There is a Japanese folk tale called "The Tongue Cut Sparrow." It tells the story of a greedy and contempuous old wife who cuts the tonuge out of her husband's pet sparrow. The sparrow flees, but the old husband searches for his beloved pet and is gifted with many wonderous treasures when he find it. The greedy wife goes to the sparrow wanting more, but in choosing the wrong gift she is killed by the monstrous beasts that are released. I think it very appropriate that this story about greed involves the fragile sparrow because they know nothing of greed. I think that is one of the reasons why they are so beautiful to me.
