長い名The Long Name

About this story

A boy with a cut-short name and his half-brother with an extremely long name discover the importance of names.

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Source

This 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): 「日本の諸国物語」講談社学術文庫、講談社
1983（昭和58）年4月10日第1刷発行

Typed in by 鈴木厚司. Proofread by 大久保ゆう.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 3 parts.

What you'll learn

Introduction of Chon-san, whose real name is unknown because his mother died before finishing naming him. His father remarries, and the stepmother gives his new half-brother an extremely long name based on a superstition that long names lead to long lives.

As the brothers grow, the younger brother teases the older with his short name. Chon-san tries to retaliate by saying the younger's long name but gets tongue-tied. The father also favors calling Chon-san due to the convenience of his short name, while the long name protects the younger brother from scoldings.

Chon-san falls into a well and is rescued because his friends can quickly call his short name for help. Later, the younger brother brags that he won't fall due to his long name, but he falls in. His friends run to his house but take so long to recite his name that he drowns before help arrives.

Key vocabulary

ちょんきり	cut off, incomplete
あだ名な	nickname
すてきもない	extremely long (literally 'there is no limit')
まんまる入道にゅうどう	round-headed priest (part of the long name)
いたずら	mischief, prank

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てしまいます N4Indicates completion of an action, often with a nuance of regret or finality.

  その間かんに弟おとうとの方ほうはどこかへ逃にげて行いってしまいました。

• ～そうです (hearsay) N4Indicates that the speaker has heard or heard that something is the case.

  「やはり、短みじかい名前なまえの子こは運うんが悪わるいというのは、ほんとうだ。」と思おもっていました。

• ～てあげる N4Do something for someone (giving benefit).

  おかあさんに、子供こどもに短みじかい名前なまえをつけると、その子この命いのちは短みじかいし、長ながい名前なまえをつけるほど、その子この寿命じゅみょうは長ながいものだといって聞きかせました。

• ～てくれる N4Someone does something for me/us.

  縄なわを下おろしたり、はしごをかけたりして、やっとちょんさんを助たすけ出だしました。

Cultural notes

• Japanese Naming SuperstitionsIn Japan, there is a folk belief that a child's name can influence their fate. Long names are thought to bring long life, while short names may lead to a short life. This story humorously explores that superstition.
• Tongue Twisters in Japanese FolkloreThe long name in this story is a classic Japanese tongue twister. It combines various elements from traditional chants and serves as a playful challenge to recite quickly. Such tongue twisters are often used in folk tales for entertainment.
• Step-parents in Japanese FolktalesThe theme of a stepmother favoring her own child over a stepchild is common in Japanese folktales, similar to 'Cinderella' type stories. Here, the stepmother is not overtly cruel but shows favoritism in names and treatment.

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