Shitakirisuzume

TheSparrows'Inn
ISBN4591037037C8739P1000E
TranslationbyTomRayandAtsushiShimojima(ashimoji@mic.atr.co.jp)page2

Verylongago,insomeplacetherewasanoldmanandanoldwoman.

Everydaytheoldmangoesouttothemountaintocutfirewood.

Oneday,

theoldmanlefthislunchhangingonatree,and

chunchunasparrowapproached.


"Oh,itisadeliciouslookingmeal."

Thesparrowsecretlydoveintothelunchbag.

=brushwood,firewood
=cutfirewood
=hangsomethingonsomething
=toleavesomething,insomestate
=asparrow
=oh,ohdear,well
=(adjective)lookingdelicious
=adish,adinner
=apackage
=secretly,insecret
=todiveinto
page4

"Yare,yare,I'mhungry."(theoldmansaid)

Theoldmanstoppedworking,

hetriedtotakethelunchbag,and(found)

thesparrowsleepingwithitsheadstuckoutofthelunchbag.

"Yoshi,yoshi,Ialsofeedyou."

=thankheaven!,well,goodgrief
=stomach

=decrease
=take
verb++=totrytodoverb
=sounddescribingastateinwhichasmallthingisdoingsomething
=head
=takeout(of)
=sleep
=soundwemakewhenwetalktobabies
=you
=feed,support
=do~,help,~foraperson
page5

Doyouknowwhathappenedwhentheoldmanopenedthebag?

Thesparrowhadalreadymadeaheartymealofthelunch,
andwasfatasaball.

=open
=toone'sfill,takeaheartymeal
=soundforthewayaballrolls
=already
page6

Theoldmantookthesparrowbackhome.

Thesparrowwasquitecute,and


chirpchirp,itneverlefttheoldman'sside.

=take,takealong
=(adverb)quite
=soundmadebyalittlebird
=compressedformof
=by,beside,near
=leave
page7

TheoldmannamedthissparrowOchon,and

raisedherwithgreatcare.

=Ochon,propername
=giveaname
=(adverb)emphasizesmeaning,like"very","quite"
=important,valuable,aseriousmatter,
=raise(children)
page8

......


Itwasadayofgoodweather.

Theoldwomanwascookingstarch,gutsugutsu,onthefireplace.

"Oldman,pleasegoquicklytowork."
......
"But,Ochonissocute..."

TheoldmanpickedOchonupinhishandanddidnotpartfromher.

"Crap!,youonlylovethesparrow."

theoldwomansaidangrily.

SotheoldmanreluctantlypartedwithOchonand

wentouttothemountaintowork.

=fireplace(incenterofroom)
=soundofboiling
=starch
=cook,boil
=shortforfast,quickly
=go
=makestheverbacommand,fromlowerrankperson
=oldfashionedformof
=pickup,givearide
=part
=only
=love
=reluctantly
page11

"Ochon,watchthestarchcloselysothatthecatdoesn'teatit."

Theoldwomanwenttotherivertowashclothes.

Thestarchcooleddownnicely,andlookedquitedelicious.

Ochoncouldnolongerresistandatethestarch.

=eat(impolite)
==isnoteatenby
=sothat(referstothingbefore)
=hard,tight(ly),firm(ly)
=towatchsomething
=acommand(fromabove)
=away,fashion,manner
=cooldown
=(adverb)makesmeaningstrong,quite
=lookdelicious
=cannotdo
page12

Theoldwomancameback,and


therewasnostarchinthepot.

"Ochon,whathappenedtothestarch."

"Thecatateit."

Theoldwomanlookedatthecat'smouthanddidnotseeanystarchthere.

ButonOchon'smouththerewasalotofstarch.

Ochonhurriedlylicked,butitwastoolate.

"Youungratefulthing!"

Theoldwomanwasangryand

shecutOchon'stonguewithscissors,and

droveheroutside.

=apot,apan
=stick(to)
=but
=hurry
=lick
=toolate
=ingratitude
noun+=usingthenountoblamesomebody
=cut(child'sword)
=outside
=dive(something)out
page14

......

TheoldmanwantedtoseeOchonand

whentheworkfinishedhehurriedback.

ButOchon'sfigurewasnotthere.

"Oldwoman,whathappenedtoOchon."

"Sheatethestarch,so

Icuthertongueanddidthefavorofdrivingherout."

"What!
......
Suchacruelthing..."

=wanttomeet...and
=finish
=hurriedly,quickly
=but
=afigure,appearance
=addsmeaningofdoingafavor
page15

Theoldmanporoporoshedtears.

Forawhilehewaslookingmiserable,but

whenhethoughtofOchonhewasnotabletobestill.

"IamgoingtosearchforOchon."

=soundoftinythingsdropping(tears)
=shed,spill
=lonesomely,lookingmiserable
=still,patiently
page16

SparrowOchonwhichwaydidyougo?

Cuttonguesparrowwhichwaydidyougo?

Whilecallingwithatremblingvoice

theoldmanwentwalkingsadly.


Andthenacowwasherwaswashingacowintheriver.

