Latest / Sandman Stories Presents / EP 325: Japan- The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower (Ozaki)

Transcript

EP 325: Japan- The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower (Ozaki) · Sandman Stories Presents

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Welcome back listeners to Sandman Stories Presents, a
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folklore podcast where I read you to sleep or until the next
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story. I'm your host, Dustin.
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And if you would like some more Sandman that is too spicy for
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the main feed, go ahead and slide over to patreon.com.
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And for as little as no money a month, you can listen to me do
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all the sweary stuff. And today we are back in the
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book of Japanese folklore written down by Yeh Tedor Ozaki.
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In today's story, we'll learn about two neighbors and the
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importance of being honest. OK, let's begin the story of the
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old man who made withered trees to flower.
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Long, long ago there lived an old man and his wife.
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They supported themselves by farming a small plot of land.
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They were happy and content with their lives.
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There was just one great regret. They had no children.
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They did have a wonderful dog named Shiro, and they lavish
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their affection on him. Indeed, they loved him so much
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that they gave him their best food.
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The happiest part of the day for the old man and his dog was when
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the old man returned from working in the field.
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Having finished his Spartan supper of rice and vegetables.
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He would take his scraps out onto the veranda.
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Sure enough, sure was waiting for his master and the evening
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titbit. Then the old man would say Chin.
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Chin and Cheryl sat up and begged, and his master gave him
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the food. Next door to this good couple
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they lived, another old man and his wife, who were both wicked
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and cruel, and who hated their neighbors and the dog with all
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of their might. Whenever Cheryl happened to look
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into their kitchen, they kicked him or threw something at him,
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and sometimes wounded him. One day Cheryl was barking for a
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long time in the field in the back of the master's house.
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The old man, thinking perhaps that some birds had been
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attacking the corn, hurried out to see what was the matter.
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As soon as Shiro saw his master, he ran to meet him, wagging his
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tail and, seizing the end of his kimono, dragged him under a
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large hinoki tree. Here he began to dig with his
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paws, yelping with joy. All the time the old man, unable
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to understand what he meant, stood looking on in
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bewilderment. But Shiro went on barking and
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digging with all of his might. The thought that something might
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be hidden beneath the tree and that the dog had scented it at
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last struck the old man. He ran back to his house,
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fetched his spade, and began to dig the ground at the spot.
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To his surprise, after digging for some time, he came to a heap
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of old and valuable coins, and the deeper he dug the more gold
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coins he found. So intent was the old man on his
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work that he never saw the angry face of his neighbor peering at
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him through the bamboo hedge. At last all the gold coins lay
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shining on the ground. Shiro sat erect with pride and
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look fondly on his master as if to say, You see, though only a
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dog, I can make some return for all the kindness you show me.
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The old man ran to call his wife.
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Together they carried home the treasure, and so the poor old
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man and his wife became rich overnight.
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His gratitude to the faithful dog knew no bounds, and he loved
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and petted him more than ever, if that were possible.
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The cross old neighbor, attracted by Cheryl's barking,
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had been an unseen and envious witness of the finding of the
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treasure. He began to think that he, too,
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would like to find a treasure like that.
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So a few days later he called the old man's house and very
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unceremoniously asked permission to borrow Cheryl.
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For a short time. Shiro's master thought this was
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a strange request, because he knew quite well that not only
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did his neighbor not love his pet dog, but that he never lost
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an opportunity of striking and tormenting him whenever the dog
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crossed his path. But the good man was too kind
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hearted to refuse his neighbor, so he consented to lend the dog
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on the condition that he should be taken great care of.
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The wicked old man returned to his home with an evil smile on
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his face and told his wife how he had succeeded in his crafty
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intentions. Then he took his spade and
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hastened to his own field, forcing the unwilling Shiro to
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follow him. As soon as he reached the Hanoki
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tree, he said to the dog threateningly.
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If there were gold coins under your master's tree, there must
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also be gold coins under my tree.
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You must find them for me. Where are they?
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Where, where? And catching hold of Cheryl's
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neck, he held the dog's head to the ground, so that Cheryl began
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to scratch and dig in order to free himself from the horrid old
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man's grasp. The old man was very pleased
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when he saw the dog begin to scratch and dig, for at once he
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supposed that some old gold coins lay underneath his tree as
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well as his neighbors, and that the dog had scented them as
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before. So pushing cheer away, he began
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to dig for himself, but there was nothing to be found.
