Айнская сказка. С моралью. Мораль мне особенно нравится. =)
A TALE OF THE FOXESA TALE OF THE FOXES.
CHARACTERS—PAN’AMBE AND PEN’AMBE.
Pan’ambe, having a great desire to become rich, stretched his tail across to the town of Matsumai. When the Lord of Matsumai saw the tail, he said, “This is a pole sent from the gods. Hang all my clothes upon it to air”. So all the short-sleeved garments and good clothing were hung out. After a time, Pan’ambe drew back his tail, and all the soft silky garments and good clothing adhering to it came also; so that he gained a whole houseful of things, and became very rich.
Pen’ambe, hearing of his good fortune, called upon him and said, “My dear Pan’ambe, what have you done, that you have become so rich”? Pan’ambe replied, “Come and take some refreshment, and I will tell you”. When he had heard all, Pen’ambe withdrawing said: “This is the very thing we ourselves had intended to do, and you,--you abominable Pan’ambe—you disgusting Pan’ambe, have forestalled us”.
So saying, he went down to the seashore and stretched his tail across the sea to Matsumai. When the Lord of Matsumai saw it, he said, “Here is a pole sent by the gods. Hang out all my best clothes to air”. So the clothes were hung upon it.
But, Pen’ambe being in a great hurry to become rich, began to withdraw his tail too quickly. The Lord of Matsumai, seeing the pole move, said: “Even thus it happened once before. There came a pole from the gods, upon which we hung our clothes out to air; but a thief stole the pole away, and we all became poor. Now again a pole has come and we have hung our clothes upon it, but look! there appears to be a thief about; be quick, and cut the gods’ pole in two”.
So the officers drew their swords and cut the pole, therby saving all the clothes. Pen’ambe was left with but half a tail! so he drew it in, but had obtained nothing, and was in a very sorry plight. Now, if Pen’ambe had only listened to what Pan’ambe had said to him, he might have been a rich person and able to live; but he did not like to be advised, so he became a very poor man.