Mother West Wind "Why" Stories — Page 70

English → Japanese Full Text Level 2/10

You see," he continued, "as soon as he found that out, he began to take advantage of his neighbors and cheat them, but he would do it so smoothly that they never once suspected that they were being cheated.

「いいですか」と彼は続けました。「そのことに気づいた途端、彼は近所の者たちにつけ込んでだまし始めましたが、あまりにも巧みにやるので、だまされていると気づく者は一人もいませんでした。

Mr. Snake would go about all day cheating everybody he met.

スネーク氏は一日中うろつき回り、出会う者すべてをだましていました。

At night he would go home and chuckle over his smartness.

夜になると家に帰り、自分の賢さに一人でくすくす笑っていました。

It wasn't long before he began to look down on his neighbors for being so honest that they didn't suspect other people of being dishonest, and for being so easily cheated.

やがて彼は、正直すぎて他人の不正を疑いもしない近所の者たちを、そしてあまりにも簡単にだまされることを、見下すようになりました。

"Now one bad habit almost always leads to another.

「さて、一つの悪い習慣はほとんど必ずもう一つの悪い習慣を招くものです。

From cheating, Mr. Snake just naturally slipped to stealing.

だますことから、スネーク氏はごく自然に盗みへと滑り込んでいきました。

Yes, Sir, he became a thief.

そうです、彼は泥棒になったのです。

Of course that made trouble right away, but still no one suspected Mr. Snake.

もちろんすぐに問題が起きましたが、それでもスネーク氏を疑う者は誰もいませんでした。

He was always very polite to every one and always offering to do favors for his neighbors.

彼はいつも誰に対しても礼儀正しく、常に近所の者たちのために何かしてあげようと申し出ていました。

In fact, Mr. Snake was very well liked and much respected.

実際、スネーク氏はとても好かれており、大いに尊敬されていました。

When any one had been robbed, he was always the first to offer sympathy and join in the hunt for the thief.

誰かが盗みに遭うと、彼はいつも真っ先に同情を示し、泥棒を探す輪に加わりました。

He was so spry and slim, and could slip through the tall grass so fast, that he could go almost where he pleased without being seen, and this made him very bold.

彼はとても機敏でほっそりしており、背の高い草の間をすり抜けるのがあまりにも速かったので、ほとんどどこへでも人目につかずに行くことができました。そしてこのことが彼をとても大胆にさせたのです。

