作品Free Graded Reading
八百屋The Greengrocer
Yao-ya
by 三遊亭 円朝 · Sanyūtei Enchō
A laugh-out-loud comedy of errors as a man struggles to return borrowed water.
About this story
About this storyA husband returns home and is asked to fetch water and thank a neighbor for a gift of red rice.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseWhat you'll learn
What you'll learnA husband returns home tired and is asked by his wife to fetch water and return a borrowed bucket. She has saved sekihan (red rice) for him, and he must go thank the neighbor who gave it. The husband struggles to remember the polite speech his wife instructs him to say, and after a painful reminder, he goes to the doctor's house. There, he mistakenly accuses the doctor of theft, but the doctor clarifies the gift was a bear skin, leading to a final misunderstanding.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 井戸端 (いどばた) | wellside |
|---|---|
| 赤飯 (せきはん) | red rice (celebratory) |
| 強飯 (こわめし) | steamed glutinous rice (another name for sekihan) |
| 熊の皮 (くまのかわ) | bear skin |
| お門多い (おかどおおい) | too kind/honorable (polite expression) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- 〜てお呉れな N3Colloquial imperative meaning 'please do ~', from '〜てくれ' plus 'な'.水を汲んで来てお呉れな
- 〜てんだ N2Colloquial contraction of 〜ているのだ or 〜たのだ, used for explanation.極まつてらアね、承はりますれば御邸から何か御拝領物の儀に就きまして、私共までお赤飯を有難う存じますてんだよ
- 〜てえ N4Colloquial pronunciation of 〜たい, meaning want to do.喰ひてえと思つたんだ
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- 赤飯 (Sekihan)Red rice, often made with glutinous rice and red beans, is a traditional Japanese celebratory dish served on auspicious occasions. In the story, the neighbor gives sekihan to celebrate receiving a bear skin.
- 熊の皮 (Bear Skin) as a GiftBear skins were valuable gifts in old Japan, often given as a token of appreciation or as a luxury item. The doctor receives one from his former lord.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat does the wife want the husband to do first?
- Eat the sekihan
- Go to the well and fetch water
- Thank the neighbor immediately
- Change his clothes
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipFocus on the comedic misunderstandings created by similar-sounding words (e.g., おせきさん vs お赤飯).
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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