作品Free Graded Reading
沼辺よりFrom the Marsh
Numabe yori
by 牧野 信一 · Makino Shin'ichi
An eerie ghost story from the marshes that will send chills down your spine.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe narrator escapes to the Oninamidanuma swamp to sleep after exhausting work at the deafening watermill. He recalls the constant harassment from creditors, especially Berogoro, and the efforts of him and Yukitaro to avoid their demands by keeping the mill running. Later, O-Yuki arrives and uses gestures to report on the creditors' meeting, which included Berogoro, Kan-shichi, and Kosoda Sanshiro. They then engage in an English lesson by the swamp.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 鬼涙沼 (おになみだぬま) | Oninamidanuma (a swamp name) |
|---|---|
| 水車小屋 (すいしゃごや) | watermill hut |
| 伯五郎 (はくごろう) | Berogoro (a creditor) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てゐる N5Archaic form of ～ている, indicating continuous or state.明るい櫟林にとり囲まれた擂鉢形の底に円く蒼い水を湛へてゐる。
- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regret about an action.ついぐつすりと寝込んでしまふのだ。
- ～ために N3For the purpose of; in order to.例の浮遊生物の実験を続けようとしてゐるのだが、念願とするアミーバが容易に発見し難いので索然としてしまつたのだ。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- 水車小屋の文化Watermills were common in rural Japan for rice milling. The description of the mill's structure and the deafening noise reflects the historical reality of such workplaces.
- 債権者と借金The story highlights the oppressive nature of debt in pre-war rural Japan, where creditors like Berogoro would harrass debtors relentlessly.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy do the narrator and Yukitaro keep the watermill running when creditors arrive?
- To drown out their voices and avoid debt discussions.
- To increase rice production.
- To entertain the creditors with the noise.
- To generate electricity for the village.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to archaic kana usage (e.g., ゐ for い, を for お) which affects pronunciation and understanding.
Read a sample in Japanese
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