Sugar Thief and Other Stories

A father brings sweetness home to his children, only to lose far more than his job. A young worker is humiliated by the men who should teach him, while a sick farmer watches his wife struggle to meet their children’s wishes.

In “The Old Couple,” parents who have sacrificed everything for their son’s education discover that comfort in Tokyo can leave them longing for the freedom of their poor country home. “The Hole” turns toward Siberia, where counterfeit money becomes a pretext for suspicion and killing.

These five stories, first published between 1923 and 1928, show Kuroshima Denji’s close attention to ordinary lives caught in unequal relationships. Tenderness, shame, resentment, and fear emerge through everyday work and spoken exchanges.