Sara Cone Bryant

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Retold by The Legendary Connection

TLC#00088

Adapted from Gleanings in Buddha-Fields, by Lafeadio Hearn. (Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner and Co. Ltd. 5s. net.)

Once upon a time in a faraway land, an old man lived on a mountain with his young grandson. From their home, they could see the village below, where people worked hard in the rice fields. The village sat so close to the sea that there was only room for houses, while all the rice fields stretched across the flat mountain top where the old man lived. The rice was precious because it provided food for everyone in the village, and the young boy loved the fields. He often helped his grandfather watch over them.

One day, as the old man stood outside, gazing at the village and the sea beyond, he saw something unusual far off in the distance. The sea seemed to rise up, almost like a giant cloud reaching into the sky. The old man squinted and looked again. Then, suddenly, he ran into the house, calling for his grandson.

"Bring me a burning stick from the hearth!" he shouted.

The boy was puzzled, not understanding why his grandfather needed fire. But he quickly obeyed, running to grab a burning stick. The old man had already taken one and was hurrying toward the rice fields. The boy followed, confused and worried.

When they reached the rice fields, the old man thrust his burning stick into the dry, golden rice, setting it on fire. The boy was shocked and cried out, "What are you doing?"

"Quick! Set the fields on fire!" his grandfather commanded firmly.

The boy didn’t understand, but he trusted his grandfather. Tears welled up in his eyes as he pushed his burning stick into the rice. Soon, the flames spread quickly, and thick black smoke rose high into the sky.

The villagers saw the smoke and realized their precious rice fields were burning. Panicked, they left their homes and raced up the mountain, hoping to save what they could. Men, women, and children ran as fast as they could, leaving everything behind.

When they reached the mountain top, they saw the fields completely engulfed in flames. Heartbroken, they cried, "Who did this? Why would anyone burn the rice?"

The old man stood tall and said, "I did."

The boy, still crying, added, "Grandfather set the fire."

The villagers were furious and confused. "Why would you destroy the rice?" they demanded.

The old man didn’t say anything at first. Instead, he pointed to the sea. "Look," he said quietly.

The villagers turned to look, and what they saw filled them with fear. A massive wall of water, taller than any building, was rushing toward the shore. The tidal wave swept over the village, crashing down where their homes once stood. The waves roared as they slammed into the mountain. Another wave followed, and then another, until the village was completely underwater.

The villagers stood in shock. Their homes were gone, but they were safe on the mountain. Slowly, they realized what the old man had done. By setting the rice fields on fire, he had saved them all. The smoke had brought them running to the mountain, away from the danger of the wave.

From that day forward, the people honored the old man for his wisdom. He had made a difficult choice to sacrifice the rice fields, but in doing so, he saved their lives.

Original Source: ---. “How to Tell Stories to Children, and Some Stories to Tell.” Https://Www.gutenberg.org/Files/474/474-h/474-H.htm, 1 Jan. 2021, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/474/pg474-images.html#THE_BURNING_OF_THE_RICEFIELDS. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.