Japanese Graded Readers: Fairy Tales and Short Stories with Read-aloud Method
Lesson 5-6: 走れメロス / Run, Melos!
- Slow Speed
- Slow Speed with Pauses
- Natural Speed
- Natural Speed with Pauses
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Japanese Script
次の日、結婚式が行われました。その日は強い雨が降りました。メロスは村の人と一緒におめでとうと言いました。結婚式の次の日の朝、メロスは街に向けて走り始めました。私は今日の夜に殺される。私は殺されるために走るのだ。友達のために走るのだ。メロスは一生懸命走りました。その時、メロスは、大きな川を見つけました。昨日の強い雨で、川の水が増えて、橋が壊れてしまったのです。メロスは大きな声で泣きました。「この川を渡らないと友達を助けることができない。神様、お願いです。川の水を止めてください。」しかし、メロスの声は、神様に届きません。
English Translation
The next day, the wedding was held. That day, it rained hard. Melos and the people of the village said together, “Congratulations.” In the morning on the day after the wedding, Melos started running toward the town. [Melos thought] “I will be killed this night. I will run to be killed. I will run for my friend.” Melos ran very hard. This time, Melos found a big river. Due to the hard rain the day before, the water in the river increased and the bridge was broken. Melos cried with a loud voice, “Without crossing this river, I cannot save my friend. Please God, stop the water in the river. But, Melos’ voice didn’t reach God.
Vocabulary
| Words | Types | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| 行う | u-verb | to perform, to do, to conduct oneself, to carry out |
| おめでとう | set phrase | congratulations |
| 川 | noun | river, stream |
| 増える | ru-verb | to increase, to multiply |
| 壊れる | ru-verb | to be broken, to break |
| 渡る | u-verb | to cross over, to go across |
| 神様 | noun | God |
| 止める | ru-verb | to stop, to turn off |
| 届く | u-verb | to reach, to arrive, to get through, to get at |
