Part 4 of 6 · JLPT N2
ごん狐（四） Gongitsune, part 4: Gon Follows Hyōjū in the Moonlight
In this part
On a moonlit night Gon hides by the road and overhears Hyōjū telling his friend Kasuke that someone has been leaving chestnuts and mushrooms for him every day. Gon follows the two men to Kichibē's house, where villagers are gathering for a Buddhist prayer meeting. He crouches by the well outside and listens as the sutra chanting begins.
AI translation · independently checked
月のいい晩でした。It was a lovely moonlit night.
ごんは、ぶらぶらあそびに出かけました。Gon set out, wandering along just to amuse himself.
中山さまのお城の下を通ってすこしいくと、細い道の向うから、だれか来るようです。He passed below Lord Nakayama's castle and went on a little farther, and it seemed that someone was coming toward him from the far end of the narrow path.
話声が聞えます。He could hear voices talking.
チンチロリン、チンチロリンと松虫が鳴いています。Chin-chirorin, chin-chirorin, the pine crickets were singing.
ごんは、道の片がわにかくれて、じっとしていました。Gon hid at one side of the path and kept perfectly still.
話声はだんだん近くなりました。The voices came closer and closer.
それは、兵十と加助というお百姓でした。It was two farmers, Hyōjū and Kasuke.
「そうそう、なあ加助」と、兵十がいいました。"Oh, yeah, say, Kasuke," said Hyōjū.
「ああん？」"Huh?"
「おれあ、このごろ、とてもふしぎなことがあるんだ」"Something real strange has been happening to me lately."
「何が？」"What's that?"
「おっ母が死んでからは、だれだか知らんが、おれに栗やまつたけなんかを、まいにちまいにちくれるんだよ」"Ever since my ma died, somebody—I don't know who—has been giving me chestnuts and matsutake mushrooms and such, day after day."
「ふうん、だれが？」"Huh. Who, though?"
「それがわからんのだよ。おれの知らんうちに、おいていくんだ」"That's just it, I don't know. They leave the stuff without me ever noticing."
ごんは、ふたりのあとをつけていきました。Gon followed along behind the two of them.
「ほんとかい？」"You serious?"
「ほんとだとも。うそと思うなら、あした見に来いよ。その栗を見せてやるよ」"Sure I am. If you think I'm lying, come and see tomorrow. I'll show you those chestnuts."
「へえ、へんなこともあるもんだなア」"Well, well, there sure are some odd things in this world."
それなり、二人はだまって歩いていきました。After that, the two of them walked on without a word.
加助がひょいと、後を見ました。Suddenly Kasuke glanced behind him.
ごんはびくっとして、小さくなってたちどまりました。Gon gave a start, made himself small, and stopped where he was.
加助は、ごんには気がつかないで、そのままさっさとあるきました。Kasuke didn't notice Gon and just kept walking briskly on.
吉兵衛というお百姓の家まで来ると、二人はそこへはいっていきました。When they reached the house of a farmer called Kichibē, the two men went inside.
ポンポンポンポンと木魚の音がしています。Pok-pok-pok-pok went the sound of a wooden temple drum.
窓の障子にあかりがさしていて、大きな坊主頭がうつって動いていました。Light was shining on the paper screen of the window, and the shadow of a big shaven head moved across it.
ごんは、Gon,
「おねんぶつがあるんだな」と思いながら井戸のそばにしゃがんでいました。thinking, "They must be having a prayer meeting," crouched down beside the well.
しばらくすると、また三人ほど、人がつれだって吉兵衛の家へはいっていきました。After a while, about three more people went into Kichibē's house together.
お経を読む声がきこえて来ました。The sound of voices chanting a sutra drifted out.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning | JLPT |
|---|---|---|
| ぶらぶらぶらぶら | aimlessly, idly (strolling)Onomatopoeic adverb for wandering around with no particular purpose. | N1 |
| 松虫まつむし | pine cricketAn autumn insect prized for its song; チンチロリン imitates its call. | — |
| じっとじっと | (keeping) perfectly stillじっとする = to stay motionless; also じっと見る, to stare. | N3 |
| 百姓ひゃくしょう | farmer, peasantOld-fashioned word; お adds politeness in the narration. Can sound derogatory today. | — |
| ふしぎふしぎ | strange, mysteriousdictionary form: 不思議Na-adjective: ふしぎなこと = a strange thing. | N3 |
| おっ母おっかあ | ma, motherRustic, old-fashioned word for one's mother. | — |
| あとをつけてあとをつける | to follow, tail (someone)dictionary form: 後をつけるFollowing someone secretly from behind. | — |
| ひょいとひょいと | suddenly, casuallyA quick, light, unexpected movement. | — |
| びくっとびくっと | with a start, flinchingDescribes a sudden jolt of fear. | — |
| さっさとさっさと | briskly, without delayDoing something quickly without lingering. | N2 |
| 木魚もくぎょ | wooden fish drum (used in Buddhist chanting)Literally 'wooden fish'; struck to keep rhythm while reciting sutras. | — |
| 障子しょうじ | paper sliding screenTranslucent paper on a wooden frame, so light and shadows show through. | N2 |
| おねんぶつねんぶつ | Buddhist prayer (reciting Amida's name); a prayer gatheringdictionary form: 念仏Here it means a gathering of villagers to chant together. | — |
| しゃがんでしゃがむ | to crouch, squatdictionary form: しゃがむ | N2 |
Grammar
〜ようです N4 it seems that ~
Attached to the plain form of a verb, ようです expresses a guess based on what one perceives. Gon can't see clearly yet but senses someone approaching.
細い道の向うから、だれか来るようです。
It seemed that someone was coming from the far end of the narrow path.
〜てからは N5 ever since ~
〜てから means 'after ~'; adding は highlights the whole period since that event, so the state continues from then on.
おっ母が死んでからは
ever since my ma died
〜ないうちに (知らんうちに) N3 before / without one realising
Negative form + うちに means 'while something has not yet happened'. 知らん is the colloquial negative of 知る, so 知らんうちに means 'without my knowing'.
おれの知らんうちに、おいていくんだ
They leave the stuff without me ever noticing.
〜とも N2 of course, certainly
Added to the end of a statement, とも strongly affirms it, like 'Sure it is!' It is conversational and a little old-fashioned.
ほんとだとも。
Sure I am.
〜ないで N4 without doing ~
The negative form + で links to the next action, showing it happens without the first. Kasuke walks on without noticing Gon.
加助は、ごんには気がつかないで、そのままさっさとあるきました。
Kasuke didn't notice Gon and just kept walking briskly on.
〜ながら N4 while ~ing
Verb stem + ながら shows two actions done at the same time by the same subject: Gon thinks while he crouches.
「おねんぶつがあるんだな」と思いながら井戸のそばにしゃがんでいました。
Thinking, "They must be having a prayer meeting," he crouched beside the well.