Piccolissima — Page 4

English → Japanese Full Text Level 3/10

Simple themselves, every thing appeared simple to them.

彼ら自身が単純であったため、あらゆることが彼らには単純に見えた。

Mrs. Mignonette was at first a little disconcerted at finding that a drawer of baby linen which she had taken so much pains to make was of no use, and that one of the stockings which she had knit was big enough for her child to get into.

ミニョネット夫人は最初、これほど苦労して作った赤ちゃん用の下着の引き出しが何の役にも立たず、自分が編んだ靴下の一つが子供がすっぽり入ってしまうほど大きいことに気づいて、少し当惑した。

But, when she was convinced that the baby could do just as well without stockings, and that the cushions of thistle down were sufficient to keep it warm, she was no longer troubled, and she said to her neighbors, who were eager to see her little wonder, "It is very natural that the little one should be so very delicate; from the first we called it Piccolissima; then, neither Mr. Tom Thumb nor I are very large; and I am told that our ancestors were still more delicately formed; what then is more natural than that this little one should be such a wee wee thing?"

しかし、赤ちゃんは靴下がなくても十分に育つことができ、アザミの綿毛のクッションで温かく保つのに十分だと納得したとき、彼女はもはや悩まなくなり、小さな不思議な子を見たがっている近所の人たちにこう言った。「この小さな子がとても繊細なのはごく自然なことです。最初からピッコリッシマと呼んでいましたし、トム・ソム爺さんも私もそれほど大柄ではありません。私たちの祖先はさらに繊細な体格だったと聞いております。では、この小さな子がこれほどちっちゃなちっちゃな子であることが、これ以上に自然なことがあるでしょうか？」

The tranquillity of Mrs. Tom Thumb had this good effect; it appeased the curiosity of the neighbors.

トム・サム夫人の落ち着きはよい効果をもたらした。それは近所の人たちの好奇心を静めたのである。

At last, like her, they came to the conclusion "that it was very natural that the child was smaller than the mother." and all went on as usual around our heroine, while she was quietly rocked by the passing hours, and was amused with the sound of the silver clock bell.

ついに、彼女と同じように、近所の人たちも「子供が母親より小さいのはごく自然なことだ」という結論に達した。そして、私たちの主人公の周りでは何もかもが普段通りに続き、彼女は過ぎゆく時間にそっと揺り動かされながら、銀の時計の鈴の音に楽しませられていた。

