ひよりげたThe Straw Sandals

About this story

A mother tanuki teaches her reluctant child to transform, starting a gentle lesson in growing up.

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Source

This 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): 「校定　新美南吉全集第四巻」大日本図書
1980（昭和55）年9月30日初版第1刷発行

Typed in by 愛知大学文学部図書館情報学　時実ゼミ　青空文庫班. Proofread by 富田倫生.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 4 parts.

What you'll learn

On a clear night after rain, a mother tanuki living under a bush behind Jōfuku-in temple tries to teach her baby tanuki how to shape-shift. The baby is reluctant and keeps nursing. When the mother transforms into a monk, the baby is scared and doesn't recognize her. Despite efforts, the baby fails to learn and eventually falls asleep.

Key vocabulary

たぬき	raccoon dog, tanuki
ばける	to transform (into something), to disguise oneself as
おちち	mother's milk
やぶ	thicket, bush
月つき	moon

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ている N5Indicates an ongoing action or state.

  こどもの　たぬきが　いる。

• ～てしまう N4Expresses completion of an action, often with a sense of regret or finality.

  ぼうやの　たぬきは、もう　目めを　あいて　しまいました。

• ～ようと思う N4Indicates intention to do something.

  おかあさんだぬきは　こんや　こどもの　たぬきに、ばける　ことを　おしえようと　おもって、あなの　そとへ　でて　きました。

• ～たい N5Expresses desire to do something.

  「お月つきさんに　ばけたいの。」

• ～てもいい N5Indicates permission (may do something).

  「さあ、もう　いっぺん　おめめを　とじて、ぼうや、とう　かぞえなさい。とう　かぞえたら　目めを　あけても　いいよ。」

Cultural notes

• Tanuki in Japanese FolkloreTanuki (raccoon dogs) are legendary shape-shifters in Japanese folklore. They are often depicted as playful and mischievous, capable of transforming into humans or objects. This story highlights the traditional belief that tanuki can learn to transform, and the mother tanuki teaching her child reflects the passing down of this magical skill.
• Jōfuku-in TempleJōfuku-in (常福院) is a fictional temple name that sounds authentic. Temples are common settings in Japanese folk tales, often associated with spirits and magic. The bamboo grove behind the temple is a typical setting for supernatural encounters.

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