作品Free Graded Reading
泣き虫の小ぐまさんThe Crybaby Little Bear
Nakimushi no Koguma-san
by 村山 籌子 · Murayama Kazuko
A bear cub cries at everything: roosters, clocks, even radios!
About this story
About this storyA little bear who cries at everything decides to remove all causes of his tears, with comical results.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseWhat you'll learn
What you'll learnLittle Bear is a crybaby. He cries when the chicken crows, so he releases it. Then he cries when the clock chimes twelve, so he sells it. He cries from electric light, so he removes the power line. Finally, he cries from a radio news story, so he breaks the radio. He becomes ill and is sent to Wild Bear Hospital, where he is cured.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 泣き虫 (なきむし) | crybaby |
|---|---|
| 貰ひ泣き (もらいなき) | crying in sympathy |
| にはとり (にわとり) | chicken |
| 生いきだ (いきだ) | impudent |
| 匁 (もんめ) | monme (unit of weight, 3.75 g) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てからといふものは N1From then on (emphatic)それからといふものは、いままで、毎朝食べてゐた、おいしい卵を食べることが出来ないので、小ぐまさんは、一日五十匁づゝ、やせてゆきました。
- ～てしまう N4To do something completely or regrettably村の古道具やへその時計を売つてしまひました。
- ～そうです (hearsay) N4I heard thatすつかり、泣き虫が、なほつたさうです。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Old Japanese unit: 匁 (monme)A traditional Japanese unit of weight, equal to 3.75 grams, used for measuring precious metals and food. Its use here adds a historical flavor.
- Vintage items: 鳥小屋, ラヂオ, 電燈The story features items like a chicken coop, a radio, and electric lights, reflecting early 20th-century Japanese household life.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat does Little Bear do after he hears the chicken crow?
- He cries and then sets the chicken free.
- He ignores the chicken and goes back to sleep.
- He eats the chicken for breakfast.
- He buys a new chicken.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to archaic kana spellings like ゐ (wi), はひる (hairu), and たう〳〵 (tōtō) and try to infer modern equivalents.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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