There lived an old couple in a cottage on mountainside. The old man was kind and honest but his wife was very greedy and ill-tempered.
One day, as the old man sat outside his cottage, a sparrow, chased by a large raven, fell into his lap. He chased away the raven and bringing the frightened little sparrow inside, he put it into a cage. He cared for it lovingly. The happy sparrow spent hours chirping and singing, flying around the house.
But the old woman hated the sparrow. She was jealous that her husband loved it so much. She wanted to harm the bird.
She waited till the old man had gone out one day. Then she caught the bird and slit her tongue. She flung the sparrow away and the poor injured bird flew out of the window, never to return.
When the old man came back, she told him all that had happened. He was very sad and decided to search for the poor bird. He searched for many days but couldn’t find her anywhere.
One day, searching in a bamboo forest, he came to a cottage in a clearing. It had a beautiful garden and a lovely maiden invited him through the garden gate.
“I am your sparrow, my dear friend, and I hoped you would find me,” said the maiden.
She served him food, sang to him and made him rest. When it was time for him to return, she placed two chests in front of him, requesting him to take one of them as a mark of her gratitude. The old man took the small chest and returned home.
His wife scolded him for being late. He took out the little chest and opened it. It was full of the most beautiful gems and jewels. The woman fell silent, greedily looking at the jewels.
She learnt about the maiden’s cottage in the woods. The next morning, she found her way to the cottage. The maiden was frightened seeing her old enemy who had slit her tongue. But she gave her food and a place to rest.
In a while, the woman said she was going home and asked for a gift. The maiden set the two chests before her. The greedy old woman promptly picked the large chest up and without even thanking the girl, she marched off.
Reaching home, she opened the casket and out came serpent that stung and bit the old woman to death! The old man lived in peace after that.
