Folk Legends of Japan by Richard M. Dorson features some humorous tales…

Kitchomu fools his neighbor

Kitchomu was short of money and went to his neighbor to borrow some. The greedy neighbor said: “I have some money to save, but I have no money to lend.”…Eager to find out where his neighbor kept his money, Kitchomu peeped through the fence when it became dark. The neighbour came out into the garden and dug up the ground and there he buried his money. When he had done this he said: “May the money increase as the sand increases. May the money appear as a snake to the eyes of other people.”

Kitchomu, who saw this, was pleased. “I’ve heard a good thing.” Next day he went to the mountain and caught many snakes. Late that night he stole into his neighbor’s garden and dug up the ground. He dug up all the money that the neighbour had put there and buried the snakes in place of the money.

Two or three days later the neighbour, who did not know this, went there to bury more money which he had accumulated. When he dug up the ground, he found no money but a great many snakes. He cried out in surprise: “It’s me. Have you forgotten me?” But the snakes did not turn to money.

— See Folk Legends of Japan, by Richard M. Dorson, published by Charles E. Tuttle and Company, 1982.