The Sparrow Princess: A Folktale from Japan

Long ago, two friends lived on a high mountain in Japan. Yoshi was good-natured, but Kenta was bossy and greedy. One day, Yoshi saved a little sparrow from a big, hungry raven. He put the little bird in a cage to keep it safe. Kenta was jealous of the bird, for his friend lavished it with attention.

"Why do you spend so much time with that silly bird?" Kenta demanded. "We could be finding ways to make more money."

"The little bird is a blessing," said Yoshi. "She greets me each day with her sweet songs. The sparrow is more valuable than money."

Kenta was furious and wanted to put an end to the sparrow. One day, after Yoshi went into town, Kenta crept into his friend's house. He opened the cage to get the little bird, but it flew away quickly into the forest. All the same, Kenta was pleased—the sparrow was gone! He toppled the cage to make it look like the wind had knocked it over.

When Yoshi found the empty cage, he searched the forest, calling for his beloved pet. He wandered into a bamboo thicket. There, he found a neat little house in a beautiful garden. A lovely princess came out and greeted him like an old friend. She said she was the little sparrow, and she invited him to stay for a meal and some music. After nightfall, they both knew Yoshi must go home. But before he left, the sparrow princess wanted to give him a gift. She presented two chests, a large one and a small one. Yoshi chose the smaller one and carried it home in the darkness.

The next morning, Kenta visited his friend. He pretended to be surprised and sad that the little sparrow was gone. To cheer him up, Yoshi showed him the chest. When they opened it, they found heaps of gold and precious stones. Kenta begged to hear where Yoshi had gotten the chest. Yoshi explained. When he said he'd chosen the smaller of two chests, Kenta's eyes grew wide.

The next day, Kenta marched boldly into the bamboo thicket. He found the neat little house and banged on the door. When the sparrow maiden answered, Kenta demanded a large chest. She offered two, just as she had with Yoshi. Kenta grabbed the larger chest and left without even saying goodbye. Soon, he stopped and threw open the lid. Poisonous serpents with forked tongues slithered out, and frightened Kenta terribly. He ran and ran until he was very far away.

Only one person missed Kenta and wondered what had happened to him. That person was his good friend, Yoshi.