作品Free Graded Reading
母親に憑る霊The Spirit Possessing the Mother
Hahaoya ni Tsuku Rei
by 田中 貢太郎 · Tanaka Kōtarō
JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready
A soldier's spirit possesses his mother to deliver a final message from the battlefield.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe 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.
Language difficultyAdvanced · 75/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 出征 (しゅつせい) | going to war |
|---|---|
| 全滅 (ぜんめつ) | complete annihilation |
| 軍曹 (ぐんそう) | sergeant |
| 霊 (れい) | spirit; ghost |
| 戦況 (せんきょう) | war situation |
Grammar points you'll meet
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
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.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat is the reading of the word '出征' in the text?
- しゅつせい
- しゅっせい
- でい
- しゅつじょう
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipLook for historical context to understand the setting. The text references the Siberian Intervention, which helps explain the military terminology and the significance of the events.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese大正八年二月二十六日、西比利亜出征の田中中佐の一隊は、過激派軍のために包囲せられて、クスラムスコエ附近で全滅したが、悲壮極まるその戦闘で、名誉の戦死を遂げた小島勇次郎と云う軍曹は、大分県大野郡東大野村の出身であった。その勇士小島勇次郎が戦死してから半ヶ月ばかり経ってのこと、その生家では年とった母親が、某夜突然寝床の上に飛び起きて叫んだ。「起きてくれ、お父さんも、弟も妹も、皆起きてここへ来てくれ、話がある」それは鋭い男性的な声であった。父親は勇次郎の戦死の通知があって以来、老妻が非常に落胆していたので、ついすると発狂したかも判らない。病気になったとすれば逆らってもいけないと思って、すぐ家内中の者を起してその前へ往った。すると、
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