A story from the city of Miyoshi, in the northern part of Hiroshima.
A long, long time ago, a poor but very hardworking and kind-hearted old man, called Hide, lived at the base of a mountain.
One evening, while returning home from the mountain, carrying wood on his back, he heard a voice cry out from the bushes.
“Who is it? Who can be making such pitiful noises? Oh, why are you crying? And where are you? Ah, you must be somewhere around here.”
“He-help me! It hurts. Oh, it hurts!”
“Oh my! It’s a fox cub. You poor thing. Did you hurt your leg? Oh, there, there. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.”
“My mother is sick and can’t get up, and I thought I could find some nuts for her to eat, oh! But I tripped over this stump, oh, oh, oh!”
“Oh, I know, I know. There now, you poor thing. I don’t have any medicine, so I’ll use some spit from my mouth. “Get better soon!” Hopefully it’ll stop the bleeding. There now. And then I’ll just wash it off and bandage you up.”
“Thank you! See these nuts here? I’m going to take them home to my mother.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll pick them for you. Then you can take them back to her.”
“Wow, Old Hide is indeed the nice person everybody says he is.”
“There now, take some for your mother and some for you. Little fox, you must take care of her.”
“Yes, Old Hide, thank you, thank you!”
“For what? It was nothing. Ahaha, I just want to see you return happily home. What a dutiful cub you are. And your foot should heal up very quickly.”
So the fox cub headed home, and all the while he kept looking back to the man who had helped him.
After about four or five days had passed, Old Hide was chopping wood on the mountain when he saw the young fox again, and said: “Well now. Aren’t you the little cub who injured his foot? How are you doing? Has your foot healed?”
“Yes, thank you so much for the other day. My mother has recovered and my leg has healed, thanks to your help. Look at it. It’s healed up beautifully. Today, I am running some errands for my mother. But you know what, Old Hide, I realised just now that I should bring you home with me, so you can see for yourself my mother’s good health. Come with me.”
“Well, indeed, indeed. I’m very glad to hear your mother has recovered. Yes, do lead me to see your mother immediately.”
“Old Hide, please take hold of my paw tightly. And take care you keep up with my pace. You have to be sure-footed to navigate these animal trails.”
“Ohoho, of course. But let’s not rush. We could fall down. Oh my, what’s going on with me, my heart is racing. Ahaha, this is fun, running together with you. Hahaha.”
“Mother. Oh, mother! Old Hide has come with me.”
“Well well, Old Mr Hide. I am so glad you’ve come. The other day you helped my cub. I have much thanks, because you also helped me recover from my illness. And since you have come today, I hope you will accept this token of my gratitude, a red mantle, for helping both me and my child become healthy again.”
“No, I couldn’t possibly take something as important as this hood from you.”
“No, no, Old Mr Hide, I insist that you accept this hood, for it is special. When you wear it, you can hear everything.”
“Oh, Old Hide. Please do take it, as my mother says. You’ll be glad you did.”
“If that’s the case… Well then, I guess I will accept this gift. Thank you. Thank you.”
“Old Mr Hide, you can come back here and play anytime.”
Old Hide headed back to his home at the foot of the mountain with the gift from the young fox. When Old Hide entered his home, he immediately put on the red hood to see what it would do.
“Wow, oh my, what’s this? I can hear festival music.”
“Ta-ta-ta-ta!”
“Wow. Oh wow, I can hear people talking. Oh ho, what are they talking about?”
“Ta-ta-ta-ta! Huh, what’s that? Around Old Hide’s place at the foot of the mountain, there’s treasure buried at the base of a pine tree.”
“Yes, yes, yes. It must be near the big pine tree. Ah, this has to be what the hood wants me to know. Very well, I will dig it up.”
So, Old Hide immediately began digging around the roots at the base of the pine tree. And sure enough, he unearthed a large jar. When he opened the lid, he discovered it was full to the brim with coins.
“Oh!! I’m so thankful for all of this! I will immediately divide it evenly between everyone in the village, and we’ll no longer have to worry about food. Oh, thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.”
Old Hide shared the contents of the jar with everyone in the village. Then, he took to the animal trail to personally thank the fo0x family for this bounty.
“Little cub! Little cub! I have come back to see you! Oh mother fox, are you there? Thanks to the hood, I have been able to help everyone in the village. My dear fox friends, thank you so much! But oh, you’re not here! Now that you are both healthy, has the family gone out to play? I wanted to come back here so I could thank you. But you are not here. I thought I would bring this fried tofu to express my gratitude. Well, I will just leave it here and go home. I can come back again.”
Old Hide left the fried tofu for the foxes, and headed back to the base of the mountain.
And so, from that day on, Old Hide could be seen wearing his mysterious red hood. And as he did, he heard the following talk.
“Ta-ta-ta-ta! Oh, what’s this? A rich man in the city has built a fine mansion. But something in the area has made his only daughter gravely ill. Oh, oh my! Buried Planted under the mansion is a cursed oak tree.”
Upon hearing this, Old Hide immediately set out to the rich man’s home, to tell him that he needed to dig up the oak tree. The rich man immediately ordered the oak tree to be dug up, and replanted it next to his house. The oak tree stretched itself up to the morning sun, the breeze rustled its leaves, and the little birds tweeted “Chirp, chirp, chireeep” as they came to play. The daughter became healthy again, making Old Hide feel happy. Old Hide immediately headed behind the mountain to tell his thanks to the fox family.
“Dear Foxes. Hey! Oh foxes! As you taught me, I have come back here along the animal trail. I have returned. Oh, but today too, you are gone. And once again, I have brought you some fried tofu as thanks for the gift of this precious hood. All of these things are thanks to you, my dear fox family. Good Health to you, dear foxes.”
Old Hide headed home, looking back as he went.
Even today Old Mr Hide is in good health, chopping wood, and looking for his little fox friend, deep, deep in the depths of the mountain.
Or so the story goes - once upon a time.
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