IN ANCIENT TIMES, heaven and earth were close together. Tall bamboo could touch the ceiling of heaven—that is why today, bamboo bends as it grows and is pliant. When the gods spoke in heaven, people on earth could hear their voices.
      The God of Thunder who lived in heaven had eyes like a pair of lanterns. Whenever he blinked, green light flashed all about. He had a pair of wings on his back, and if he napped them, a gale would blow. His feet—why they were so heavy that when he walked, they crashed together, making a loud rumbling noise. He carried with him a broad axe and a chisel, and with these he would go around splitting and cutting whenever his temper flared.
      The earth was the abode of human beings. Once we had a brave man named Bubo as our headman. He was a good man. Not only could he plow the fields and grow crops, he was also good at tending cattle and hunting.
      In those days, to ensure good weather and seasonable rain, it was only necessary to burn incense to Thunder God. Then the people could live in peace. One year, Thunder God became bored with all his heavenly leisure and came down to earth to amuse himself. Bubo treated him as an honored guest. He slaughtered a pig and a sheep in Thunder God's honour, and heaped the table with exotic delicacies from mountain and sea. The wine tasted mellow, the rice smelled fragrant. Thunder God's eyes turned red with greed at the very sight of such good food. The more he thought about the delicacies available on earth, the less appetizing the joss sticks and incense he fed on in heaven seemed.
      Thunder God got drunk on the wine and stuffed his stomach. He wiped his mouth, turned to Bubo and said, "I provide you with clear skies and rain showers. You'll have to pay me rent on the crop you grow."
      "Fine with me!" said Bubo. "Which part of the crop do you want, the top or the bottom?"
      "I live in heaven," said Thunder God. "I'll take the top, of course!"
      "Fine. Come and collect in the fall!"
      That year, Bubo grew taro. In autumn, Thunder God came down to earth to collect his rent. But all he got for his trouble was rotten taro leaves and dried taro stems.
      Thunder God was about to explode in anger, but he had already agreed to the deal. Furthermore, Bubo had been so sincere and treated him so cordially with wine and meat that it wouldn't do to get angry. So Thunder God waited until he had an opportunity to get drunk again, had his null of meat and rice, and wiped his mouth. "Say!" he exclaimed, "next year I'll collect the bottom part of the crop!"
       "Fine," said Bubo. "Come and collect next fall!"
       That year, Bubo grew rice. When autumn came around, Thunder God descended from heaven for his rent, but all he got was rice roots. Bubo did not give him even a single rice stalk.
       Thunder God was so angry that the veins in his neck popped out. Smiling broadly as ever, Bubo hosted him graciously again with wine and meat.
       As Thunder God drank, his face got redder and redder. Finally he smashed his wine glass and shouted, "Next year, I'll take the whole crop for my rent—both top and bottom!"
       Grinning delightedly, Bubo replied, "Take whatever you like!"
       The next year, Bubo's entire crop was corn. By autumn each cornstalk had three to five ears growing on it. When Thunder God came down for his rent, he could only stare as Bubo's family picked off the ears, one after another, and stuffed them into the baskets on their backs.
      Thunder God snorted with indignation, and his normally dark-blue face turned red. He turned around and ran away, without looking back. Bubo shouted after him repeatedly, asking him to come back and drink some more, but Thunder God paid no attention.