影を踏まれた女The Woman Whose Shadow Was Stepped On

What you'll learn

The narrator describes the children's game of shadow-stepping on moonlit nights, especially around the thirteenth night. Oseki, a 17-year-old girl, is traumatized when children step on her shadow, leading her to believe her lifespan will shorten.

Oseki avoids going out at night, especially moonlit ones. She visits her aunt's house and is sent home with her fiancé Yōjirō. On the way, two dogs run over her shadow, renewing her terror.

Oseki's fear expands to sunlight and even candlelight. Her parents seek help from doctors and then an ascetic. The ascetic gives them a candle to light at midnight to see the true form of her shadow. They see only her normal shadow.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regret. Here it shows the action is completed.
  おせきは自分の家へ送りとゞけられたが、その晩の夢には、二匹の犬がかれの枕もとで駈けまはるのを見た。
• ～そうだ N4Indicates hearsay or appearance. Here it means 'it seems that...'.
  その晩の夢には、二匹の犬がかれの枕もとで駈けまはるのを見た。
• ～かどうか N4Indicates uncertainty: 'whether or not'.
  ほんたうに判らないのか、判つてゐても云はないのか、どつちでせうね。

Cultural notes

• 十三夜 (Jūsanya)The 13th night of the 9th lunar month, a traditional moon-viewing festival in Japan, often associated with offerings of dumplings and susuki grass. It is believed to be a night when shadows have special significance.
• 影踏み遊び (Kagefumi Asobi)A traditional children's game where players try to step on each other's shadows. It was popular in the Edo period and Meiji era, often played on moonlit nights with chants like 'Kage ya Dōrokujin, jūsanya no botamochi'.
• 行者の蝋燭 (Gyōja no Rōsoku)A candle used by an ascetic (gyōja) for spiritual rituals. In the story, it is believed to reveal the true form of a person's shadow, indicating possession or curses.

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Topics

Short Storyghost storyfolkloresupernaturalchildhoodnostalgiceerieaozora bunko