Two of Japan's most beloved folktales—and more than two hours of guided listening built to make real Japanese finally click.

An old man keeps a pet sparrow he loves like a child. His sharp-tongued wife has other feelings—and one afternoon, over a bowl of spilled starch, she does something cruel. What happens when the old man goes looking for his little friend, and what he chooses to carry home, has been teaching Japanese children about kindness and greed for centuries.

Then meet a cheerful old man with a lump on his cheek, caught out in the rain and hiding in a hollow tree—until he wakes to find a circle of oni feasting in the moonlight. He should be terrified. Instead, he dances.

Learn Japanese with Stories 5: The Cut-Tongue Sparrow and Kobutori-jiisan turns these two classics into a complete listening course for upper-beginner learners. Every story is taught in seven passes, so your understanding builds one layer at a time:

Story introduction—a short English preview so you know where you're headed

Vocabulary—key words in Japanese, then English, with room to repeat after a native speaker

Slow speed—the full story read slowly and clearly, every word catchable

Line-by-line—each Japanese sentence broken into bite-size phrases with English meanings, then rebuilt. This is where the language really sinks in

Normal speed—the story at natural pace. Hear how much more you catch now

Comprehension questions—answer out loud, then hear a model answer

English version—the whole story retold in English to confirm you got it

Japanese narration by native speaker Yumi Boutwell, with English explanations by Clay Boutwell

No textbook needed and no pages to turn—press play in the car or on a walk and let the repetition do the work. By the final pass you won't just follow these stories; you'll own the vocabulary and grammar inside them.

Perfect for upper beginners (JLPT N5-N4) ready to move past word lists into real Japanese.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.