Kasa Jizo

Once upon a time, in a certain place, there lived a kind old man and old woman. New Year’s Day was coming soon. The old man decided to go to town to sell the hats he had made from straw. “If I can sell them, I’ll buy some rice cakes.”

💬 The Old Man Goes to Sell Hats

🤔 What is the old man going to sell? How do you think the old woman feels as she sees him off?

But in town, no one bought the hats. The old man could not buy any rice cakes. “It can’t be helped. I’ll go back to the old woman.” The old man slowly walked home along the snowy road.

💬 The Hats Did Not Sell

🤔 How do you think the old man felt when the hats did not sell?

On his way home, the old man found some Jizo statues covered with snow. “Oh my, you must be cold.” The old man put the hats he had not sold on the Jizo statues. When he ran out of hats, he even wrapped his own hand towel around one of them.

💬 Here Are Some Hats for You, Jizo-sama

🤔 The old man gave his own things to the Jizo statues. Why do you think he did that?

That night, they heard the sound of a sled being pulled outside the house. When the old man and old woman looked outside… what a surprise! The Jizo statues had brought them rice and rice cakes. The Jizo statues, who had been treated kindly, had come to say “thank you.”

💬 A Gift of Thanks

🤔 Why do you think the Jizo statues brought gifts?