"Mr.cowwasher,Mr.cowwasher,haven'tyouseencuttonguesparrow?"

"IsawIsaw.

But,

unlessyoudrinkthreebucketsofwaterusedtowashthecow

Iwon'ttellyou."

Theoldmanpatientlydrankthatwater.

"Thenyouhadbetteraskthehorsewasheroverthere."

=cry
=(adjective)abouttocry
=call
=while
=awayofwalking,slow,sad,depressed
=towash
=but(countrystyle)
=(countrystyle)=unlessyoudrink
=overthere(nearby)
~=hadbetter~(countrywayisusualwayis)
page19

Hewentforawhileand,

ahorsewasherwaswashingahorseintheriver.

"Mr.horsewasher,Mr.horsewasher,haven'tyouseencuttonguesparrow?"

"IsawIsaw.

But,unlessyoudrinkthreebucketsofwaterusedtowashthehorse

Iwon'ttellyou."

Theoldmanpatientlydrankthatwater.

"Thenyouhadbetteraskthegreenswasheroverthere."

=greens(vegetables)
page20


Onceagainhewentforawhile,and

ThegreenswasherwaswashingJapaneseraddishintheriver.

"Mr.greenswasher,Mr.greenswasher,haven'tyouseencuttonguesparrow?"

"IsawIsaw.

But,unlessyoudrinkthreebucketsofwaterusedtowashtheraddish

Iwon'ttellyou."

Theoldmanpatientlydrankthatwater.

"Thenyouhadbettergotothebamboogroveoverthere."

=onceagain
=bamboogrove
page22

Cuttonguesparrowwhichwaydidyougo?

SparrowOchonwhichwaydidyougo?

Theoldmanenteredintothebamboogrove,and

Fromaholeinonethickbamboo

therewasasparrow'svoice.

"Oldman,oroldwoman?"

"Thisisoldmanthisisoldman."

"Thenpleaseenterwithoutdelay."

Theoldmanpeepedintotheholeinthebamboo,and

Inamomenthissurroundingsbecamedark,and

helostconsciousness

=quickly,hurriedly(informalordialectfor)
=lookinto,peepin
=inamoment
=surroundings
=dark
=consciousnessbecomesdistant
page24

Ha!heregainedconsciousness,and


theoldmanwassittinginamagnificentdrawingroom.

"Oldman,welcome."

Sparrowswearingprettykimonoswere

carryingdeliciousfoodandsingingsongs.

Theoldmanforgotthepassingoftimeandwascharmed.

=soundofwakingup
=regainconsciousness
=aroomflooredwithtatamimats,drawingroom
=sit
=becharmed
=topass(fortime)
page25

Whentheoldmanwasabouttoreturn,

thesparrowsbroughttwowickerbaskets.

"Oldman,thisisagift.

Whichtoyouwant,theheavybasketorthelightbasket?"

"Iamoldsothelightoneisgood."


verb=totryto...verb,tobeaboutto...verb
=awickerbasket
page26

Theoldmanreturnedhomeandopenedthebasket,

andguesswhathappened.

Itwasfulloflargeandsmallgoldcoins.

"Wow,oldman,wheredidyougetit."

"Ireceiveditfromthesparrows."

Theoldmantoldtheoldwomantoday'sstoryindetail.

Immediately,theoldwomansaid,

"Whatafoolyouare.

Whydidn'tyoubringtheheavybasket.

Alright,Iamgoing."

=tightly,fully
=indetail
page28

Cuttonguesparrowwhichwaydidyougo?

SparrowOchonwhichwaydidyougo?

Theoldwomanshoutedand

fromtheholeinthebambuthereweresparrowsvoices.

"Oldman,oroldwoman?"

"Thisisoldwomanthisisoldwoman."

"Thenpleaseenterwithoutdelay."

=tomakealoudvoice
page29

Sheregainedconsciousnessand

withoutknowingwhenithappenedtheoldwomanwassittinginadrawingroom.

Andthensparrowswearingkimonos

broughtteainachippedcup.

"Idon'twantsuchathingastea.

Givemethewickerbasketrightaway."

Theoldwomanputtheheavybasketonherbackand

quicklyleft.

=withoutherknowingwhenithappened
=broken,chipped
=breakoff,bechipped
=bowl,cup
=anythinglike
=putonyourback(andcarry)
=quickly
page30

Butthebasketwasheavyandtheoldwomanstaggeredoverthere,
andstaggeredoverhere.

Finally,shecameoutofthebambugroveandshecouldn'twalkevenonestepmore.

"WhiletakingarestaroundhereshallItryandpeekin?"

Theoldwomantookoffthebasket,andquietlyopenedthelid.

"Gyaaa!"

=but
=stagger
=finally,atlast
=bambugrove
=aroundhere
=surroundings
=forashortwhile
=peekinto,lookinto
=takeoff
=quietly
=lid
page31

Theoldwomanjumpedup.

Surprisinglyfromwithinthebasket

oneafteranothersnakesandcentipedesandotherthingscameout

andbitandstungtheoldwomantodeath.


=surprisingly
=snake
=centipede
=oneafteranother
=
=kill