Let's read in Japanese! Introducing "The Lion and the Rabbit"!
There are only about two months left until the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.
Are you all doing well with your studies?
Today, let's read some Japanese material and then study some Japanese proverbs and four-character idioms!
Today's story is "The Lion and the Hare" from Aesop's Fables.
Please read the story out loud!
"The Lion and the Rabbit"
Once upon a time, there was a lion.
The lion was very hungry and was walking around looking for food.
Lion: "Ah. I haven't eaten in three days. I want to eat something soon, even if it's a small rabbit or a mouse..."
As I was walking with this thought in mind, I found a rabbit taking a nap in the grass.
Lion: "Okay! We finally found some food! Today's lunch is rabbit!"
The lion quietly approached the rabbit.
Sooooooooooooo...
But then a large deer passed behind the lion.
Lion: "Oh! It's a deer! It's bigger than a rabbit!! Okay, let's eat deer after all!"
The lion immediately started chasing the deer.
The deer noticed it right away and started running.
Lion: "I'm hungry! I won't let you escape! Gao!"
The lion ran a lot and chased it, but the deer was so fast that it could not catch it at all.
After many minutes of running, the lion got tired.
Finally, he stopped chasing the deer and stopped.
Lion: "It's such a shame that we found such a delicious-looking deer... I can't help it, I'll eat that little rabbit today."
The lion returned to the rabbit he had seen earlier taking a nap.
Lion: "Huh...?? There's no rabbit!!"
The rabbit was taking a nap in the grass and was woken up by the sound of the lion chasing the deer.
The rabbit ran away as soon as he saw the lion, so he is no longer anywhere.
Lion: ``Ah, what an idiot I was... I should have eaten the rabbit that time... I chased the deer just because it was bigger, so the rabbit also ran away from me.'' .I guess we don't have lunch today...I'm hungry..."
The lion was still hungry and started trudging along again.
How was it.
Even though the lion had food in front of him, he wanted something bigger.
This kind of personality is called greedy.
The moral of Aesop's fable is that greedy people lose money.
Now, I would like to introduce some Japanese proverbs and four-character idioms to you.
Have you ever heard the proverb, ``He who chases two will get none''?
This proverb is perfect for the lion in today's story.
``Whoever chases two gets none'' means that if you want two things or things at the same time, you won't get any of them.
The lion also wanted the rabbit and the deer at the same time, so he ended up not being able to eat either.
Greedy people can't get anything.
Sample
A: "Tanaka-san and Kato-san are both cute and kind. Should I confess my feelings to them?"
B: "Hey, if you chase two, you won't get one. You should think about it seriously."
So, do you know the four-character idiom "killing two birds with one stone"?
This means getting two things with one thing (method).
You're saying the opposite of what you said earlier: ``Those who chase two will never get one.''
However, "killing two birds with one stone" does not mean that being greedy is a good thing; it is often used in everyday conversation to mean being efficient or lucky.
Sample
A: "Recently, I've been walking to work instead of riding the buzz."
B: "That's great! It's good for your health, and you don't have to pay for the bus, so you can kill two birds with one stone!"
I think it's easier to remember proverbs and four-letter idioms that may seem difficult at first glance if you memorize sets of words with similar or opposite meanings.
Also, it might be a good idea to start remembering things that have numbers in them, such as 1 and 2, like the two above.
This time's story ``The Lion and the Rabbit'' was about a lion hunting, so next I would like to introduce the proverb ``If you don't go into the tiger's den, you won't get the tiger cub.''
Let's also take a look at the opposite meaning, ``keep away from the danger of the monarch.''
``If you don't go into the tiger's den, you can't get the tiger cub'' means that you can't get the tiger cub (the tiger's cub) unless you go into the tiger's den (the house where the tiger lives).
In other words, if you want to get something of value, you have to do something dangerous or struggle.
Sample
A: I'm thinking of starting a new company... I'm a little hesitant when I think about the risks...
B: "If you don't go into the tiger's den, you won't get the tiger. If you really want to do it, why don't you be prepared and give it a try?"
The next one is ``Do not approach the monarch in danger.''
This means that a ruler (a person who is intelligent or has a position) does not voluntarily go to dangerous places. You are saying the opposite of ``If you don't enter the tiger's den, you won't get the tiger.''
Sample
A: "That person always has a bad attitude, throws things, and suddenly gets angry."
B: "Yeah, it's better not to get involved too much. I don't want to get too close to the monarch."
How was it.
This time we introduced proverbs and four-character idioms.
Is there a word with a similar meaning in your country?
Since you're still a beginner...or an intermediate...don't think that you don't need proverbs or four-letter idioms, but actively look at and listen to them!
That's it for today!
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
