賢い秀雄さんの話The Story of Clever Hideo

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What you'll learn

Hideo, a clever seven-year-old boy, is generally well-behaved but has taken to climbing onto the roof using a ladder. Despite warnings from his sister and mother, he persists, dreaming of becoming a pilot. His mother removes the ladder, but Hideo uses a persimmon tree to climb up again. His father arrives and, instead of scolding harshly, spanks Hideo's legs while he is on the tree, teaching him a lesson. Hideo eventually stops climbing roofs after his father arranges for him to ride real airplanes at a nearby airfield.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ている (progressive state) N5Indicates an ongoing action or resultant state. Here, 'to be climbing' or 'to be holding'. The text uses archaic ～てゐる.
  秀雄さんは、まちかまへてゐる。
• ～てはいけません (prohibition) N5Used to say 'must not' or 'it is not allowed'. The sister uses it to scold Hideo.
  あぶないから、いけません。
• ～そうだ (appearance/hearsay) N4Used to express that something seems like it will happen, or that one has heard something. Here, '泣きさうな声' means 'a voice that seemed about to cry'.
  泣きさうな声で言つた。
• ～たがる (wants to) (third person) N4Indicates that someone (outside the speaker) wants to do something. Hideo shows a strong desire to climb.
  なか〳〵下りようとはしない。
• ～てしまう (completion/regret) N4Indicates an action is completed fully, often with a sense of regret. Here, the mother says '梯子はとつてしまひます' (I'll take away the ladder).
  梯子はとつてしまひますから

Cultural notes

• ランドセル (Japanese School Backpack)A hard-sided backpack used by Japanese elementary school students, often made of leather. It is a cultural icon and is typically given as a gift for entering first grade. In the story, Hideo wears one on his way to school.
• 観兵式 (Military Parade)A formal military review or parade, often held in pre-war Japan. The story mentions 観兵式の予行演習 (a rehearsal for the military parade), which attracts Hideo's attention because he wants to see airplanes.
• 「少年航空兵」 (Boy Airman) – A Popular SongA patriotic song from the pre-war era encouraging boys to become pilots. Hideo references it when he says '僕は少年航空兵', showing the influence of militaristic popular culture on children.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storychildrenchildhooddisobediencehumorousheartwarming〜ているongoing action / state〜てはいけませんmust not / may not〜そうだI heard that (hearsay)〜てしまうended up (regret)