Part 4 of 8 · JLPT N2

双子の星 Futago no Hoshi, part 4: Rescued by the Lightning Messenger

by Miyazawa Kenji · 1,304 characters · from The Star Twins by the Silver River

In this part

The twins struggle on as they carry the wounded Scorpion home, and night falls while they are still far from their own palace. Pōse collapses from exhaustion, and the Scorpion tearfully repents of its earlier wickedness and promises to reform. A bolt of Lightning arrives with the King's orders and gives the Scorpion a healing medicine. It takes the twins to the spring, where they wash, receive new clothes and feel refreshed, and then carries them back to their palace.

AI translation · independently checked

「へい。も少すこしでございます。どうかお慈悲じひでございます。」と蠍さそりが泣なきました。"Yes, sirs. Just a little further. Have mercy on me, I beg you," wept the Scorpion.

「ええ。も少すこしです。傷きずは痛いたみますか。」とチュンセ童子どうじが肩かたの骨ほねの砕くだけそうなのをじっとこらえて申もうしました。"Yes, just a little further. Does your wound hurt?" said the boy Chunse, quietly bearing the pain in his shoulder, which felt as if its bones might shatter.

お日様ひさまがもうサッサッサッと三遍さんべん厳おごそかにゆらいで西にしの山やまにお沈しずみになりました。The Sun had already swayed solemnly three times, swish, swish, swish, and sunk behind the western mountains.

「もう僕ぼくらは帰かえらないといけない。困こまったな。ここらの人ひとは誰たれか居いませんか。」ポウセ童子どうじが叫さけびました。"We have to go home now. What shall we do? Is there anyone from these parts here?" cried the boy Pōse.

天てんの野原のはらはしんとして返事へんじもありません。The fields of heaven lay silent, and no answer came.

西にしの雲くもはまっかにかがやき蠍さそりの眼めも赤あかく悲かなしく光ひかりました。The western clouds blazed crimson, and the Scorpion's eyes also shone a sad red.

光ひかりの強つよい星ほしたちはもう銀ぎんの鎧よろいを着きて歌うたいながら遠とおくの空そらへ現あらわれた様子ようすです。It seemed the brightest stars had already put on their silver armour and appeared, singing, in the far-off sky.

「一ひとつ星ほしめつけた。長者ちょうじゃになあれ。」下したで一人ひとりの子供こどもがそっちを見上みあげて叫さけんでいます。"I've found the first star! Make me a rich man!" Down below, a child was looking up toward them and shouting.

チュンセ童子どうじがThe boy Chunse

「蠍さそりさん。も少すこしです。急いそげませんか。疲つかれましたか。」と云いいました。said, "Mr Scorpion, it's only a little further. Can't you hurry? Are you tired?"

蠍さそりが哀あわれな声こえで、In a pitiful voice, the Scorpion

「どうもすっかり疲つかれてしまいました。どうか少すこしですからお許ゆるし下ください。」と云いいます。answered, "I'm afraid I'm completely worn out. Please, forgive me, just let me rest a little."

「星ほしさん星ほしさん一ひとつの星ほしで出でぬもんだ。"Star, oh star, you never come out on your own,

千せんも万まんもででるもんだ。」you come out by the thousand and the ten thousand!"

下したで別べつの子供こどもが叫さけんでいます。Down below, another child was shouting.

もう西にしの山やまはまっ黒くろです。The western mountains were already pitch black.

あちこち星ほしがちらちら現あらわれました。Here and there, stars came twinkling out.

チュンセ童子どうじは背中せなかがまがってまるで潰つぶれそうになりながら云いいました。The boy Chunse spoke, his back bent until he looked almost crushed.

「蠍さそりさん。もう私わたくしらは今夜こんやは時間じかんに遅おくれました。きっと王様おうさまに叱しかられます。事ことによったら流ながされるかも知しれません。けれどもあなたがふだんの所ところに居いなかったらそれこそ大変たいへんです。」"Mr Scorpion, we are already late for our duties tonight. The King is sure to scold us. We may even be cast away. But if you were not in your usual place, that would be a real disaster."

