Simplified retelling · JLPT N4

トロッコ Torokko in easy Japanese (N4)

Retold for N4 learners after the story by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke · 1,645 characters

This is our own simplified retelling of The Rail Cart, written for N4 learners and checked word by word against the N4 vocabulary list. A few story words and grammar patterns go beyond N4; 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 N3 version or the original text.

The story in brief

Eight-year-old Ryōhei longs to ride the rail carts at a nearby railway construction site. After being scared off by a worker, he later gets two young workers to let him push, and rides with them far from his village. At dusk they tell him to go home alone, and he runs the long way back in fear, bursting into tears only when he reaches home. Years later in Tokyo, the memory of that dark road still comes back to him.

AI translation · independently checked

りょうへいが八やっつの年としに、村むらの近ちかくで新あたらしいせんろの工事こうじが始はじまりました。The year Ryōhei was eight, work on a new railway line began near his village.

りょうへいは毎日まいにち、その工事こうじを見みに行いきました。Every day, Ryōhei went to watch the construction.

いちばん見みたかったのは、トロッコです。What he wanted to see most of all were the rail carts.

トロッコには、工事こうじの男おとこが二人ふたりのっています。Two construction workers were riding on the cart.

トロッコは土つちをのせて、山やまから走はしって来きます。Loaded with earth, the carts came running down from the hills.

りょうへいは「ぼくもトロッコにのりたい。押おしてみたい」と思おもいました。Ryōhei thought, "I want to ride a cart too. I want to try pushing one."

二に月がつのある夕方ゆうがた、りょうへいは弟おとうとと、となりの子供こどもと三さん人にんで、トロッコのところへ行いきました。One evening in February, Ryōhei went to the carts with his little brother and the boy from next door, the three of them together.

工事こうじの人ひとは一人ひとりもいません。There was not a single worker around.

三さん人にんで押おすと、トロッコが動うごきました。When the three of them pushed, the cart moved.

三さん人にんはトロッコを押おして、せんろを少すこしのぼりました。The three boys pushed the cart a little way up the track.

それから、みんなでトロッコにのりました。Then they all climbed onto the cart.

トロッコは下したの方ほうへ、はやく走はしり出だしました。The cart began to run fast, down the slope.

風かぜがかおにふいて、りょうへいはとてもうれしくなりました。The wind blew against his face, and Ryōhei felt very happy.

もう一度いちど押おそうとすると、後うしろから大おおきなこえが聞きこえました。When they were about to push it once more, a loud voice came from behind them.

「だれがトロッコにさわった！」せの高たかい工事こうじの男おとこが立たっていました。"Who touched that cart?!" A tall construction worker was standing there.

三さん人にんはびっくりして、にげました。The three boys were startled and ran away.

それから、りょうへいはもうトロッコにのりたいと思おもいませんでした。After that, Ryōhei no longer wanted to ride the carts.

十日とおかぐらい後あと、りょうへいは一人ひとりで工事場こうじばへ行いきました。About ten days later, Ryōhei went to the construction site on his own.

わかい男おとこが二人ふたり、トロッコを押おしていました。Two young men were pushing a cart.

「この人ひとたちはおこらないだろう」と思おもって、りょうへいは聞ききました。Thinking, "These men probably won't get angry," Ryōhei asked them.

「おじさん、押おしてもいい？」"Mister, can I push?"

「ああ、押おしてくれ。」"Yeah, go on, push."

りょうへいは一生いっしょうけんめい押おしました。Ryōhei pushed with all his might.

「強つよいな」と男おとこはほめてくれました。"You're strong, huh," one of the men said, praising him.

「いつまでも押おしていい？」と聞きくと、二人ふたりは「いいよ」と答こたえました。When he asked, "Can I keep pushing as long as I like?" the two of them answered, "Sure."

りょうへいは「やさしい人ひとたちだ」と思おもいました。Ryōhei thought, "They're kind men."

みかんの木きの間あいだをのぼると、道みちは下したの方ほうへつづいていました。When they had climbed up between the mandarin orange trees, the path ran on downhill.

男おとこが「のれ」と声こえをかけました。"Hop on," one of the men called to him.

