Simplified retelling · JLPT N3

手袋を買いに Tebukuro o Kai ni in easy Japanese (N3)

Retold for N3 learners after the story by Niimi Nankichi · 2,413 characters

This is our own simplified retelling of Off to Buy Mittens, 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

A little fox cub comes home with cold, red hands after playing in the snow, so his mother decides to buy him wool mittens in town. Afraid of people, she turns one of his paws into a human hand and sends him alone, but he shows the hatter his fox paw by mistake. The hatter sells him the mittens anyway, and when the cub says humans are not scary at all, his mother murmurs, wondering whether people really are good.

AI translation · independently checked

寒さむい冬ふゆが北きたから来きて、きつねの親子おやこが住すんでいるもりにも来きました。Cold winter came from the north, and it came to the forest where a mother fox and her cub lived, too.

ある朝あさ、子供こどものきつねがほらあなから出でようとしました。One morning, the little fox tried to go out of the burrow.

でも、「あっ」と大おおきな声こえを出だして、目めを手てでおさえながら、お母かあさんのところへころがって来きました。But he cried "Oh!" in a loud voice, and holding his eyes with his paws, he came tumbling back to his mother.

「お母かあちゃん、目めに何なんかささった。早はやく取とって。」"Mama, something stuck in my eyes. Take it out, quick."

お母かあさんきつねはびっくりして、子供こどもの手てをそっと取とって見みました。The mother fox was startled, and she gently took his paws away and looked.

でも、目めには何なにもささっていませんでした。But nothing was stuck in his eyes.

外そとへ出でてみて、お母かあさんはやっと分わかりました。When she went outside, the mother finally understood.

夜よるの間あいだに、白しろい雪ゆきがたくさん降ふったのです。During the night, a great deal of white snow had fallen.

雪ゆきの上うえに朝あさの光ひかりが当あたって、とてもまぶしかったのです。The morning light was shining on the snow, and it was very dazzling.

雪ゆきを知しらない子こきつねは、その光ひかりを目めに強つよく受うけたので、何なんかささったと思おもったのでした。The little fox did not know about snow, so when that light shone hard into his eyes, he thought something had stuck in them.

子こきつねは外そとへ遊あそびに行いきました。The little fox went outside to play.

やわらかい雪ゆきの上うえを走はしり回まわると、雪ゆきがとんで、小ちいさいにじが見みえました。When he ran all around on the soft snow, the snow flew up, and small rainbows could be seen.

すると急きゅうに、後うしろで「どたどた、ざーっ」とすごい音おとがしました。Then suddenly, behind him, there was a tremendous noise: thud, thud, whoosh!

白しろい雪ゆきが子こきつねの上うえに落おちて来きました。White snow came falling down on top of the little fox.

子こきつねはびっくりして、十じゅうメートルも向むこうへ逃にげました。The little fox was so startled that he ran a whole ten metres away.

ふりかえって見みましたが、何なにもいません。He turned around and looked, but there was nothing there.

木きのえだから雪ゆきが落おちたのでした。It was only snow that had fallen from the branches of a tree.

しばらくして、子こきつねはほらあなへ帰かえって来きました。After a while, the little fox came back to the burrow.

「お母かあちゃん、お手々ててが冷つめたい。」"Mama, my little hands are cold."

子こきつねはぬれて赤あかくなった両手りょうてを出だしました。The little fox held out both his paws, wet and turned red.

お母かあさんはその手てに「はーっ」と息いきをかけて、自分じぶんの手てでやさしくつつみました。His mother blew on them, "haaa," and gently wrapped them in her own paws.

そして、「かわいい子この手てにしもやけができたらかわいそうだ。夜よるになったら町まちへ行いって、けいとの手袋てぶくろを買かってあげよう」と思おもいました。And she thought, "It would be so sad if my darling child got chilblains on his hands. When night comes, I'll go to town and buy him some wool mittens."

暗くらい夜よるが来きました。Dark night came.

親子おやこはほらあなを出でました。Mother and child left the burrow.

子こきつねはお母かあさんのおなかの下したに入はいって、丸まるい目めであちこちを見みながら歩あるきました。The little fox walked tucked under his mother's belly, looking here and there with his round eyes.

しばらくすると、前まえの方ほうにあかりが一ひとつ見みえました。After a while, they saw one light up ahead.

