Momotarou

Momotarou, the Peach Boy

ISBN4-591-03701-0 C8739 P1000E
Translation by Tom Ray and Hiromi Mochizuki (hiromi@hip.atr.co.jp)
momotarou







-

Long, long ago, in some place there was an old man and and old woman.

When the old man went to the mountain to cut trees,

the old woman went out to the river to wash clothes.

"Old man, come back quickly."

"Old woman you also be careful please."

Each day they gently say to each other and go out.
- = wash clothes
= dialect for
= return, come back
= dialect of command form of
= dialect, meaning "please"
= gentle
= from to say
= say to each other










-
It happened one day, while the old woman was washing clothes at the river,

tsunburako tsunburako a peach floated up.

She picked it up and ate it and,

it was so delicious as if to make her cheeks fall.

She though she also wanted to make her husband eat one, and

"Sweet peach come here.

Bitter peach go away."

she said, and

donburako donburako a huge peach floated up.

The old woman was happy, and took the peach home.
- = flow, stream, run
= pick up, find, take
= how!
= cheek
= fall, drop
= huge, big





-
In the evening the old man returned from the mountain.

"Husband, husband, please eat the sweet peach I picked up."

When the old woman tried to cut,

the peach split jyaku,

hogyaa hogyaa a baby boy jumped out.
- = evening
= eat
= cut
= break, be divided
= sound of newborn baby
= baby
= fly out, run out





-
"This is startling."

"What a lively baby!"

Together they hurriedly boiled water and looked for a kimono and so on.
- = = for old people
= be startled
= for old people = what!
= hot water

 = boil














-
Together they gave the name Momotarou to this child, and

brought him up with so much care.

If Momotarou ate one cup of rice he grew one cup,

if he ate two cups he grew two cups and

quickly became large, and

came to be very powerful.

Whatever they teach him he learns quickly, and

from house work to mountain work he helped them.

"It is rare that there is a child like this."

The old man and the old woman loved Momotarou more and more.
- = a serious matter
= bring up
= rice

 = rapidly, fast, by leaps and bounds

= teach
= remember
= help
= somebody do for somebody
~ = rare, seldom
= more and more
= love











-
But, at that time,

devils often approached the village and

were doing bad things.

"Ok, I'll get rid of (the devils)."


That day, Momotarou sat with both hands on the floor in front
of the old man and old woman and said,

"I am going to Devil's Island to get rid of the devil, so

please make Japan's best millet dumplings for me."

"What did you say?

However strong your power, you can not defeat the enemy."


They were surprised and stopped him, but

Momotarou did not accept.
- = but
= at that time
= plural, like
= often
= ok
= get rid of
= like
= both hands
= put on
= strong
= you
= can win
= enemy
= stop
= accept







-
"If so, it is no use (stopping you)".


The old woman made Japan's best millet dumplings for him,
which if he eats, will give him the power of 100 persons.

The old man got out a new kimono, and

also made a flag for him.

Like a strong man he tied his headband,


when he put the sword at his waist,

he became like a strong young man.
- = dialect for = if so
= it is no use ~ing
= take out (of)
= flag
= masculine (adverb)
= head band
= tie
= waist
= put in







-
"If you are defeated, we will not forgive you."

"Try hard and come back."

The old man and old woman held back tears and said

"Then, I will go."

Momotarou stretched his breast with confidence, and bit his lip (with a jerk).
- = be defeated, lose
= accept
= man's dialect version of
= try hard
= bear, stand
= go (polite form)
= breast

 = stretch one's breast (with confidence)

= stretch
= with a jerk
= bite








-
When he came to the outskirts of town a dog came.

"Mr. Momotarou, Mr. Momotarou, where are you going?"

"To devil's island to get rid of the devil."

"What is that thing at your waist?"

"Japan's best millet dumplings."

"So please give me one, and I will be your attendant."

"Ok, I will give you. Come along with me."
- = outskirts (of town)
= an attendant
= follow
= command to come
= follow, come along with ~
= polite endings


-
They went to the mountain and a monkey came.

"Mr. Momotarou, Mr. Momotarou, where are you going."

"To devil's island to get rid of the devil."

"What is that thing you have at your waist?"

"Japan's best millet dumplings."

"So please give me one, and I will be your attendant."

Ok, I will give you. Come along with me."
-









-
They went deep inside the mountain and a pheasant came flying.

"Mr. Momotarou, Mr. Momotarou, where are you going."

"To devil's island to get rid of the devil."

"What is that thing you have at your waist?"

"Japan's best millet dumplings."

"So please give me one, and I will be your attendant."

Ok, I will give you. Come along with me."

-








-
Momotarou took the dog and monkey and pheasant along with him,

finally they departed for Devil's island.

