Simplified retelling · JLPT N3

かちかち山 Kachikachi Yama in easy Japanese (N3)

Retold for N3 learners after the story by Kusuyama Masao · 2,177 characters

This is our own simplified retelling of Click-Clack Mountain, written for N3 learners and checked word by word against the N3 vocabulary list. A few story words and grammar patterns go beyond N3; the notes below give each one's level. It keeps the characters, events and ending of the original. When it feels easy, move on to the original text.

The story in brief

An old man catches a raccoon dog that has been ruining his field. The raccoon dog tricks the old woman into untying it, kills her, and serves her to the old man as soup. A white rabbit takes revenge: it sets fire to the brushwood on the raccoon dog's back, rubs red-pepper miso into the burns, and finally tricks him into going out to sea in a boat made of mud, which falls apart and sinks.

AI translation · independently checked

むかし、ある山やまの近ちかくに、おじいさんとおばあさんが住すんでいました。Long, long ago, an old man and an old woman lived near a certain mountain.

おじいさんは毎日まいにちはたけで働はたらいていました。Every day the old man worked in his field.

でも、山やまから古ふるいたぬきが出でてきて、はたけのやさいをだめにしてしまいます。But an old raccoon dog would come down from the mountain and ruin the vegetables in the field.

そして、おじいさんの後うしろから石いしや土つちを投なげます。Then it would throw stones and dirt at the old man from behind.

おじいさんが怒おこって追おいかけると、たぬきはすぐに逃にげてしまいます。Whenever the old man got angry and chased it, the raccoon dog ran off right away.

おじいさんは困こまって、わなを作つくりました。The old man did not know what to do, so he made a trap.

ある日ひ、たぬきはとうとうわなに掛かかりました。One day, the raccoon dog was finally caught in the trap.

おじいさんは大喜おおよろこびで、たぬきの足あしをなわでむすんで、家いえに持もって帰かえりました。The old man was overjoyed. He tied the raccoon dog's legs with a rope and carried him home.

そして、たぬきを高たかい所ところに下さげました。Then he hung the raccoon dog up in a high place.

「逃にげないように見みていておくれ。晩ばんまでにたぬきじるを作つくっておいてね。」"Keep an eye on him so he doesn't get away. And have raccoon-dog soup ready for me by evening."

おじいさんはおばあさんにそう言いって、またはたけへ出でかけました。That is what the old man told the old woman, and then he went out to the field again.

おばあさんは、たぬきの下もとで仕事しごとをしていました。The old woman was working underneath the raccoon dog.

しばらくして、「ああ、疲つかれた。」と言いいました。After a while she said, "Oh, I'm tired."

すると、たぬきが上うえから言いいました。Then the raccoon dog spoke from above.

「おばあさん、わたしが手伝てつだいましょう。だから、このなわを解といてください。」"Granny, let me help you. So please untie this rope."

「だめだよ。なわを解といたら、すぐ逃にげるだろう。」"No, you don't. If I untie the rope, you'll run away at once."

「いいえ、もう捕つかまったのですから、逃にげませんよ。」"No, no. I've been caught now, so I won't run away."

たぬきがあまり何度なんども頼たのむので、おばあさんは信しんじて、なわを解といてしまいました。The raccoon dog begged so many times that the old woman believed him and untied the rope.

たぬきは手伝てつだうと言いって、木きのぼうを持もちました。Saying he would help, the raccoon dog picked up a wooden stick.

そして突然とつぜん、そのぼうでおばあさんの頭あたまを強つよく打うちました。Then, all of a sudden, he struck the old woman hard on the head with the stick.

おばあさんは倒たおれて、死しんでしまいました。The old woman fell down and died.

たぬきはおばあさんを料理りょうりして、しるを作つくりました。The raccoon dog cooked the old woman and made soup.

そして、自分じぶんはおばあさんのすがたになって、おじいさんを待まっていました。Then he took on the old woman's appearance himself and waited for the old man.

