The Tongue-cut Sparrow

: Japanese Fairy World

There was once an old man who had a wife with a very bad temper. She had

never borne him any children, and would not take the trouble to adopt a

son. So for a little pet he kept a tiny sparrow, and fed it with great

care. The old dame not satisfied with scolding her husband hated the

sparrow.



Now the old woman's temper was especially bad on wash days, when her old

back and knees were well strained over th low tub, which rested on the

ground.



It happened once that she had made some starch, and set it in a red

wooden bowl to cool. While her back was turned, the sparrow hopped down

on the edge of the bowl, and pecked at some of the starch. In a rage the

old hag seized a pair of scissors and cut the sparrow's tongue out.

Flinging the bird in the air she cried out, "Now be off." So the poor

sparrow, all bleeding, flew away.



When the old man came back and found his pet gone, he made a great ado.

He asked his wife, and she told him what she had done and why. The

sorrowful old man grieved sorely for his pet, and after looking in every

place and calling it by name, gave it up as lost.



Long after this, old man while wandering on the mountains met his old

friend the sparrow. They both cried "Ohio!" (good morning,) to each

other, and bowing low offered many mutual congratulations and inquiries

as to health, etc. Then the sparrow begged the old man to visit his

humble abode, promising to introduce his wife and two daughters.



The old man went in and found a nice little house with a bamboo garden,

tiny waterfall, stepping stone and everything complete. Then Mrs. Sparrow

brought in slices of sugar-jelly, rock-candy, sweet potato custard, and a

bowl of hot starch sprinkled with sugar, and a pair of chopsticks on a

tray. Miss Suzumi, the elder daughter brought the tea caddy and tea-pot,

and in a snap of the fingers had a good cup of tea ready, which she

offered on a tray, kneeling.



"Please take up and help yourself. The refreshments are very poor, but I

hope you will excuse our plainness," said Mother Sparrow. The delighted

old man, wondering in himself at such a polite family of sparrows, ate

heartily, and drank several cups of tea. Finally, on being pressed he

remained all night.



For several days the old man enjoyed himself at the sparrow's home. He

looked at the landscapes and the moonlight, feasted to his heart's

content, and played go (the game of 360 checkers) with Ko-suzumi the

little daughter. In the evening Mrs. Sparrow would bring out the

refreshments and the wine, and seat the old man on a silken cushion,

while she played the guitar. Mr. Sparrow and his two daughters danced,

sung and made merry. The delighted old man leaning on the velvet arm-rest

forgot his cares, his old limbs and his wife's tongue, and felt like a

youth again.



On the fifth day the old man said he must go home. Then the sparrow

brought out two baskets made of plaited rattan, such as are used in

traveling and carried on men's shoulders. Placing them before their

guest, the sparrow said, "Please accept a parting gift."



Now one basket was very heavy, and the other very light. The old man, not

being greedy, said he would take the lighter one. So with many thanks and

bows and good-byes, he set off homewards.



He reached his hut safely, but instead of a kind welcome the old hag

began to scold him for being away so long. He begged her to be quiet, and

telling of his visit to the sparrows, opened the basket, while the

scowling old woman held her tongue, out of sheer curiosity.



Oh, what a splendid sight! There were gold and silver coin, and gems, and

coral, and crystal, and amber, and the never-failing bag of money, and

the invisible coat and hat, and rolls of books, and all manner of

precious things.



At the sight of so much wealth, the old hag's scowl changed to a smile of

greedy joy. "I'll go right off and get a present from the sparrows," said

she.



So binding on her straw sandals, and tucking up her skirts, and adjusting

her girdle, tying the bow in front, she seized her staff and set off on

the road. Arriving at the sparrow's house she began to flatter Mr.

Sparrow by soft speeches. Of course the polite sparrow invited her into

his house, but nothing but a cup of tea was offered her, and wife and

daughters kept away. Seeing she was not going to get any good-bye gift,

the brazen hussy asked for one. The sparrow then brought out and set

before her two baskets, one heavy and the other light. Taking the heavier

one without so much as saying "thank you," she carried it back with her.

Then she opened it, expecting all kinds of riches.



She took off the lid, when a horrible cuttle-fish rushed at her, and a

horned oni snapped his tusks at her, a skeleton poked his bony fingers

in her face, and finally a long, hairy serpent, with a big head and

lolling tongue, sprang out and coiled around her, cracking her bones, and

squeezing out her breath, till she died.



After the good old man had buried his wife, he adopted a son to comfort

his old age, and with his treasures lived at ease all his days.