The Magical Headscarf That Could Hear Animals Speak

Once upon a time, in a quiet village near the mountains, there lived a kind old man who earned his living by chopping firewood. One day, while returning from the forest, he saw a small fox cub struggling to reach a fruit on a tree. Feeling sorry for the little creature, he picked the fruit and handed it over. The fox looked at him gratefully and watched as he walked away.

A Simple Gift with Hidden Power

A few days later, as the old man returned from town, the same fox cub appeared and waved to him. Curious, he followed it deep into the forest where he met the cub’s mother. She thanked him for helping her child and offered him a gift: an old, faded headscarf. Though it didn’t seem like much, the man accepted it kindly.

The next day, while chopping wood, the scarf slipped from his pocket. He picked it up and casually put it on—only to discover something strange. He could hear the sparrows talking in the trees. They weren’t just chirping—they were actually speaking! Amazed, he realized the scarf had magical powers.

A Hidden Cause Behind a Mysterious Illness

From then on, the old man wore the scarf often to listen to the animals. One day, he overheard two crows gossiping about the daughter of the village’s wealthy man. She had been sick for a long time, and no doctor could cure her. But the crows claimed her illness came from the camphor trees disturbed by a warehouse built in the family’s yard.

Determined to help, the old man went to the rich man’s home. Near the warehouse, he heard the trees whispering. They said the building had been constructed over the roots of a sacred camphor tree, and its disturbed spirit was causing the illness.

A Life Saved, A Kindness Returned

The old man told the rich man everything he had learned. Although skeptical, the man agreed to move the warehouse. Miraculously, his daughter soon recovered. Overjoyed, the rich man gave the old man a generous reward.

But instead of keeping it all, the old man bought plenty of fried tofu—a favorite food of foxes—and brought it back to the forest to share with his animal friends.