The next day, the woodcutter started early.
But today as he climbed the mountain, he found a lot of woodcutters following him. Each of them carried a gourd. Some of the woodcutters in the village had overheard about the waterfall which flowed with sake.
So all the woodcutters followed this man to get some wonderful sake.
All of them came to the exact spot and even found the waterfall.
However, the other woodcutters were angry.
The waterfall tasted like water and nothing more.
“You have fooled us!” The other woodcutters yelled angrily. “We followed you for no reason.”
The woodcutter who had also filled his own gourd looked calm and turned to the other others. “I did not ask you to come with me.” The other woodcutters bristled as the woodcutter continued. “Besides, for me, this tastes as sweet as sake. Exactly like it did yesterday.”
The other woodcutters were angry and walked away and to them it seemed like the waters laughed at them.
However, the first woodcutter heard the melodious song from the waterfall.
“Sake for him who is kind,
Water for those who seek self,
Sake for him who is kind.”
The woodcutter also filled the sake in his gourd and took it home often.
Since that day, the waterfall has always provided sake for the kind woodcutter and his family. no one else.
Adapted from Japanese Folktales
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