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As he went on, a foul spell became noticeable, and at last
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he came upon a heap of refuse. The old man's disgust can be
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imagined. This soon gave place to anger.
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He had seen his neighbor's fortune and was hoping for the
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same luck for himself. He had borrowed the dog, Cheryl,
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and now, just as he seemed like he was on the point of finding
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what he sought, only the terrible smell of a trash heap
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rewarded him from morning's digging.
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Instead of blaming his own greed for his disappointment, he
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blamed the poor dog. He grabbed his shovel and with
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all of his strength he hit Cheryl and killed him on the
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spot. Then he threw the dog's body
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into the hole which he had dug in hope of finding the treasure
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of coins, and he covered it up with dirt.
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Then he went home, telling no one, not even his wife, what he
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had done. After a few days, when Shiro
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didn't return, his master became anxious.
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Day after day went by and the good old man waited in vain.
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Then he went to his neighbor and asked him to give his dog back.
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Without any shame or hesitation, the evil neighbor told him that
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Shiro had been killed because of his bad behavior.
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At this terrible news, Cheryl's master wept many sad and bitter
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tears. Great indeed was his woeful
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surprise, but he was too good and gentle to report his bad
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neighbor. Learning that Cheryl was buried
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under the Hinoki tree in the field, he asked the old man to
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give him the tree in remembrance of his poor dog Shiro.
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Even the evil old neighbor could not refuse such a simple
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request, so he consented to give the old man the tree under which
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Shiro was buried. Cheryl's master then cut the
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tree down and carried it home. Out of the trunk he made a
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mortar. His wife put some rice in it and
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began to pound it with the intention of making food for a
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festival in memory of the dog Shiro.
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But then a strange thing happened.
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His wife put rice in the mortar, and no sooner had she began to
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pound it to make the cakes. Then it began to increase in
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quantity gradually, until it was about five times the original
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amount, and the cakes were turned out of the mortar as if
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an invisible hand were at work. When the old couple saw this,
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they understood that it was a reward to them from Shiro for
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their faithful love to him. They tasted the cakes and found
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them nicer than any other food. So from this time on they never
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troubled about food, for they lived upon the cakes which the
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mortar never ceased to supply them.
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Well, the greedy neighbor, hearing of this new piece of
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good luck, was filled with as much jealousy as before, and
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called the old man and asked him to borrow the wonderful mortar
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for a short time, pretending that he too sorrowed for the
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death of Shiro and wished to make cakes for a festival in the
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dog's memory. The old man didn't want to lend
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it to his neighbor, but he was too kind to refuse.
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So the jealous man carried home the mortar, but he never brought
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it back. Several days passed, and Chiro's
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master waited in vain for the mortar, and then he went to his
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neighbor and asked him if he would be good enough to return
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it. When he had finished with it, he
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found him sitting by a big fire made with pieces of wood.
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On the ground laid pieces of the broken mortar.
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When the old man asked him, the wicked neighbor answered
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haughtily. Have you come to ask me for your
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mortar? I broke it into pieces, and now
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I'm making it into a fire, because when I tried to pound
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the cakes it only came out with some horrid smelling stuff.
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The good old man said. I'm sorry for that.
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It is a great pity you did not ask me for the cakes.
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If you wanted them I would have given you as many as you wanted.
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Now please give me the ashes of the mortar, as I wish to keep
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them in remembrance of my dog. The neighbor consented at once,
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and the old man carried home a basket full of ashes.
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Not long after this the old man accidentally scattered some of
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the ashes in his garden, and a wonderful thing happened.
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It was late autumn, and all the trees had shed their leaves, but
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no sooner did the ash touch their branches that the cherry
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trees, the plum trees, and although the blossoming shrubs
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burst into bloom, so the old man's garden was suddenly
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transformed into a beautiful picture of spring.
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The old man's delight knew no bounds, and he carefully
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preserved the remaining ashes. The story of the old man's
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garden spread far and wide, and people from near and far came to
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see the wonderful sight. One day the old man heard
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someone knocking at the door, and going to the porch to see
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who it was, he was surprised to see a knight standing there.
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This knight told him that he was the retainer of the great
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Daimio, that one of the favorite cherry trees in the nobleman's
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garden had withered, and though everyone in his service had
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tried all manner of means to revive it, none worked.