夕方ゆうがた、何なにも知しらないおじいさんが帰かえってきました。In the evening, the old man came home, knowing nothing of what had happened.

「おかえりなさい。たぬきじるができていますよ。」"Welcome home. The raccoon-dog soup is ready."

「それはありがたい。」"Oh, how wonderful."

おじいさんは「おいしい、おいしい。」と言いって、何度なんども食たべました。"Delicious, delicious!" said the old man, and he ate helping after helping.

それを見みて、たぬきは思おもわず笑わらって、元もとのたぬきのすがたに戻もどりました。Seeing this, the raccoon dog could not help laughing, and he changed back into his own raccoon-dog shape.

「おばあさんを食たべたおじいさん、台所だいどころの下したのほねを見みろ。」"Old man who ate the old woman, look at the bones under the kitchen!"

たぬきは大おおきなしっぽを見みせて、逃にげていきました。The raccoon dog showed his big bushy tail and ran away.

おじいさんはびっくりして、立たてなくなりました。The old man was so shocked that he could no longer stand.

そして、おばあさんのほねを抱かかえて、ずっとないていました。Then he held the old woman's bones in his arms and cried and cried.

そこへ、山やまに住すむ白しろいうさぎが来きました。Just then, a white rabbit that lived on the mountain came by.

おじいさんは、うさぎに全部ぜんぶ話はなしました。The old man told the rabbit everything.

うさぎはとても気きのどくに思おもいました。The rabbit felt very sorry for him.

「わたしがきっと、たぬきをひどい目めにあわせます。安心あんしんしてください。」"I promise I'll make that raccoon dog suffer for this. Don't you worry."

おじいさんはうれしくて、なきながら「どうか頼たのみます。」と言いいました。The old man was so glad that he wept as he said, "Please, I'm counting on you."

たぬきはこわくて、しばらくあなから出でませんでした。The raccoon dog was frightened, and for a while he did not come out of his hole.

ある日ひ、うさぎはたぬきのあなの近ちかくで、しばを集あつめていました。One day, the rabbit was gathering brushwood near the raccoon dog's hole.

そして、くりを出だして、おいしそうに食たべました。Then it took out some chestnuts and ate them as if they were delicious.

たぬきはその音おとを聞きいて、あなから出でてきました。The raccoon dog heard the sound and came out of his hole.

「うさぎさん、そのくりを少すこしくれないか。」"Rabbit, won't you give me a few of those chestnuts?"

「あげるよ。でも、このしばを半分はんぶん、向むこうの山やままで運はこんでくれ。」"Sure, I'll give you some. But carry half of this brushwood to that mountain over there for me."

たぬきはくりが欲ほしかったので、しばを背中せなかにのせて、先さきに歩あるきました。The raccoon dog wanted the chestnuts, so he loaded the brushwood onto his back and walked on ahead.

向むこうの山やまに着つくと、「くりをくれ。」と言いいました。When they reached the mountain over there, he said, "Give me the chestnuts."

うさぎは「もう一ひとつ向むこうの山やままで行いったら、あげるよ。」と答こたえました。The rabbit answered, "I'll give you some once we get to the next mountain over."

次つぎの山やまでも、うさぎは同おなじことを言いいました。At the next mountain, too, the rabbit said the same thing.

たぬきは早はやく着つきたくて、後うしろを見みないで歩あるきました。The raccoon dog wanted to get there quickly, so he walked on without looking behind him.

そのとき、うさぎはひうちいしで「かちかち」と火ひを付つけました。Just then, the rabbit struck a flint, kachi-kachi, and lit a fire.

「うさぎさん、かちかちという音おとは何なんだろう。」"Rabbit, I wonder what that click-clack, kachi-kachi sound is?"

「この山やまは、かちかち山やまだからさ。」"That's because this mountain is Kachikachi-yama, Click-Clack Mountain."