ポウセ童子どうじがThe boy Pōse

「私わたくしはもう疲つかれて死しにそうです。蠍さそりさん。もっと元気げんきを出だして早はやく帰かえって行いって下ください。」said, "I'm so tired I could die. Mr Scorpion, please find a little more strength and hurry home."

と云いいながらとうとうバッタリ倒たおれてしまいました。and as he said it, he finally fell flat to the ground.

蠍さそりは泣ないて云いいました。The Scorpion wept and said,

「どうか許ゆるして下ください。私わたくしは馬鹿ばかです。あなた方かたの髪かみの毛け一本いっぽんにも及およびません。きっと心こころを改あらためてこのおわびは致いたします。きっといたします。」"Please forgive me. I am a fool. I am not worth a single hair on your heads. I will surely mend my ways and make amends for this. I truly will."

この時とき水色みずいろの烈はげしい光ひかりの外套がいとうを着きた稲妻いなずまが、向むこうからギラッとひらめいて飛とんで来きました。Just then a Lightning, wearing a cloak of fierce pale-blue light, came flying from far off with a sudden dazzling flash.

そして童子どうじたちに手てをついて申もうしました。It bowed low before the boys, hands on the ground, and said,

「王様おうさまのご命めいでお迎むかいに参まいりました。さあご一緒いっしょに私わたくしのマントへおつかまり下ください。もうすぐお宮みやへお連つれ申もうします。王おう様さまはどう云いう訳わけかさっきからひどくお悦よろこびでございます。それから、蠍さそり。お前まえは今いままで憎にくまれ者ものだったな。さあこの薬くすりを王様おうさまから下くだすったんだ。飲のめ。」"I have come to fetch you by order of the King. Now, both of you, please take hold of my cloak. I shall bring you to your palace at once. For some reason the King has been very much delighted this while past. And you, Scorpion. You've been a hated creature all this time, haven't you? Here, the King has sent you this medicine. Drink it."

童子どうじたちは叫さけびました。The boys called out,

「それでは蠍さそりさん。さよなら。早はやく薬くすりをのんで下ください。それからさっきの約束やくそくですよ。きっとですよ。さよなら。」"Well then, Mr Scorpion, goodbye. Take your medicine quickly. And remember the promise you made just now. Be sure you keep it. Goodbye."

そして二人ふたりは一緒いっしょに稲妻いなずまのマントにつかまりました。And the two of them took hold of the Lightning's cloak together.

蠍さそりが沢山たくさんの手てをついて平伏へいふくして薬くすりをのみそれから丁寧ていねいにお辞儀じぎをします。The Scorpion placed its many hands on the ground, bowed down low, drank the medicine, and then made a polite bow.

稲妻いなずまがぎらぎらっと光ひかったと思おもうともういつかさっきの泉いずみのそばに立たって居おりました。The Lightning gave a glaring flash, and before they knew it, they were standing beside the spring they had visited earlier.

そして申もうしました。And the Lightning said,

「さあ、すっかりおからだをお洗あらいなさい。王おう様さまから新あたらしい着物きものと沓くつを下くださいました。まだ十五じゅうご分ふん間まがあります。」"Now, wash yourselves thoroughly. The King has sent you new clothes and new shoes. There are still fifteen minutes left."

双子ふたごのお星ほし様さまたちは悦よろこんでつめたい水晶すいしょうのような流ながれを浴あび、匂においのいい青光あおびかりのうすものの衣ころもを着つけ新あたらしい白光しろびかりの沓くつをはきました。The twin stars joyfully bathed in the stream, cold as crystal, put on sweet-scented robes of thin, blue-shining gauze, and slipped on new shoes that shone white.

するともう身体からだの痛いたみもつかれも一遍いっぺんにとれてすがすがしてしまいました。Then all the pain and weariness left their bodies at once, and they felt wonderfully refreshed.

