Sample
from
Tales of Old Japan
Raintree English Readers
Grade 3
retold by
Philip Popescu
The Mujina
The merchant wanted to reach home as soon as he could. Half way up the hill he saw a woman in front of him. She was sitting beside the road. The woman was all alone, and he could hear the sound of crying.
The merchant felt afraid. He was not afraid for himself, but for her. He went nearer to her. He saw her clothes. They were expensive silk clothes. Her hair was tied carefully. This woman was a woman from a good family.
A terrible fear
The merchant spoke. 'Young lady,' he said to her. 'Don't cry like that. Tell me what the matter is. I'll listen and try to help you.
The girl did not stop crying. She did not even look at him. She seemed to be drying the tears from her face. Her face was behind the sleeve of her dress.
Again the man spoke to her. 'Young lady, please, please listen to me. You can't stay here at night. This is not a place for a young lady like you. Even I don;t like walking here. Please tell me what the matter is. I can halp you.'BR>
Still the woman did not answer. But this time she slowly stood up. She did not turn and look at the mercahnt. She turned away. She continued to cry.
The merchant softly touched her on her shoulder. When he touched her, she turned round. Her sleeve was still in front of her face. The merchant waited to see her face. The woman rubbed her face once or twice with her sleeve. Then she put her arm down and the merchant saw! He saw that she had no face! She had a head, but she had no eyes, no nose, no mouth. There was just white. White like the outside of an egg.
More of this and other stories in
Tales of Old Japan
retold by
Philip Popescu
Raintree English Readers
Grade 3
ISBN 967 65 3799 3
This text is copyright Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T) 1997.
If you can read this sample easily, you can enjoy any Raintree English Reader from Grade 1 through to Grade 3.
Return to the Raintree English Readers bibliography
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