「お母かあちゃん、ほしがあんなひくい所ところにも落おちているね。」"Mama, the stars fall down even in low places like that, don't they?"

「あれはほしじゃないのよ。町まちのあかりなのよ。」"That's not a star, dear. That's a light in the town."

そのあかりを見みて、お母かあさんの足あしは止とまってしまいました。When she saw that light, the mother's feet stopped still.

昔むかし、友達ともだちのきつねと町まちへ行いった時ときのことを思おもい出だしたのです。She remembered the time long ago when she had gone to town with a fox friend.

友達ともだちは、お母かあさんが止とめるのも聞きかないで、ある家いえのアヒルを盗ぬすもうとしました。Her friend would not listen when she tried to stop him, and he tried to steal a duck from a certain house.

それで農家のうかの人ひとに見みつかって、追おいかけられて、やっと逃にげたのでした。Because of that, they were found by a farmer and chased, and they barely got away.

「お母かあちゃん、早はやく行いこうよ。」"Mama, let's go, hurry!"

でも、お母かあさんはどうしても足あしが前まえへ出でません。But no matter what she did, the mother's feet would not move forward.

仕方しかたがないので、子こきつねを一人ひとりで町まちへ行いかせることにしました。There was nothing else to do, so she decided to let the little fox go into town by himself.

「坊ぼうや、手てを片方かたほう出だしなさい。」"Sweetie, hold out one of your hands."

お母かあさんはその手てをしばらくにぎって、かわいい人間にんげんの子供こどもの手てに変かえました。The mother held that hand for a while, and turned it into the lovely hand of a human child.

子こきつねはその手てを開ひらいたりにぎったりして、ふしぎそうに見みました。The little fox opened and closed the hand, and looked at it in wonder.

「それは人間にんげんの手てよ。町まちへ行いったら、まず丸まるい帽子ぼうしのかんばんがある家いえを探さがしなさい。見みつけたら、とをトントンとたたいて、『今晩こんばんは』と言いうのよ。人間にんげんが少すこしとを開あけるから、そこからこの人間にんげんの手てを入いれて、『この手てにちょうどいい手袋てぶくろをください』と言いいなさい。決けっして、もう一ひとつの手てを出だしてはだめよ。」"That's a human hand. When you get to town, first look for a house with a sign shaped like a round hat. When you find it, knock on the door, tap tap, and say 'Good evening.' The human will open the door a little, so put this human hand in through the gap and say, 'Please give me some mittens that fit this hand just right.' You must never, ever hold out your other hand."

「どうして？」"Why?"

「人間にんげんは、相手あいてがきつねだと分わかると、手袋てぶくろを売うってくれないの。それどころか、捕つかまえて、おりに入いれてしまうのよ。人間にんげんは本当ほんとうに怖こわいものなのよ。」"If humans find out you're a fox, they won't sell you mittens. Worse than that, they'll catch you and shut you up in a cage. Humans are truly frightening creatures."

お母かあさんは、持もって来きたお金かねを二ふたつ、人間にんげんの手ての方ほうににぎらせました。The mother put two of the coins she had brought into the human hand and had him hold them tight.

子こきつねは町まちのあかりを見みながら、雪ゆきの野原のはらを歩あるいて行いきました。The little fox walked on across the snowy field, watching the lights of the town.

あかりは二ふたつ、三みっつとふえて、十とおにもなりました。The lights grew to two, then three, and then as many as ten.

町まちに入はいると、家いえはもうみんなとを閉しめていました。When he came into the town, all the houses had already shut their doors.

高たかい窓まどから、あたたかそうな光ひかりが道みちの雪ゆきの上うえに落おちていました。From high windows, warm-looking light fell onto the snow in the street.

かんばんの上うえには小ちいさな電気でんきがついていました。Small electric lamps were lit above the signboards.

自転車じてんしゃのかんばんや、めがねのかんばんなど、いろいろありましたが、子こきつねには何なんのかんばんか分わかりません。There were all kinds of signs, a bicycle sign, a glasses sign and more, but the little fox could not tell what any of the signs were.

とうとう、黒くろい大おおきな帽子ぼうしのかんばんが見みつかりました。At last he found a sign with a big black hat.

子こきつねは、教おしえられたとおり、とをたたきました。Just as he had been told, the little fox knocked on the door.

「今晩こんばんは。」"Good evening."

