作品Free Graded Reading
驢馬の びっこThe Lame Donkey
Roba no Bikko
by 新美 南吉 · Niimi Nankichi
A man tries every silly fix for his limping donkey, following a know-it-all's advice.
About this story
About this storyA man buys a lame donkey and comically follows a know-it-all's advice to cure it.
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): 「校定 新美南吉全集第四巻」大日本図書
1980（昭和55）年9月30日初版第1刷発行
1987年（昭和62）年2月15日第3刷発行
Typed in by 高松理恵美. Proofread by 川向直樹.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones, and rephrased some sentences, keeping their meaning.
The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 2 parts.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnZhang buys a limping donkey and seeks advice from a wise man, who suggests making a hat. Each modification leads to another issue until a villager advises removing the hat entirely. Zhang celebrates.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| ロバ | donkey |
|---|---|
| びっこをひく | to limp |
| 物知り (ものしり) | wise person, know-it-all |
| 帽子 (ぼうし) | hat |
| 耳 (みみ) | ear |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～のです N4Explanatory tone, 'the fact is that...'その ロバは びっこを ひくのです。
- ～てみる (～て見る) N4To try doing somethingところが 歩かせて 見ると その ロバは びっこを ひくのです。
- ～のだ N4Explanatory の + だびっこを ひくのだ。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Japanese Folktale ThemeThis story follows a common pattern in Japanese folktales where a character is too trusting of a 'wise man' and ends up in absurd situations.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat was the first problem the wise man identified with the donkey?
- The donkey's ears were too cold.
- The donkey had a bald spot on its head that was cold.
- The donkey's legs were sore.
- The donkey's hat was too tight.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to the pattern of actions: each advice leads to a new problem. Look for the turning point.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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