作品Free Graded Reading
林檎のうたApple Song
Ringo no Uta
by 片山 広子 · Katayama Hiroko
A poetic ode to the beauty and taste of apples.
About this story
About this storyA poetic observation of apples in a shop, evoking memories and the simple joy of buying two delicious ones.
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): 「燈火節」月曜社
2004（平成16）年11月30日第1刷発行
Typed in by 竹内美佐子. Proofread by 伊藤時也.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones.
The furigana are Yomimaru's.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA series of tanka poems depict apples in a shop, their vivid color and scent, the joy of buying them, and reflections on memories and prayers evoked by the fruit.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 林檎 (りんご) | apple |
|---|---|
| をさなき (おさなき) | young, immature |
| くれなゐ (くれない) | crimson, deep red |
| いきいき | lively, vivid |
| デリツシヤス (デリシャス) | delicious (apple variety) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～ぬ (Classical negative) N1Classical Japanese auxiliary verb meaning negation, equivalent to modern ～ない.吾を包みぬ
- ～たる (Classical attributive of ～たり) N1Old Japanese form expressing state or completion, equivalent to modern ～ている or ～た.みのりたる木の実
- ～し (Classical past attributive of き) N1Classical past tense attributive form, equivalent to modern ～た.来し如し
- ～たる (Classical attributive of ～たり) N1Same as above, used attributively.熟れみのりたる果物
- ～はれぬ (Classical potential negative) N1Classical construction: verb 未然形 + る/らる (potential) + ぬ (negation), meaning 'cannot be said'.言はれぬ祈り
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Tanka Poetry FormTanka is a 31-syllable poem with a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern, traditionally used to express emotions and nature appreciation.
- Apple Varieties in JapanDelicious (デリシャス) refers to a variety of apple, likely 'Red Delicious' or 'Golden Delicious', popular in Japan.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat fruit is the central theme of these poems?
- Persimmons
- Apples
- Grapes
- Oranges
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to classical verb endings like ぬ, たる, し, and れぬ which indicate negation, state, past tense, and potential.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar同級More at N3
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