It was this roommate who told Sadako about the Japanese legend which promises that anyone who folds one thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish, and taught her how to fold the origami cranes. Although she had plenty of free time during her days in the hospital, Sadako lacked paper. She would use medicine wrappings and whatever else she could scrounge; this included going to other patients' rooms to ask to use the paper from their get-well presents.