“According to a Japanese folktale, a venerable grandfather who owned a rice field at the top of a hill felt the sharp jolt of an Earth tremor one day just before the harvest. From his hilltop vantage point, he saw the sea pull back from the shore. Curious villagers rushed out to explore the exposed tidal flats and collect shellfish. From experience, the old man knew of the grave danger to his neighbors. With his grandson by his side, he dashed about his fields, setting fire to his crop. The villagers saw the smoke, and hurried up the hill to aid their neighbor. As they beat out the flames, they saw the old man scurrying ahead, setting new fires near the hill’s crest. Hoping to prevent him from destroying all of his crops, they rushed up the hill to stop him. Moments later, the villagers saw a tremendous wall of water surging onshore, flooding the flats where they had just been standing – and they understood that the old man had sacrificed his harvest to save their lives.”