Long, long ago, a kind old man kept a little sparrow.
Every day the old man doted on his sparrow.
One day the sparrow ate up the starch paste the old woman had made.
The mean-hearted old woman flew into a rage, cut the sparrow's tongue with her scissors, and drove it away into the mountains.
Worried about his sparrow, the old man went into the mountains to look for it.
Calling out, "Tongue-cut sparrow, where is your home?" he walked on and on, until at last he found the sparrow's house.
The sparrows welcomed the old man with joy, set out a feast, and danced for him.
As he was leaving, the sparrow brought out a big basket and a small basket and said, "Please take whichever one you like."
The old man chose the small basket.
When he opened it at home, it was filled to the brim with treasure.
Seeing this, the old woman went off to the sparrow's house herself and came back with the big basket.
But when she opened the heavy basket, out came goblins and snakes, and the old woman was so frightened her legs gave way beneath her.
It is a tale handed down from long ago, teaching us that greed never pays.
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