やがて火ひがしばについて、「ぼうぼう」ともえ始はじめました。Before long the fire caught the brushwood, and it began to burn with a roar, bō-bō.

「ぼうぼうという音おとは何なんだろう。」"I wonder what that roaring bō-bō sound is?"

「向むこうの山やまは、ぼうぼう山やまだからさ。」"That's because the mountain over there is Bōbō-yama, Roaring Mountain."

火ひはどんどん大おおきくなりました。The fire grew bigger and bigger.

たぬきは「熱あつい、熱あつい、助たすけてくれ。」と言いって走はしり出だしました。"Hot! Hot! Help me!" cried the raccoon dog, and he started to run.

でも、風かぜが後うしろから強つよく吹ふいて、火ひはもっと大おおきくなりました。But the wind blew hard from behind, and the fire grew even bigger.

たぬきはやっとしばを落おとして、あなの中なかに逃にげこみました。At last the raccoon dog managed to drop the brushwood, and he fled into his hole.

次つぎの日ひ、うさぎはみそにとうがらしを入いれて、薬くすりを作つくりました。The next day, the rabbit mixed red pepper into some miso and made a medicine.

それを持もって、たぬきのお見舞みまいに行いきました。It took the medicine with it and went to visit the injured raccoon dog.

たぬきは背中せなかに大おおきなやけどをして、あなの中なかで苦くるしんでいました。The raccoon dog had a big burn on his back and was lying in agony inside his hole.

「昨日きのうは大変たいへんだったね。やけどによくきく薬くすりを持もってきたよ。」"You had an awful time yesterday, didn't you? I've brought you some medicine that works really well on burns."

「それはありがたい。すぐぬってくれ。」"Now that's something to be thankful for. Put it on me right away."

うさぎはやけどの上うえに、とうがらしのみそをたくさんぬりました。The rabbit spread lots of red-pepper miso over the burn.

すると、背中せなかはまた火ひがついたように熱あつくなりました。At once his back became hot, as if it had caught fire all over again.

たぬきは「痛いたい、痛いたい。」と言いって、あなの中なかで動うごき回まわりました。"Ow! Ow! It hurts!" cried the raccoon dog, and he rolled around inside his hole.

うさぎはにこにこしながら、「痛いたいのは初はじめだけだよ。少すこしがまんしてね。」と言いって帰かえりました。Smiling all over its face, the rabbit said, "It only hurts at first. Just bear it a little," and went home.

四し、五日ごにちたって、たぬきのやけどはだいぶ治なおりました。Four or five days passed, and the raccoon dog's burn had healed quite a lot.

うさぎは「今度こんどは海うみへ行いこう。魚さかながとれるよ。」と言いいました。The rabbit said, "This time let's go to the sea. We can catch fish."

山やまはもういやだと思おもっていたたぬきは、喜よろこんでついていきました。The raccoon dog, who had had quite enough of mountains, happily went along.

海うみに着つくと、うさぎは木きのふねを作つくりました。When they reached the sea, the rabbit built a boat out of wood.

たぬきはそれをまねして、土つちのふねを作つくりました。The raccoon dog copied it and built a boat out of mud.

二人ふたりはそれぞれのふねに乗のって、おきへ出でました。The two of them each got into their own boat and went out onto the open sea.

「いい天気てんきだね。」"Nice weather, isn't it?"

「いい景色けしきだね。」"What a lovely view!"

うさぎは「もっとおきまで行いこう。どっちが速はやいか、きょうそうしよう。」と言いいました。The rabbit said, "Let's go farther out. Let's race and see whose boat is faster."

うさぎはふねをたたいて、「木きのふねはかるくて速はやいだろう。」と言いいました。The rabbit tapped its boat and said, "A wooden boat is light and fast, you know."

たぬきも負まけないで、「土つちのふねは重おもくてじょうぶだ。」と言いいました。Not to be outdone, the raccoon dog said, "A mud boat is heavy and sturdy."

