Page 2 - Mind Map

NOTES

Once there was a good old man who lived up on a mountain, far away
in Japan. The little boy loved the rice fields, dearly, for he knew that all
the good food for all the people came from them; and he often helped
his grandfather to watch over them.

One day, the grandfather was standing alone, before his house,
looking far down at the people, and out at the sea, when, suddenly, he
saw something very strange far off where the sea and sky meet. Then
he turned and ran to the house. “Yone, Yone!” he cried, “bring a fire
torch!”

The old man already had one, and was running for the rice fields. Yone ran after. But what was his
horror to see his grandfather thrust his torch of fire into the ripe dry rice, where it stood.

Oh, Grandfather, Grandfather!” screamed the little boy, “what are you doing?”

“Quick, set fire! Thrust your torch in!” said the grandfather.

In an instant, the field was ablaze, and thick black smoke began to pour up, on the mountain side. It
rose like a cloud, black and fierce, and in no time the people below saw that their precious rice fields
were on fire. Men, women, and children climbed the mountain, running as fast as they could to save the
rice; not one soul stayed behind.

And when they came to the mountain top, and saw the beautiful rice-crop all in flames, beyond help,
they cried bitterly, “Who has done this thing? How did it happen?”
“I set fire,” said the old man, very solemnly; and the little grandson sobbed, “Grandfather set fire.”