Vocabulary

いい: ii — Good, fine, or acceptable.
です: desu — Polite copula meaning 'is' or 'are'.
か: ka — Question particle placed at end of sentence.
と: to — Particle meaning 'and', 'with', or quotation marker.
彼: kare — Third-person pronoun meaning 'he' or 'him'.
は: wa — Topic marker particle indicating the sentence topic.
続け: tsuzuke — Stem form of 'tsuzukeru', meaning to continue something.
まし: mashi — Polite past auxiliary verb stem form.
た: ta — Past tense grammatical ending for verbs.
その: sono — Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (near listener).
こと: koto — Abstract noun meaning 'thing', 'fact', or 'matter'.
に: ni — Particle indicating direction, location, or target.
気づい: kizui — Conjunctive form of 'kizuku', to notice or realize.
途端: totan — The moment or instant something happens.
近所: kinjo — The neighborhood or nearby area around one's home.
の: no — Possessive or linking particle connecting nouns.
者: mono / sha — Person or individual, often in a specific role.
たち: tachi — Plural suffix for people or animate beings.
つけ込ん: tsukekon — Conjunctive form of 'tsukikomu', to take advantage of.
で: de — Particle indicating means, location of action, or cause.
だまし: damashi — Stem of 'damasu', meaning to deceive or trick someone.
始め: hajime — Beginning; start; stem of 'hajimeru', to begin.
が: ga — Subject marker particle or conjunctive 'but'.
あまり: amari — Too much; excessively; not very (with negatives).
も: mo — Particle meaning 'also', 'too', or 'even'.
巧み: takumi — Skillful, clever, or ingeniously crafted.
やる: yaru — To do, perform, or carry out an action.
ので: node — Conjunction expressing reason or cause, 'because'.
だまさ: damasa — Passive/causative stem of 'damasu', to be deceived.
れ: re — Passive voice auxiliary verb suffix form.
て: te — Conjunctive particle connecting verb phrases.
いる: iru — To exist (animate); indicates ongoing action or state.
気づく: kizuku — To notice, realize, or become aware of something.
一人: hitori — One person; alone; by oneself.
い: i — Stem of 'iru', to exist or be present.
ませ: mase — Polite negative or imperative auxiliary verb form.
ん: n — Informal negative ending or explanatory particle.
でし: deshi — Polite past copula stem form of 'desu'.
氏: shi — Honorific suffix meaning 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' for names.
一日中: ichinichijuu — All day long; throughout the entire day.
うろつき: urotsuki — Stem of 'urotsuku', to wander or roam around aimlessly.
回り: mawari — Going around; surroundings; a circuit or rotation.
出会う: deau — To encounter, meet, or come across someone.
すべて: subete — All, everything, or every single thing.
を: o — Object marker particle indicating the direct object.
夜: yoru — Night; the nighttime hours after sunset.
なる: naru — To become; to turn into a new state.
家: ie / uchi — House, home, or one's dwelling place.
帰り: kaeri — Return; the act of going back home.
自分: jibun — Oneself; one's own self or personal identity.
賢さ: kashikosa — Cleverness, intelligence, or mental sharpness.
くすくす: kusukusu — Onomatopoeia for giggling or chuckling softly.
笑っ: waratte / waratt — Conjunctive form of 'warau', to laugh or smile.
やがて: yagate — Before long; eventually; in due course.
正直: shoujiki — Honesty; being honest or straightforward with others.
すぎ: sugi — Suffix meaning too much or excessively.
他人: tanin — Other people; strangers; those unrelated to oneself.
不正: fusei — Injustice, dishonesty, or wrongdoing; fraudulent behavior.
疑い: utagai — Suspicion, doubt, or distrust toward something.
し: shi — Conjunctive verb form listing reasons or actions.
ない: nai — Negative auxiliary meaning 'not' or 'does not exist'.
そして: soshite — Conjunction meaning 'and then' or 'and also'.
簡単: kantan — Easy, simple, or not difficult to do.
れる: reru — Passive or potential verb auxiliary suffix.
見下す: mikudasu — To look down on or belittle someone.
よう: you — Indicates resemblance or intention; 'seems like' or 'in order to'.
なり: nari — Conjunctive form of 'naru', to become something.
さて: sate — Well then; now then; used to shift topic.
一つ: hitotsu — One thing; the number one for counting objects.
悪い: warui — Bad, wrong, or poor in quality or morality.
習慣: shuukan — Habit, custom, or regular practice in daily life.
ほとんど: hotondo — Almost, mostly, or nearly all of something.
必ず: kanarazu — Without fail; certainly; always or definitely.
もう: mou — Already; anymore; soon; or an expression of exasperation.
招く: maneku — To invite or bring about a situation or consequence.
もの: mono — Thing; object; also softens assertions or complaints.
だます: damasu — To deceive, trick, or swindle someone.
から: kara — From; because; starting point in time or space.
ごく: goku — Extremely; very; quite natural or ordinary.
自然: shizen — Nature; natural; occurring without force or artificiality.
盗み: nusumi — Theft; stealing; the act of taking unlawfully.
へ: e — Directional particle meaning 'toward' or 'to'.
滑り込ん: suberikonde / suberiikon — Conjunctive form of 'suberikomu', to slip or slide into.
いき: iki — Stem of 'iku', to go; or conjunctive continuing form.
そう: sou — So; that way; it seems; appearing to be so.
泥棒: dorobou — Thief, burglar, or someone who steals things.
なっ: natte / natt — Conjunctive form of 'naru', having become something.
もちろん: mochiron — Of course; naturally; goes without saying.
すぐ: sugu — Immediately, right away, or very soon.
問題: mondai — Problem, issue, or question requiring attention.
起き: oki — Stem of 'okiru', to occur, happen, or wake up.
それ: sore — That; referring to something near the listener.
でも: demo — But, however; even so; or 'or something'.
疑う: utagau — To doubt, suspect, or be skeptical of someone.
誰: dare — Who; referring to an unspecified or unknown person.
いつ: itsu — When; at what time; interrogative for time.
対し: taishi — Toward; in contrast to; regarding a target.
礼儀正しく: reigi tadashiku — Politely; in a well-mannered and courteous way.
常: tsune / toko — Always; constantly; at all times; usual state.
ため: tame — For the sake of; in order to; because of.
何か: nanika — Something; some kind of unspecified thing.
あげ: age — Stem of 'ageru', to give or do something for someone.
申し出: moushide — An offer or proposal made to another person.
実際: jissai — In reality; actually; in practical terms.
とても: totemo — Very; extremely; quite; used before adjectives.
好か: suka — Stem of 'suku', to like or be fond of.
おり: ori — Humble form of 'iru'; also means 'occasion' or 'time'.
大いに: ooini — Greatly, tremendously, to a great extent.
尊敬: sonkei — Respect, admiration, or reverence toward someone.
さ: sa — Nominalizing suffix; or filler interjection meaning 'well'.
誰か: dareka — Someone; some unspecified person.
遭う: au — To encounter or experience something unpleasant.
真っ先: massaki — First of all; the very first to do something.
同情: doujou — Sympathy or compassion toward another's misfortune.
示し: shimeshi — Stem of 'shimesu', to show or demonstrate something.
探す: sagasu — To search for, look for, or seek something.
輪: wa — Circle, ring, or loop; also a group or community.
加わり: kuwawari — Stem of 'kuwawaru', to join or be added to a group.
機敏: kibin — Agile, quick-witted, or nimble in action or thought.
ほっそり: hossori — Slender, slim, or thin in build or shape.
背: se / sei — Back; height of a person; stature.
高い: takai — High, tall, or expensive in value or height.
草: kusa — Grass, weeds, or low-growing plants.
間: あいだ / ma — Between; gap; interval; period of time.
すり抜ける: surinukeru — To slip through, squeeze past, or slide by.
速かっ: hayakatt — Past conjunctive form of 'hayai', having been fast.
どこ: doko — Where; what place; interrogative for location.
人目: hitome — Others' eyes; public gaze; being seen by people.
つか: tsuka — Stem of 'tsukau' or 'tsukamu'; to catch or use.
ず: zu — Negative conjunctive suffix meaning 'without doing'.
行く: iku — To go; to move toward a destination.
でき: deki — Stem of 'dekiru', to be able to or be possible.
この: kono — This; demonstrative adjective for things near speaker.
大胆: daitan — Bold, daring, or audacious in behavior or action.
せ: se — Causative verb stem suffix; or imperative ending.

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