Vocabulary

彼ら: karera — They; refers to a group of people.
自身: jishin — Oneself; emphasizes the subject itself.
が: ga — Subject marker particle in Japanese grammar.
単純: tanjun — Simple, straightforward, uncomplicated in nature.
で: de — Particle indicating means, location, or copula form.
あった: atta — Was; past tense of the verb 'aru'.
ため: tame — Because of; for the sake of something.
あらゆる: arayuru — Every, all possible kinds of things.
こと: koto — Thing, matter, fact; nominalizer in Japanese.
に: ni — Particle indicating direction, time, or target.
は: wa — Topic marker particle in Japanese grammar.
見え: mie — Appears, is visible; stem of 'mieru'.
た: ta — Past tense auxiliary verb ending in Japanese.
夫人: fujin — Madame, Mrs.; title for a married woman.
最初: saisho — First, the beginning, the very start.
これ: kore — This; a near demonstrative pronoun.
ほど: hodo — To the extent of; degree or amount.
苦労: kurō — Hardship, trouble, hard work endured.
し: shi — Conjunctive form of 'suru'; and, also.
て: te — Conjunctive particle connecting verb phrases.
作っ: tsukut(te) — Made; conjunctive form of 'tsukuru'.
赤ちゃん: akachan — Baby; term for a very young infant.
用: yō — For use of; intended purpose or use.
の: no — Possessive or nominalizing particle in Japanese.
下着: shitagi — Underwear, undergarments worn beneath clothing.
引き出し: hikidashi — Drawer; a sliding compartment in furniture.
何: nani / nan — What; interrogative pronoun for things.
役: yaku — Use, role, service, function of something.
も: mo — Also, too; inclusive or emphatic particle.
立た: tata — Stand, be useful; stem form of 'tatsu'.
ず: zu — Negative suffix meaning without doing something.
自分: jibun — Oneself, one's own; reflexive pronoun.
編ん: an(de) — Knitted; conjunctive form of 'amu'.
だ: da — Plain copula meaning 'is' or 'are'.
靴下: kutsushita — Socks, stockings worn on the feet.
一つ: hitotsu — One; the number one for counting things.
子供: kodomo — Child, children; young person or offspring.
すっぽり: suppori — Completely, snugly fitting inside something.
入っ: hait(te) — Entered, fit inside; conjunctive of 'hairu'.
しまう: shimau — To end up doing; completion or regret.
大きい: ōkii — Big, large in size or extent.
気づい: kizui(te) — Noticed, realized; conjunctive of 'kizuku'.
少し: sukoshi — A little, a small amount of something.
当惑: tōwaku — Perplexed, bewildered, puzzled by a situation.
しかし: shikashi — However, but; conjunctive adversative adverb.
なく: naku — Without; negative connective form of 'nai'.
十分: jūbun — Sufficient, enough, fully adequate amount.
育つ: sodatsu — To grow up, to be raised.
でき: deki — Can do, be possible; stem of 'dekiru'.
綿毛: watage — Fluffy down, soft cotton-like fibers.
クッション: kusshon — Cushion; soft padded object for comfort.
温かく: atatakaku — Warmly; adverbial form of 'atatakai'.
保つ: tamotsu — To keep, maintain, preserve a state.
と: to — And; quotation or conditional particle.
納得: nattoku — Convinced, satisfied, understanding a reason.
とき: toki — Time, moment, occasion when something occurs.
彼女: kanojo — She, her; third-person feminine pronoun.
もはや: mohaya — No longer, not anymore; indicates cessation.
悩ま: nayama — Troubled, worried; stem of 'nayamu'.
なり: nari — Became; conjunctive form of 'naru'.
小さな: chīsana — Small, little; attributive adjective form.
不思議: fushigi — Mysterious, strange, wonderful, hard to explain.
な: na — Adjectival particle linking na-adjectives to nouns.
子: ko — Child; also used affectionately for creatures.
を: wo / o — Object marker particle in Japanese grammar.
見: mi — See, look; stem form of verb 'miru'.
たがっ: tagat(te) — Wanting to; shows third-person desire.
いる: iru — To exist, be; used for animate beings.
近所: kinjo — Neighborhood, nearby area, local vicinity.
人: hito / jin — Person, people; human being.
たち: tachi — Plural suffix for people or animate beings.
こう: kō — Like this, in this way; manner adverb.
言っ: it(te) — Said; conjunctive form of 'iu'.
この: kono — This; attributive demonstrative modifying a noun.
とても: totemo — Very, extremely; intensifying adverb.
繊細: sensai — Delicate, sensitive, fine in nature.
ごく: goku — Extremely, very; intensifier for adjectives.
自然: shizen — Nature; also natural, spontaneous occurrence.
です: desu — Polite copula meaning 'is', 'are', 'am'.
から: kara — From, because; indicates reason or origin.
呼ん: yon(de) — Called, named; conjunctive form of 'yobu'.
い: i — Exists; colloquial stem of 'iru'.
まし: mashi — Polite past auxiliary; part of '-mashita'.
爺: jii — Old man, grandfather; informal or affectionate.
さん: san — Honorific suffix for names, Mr./Ms./Mrs.
私: watashi — I, me; first-person singular pronoun.
それ: sore — That; mid-distance demonstrative pronoun.
大柄: ōgara — Large build, big-framed physical stature.
あり: ari — Exists, is; stem of 'aru' (inanimate).
ませ: mase — Polite negative auxiliary part; in 'arimasen'.
ん: n — Negative contraction of 'nai'; not.
祖先: sosen — Ancestors, forefathers, those before us.
さらに: sara ni — Furthermore, even more, additionally.
体格: taikaku — Physique, build, physical constitution of body.
だっ: dat(te) — Was; conjunctive form of copula 'da'.
聞い: kiit(e) — Heard, listened; conjunctive form of 'kiku'.
おり: ori — Is; humble/literary form of 'iru'.
ます: masu — Polite verb ending for present or future.
ちっちゃ: chiccha — Tiny, very small; colloquial form.
ある: aru — To exist, to have; for inanimate things.
以上: ijō — More than, above, that is all.
しょう: shō — Volitional ending meaning 'shall' or 'let's'.
か: ka — Question particle at end of a sentence.
落ち着き: ochitsuki — Calmness, composure, settled state of mind.
よい: yoi — Good, fine, acceptable; adjective.
効果: kōka — Effect, result, effectiveness of something.
もたらし: motarashi — Brought about, caused; conjunctive of 'motarasu'.
好奇心: kōkishin — Curiosity, inquisitiveness about things around.
静め: shizume — Calmed, quieted; stem of 'shizumeru'.
ついに: tsui ni — Finally, at last, in the end.
同じ: onaji — Same, identical, equal; adjective.
よう: yō — Seems like, in the manner of.
母親: hahaoya — Mother; a female parent.
より: yori — Than, from; comparison or origin particle.
小さい: chīsai — Small, little in size or extent.
という: to iu — Called, known as; quoting or defining phrase.
結論: ketsuron — Conclusion, final judgment reached after reasoning.
達し: tasshi — Reached, arrived at; conjunctive of 'tassuru'.
そし: soshi(te) — And then, and so; conjunctive adverb.
主人公: shujinkō — Main character, protagonist of a story.
周り: mawari — Surroundings, around, circumference of something.
かも: kamo — Maybe, perhaps; expresses possibility or conjecture.
普段: fudan — Usually, ordinarily, on a regular basis.
通り: tōri — As usual, in the way of; street.
続き: tsuzuki — Continuation, sequel, carrying on further.
過ぎ: sugi — Passing, going by; stem of 'sugiru'.
ゆく: yuku — To go; literary/poetic form of 'iku'.
時間: jikan — Time, hours; a period or duration.
そっと: sotto — Gently, softly, quietly without disturbance.
揺り動かさ: yuriugokasa — Rocked, swayed; stem of 'yuriugokasu'.
れ: re — Passive auxiliary suffix attached to verbs.
ながら: nagara — While doing; simultaneous action conjunction.
銀: gin — Silver; the precious metal or its color.
時計: tokei — Clock, watch; device for telling time.
鈴: suzu — Bell, small ringing bell or chime.
音: oto / ne — Sound, noise; auditory sensation.
楽し: tanoshi — Enjoyable, fun; stem of 'tanoshii'.
られ: rare — Passive or potential auxiliary verb suffix.

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