(569) MUJINA [読書感想]
Last evening, I listened to a radio program in my car. The name of the program is Communication English II for high-school students. A ghost story was read. Its title was MUJINA. It's so famous that I know of the story. I have a book of KWAIDAN (Ghost stories) written by Lafcadio Hearn. The book has MUJINA story. Today I read it, because in yesterday's program the story stopped in the middle.
I learned of a word "rise up"; A woman couching by the moat, slowly rose up.
I didn't get the meaning of gleam in "the gleam of a firefly" when I heard a reading of the story.
I learned of a word "rise up"; A woman couching by the moat, slowly rose up.
I didn't get the meaning of gleam in "the gleam of a firefly" when I heard a reading of the story.
Listen to this
MUJINA
・・・
One night, at a late hour, he was hurrying up the Kii-no-kuni-zaka, when he perceived a woman crouching by the moat, all alone, and weeping bitterly. Fearing that she intended to drown herself1), he stopped to offer the any assistance or consolation in his power. She appeared to be a slight2) and graceful person, handsomely dressed; and her hair was arranged like that of a young girl of good family. "O-jochu,"* he exclaimed3), approaching her, ― "O-jochu, do not cry like that!... Tell me what the trouble is; and if there be any way to help you, I shall be glad to help you.4)" (He really meant what he said; for he was a very kind man.) "O-jochu," he said again, as gentle as he could, ー "please, please listen to me!... This is no place for a young lady at night! Do not cry, I implore5) you! ー only tell me how I may be of some help to you!" Slowly she rose up6), but turned her back to him, and continued to moan and sob behind her sleeve. He
MUJINA
・・・
One night, at a late hour, he was hurrying up the Kii-no-kuni-zaka, when he perceived a woman crouching by the moat, all alone, and weeping bitterly. Fearing that she intended to drown herself1), he stopped to offer the any assistance or consolation in his power. She appeared to be a slight2) and graceful person, handsomely dressed; and her hair was arranged like that of a young girl of good family. "O-jochu,"* he exclaimed3), approaching her, ― "O-jochu, do not cry like that!... Tell me what the trouble is; and if there be any way to help you, I shall be glad to help you.4)" (He really meant what he said; for he was a very kind man.) "O-jochu," he said again, as gentle as he could, ー "please, please listen to me!... This is no place for a young lady at night! Do not cry, I implore5) you! ー only tell me how I may be of some help to you!" Slowly she rose up6), but turned her back to him, and continued to moan and sob behind her sleeve. He
*O-jochu ("honourable damsel"), ― a polite form of address used in speaking to a young lady whom one does not know.
laid his hand lightly upon her shoulder, and pleaded7); ー "O-juchu! ー O-jochu! ー O-jochu!... Listen to me, just for one little moment!... O-jochu ー O-jochu!"...
Then that O-jochu turned round, and dropped her sleeve, and stroked her face with her hand; ー and the man saw that she had no eyes or nose or mouth, ー and he screamed and ran away.
Up Kii-no-kuni-zaka he ran and ran; and all was black and empty before him. On and on he ran, never daring to look back; and at last he saw a lantern, so far away that it looked like the gleam of firefly8); and he made for it9). It proved to be only the lantern of an itenerant soba-seller10),* who had set down his stand by the road-side; but any light and any human companionship was good after that experience; and he flung himself down11) at the feet of the soba-seller, crying out, "Aa! ー aa!! ー aa!!!"
"Koré! Koré!" roughly exclaimed the soba-man. "Here! what is the matter with you? Anybody hurt you?"
* Soba is a preparation12) of buck wheat, somewhat resembling vermicelli13).
12) preparation: 調理、料理
13) vermicelli: バーミセリ、spaghettiより細いパスタ
Then that O-jochu turned round, and dropped her sleeve, and stroked her face with her hand; ー and the man saw that she had no eyes or nose or mouth, ー and he screamed and ran away.
Up Kii-no-kuni-zaka he ran and ran; and all was black and empty before him. On and on he ran, never daring to look back; and at last he saw a lantern, so far away that it looked like the gleam of firefly8); and he made for it9). It proved to be only the lantern of an itenerant soba-seller10),* who had set down his stand by the road-side; but any light and any human companionship was good after that experience; and he flung himself down11) at the feet of the soba-seller, crying out, "Aa! ー aa!! ー aa!!!"
"Koré! Koré!" roughly exclaimed the soba-man. "Here! what is the matter with you? Anybody hurt you?"
* Soba is a preparation12) of buck wheat, somewhat resembling vermicelli13).
12) preparation: 調理、料理
13) vermicelli: バーミセリ、spaghettiより細いパスタ
"No ー nobody hurt me," panted the other, ー "only... Aa! ー aa!..."
"ー Only scared you?" queried14) the pedlar, unsympathetically. "Robbers?"
"Not robbers, ー not robbers," gasped the terrified man. ... "I saw ... I saw a woman －by the moat; － and she showed me ... Aa! I cannot tell you what she showed me!" ...
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"Hé! Was it anything like THIS that she showed you?" cried the soba-man, stroking his own face ー which therewith15) became like unto an Egg.... And, simultaneously, the light went out.
"ー Only scared you?" queried14) the pedlar, unsympathetically. "Robbers?"