とが少すこし開ひらいて、光ひかりが雪ゆきの上うえに長ながくのびました。The door opened a little, and the light stretched far out across the snow.

子こきつねはその光ひかりがまぶしくて、びっくりして、間違まちがえてきつねの手ての方ほうを入いれてしまいました。The light was so dazzling that the little fox got a fright, and by mistake he put in his fox paw.

「このお手々ててにちょうどいい手袋てぶくろください。」"Please give me mittens that fit this little hand just right."

帽子ぼうし屋やさんは「おや」と思おもいました。The hatter thought, "Well, now!"

きつねの手てです。It was a fox's paw.

「きっと木この葉はをお金かねにして、買かいに来きたんだろう」と思おもいました。He thought, "I bet he's turned tree leaves into money and come to buy with them."

「先さきにお金かねをください。」"Give me the money first, please."

子こきつねはお金かねを二ふたつ渡わたしました。The little fox handed over the two coins.

帽子ぼうし屋やさんがお金かねを当あててみると、チンチンといい音おとがしました。When the hatter tapped the coins together, they made a nice clinking sound.

本当ほんとうのお金かねです。It was real money.

帽子ぼうし屋やさんはたなから子供こども用ようのけいとの手袋てぶくろを出だして、子こきつねに持もたせてくれました。The hatter took a pair of children's wool mittens from the shelf and handed them to the little fox.

子こきつねはお礼れいを言いって、帰かえり始はじめました。The little fox said thank you and started back home.

「お母かあさんは人間にんげんは怖こわいと言いったけど、ちっとも怖こわくないや。」"Mama said humans are scary, but they're not scary at all!"

でも子こきつねは、人間にんげんはどんなものか見みてみたいと思おもいました。But the little fox thought he would like to see what humans were really like.

ある窓まどの下したを通とおると、やさしくて美うつくしい声こえが聞きこえました。As he passed under a certain window, he heard a gentle, beautiful voice.

「ねむれねむれ母ははのむねに、ねむれねむれ母ははの手てに。」"Sleep now, sleep now, on your mother's breast; sleep now, sleep now, in your mother's arms."

きっと人間にんげんのお母かあさんの子守歌こもりうただ、と子こきつねは思おもいました。That must be a human mother's lullaby, thought the little fox.

子こきつねが眠ねむる時ときも、お母かあさんきつねはあんなやさしい声こえで歌うたってくれるからです。That was because when he went to sleep, his own mother sang to him in that same gentle voice.

次つぎに、子供こどもの声こえがしました。Next came a child's voice.

「お母かあちゃん、こんな寒さむい夜よるは、もりの子こきつねは寒さむい寒さむいと鳴ないているだろうね。」"Mama, on a cold night like this, the little fox in the forest must be crying, 'I'm cold, I'm cold,' mustn't he?"

「もりの子こきつねも、お母かあさんの歌うたを聞きいて、ほらあなの中なかで眠ねむろうとしているでしょう。さあ、坊ぼうやも早はやく寝ねなさい。どっちが早はやく寝ねるかな。きっと坊ぼうやの方ほうが早はやいですよ。」"The little fox in the forest is listening to his mama's song too, and trying to go to sleep in his burrow. Now then, you go to sleep quickly too. I wonder who'll fall asleep first. I bet it'll be you."

それを聞きくと、子こきつねは急きゅうにお母かあさんに会あいたくなって、お母かあさんの待まっている所ところへ走はしって行いきました。When he heard that, the little fox suddenly wanted to see his mother, and he ran off to where she was waiting.

お母かあさんきつねは心配しんぱいしながら、ずっと待まっていました。The mother fox had been waiting all that time, full of worry.

子こきつねが帰かえって来くると、あたたかいむねに抱だいて、なきたいほど喜よろこびました。When the little fox came back, she held him to her warm breast and was so happy she could have cried.

二人ふたりはもりへ帰かえって行いきました。The two of them went back to the forest.

月つきが出でて、きつねの毛けが銀色ぎんいろに光ひかりました。The moon came out, and the foxes' fur shone silver.

「お母かあちゃん、人間にんげんはちっとも怖こわくないよ。」"Mama, humans aren't scary at all."

「どうして？」"Why do you say that?"

