found that Suzumesan was properly cared for and that the cruel wound was cured. He met her father and mother.
He saw hundreds of pretty birds dancing in beautiful kimonos. Lovely music filled the air. He ate rare dainty food and drank good wine that never came to an end. In all the rooms he saw precious ornaments on the shelves and beautiful paintings on the walls. Suzume-san’s home was very lovely.
At last it grew dark and Ojiisan said he had better say goodbye. Immediately there appeared two large sparrows, one with a big black wicker box and the other with a small one.
“A present for you, Ojiisan,” explained Suzumesan’s father. “Choose whichever you like and take it home.”
Ojiisan looked at the big box—he looked at the small one. He placed his two hands before him and made a deep low bow.
“Thank you for the lovely time, dear birdies of birdland. I have enjoyed everything very much, I shall never forget all of you. Thank you for the beautiful present that I will take home and treasure as a remembrance. It is growing dark already and, as I am an old man, I will take the smaller box.”
The sparrows smiled happily and Ojiisan, carrying the smaller box on his back, bade many a farewell to them all as they waved their tiny little wings. Suzume-san saw her guest to the gate.
“Sayonara, sayonara! Come again, come again, dear Ojiisan.”
Ojiisan was amazed at all he had seen. He rubbed his eyes again and again. But he was more amazed when he reached home and opened the box, for it was filled with many beautiful gifts—jewelry of every kind, sparkling coins, rare materials, and oh, lots and lots of other lovely things!
Of course Obāsan was very jealous. When she heard about Ojiisan’s choice of the smaller box she grew very cross.
She wanted to have the big box for herself. So very early the next morning she went out and walked fast through the meadow, up the hill, until she reached the bamboo grove.
The birds twittered excitedly and hid themselves behind the trees, but Obāsan rapped on Suzume-san’s gate and demanded to be let in.
When she was admitted, she looked around curiously and was fidgety the whole time, for she did not feel very comfortable. Suzume-san in her fright had hidden away up in her room. But the rest of the birds were polite and gave their guest good food to eat.
Obāsan however was in a hurry to carry off the box. She kept looking for the presents. And when at last the two large sparrows brought them, she grabbed the big box and said sayonara.
The big box was very heavy—so heavy that she could scarcely walk properly. Before long, Obāsan was wet with perspiration and was breathing hard. The roads were rough and sharp stones cut through her straw sandals. She stumbled many times, but she would not give up her heavy box.
“Oh dear, I can’t wait any longer. I’ll at least open the lid and see what’s inside,” thought Obāsan. She sank on her knees and placed the box in front of her and opened it.
Goodness, gracious me!
Green snakes with red tongues, spotted frogs, and grotesque bogies arose. They put out their tongues and licked her. They stretched out their wobbly arms and tried to hug her. They threw sharp stones at her and laughed.
Their laughter sounded like this, “Gera—gera—gera—gera.”
Obāsan was terrified. She screamed for help. She tried to push away the awful looking creatures. She was frantic with fright.
Now, the kind Ojiisan had come up the path in search for her. He did not know she had gone to get the big box, but when he heard her terrified cries he ran as fast as he could, and was horrified to find old Obāsan struggling helplessly with the dirty nasty creatures.
He pulled her up by the hands and together they ran down the hillside, through the meadow to their home as fast as they could.
Ojiisan was quite out of breath by the time they reached home.
As for Obāsan, she sank down on the threshold and, with her face buried in both hands, cried and cried and cried.
“I’m sorry—I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m a wicked woman. I’m a ne’er do well. How can you forgive me!”
Ojiisan smiled happily, for though he was out of breath and his knees were shaking after pulling Obāsan down the hill, he knew she was at last really sorry for being selfish and jealous and greedy.
So Ojiisan forgave her, and you may be sure Obāsan did her best. From that time on they lived happily ever after.
Oh, I must not forget to tell you that the next spring, Ojiisan took Obāsan to Suzume-san’s home, where both of them were treated equally well. All birds have sharp little eyes you know.
Kintarō (The Strong Boy)
ONCE THERE WAS A BIG BLACK BEAR that shambled around, and the way he went was … Noso noso.
There also was a deer that went … Pyon Pyon.
And a monkey … Choko Choko.
And a rabbit … Pyoko Pyoko.
They all lived together in a peaceful wood high up in the hills.
One day as they were basking in the sun and feeling very content, they heard another sound … Peta Peta Peta Peta.
It was a faint but firm sound of bare feet on soft ground, but they all looked up surprised, for they had never heard the like before.
“Shall we run?” squeaked Saru, the monkey, getting red in the face.
“Nonsense!” growled Kuma, the bear. “I’ll see that no harm comes to you.”
All at once, a little brown boy with thick black hair and sparkling eyes burst through the bushes.