They went over the mountains, and over the valleys,

and came out to the sea, and

there was a devil's boat.

They boarded the boat.

The boat went ahead strongly kicking up waves.

"I see Devil's Island."

The pheasant cried out.
- = take along with
= departure
= board
= kick up
= strongly, vigorously, on and on
= go ahead
= cry (out), shout




-
On Devil's Island there was a big gate standing.

"Please."

Momotarou knocked at the gate.

But, there was no reply.

Then the monkey climbed up the gate, and

from within he unlocked the key.
- = ask
= strike, hit, knock
= reply response
= climb (up)
= take off

-
"I am Japan's number one Momotarou.

Devils make yourselves ready."


Momotarou pulled out his sword and jumped in.

"What a shameless boy!"

The devils raised their iron rods, and

attacked Momotarou.

The pheasant pecked with his beak,

the monkey scratched with his nails,

The dog bit.

Momotarou continued cutting.

Because he ate millet dumplings he had the power of one hundred people.
- = plural
= readiness, (a) resolution
= be ready (for), make up one's mind
= jump into
= pull out
= shameless
= boy
= iron rod
= wave
= lift up
= swing up
= attack assault
= peck, poke
= nails
= scratch
= bite
= cut
= continue cutting
= because

-
Finally not one devil remained unbeaten.

"I am beaten. Please spare only my life."

The boss devil put both hands on the ground and apologized.

"I will not do bad things again.

I will hand over all the treasure so please pardon us.

"Ok, if so I will spare you."
- = finally, at last
= remain
= beat, attack
= be beaten
= only
= help
= boss (mafia)
= both hands
= put on
= apologize
= give, hand over
= forgive, pardon




-
Momotarou loaded the treasure on the cart and

with difficulty went back to the village.

"As expected our Momotarou is Japan's best."

When the old man and old woman said that

the people of the village clapped their hands, and also

said "Japan's number one Momotarou."

Momotarou also divide the treasure among the people of the village, and

With the old man and old woman, as three,

they lived happily for ever after.
- = pile up, load
= say to encourage yourself
= clap
= divide, share


-

Listen, you should also eat well and become like Momotarou.
- = listen
= hard, tight(ly), firm(ly)
= rice
= to express one's feeling or thought
Sarukani
The Monkey and the Crab

ISBN4-591-03702-9 C8739 P1000E

Translation by Tom Ray and Atsushi Shimojima (ashimoji@mic.atr.co.jp)









-
Long ago, at the foot of some mountain, there was one crab.

It happened on a comfortably warm spring day.

A crab was walking liesurely along a nearby river.

And then, although we don't know who dropped it,

in the grass there was a big rice ball

(rolling sound), which had been dropped.

"This, what a good thing I found."
- = foot (of mountain)
= comfortably warm
= on
= relaxed
= leave, drop, forget
= the bush, the grass, a thicket
= rice ball
= a sound
= drop, fall
= find

-
Then, a monkey approached.


When the greedy monkey saw the rice ball, he came to want it.


"Ms. crab. The persimmon seed that I picked up is better than the rice ball.

When you eat the rice ball it completely disappears but,

if you put the persimmon seed in the ground and grow it, then

it comes to have as much delicious fruit as you like,

and you can eat them."

On hearing the moneky's story, "indeed" the crab thought.

Then, she exchanged the rice ball for the persimmon seed, and,

returned home and put it in the ground.
- = a glutton, greedy pig
= I (me), used by males
= pick up
= a persimmon
= seed
= use to compare, to refer to one thing
= not exist, a form of

 = disappear, cease to exist

= though (to connect two phrases)
= earth, soil
= put ~ in the ground
= bring up, raise
= as much as
= fruit
= hear, listen
= I see, indeed
= change, exchange












-
"Bud quickly persimmon seed

if you don't I will dig you out with my pinchers"

while singing the song the crab,

busily gave water and fertilizer.

"I can't stand to be dug out." (seed's perspective)

The persimmon seed, sprouted a small bud.

"Persimmon seedling quickly become a tree

if you don't become, I will chop off with my pinchers"

the crab sang when she saw the bud sprout.

"I can't stand to be cut." (persimmon's perspective)

The persimmon seedling, quickly became a big tree.
- = bud
= take out (of)
= negation of
= pinchers
= dig
= hard, busily
= manure, fertilizer
= to give
= I can't stand
= seedling, a young plant
= dismiss, chop off
= cut, chop
= fast, quickly




-
"Quickly make fruit, make them red, if you don't make, I will chop your trunk"

the crab sang again, then

the persimmon tree made a lot of red fruit.
- = the root, the base
= chop








-

The crab very happily tried to take and eat the fruit,
but she could not climb the tree.