三さん人にんがのると、トロッコははやく走はしりました。When the three of them got on, the cart ran fast.

「押おすより、のる方ほうがいい」とりょうへいは思おもいました。"Riding is better than pushing," Ryōhei thought.

また押おして、山やまをのぼりました。They pushed again and climbed the hill.

高たかいところから、広ひろくてさむそうな海うみが見みえました。From the high ground, they could see the sea, wide and cold-looking.

りょうへいは急きゅうに「とおくまで来きすぎた」と思おもいました。Suddenly Ryōhei thought, "I've come too far."

もう楽たのしくありません。It was no longer fun.

「早はやく帰かえりたい」と思おもいました。"I want to go home soon," he thought.

トロッコは小ちいさい店みせの前まえで止とまりました。The cart stopped in front of a small shop.

二人ふたりは店みせに入はいって、お茶ちゃを飲のみました。The two men went into the shop and drank tea.

りょうへいは一人ひとりで待まっていました。Ryōhei waited alone.

男おとこの一人ひとりが、新聞しんぶんでつつんだおかしをくれました。One of the men gave him some sweets wrapped in newspaper.

また少すこし行いくと、同おなじような店みせがありました。When they had gone a little further, there was another shop just like the first.

空そらはもう赤あかくなっていました。The sky had already turned red.

「もうすぐ夜よるになる」と思おもって、りょうへいはとてもしんぱいになりました。Thinking, "It'll be night soon," Ryōhei grew very worried.

店みせから出でて来きた二人ふたりは、りょうへいに話はなしました。The two men came out of the shop and spoke to Ryōhei.

「もう帰かえりなさい。ぼくたちは今日きょう、向むこうにとまるから。」"Time for you to head home. We're staying the night over there today."

「帰かえりがおそいと、家いえの人ひとがしんぱいするよ。」"If you're back late, your folks'll worry."

りょうへいはびっくりしました。Ryōhei was stunned.

もうすぐくらくなります。It would soon be dark.

帰かえる道みちはとても長ながいです。The road home was very long.

一人ひとりで歩あるいて帰かえらなければなりません。He would have to walk back all by himself.

りょうへいはなきそうになりました。Ryōhei was on the verge of tears.

でも、ないても仕方しかたがないと思おもいました。But he thought that crying would do no good.

りょうへいは二人ふたりにあいさつをして、せんろのよこを走はしり出だしました。Ryōhei said goodbye to the two men and started running alongside the track.

じゃまになったので、おかしを道みちにすてました。The sweets were getting in his way, so he threw them onto the road.

ぞうりもすてました。He threw away his straw sandals too.

足あしはいしでいたかったですが、軽かるくなりました。The stones hurt his feet, but he felt lighter.

あせでぬれた上着うわぎもすてました。He threw away his jacket too, which was soaked with sweat.

みかんの木きのところへ来くると、もうくらくなっていました。By the time he reached the mandarin orange trees, it was already dark.

りょうへいは「死しにたくない」と思おもいながら、走はしりつづけました。Thinking, "I don't want to die," Ryōhei kept on running.

村むらの工事場こうじばが見みえると、なきたくなりました。When he caught sight of the construction site by his village, he felt like crying.

でも、なかないで走はしりました。But he ran on without crying.

村むらに入はいると、家いえには電気でんきがついていました。When he entered the village, the lights were on in the houses.

村むらの人ひとが「どうしたの？」と聞ききましたが、りょうへいは何なにも答こたえないで走はしりました。People in the village asked, "What's the matter?" but Ryōhei ran past without answering anything.

家いえのもんに入はいると、りょうへいは大おおきなこえでなき出だしました。As soon as he stepped through the gate of his house, Ryōhei burst out crying loudly.

お父とうさんとお母かあさんが来きました。His father and mother came.

となりの家いえの人ひとも集あつまりました。The people from next door gathered too.

みんな「どうしてないているの？」と聞ききました。Everyone asked, "Why are you crying?"

でも、りょうへいはなきつづけるほかありませんでした。But Ryōhei could do nothing but go on crying.