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The knight was sorely troubled when he saw how upset the daimio
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was at that time. Luckily, he had heard that there
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was a wonderful old man that could make withered trees
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blossom, and that his Lord had sent him to ask the old man to
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come to him and added the night. I shall be very much obliged if
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you come at once. The good old man was greatly
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surprised at what he heard, but he respectfully followed the
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night to the nobleman's palace. The daimyo, who had been waiting
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impatiently, asked the old man as soon as he saw him.
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Are you the old man who could make withered trees flower even
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out of season? The old man bowed and said.
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I'm that old man. Then the Daimio said, You must
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make that dead Cherry Tree in my garden blossom again by the
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means of your famous ashes. I shall look on.
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Then they all went into the garden, the Daimio and his
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retainers and the ladies in waiting who carried the Daimio's
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sword. The old man now tucked up his
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kimono and got ready to climb the tree, saying, Excuse me.
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He took the pot of ashes and he began to climb the tree with
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everyone watching his movements. At last he climbed to the spot
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where the trees split into two, and taking up his position
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there, the old man sat down and scattered the ashes left and
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right. Wonderful indeed was the result.
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The withered tree at once burst into full bloom.
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The Daimio was so happy that he looked like he would go mad.
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He jumped to his feet, spread out a fan, and called the old
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man down from the tree. He gave the old man a wine cup
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filled with his best sake, and rewarded him with lots of gold
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and silver and other precious things.
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The Damio ordered henceforth that the old man should call
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himself by the name of Hana Saka Gigi, or the old man who makes
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the trees blossom, and that henceforth all were to recognize
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him by this name, and he sent him home with the great honor.
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The evil neighbor, as before, heard of the good old man's
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fortune and he could not suppress that envy and jealousy
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that was in his heart. He remembered how he failed to
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get the gold coins and then how he failed to get the magic
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cakes. This time, surely he must be
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able to succeed. He just had to be like the old
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man and sprinkle ashes on the trees.
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This would be the easiest task of all.
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So he set to work and gathered together a bunch of ashes which
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remained in his fireplace. Then he set out in hope of
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finding the great man to employ him, calling out loudly as he
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went along. Here comes a wonderful man who
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makes wither trees blossom. Here comes the old man who could
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make dead trees blossom. The daimyo and his palace heard
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this cry and said that must be Hana Sakajiji passing.
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I have nothing to do today. Let's go and see his art again.
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It'll amuse me to look on. So the retainers went out and
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brought in the imposter before their Lord.
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The satisfaction of the false old man can now be imagined.
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But the daimio looked at him and thought it was strange that he
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had not seen the old man before. So we asked him, Are you the man
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I named Hana Sakajiji? The envious neighbor answered
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with a lie. Yes, my Lord, that's strange,
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said the daimio. I thought there was only one
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Hana Sakajiji in the world. Does he have some students?
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I'm the true Hana Sakajiji, The one who came before you was only
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my disciple, replied the old man.
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Oh, then you must be more skillful than the others.
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Let's see what you can do. The envious neighbor, with the
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daimyo and his court following, went in the garden and
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approached a dead tree. He took out a handful of ashes
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that he carried with him and scattered them over the tree.
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They waited and waited, but no blossoms came, no blooms, no
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fragrance, no pretty flowers, not even a bud came forth.
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Thinking that he had not used enough ashes, the old man took
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another handful and sprinkled it over the tree.
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But nothing happened, and after trying several times, the ashes
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were blown into the daimyo's eyes.
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This made him very angry and he ordered his retainers to arrest
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the false hana Sakajiji. The wicked old man never left
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the jail again, so he finally met with punishment for doing
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all of his evil things. The good old man, however, with
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the treasure of coins which Shiro would find for him and
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with all the gold and silver which the daimyo had showered on
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him, became a rich and prosperous man in his old age
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and lived a long and happy life, beloved and respected by all.
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The end. Well, I enjoyed the story.
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The bond between animals and humans can be very strong.
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I didn't like the old guy being such a pushover.
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If someone hurt my dog I could never forgive them.
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And the podcast Shout out is to away with words.
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It's a fun show that gives histories and sources of words
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that people call in about. It's a joy to listen to.
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And the listener shout out is to Rosenberg, South Africa.
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It's on the north side and isn't my first choice of place to
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visit in South Africa, but I would like to go and see the
15:52
Royal Baffle King Stadium. And so I say to my listener
15:55
kicking back in the stadium, thank you and good night.