Japanese Graded Readers: Fairy Tales and Short Stories with Read-aloud Method
Lesson 1-1: 北風と太陽 / The North Wind and the Sun
Japanese Script
「おれの方が強い。」「いいや、ぼくの方が強い。」北風と太陽の声が聞こえます。二人はどちらの力が強いかでケンカをしているようです。「太陽が毎日元気だから、暑くてみんな困っているよ。おれが涼しい風を吹くと、みんな嬉しそうだ。おれの方がみんなの役に立っているよ。」「でも、ぼくがいないと、木や野菜は育たないよ。冬は北風の吹く風が冷たくて、とても寒かった。みんな外に出られなかったよね？最近は暖かいから、みんな喜んでいるよ。」「いいや、あそこを見て。太陽が強く照らすから、川の水がもうすぐ無くなりそうだ。水がないと、みんな生活できないよ。」
English Translation
“I’m stronger.” “No, I’m stronger.” The voice of the North Wind and the Sun were heard. It seemed that they were arguing about which power was stronger. “Since you (the Sun) are energetic every day, it’s hot and everyone is troubled. When I blow the cool wind, everyone looks happy. I’m more helpful to them all.” “But, if I’m not here, trees and vegetables don’t grow. In the winter, since the wind you (the North Wind) blew was cold, it was very cold. Everyone was unable to go out, isn’t that right? These days, it’s warm and everyone is glad.” “No, look at over there. Since you shine strongly, the water in the river is going to disappear soon. Without the water, everyone cannot live.”
Vocabulary
| Words | Types | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| 方が | expression | expressing comparison like "more" |
| どちら | question word | which |
| ケンカ | noun, suru verb | quarrel, brawl, fight, argument |
| ようだ（です） | expression | seeming to be, appearing to be |
| 困る | u-verb | to be troubled, to be worried, to be bothered |
| 涼しい | i-adjective | cool, refreshing |
| 役に立つ | set phrase | to be helpful, to be useful |
| 吹く | u-verb | to blow, to play a wind instrument |
| 照らす | u-verb | to shine on, to illuminate |