こがらしの　ふく　ばんThe Night the Cold Wind Blows

What you'll learn

On a long winter night, a family sitting around a brazier hears a mysterious ringing sound. They speculate about its source, eventually discovering it is a rickshaw passing by.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ています N5Indicates an ongoing action or state.
  おかあさんは　おしごとを　なさって　います。
• ～ながら N4While doing an action, simultaneously doing another.
  きょうだいは　火ばちに　あたりながら、くりを　たべて　いました。
• ～だろう N4Expresses supposition or question, casual form of でしょう.
  「リンリン　リンって、なんの　音だろう。」
• ～でしょう N5Polite supposition or suggestion.
  「ねずみが　おかってへ　でて、なべに　さわったのでしょう。」
• ～てくる / ～ていく N4Indicates movement towards speaker (くる) or away (いく). Here かけだしてくると: runs towards and comes.
  そのうち　こちらへ　かけだして　くると、リンリン　リンと、しんぼうに　はめた　かねの　わが　なりました。

Cultural notes

• Charcoal Brazier (火ばち)Traditional Japanese heating device used before modern heaters. Families would sit around it to keep warm, often roasting snacks like chestnuts.
• Rickshaw (人力車)A traditional mode of transport pulled by a person. Common in Japan until the early 20th century. The ringing sound is from a bell on the handle.

Try a comprehension question

Read a sample in Japanese

Topics

Short Storychildrencuriosityfamilypoeticeerieaozora bunko