By Andrew Lang
ReadOasis Step 3
(Part 1)

In the middle of Japan, high up in the mountains, an old man lived in a little house. He was very proud of his house. He loved the beautiful white straw mats. He loved the pretty papered walls. He opened them when it was warm outside, and he could smell the trees and flowers.

One day the old man was standing outside looking at the mountain across from where he lived. He heard a rumbling noise in the room behind him. When he turned around, he saw a rusty...