Pathway to Japanese Literature

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Straw SandalsAuthor: Shimazaki Tōson

Original Title	藁草履
Author	島崎藤村
Genre	Modern Short Fiction
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In the remote mountain village of Uminokuchi, where horse breeding defines life and honor, young farmer Genkichi—mockingly nicknamed “Straw Sandals” for his coarse features—burns with ambition. His rugged strength and prized Algerian-blooded stallion fuel dreams of glory at Nobeyama Field’s annual races, attended by dignitaries like the horse-obsessed cavalry colonel His Highness. When Gen’s rival, the cunning Kaba, snatches victory through strategic restraint, Gen’s pride curdles into rage. Tormented by jealousy and shame, he vents his fury on his loyal horse and meek wife, Osumi, whose hidden past haunts their strained marriage. As autumn winds sweep the plateau, a fateful journey to seek medical aid for Osumi unravels into chaos when primal instincts overtake the mistreated stallion. Against a backdrop of mist-shrouded valleys and hardened mountain traditions, Gen confronts the destructive weight of his arrogance. Vividly etched with the grit of rural Japan—where human passions clash with nature’s indifference—this tale weaves ambition, regret, and the unyielding bonds between man and beast into a haunting portrait of pride’s perilous cost.