Shita-kiri Suzume (The Tongue-Cut Sparrow)

Shita-kiri Suzume is a classic Japanese folktale about kindness and greed. It tells of a gentle old man who cared for a small sparrow. One day, the sparrow ate some rice starch belonging to his wife. In anger, the greedy old woman cut out the bird’s tongue and drove it away.

Saddened, the old man went to search for the sparrow in the mountains. He eventually found the bird’s home, where the sparrow and its companions welcomed him warmly. As he left, they offered him a choice of two baskets— one large and one small. Being humble, he chose the small basket, which turned out to be filled with treasures.

The greedy old woman, jealous of his fortune, went to the sparrow’s home and demanded a basket for herself. She picked the larger one, but when she opened it, it was full of monsters and misfortune. Terrified, she fled with nothing.

The story reminds us that generosity and humility bring blessings, while greed leads only to misery.