「さあ、参まいりましょう。」と稲妻いなずまが申もうしました。"Now, let us go," said the Lightning.

そして二人ふたりが又またそのマントに取とりつきますと紫色むらさきいろの光ひかりが一遍いっぺんぱっとひらめいて童子どうじたちはもう自分じぶんのお宮みやの前まえに居いました。When the two had taken hold of its cloak again, a purple light flashed once, and the boys were already standing in front of their own palace.

稲妻いなずまはもう見みえません。The Lightning was nowhere to be seen.

Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	JLPT
慈悲じひ	mercy, compassionお慈悲でございます is a set phrase for begging someone's mercy.	—
砕けくだける	to shatter, to break into piecesdictionary form: 砕けるIntransitive; the transitive form is 砕く.	N2
こらえてこらえる	to bear, to endure (pain), to hold backdictionary form: こらえるAlso written 堪える.	N2
厳かおごそか	solemn, statelyA na-adjective; here used adverbially as 厳かに.	N1
長者ちょうじゃ	a rich man, a wealthy personOld-fashioned word common in folk tales; 長者になあれ is a child's wish-making chant.	—
めつけたみつける	founddictionary form: 見つけるめつける is a colloquial, childish pronunciation of みつける.	N4
叱られますしかる	to scolddictionary form: 叱るPassive 叱られる means 'to be scolded'.	N3
流されるながす	(passive) to be cast away, to be sent into exiledictionary form: 流すLiterally 'to be washed away'; also means banishment, as in 島流し.	N3
及びませんおよぶ	to match, to be equal todictionary form: 及ぶ〜にも及ばない means 'not even as good as ~'.	N1
改めてあらためる	to reform, to mend (one's heart)dictionary form: 改める心を改める means 'to turn over a new leaf, to repent'.	N2
稲妻いなずま	lightning, a flash of lightningWritten with 稲 'rice plant'; people once believed lightning ripened the rice.	—
外套がいとう	overcoat, cloakOld-fashioned word; the same garment is then called マント.	—
平伏へいふくする	to prostrate oneself, to bow down to the grounddictionary form: 平伏するShows deep respect or apology.	—
うすものうすもの	thin, gauzy fabric or garmentdictionary form: 薄物Poetic and old-fashioned; 衣 (ころも) is also a literary word for 'garment'.	—

Grammar

〜そう (appearance / about to happen) N4 looks as if it is about to ~

Joined to a verb's stem, そう describes something that seems on the point of happening. 砕けそう means the bones feel close to shattering, and 死にそう in the same way means 'almost dying'.

肩の骨の砕けそうなのをじっとこらえて申しました
said, quietly bearing the pain in his shoulder, whose bones felt as if they might shatter

お〜になる (honorific) N3 respectful form of a verb

Putting お before a verb's stem and adding になる raises the status of the subject. The narrator uses it here out of respect for the Sun.

西の山にお沈みになりました
sank behind the western mountains

〜ないといけない N4 must ~, have to ~

Literally 'if we don't ~, it won't do'. Pōse uses it to say that the twins are obliged to go back.

もう僕らは帰らないといけない。
We have to go home now.

〜かも知れない N4 might ~, may ~

This expresses possibility. Together with 事によったら ('depending on how things go'), it softens a worrying guess.

事によったら流されるかも知れません。
We may even be cast away.

お〜申す (humble) N2 humble form: I (humbly) do ~ for you

お plus a verb stem plus 申す is an older, more formal version of お〜する. The Lightning uses it to lower its own action before the star boys.

もうすぐお宮へお連れ申します。
I shall bring you to your palace at once.

〜たと思うと N2 no sooner had ~ than …

After a past-tense verb, と思うと shows that the next event follows almost at the same moment. Here the flash and the arrival at the spring come one right after the other.

稲妻がぎらぎらっと光ったと思うともういつかさっきの泉のそばに立って居りました。
The Lightning gave a glaring flash, and before they knew it they were standing beside the spring from before.