Japan Kobutori Jiisan

tale:japan_kobutori_jiisan

An old man with a lump on his cheek shelters from rain and delights a band of revelling oni with his dancing; charmed, they take his lump as a 'pledge' to ensure his return — freeing him of it. His neighbor, lumped on the other cheek, dances clumsily; the disgusted oni return the first man's lump, and he goes home with two. Moral: a glad and willing heart is rewarded; grudging imitation doubles the burden. — Japanese folktale