Page:Kwaidan; Stories and Studies of Strange Things - Hearn - 1904.djvu/244

 to understand it; and you will hear of something to your advantage. … Only remember that you must not frighten or vex the Ants.&quot; Then the goddess vanished away.

The man immediately went out to look for some Ants. He had scarcely crossed the threshold of his door when he perceived two Ants upon a stone supporting one of the house-pillars. He stooped over them, and listened; and he was astonished to find that he could hear them talking, and could understand what they said. &quot;Let us try to find a warmer place,&quot; proposed one of the Ants. &quot;Why a warmer place?&quot; asked the other;—&quot;what is the matter with this place?&quot; &quot;It is too damp and cold below,&quot; said the first Ant; &quot;there is a big treasure buried here; and the sunshine cannot warm the ground about it.&quot; Then the two Ants went away together, and the listener ran for a spade.

By digging in the neighborhood of the pillar, he soon found a number of large jars full of gold coin. The discovery of this treasure made him a very rich man.

Afterwards he often tried to listen to the conversation of Ants. But he was never again able to hear them speak. The ointment of the goddess had opened his ears to their mysterious language for only a single day. 218