Piccolissima — Page 2
On the mother's side, her lineage was no less distinguished.
母方の血筋も、それに劣らず由緒あるものであった。
Mignonette Littlepin (this was the family name of Madam Tom Thumb) was the great granddaughter of the wonderful Princess, who once lodged in a spectacle case, out of which she came so splendidly attired that the brilliancy of her little person illuminated all surrounding objects.
ミニョネット・リトルピン（これがトム・サム夫人の旧姓であった）は、かつて眼鏡入れの中に住んでいたという不思議な王女の曾孫娘であり、その王女はそこから出てくるとき、あまりにも見事な装いをしていたため、その小さな体の輝きが周囲のあらゆるものを照らし出したと言われている。
A trustworthy biographer tells us that nothing occurred in the history of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thumb to disgrace their illustrious parentage, and they were considered none the less good citizens because they were rather smaller than other people.
信頼できる伝記作家によれば、トム・サム夫妻の歴史において、その輝かしい家柄を辱めるようなことは何一つ起こらなかったとのことであり、彼らは他の人々よりもやや小柄であったからといって、優れた市民として評価されることに何ら変わりはなかった。
In the mean while, however, our humble couple became suddenly celebrated by the birth of our heroine; this small creature was so delicate, so exquisite, so pretty, and so lively and full of spirit, that from the age of two years she became the object of general admiration.
しかしそのうちに、この慎ましい夫婦は我らが主人公の誕生によって突如として有名になった。この小さな生き物はあまりにも繊細で、あまりにも精巧で、あまりにも愛らしく、そして生き生きと元気に満ちあふれていたため、二歳の頃から人々の称賛の的となった。
She was not more than one inch in height, and her mother, who had prepared the cradle and baby linen for a child of the usual size, was puzzled to know what to do.
彼女の身長は一インチにも満たず、その母親は普通の大きさの子どものためにゆりかごや産着を用意していたため、どうすればよいか困り果てた。
Finally, the half of a cocoanut shell, lined, and furnished with soft cushions of thistle down, made a good bed for the little wonder; and the nursery maid, wife of a neighboring clockmaker, and a person of ingenuity, conceived the admirable idea of suspending the cocoanut cradle from the pendulum of a great clock, in order that the infant might be rocked all the time.
最終的には、椰子の実の半分の殻に裏地を張り、アザミの綿毛で作った柔らかいクッションを敷いたものが、この小さな不思議な子のための立派なベッドとなった。そして、近所の時計職人の妻で子守娘をしていた機知に富んだ女性が、赤ちゃんが絶えず揺り動かされるよう、この椰子の実のゆりかごを大きな時計の振り子から吊るすという素晴らしい考えを思いついた。
Madam Tom Thumb was enchanted with the invention.
トム・サム夫人はこの発明にすっかり魅了された。
Vocabulary
- 母方
- hahakata — Mother's side of the family.
- の
- no — Possessive or linking particle.
- 血筋
- chisuji — Bloodline; lineage; family descent.
- も
- mo — Also; too; as well (particle).
- それ
- sore — That; referring to something previously mentioned.
- に
- ni — Particle indicating direction, time, or target.
- 劣らず
- otorazú — No less than; not inferior to something.
- ず
- zu — Negative verb ending meaning 'without doing.'
- 由緒
- yúisho — Historical background; distinguished lineage or origin.
- ある
- aru — To exist; to be (for inanimate things).
- もの
- mono — Thing; something; object or matter.
- で
- de — Particle indicating means, location of action, or copula.
- あった
- atta — Past tense of 'aru'; was; existed.
- これ
- kore — This; referring to something close to speaker.
- が
- ga — Subject marker particle in Japanese grammar.
- 夫人
- fujin — Mrs.; a married woman or wife.
- 旧姓
- kyūsei — Maiden name; surname before marriage.
- は
- wa — Topic marker particle in Japanese grammar.
- かつて
- katsute — Once; formerly; in the past.
- 眼鏡
- megane — Eyeglasses; spectacles worn to aid vision.
- 入れ
- ire — Case; container; putting something inside.
- 中
- naka — Inside; within; the middle of something.
- 住ん
- sun(de) — Living; residing (conjunctive form of 'sumu').
- い
- i — Auxiliary verb indicating ongoing state or action.
- た
- ta — Past tense auxiliary verb ending in Japanese.
- と
- to — Quotation particle; and; with.
- いう
- iu — To say; to be called; to be said.
