Taro's Reward
Overview
Taro's Reward is a Japanese folk tale about a young woodcutter named Taro who works hard to make his old parents happy. One cold day his father wishes for sake (a warm drink). Taro works extra hard to earn money for it. A magical waterfall appears and gives him sake instead of water. His kindness and filial devotion earn him great reward from the Emperor of Japan, making him a lesson in honesty and love for parents.
Typed Notes
Taro and His Parents
Taro is a young woodcutter who lives with his old mother and father in Japan. He works very hard every day cutting wood in the forest, yet he earns very little money. He wishes he could earn more so that he can buy warm clothes and good food for his parents. His greatest desire is to make his parents comfortable and happy. This shows that Taro is not selfish; he thinks of his parents before himself. His love and respect for his parents is the central quality that drives the whole story forward.
The Magical Waterfall
One cold winter evening Taro's father says he would love to drink sake, a warm Japanese rice wine, to fight the cold. Taro feels sad because sake is expensive. The next day he works harder than ever. While chasing a deer deep into the forest he hears the sound of water and discovers a beautiful waterfall. When he cups his hands and tastes the water, it is not water at all but delicious sake. He quickly carries some home for his father, who feels warm and happy immediately. The waterfall is a magical reward for Taro's filial love.
Greedy Neighbours and the Emperor's Reward
News of the magical waterfall spreads quickly through the village. The neighbours rush to the waterfall hoping to get sake for themselves. However, when they taste the water it is just plain cold water. The waterfall gives sake only to Taro because his motive was pure love, not greed. The story of Taro's goodness reaches the Emperor of Japan. The Emperor is so impressed by Taro's hard work and devotion to his parents that he rewards Taro with gold coins and names the most beautiful fountain in the city after him, so people will always remember his virtue.
Theme, Moral and Grammar Point
The main theme of the story is that selfless love and hard work are always rewarded. The moral is: do good deeds with a pure heart and you will be blessed. The story also contrasts honesty with greed, showing that greed leads to disappointment. Grammar point — Adverbs of manner: The story uses many adverbs to describe how Taro works, for example 'harder', 'quickly', 'carefully'. An adverb of manner tells us how an action is done. Students should notice words ending in '-ly' and practice using them in sentences to describe actions clearly.
Key Concepts
Revision ke liye ek nazar — exam se pehle yahi padhna hai.
- 01Taro is a hardworking young woodcutter who loves and respects his parents deeply.
- 02A magical waterfall gives sake to Taro because of his selfless love for his father.
- 03Greedy neighbours try to use the waterfall but get only cold water as punishment.
- 04The Emperor of Japan rewards Taro by naming the most beautiful fountain in the city after him.
- 05The story teaches that hard work, honesty, and love for parents always bring true reward.
Questions & Solutions
Pehle khud try karo — phir solution kholo. Yahi tariqa topper banata hai.
Why did Taro want to earn more money than he usually did?
How did the magical waterfall help Taro?
Why did the neighbours not get sake from the waterfall?
How did the Emperor reward Taro?
What lesson does the story 'Taro's Reward' teach us?
Taro is a kind young woodcutter in Japan who works hard to keep his parents happy. When his father wishes for sake on a cold day, a magical waterfall appears in the forest and gives Taro sake as a reward for his pure love. Greedy neighbours who try the waterfall get only plain water. The Emperor hears of Taro's goodness and rewards him with gold and names a fountain after him.
Chapter-end quiz
4 MCQsOption tap karo — turant pata chalega sahi ya galat, explanation ke saath.
Q1.What did Taro's father wish to drink on the cold winter evening?
Q2.Where did Taro discover the magical waterfall?
Q3.Which word best describes Taro's character?
Q4.What does the word 'sake' mean in this story?
Mark karo — dashboard par progress dikhega.