「間違まちがえて本当ほんとうの手てを出だしちゃったの。でも帽子ぼうし屋やさんは捕つかまえなかったよ。こんなにあたたかい手袋てぶくろをくれたよ。」"I held out my real hand by mistake. But the hatter didn't catch me. He gave me these nice warm mittens."

子こきつねは手袋てぶくろをした両手りょうてをパンパンとたたいて見みせました。The little fox clapped his mittened hands together, pat pat, to show her.

お母かあさんきつねは「まあ！」とびっくりしました。"My goodness!" said the mother fox in surprise.

そして、「本当ほんとうに人間にんげんはいいものなのかしら。本当ほんとうに人間にんげんはいいものなのかしら」と小ちいさな声こえで言いいました。And she said in a small voice, "Are humans really good, I wonder? Are humans really good?"

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	JLPT
ほらあなほらあな	burrow, den, cavedictionary form: 洞穴The foxes' home. Usually written 洞穴.	—
ささったささる	to get stuck in, to piercedictionary form: 刺さるIntransitive verb: something sticks into something. The transitive form 刺す means 'to stab'.	N2
まぶしかったまぶしい	dazzling, too bright to look atdictionary form: 眩しいUsed for strong light such as sun on snow. It is usually written in hiragana.	N2
しもやけしもやけ	chilblains, frostbite soresdictionary form: 霜焼けRed, itchy swelling of fingers and toes caused by cold.	—
けいとけいと	wool yarn, knitting wooldictionary form: 毛糸毛 'hair/fur' + 糸 'thread'. けいとの手袋 means knitted wool mittens.	N2
かわいそうかわいそう	pitiful, poor thing, sad (for someone)dictionary form: 可哀想Do not confuse it with かわいい 'cute'.	N3
盗もうぬすむ	to stealdictionary form: 盗む盗もうとする means 'to try to steal'.	N4
追いかけられておいかける	to chase, to run afterdictionary form: 追いかけるIt is in the passive form here: 'were chased'.	N2
仕方がないしかたがない	it can't be helped, there's no other wayA very common set phrase. In speech it is often shortened to しょうがない.	—
片方かたほう	one of a pair, one sideUsed for one hand, one shoe, one glove and so on.	—
かんばんかんばん	shop sign, signboarddictionary form: 看板The hat shop has a hat-shaped sign, so it is easy to find without reading.	N2
相手あいて	the other party, the person one is dealing withHere it means the customer: the one the shopkeeper is dealing with.	N3
おりおり	cage (for animals)dictionary form: 檻	N1
子守歌こもりうた	lullaby子守 means 'looking after a child'. It is also written 子守唄.	—

Grammar

〜ようとする N3 to try to do; to be about to do

The volitional form plus とする describes an attempt or an action that is just starting. Often the action is interrupted or does not succeed, as when the cub tries to go out but is dazzled by the snow.

子供のきつねがほらあなから出ようとしました。
The little fox tried to go out of the burrow.

〜させることにする N3 to decide to make / let someone do

行かせる is the causative form of 行く ('make/let go'). Adding ことにする shows the speaker's decision, so the mother decides to let the cub go alone.

子きつねを一人で町へ行かせることにしました。
She decided to let the little fox go into town by himself.

〜たり〜たりする / 〜そうに N4 doing things like A and B; looking ~

〜たり〜たり lists actions that are repeated or done in turn: opening and closing. ふしぎそうに uses the stem + そう to mean 'looking puzzled', and it describes how he looked at his hand.

子きつねはその手を開いたりにぎったりして、ふしぎそうに見ました。
The little fox opened and closed the hand, and looked at it in wonder.

それどころか N2 on the contrary; far from that; even worse

This introduces something much stronger than what came before. Humans won't just refuse to sell the mittens, they will even catch the cub.

それどころか、捕まえて、おりに入れてしまうのよ。
Worse than that, they'll catch you and shut you up in a cage.

〜たとおり N3 just as ~; exactly the way ~

The past form plus とおり means doing something in the same way as described or instructed. Here it is combined with the passive 教えられた: 'just as he had been taught'.

子きつねは、教えられたとおり、とをたたきました。
Just as he had been told, the little fox knocked on the door.

〜てしまう N4 to end up doing (by mistake / with regret)

This shows that an action is complete and often that it was unintended or regrettable. In casual speech it becomes 〜ちゃう, as in 出しちゃった.

間違えてきつねの手の方を入れてしまいました。
By mistake he put in his fox paw.