Dive into the original, bittersweet tale of "The Little Mermaid" with this episode of "Nihongo no Tane." Explore the deeper, more poignant version of the story as Yumi contrasts it with the popular Disney adaptation. Join us for a captivating and educational discussion!   KEY VOCABULARY: 人魚姫(にんぎょひめ) The Little Mermaid [人魚(にんぎょ) mermaid + 姫(ひめ) princess] 寝室(しんしつ) bedroom [寝(ね) sleep + 室(しつ) room] 前回(ぜんかい) last time; previous time [前(ぜん) previous + 回(かい) time; instance] 夜明(よあ)けとともに at dawn; along with the dawn [夜明(よあ)け dawn + と and; with + ともに together with] 悲惨(ひさん)な tragic; miserable [悲 sad + 惨 miserable; tragic + な (adjective suffix -na)] 魂(たましい) soul; spirit 風(かぜ)の精(せい) wind spirit [風(かぜ) wind + の (possessive particle) + 精(せい) spirit] 涙(なみだ)が流(なが)れる tears flow; to cry [涙(なみだ) tears + が (subject marker) + 流(なが)れる flow] 呟(つぶや)く to murmur; to mutter 減(へ)ります to decrease [減(へ)る decrease + ます (polite form suffix)] 逆(ぎゃく)に conversely; on the contrary [逆(ぎゃく) opposite; reverse + に (adverbial particle)] 罰(ばつ)ゲーム penalty game [罰(ばつ) punishment + ゲーム game] 説教(せっきょう)っぽい preachy; sermonic [説教(せっきょう) sermon + っぽい (suffix indicating resemblance)] 一層(いっそう) much more; even more 文学的(ぶんがくてき) literary [文学(ぶんがく) literature + 的(てき) (suffix indicating characteristic)] 気兼(きが)ね reservation; constraint 増(ふ)える to increase   For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/ Take a quiz on this episode here: https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-159 If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing: https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-159-m -- Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF. www.MakotoPlus.com