Let's read the story "The Tablecloth the North Wind Gave" in Japanese! / Japanese Learning Support | blog

Read The Tablecloth Given by the North Wind!

This time, we will introduce part 2 of "The Tablecloth Given by the North Wind", which we introduced last time.

Summary of the previous episode ↓

Once upon a time, there was a poor boy who lived with his mother. One day, the North Wind blew and blew away the boy's flour. The boy went to the North Wind's house to ask for the flour back. Instead of the flour, the North Wind gave him a tablecloth to serve the feast on.

That night, the tired boy stayed at an inn, but the innkeeper and his wife stole the boy's tablecloth and replaced it with a normal one.

Now, what will happen to the boy?

If you want to read part 1 of The Tablecloth the North Wind Gave, click here.

https://nihongojikan.jp/blog/20240312-4252/

"The tablecloth given by the north wind" part 2

Boy: "Mr. North Wind! I won't serve you a feast with this tablecloth! Give me back my flour!"

North Wind: "Hmm. I don't have any flour... so I'll give you a sheep that will give you gold coins instead."

Boy: "A sheep that gives out gold coins?"

North Wind: "That's right! If you say, 'Oh, sheep! Give me your gold coins!', it's a mysterious sheep that will give you lots of gold coins."

Boy: "That's amazing! Thank you, Kitakaze!"

The boy got the sheep and tried to go home, but on his way back it became night again.

So I decided to go back to the inn.

Boy: Excuse me, can I stay the night?

Host: Oh, you're here again!

Boy: "Today, I have some money! I have a sheep that can give me gold coins."

Husband: "I see. Sounds interesting, let me see it."

Boy: "Sheep! Give me the gold coin!"

The sheep then dropped the gold coins from its mouth.

Husband: "Wow, this is amazing!"

At night, after the boy had fallen asleep, the husband and wife came into the boy's room again.

Husband: "With this, I can live a happy life every day!"

Wife: "Let's get this sheep too!"

So the husband and wife exchanged the sheep that gave gold coins for an ordinary sheep.

The next morning, the boy again left the inn, unaware of anything.

Boy: "Mother! The North Wind has given me a sheep that gives out gold coins!"

Mom: That's another lie.

Boy: "This time it's real! Sheep, give me your gold coins!"

But the sheep give nothing.

It just makes a baaaaa noise.

Mom: "See, I told you a lie after all. Stop playing and help me with the housework."

Boy: "Just one more time! I'm going to the North Wind!"

The boy ran again to the North Wind's house.

Boy: "Mr. North Wind! This sheep won't give me any gold coins after all!"

North Wind: "Hmm, that's strange... Well then, I'll give you this stick. With this, if you say, 'Here's a stick! Hit!' it will hit the other person and protect you."

Boy: "Okay! Thank you!"

On his way home, the boy came to the inn again.

Boy: "Good evening. Please let me stay again tonight!"

Husband: "Oh, you're here! I was looking forward to you coming!"

Wife: "Please, please take your time!"

Boy: "Yes! Thank you! Today I brought this mysterious stick!"

The boy showed me his walking stick.

And then, that night...

The boy thought the innkeeper and his wife were suspicious, so he went to bed and waited awake.

Then the husband and wife came into the room.

Master: "Let's take this walking stick too!"

The boy jumped up

Boy: "Stick! Hit him!"

he said loudly.

Then the walking stick hit the husband and wife with a 'po-po-po-po' sound.

Husband: "Ahh! It hurts! Please forgive me!"

Wife: "I'll give you back the tablecloth and the sheep, so don't hit me!"

Boy: "Stick! Stop!"

So the boy took his tablecloth, his sheep and his walking stick and went home.

From then on, the boy and his mother ate delicious food every day and lived happily ever after.

How was it.

It was a cute story about going to the North Wind to ask for the flour back.

Now, let's review some of the Japanese that appeared in the story.

-The boy thought the innkeeper and his wife were suspicious, so he went to bed and waited awake .

Today, let's review the grammar "naide"!

This means doing B without doing A.

Sample1: I fell asleep with the air conditioner on last night, so my throat is sore.

Sample2 Is it true that these days many people go out without carrying a wallet?

Sample 3 I'm tired today, so I'm going to go to bed without brushing my teeth.

Sample4 Please do this homework without using a dictionary.

A similar grammar to this is the grammar "~zu zu~".

Although the meaning is the same, "~zu zu~" gives a more formal impression and is more commonly used in written language.

Sample1 Watching TV with the lights off can damage your eyes.

Sample2 If you have just gotten your license, you should not drive a car without a beginner's license mark on it.

Sample 3: There are many difficult things, but let's not give up and keep trying our best!

Sample4 Please eat this dish as is, without adding soy sauce.

Today we introduced part 2 of "The Tablecloth That the North Wind Gave" and the grammar "naide" and "zuzu."

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Well, see you in the next blog!