作品Free Graded Reading
死霊The Dead Spirit
Shiryō
by 小泉 八雲 · Koizumi Yakumo
A dead official speaks through a servant to expose betrayal, then vanishes.
About this story
About this storyA deceased official's spirit possesses a servant to expose betrayal and seek justice from beyond the grave.
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): 「小泉八雲全集第八卷 家庭版」第一書房
1937（昭和12）年1月15日発行
Typed in by 館野浩美. Proofread by 大久保ゆう.
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 learnAfter the death of Deputy Nomoto, his subordinates conspire to defraud his widow. A servant becomes possessed by Nomoto's spirit, reveals the fraud through accounting, and justice is restored.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 代官 (だいかん) | deputy official (in feudal Japan) |
|---|---|
| 取りつかれる (とりつかれる) | to be possessed (by a spirit) |
| 下役 (したやく) | subordinate official |
| 未亡人 (みぼうじん) | widow |
| 宰相 (さいしょう) | prime minister (historical) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～の下に N2Under the pretext of; under the guise of債務の幾分を償却すると云う口実の下に
- ～ように見える N4Seems like; appears as if無法にも自分の資産の価値以上の債務を契約したように見える偽りの報告書
- ～たものであった N3Used to be (indicating a past custom or state)多少責任を負わされたものであった。
- ～と見られる N2It is considered that; it appears that彼女の書体は正しく野本彌治衞門の書体であると見られた。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Spirit Possession in Japanese FolkloreIn traditional Japanese belief, spirits (reikon) of the deceased can possess living individuals, often to convey messages or seek justice. This phenomenon is known as 'hyōi' (憑依) and appears in many folktales and literary works.
- Feudal Social Hierarchy and ResponsibilityIn the Edo period, the family of a deceased official could be held responsible for his actions. This reflects the strict hierarchical system where honor and shame extended to relatives.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy did the subordinates create a false report?
- To secure a loan from the prime minister
- To make it appear Nomoto owed more than he did and seize his property
- To clear Nomoto's name
- To file a tax return
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to classical verb endings like ～ける, ～し, and ～づけ which are common in literary texts.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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