"Not robbers, ー not robbers," gasped the terrified man. ... "I saw ... I saw a woman －by the moat; － and she showed me ... Aa! I cannot tell you what she showed me!" ...
"Hé! Was it anything like THIS that she showed you?" cried the soba-man, stroking his own face ー which therewith15) became like unto an Egg.... And, simultaneously, the light went out.
KWAIDAN ハーン 怪談 開文社 荻田庄五郎訳注 開文社 1950/1/20
- 作者: ラファカディオ・ハーン
- 出版社/メーカー: 開文社
- 発売日: 2022/09/07
- メディア: 単行本（ソフトカバー）
或る夜、晩くなってから、彼は紀伊の国坂を急ぎ足で上っていた。するとその時、一人の女が唯一人、濠端にしゃがんで悲しげに泣いているのを見た。身投げをする1)積もりでもあろうかと気づかって、出来るだけ何か助けか慰めかになってやろうと思い、彼は立ち止った。彼女はよい身なりをしていて、ほっそりした2)上品な人柄らしく見えた。そしてその髪は、良家の若い娘の髪らしく結われていた。「お女中」と彼はその女に近づきながら叫んだ3)。「お女中、そのように泣くものではありません！．．．何が心配なのか話して御覧なさい。そうすれば、もしあなたをお助ける方法が何かあれば、私は喜んであなたをお助けしましょう。4)」（彼は、彼がいったことを、ほんとうにする積もりだった。というのは、彼は大変親切な人だったから。）けれども彼女は泣き続けた、－－その長い袖の一方で、彼から自分の顔をかくしながら。－「お女中」と彼は出来るだけ優しく、又言葉をかけた。－「どうか、どうか、私のいうことをおききください。．．．ここは、夜分、若い娘さんのおられる場所ではありません！お願いだから5)泣かないでください！－どうしたら幾分でもあなたのお力になれるかを、いうだけでもいって下さい！」静かに彼女は立ち上がった6)が、彼に背を向けたままで、袖にかくれて悲しみすすり泣きを続けた。彼は自分の手を、彼女の肩の上にそっと置いて頼んだ7)。－「お女中！－お女中！－お女中！．．．ほんの一寸の間、わたしのいうことをきいて下さい！．．．お女中ーお女中！」．．．するとそのお女中が振り向いて、袖をはなし、片手で彼女の顔をなでた。－そこで、その男は見たのだが、彼女は、目も、鼻も、口もなかった。－彼は悲鳴をあげて逃げ出した。
紀伊の国坂を上へ、彼はどんどん走りに走った。前方は真暗で、空（くう）だった。そうしてとうとう、非常に遠方なので、蛍火8)のように見える提灯が眼に入った。そこで彼はそれを目当に進んだ9)。その燈火は、道端に屋台を下していた蕎麦売の10)提燈に過ぎないことが判った。然し、あのような経験をしたあとでは、どんな燈でもどんな仲間でも頼みになった。彼は蕎麦屋の足許に体を投げ出して11)大声で叫んだ。「ああ！－ああ！！－ああ！！！」－ 「これ！どうしたんだ。誰かにやられたのか。」
「いいえ、誰も、どうもしたのではない。」彼はあえぎあえぎいったー「だだ．．．ああ!ーああ！」．．．
「ーただおどろかされただけなのか」行商人は冷たく尋ねた14)。「追剥か。」
「追剥じゃない、－追剥じゃない。」おびえきった男が、あえぎあえぎいった。．．．「見たんだ．．．女を見たんだーお堀端で。－ そしてその女が見せたのだ．．．ああ！何を見せたか、とてもいえない！」
「へえ！その女がお前に見せたのは、こんなものだったか」蕎麦屋が叫んで、自分の顔をなでた。ーそれと共に15)、蕎麦屋の顔は卵の様になった。そして同時に、燈も消えた。
紀伊の国坂を上へ、彼はどんどん走りに走った。前方は真暗で、空（くう）だった。そうしてとうとう、非常に遠方なので、蛍火8)のように見える提灯が眼に入った。そこで彼はそれを目当に進んだ9)。その燈火は、道端に屋台を下していた蕎麦売の10)提燈に過ぎないことが判った。然し、あのような経験をしたあとでは、どんな燈でもどんな仲間でも頼みになった。彼は蕎麦屋の足許に体を投げ出して11)大声で叫んだ。「ああ！－ああ！！－ああ！！！」－ 「これ！どうしたんだ。誰かにやられたのか。」
「いいえ、誰も、どうもしたのではない。」彼はあえぎあえぎいったー「だだ．．．ああ!ーああ！」．．．
「ーただおどろかされただけなのか」行商人は冷たく尋ねた14)。「追剥か。」
「追剥じゃない、－追剥じゃない。」おびえきった男が、あえぎあえぎいった。．．．「見たんだ．．．女を見たんだーお堀端で。－ そしてその女が見せたのだ．．．ああ！何を見せたか、とてもいえない！」
「へえ！その女がお前に見せたのは、こんなものだったか」蕎麦屋が叫んで、自分の顔をなでた。ーそれと共に15)、蕎麦屋の顔は卵の様になった。そして同時に、燈も消えた。
ー 萩田 庄五郎 訳 －
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