“Oh,” says the old man, “I’m off to the mountains with my billhook to gather a faggot of sticks for our fire. And what are you doing, good wife?”
- off：(adv) 離れて
- billhook [bílhùk]：かま
- faggot [fǽgət]：まきの束
- stick [stík]：まき
訳
「えーと、今日は鎌を持って山へ火をたくのに使う薪を取りに行ってくるよ。ばあさんは何をするんじゃ？」と、じいさんは言いました。
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“Oh,” says the old woman, “I’m off to the stream to wash clothes. It’s my washing day,” she adds.
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So the old man went to the mountains and the old woman went to the stream.
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Now, while she was washing the clothes, what should she see but a fine ripe peach that came floating down the stream?
- fine：品質の良い（→おいしそうな）
- ripe：熟れた
- float：浮かぶ
- down：（prep）～の下に向かって
- should は意味は［義務］を表すが、「何を見たでしょう？」と言う程度の訳にする。
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The peach was big enough, and rosy red on both sides.
- rosy：バラ色の
- on both sidesは「両側に」と言う意味なのだが、１個のももなので「全体が・全体的に」と訳す。
“I’m in luck this morning,” said the dame, and she pulled the peach to shore with a split bamboo stick.
- in luck：(adv) 運がよくて
- dame [déim]：〈米俗・古〉女性
- split は「割れた」という形容詞で使われている。ここでは「切れ端」と訳す。
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By-and-by, when her good man came home from the hills, she set the peach before him.
- by-and-by：やがて、しばらくして、間もなく
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“Eat, good man,” she said; “this is a lucky peach I found in the stream and brought home for you.”
But the old man never got a taste of the peach. And why did he not?
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All of a sudden the peach burst in two and there was no stone to it, but a fine boy baby where the stone should have been.
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“Mercy me!” says the old woman.
“Mercy me!” says the old man.
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The boy baby first ate up one half of the peach and then he ate up the other half.
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When he had done this he was finer and stronger than ever.
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“Momotaro! Momotaro!” cries the old man; “the eldest son of the peach.”
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“Truth it is indeed,” says the old woman; “he was born in a peach.”
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Both of them took such good care of Momotaro that soon he was the stoutest and bravest boy of all that country-side.
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He was a credit to them, you may believe.
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The neighbours nodded their heads and they said, “Momotaro is the fine young man!”
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“Mother,” says Momotaro one day to the old woman, “make me a good store of kimi-dango” (which is the way that they call millet dumplings in those parts).
- store：貯蔵
- millet：キビ
- dumpling：団子
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“What for do you want kimi-dango?” says his mother.
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“Why,” says Momotaro, “I’m going on a journey, or as you may say, an adventure, and I shall be needing the kimi-dango on the way.”
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“Where are you going, Momotaro?” says his mother.
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“I’m off to the Ogres’ Island,” says Momotaro, “to get their treasure, and I should be obliged if you’d let me have the kimi-dango as soon as may be,” he says.
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So they made him the kimi-dango, and he put them in a wallet, and he tied the wallet to his girdle and off he set.
- girdle：腰帯、ガードル
- set off：出発する
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“Sayonara, and good luck to you, Momotaro!” cried the old man and the old woman.
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“Sayonara! Sayonara!” cried Momotaro.
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He hadn’t gone far when he fell in with a monkey.
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“Kia! Kia!” says the monkey. “Where are you off to, Momotaro?”
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Says Momotaro, “I’m off to the Ogres’ Island for an adventure.”
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“What have you got in the wallet hanging at your girdle?”
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“Now you’re asking me something,” says Momotaro; “sure, I’ve some of the best millet dumplings in all Japan.”
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“Give me one,” says the monkey, “and I will go with you.”
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So Momotaro gave a millet dumpling to the monkey, and the two of them jogged on together.
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They hadn’t gone far when they fell in with a pheasant.
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“Ken! Ken!” said the pheasant.
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“Where are you off to, Momotaro?”
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Says Momotaro, “I’m off to the Ogres’ Island for an adventure.”
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“What have you got in your wallet, Momotaro?”
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“I’ve got some of the best millet dumplings in all Japan.”
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“Give me one,” says the pheasant, “and I will go with you.”
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So Momotaro gave a millet dumpling to the pheasant, and the three of them jogged on together.
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They hadn’t gone far when they fell in with a dog.
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“Bow! Wow! Wow!” says the dog. “Where are you off to, Momotaro?”
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Says Momotaro, “I’m off to the Ogres’ Island.”
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“What have you got in your wallet, Momotaro?”
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“I’ve got some of the best millet dumplings in all Japan.”
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“Give me one,” says the dog, “and I will go with you.”
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So Momotaro gave a millet dumpling to the dog, and the four of them jogged on together.
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By-and-by they came to the Ogres’ Island.
- by and by：やがて、間もなく、しばらくして
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“Now, brothers,” says Momotaro, “listen to my plan.
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The pheasant must fly over the castle gate and peck the Ogres.
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The monkey must climb over the castle wall and pinch the Ogres.
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The dog and I will break the bolts and bars.
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He will bite the Ogres, and I will fight the Ogres.”
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Then there was the great battle.
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The pheasant flew over the castle gate: “Ken! Ken! Ken!”
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Momotaro broke the bolts and bars, and the dog leapt into the castle courtyard. “Bow! Wow! Wow!”
- leap：飛び跳ねる
- leapt [lépt]
- courtyard [kɔ́rtjɑ̀rd]：中庭
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The brave companions fought till sundown and overcame the Ogres.
- companion [kəmpǽnjən]：仲間
- overcome [òuvərkʌ́m]：打ち勝つ
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Those that were left alive they took prisoners and bound with cords—a wicked lot they were.
- prisoner：囚人
- bind：縛る、固定する
- cord：コード
- wicked：ひどく悪い
- lot：たくさんの奴ら
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“Now, brothers,” says Momotaro, “bring out the Ogres’ treasure.”
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So they did.
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The treasure was worth having, indeed.
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There were magic jewels there, and caps and coats to make you invisible.
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There was gold and silver, and jade and coral, and amber and tortoise-shell and mother-of-pearl.
- jade
- coral
- amber
- tortoise-shell
- mother-of-pearl
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“Here’s riches for all,” says Momotaro. “Choose, brothers, and take your fill.”
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“Kia! Kia!” says the monkey. “Thanks, my Lord Momotaro.”
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“Ken! Ken!” says the pheasant. “Thanks, my Lord Momotaro.”
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“Bow! Wow! Wow!” says the dog. “Thanks, my dear Lord Momotaro.”
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