作品Free Graded Reading
ねずみさんの失敗The Mouse's Mistake
Nezumi-san no Shippai
by 村山 籌子 · Murayama Kazuko
A greedy mouse and his wife race to get fried tofu, but end up empty-handed!
About this story
About this storyA lazy mouse tricks his wife into dressing up to visit a friend who is frying tofu, hoping for a treat.
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): 「日本児童文学大系 第二六巻」ほるぷ出版
1978（昭和53）年11月30日初刷発行
Typed in by 菅野朋子. Proofread by noriko saito.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced classical grammar with its modern form.
The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 3 parts.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA lazy mouse tells his wife to dress up and visit their neighbor ChuuChuu-san for a share of fried tofu. They rush, get lost, and ask a toy bear for directions. Arriving late, they find the couple already finished eating, and return home angry.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| なまけ者 (なまけもの) | lazy person, slacker |
|---|---|
| あぶらあげ | fried tofu, aburaage |
| 分け前 (わけまえ) | share, portion |
| 慾張り (よくばり) | greedy person, greed |
| 腰がぬける (こしがぬける) | to be stunned, to be shocked (lit. hips give out) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～のに N4Conjunction meaning 'although, even though', often showing contrast or expectationねずみさんのおかみさんの部屋にとんで帰つて言ひますのに
- ～んです N4Contracted form of ～のです, used for explanation or emphasis何しに行くんです。
- ～そうだ (heard) N4Expresses hearsay: 'I heard that...'気の毒なお話ですね。
- ～たばかり N3Just finished an action; 'just did something'あぶらあげをたべたばかりの口をふきながら
- ～もんか N2Strong negative intention or determination not to do something; 'no way'一生もう行くもんか。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Aburaage (Fried Tofu)Aburaage is a Japanese ingredient made by deep-frying tofu. It is often used in dishes like Kitsune Udon, and is also associated with foxes, who are said to love it. Here, the mice are eager to get a share.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy did the mouse couple rush to visit ChuuChuu-san?
- To borrow some clothes
- To get a share of fried tofu
- To apologize for being late
- To ask for directions to the bear's house
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipNote the archaic verb endings: ～ひます for ～います, ～つて for ～って. These are older written forms.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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