母親に憑る霊The Spirit Possessing the Mother

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What you'll learn

The text describes the ghost of Sergeant Kojima Yujiro, who died in the Siberian Intervention, appearing to his family through his mother to console her and recount the battle that led to his death.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てから N4After doing something
  小島勇次郎が戦死してから半ヶ月ばかり経って
• ～ために N3For the sake of; in order to; because of
  泣いてもらわないために、戦争の容子を話して聞かせる
• ～と云う N4Called; said that
  小島勇次郎と云う軍曹
• ～てみる N4To try doing something
  父親は、次男と三男に訊いてみると
• ～かもしれない N4May; might; perhaps
  発狂したかも判らない

Cultural notes

• The Spirit of the Dead (Yūrei)In Japanese folklore, spirits of the dead (yūrei) can return to the world of the living to deliver messages or resolve attachments. This story depicts a soldier's spirit appearing to his family, a common trope in Japanese ghost stories.
• Siberian Intervention (1918-1922)Japan sent troops to Siberia as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. This mission, known as the Siberian Expedition, resulted in significant casualties and is a historical backdrop for this story.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storyghost storygriefspiritual communicationmelancholyeerieaozora bunko〜てからafter doing〜かもしれないmight / maybeてみるtry doing〜という〜called / named〜ためにin order to / because of