Chapter 5
Two years had passed since then.
One day, when the camellia, whose leaves had been eaten by the cow, had bloomed three or four flowers, Kaizou-san went to the house of the landowner who lived in Handa.
Kaizou-san had been coming to this house often for about two months now.
The money for digging the well was almost ready, but when the time came, the landowner would not agree to dig the well.
So Kaizou-san kept coming back to ask for his agree.
The landowner was the same old man who had scolded Risuke-san for tethering his cow to the camellia.
As Kaizou-san entered the gate, he heard a terrible hiccuping sound coming from inside the house.
When Kaizou-san visited, he was told that, since the day before yesterday, the old man had been hiccupping so much that he had completely sick in bed.
So Kaizou-san came to his bedside to visit him.
The old man was hiccupping, making his futon ripple. Then, when he saw the face of Kaizou-san, he said.
"No matter how many times you ask me to dig a well, I won't let you do it.
If the hiccups continue for one more day, I'll die. But even in death, I will not forgive that."
He said stubbornly.
Kaizou-san thought it was no use fighting with such a dying man, so he told him.
The best way to cure hiccups was to put a chopstick on the teacup and drink the water at once.
As Kaizou-san was leaving the gate, the old man's son followed him and said.
"My father is too stubborn to do anything about it. Then my time comes, I'll agree to dig the well."
Kaizou-san was delighted. From the looks of him, the old man must be dying in a few days.
Then that son will take over and let him dig the well. He thought this would work.
That night at dinner, Kaizou-san told his old mother.
"If that stubborn old man dies, his son will let me dig the well. He'll be dead in a few days."
Then his mother said.
"You've been thinking so much about your work that you've developed a bad heart.
Waiting for others to die is a bad thing."
Kaizou-san felt as if he had been hit in the chest. His mother had been right.
Early the next morning, Kaizou-san went to the landowner's house again.
As he entered the gate, he heard a hiccuping voice that sounded less strong than yesterday.
He understood the landowner's body was much weaker.
"You've come again. My father is still alive." The son came out and said.
"No, I'd like to meet your father while he's still alive." Kaizou-san said.
The old man was sleeping in a state of exhaustion. Kaizou-san sat at the old man's bedside and said.
"I've come to apologize.
Yesterday, when I was returning from here, I heard from your son that he would forgive the well if you died.
And I've developed a bad heart. I thought it was OK that you would die soon. That was a terrible thought.
In other words, I became like a demon, thinking only of my well and waiting for your death.
So, I came to apologize. I won't ask you to take care of the well anymore. I'll look for some other place.
So please, don't die."
The old man listened in silence. Then looked up at Kaizou-san for a long time.
"I'm impressed with you." The old man finally spoke up.
"You're a good man with a good heart.
All my life I've been so focused on my own greed that I've never given a second thought to others.
But now, for the first time in my life, I'm moved by your noble heart. People like you are rare nowadays.
I'll let you dig a well over there, then. You can dig any well you want.
If you dig a well and no water comes out, I'll let you dig a well wherever you want.
That area is all my land. If you don't have enough money to dig a well, I'll give you as much as you want.
I might die tomorrow, so I'll leave this to you in my will."
Kaizou-san was unable to reply to these unexpected words.
However, he was glad to know that the old man had come to a better place before he died.
- To return to table of contents of A camellia tree to which a cow was tethered
One day, when the camellia, whose leaves had been eaten by the cow, had bloomed three or four flowers, Kaizou-san went to the house of the landowner who lived in Handa.
Kaizou-san had been coming to this house often for about two months now.
The money for digging the well was almost ready, but when the time came, the landowner would not agree to dig the well.
So Kaizou-san kept coming back to ask for his agree.
The landowner was the same old man who had scolded Risuke-san for tethering his cow to the camellia.
As Kaizou-san entered the gate, he heard a terrible hiccuping sound coming from inside the house.
When Kaizou-san visited, he was told that, since the day before yesterday, the old man had been hiccupping so much that he had completely sick in bed.
So Kaizou-san came to his bedside to visit him.
The old man was hiccupping, making his futon ripple. Then, when he saw the face of Kaizou-san, he said.
"No matter how many times you ask me to dig a well, I won't let you do it.
If the hiccups continue for one more day, I'll die. But even in death, I will not forgive that."
He said stubbornly.
Kaizou-san thought it was no use fighting with such a dying man, so he told him.
The best way to cure hiccups was to put a chopstick on the teacup and drink the water at once.
As Kaizou-san was leaving the gate, the old man's son followed him and said.
"My father is too stubborn to do anything about it. Then my time comes, I'll agree to dig the well."
Kaizou-san was delighted. From the looks of him, the old man must be dying in a few days.
Then that son will take over and let him dig the well. He thought this would work.
That night at dinner, Kaizou-san told his old mother.
"If that stubborn old man dies, his son will let me dig the well. He'll be dead in a few days."
Then his mother said.
"You've been thinking so much about your work that you've developed a bad heart.
Waiting for others to die is a bad thing."
Kaizou-san felt as if he had been hit in the chest. His mother had been right.
Early the next morning, Kaizou-san went to the landowner's house again.
As he entered the gate, he heard a hiccuping voice that sounded less strong than yesterday.
He understood the landowner's body was much weaker.
"You've come again. My father is still alive." The son came out and said.
"No, I'd like to meet your father while he's still alive." Kaizou-san said.
The old man was sleeping in a state of exhaustion. Kaizou-san sat at the old man's bedside and said.
"I've come to apologize.
Yesterday, when I was returning from here, I heard from your son that he would forgive the well if you died.
And I've developed a bad heart. I thought it was OK that you would die soon. That was a terrible thought.
In other words, I became like a demon, thinking only of my well and waiting for your death.
So, I came to apologize. I won't ask you to take care of the well anymore. I'll look for some other place.
So please, don't die."
The old man listened in silence. Then looked up at Kaizou-san for a long time.
"I'm impressed with you." The old man finally spoke up.
"You're a good man with a good heart.
All my life I've been so focused on my own greed that I've never given a second thought to others.
But now, for the first time in my life, I'm moved by your noble heart. People like you are rare nowadays.
I'll let you dig a well over there, then. You can dig any well you want.
If you dig a well and no water comes out, I'll let you dig a well wherever you want.
That area is all my land. If you don't have enough money to dig a well, I'll give you as much as you want.
I might die tomorrow, so I'll leave this to you in my will."
Kaizou-san was unable to reply to these unexpected words.
However, he was glad to know that the old man had come to a better place before he died.
- To return to table of contents of A camellia tree to which a cow was tethered