蛙の鳴声The Frogs' Croak

About this text

A nostalgic memory of a teacher joyfully imitating frog sounds after a concert.

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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): 「寺田寅彦全集　第一巻」岩波書店
1996（平成8）年12月5日発行

Typed in by Nana ohbe. Proofread by 松永正敏.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator recalls a spring day in the Sendagi era when he and his teacher attended a concert, walked through Ueno forest imitating frog sounds, dined at a restaurant, and later reflected on how the teacher changed over time.

Key vocabulary

忘却ぼうきゃく	forget
管弦楽かんげんがく	orchestral music
滑稽味こっけいみ	humor
真似まね	imitation
晩年ばんねん	later years

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てしまう N4Expresses completion or regret. Here: 'forgot (completely)'.

  何なん年ねん頃ごろであったか忘わすれてしまったが

• ～ながら N4While doing something.

  先生せんせいはあるきながら、その蛙かえるの声こえを真似まねして

• ～ておられる (honorific) N3Honorific form of ～ている, showing respect to the subject.

  笑わらっておられた

• ～か何か N4Something or other.

  小鳥ことりのロースか何なにか食くって

• ～てみる N3Try doing something.

  考かんがえてみると

Cultural notes

• 千駄木時代 (Sendagi Era)Sendagi is a district in Tokyo. 'Sensei' likely refers to Natsume Sōseki, who lived in Sendagi from 1903 to 1906. This period is known as his 'Sendagi jidai' when he wrote many works.
• 上野の森 (Ueno Forest)Ueno Park in Tokyo is famous for its museums, zoo, and cherry blossoms. The 'forest' likely refers to the wooded area of the park.
• 宝亭 (Hōtei)A Western-style restaurant in Kanda, Tokyo, associated with intellectuals of the Meiji and Taisho eras. It was a favorite of Natsume Sōseki.

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