Then, the monkey approached.

"This is wonderful. I see it bore a lot.

Let's see, I think I will eat."

The monkey easily climbed the tree, and


(sound of devouring) began eating the delicious ripe persimmon fruit.

"Mr. monkey. Please don't feed only youself,

please pick some for me to."

Waving his pinchers the crab said, and

"Hmmm noisy. Then eat just this."

said that (the monkey), and

threw a still hard green (blue) persimmon fruit at the crab.
- = take
~ = to try to ~
= wonderful, beautiful
= grow, bear

 = let's see
= smoothly, easily
= ripen
= sound of devouring
= only, just, exclusively, always
= wave
= waving
= noisy
= = if so, then
= = eat (impolite)
= hard
= throw at

-
(sound of crab being smashed by the fruit).

The hard persimmon fruit, hit the back, and

the poor crab was smashed.



Then, tens of little baby crabs were born from the dead crab's belly,
and came out with a rustling sound.
- = hit
= crushed, smashed
= finish, put away (used for bad results)
= rustle




-
"Mother died!" (babies said)

"Mother was killed by the monkey!"


The baby crabs were crying, with their pinchers raised,
and shedding tears.
- = kill
= raise
= way of raising
= tears
= shed (tears)
= cry

-
"What happened? What happened? Why are you crying?"

Buzz, the big wasp came flying and asked.

"The mother was killed by the monkey!"

The baby crabs said, and next,

"What happened? What happened? Why are you crying?"

(rolling sound) a chestnut came rolling and said.

- = what happened
= sound of flying (wasp)
= bee or wasp
= fly
= ask
= sound of something light rolling
= chestnut
= roll











-
"That monkey is sly, and is always doing mischief.

Shouldn't we do something?"

Said the chestnut, and,

(sound of hitting soft thing) a cow dropping approached.

"If you punish the monkey, I also want to help!"

"Alright! Let's all go to the monkey's house."

The wasp and chestnut and cow dropping, shouted together, and,

(sound of heavy thing hitting something) and the ground trembled, and

a big stone mortar approached.

"Please let me join in."

The stone mortar said in a big voice.
- = cunning, sly
= mischief
= always
= somehow, manage to
is from
= sound of hitting soft thing
= give ~ a lesson, punish
= sound of very heavy thing hitting something
= the ground
= tremble
= big stone mortar
= stone
= mortar
= company, join in
= admit, let in
~ = to ask (a favor)

-
The baby crabs made a kashakasha sound with their pinchers, and went forward.

After them, the chestnut and stone mortar followed.
- = sound of something hard or dry, but light, hitting together
= make sound with something
= go forward, advance

-
The cow dropping walked making a pettan pettara sound.



The wasp flew bunbun above everybody, and
left for the monkey's house.
- = leave for

-
"The monkey's not home. He is out.


Only a fire is burning torotoro in the fireplace inside the house."

Said the wasp who went to scout and returned, while everyone hid themselves and
waited in the grass,


"Good!


Then everyone hide themselves in the house,
and wait for the monkey to return."

The big stone mortar made the strategy.
- = absence, be out, be not in
= a fireplace
= sound of small slow fire

 = burn
= hide (oneself)
= situation
= scouting, or, wait and see
= return
= good!
= tactics, strategy
= make

-
The chestnut dove into the ash in the fireplace.

The wasp hid inside of the miso tub.


The baby crabs zorozoro entered into the earthenware water pot.

The cow dropping laid down petan in the exit of the house.

Finally the stone mortar,

"yoikorasho" climbed up on top of the ceiling beam.
- = ash
= dive
= soybean paste
= a tub, a pail
= a jar, an earthenware pot, a jug
= in great numbers, sound of large numbers of something moving

 = lie down
= sound old people say when standing up
= ceiling
= beam
= climb up

......



-
"Ooo, suddenly it is getting cold."

The monkey came back when it became early evening.


His rear was cold so, he stirred the fire in the fireplace, and
and warmed his rear.

At that time.

Papaaan!

The chestnut popped and jumped at the moneky's rear.
......
"Achi, Achichichichi..."

The monkey jumped up and, in order to apply miso which is effective for the burn,

quickly opened the lid of the tub containing the miso.
--

 = suddenly
= early evening (5-7 pm)
= becasue, so
= stir, churn
= broil, toast, warm, dry
= pop
= jump at
= jump up
= burn
= effective
= paint, apply
= lid

......
-

Then, the wasp hidden in the tub came flying, pusu (sound of a needle prick)!

and stung the monkey's forehead with his stinger.
......
"Aitatata..."
- = then
= needle, stinger
= forehead
= sting





-

While holding his forehead and rear, in order to cool himself with water,

he opened the lid of the water jar.

