Summary, Chapter 3 - Taro's reward Notes | Study English Class 6 (Honeysuckle) - Class 6

Introduction

• 'Taro's Reward' is a Japanese story. It is a fable with a moral and a message. Taro represents the class of kids who obey and serve their parents, who are hardworking and thoughtful. He is aware of his duty to his old parents. He tries hard to earn more and meet their needs. 
• The Emperor also rewards the model boy for his services. Since he was sincere and honest, his luck also favored him. Nature created a waterfall in the forest and made its plain cold water taste like Sake. To everyone else, the spring gave only cold water. God also loves such sincere children and rewards them.

Summary

• Taro was a young woodcutter. He lived with his old parents in a hut on the hillside. He used to chop wood in the forest all day long. He worked very hard but earned very little. This made him sad. He wanted so much to meet all the needs of his parents.

• One evening, all the family members were sitting in the hut. A strong cold wind was blowing.  Suddenly the old man, who was shivering with cold, wished he had a cup of Sake to warm his heart and body. This made Taro all the sadder. He decided to work harder and earn more. Sake, the Japanese drink, was very expensive.
• The next morning, he went early to the forest. He worked very hard with his ax. His mouth was dry and his face was wet with sweat. He was thinking of earning more money to buy Sake for his father. Suddenly he heard the sound of flowing water. Being thirsty he ran in the direction of the sound. He saw a little waterfall behind a rock. He drank a little water. But it tasted like Sake.
• Taro quickly filled the pitcher with Sake and returned home. His old father was delighted to drink the Sake. He stopped shivering.
• That afternoon, a woman neighbor came to the hut. The old man offered her a cup of Sake and also told her the story of the magic waterfall. The woman spread the story throughout the village. That evening, so many villagers came to Taro's hut. They took a sip of the Sake and heard the story. They also planned to fetch the drink from that magic waterfall.
• The next morning Taro started for work even earlier with a large pitcher. He found to his surprise all his neighbors there. They too had come with their jars, pots, and buckets. One of them drank the liquid. It tasted like plain water, not like the magic drink. Others also tried and had similar experiences. They shouted angrily that they had been befooled. They looked for Taro to drown him in the waterfall. But Taro had wisely slipped behind a rock. He was saved. The villagers went back to their homes.
• Taro came out of his hiding place. He tasted the liquid again. It was the same fine Sake, the tasty drink. He realized that the waterfall was favoring him.
• The Emperor of Japan heard the story of Taro and his magic waterfall. He rewarded Taro with gold pieces for being so good and kind. The Emperor did so to encourage other children also to respect and obey their parents.

Word Meanings

• Wood-cutter: one who cuts wood
• Hillside: near the hills
• Chopped: cut into pieces
• Thoughtful: caring
• Whistled through: passing through a whizzing sound
• Cracks: narrow gaps
• Sake: Japanese drink
• Sadder: more sad
• Rushing: flowing
• Stream: fountain
• Cupped: like a cup
• Shivering: quivering
• Nightfall: the falling of night,
• Procession: crowd,
• Tricked: deceived
• Muttering: speaking unclearly
• Fountain: spring