Mother West Wind "Why" Stories — Page 50
Muskrat's reply that right away she made up her mind that he should have a finer house than any of the others, so she took him over to a quiet little pool, where the water was not too deep and she showed him how to build a wonderful house of mud and rushes and twigs, with a nice warm bedroom lined with grass above the water, and an entrance down under the water, so that no one except those who still lived most of the time in the water could possibly get into it.
ムスクラットの返事を聞いて、彼女はすぐに、彼が他の誰よりも立派な家を持つべきだと心に決めました。そこで彼女は彼を静かな小さな池へ連れて行きました。水がそれほど深くないその場所で、彼女は泥と葦と小枝で素晴らしい家を建てる方法を教えてくれました。水面の上には草で覆われた暖かくて居心地の良い寝室があり、入口は水の下にあったので、水の中で暮らすことに慣れた者でなければ、とても入ることができませんでした。
None of his friends on land had such a big, fine house, and Mr. Muskrat was very proud of it.
陸に住む友達の中で、これほど大きくて立派な家を持つ者はいなかったので、ムスクラットさんはとても誇りに思いました。
But with all his pride he never forgot that it was a reward for trying to be content with his surroundings and making the best of them.
しかし、誇りに思いながらも、それが自分の環境に満足しようとし、その環境を最大限に活かそうとしたことへの報酬であることを、彼は決して忘れませんでした。
"So from that day to this, the Muskrats have built their houses in the water, and have been among the most industrious, contented, and happy of all the animals.
「その日から今日まで、ムスクラットたちは水の中に家を建て、すべての動物の中で最も勤勉で、満足し、幸せな動物の一つであり続けてきました。
And that is why Jerry Muskrat has built that fine house in the Smiling Pool and has so few enemies," concluded Grandfather Frog.
それが、ジェリー・ムスクラットが微笑みの池にあの立派な家を建て、敵がほとんどいない理由です」と、カエルのおじいさんは締めくくりました。
Peter Rabbit drew a long breath, which was almost a sigh.
ピーター・ラビットは、ため息に近い長い息を吸い込みました。
"I almost wish my grandfather a thousand times removed had been content to stay in the water, too," he said.
「千代も前のご先祖様が水の中に留まることで満足していてくれたらよかったのに、とほとんど思ってしまいます」と彼は言いました。
"Chug-a-rum!" retorted Grandfather Frog.
「チャグ・ア・ラム！」とカエルのおじいさんは言い返しました。
"If he had, you wouldn't have the dear Old Briar-patch.
「もしそうだったら、あなたはあの懐かしい古い茨の茂みを持つことができなかったでしょう。
Vocabulary
- の
- no — Possessive or nominalizing particle.
- 返事
- henji — A reply or response to someone.
- を
- wo — Object marker particle in Japanese grammar.
- 聞い
- kii — Stem form of 'kiku', to listen or hear.
- て
- te — Conjunctive particle connecting sequential actions.
- 彼女
- kanojo — She, her, or girlfriend.
- は
- wa — Topic marker particle in Japanese grammar.
- すぐ
- sugu — Immediately, right away, very soon.
- に
- ni — Direction, time, or location particle.
- 彼
- kare — He, him, or boyfriend.
- が
- ga — Subject marker particle in Japanese grammar.
- 他
- hoka — Other, another, the rest.
- 誰
- dare — Who, referring to an unspecified person.
- より
- yori — Than, used in comparisons between things.
- も
- mo — Also, too, even; inclusive particle.
- 立派
- rippa — Splendid, magnificent, fine, admirable.
- な
- na — Adjectival linking particle for na-adjectives.
- 家
- ie — House, home, dwelling place.
- 持つ
- motsu — To hold, own, or possess something.
- べき
- beki — Should, ought to; expressing obligation or expectation.
- だ
- da — Informal copula meaning 'is' or 'are'.
- と
- to — Quotation particle; and; with.
- 心
- kokoro — Heart, mind, spirit, feelings.
- 決め
- kime — Stem of 'kimeru', to decide or determine.
- まし
- mashi — Polite past tense auxiliary stem.
- た
- ta — Past tense marker in Japanese grammar.
- そこ
- soko — There, that place nearby.
- で
- de — Location or means particle; and so.
- 静か
- shizuka — Quiet, calm, peaceful, still.
- 小さ
- chiisa — Stem form of 'chiisai', meaning small.
- 池
- ike — Pond, small body of still water.
- へ
- e — Directional particle indicating movement toward somewhere.
- 連れ
- tsure — Stem of 'tsureru', to bring or lead someone.
- 行き
- iki — Stem of 'iku', to go somewhere.
- 水
- mizu — Water, liquid water.
- それ
- sore — That, referring to something previously mentioned.
- ほど
- hodo — To the extent of, as much as.
- 深く
- fukaku — Deeply, to a great depth.
- ない
- nai — Negative auxiliary; not, does not exist.
- その
- sono — That (adjective), referring to nearby thing.
- 場所
- basho — Place, location, spot, area.
- 泥
- doro — Mud, dirt, mire.
- 素晴らしい
- subarashii — Wonderful, magnificent, splendid, fantastic.
- 建てる
- tateru — To build or construct a structure.
- 方法
- houhou — Method, way, means of doing something.
- 教え
- oshie — Stem of 'oshieru', to teach or show.
- くれ
- kure — Give (to me); imperative of 'kureru'.
- 水面
- suimen — Water surface, the surface of water.
- 上
- ue — Above, on top, upper part.
- 草
- kusa — Grass, weed, herb, plant.
- 覆わ
- oowa — Stem of 'oou', to cover or conceal.
