Japanese Graded Readers: Fairy Tales and Short Stories with Read-aloud Method
Lesson 5-7: 走れメロス / Run, Melos!
Japanese Script
メロスはこの大きい川に入ることを決めました。一生懸命泳いで、川を渡ることができました。それからメロスは、山をのぼり、山をくだり、走り続けました。ずっと走っていたので、メロスは疲れてしまいました。もう走ることができません。メロスはとうとう道に倒れてしまいました。間に合わない。私はセリヌンティウスを助けることができない。一生懸命走ったが間に合わなかった。許してくれ、セリヌンティウス。メロスは眠ってしまいました。メロスは起きると少し元気になりました。メロスはまた走り始めました。もうすぐ夕方になってしまいます。メロスは一生懸命走りました。
English Translation
Melos decided that he would enter this big river. He swam very hard and could cross the river. Then, Melos went up and down the mountain and continued running. Since he was running for a long time, Melos got tired. He couldn’t run any longer. Melos fell down on the road at last. [Melos thought] “I will not make it in time. I cannot save Selinuntius. I have run very hard, but have not made it in time. Selinuntius, please forgive me.” Melos fell asleep. When he got up, he felt a little better. Melos started running again. It would turn to evening soon. Melos ran very hard.
Vocabulary
| Words | Types | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| 決める | ru-verb | to decide, to choose, to determine, to make up one's mind |
| 泳ぐ | u-verb | to swim |
| のぼる | u-verb | to ascend, to go up, to climb |
| くだる | u-verb | to descend, to go down, to come down |
| 続ける | ru-verb | to continue, to keep up, to keep on |
| ずっと | adverb | continuously in some state, throughout, all long, the while time |
| 間に合う | u-verb | to be in time for |
| 起きる | ru-verb | to get up, to rise |
| なる | u-verb | to become, to get, to grow, to be |