- 不思議
- fushigi — Strange; mysterious; wonderfully inexplicable.
- な
- na — Adjectival particle linking na-adjectives to nouns.
- 王女
- ōjo — Princess; daughter of a king or royalty.
- 曾孫娘
- hishimago musume — Great-great-granddaughter; female descendant four generations down.
- あり
- ari — Existence; being (classical or formal form).
- その
- sono — That (near listener); the aforementioned.
- そこ
- soko — There; that place near the listener.
- から
- kara — From; because; since (particle).
- 出て
- dete — Coming out; going out; emerging.
- くる
- kuru — To come; to arrive toward the speaker.
- とき
- toki — Time; moment; occasion when something happens.
- あまり
- amari — So much; too; excessively (often with negatives).
- 見事
- migoto — Splendid; magnificent; impressively beautiful.
- 装い
- yosooi — Attire; dress; appearance; adornment.
- を
- wo — Direct object marker particle in Japanese.
- し
- shi — Conjunctive form of 'suru'; doing; and.
- ため
- tame — Because; for the sake of; due to.
- 小さな
- chiisana — Small; tiny; little in size.
- 体
- karada — Body; the physical form of a person.
- 輝き
- kagayaki — Radiance; brilliance; shining glow.
- 周囲
- shūi — Surroundings; circumference; the area around something.
- あらゆる
- arayuru — All; every; each and every thing.
- 照らし出し
- terashidashi — Illuminating; lighting up; shining light upon.
- 言われ
- iware — It is said; being told; reported by others.
- れ
- re — Passive auxiliary suffix attached to verbs.
- いる
- iru — To be; to exist (for animate beings).
- 信頼
- shinrai — Trust; reliability; confidence in someone.
- できる
- dekiru — To be able; can do; to be possible.
- 伝記
- denki — Biography; written account of someone's life.
- 作家
- sakka — Author; writer; literary artist.
- よれば
- yoreba — According to; based on a source.
- 夫妻
- fūsai — Husband and wife; a married couple.
- 歴史
- rekishi — History; the record of past events.
- おいて
- oite — In; at; regarding; in the context of.
- 輝かしい
- kagayakashii — Glorious; brilliant; illustrious; shining brightly.
- 家柄
- iegara — Family status; social standing of one's family.
- 辱める
- hazukashimeru — To disgrace; to shame; to humiliate someone.
- よう
- yō — Like; as if; in order to (particle).
- こと
- koto — Thing; fact; matter; an abstract event.
- 何
- nani / nán — What; anything; something unspecified.
- 一つ
- hitotsu — One; a single item or thing.
- 起こらなかった
- okoranakatta — Did not occur; nothing happened; no event arose.
- 彼ら
- karera — They; them; a group of people.
- 他
- hoka — Other; another; the rest of something.
- 人々
- hitobito — People; various individuals; folks in general.
- より
- yori — Than; from; compared to (particle).
- やや
- yaya — Slightly; a little; somewhat.
- 小柄
- kogara — Small build; petite; of short stature.
- いっそ
- isso — Rather; all the more; much better to do.
- 優れ
- sugure — Excelling; being superior; outstanding.
- 市民
- shimin — Citizen; civilian; member of a community.
- として
- toshite — As; in the role of; in terms of.
- 評価
- hyōka — Evaluation; assessment; appraisal of worth.
- された
- sareta — Was done; passive past form of 'suru.'
- 何ら
- nanra — Nothing at all; not any; whatsoever.
- 変わり
- kawari — Change; difference; being different from normal.
- しかし
- shikashi — However; but; nevertheless; a contrasting conjunction.
- うち
- uchi — Among; within; inside; one's household.
- この
- kono — This (adjective form); referring to nearby thing.
- 慎ましい
- tsutsumashii — Modest; humble; restrained; unassuming in manner.
- 夫婦
- fūfu — Married couple; husband and wife together.
- 我ら
- warera — We; us; our group (somewhat formal/archaic).
- 主人公
- shujinkō — Protagonist; main character of a story.
- 誕生
- tanjō — Birth; being born; coming into existence.
- よって
- yotte — By means of; due to; through; because of.
- 突如
- totsujo — Suddenly; abruptly; all at once.
- 有名
- yūmei — Famous; well-known; renowned.
- なった
- natta — Became; turned into (past form of 'naru').
- 生き物
- ikimono — Living creature; organism; a living being.
- 繊細
- sensai — Delicate; fine; sensitive; intricate in nature.
