The Aged Mother's Story Matsuo Basho's Japanese folktale. Long, long ago, at the foot of the mountain, a poor farmer and his elderly widow resided. They had a plot of land that provided them with food, and their lives were tranquil and pleasant. One day the farmer went to town to sell some of his vegetables but never returned. Concerned, the old woman went to the village but was unable to find him. She decided to go home without her husband, thinking that he must be alive somewhere in the village since there were so many people around. But when she got there, no one would admit knowing him. Heartbroken, the old woman died too. This short story by Japan's most famous poet tells how the farmer and his mother met. It also describes the peaceful life they led before they died. Farmer Basho lived in rural Japan. He was good at farming and had plenty of work to do. One day he went to town to sell his vegetables but never returned. His wife worried about him and went to look for him but couldn't find him anywhere. With no one else to take care of the farm, she left it alone and died too. After her death, no flowers or trees grew on the grave, because there was no one left to plant them. Basho felt sad when he heard this old woman had died too.