作品Free Graded Reading
少女と海鬼灯The Girl and the Sea Lantern
Shoujo to Umi Onibi
by 野口 雨情 · Noguchi Ujou
JLPT N3Short StoryClassical / archaicQuiz ready
Two girls hear a haunting song from underground and discover a talking sea lantern ghost.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnMitsuko 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.
Language difficultyIntermediate · 35/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 海鬼灯 (うみほおずき) | sea lantern (a type of plant, Physalis alkekengi) |
|---|---|
| 草引鍬 (くさびきぐわ) | small weeding hoe |
| 情は他人のためならず (じょうはたにんのためならず) | Kindness is never wasted (proverb) |
Grammar points you'll meet
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
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.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhere did the song come from?
- From under the house
- From the garden ground
- From the river
- From the sea
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to archaic verb forms like ゐます (います) and 云ひました (言いました). They are older style but follow the same grammar.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japaneseある日、みつ子さんがお座敷のお縁側で、お友達の千代子さんと遊んでいますと、涙ぐんだ小さな声で唄が聞こえてきました。わたしの お家は海なのよわたしの姉さん母さんは御無事で お家にいるでしょうかわかれてきてからもう二年一度もたよりはないけれどお家に 御無事でいるでしょうか唄は、ほんとうに哀っぽい悲しそうな声でまた聞こえました。渚の砂さえ子があればわかれて逢わない子があれば雨風吹いても思うでしょう千代ちゃん みつちゃん千代子さんみつちゃん 千代ちゃんみつ子さん雨風吹いても思うでしょう『あら』とみつ子さんは『千代子さんお聞きなさい。お庭の土の中でうたっているんだわ』とびっくりして言いました。しばらくすると、唄はまた聞こえてきました。わたしは お庭へ捨てられて夜昼 ひとりで泣きましたどなたも 迎えに来てくれず捨てられっぱなしになりました
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