でも、だんだん水みずが入はいって、土つちのふねはこわれ始はじめました。But little by little water seeped in, and the mud boat began to fall apart.

「たいへんだ。しずむ、しずむ。助たすけてくれ。」"Oh no! I'm sinking, I'm sinking! Help me!"

「これは、おばあさんを殺ころして、おじいさんに食たべさせたからだよ。」"This is because you killed the old woman and made the old man eat her!"

たぬきは「もうしないから、助たすけてくれ。」と頼たのみました。"I'll never do it again, so help me!" the raccoon dog begged.

でも、ふねはどんどんこわれて、たぬきはとうとう海うみにしずんでしまいました。But the boat kept breaking apart, and in the end the raccoon dog sank into the sea.

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	JLPT
たぬきたぬき	raccoon dog (tanuki)dictionary form: 狸In folklore it is a cunning trickster that can change its shape. It is often wrongly translated as 'badger'.	—
わなわな	trap, snaredictionary form: 罠わなに掛かる means 'to be caught in a trap'.	—
掛かりましたかかる	to be caught (in a trap)dictionary form: 掛かるThis is the intransitive partner of 掛ける.	N5
なわなわ	rope, corddictionary form: 縄	N3
解いてとく	to untie, to undodictionary form: 解くThe same kanji is read とく in 問題を解く (to solve a problem).	N3
すがたすがた	form, appearance, shapedictionary form: 姿〜のすがたになる means 'to take the form of ~'.	N3
思わずおもわず	without meaning to, in spite of oneself	N3
気のどくきのどく	pitiful; feeling sorry (for someone)dictionary form: 気の毒気のどくに思う means 'to feel sorry for'.	N3
ひどい目にあわせますひどいめにあわせる	to make (someone) suffer, to give someone a hard timedictionary form: ひどい目にあわせるCompare ひどい目にあう, 'to have a terrible experience'.	—
しばしば	brushwood, small sticks for firewooddictionary form: 柴	—
ひうちいしひうちいし	flint (for striking sparks)dictionary form: 火打ち石	—
やけどやけど	a burn (injury)dictionary form: 火傷やけどをする means 'to get burned'.	N2
お見舞いみまい	a visit to a sick or injured persondictionary form: 見舞い〜のお見舞いに行く means 'to go and visit ~ who is ill or hurt'.	N3
おきおき	the open sea, offshoredictionary form: 沖	N3

Grammar

〜てしまう N4 completion, often with regret

This pattern shows that an action is finished and cannot be undone. It often carries a feeling of regret or shock, as with the old woman's death here.

おばあさんは倒れて、死んでしまいました。
The old woman fell down and died.

〜ないように N4 so that ~ doesn't happen

The plain negative followed by ように gives the purpose of an action: something is done to prevent a result. Here the old woman should watch the raccoon dog so that it does not escape.

逃げないように見ていておくれ。
Keep an eye on him so he doesn't get away.

〜ておく N4 do something in advance

The te-form followed by おく means doing something ahead of time, ready for later. The old man wants the soup to be ready when he comes back.

晩までにたぬきじるを作っておいてね。
Have raccoon-dog soup ready for me by evening.

あまり〜ので N3 so much ~ that…

あまり used with an affirmative verb or adjective and followed by ので means 'because it was so excessive'. The raccoon dog begged so often that the old woman gave in.

たぬきがあまり何度も頼むので、おばあさんは信じて
The raccoon dog begged so many times that the old woman believed him

〜ように (as if) N3 as if, like

A plain-form clause followed by ように makes a comparison with how something seems. The pepper makes the burn feel as if it were on fire again.

背中はまた火がついたように熱くなりました。
His back became hot, as if it had caught fire all over again.

〜させる (causative) N4 make/let someone do

The causative form of 食べる is 食べさせる, and the person made to act is marked with に. It means 'made the old man eat (her)'.

おじいさんに食べさせたからだよ。
Because you made the old man eat her!