Butitwasnotlongbeforethisstoryalsocametotheearsoftheirenviousneighbour，andhelostnotimeingoingtotheoldpeopleandaskingiftheyhappenedtohaveamortarwhichtheycouldlendhim。Theoldmandidnotatalllikepartingwithhisprecioustreasure，buthenevercouldsayno，sotheneighbourwentoffwiththemortarunderhisarm。
Themomenthegotintohisownhousehetookagreathandfulofrice，andbegantoshelloffthehusks，withthehelpofhiswife。But，insteadofthegoldpiecesforwhichtheylooked，thericeturnedintoberrieswithsuchahorriblesmellthattheywereobligedtorunaway，aftersmashingthemortarinarageandsettingfiretothebits。
Theoldpeoplenextdoorwerenaturallyverymuchputoutwhentheylearnedthefateoftheirmortar，andwerenotatallcomfortedbytheexplanationsandexcusesmadebytheirneighbour。Butthatnightthedogagainappearedinadreamtohismaster，andtoldhimthathemustgoandcollecttheashesoftheburntmortarandbringthemhome。Then，whenheheardthattheDaimio，orgreatlordtowhomthispartofthecountrybelonged，wasexpectedatthecapital，hewastocarrytheashestothehighroad，throughwhichtheprocessionwouldhavetopass。Andassoonasitwasinsighthewastoclimbupallthecherry—treesandsprinkletheashesonthem，andtheywouldsoonblossomastheyhadneverblossomedbefore。
Thistimetheoldmandidnotwaittoconsulthiswifeastowhetherhewastodowhathisdoghadtoldhim，butdirectlyhegotuphewenttohisneighbour’shouseandcollectedtheashesoftheburntmortar。Heputthemcarefullyinachinavase，andcarriedittothehighroad，SittingdownonaseattilltheDaimioshouldpass。Thecherry—treeswerebare，foritwastheseasonwhensmallpotsofthemweresoldtorichpeople，whokepttheminhotplaces，sothattheymightblossomearlyanddecoratetheirrooms。Astothetreesintheopenair，noonewouldeverthinkoflookingforthetiniestbudformorethanamonthyet。
Theoldmanhadnotbeenwaitingverylongbeforehesawacloudofdustinthefardistance，andknewthatitmustbetheprocessionoftheDaimio。Ontheycame，everymandressedinhisfinestclothes，andthecrowdthatwasliningtheroadbowedtheirfacestothegroundastheywentby。Onlytheoldmandidnotbowhimself，andthegreatlordsawthis，andbadeoneofhiscourtiers，inanger，goandinquirewhyhehaddisobeyedtheancientcustoms。Butbeforethemessengercouldreachhimtheoldmanhadclimbedthenearesttreeandscatteredhisashesfarandwide，andinaninstantthewhiteflowershadflashedintolife，andtheheartoftheDaimiorejoiced，andhegaverichpresentstotheoldman，whomhesentfortohiscastle。