お地ぞうさんと六つのニット帽

At the shop, Grandfather made knit caps with yarn, and Grandmother wrote small price tags.

This year the town turned cold early, and snow had been falling little by little since morning.

On Saturday morning, there was a winter market in the square in front of the station.

Aya and the others put six knit caps into a box and walked from the shop to the square.

There were two red knit caps, two blue knit caps, and two white knit caps.

Aya said, “I hope a lot will sell today.”

Grandfather smiled and answered, “I’ll be happy if even one sells.”

But on the snowy day the square had few people, and in front of the booth it was quiet for a long time.

There were people at the warm-drinks stall, but there were not many people looking at the hats.

In the morning, only one red knit cap sold.

After lunch, two blue knit caps sold.

Even when it became evening, two white knit caps and one red knit cap were left.

Aya lost a little heart and thought, “Maybe today won’t work out.”

At that time, Aya’s teacher came by bicycle.

The teacher picked up one white knit cap and said, “I want to give this to my mother.”

Then the teacher looked at the other white knit cap too and said, “This one is good for my father too, isn’t it?”

When the teacher left, the only hat left was one red knit cap.

The sky was already dark, and the snow had become stronger than in the morning.

Because the market was about to end too, Aya and the others put the stall’s things into the box.

Grandmother said, “Five sold today, so that’s good.”

But Grandfather looked at the one hat that was left, and he looked a little lonely.

On the way home, there is a small temple and six Jizō statues.

The Jizō statues stand lined up by the road and always watch the people of the town.

That night, there was a lot of snow piled on the heads of the six Jizō statues.

Aya stopped and said softly, “They look very cold.”

Grandfather opened the box and looked at the red hat that was left.

Aya said, “There’s only one, isn’t there?”

Grandmother took off her long scarf.

Grandmother said, “Let’s use this scarf too.”

Aya took four small handkerchiefs out of her bag.

They were new handkerchiefs for use at the shop, but nobody had used them yet.

Grandfather put the red hat onto the Jizō statue at the far left.

Grandmother gently wrapped the scarf around the second Jizō statue.

Aya placed a blue handkerchief on the head of the third Jizō statue.

Next, she placed a yellow handkerchief on the fourth Jizō statue.

Then, she placed a white handkerchief on the fifth Jizō statue.

Finally, she placed a flower-pattern handkerchief on the sixth Jizō statue.

All six Jizō statues looked a little warmer.

Aya put her hands together and said, “Please don’t catch a cold.”

Grandfather and Grandmother both quietly bowed their heads.

When they got home, the three of them quickly got into the bath and ate warm rice porridge.

Because she was very tired that night, Aya went to sleep right away.

The next morning, outside was still white, and the town was very quiet.

But in front of the shop, six big boxes were lined up neatly.

On top of the boxes were bread, mandarins, rice, vegetables, fish, and warm socks.

Aya was surprised and asked, “Who came here?”

Grandmother found a small paper beside the boxes.

On the paper it said, “Thank you for always watching over the town.”

Grandfather read those words and for a while said nothing.

After that, the three of them walked to the temple.

On the heads of the six Jizō statues, there was hardly any snow.

The red hat, the scarf, and the four handkerchiefs were still there neatly in place.

Aya said, “They all look more lively than yesterday, don’t they?”

From that day, when winter comes, the people from the shop sometimes go to see the Jizō statues.

The people of the town heard that story too, and they became kinder than before.

Every year, Aya remembers the snow of that day and the red hat.