Introduction
'Taro's Reward' is a Japanese folk tale included in the NCERT Class 6 English Honeysuckle textbook. It tells the story of a young woodcutter named Taro who loves and cares for his elderly father. His filial devotion is rewarded in a magical way. The story beautifully illustrates the value of obedience, hard work, and respect for parents.
Key Concepts and Themes
- Main Characters:
- Taro — a hardworking young woodcutter who loves his father deeply
- Taro's Father — an elderly man who loves sake (a Japanese rice wine) but Taro is too poor to buy it for him
- The Waterfall — a magical element that produces sake for Taro
Setting: A forest in Japan, with themes rooted in Japanese cultural values of filial piety (respect for parents).
Plot Summary:
Taro is a poor but hardworking woodcutter. His aged father wishes to drink sake. Taro works extra hard to earn money to buy sake for his father. One cold winter day, exhausted from chopping wood, Taro hears the sound of a waterfall. He discovers that the waterfall produces sake instead of water. He brings some home for his father, who is delighted. News spreads and villagers rush to the waterfall — but for them, only ordinary water flows. Later, Taro is rewarded by the Emperor for his filial piety.
Why was Taro sad at the beginning of the story?
Taro's father mentioned that he wished for a cup of sake, but Taro was too poor to afford it. Taro felt sad that despite working hard, he could not fulfil his father's simple desire.
Step-by-step understanding: Identify Taro's motivation — love for his father. This single desire drives the entire story.
What did Taro do to earn more money?
Taro decided to work harder than ever, chopping more wood in the hope of earning enough to buy sake for his father.
Step-by-step understanding: Taro's response to difficulty is increased effort, not complaint. This is a key character trait. Note that he does not give up.
How did Taro discover the magical waterfall?
On a particularly cold and exhausting day, Taro heard the sound of rushing water behind a bush. When he followed the sound, he found a beautiful waterfall. When he tasted the water, it was not water at all — it was delicious sake.
Step-by-step understanding: The magical waterfall is the reward for Taro's sincere effort and love. It appears just when he needs it most.
What happened when the neighbours came to the waterfall?
Excited villagers rushed to the waterfall, hoping for free sake. But when they tasted the water, it was plain water — not sake. The magic worked only for Taro because of his pure and loving intentions.
Step-by-step understanding: This scene shows that the magic is tied to virtue. The villagers wanted sake for pleasure or profit; Taro wanted it out of love for his father. Intention matters.
How did the Emperor reward Taro?
The Emperor heard of Taro's story and was so moved by his devotion to his father that he rewarded Taro by naming the waterfall after him. A fountain in the capital city was also named 'Taro' in his honour.
Step-by-step understanding: The Emperor's reward elevates a private family virtue into public recognition. Society honours those who honour their parents.
What does the word 'sake' refer to in this story?
Sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic drink made from fermented rice. In the story, it is a symbol of the father's simple pleasure and Taro's desire to provide comfort to his parent.
What is the central moral of 'Taro's Reward'?
The moral is: Devotion and hard work are always rewarded. More specifically, genuine love and selfless service — especially to one's parents — bring both magical and worldly rewards.
Key Vocabulary
- Sake — traditional Japanese rice wine
- Filial piety — respect and care for one's parents (a core value in many Asian cultures)
- Woodcutter — a person who cuts trees or wood for a living
- Emperor — the ruler of Japan
Common mistakes
Students sometimes think Taro found the waterfall because he was clever or lucky. In fact, the story presents it as a reward for his sincere love and extra hard work — virtue, not luck, is the cause.
Summary
Taro, a poor woodcutter, works extra hard to buy sake for his elderly father. He discovers a magical waterfall that produces sake. When greedy villagers rush to it, only ordinary water flows for them. The Emperor rewards Taro's filial devotion by naming the waterfall and a city fountain after him. The story teaches that sincere love and hard work bring true rewards.