"The enemy of my mother. Let's go!"


Next the baby crabs raised their waving pinchers,
and jumped at the monkey's body.
- = press, hold, press down
= cool (something down)
= an enemy

-
"What are you doing. What are you doing!"

The monkey tried to shake off the baby crabs.

But, the baby crabs wouldn't come off.

Everywhere, they pinched the monkey's body with their pinchers.

"It hurts. It hurts. Please help!!"

The monkey ran around giving a cry.
- = shake off
= part (from), leave
= everywhere (regardless of where)
= pinch
= crying voice
= run away, escape
= go around





...... ......
-
Finally he shook off the baby crabs, and

the monkey tried to go out of the house, as if rolling.


But, at the exit, he stepped on the cow dropping,
tsururin (sound slipping on smooth surface), he slipped and fell down on his back.
......
"Itata, itata...
......
What is going on in my house!"
- = finally, with a big effort
= roll
= just like
= to try to do (the verb)
= but
= step on
= slip
=
fall down on one's back

-
"Such a greedy monkey. I would not let you go."




And last, from on the ceiling beam,
the heavy stone mortar,
came jumping down with force,
which the monkey could not bear.

"Uuunn."

With eyes peeled open the monkey was flattened.

He was extended like a rice cracker.

Here the Sarukani story ends.
- = greedy
= let go, set free, release
= powerfully
= jump down
= unbearable
= open (eye)
= while
= be flat
= rice cracker
= extend

 Tsurunoongaeshi
Crane's Repaying Kindness
The Fairy Crane
ISBN4-591-03706-1 C8739 P1000E
Translation by Tom Ray and Yoshie Nagao (yoshie@hip.atr.co.jp) page 2





-

Long ago, there was a poor young man who was burning charcoal in the mountain.

It happened on a cold winter day when a light snow was falling.


The young man went out to town to buy a futon with the money
that he had been saving for a long time.
- = charcoal
= burn, roast, bake
= poor
= flutter, flicker
= snow
= an interval
= save


He went down the mountain with a bouncing heart and,

from within a bush at his side, there was a rustling sound.

"I wonder, if there is a fox or something?"

Quietly he looked into the situation, and

saw a big white wing.

"It's a crane. The crane is caught in a trap.

Wait, wait.

Now I will rescue you."

The young man felt sorry for the crane,

He tried to take the trap off of the leg.
- = bounce
= go down
= the side
= thicket, bush
= rustling sound
= fox
= quietly, gently, lightly
= a look, a manner, the situation
= wait for, spy on, peep into, guess
= wing, feather
= crane (bird)
= trap
= caught
= help, save, rescue
= do ~
= take off
~ = to try to ~

-
And then, a hunter appeared.

"What are you doing.

You dare to snatch my game?"

The hunter glared at the young man.

"Because it is miserable, can you please set it free?

If not, I have money here.

Wouldn't you sell the crane to me?"

The young man handed the hunter the money for buying the futon.
- = hunter
= appear
= you (not polite)
= me (not polite)
= game (animal), catch, prize
= snatch, steal
= to dare to
= glare (at), look (at)
= make someone escape
= only for emphasis, no meaning
= like , but casual (not polite)
= negative of
= hand (over), give








-
"So, don't come back again to this place."

The young man said that, and set the crane free into the sky.

"Kuu... (sound of crane)."

The crane sang happily, and

and went around in big circles over the young man's head, and

dissapeared into the sky.

He sent off the crane, and he had no more business to go to the town.

The young man slowly returned to the mountain, the way he had come.
- = set free
= do ~
= adverb ending
= a voice
= sing
= turn, go around
= dissapear
= send off
= business
= way, road
= the way he came (before)
= slowly











-
It happened the morning of the next day.

A beautiful girl who he had never seen before approached.

And then, "Please make me your bride",

she said.

"Of course not.

As you can see I am a poor charcoal maker.

If I have a bride, I can not even feed her."

The young man refused, but the girl said

"If you will take me for your bride,

no matter how poor we are I don't mind,"

she said like that, and came to live with the young man.
- = something you never saw before
= of course not, not at all, no trouble at all
= casual
= like this
= charcoal maker
= get, receive, have, be given

 = feed, support
= decline
= no matter how, how much, how many
= poor
= mind, care about, be concerned about
= said like that
= live





-
The young man's life completely changed.

When he woke up in the morning,

there was already a warm fire burning in the fireplace.

When washing his face,

"Breakfast is ready,"

his pretty wife called.
- = life
= completely
= wake up
= traditional Japanese fire place (in middle of room)
= burn
= wash
= a bride, one's wife
= call

-


His wife knows very well the delicious food in the mountain,
and prepares it well.

