作品Free Graded Reading
こいぬ の ちびすけThe Little Puppy Chibisuke
Koinu no Chibisuke
by 村山 籌子 · Murayama Kazuko
JLPT N3Short StoryClassical / archaic
A boastful little puppy learns about shadows and grows up.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnChibisuke, a little puppy, boasts that he is a big dog because his shadow appears larger than John's in the morning. John takes him to the field at noon where their shadows are both small, making Chibisuke sad. In the evening, Chibisuke's shadow grows large again, bringing him joy, and John reminds him that he is still a little dog with a big shadow.
Language difficultyBeginner · 15/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| コイヌ (こいぬ) | puppy |
|---|---|
| カゲ (かげ) | shadow |
| ホウヲ (ほを) | cheek (object marker) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てしまう N4Expresses completion of an action, often with a sense of regret or unintended consequence.タイヘンナ コトニ ナツチヤツタア。
- ～そうです N4Indicates that something appears to be a certain way based on appearance or hearsay.ヒガ シヅミサウニ ナツタトキ
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Shadow PlayThe story uses the size of shadows at different times of day as a metaphor for perception and humility. In Japanese culture, shadows are often used in poetry and stories to represent one's true nature or perspective.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy does Chibisuke think he is a big dog at first?
- Because John said so.
- Because his shadow was larger than John's in the morning.
- Because he was older.
- Because he could run fast.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipFocus on the verbs to understand the action sequence.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese子犬のちびすけが大変に威張ってやってきました。「ウウ、ウウ、ウウ、ぼくは素敵な大犬だ。」大犬のジョンがびっくりして言いました。「君も今には大きくなるさ。だが今はまだちっぽけな子犬だよ。」「ウウ、ウウ、ぼくは君より大きいんだ。ぼくはここいら近所で一番大きいんだ。」「ウオオ、ウオオ、ウオオ、君は気が違ったらしいよ。」とジョンが笑いました。「気なんか違うものか。今朝早く野原で遊んでいて、ヒョイと見たら、ぼくの影は君よりずっと大きかったんだぜ。」ジョンは立ち上がって言いました。「よろしい。それなら一緒に野原へ行ってみよう。」「ワン、ワン、さあ行こう。」日はカンカンと、真上から照って、暑くてたまりませんでしたが、ジョンとちびすけは駆けっこして野原に行きました。野原の真ん中で影を見たら、二つとも小さな小さな影でした。いくら大きく踏ん張っても、小さな影は大きくなりませんでした。
Read the full text with furigana + instant lookups in Yomimaru →
Topics
More N3 reads
