August 27, 2025

Summary

The story follows two brothers, Ura and Mikyo, who take very different paths in life. Ura marries for wealth and grows arrogant, while Mikyo, though poor, shows kindness by helping an injured baby swallow. The bird rewards Mikyo with a magical seed that grows three pumpkins containing food, clothing, and gold, transforming his life. Envious, Ura tries to replicate his brother’s success but fails due to greed and impatience, losing everything when his pumpkin burns his house. The tale highlights the rewards of compassion, patience, and humility, contrasting them with the consequences of arrogance and greed.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mikyo and Ura, two brothers, grew up in poverty and had no knowledge of managing money or household responsibilities.
• 😀 Ura married a wealthy woman while Mikyo married a poor orphan, setting the stage for contrasting fortunes.
• 😀 The brothers grew apart after marriage, with Ura becoming arrogant and quarrelsome.
• 😀 Mikyo struggled to plant crops for the winter but remained humble and sought his wife's advice.
• 😀 Mikyo rescued a baby swallow with a broken leg, demonstrating kindness and compassion.
• 😀 The swallow later rewarded Mikyo by bringing a magical pumpkin seed.
• 😀 The pumpkin seed grew into plants that produced pumpkins filled with food, clothes, and gold, making Mikyo wealthy.
• 😀 Ura, envious of Mikyo, attempted to replicate his success but acted with greed and impatience.
• 😀 Ura’s pumpkin produced only one fruit, which caused a fire when opened, resulting in the loss of his wealth and home.
• 😀 The story highlights moral lessons: kindness and humility lead to rewards, while greed and arrogance lead to downfall.

Q & A

Who are the main characters in the story?

The main characters are Mikyo, the younger brother; Ura (or Yura), the elder brother; Mikyo's wife; Ura's wife; and the little swallow.

Why did Mikyo initially struggle after getting married?

Mikyo married a poor orphan and only had his bare hands to work the vegetable garden, which made it difficult for him to grow food and prepare for the winter.

How did Mikyo’s relationship with Ura change after marriage?

Before marriage, the brothers were close, but after marrying, their ways parted, and they often quarreled. Ura became arrogant and refused to help Mikyo.

What role did the baby swallow play in the story?

The baby swallow, whom Mikyo rescued and fed, returned with a pumpkin seed. This seed grew into magical pumpkins that brought Mikyo food, clothes, and wealth.

What were the contents of the three magical pumpkins Mikyo harvested?

The first pumpkin contained food and drinks, the second pumpkin contained clothes, and the third pumpkin contained gold and silver coins.

Why did Ura fail to become rich despite trying to copy Mikyo?

Ura lacked kindness, patience, and humility. He tried to force the process and acted out of greed, which caused his pumpkin to burst into flames and destroy his property.

What moral lessons does the story convey?

The story teaches that kindness, patience, and hard work lead to lasting rewards, while arrogance and greed lead to failure. True success comes from genuine effort and care, not envy or imitation.

How did Mikyo help the injured baby bird?

Mikyo bound a little twig to the bird's broken leg and fed it with milk until it healed, then released it back into the wild.

How did Ura discover how Mikyo became wealthy?

Ura sent his wife to Mikyo's house to ask about his wealth. Mikyo's wife explained everything, including how Mikyo helped the baby swallow and the magical pumpkins.

What happened to Ura and his wealth at the end of the story?

Ura's pumpkin caught fire, destroying his hut, barn, and wealth. He became poor, ashamed to ask for help from Mikyo, and ended up wandering the world begging.

Why is the story set across different seasons?

The changing seasons highlight patience and natural progression, showing that rewards and outcomes take time and cannot be rushed.

How does Mikyo’s wife contribute to the story?

Mikyo’s wife provides emotional support, practical advice, and encourages hope, helping Mikyo stay determined despite hardship.