She also keeps the inside of the house clean, and

her work goes on and on.

"The wife coming to my place is like a dream."

The young man seems to be happy.
- = be put in order, be tidy
= fast, on and on
= progress, make a progress
= emphasis






-
It happened one day.

"While cleaning the hut behind the house,

I found a dusty loom.

May I please weave?

However, while I am weaving,

please never look inside,"

his wife said, and entered the hut, and closed the door.
- = back, reverse side
= cottage, hut, cabin
= dust
= put on, wear
= loom, weaving, a weaver
= loom, weave
= weave
= weave
= instead
= never ~, not ~ at all
= look into, peep in




-

(gii pattan, gii pattan) weaving sound.


Night and day, he heard the sound of weaving from within the hut.
- = weaving sound
= cloth








-
"Aren't you hungry?

Why don't you take a little rest and eat a meal?"

the young man worried, and

offered his wife from outside.

But, there was no reply.

The young man became more and more worried.


He tried to open the door to the hut several times,
but he remained patient.

On the fourth day,

finally his wife came out from inside the hut.
- = eat (casual form)
= outside
= offer
= reply
= more and more
= several times
= still, patiently
= patience, endurance
= finally










His wife was quite thin, and felt dizzy.

He felt that she had become thin and weak, and that her neck was too long.

"Inside the hut, there is cloth that I finished weaving.

Please go to town and sell it.

Someone will buy it at a very high price."

"That doesn't matter at all.

I am worried about your condition,"

the young man said, and his wife smiled.

"Please don't worry about me.

Now, hurry and please do what I said."
- = all, quite, completely
= feel dizzy
= about, always, only, just, almost
= become weak, become worse
~ + = to finish to do ~ (past form)
~ + = to finish to do ~
= sharply, sternly
= buy
= give, let ~ have, grant, present
= doesn't matter
= you
= smilingly
= smile

The young man went out to town, carrying the cloth.

On seeing the cloth, the storekeeper was surprised.

"Great, this is wonderful.

I have never seen such a cloth.

I will pay you 80 ryou, no, 100 ryou.

Next time if you bring more, I will buy it for 200 ryou.

In front of him,

100 ryou of gold coins were piled up,

the young man was so surprised that his body shook.
- = shop
= storekeeper
= admiration
= more than 10,000 yen
= pay
= buy
= be piled up
= tremble, shiver
= about, some, or so, not as ~ as .., nothing is more ~ than .., such
= surprise








"Finally fortune has turned to me too!

When I return home, I will make her weave clothes again soon."


In the pack on his back,

there was the very heavy 100 ryou's money.

It is money which I have never seen before.

The young man's heart changed completely.

When he returned to his home in the mountains,

The young man's eyes brightened while,

he told the story to his wife.
- = at last
= fortune, luck
= turn (to), look (to)
= emphasis
= cloth
= weave
= very heavy
= completely, totally
= change
= brighten
= while, as







-
"Just once more.

Then let's go to town together, and

build a big mansion, and

live a funny and interesting life forever."


"I want to keep our life as it is from now on, together with you.

I never want to go to town and so forth"

the wife quietly said.

But the young man did not understand her.
- = then
= construct, build
= funny, joyful
= funny, interesting
= live
= as it is, as they are
= and so on, and so forth




-
"You said like that, so

I will weave only one more time again.

Also next time until I weave the cloth,

please never look in."

The wife said like that, and again entered into the hut.
- = like that
= never ~, not ~ at all






-
Giii pattan

gigiii pattan (sound of weaving)

From inside the hut,

he could hear the sound of the loom weaving.

The young man didn't realize that the sound was weaker than before.

The young man lay down in front of the fireplace, and

drank sake while waiting.
- = weakly, delicate
= lie down







-
Giii pattan

gigiii pattan (weaving sound)

Then, even though it came to be the evening of the fourth day,

the loom was still sounding.


"I wonder why she is so slow."

The young man stood up, and

secretly opened the door of the hut, and

looked inside.
- = evening
= slowly, lazily, hesitatingly
= wonder
= stand up
= secretly











-
"Wow! What is this?"

The young man was surprised and petrified.

Amazingly,


inside the hut there was one slender crane weaving intently.

With its bill, the crane was pulling out feathers from its body one by one, and

was weaving the cloth from them.


"Now at last, I finished weaving.

But,

because you see me in this appearance,

I can not stay here anymore.

I am the crane that received help from you.

So, take this cloth to town, and

please live happily.

