少女と海鬼灯The Girl and the Sea Lantern

Read a sample in Japanese

What you'll learn

Mitsuko and Chiyoko hear a sorrowful song from the ground in the garden. They dig and find a sea lantern (umihōzuki) that sings about being separated from its family. Feeling pity, they place it on a leaf and set it adrift on the river, and the sea lantern sings a grateful song as it floats away.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ながら N3While doing two actions simultaneously, or expressing that one action occurs while another is ongoing.
  繰り返し繰り返し歌ひながら、水の流につれて川下の方へ流れてゆきました。
• ～そうです (appearance) N4Expresses that something appears or seems a certain way based on visual or auditory evidence.
  哀ツぽい悲しさうな声で又聞えました。
• ～てあげる（～てやる） N4To do something for someone else (often with a sense of giving the action).
  裏の川へ持つていつて流してやりました。

Cultural notes

• 海鬼灯 (Sea Lantern Plant)The sea lantern (海鬼灯) is a type of Physalis plant, also known as Chinese lantern. It is often used in Japanese traditional stories and summer imagery. Here it is personified as a singing spirit.
• お縁側 (Engawa)The engawa is a traditional Japanese veranda or porch that runs along the outside of a house. It is a common setting for leisurely activities and socializing.
• 情は他人のためならずThis is a Japanese proverb meaning 'Kindness is never wasted' or 'Doing good for others is not in vain.' It reflects the belief that good deeds will eventually be repaid.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storyfolklorelongingghostmelancholyeerie〜ながらnagara · while (doing both)〜そうだsou da · looks like / seems (appearance)〜てあげるte ageru · do for someone (favour)