作品Free Graded Reading
木乃伊The Mummy
Miira
by 中島 敦 · Nakajima Atsushi
A chilling mystery surrounding a mummy
About this story
About this storyA Persian soldier in ancient Egypt feels a strange familiarity with the Egyptian language, hinting at a past life.
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): 「ちくま日本文学012 中島敦」ちくま文庫、筑摩書房
2008（平成20）年3月10日第1刷発行
2009（平成21）年6月20日第3刷発行
Typed in by 小池健太. Proofread by 久木舜.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones, and rephrased some sentences, keeping their meaning.
The furigana are Yomimaru's.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe Persian soldier Parisukas, marching into Egypt, begins to have strange memories. While searching a tomb for the mummy of Pharaoh Amasis, he encounters a mummy that triggers full recall of his past life as an Egyptian priest. He realizes the infinite regress of reincarnation and goes mad, found clutching the mummy and speaking Egyptian.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 木乃伊 (ミイラ) | mummy |
|---|---|
| 方尖塔 (ほうせんとう) | obelisk |
| 癲癇病 (てんかんびょう) | epilepsy |
| 孔雀石 (くじゃくせき) | malachite |
| 合せ鏡 (あわせかがみ) | pair of mirrors (facing each other) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てしかたがない N2Cannot help but feel; extremely (emphasizes emotion or desire)埃及入国以来、気になって仕方のなかったこと――
- ～そうでいて、どうしても～ない N1It seems like it will happen/be, but no matter what, it doesn't解りそうでいて、どうしても思出せなかったことが、今は実に、はっきり判るのである。
- ～かどうか N4Whether or notその捕虜が埃及人か、どうか（というのは、埃及軍の大部分は希臘人その他の傭兵だったから）を尋ねさせた。
- ～こともある N5There are times when ~癲癇病者の発作直前の様子を思わせることもしばしばである。
- ～（よ）うとする N4Try to ~; about to ~彼は、そのまま、行過ぎようとして、ふとその木乃伊の顔を見た。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Persian Empire under Cambyses IIThe story is set during the invasion of Egypt by Cambyses II, the Persian king who conquered Egypt in 525 BCE. The Persian army included soldiers from many regions, such as Bactria.
- Egyptian Mummies and TombsThe story describes the looting of Egyptian tombs by Persian soldiers, a practice that historically occurred. Mummies (木乃伊) were often removed and artifacts stolen.
- Reincarnation in LiteratureThe concept of reincarnation (輪廻) appears in various Eastern philosophies and is a theme in Japanese literature, often used to explore identity and memory.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat is the nationality of Parisukas?
- Bactrian
- Persian
- Egyptian
- Greek
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to descriptive passages that set atmosphere; they often contain key clues about the character's mental state.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
同級More at N1
- Native-level Japanese newsYominews · free, furigana on every kanji
- Free N1 literary Japanese textsYomibunko · graded texts, free
- The full JLPT N1 grammar list72 points · free study cards
- Which kanji you need for N1Study guide · what to know
- JLPT reading comprehension strategiesStudy guide · reading strategy
Fresh reads in your inbox
A short monthly note when we add new graded stories. No spam.