Goodbye."
- = be surprised
= be petrified
= amazingly, what!, how!
= intently, wholeheartedly
= counting for crane, one crane
= slender, slim, skinny
= a bill, a beak
= feather
= pull out
= finally, at last
= a figure, appearance
= get, receive, have
= live


-
Saying that the crane,

painfully spread her plucked wings,

"Kururuuu"

she cried once and took off into the sky.

"I don't even need money.

I was bad.

As until now, let's live together in the mountain.

So, therefore,

please come back."

While weeping the young man,

faced into the sky and kept shouting forever.
- = wing
= painfully
= spread, widen
= take off
= even
= casual old style of (don't need)
= as
= so, therefore
= get back, come back
= face
= shout
= continue, keep

 Kaguyahime
The Bamboo Princess
ISBN4-591-03713-4 C8739 P1000E
Translation by Tom Ray, Atsushi Shimojima (ashimoji@mic.atr.co.jp), and Sachiko
Matsubara page 2





-

Long ago, in a village near the capital there was an old man called
"old man bambu cutter (taketorinookina)".

Each day the old man went to the mountain to cut bambu and,

with that made a living by weaving baskets, and making bambu sieves.
- = bambu
= take
= bambu cutter
= old man
= call
= basket
= knit, braid
= a (bamboo) sieve
= make a living






-

One day, when the old man tried to cut bamboo, he saw (there was) a
bamboo with a sparkling base.

"It is a mysterious bamboo".

The old man was surprised, and gently cut and saw the bamboo.


Then how it is!

Inside the bamboo there was a little girl.
- = cut
= let's cut
= try to cut
= the root, the base
= shiny
= sparkle, glitter
= a wonder, a mystery
= gently, quietly, lightly
= and, then
= how

-
"What a cute child!"

The old man very happily took the girl up in his arms,

he took her back home.

"I am certain this is a gift from the god."

The old woman also happily embraced the girl.

Together they treated her like a treasure and raised her very carefully.
- = how!, what!
= take up in one's arms
= take, take along
= grant
= give
= I am sure, certainly
= embrace, hug close
= like (similar)
= important, valuable, carefully
= very, much, very much
= bring up, raise

-
A strange thing from the next day

each time the old man cut bambu

gold came out.

Suddenly the old man became the richest in the village.
- = every time
= gold
= crunch (grow out sound)
= right away, at once, suddenly
= a rich man, the rich


-
The girl grew up quickly, and before long she became a maiden.

She is beautiful as if sparkling,

and pretty as if fragrant, and from this

she came to be called Kaguyahime (fragrant princess).
- = fast, quickly
= grow up
= soon, before long, by and by
= daughter, maiden, to become a young woman
= as if
= shine, glitter, sparkle
= fragrant, sweet-smelling
= about, some, or so, such
= a point
= call, named
= come to be, become







-
Kaguyahime's beauty was also known in the capital,

One after another, people wanting to take a look

came to the old man's residence.

"By all means, please give me Kaguyahime as my wife."

The men all asked with their hands put together.

- = a look
~ ~ = before to iu explains the after to, for identity, definition,
description
= one after another
= a mansion, a residence
= without fail, by all means
= a bride, one's wife
= put together
= ask










-

Among them even on rainy days and windy days there came to the old man's
residence,


five persons who say that by all means they want Kaguyahime as a wife.

All of these (five) persons also have high social positions and are very rich.

"Kaguyahime is a daughter granted from the god.

I can't give her to anybody."

No matter how many times the old man refuses the five men do not give up.

The old man told Kaguyahime that he is completely at a loss.

- = which, any
= a (social) position
= not to anybody
= give, lift
= how much
= refuse, decline
= give up, abandon
= be troubled, be in trouble, be at a loss





-
"The are all only magnificent people.

Please give us piece of mind and soon also become a bride."

An then Kaguyahime said.


"In that case I will become the bride of the person who finds rare things."
- = person, like but polite
= about, always, only, just, almost
= you (down)
= we
= peace of mind, be relieved
= rare, new, strange
= find, discover








-
Then the old man told Kaguyahime's words to the five men.


"Prince Ishizukuri go to India and please bring a stone bowl which Buddha used.


Prince Kuramochi go to the mountain on the Isle of Eternal Youth,
break a branch from the golden tree that bears white fruit and bring it.

Right Minister Abe go to China and bring the skin clothing the fire mouse.


Sir Ohtomo bring the five colored jewel ball from the dragon's neck.


Mr. Isonokami please bring the shellfish that it is said was born
together with the egg of the swallow."

Such treasures do not enter the hands of normal people.

The five men looked blankly at each other's faces.