- 精巧
- seikō — Elaborate; skillfully crafted; exquisitely made.
- 愛らしく
- airashiku — Adorably; charmingly; in a lovable manner.
- そして
- soshite — And then; and; moreover; additionally.
- 生き生き
- ikiiki — Vivaciously; lively; full of energy.
- 元気
- genki — Healthy; energetic; in good spirits.
- 満ち
- machi — Filled with; brimming; overflowing with something.
- あふれ
- afure — Overflowing; spilling over; brimming abundantly.
- 二歳
- nisai — Two years old; age of two years.
- 頃
- koro — Around; about; approximately a certain time.
- 称賛
- shōsan — Praise; admiration; commendation for achievement.
- 的
- teki — Suffix meaning '-like,' '-ish,' or 'pertaining to.'
- 彼女
- kanojo — She; her; girlfriend.
- 身長
- shinchō — Height; stature; physical height of a person.
- 一
- ichi — One; the number one.
- インチ
- inchi — Inch; a unit of length measurement.
- 満たない
- mītanai — Less than; not reaching; falling short of.
- 母親
- hahaoya — Mother; one's own mother.
- 普通
- futsū — Ordinary; normal; usual; standard.
- 大きさ
- ōkisa — Size; magnitude; how large something is.
- 子ども
- kodomo — Child; children; young person.
- ゆりかご
- yurikago — Cradle; rocking bed for infants.
- や
- ya — And; or; listing particle for nouns.
- 産着
- ubugi — Baby's first clothing; newborn garment.
- 用意
- yōi — Preparation; readiness; getting something ready.
- どう
- dō — How; in what way; what should be done.
- すれば
- sureba — If one does; conditional form of 'suru.'
- よい
- yoi — Good; fine; acceptable.
- か
- ka — Question particle at end of a sentence.
- 困り果て
- komarihate — Being completely at a loss; utterly perplexed.
- 最終的
- saishūteki — Finally; ultimately; in the end.
- 椰子
- yashi — Palm tree; coconut tree.
- 実
- mi — Fruit; nut; seed of a plant.
- 半分
- hanbun — Half; one of two equal parts.
- 殻
- kara — Shell; husk; outer casing of a seed.
- 裏地
- uraji — Lining; inner fabric of a garment.
- 張り
- hari — Lining with material; stretching; covering inside.
- アザミ
- azami — Thistle; a prickly flowering plant.
- 綿毛
- Fluffy seed fibers; down; soft tufts.
- 作った
- tsukutta — Made; created; constructed (past form of 'tsukuru').
- 柔らかい
- yawarakai — Soft; gentle; tender; not hard.
- クッション
- kusshon — Cushion; soft padded object for comfort.
- 敷い
- shii — Spreading; laying out; placing flat underneath.
- 子
- ko — Child; young one; offspring.
- 立派
- rippa — Fine; splendid; admirable; impressive.
- ベッド
- beddo — Bed; a piece of furniture for sleeping.
- 近所
- kinjo — Neighborhood; nearby area; vicinity.
- 時計
- tokei — Clock; watch; timepiece.
- 職人
- shokunin — Craftsman; artisan; skilled tradesperson.
- 妻
- tsuma — Wife; one's own spouse (female).
- 子守娘
- komori musume — Young babysitter girl; nursemaid taking care of children.
- 機知
- kichi — Wit; quick intelligence; cleverness in thinking.
- 富んだ
- tonda — Rich in; abundant with; full of (quality).
- だ
- da — Copula; is; am; are (plain form).
- 女性
- josei — Woman; female; a grown female person.
- 赤ちゃん
- akachan — Baby; infant; a very young child.
- 絶えず
- taezu — Constantly; without ceasing; continuously.
- 揺り動かされ
- yuriugokasare — Being rocked; shaken gently back and forth.
- 大きな
- ōkina — Large; big; great in size.
- 振り子
- furiko — Pendulum; swinging weight on a clock.
- 吊るす
- tsurusu — To hang; to suspend something from above.
- 素晴らしい
- subarashii — Wonderful; amazing; splendid; excellent.
- 考え
- kangae — Idea; thought; thinking; a plan.
- 思いついた
- omoitsuita — Came up with an idea; suddenly thought of.
- 発明
- hatsumei — Invention; the creation of something new.
- すっかり
- sukkari — Completely; entirely; wholly; totally.
- 魅了
- miryō — Fascination; being charmed; captivating someone completely.
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