Long ago, there lived an old woodcutter whose right cheek bore a large wart. One stormy evening, as he was deep in the forest chopping wood, heavy rain and fierce wind prevented him from returning home. Seeking shelter, he hid inside a hollow tree. As dusk fell, he heard laughter, chatter, and the sound of many footsteps approaching. Puzzled, he muttered to himself, “How strange! I thought I was alone in this part of the forest.”
Peering from his hiding spot, he saw a bizarre group gathering in a clearing. Their bodies were strange, half human, half creature, and they wore brightly colored, mismatched clothes. The old man realized he had stumbled upon a gathering of spirits or demons. They built a large fire and began shouting and dancing around it. Soon, the leader, with the most terrifying face of all, bellowed, “Enough of this dancing! I want a new game!”
Curious and bold, the old man whispered to himself, “Perhaps I should join them and see what happens.” He pulled his hat down over his eyes and stepped out, dancing alongside the demons. The group was astonished, exclaiming to each other, “Who is this? Where did he come from, and how can he dance so gracefully?” Delighted, they clapped and danced along with him. The leader addressed the old man, “You dance remarkably well. From now on, you must come here to perform for us, but you must leave behind something valuable as proof that you will return tomorrow.”
Believing the wart on his cheek to be the most precious thing he had, the old man allowed the demons to pluck it off. As dawn broke, the demons vanished, and the old man touched his face in surprise, realizing the wart was gone. Overjoyed, he left his bundle of firewood behind and ran home to tell everyone about the incredible encounter.
Nearby, a greedy rich man with a wart on his left cheek heard of this miracle and desired the same fortune. The next evening, he ventured into the forest, hiding in a hollow tree to await the demons. As night fell, the demons arrived, lit a fire, shouted, and danced. The rich man leapt out and attempted to dance with them.
The demons cheered, “The old man is here! Watch him dance!” But the rich man was clumsy and awkward. Frustrated, the demons shouted, “Your dancing is terrible. We’ll leave you something as proof and be gone!” A demon hurled the wart at him, which struck his right cheek, leaving him with two warts. Panicked and humiliated, the rich man ran home, now burdened with a double misfortune.