Japanese Reader Collection Volume 5: Shitakiri Suzume

Read two of Japan's most beloved folktales, broken down sentence by sentence for upper-beginner learners.

A kind old man searches the mountains for his pet sparrow after his mean-tempered wife cuts out its tongue - and finds himself welcomed into a hidden sparrow village with a choice between two treasure boxes. Another old man, this one with a large lump on his cheek, stumbles upon a circle of oni dancing in the forest at night; he joins their dance and ends the night rid of the lump, only ...