The Tongue-Cut Sparrow
A kind man, a cruel wife, and a grateful bird with a secret
Page 1
In a little old house, nestled among the green hills of Japan, lived an old man and his wife. The old man was kind and gentle, with a heart full of warmth for every living thing. His wife was often cross and grumpy, complaining about their simple life. The old man's greatest joy was his pet, a little sparrow that he loved very much. Every morning, the sparrow would fly down to the wooden porch, and the old man would greet it. "Good morning, little friend!" he would say, holding out his hand. "Here are some crumbs for your breakfast." The bird would eat from his palm and sing its sweet song, "chirp, chirp, chirp!" The wife would watch from the doorway, scowling. "Such a fuss over a common bird," she'd mutter, turning away.
Page 2
One day, the old man went to the mountains. While he was gone, his wife washed clothes and made a bowl of starch to make them crisp. She set it on the porch to cool. Just then, the sparrow flew down and, thinking it was food, ate all the starch. When the old woman saw the empty bowl, she flew into a rage. "You greedy, naughty bird!" she cried, stomping onto the porch. "That was my last bit of rice flour! You will pay for this!" She lunged forward and caught the little sparrow in her hand. In her temper, she squeezed it and hurt its tongue before flinging her hand open. The poor bird flew away, silent and afraid. "And stay away!" she shrieked after it. The sparrow did not come back.
Page 3
When the old man came home that evening, carrying his bundle of wood, he called for his little friend. "Sparrow, sparrow, where are you?" But there was no answering chirp. He saw the empty starch bowl and asked his wife what had happened. "That wretched bird ate my starch!" she snapped. "I taught it a lesson and sent it away for good!" The kind old man's heart sank. "Oh, you poor little thing," he whispered, looking toward the hills. "Your tongue is hurt, and you are all alone." Without even stopping to eat, he put on his sandals and set off down the path that led into the woods. He called out as he walked into the growing shadows of the bamboo, "Where is my little sparrow? Where has my tongue-cut sparrow gone?"
Page 4
The old man walked for a long time, deeper and deeper into the bamboo grove. The path twisted and turned, and soon he was lost. He saw a cow grazing in a small clearing. "Mrs. Cow," he asked politely, "have you seen my little sparrow? His tongue was hurt, and he flew this way." The cow just shook her head and went on chewing. He asked a horse, but the horse hadn't seen the sparrow either. Finally, tired and discouraged, he sat down to rest by a stream. A flock of sparrows chattered on a bamboo stalk above him. Gathering his hope, he looked up. "Excuse me, kind birds," he said. "I am looking for my poor, hurt sparrow. Do you know where I can find him?" One of the sparrows flew down. "We know him!" it chirped. "He is our dear friend. Follow us, we will show you the way!"
Page 5
The flock of sparrows led the old man along a hidden path, through tunnels of bamboo and over mossy stones. At last, they came to a place where the bamboo grew thick and old. Tucked among the giant roots of the largest stalk was a tiny, perfect house, no bigger than a traveling box. It had a little gate made of twigs and a neat roof made of layered leaves. As the old man stared in wonder, the door slid open, and out hopped his very own pet sparrow! The bird bowed its head. "Welcome, dear master!" the sparrow chirped, its voice a little weak, but full of joy. "I am so happy you have come to visit me! I knew your kind heart would bring you." The old man knelt down, his eyes filling with tears of relief. "I found you!" he cried happily. "I am so glad you are safe."
Page 6
The sparrow led the old man inside, where everything was perfectly sparrow-sized. "Welcome to our home," chirped his friend. Family and friends all bowed to him. They led him to a silken cushion and brought tiny trays of delicious food—sweet berries, roasted seeds, and delicate pollen cakes. "This is the most wonderful feast I have ever had!" the old man declared. After he had eaten, his sparrow clapped its wings. "Now, for your entertainment, we will perform the famous Sparrow-dance!" The sparrows formed two lines and performed a beautiful, fluttering dance, their wings rustling in perfect time. The old man clapped his hands in delight, feeling happier than he had in years.
Page 7
As evening began to fall, the old man knew he must go home. "Thank you for everything," he said to the sparrows, bowing low. "I will never forget your kindness to me." As a parting gift, his pet sparrow led him to a small, mossy clearing just outside the house. Two woven baskets sat on the ground. One was very large and looked heavy, bound with thick ropes. The other was small and light. "Please choose one to take with you as a token of our friendship," said his sparrow. The old man looked at the two baskets and then smiled gently at his friend. "Thank you," he said. "But I am old and the path is long. I cannot carry such a heavy burden. The small one will be more than enough for me."
Page 8
The old man walked home with the light basket and set it down in the main room. His wife looked at it with scorn. "You went all that way and brought back such a tiny thing?" she scoffed. "There can't be anything worthwhile in there." The man simply smiled. "It was a gift from my friend," he said, and carefully untied the cord. He lifted the lid. His eyes grew wide with surprise. A river of treasure tumbled out onto the tatami mat floor. "Look!" the old man gasped. His wife stared, her scorn turning to pure greed. "Fool!" she shrieked, scrambling forward. "Why did you not choose the big basket? We would have so much more! I will go and get it myself!"
Page 9
The greedy woman did not wait. She ran along the path to the sparrows' house, not bothering to be polite. She found the house and pushed rudely past the sparrows. "Stop your chirping!" she demanded. "I am here for my gift. Give me the big basket, and be quick about it!" Saddened by her harshness, the sparrows brought out the heavy basket. The woman grabbed it and began to drag it home. It was so heavy she could barely move it. Halfway home, on a lonely mountain path in the dark, her greed overcame her patience. "I can't wait any longer!" she panted, dropping the basket and tearing at the lid. But instead of gold, a jumble of hissing shadows and startling goblins with wide, glowing eyes leaped out, swirling around her in the gloom. She screamed, scrambled backward, and ran for her life.
Page 10
The greedy woman ran home, empty-handed and trembling. She had learned her lesson. The kind old man, however, lived in peace and comfort. He shared his good fortune, and his neighbors blessed his name. One evening, a family came to his porch. "Please, take this," the old man said, offering a string of coins to the mother. "Good fortune is for sharing." The woman bowed deeply. "Thank you, old friend! You have a generous heart." From the doorway, his wife watched, saying nothing, but her face was no longer hard and cross. Though his sparrow stayed in the bamboo grove, sometimes a sweet song would carry on the wind, a reminder of a kindness rewarded and a greed grown cold.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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