作品Free Graded Reading
ブレーメンの町楽隊The Bremen Town Musicians
Buremen no Machi Gakutai
by グリム ヤーコプ・ルートヴィッヒ・カール · Gurimu Yākobu Rūtovihhi Kāru
A classic tale of four animal musicians on an adventure.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe donkey decides to run away to Bremen to become a musician. Along the way, he meets a tired dog, a sad cat, and a rooster about to be cooked. They all join him on his journey.
The four animals stop in a forest for the night. The rooster sees a light in the distance, so they go to investigate. They find a house full of robbers and decide to scare them away by making a loud noise and breaking in.
After eating, the animals settle down to sleep. The robbers return and send one man to check the house. He mistakes the cat's eyes for coals, gets scratched, bitten, kicked, and scared by the rooster's crow. He reports terrifying monsters, and the robbers never return. The animals stay.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| ろば | donkey |
|---|---|
| りょう犬 (りょうけん) | hunting dog |
| 楽隊 (がくたい) | band (musical group) |
| 逃げだす (にげだす) | to run away |
| 胸算用 (むなざんよう) | calculation, plan |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regret. Here 'killed' as in 'done away with'.主人は、それならいっそ、たたき殺してしまえということになった。
- ～ておく N4To do something in advance. Here 'let me know'.なあに、あしたはいいお天気ですよって、知らせてやっているところだよ。
- ～そうだ (様態) N4Looks like/seems. Here 'tired-looking'.往来に一ぴき、りょう犬が、だるそうにころがって、
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- The Bremen Town MusiciansThis is a classic German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm. It tells the story of four aging domestic animals who, after being mistreated by their masters, run away to become musicians in Bremen. The story is known for its themes of cooperation and cleverness overcoming brute force.
- Christian ReferencesThe rooster mentions 'お聖母さまの日' (Feast of Our Lady) and 'おちいさいキリストさまの下着' (little Christ's underwear). These reflect the story's European Christian cultural background.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy does the donkey decide to leave his master?
- He is too old to work.
- He wants to see the world.
- His master is mean.
- He wants to become a musician.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipRead the story aloud to practice pronunciation of onomatopoeia like 'はっは、はっは' and 'キケリッキー'.
Read a sample in Japanese
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