Episode2

The Magic Stone – Episode 2

The morning sun shone through Tom’s window. He sat on his bed, staring at the small blue stone in his hand. His heart was still racing from what had happened. “Did I really make fire?” he thought.
Tom wanted to test it again. He took a deep breath and touched the stone. At first, nothing happened. But when he focused, a small flame appeared on his palm. He quickly waved his hand, and the flame disappeared.
"This is real… I have magic!" he whispered.
Excited and nervous, Tom decided to keep the stone a secret. He wrapped it in a cloth and hid it in his pocket. "I must be careful," he thought.
That day, Tom went to the market with his mother and sister. The village was busy. People were selling fruits, vegetables, and fresh bread. Suddenly, a loud scream broke the peaceful morning.
“Help! Thief!” a woman shouted.
Tom turned and saw a man running through the market, holding a stolen bag. People tried to stop him, but he was too fast.
Without thinking, Tom touched the stone in his pocket. His hand felt warm. He pointed at the ground near the thief, and a small fire appeared. The man stopped in surprise, dropping the bag.
The villagers caught the thief and cheered. Tom quickly stepped back. "Did anyone see me?" he wondered. His heart pounded.
An old man with sharp eyes looked at him. “That was strange…” the man murmured. Tom swallowed hard and walked away.
He didn’t know that his adventure was only beginning.

 

Reading Comprehension Questions

1.How did Tom feel when he created fire again?
A) Angry
B) Excited and nervous
C) Bored
D) Sad
2.What did Tom do when he saw the thief?
A) He chased him
B) He created a fire to stop him
C) He told the villagers
D) He ignored him
3.Who noticed Tom’s magic?
A) A young boy
B) His mother
C) An old man
D) The thief

 

New Vocabulary and Meanings

•stare – じっと見る
•focus – 集中する
•wrap – 包む
•market – 市場
•thief – 泥棒
•drop – 落とす
•pound (heart pounds) – （心臓が）ドキドキする
•murmur – つぶやく

 

Japanese Translation of the Story

朝日がトムの窓から差し込んでいた。彼はベッドに座り、小さな青い石を見つめていた。昨日起こったことを思い出し、心臓がまだドキドキしていた。「本当に火を作ったのか？」
もう一度試したくなった。彼は深呼吸をして石に触れた。最初は何も起こらなかった。しかし、集中すると、小さな炎が手のひらに現れた。彼はすぐに手を振り、炎を消した。
「本当だ…僕は魔法が使える！」トムはささやいた。
興奮しながらも緊張したトムは、石を秘密にすることに決めた。布で包み、ポケットに隠した。「気をつけないと。」
その日、トムは母と妹と一緒に市場へ行った。村はにぎやかだった。人々が果物や野菜、新鮮なパンを売っていた。すると突然、大きな叫び声が聞こえた。
「助けて！泥棒よ！」と女性が叫んだ。
トムが振り向くと、男が盗んだ袋を持って走っていた。村人たちは止めようとしたが、男は速すぎた。
トムは考えるより先に、ポケットの石に触れた。手が熱くなった。彼は泥棒の近くの地面を指さした。すると、小さな炎が現れた。
驚いた泥棒は立ち止まり、袋を落とした。村人たちは泥棒を捕まえ、喜んだ。トムはすぐに後ろに下がった。「誰か見た？」彼の心臓がドキドキした。
すると、鋭い目をした老人が彼を見ていた。「おかしなことが起こったな…」老人はつぶやいた。トムはごくりと唾をのみ、静かに歩き去った。
トムはまだ知らなかった。彼の冒険は、まだ始まったばかりだった。

 

Answers and Explanation

1.B) Excited and nervous
→ Tom was happy to have magic but also worried about what it meant.
2.B) He created a fire to stop him
→ Tom used magic to surprise the thief and make him stop.
3.C) An old man
→ An old man saw something strange and was suspicious.

 

NEXT ＝＞ Episode3

 

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