And yet if they can not somehow get it into their hands, they can
not receive Kaguyahime.
- = tell
= India
= Buddha
= stone

 = bowl
= Isle of Eternal Youth
= fruit, a nut, a berry
= grow, bear
= gold
= a branch, a bough
= break, snap
= right minister
= China
= clothes, a robe
= the skin, a hide, leather
= government (court) official
= dragon
= jewel (ball)
= lower government official
= a swallow
= bear, give birth to
= shellfish
= only
= everything, all (people)
= blankly, absent-mindedly
= look at each other
= and yet, still
= somehow, manage to
= put ~ in, pour ~ in








-

Prince Isizukuri only left the capital, but told a lie that he went to India.


He went around to temples here and there,
and found and brought back an old stone bowl.


He put it into a brocade bag,
and brought it to Kaguyahime's place.

"Finally I found the bowl, and returned from India."
- = a lie
= tell a lie
= here and there
= temple
= go around (from place to place)
= find, discover
= (Japanese) brocade
= bag
= put ~ in, pour ~ in
= at last, finally
= go back, come back, return









-
But Kaguyahime looked at the dirty bowl and said.

"This a bowl that you could find and bring from any temple, isn't it.


If this was truly Buddha's bowl, it ought to shine with a more beautiful light.

Prince Ishizukuri became embarrassed, and secretly ran away

- = somewhere, anywhere
= if
= more
= light
= shine, glitter, sparkle
= be to ~, should, must
= secretly
= run away, get away








-

Prince Kuramochi said he will go to the mountain on the Isle of Eternal Youth
and boarded a ship.

But he doesn't know where the Isle of Eternal Youth is.

Thereupon when he returned,

he gathered some goldwork masters and had them make a golden branch.

As may be expected they are masters.

Kaguyahime also could not make such a distinction from the genuine.


Kaguyahime was trouble, and then the masters delivered a letter to her.
- = board
= then, thereupon

 = secretly, in secret
= gold
= work
= an expert, a master
= gather, collect
= branch
= as may be expected
= a real thing, real, genuine
= a distinction
= such
= be troubled, be in trouble
= deliver

"In spite of our making the gold branch, Prince Kuramochi did not pay us.

Please princess pay us from your side."


Suddenly upon knowing of the counterfeit,
Prince Karamochi confusedly ran away.
- = in spite of
= pay
= do for me (us)
= please
= princess
= direction, way
= right away, at once, suddenly
= an immitation, a counterfeit, a fake
= be confused, be flurried, confusedly
= run away and go back

-

Right Minister Abe went to the harbor where the ship came from China
and paid a lot of money,

he got the skin of the fire mouse.

She opened the box and found a beautiful skin.

"This is a thing that an Indian monk brought all the way to China."

The Right Minister proudly explained.
- = China
= port, harbor
= get, acquire
= India
= monk
= all the way
= proud
= proudly





-
"Then let's put it in the fire and see.


If it is the skin of the fire mouse it will not burn."

But regretably in the fire, the skin immediately began to burn.

The Right Minister became angry and said.

"That despicable merchant, how dare he cheat me."
- = put ~ in
= burn, catch fire
= but
= begin to ~, start ~ing
= regret, completely
= get angry
= a storekeeper, merchant
= how dare ~ ?, How can ~ ?
= deceive, cheat












-

Sir Ohtomo got on a ship by himself and went out to search for a dragon.

As soon as he set off, it became terribly stormy.

The ship shook like a leaf, and was about to sink.



"Because I tried to catch a dragon the dragon king got angry."

The boatmen also trembled violently.

Sir Ohtomo didn't feel alive any more.

Without thinking he put his hands together in prayer and shouted.

"Dragon king please forgive me.

I no longer dare to want a dragon's ball."

And yet the sea remained rough for three days and three nights,

finally they floated to the beach.

After that Sir Ohtomo did not return to the place of Kaguyahime.
- = dragon
= look for, search for
= the offing
= leave
= as soon as ~, at the very moment
= storm
= a leaf
= shake, wave
= be ready to ~
= sink, go down
= is about to (for verbs), looks as if (for adjectives)
= catch, catch hold
lets + = to try to
= get angry
= boatman
= tremble violently
= a feeling
= already, another, not ~ more
= live, be alive
= in spite of oneself, unconciously

 = put hands together to prey

= cry (out), shout
= forgive
= please
= ball (in this case, transparent)
= want
~ (~ ) = don't do anything such as ~
= be rough, be stormy
= continue, last, follow
verb + = to continue verb-ing
= finally
= flow, stream, run
= since then












-
Mr. Osonokami was very pleased.

In the case of swallow's nests, they are everywhere.


One day he found a swallow's nest under the eaves of the storehouse
of the emperor's mansion.

Right away he had his men make a scaffolding, and hang a basket.


Mr. Osonokami got in the basket and put his hand in the nest and the

shellfish was there.

