作品Free Graded Reading
微笑The Smile
Bishō
by 夢野 久作 · Yumeno Kyūsaku
A creepy doll's smile refuses to die, no matter how much you destroy it.
About this story
About this storyA narrator becomes obsessed with and destroys a smiling doll, but its smile persists.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseSource
SourceThis text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko
Base edition (底本): 「夢野久作全集3」ちくま文庫、筑摩書房
1992（平成4）年8月24日第1刷発行
Typed in by 柴田卓治. Proofread by しず.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced some archaic words with modern ones.
The furigana are Yomimaru's.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe narrator encounters a cute kappa doll, feels a mix of admiration and resentment, then destroys it piece by piece. Despite destruction, the doll's smile remains. The narrator eventually crushes its eye.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| お河童 (おかっぱ) | kappa (mythical water sprite) |
|---|---|
| 丸裸体 (まるらたい) | completely naked body |
| ニッコリ | with a smile |
| スベスベ | smooth (texture) |
| ポックリ | snap, with a snap |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～ている N5Indicates ongoing action or state.どこをみつめているかわからないまま
- ～ていた N4Past ongoing action or state (was doing).ニッコリと笑っていた。
- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regret of an action.その人形を壊してしまいたくなった。
- ～させる N4Causative voice (make/let someone do).何かしらドキンとさせられた。
- ～ず N3Old-fashioned negative form (not doing).云い知れず憎々しくなった。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Kappa (河童)A mythical water sprite from Japanese folklore, often depicted as a green, humanoid creature with a dish-like indentation on its head that holds water. Kappa are known to be mischievous and sometimes dangerous, but also polite and clever. The doll in this story is an 'okappa-san', a cute representation of a kappa.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat is the narrator's initial emotional response to the kappa doll?
- Pure admiration
- Pure resentment
- Both admiration and resentment
- Indifference
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to onomatopoeia (e.g., ポックリ, スベスベ, ニッコリ) to grasp emotional and sensory details.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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