52 Kobayashi to create a song for Tomoe. Next day, as headmaster promised before,
he creates a song for Tomoe. He writes it on the blackboard. It only has a line written “To-mo-e, To-mo-e, To – mo – e 42. Totto-chan is quiet surprised with
it. She thinks that a song must have beautiful words like she had before. Nobody likes the song. The headmaster seemed rather sorry, but he wasn’t angry, and
proceeded to wipe it off the blackboard. Totto-chan felt that they had been rather rude, but after all she had something a bit more impressive in mind 42. The tune
has been rubbed off the blackboard. Totto-chan and the other students already forget about having a song. Then, Tomoe never has a song.
Furthermore, Totto-chan shows her spontaneity to Mr. Kobayashi by making a promise to the headmaster. It is very important for Totto-chan. After
several days thinking about the idea, she decides to tell her idea to Mr. Kobayashi right the way. From that time and on, Totto-chan keeps the promise like she has
done before. Totto-chan said sweetly and slowly, in a big-sisterly or motherly way, “I’d
like to teach at this school when I grow up. I really would.” Totto-chan expected the headmaster to smile, but instead, he asked in
seriousness, “Promise?” He really seemed to want her to do it.
Totto-chan nodded her head vigorously and said, “I promise,” determining in her heart to become a teacher there without fail 178.
Besides in school, Totto-chan shows her spontaneity in her actions to satisfy her big curiosity. It happens when she is discovering an exiting thing by
the side of the road. She finds that there is a huge pile of sand. It is an unusual thing in Japan to find sand far from the sea. After observing for sometime, she
decides to jump on it. After all, she realizes that it is not a pile of sand. It is a pile
53 of prepared gray wall plaster. She sinks into it. Mother is looking for her and
finding her stuck on it. “I thought I told you once before,” said Mother, “when you see something that looks intriguing, don’t jump on it straight away. Look
before you leap 90” It is not the first time Totto-chan jump on to something and gets some troubles with it. After Mother reminds her about it, Totto-chan
promises that she does not want to jump on anything else.
4.2.3 Sympathy for humankind
Totto-chan also has felt for a young boy that she often to see on her way to and from station. This young boy lives in Korean tenement. One day, on her way
to come back home, the boy calls Totto-chan “Korean”. Totto-chan does not reply it because she does not understand why he calls her like that. After arriving at
home, she tells to Mother what the boy has said to her. Mother shocks to hear such story.
With the love and patient that Mother has, she explains to Totto-chan that she should be nice to everybody for whatever their nationality, color, or believes.
It is difficult for Totto-chan to understand it. The sympathy that she felt for is because, on his youth, he already feels some cruel things. One thing that she
knows between the boy and herself is they are all the same. They are children 115-117.
Totto-chan shows her sympathy to Mr. Kobayashi when she knows that he is in trouble. One day after lunch time, Totto-chan and Mr. Kobayashi are having
a conversation. It is about Totto-chan’s ribbon which bothers him.
54 Mr. Kobayashi has a little daughter schooled at Tomoe. Her name is Miyo-
chan. Miyo-chan likes the ribbon that Totto-chan has. Miyo-chan asks her father to find the same ribbon like Totto-chan but he cannot find it everywhere.
“Totto-chan, I’d be grateful if you’d stop wearing that ribbon to school. You see, Miyo-chan keeps pestering me about it. Would you mind very
much?” Totto-chan thought it over, her arms folded. Then she answered quickly,
“All right. I won’t wear it here any more.” “Thank you,” said the headmaster 150.
Totto-chan feels rather sorry to put Mr. Kobayashi in such trouble. Through this experience, Totto-chan learns how to understand other people’s
difficulties and help others in their difficulties. Totto-chan shows her sympathy not only to people around her but also to
the soldier she visits once. In one opportunity, Totto-chan becomes Tomoe Gakuen’s representative to visit the wounded soldiers. She goes with the other
students from the other school. To entertain the soldiers, the other students have prepared some songs to be sung. Beautifully, they sing the songs for the wounded
soldier. Totto-chan does not familiar with all of the song like the others do. She remains silent. …the soldier in the bed Totoo-chan was sitting on patted her head
and said, “You didn’t sing 152.” Totto-chan feels so bad about it. Then, she decides to sing a song that she
knows well. She sings the “Chew It Well”. The soldier cries after listening to Totto-chan’s song. Totto-chan thinks she has done something bad but suddenly,
the soldier says his gratitude to Totto-chan 153. No one knows why the soldier cries and he smiles to Totto-chan. The soldier’s smile makes Totto-chan happy.
Totto-chan looked at her soldier. His nose and eyes were red, but he smiled.