とおい道みちを一人ひとりで走はしって来きた、そのこわさとさびしさを思おもい出だすと、いくらないても足たりませんでした。When he remembered the fear and loneliness of running that long road by himself, no amount of crying was enough.

りょうへいは二十六にじゅうろくの年としに、家族かぞくと一いっしょに東京とうきょうへ来きました。The year he was twenty-six, Ryōhei came to Tokyo with his family.

今いまはざっしの会社かいしゃではたらいています。Now he works at a magazine company.

でも時々ときどき、何なんのりゆうもないのに、あの日ひのことを思おもい出だします。Yet sometimes, for no reason at all, he remembers that day.

つかれたりょうへいの前まえには、今いまも、あの日ひのようなくらい道みちが、細ほそく長ながくつづいているのです。Even now, before the weary Ryōhei, a dark road like the one on that day stretches on, thin and long.

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	JLPT
工事こうじ	construction work工事場 (こうじば) is a construction site.	N2
せんろせんろ	railway track, railsdictionary form: 線路Kanji 線 'line' + 路 'road'.	N2
押しておす	to pushdictionary form: 押すOpposite of 引く (ひく) 'to pull'.	N5
夕方ゆうがた	evening, late afternoon	N5
にげましたにげる	to run away, to fleedictionary form: 逃げる	N4
ほめてほめる	to praise (here ほめてくれました: the man praised Ryōhei, which is framed as a kindness toward Ryōhei from the narrator's viewpoint)dictionary form: 褒めるほめてくれる: someone praises you (a kindness to the speaker's side).	N4
つづいてつづく	to continue, to stretch ondictionary form: 続くUsed for roads and tracks that go on and on.	N4
声をかけましたこえをかける	to call out to someone, to speak to someonedictionary form: 声をかける	—
しんぱいしんぱい	worry, anxietydictionary form: 心配心配になる 'to become worried'; 心配する 'to worry'.	N4
仕方がないしかたがない	it can't be helped; there's no point〜ても仕方がない: 'there's no use in doing ~'.	—
じゃまじゃま	in the way, a nuisancedictionary form: 邪魔じゃまになる 'to get in the way'.	N4
すてましたすてる	to throw awaydictionary form: 捨てる	N4
ぞうりぞうり	zōri, straw sandalsdictionary form: 草履Traditional Japanese sandals made of straw, held by a thong between the toes; there is no exact English equivalent.	N2
上着うわぎ	jacket, outer garment	N5

Grammar

〜てみたい N4 want to try doing ~

The て-form + みる means 'try doing and see'. Adding たい makes it 'want to try'. Ryōhei has never pushed a cart and wants to try it.

ぼくもトロッコにのりたい。押してみたい
I want to ride a cart too. I want to try pushing one.

〜ようとすると N3 just as (someone) was about to ~

The volitional form (押そう) + とする means 'try to / be about to do'. With と, it shows that something else happened at that moment and interrupted the action.

もう一度押そうとすると、後ろから大きなこえが聞こえました。
When they were about to push it once more, a loud voice came from behind them.

〜すぎる N4 to do ~ too much

The verb stem + すぎる means 'too much'. 来すぎた = 'came too far'; it shows Ryōhei's sudden worry.

りょうへいは急に「とおくまで来すぎた」と思いました。
Suddenly Ryōhei thought, "I've come too far."

〜なければなりません N4 must ~, have to ~

Take the negative form of the verb (e.g. 帰らない), drop the final い and add ければ, then add なりません: 帰らなければなりません = must go home / have to go home. It expresses obligation: Ryōhei has no choice but to walk home alone.

一人で歩いて帰らなければなりません。
He would have to walk back all by himself.

〜そうになる N3 to almost ~, to be on the verge of ~

The verb stem + そうになる means something nearly happens but does not. Ryōhei almost cries but holds back.

りょうへいはなきそうになりました。
Ryōhei was on the verge of tears.

〜ほかない N3 can do nothing but ~

The dictionary form + ほかない (here ほかありませんでした) means there is no other choice. Ryōhei cannot explain his feelings; he can only keep crying.

りょうへいはなきつづけるほかありませんでした。
Ryōhei could do nothing but go on crying.