The Raven’s Brocade

It was known in the village that, although Binbou was very poor, he often gave food and money to penniless widows and hungry beggars. Most people thought he was kind and generous, but his brothers teased him, calling him soft-hearted and foolish. “How will you attract a wife without any money?” they asked him.

And so Binbou knew they would mock him for bringing the sick raven into his house. But it was cold outside, the winter air biting with teeth of ice and snow, and the fire was warm inside. What harm was there in settling a cold bird by the hearth? The fire would not burn any less