Stories of Japanese picture book’s are very interesting but at the same time teach us about a life, just like western’s children’s books. I hope you read this Japanese story to your children if you have and enjoy together!

FUKURO NO SOMEMONO YA – ふくろうのそめもめ屋 （The Owl’s dye shop）

Part 1

JUST few words before starting.

Fukuro –  (ふくろう)ーa owl

Somemono ya – (そめもの屋) – a dye shop (also use for a dyer)

Hane (はね）- a wing

Ho ho (ホウ　ホウ) – the sound of a owl hooting

Tori – (鳥） – a bird normally KOZO means disciples, an apprentice, youngster but in this case, a shop boy

Karasu (からす) -　a crow

Omoshiroku nai – (おもしろくない – )not interesting, not fun, boring, but also a meaning of feeling displeased.

– let’s start!

Once upon a time, an owl used to be a dyer for friends of birds.

「Hoot, hoot. Welcome. I shall dye any bird’s wing with any color you like!」

As the owl was very good at dying, various birds came to a shop to dye.

Long time ago, the wings of a crow were white. The crow was very fashionable and was always proud of the white wings he had. 　

[My wings are lovely aren’t they! There are no birds that have such a nice white wings anywhere.」

Another birds also complimented the crow and said

「Absolutely, Mr crow’s white wings are so beautiful anytime aren’t they! ].

However, the birds that copied the crow to dye their wings with white had increased. Looking at white cranes and white herons open their white wings and fly proudly, the crow was upset.

「Good god. How dear them to copy me! Outrageous!」

Also today, a little bird came to the dye shop to dye. The little bird came because he wanted to dye his wings with red.

There were many pots in which contained dye-stuffs. The owl took a pretty red color, which suits the little bird well, out of the pot and dyed the little birds’s wings.

「Hoot, hoot. I have them dyed with a beautiful color for you.」

After being told, the little bird opened his eyes and said

「Wow, they are so beautiful wings! I’m so happy.」

The little bird opened his wings, swung repeatedly and joyed happily.

As the owl dyer dyes birds’ wings so beautifully, the crow no longer could proud of his white wings. The fashionable crow is displeased.

One day, the crow came to the owl’s dye shop and said.

[Recently, you have been dying other birds too beautifully haven’t you! 　On top of that, what was your reason why you have dyed many birds’ wings with white, just as same as mine? ]

[This is because your wings are so wonderful that all birds want to copy you!]

After being told that, the crow was not such a bad feeling but

[I will stop having white wings! Because there have been so many birds with same color now.]

To be continued. (tuzuki)

Mata ne. またね。