Taro's Reward — AP Board Class 6 English
'Honour your father and your mother — and you shall be rewarded.'
1. About the Chapter
'Taro's Reward' is a JAPANESE folk tale about TARO, a poor but devoted son who works tirelessly as a woodcutter to support his elderly parents. His dying father wishes for something rare and expensive — sake (Japanese rice wine). Unable to afford it, Taro is heartbroken. But his PURE LOVE and DEVOTION move a forest spirit, who creates a MAGICAL WATERFALL that transforms water into sake. The story is a beautiful tribute to FILIAL PIETY — respect and care for parents — a value deeply shared by Indian and Japanese cultures.
Why This Story Matters for AP Board Students
- FILIAL PIETY is a core Indian value — students connect deeply
- 'The waterfall is like a BLESSING — earned by goodness'
- Japanese culture has MANY parallels with Indian traditions
- Teaches that TRUE reward comes from SELF-LESS love
- Popular for MORAL VALUE questions in AP Board exams
2. About the Author
This is a traditional JAPANESE folk tale. It has been passed down orally through generations and adapted for the NCERT English syllabus.
Japanese Folk Tale Tradition
- Japanese folk tales often feature: magical spirits, forests, water, and HONESTY
- 'Taro' is a very common Japanese name (means 'first-born son')
- The story reflects CONFUCIAN values of respect for elders — similar to Indian 'pitru bhakti'
3. Characters
| Character | Role | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Taro | A poor young woodcutter | Hardworking, devoted, selfless |
| Taro's Father | An old, sick man | Loving, grateful, wise |
| Taro's Mother | An old woman | Caring, supportive |
| The Forest Spirit | A magical being | Kind, observant, just |
| The Neighbours | Other villagers | Jealous, greedy, dishonest |
4. Detailed Summary
Part 1: Taro's Hard Life
Taro is a young woodcutter who lives with his OLD and WEAK parents in a small hut in the mountains. He works VERY HARD every day cutting wood and selling it in the village. But he earns very little money and cannot afford LUXURIES.
Despite his poverty, Taro NEVER complains. He LOVES his parents and cares for them.
Part 2: The Father's Wish
One cold evening, Taro's father says softly: 'I wish I had a cup of SAKE. It would warm my old bones.'
Sake is Japanese rice wine — VERY EXPENSIVE. Taro has no money to buy it.
He is SAD. 'I cannot even fulfil my father's simple wish,' he says to himself.
Part 3: The Magical Waterfall
The next day, Taro goes deeper into the forest than ever before, hoping to find more wood to sell. He is tired and thirsty.
Suddenly, he hears the sound of WATERFALL. He goes towards it.
To his AMAZEMENT, the waterfall smells like SAKE! He drinks from it — and it IS sake! Delicious, warm, and golden.
He fills his water bottle and runs home to his father.
Part 4: The Father's Joy
Taro's father drinks the sake. His eyes fill with TEARS of joy. 'This is the BEST sake I have ever tasted!'
Taro's devoted love has been REWARDED.
Part 5: The Greedy Neighbours
News of Taro's magic waterfall spreads. The GREEDY neighbours rush to the forest with large barrels. They want to COLLECT the sake and SELL it for profit.
But when THEY drink from the waterfall — it is PLAIN, COLD WATER!
They are ANGRY. They accuse Taro of LYING. They go to the village headman.
Part 6: The Truth Prevails
The village headman investigates. He realises the TRUTH: the waterfall was MAGICAL only for TARO because of his PURE HEART and DEVOTION to his parents.
The neighbours were GREEDY — they wanted the sake for selfish reasons. The magic does NOT work for selfish people.
Part 7: The Emperor's Reward
News of Taro's devotion reaches the EMPEROR of Japan. The emperor is so IMPRESSED by Taro's filial piety that he:
- Grants Taro a HERO's reward
- Gives him gold, silk, and a new house
- Names the waterfall 'Taro's Waterfall'
- Makes Taro an EXAMPLE for all children in Japan
5. Themes
Filial Piety (Respect for Parents)
'Love for parents is the ROOT of all virtues.' The story places care for parents ABOVE all else.
Honesty vs Greed
Taro is HONEST and SELFLESS. His neighbours are GREEDY and JEALOUS. Honesty is rewarded.
The Magic of Selfless Love
TRUE magic only works for PURE hearts. The waterfall's power comes from Taro's love — not the water itself.
