An old man came across a wounded sparrow and brought her home. His wife had 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.
One day when the old man was out she cut the sparrow’s tongue. Wounded again she fled 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.
Old man went everywhere to look for her. He travelled through mountains and reached the kingdom of sparrows. He found a nice little house with a bamboo garden, tiny waterfall, stepping stone, and everything complete. The bird gave him warm welcome. 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.
"Please take up and help yourself. The refreshments are very poor, but I hope you will excuse our plainness," said the 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. 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 travelling and carried on men's shoulders. Placing them before their guest, the sparrow said, "Please accept a parting gift." 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 told 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. 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 cuttlefish 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.
Morale of the story: (our interpretation) –Sparrows remember kindness, but aren’t immune to getting even when situation calls for it. In today’s world they just disappear. We have deprived our children of the sight and sound of these lovely creatures
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