by
Mari
s I approached the rice shop to replace the rice I had stolen from Yahichi to feed my hungry family when I had been out of work, I saw that the path to the doorway was uneven. I hadn’t noticed this on any previous trips, so I approached cautiously.I nudged the lumps with my foot. One of them moved! I jumped back, my heart in my throat. Was it a snake?
I came forward again fearfully to more closely examine the lumps that had moved but were now still. Once again I nudged the lumps gingerly with the toe of my sandal. This time they rattled as they knocked together.
I ran around the corner of the rice shop thinking the disturbance would have awakened Chogoro. I waited until my heart stopped pounding in my ears to listen for any sounds that someone was stirring in the shop. All I could hear were Chogoro’s familiar, soft snores.
I was determined to pay back this first bit of rice that I owed Yahichi and so I went back to the doorway where I could now make out that the lumps were mud-covered sticks. Clearly, the merchant had discovered that rice had been taken and was setting a trap for the thief. The merchant would not be expecting the thief to sneak back in the dead of night just to return a few handfuls of rice.
By the light of the moon, which had emerged from behind the clouds, I could see that the trap wasn’t extensive. By moving just a few sticks I would be able to enter the rice shop without risking a fall or having the sticks rattle under my weight. After removing three sticks I was able to carefully place one foot ahead of the other to safely enter the shop without alerting anyone.
I left the rice on the table, retraced my steps, replaced the sticks, and hurried away thanking the gods for my good fortune this night and hoping for their favors tomorrow night when I would return again.
The End
Story by: Mari, age 9
Send comments to: Mari