The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom

In old Japan a childless couple loved their little dog Muko like a baby. The kind daimio's farmers fed the pet from their chopsticks.

A poor old rice-farmer and his wife had no children and loved their dog Muko as though it were a baby. They made it a blue crape cushion and fed it tidbits of fish and rice.

Muko followed the old man to the fields daily. One day the dog dug at a spot and revealed a hoard of gold coins for the honest couple.

Each day Muko followed the old man to work. The dog began pawing and whining at a certain place in the garden. Digging there, the old man found a great treasure of gold pieces.

Wicked neighbours borrowed Muko, treated him cruelly, and killed him when he showed no gold. They buried him under a pine tree.

Envious neighbours asked to borrow Muko. When the dog did not lead them to riches, they killed him and buried him beneath a pine tree.

The old man grieved. The dog's spirit spoke in a dream, telling him to make mortar and mill from the pine and to sprinkle ashes on trees.

Heartbroken, the old man mourned Muko. The spirit of the dog appeared and instructed him to prepare a mortar and a hand-mill from the pine under which the dog lay.

When the old man sprinkled ashes from the mill on a withered cherry tree, it burst into blossom. A daimio rewarded him richly for the miracle.

The old man sprinkled a pinch of ashes on a dead cherry tree; it instantly flowered. A passing daimio saw the wonder and rewarded the old couple with many gifts.

The wicked neighbours burned their own mortar and threw ashes on trees, but the ashes blew into the daimio's eyes. They were beaten and driven away.

The jealous couple tried to copy the trick with ashes that were not magical. The wind blew dust into the daimio's eyes and nose. Their imposture was exposed and they were punished.