The poor widow finished her masterpiece, her brocade, Suddenly…

A great wind from the west howled through the house. Catching up the rare brocade it sped through the door and disappeared over the hill. Frantically the mother chased after her beautiful treasure, straight toward the east and in a twinkling it had completely vanished.

The heartbroken mother, unable to bear such a calamity, fell into a deep faint. Carefully her three sons carried her into the house and laid her upon the bed. hours later, after sipping some ginger broth, the widow slowly came to herself.

“My son,” she implored the eldest, “go to the east and find my brocade for me. It means more to me than life.”

—

Next time: “The Old Lady and the Stone Horse”