"I found it! Quickly bring down the basket."


While his men hurriedly let the rope up, the basket fell,
Mr. Osonokami also fell down on his back.

He was still holding the shellfish firmly.

But, when they looked closely, there was a swallow's dropping.
- = be very pleased
= swallow (bird)
= nest
= are everywhere
= emperor
= mansion
= a storehouse
= under the eaves
= find
= right away
= his men
= a footing, scaffolding
= palanquin
= hang
= put ~ in
= shellfish
= rope
= lift, hold up
= fall, drop
= on the back
= fall down
= firmly
= grasp firmly
= dropping
= well

-

Kaguyahime who nobody could make their bride became increasingly beautiful.

However, it happened about when the Spring came in the fourth year after that.

Kaguyahime came to shed tears whenever she looked at the moon.

"Is there anything worrying you, or something?"


No matter whether the old man asked or the old woman asked, she only smiled
gently and turned her head.

But as the moon became round,


Kaguyahime came to show more sadness and weep.
- = bride
= increasingly
~ = nobody
= however, but
= four
# = nth
= past of
= about when, approximately when
= it was about when
= look
= tear
= shed

 = becomes a custom, or habit, a reccurent event

~ + * = whenever doing ~ do *
= something
= like , making a question, more informal
= ask (question, not request)
= smile
= turn
= only, just
= but
= round
= as
= feel, want, desire
= weep

......
-

"It also makes me sad to see your sad appearance."

"Please tell us the reason why."

said the old man and old woman, shedding tears.

And then Kaguyahime's eyes filled with tears and she said

"To tell the truth, I am (a thing) of the capital of the moon."

When the night of the next full moon comes

the people from heaven will come to get (me).

......
Thinking that I leave my loving mother and father I am sad..."
- = night
= night of a full moon
= if something comes
= people from heaven
= heaven
= come for, come to get something
= love
= thankfulness
= depart from
= appearance
= reason (why)
= store, save, collect
= to tell the truth, to be honest




-
"We will not permit such a thing,"

the old man said.

"No matter who comes we will not hand you over,"

the old woman said while crying.
= make a person ~, let a person ~
= very strong negation (informal form)

 = very strong negation (polite form)

= hand (over), give
= cry

-

The old man decided to ask the emperor to protect Kaguyahime.

When the day of the full moon came,

as many as 2000 of the emperor's attendants

came and surrounded the old man's home.

The attendants holding bows and arrows are even lined up on the roof,

ready to kill every one of the moon capital people.

Kaguyahime was put in the deepest room of the house, and

the old man and woman held her firmly in their arms.

Before long it became evening,

the full moon began to rise and,

the sky became bright like high noon.
- = emperor
= ask (a request)
= protect, defend
= following expresses gratitude
~ = decide to do ~
= an attendant
= home (large)
= surround
= around something
= surround
# = as many as #
= roof
= bow and arrow
= hold
= in a row, sit in a row, be lined up
= everybody (in a group)
= slay, kill
= be ready for
= deep
= put something in
= firmly
= hold in one's arms
= before long
= it becomes evening
= full moon
= rise
= high noon
= like
= light, bright







-
And then a large cloud came down slowly.


Above the cloud, there stood a great many people from heaven,
as if surrounding the cart.


The attendants who were looking absorbedly, hastily fixed their bows.

However, what happened to them?


The power went out from all of the attendants,
and they could not move their bodies at all.

The cloud on which the people from heaven were riding stopped a little
above the garden.

A very clear voice sounded all over.

"Old man bambu cutter, we came for Kaguyahime.

Thank you for raising the princess until now."

At that moment,

the completely closed door of the house opened without a sound,

Kaguyahime departed from the company of her parents.
- = cloud

 = slowly
= enclose, surround
= many, a great number of
= absorbedly, be charmed
= look
= hastily
= bow
= fit, fix
= come out, be missing
= by all means (positive sentence), will not (negative sentence)
= move
= give a ride, pick up
= very clear (eg. water, voice)
= sound
= cross, go across, go over, come over
= meet, welcome
= until now
= raise
= as soon as, immediately after, at the very moment
= completely closed, locked
= door (sliding)
= open
= by, beside, neighborhood
= leave

Kaguyahime went out to the garden and she wore a heavenly woman's robe of
feathers.

"Father, mother, it is farewell.

Please think of this as me and treat it as valuable."

Kaguyahime gave the kimono whe was wearing to her father and got in the car.
- = robe of feathers
= wear
= farewell
= please
= think
= think of this as me
= important, valuable
= wear
= hand over, give

-
"Sayonara."

Kaguyahime surrounded by the heavenly people

went up up in the shining light of the full moon.
- = surround
= light (visible)
= shine
= go up