In ancient times, in Japan, during the reign of Emperor Shomu, who lived in 750, a tall tree grew in front of the gate of the house of the shogun of Izumi county named Yamatomaro.
Two crows built a nest for themselves on that tree and, after the allotted time, hatched the chicks, protecting them. All day long, the male father of the family, flying far from the nest in search of food, returned, fed his wife and chicks, and again flew away for food.
One day, Shogun Yamatomaro, who admired the friendly family every day, noticed that when the father of the family flew away to get food, another male raven flew in and seduced his wife. Seduced by her new husband and her heart attached to him, she soared high into the sky and flew away to distant lands, leaving the chicks and her native nest forever. And when her former husband returned with food, his wife was not there. For several days he sheltered the chicks without leaving to feed.
Shogun Yamatomaro watched what happened with excitement in his heart.
A few days later, suspecting something was wrong, he ordered a servant to climb a tree and inspect the nest. It turned out that the husband died while hiding the chicks. The chicks also died.
Seeing what the crow's adultery led to, Yamatomaro was so shocked that his whole world seemed to have turned upside down for him. He left his house, wife, children, left his service and entered a monastery.
The shogun's wife remained pure in heart and faithful to her husband, even when the children died of hunger. And after some time, she herself died in melancholy and sadness. Thus ended the Yamatomaro clan.
When a fire is started, wood is first collected. Before it rains, the stone becomes wet. Before thunder roars, lightning flashes. People and birds live according to their own laws.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru