作品Free Graded Reading
キャラメルと飴玉Caramel and Candy
Kyarameru to Amedama
by 夢野 久作 · Yumeno Kyūsaku
Caramel and candy argue about who's better, sparking a hilarious candy war.
About this story
About this storyA caramel and a candy argue about which is better inside a candy box.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseSource
SourceThis 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): 「夢野久作全集7」三一書房
1970（昭和45）年1月31日第1版第1刷発行
1992（平成4）年2月29日第1版第12刷発行
Typed in by 川山隆. Proofread by 土屋隆.
Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.
The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 2 parts.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnCaramel and candy drop start arguing in a candy box, insulting each other about their shapes, names, and ingredients. Their friends join the fight, leading to a chaotic mess. A boy discovers them and calls his mother, who breaks all the candies apart with a hammer so they can be eaten.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 喧嘩 (けんか) | quarrel, fight |
|---|---|
| 間抜け野郎 (まぬけやろう) | fool, idiot |
| 着物 (きもの) | kimono, clothing |
| 高慢チキ (こうまんチキ) | arrogant, stuck-up |
| 羊羹 (ようかん) | yōkan (sweet bean jelly) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～たって (contraction of ～ても) N3Even if... (casual)外に出る時にゃちゃんと三角の紙の着物を着て行くんだ。第一貴様の名前が生意気だ。キャラメルなんて高慢チキな面をしやがって、日本にいるのならもっと日本らしい名前をつけろ
- ～てしまう (to do something completely, regrettably) N4Indicates completion or an unfortunate event.金槌を持って来て、パラパラと打ちこわしておしまいになりました。
- ～やがる (vulgar suffix indicating contempt) N1Do (with disdain) - used after verb masu-stem.キャラメルなんて高慢チキな面をしやがって、
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Japanese Sweets (菓子)The story mentions various traditional Japanese sweets like 元禄 (Genroku), 西郷玉 (Saigōdama), 花林糖 (karintō), 有平糖 (arameitō), 羊羹 (yōkan), and コンペイトウ (konpeitō). These are classic confections often enjoyed as snacks or gifts.
- お菓子箱 (Snack Box)In Japanese households, snack boxes (お菓子箱) are common for storing various sweets. The concept of candies arguing inside reflects a playful personification of inanimate objects, a common literary device in children's stories.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat do the candies argue about?
- Which one is tastier
- Their shapes, names, and ingredients
- Who is the strongest
- How to escape the box
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipFocus on the dialogues to understand character traits; note the use of rough language (e.g., 貴様, こん畜生) indicating a quarrel.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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