Momotarou

Momotarou, the Peach Boy

ISBN4-591-03701-0 C8739 P1000E

Translation by Tom Ray and Hiromi Mochizuki (hiromi@hip.atr.co.jp) momotarou

page 2

--

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

page 5

--

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

page 6
--

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

page 7

--

"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

page 8

--

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

page 10
--

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

page 12

--

"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

page 14

--

"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

page 16

--

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

page 18

--

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."

--

page 21

--

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."

--

page 22

--

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

page 24

--

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

page 26

--

"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

page 29
--

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

page 30
--

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

page 31

--

Listen, you should also eat well and become like Momotarou.

--

= listen
= hard, tight(ly), firm(ly)
= rice
= to express one's feeling or thought