Online Japanese Reading Series! Let's read Japanese folktales!
Welcome to Online Japanese Reading!
Let's get started today!
This time, I would like to introduce you to the Japanese folktale "Tongue-kiri Sparrow".
Let's read by paying attention to the characters and the way they speak!
"Tongue-cut Sparrow"
Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman.
My grandfather was a kind-hearted man, but my grandmother was very mean.
One day, when the old man was working in the mountains, he heard the chirping of birds.
Grandpa: "Hey?"
When I looked down, I saw a small sparrow, injured and crying.
Grandpa: "Are you hurt? Poor thing..."
The old man gently picked up the sparrow and brought it home.
Grandfather: "Grandmother, this sparrow was injured today. I think I'll try to fix it at home."
Granny: "Oh, yeah."
The old man started taking care of the sparrows.
However, the grandmother does not like such a grandfather.
If you have time to play with sparrows, I want you to do more work.
Grandpa: "Here, try eating ."
The old man gave some of his rice to the sparrow.
Grandmother: "Our rice is running out, so please don't give your precious rice to such a sparrow."
Grandmother Hmmm! I got angry and left the room.
The little sparrow was getting better and better because the old man took care of it.
One day, the old man went to work in the mountains as usual.
Grandfather: "Grandmother, I'm going to work, so please watch the sparrows. Please."
Grandmother: "Yeah, I know. Then go."
However, when the grandfather was gone, the grandmother suddenly became cold to the sparrow.
Of course they don't give me food.
While the old woman went to the river to wash clothes, the sparrow became hungry and ate all the laundry paste that the old woman made.
Sparrow: "Chun-chun..."
When the old woman came home and noticed this, she became very angry.
Grandmother: "Hey! You ate the seaweed I made! I'll cut off your tongue so you don't do this again!"
The old woman cut the sparrow's tongue with a large pair of scissors.
The sparrow cried and flew up to the mountain.
Grandpa is back.
Grandpa: "Huh? What about sparrows?"
Grandmother: "That sparrow didn't like me, so I cut off his tongue. Then he flew up to the mountains."
Grandpa: "What the hell! Oh, poor thing..."
The old man immediately went to the mountains to look for sparrows.
When I walked to the direction where the sparrows were chirping, I arrived at the "Sparrow's Inn".
There were many sparrows there, and they welcomed the old man.
Sparrows: "Welcome, Grandpa. You are the one who helped our family. We have been waiting for you. Please take it easy."
The little sparrow that the old man helped also came out, and the old man was relieved.
After eating a lot of food, the sparrows said they wanted to give the grandfather a souvenir, and brought out two boxes.
Sparrows: "Here's a present from us. Would you like a big box or a small one?"
Grandfather: "Well, I'm old now, so I can't take the big box home. Let's take the small one."
Then the old man who got the present and went home was surprised when he opened the box!
A lot of money and treasure came out from inside.
The old man was very happy, but the old woman desperately wanted more money.
Grandmother: "Why didn't you get me a big box! Okay, I'll get it!"
The grandmother immediately went to the sparrow's inn.
Don Don Don!
Grandmother: "Hey! Open the door! I don't need food, so give me a souvenir!"
The sparrows were afraid of the old woman, so they brought two boxes at once.
Sparrows: "Big box and small box and..."
Grandmother: "I'll get you a big one!!!"
Sparrows: "Okay, but don't open the box until you get home."
The old woman didn't even listen to the sparrow's story and went home quickly.
On the way home, the old woman desperately wanted to see what was in the box.
Gently lower the box and take a look inside...
Granny: "Gyaaaaa!!!"
A lot of ghosts came out from inside! ! !
The old woman left the box and fled into the mountains.
It's over.
How was it.
It was a story that bad things happen to greedy people.
If you've been reading our reading series, you may have noticed that it's very rare in Japanese folk tales to have an old woman as a villain!
In addition, there is also the cruel action of an old woman who cuts off her tongue, so "Tongue-kiri Sparrow" is a work with a strong impact.
By the way, there was a scene in the story where the old man said to the sparrow, "Try to eat."
"~tegorann" is used to encourage the other person to take action, such as "~mitamae" and "~mitara".
"~tegoran" is used for people from superiors to those below, and is often used by adults especially for children.
Mother: "Hey, green peppers are delicious. Try them."
Teacher: “You can definitely do it, so try it.”
It may be difficult to understand the meaning if you just look at "goran", but if you consider that the honorific word for "mimasu" is "look at it", it makes sense.
That's all for today's Japanese study!
See you in the next blog!
