あひるさん　と　にはとりさんMr. Duck and Mr. Chicken

What you'll learn

The duck loses his pencils, searches in the pond and field with the chicken, but they get muddy. The duck's mother gives them a bath and rewards them with pencils.

The duck's mother invites the chicken and his mother for a birthday feast. A power outage occurs, and the duck and chicken eat all the food in the dark. The mothers are disappointed but drink tea.

The duck hides his new hat under his wings and the chicken stuffs his new shoes in his bag, both embarrassed. They get hurt and the teacher sends them home, where they cry.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てしまう N4Indicates completion of an action, often with a sense of regret or finality.
  あひるさんは、鉛筆を五本もなくしてしまったので、こまっています。
• ～そうです (appearance) N4Used to describe something that looks like it will happen or has a certain appearance.
  あひるさんが、ある日、お母様から頂いたおいしそうな、大きな桃を持っています。
• ～てくれる N4Someone does something for me/us.
  しんせつなプールの番人のがてふのおじさんが、二人をボートにのせてくれました。
• ～たり～たりする N5Indicates actions done alternately or among others.
  二人は一日中、ほじくったり、もぐったりしたので、どろだらけになりました。
• ～なければならない N4Must do something; obligation.
  もう二三日は、おとなのなかでじっとしていなければいけません。

Cultural notes

• Folktale-style storiesThese stories resemble traditional Japanese folktales with anthropomorphic animals and moral lessons, common in Japanese children's literature.
• Senpai-Kouhai relationshipsThe duck and chicken interact as friends, but there is a sense of mutual respect and sometimes one leads, reflecting social hierarchies.

Try a comprehension question

Read a sample in Japanese

Topics

Short Storychildrenfriendshipproblem solvinghumorousheartwarmingaozora bunko