Contentment
Taro never ASKS for a reward. He just wants his father to be happy. True virtue is ITS OWN reward.
6. Literary Devices
Personification
Nature ('the forest spirit') responds to human EMOTION.
Magic Realism
A real-world setting (woodcutter, mountain) with a magical element (sake waterfall).
Contrast
Taro's SELF-LESS love vs his neighbours' SELFISH greed.
Symbolism
The WATERFALL = divine blessing. SAKE = happiness and fulfilment.
7. Vocabulary / New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sake | Japanese rice wine |
| Woodcutter | Someone who cuts wood for a living |
| Devotion | Deep love and commitment |
| Filial piety | Respect and care for parents |
| Greedy | Wanting more than you need |
| Contentment | Happiness with what you have |
| Reward | Something given in return for good deeds |
8. Important Quotes
| Quote | Significance |
|---|---|
| 'I wish I had a cup of sake.' | The father's SIMPLE wish — the story's MOTIVATION |
| 'I cannot even fulfil my father's wish.' | Taro's sense of FAILURE despite his hard work |
| 'The waterfall smells like sake!' | The MAGICAL turn — Taro's reward begins |
| 'This is the BEST sake I have ever tasted!' | The father's JOY — proof of Taro's pure heart |
| 'It is plain water!' | The neighbours' GREED is exposed |
| 'Taro's Waterfall' | The PERMANENT reminder of virtue rewarded |
9. Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
1. What did Taro's father wish for? Taro's father wished for a cup of SAKE to warm his old body.
2. Why couldn't Taro buy sake for his father? Taro was very POOR. He earned little money as a woodcutter and could not afford expensive sake.
3. What miracle happened in the forest? A MAGICAL WATERFALL appeared that gave sake instead of water — a gift from the forest spirit.
4. What happened when the greedy neighbours went to the waterfall? The waterfall gave them only PLAIN, COLD WATER — not sake.
5. Why did the magic not work for the neighbours? They were GREEDY and wanted the sake for selfish profit, not for love of family.
6. How did the emperor reward Taro? The emperor gave Taro gold, silk, a new house, and named the waterfall 'Taro's Waterfall.'
7. What is the moral of the story? Love and devotion to parents are REWARDED. Greed and selfishness are NOT.
10. Long Answer Questions (6-8 marks each)
1. 'Taro's reward came from his PURE HEART, not from the waterfall.' Explain. The waterfall was just a TOOL. The real magic was Taro's SELFLESS love for his parents. He never ASKED for a reward — he just wanted his father to be happy. The neighbours, who came with GREED, received nothing. This shows that TRUE rewards come to those who are GOOD without expecting anything in return.
2. Compare Taro's character with the neighbours. What lesson do we learn? Taro is HARD-WORKING, LOVING, and HUMBLE. He cares for his parents despite his poverty. The neighbours are LAZY (they want easy sake), GREEDY (they want to sell it), and HYPOCRITICAL (they pretend to care). The lesson: VIRTUE is its own reward. Goodness flows from the HEART, not from what we GET.
3. 'Filial piety is an important value in both JAPANESE and INDIAN cultures.' Discuss. In India, we call it 'Mata-Pita Bhakti' or 'Pitru Seva.' Like Taro, Indian children are taught to RESPECT and CARE for ageing parents. Stories like 'Shravan Kumar' (who carried his blind parents on a pilgrimage) mirror Taro's devotion. Both cultures believe that CARING for parents is the highest DUTY, and that DIVINE blessings follow.
4. Why did the emperor honour Taro? What does this say about Japanese society? The emperor honoured Taro because Japanese society DEEPLY VALUES filial piety. Honouring Taro was the emperor's way of TELLING ALL citizens: 'This is what we RESPECT.' It shows that JAPAN, like India, prioritises FAMILY, DUTY, and SELF-LESS service.
11. AP Board Context
- Moral value questions are COMMON in AP Board exams — 'Taro's Reward' is a favourite.
- Compare with Indian stories: 'Shravan Kumar' (Ramayana) — both sons devoted to parents.
- Telugu proverb: 'Talli danDa, tandri runamu' (Mother's debt, father's debt — you can never repay).
- Activity: Role-play Taro discovering the waterfall.
- Writing task: 'Narrate an incident where you helped your PARENTS selflessly.'
12. Fun Activity
Imagine YOU discovered a magical waterfall in the forest near your village. What would YOU want it to give you? AND — would you share it with your greedy neighbour? Write a short paragraph!
