作品Free Graded Reading
狸問答The Tanuki Dialogue
Tanuki Mondou
by 鈴木 鼓村 · Suzuki Koson
JLPT N2Short StoryQuiz ready
A man outwits a tanuki by eating his salt-cured tuna—but who really wins?
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe narrator describes two incidents where he defeated trickster spirits by eating their desired food, but suggests he may have actually lost.
Language difficultyAdvanced · 85/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 塩鰹 (しおかつお) | salted dried bonito |
|---|---|
| 折詰 (おりづめ) | packed meal in a box |
| 釣瓶落 (つるべおち) | sudden sunset (like a well bucket dropping) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～かもしれない N4Expresses uncertainty, 'might be'.私がよく怪物に勝つことがあるよ、しかし或は負けていたのかもしれないがね
- ～ながら N4While doing two actions simultaneously.片手に提げながらやってくると、
- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regretable action.とうとう皆食い終って、
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Fox and Raccoon Dog TrickeryIn Japanese folklore, foxes (kitsune) and raccoon dogs (tanuki) are known for playing tricks on humans, often by creating illusions. The narrator's response—eating the food in front of the spirit—is a traditional countermeasure.
- 塩鰹 (Salted Bonito)A preserved fish product, often used as a snack or ingredient in Edo-era cuisine. It was a common offering or trickster bait.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat did the narrator do when the darkness fell suddenly?
- He ran away in fear.
- He sat down and ate the bonito.
- He called for help.
- He threw the bonito away.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipLook up archaic vocabulary like 釣瓶落 or 折詰 to understand cultural context.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese私は、よく怪物に勝つことがあるよ、しかし或は負けていたのかもしれないがね――
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