A story from North Miyoshi in Hiroshima.
Once upon a time, a poor Old Man and his Wife lived a happy life together in a snow-covered mountain village. As the New Year approached, they found they had no more wheat or rice to eat. The old woman took out her cherished cotton cloth, “Dear Husband, could I trouble you to go to town and sell this cloth?”
“Oh, but dear Wife, isn’t this your favourite?”
“Yes, yes. But perhaps it would buy us one or two rice cakes if you sold it.”
And so the old man left home with the cloth.
“It’s so cold. Especially with all this snow. But cloth, I have cloth. Don’t you need some? Cloth, cloth for sale,” the Old Man called out as he walked through the middle of the town, trying to peddle the cloth, but since it was New Year’s Eve, people were hurrying back and forth, and not a single person was interested in buying.
“What a bother. But I must sell this cloth, so I can take back at least one rice cake home to my dear wife.” The Old Man continued to peddle, but finally worn out, he wearily sat down on a rock by the side of the road. A hat peddler passed by and perched himself on a neighbouring rock. “Old Man, why are you so tired?”
“The New Year is coming, and I hoped to sell my Wife’s precious cloth so that I could bring her back at least one rice cake, but I am wondering why I bother, since no one even turns around to look.”
“Ah, it’s the same with me. Even though I left home early, I haven’t sold a thing. It is indeed troubling, Old Man. But even though we didn’t sell anything, how about I trade some hats for that cloth?”
“I think so.”
So the nice Old Man traded the cloth for some hats.
“Oh, these are very nice hats.”
“I must go, Old Man. Have a good New Year.”
So the hat peddler left with the cloth. And before long, the snowfall grew heavier. “Oh, it seems to be really building up tonight. I should be getting home. It’s really coming down. Oh dear, I feel like I’m disappearing.” As the Old Man peered through the thickly falling snow, he thought he could see six Jizo standing frozen in the middle of a field. He spoke to them as he drew closer. “Jizo-sama, isn’t it cold in the snow? Tomorrow is the New Year and I have nothing to give you as an offering, and for this I am extremely sorry. Indeed, indeed. I have these hats, and I could put them on you. It would at least shield you a little bit from the cold. Let’s see… One. Two. Three. Four. Five. I seem to be one short. It can’t be helped, but please wear my old towel instead.”
The Old Man placed his hands together in prayer, and, looking back over his shoulder a few times, headed back through the snow.
“Wife, I have returned.”
“Ah, Husband. It is so cold. Hurry up and get inside.”
The Old Woman took her Husband by the hand and sat him down near the hearth.
“Mother, I am so sorry. By and by I ended up trading your cloth for some hats. As I was leaving, I came upon some Jizo-sama freezing in the snow, so I left all the hats with them.”
The Old Woman smiled and laughed, “Oh, I see, I see. Well, it’s all for the best. Come, come, I’ll get you some tea and a little bit to eat. You’ll feel better.”
“Oh, my dear Wife, you are the best.”
Soon after, they went to bed. Outside, the snow continued to fall. After a short while, there came a loud rustling from outside.
“Yo-ho. Yo-ho. Is this the house of the Old Man and his Wife? Yo-ho. Yo-ho. We are in your debt. We bring you good health.”
The Old Man and his Wife jumped up and, peering through a hole in the paper screen window, they could see the six Jizo-sama returning to the road. The Old Man and his Wife quickly opened the door to find three sacks had been placed there. They were able to have a wonderful New Year’s celebration thanks to the fish and the rice cakes that were overflowing from the sacks. So the Old Man and the Old Woman gladly welcomed in the New Year, and lived strong and healthy to the end of their days.
So it was told, a long time ago.
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