- れ
- re — Passive auxiliary suffix in Japanese grammar.
- 暖かく
- atatakaku — Warmly, in a warm manner.
- 居心地
- igokochi — Comfort, how comfortable a place feels.
- 良い
- yoi — Good, fine, nice, acceptable.
- 寝室
- shinshitsu — Bedroom, a room for sleeping.
- あり
- ari — Stem of 'aru', to exist, there is.
- 入口
- iriguchi — Entrance, doorway, entry point.
- 下
- shita — Below, under, beneath something.
- あっ
- a — Oh! exclamation of surprise or realization.
- 中
- naka — Inside, middle, interior of something.
- 暮らす
- kurasu — To live, to get along day to day.
- こと
- koto — Thing, fact, matter; nominalizer.
- 慣れ
- nare — Stem of 'nareru', to get used to.
- 者
- mono — Person, one who does something.
- なけれ
- nakere — Conditional negative stem; if not.
- ば
- ba — Conditional particle meaning 'if' or 'when'.
- とても
- totemo — Very, extremely, quite.
- 入る
- hairu — To enter, to go inside something.
- でき
- deki — Stem of 'dekiru', to be able to.
- ませ
- mase — Polite negative auxiliary stem form.
- ん
- n — Negative contraction; explanatory or softening particle.
- でし
- deshi — Polite copula past auxiliary stem form.
- 陸
- riku — Land, dry ground as opposed to water.
- 住む
- sumu — To live, reside, dwell somewhere.
- 友達
- tomodachi — Friend, companion, pal.
- これ
- kore — This, referring to something nearby.
- 大きく
- ookiku — Largely, in a big manner.
- い
- i — Stem of 'iru', to exist (animate); to be.
- なかっ
- nakka — Past negative stem; was not.
- さん
- san — Polite honorific suffix for names.
- 誇り
- hokori — Pride, a sense of honor or dignity.
- 思い
- omoi — Thought, feeling, emotion, longing.
- しかし
- shikashi — However, but, nevertheless.
- ながら
- nagara — While doing; conjunction of simultaneous actions.
- 自分
- jibun — Oneself, one's own self.
- 環境
- kankyou — Environment, surroundings, circumstances.
- 満足
- manzoku — Satisfaction, contentment, being pleased.
- しよう
- shiyou — Let's do; volitional form of 'suru'.
- し
- shi — And; stem of 'suru'; listing reasons.
- 最大限
- saidaigen — Maximum, to the greatest possible extent.
- 活かそう
- ikasou — Let's make use of, utilize fully.
- 報酬
- houshuu — Reward, compensation, remuneration for effort.
- ある
- aru — There is, to exist (inanimate things).
- 決し
- kesshi — Stem of 'kesshite', never, by no means.
- 忘れ
- wasure — Stem of 'wasureru', to forget something.
- 日
- hi — Day, sun, daytime.
- から
- kara — From, since, because; starting point particle.
- 今日
- kyou — Today, this day.
- まで
- made — Until, up to, as far as.
- たち
- tachi — Plural suffix for people or animals.
- 建て
- tate — Stem of 'tateru', to build a structure.
- すべて
- subete — All, everything, entirely.
- 動物
- doubutsu — Animal, creature, living being.
- 最も
- mottomo — Most, extremely; superlative marker.
- 勤勉
- kinben — Diligent, hardworking, industrious.
- 幸せ
- shiawase — Happiness, fortune, being happy.
- 一つ
- hitotsu — One, one thing, one of something.
- 続け
- tsuzuke — Stem of 'tsuzukeru', to continue doing something.
- き
- ki — Stem of 'kuru', come; or past literary auxiliary.
- 微笑み
- hohoemi — A smile, gentle facial expression of happiness.
- あの
- ano — That (over there); distant demonstrative adjective.
- 敵
- teki — Enemy, opponent, foe.
- ほとんど
- hotondo — Almost, mostly, nearly all.
- 理由
- riyuu — Reason, cause, grounds for something.
- です
- desu — Polite copula meaning 'is', 'are', 'am'.
- カエル
- kaeru — Frog, a common amphibian animal.
- おじいさん
- ojiisan — Grandfather, old man, elderly gentleman.
- 締めくくり
- shimekukuri — Conclusion, wrapping up, final summary.
- ため息
- tameiki — Sigh, a long audible breath of feeling.
- 近い
- chikai — Close, near, not far away.
- 長い
- nagai — Long, lengthy in time or distance.
- 息
- iki — Breath, breathing, respiration.
- 吸い込み
- suikomi — Inhaling, drawing breath deeply inward.
- 前
- mae — Before, in front of, ago.
- ご先祖様
- gosenzosama — Honorable ancestors, respected forebears of a family.
- 留まる
- todomaru — To stay, remain, stop in a place.
- たら
- tara — Conditional form; if, when something happens.
- よかっ
- yokka — Past stem of 'yoi'; it would have been good.
- 思っ
- omotte — Te-form of 'omou', to think or feel.
- しまい
- shimai — Ending up doing; stem of 'shimau'.
- ます
- masu — Polite verb ending suffix.
- 言い
- ii — Stem of 'iu', to say or speak.
- 言い返し
- iikaeши — Talking back, replying in retort.
- もし
- moshi — If, supposing; introduces a hypothetical situation.
- そう
- sou — So, like that, in that way.
- だっ
- da — Past informal copula stem form.
- あなた
- anata — You, second person pronoun (polite).
- 懐かしい
- natsukashii — Nostalgic, fondly missed from the past.
- 古い
- furui — Old, aged, not new.
- でしょう
- deshou — Probably, right? Polite conjecture or confirmation.
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