若返り薬The Rejuvenating Pill

Read a sample in Japanese

What you'll learn

Taro receives an air gun and steals three red pills from his grandfather's medicine box to use as ammunition, but after missing all sparrows, he encounters a beggar who has found the pills. The beggar explains the pills' magical properties and tells a story of his own past, ultimately transforming into a gentleman and then vanishing, leaving Taro to return the pills to his grandfather who comforts him with a lesson about truth and perspective.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regret over an action.
  するとそのままあと形も無く消え失せて、あとには三粒の赤い丸薬が地びたの上にころがっているばかりでした。
• ～ために（目的） N3Indicates purpose: 'in order to'.
  麻雀の命を取るために使うなぞと、まあ何という乱暴な坊ちゃんでしょう。
• ～かもしれません N4Expresses possibility: 'might be'.
  もう古い古い事だから利かなくなっているのかも知れない。
• ～たりする N5Indicates listing actions or states: 'do things like...'.
  何卒どんな事でもしますから、その丸薬を返して下さい。

Cultural notes

• お年始 (New Year's Visit)The grandfather is away on an '御年始' (New Year's visit), a traditional Japanese custom where people visit relatives and close acquaintances during the New Year period. This reflects the importance of social obligations in Japanese culture.
• 床の間 (Tokonoma)The grandfather keeps a '手箱' (small box) in the '床の間', which is a recessed alcove in a traditional Japanese room used to display art or valuable items. This setting indicates the family's cultural background.
• 火鉢 (Hibachi)At the end, the grandfather is sitting at a '火鉢' (brazier), a traditional Japanese heating device used during colder months. This detail adds to the domestic atmosphere.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storychildrenmischiefcuriosityhumorousphilosophicalaozora bunko〜かもしれないmight / maybe〜てしまうended up (regret)〜ためにin order to / because of