Part 2 of 4 · JLPT N2
桃太郎（二） Momotarō, part 2: Momotarō Sets Off for Onigashima
In this part
Momotarō grows up strong but gentle, and by fifteen no one in Japan can match him. When a traveller tells of wicked ogres on the far-off island of Onigashima guarding stolen treasure, Momotarō asks leave to go and fight them. The old couple pound millet dumplings for his journey, and he sets out dressed like a warrior while they watch him go.
AI translation · independently checked
おじいさんとおばあさんは、それはそれはだいじにして桃太郎を育てました。The old man and the old woman raised Momotarō with the greatest, greatest care.
桃太郎はだんだん成長するにつれて、あたりまえの子供にくらべては、ずっと体も大きいし、力がばかに強くって、すもうをとっても近所の村じゅうで、かなうものは一人もないくらいでしたが、そのくせ気だてはごくやさしくって、おじいさんとおばあさんによく孝行をしました。As Momotarō grew, little by little, he became much bigger than ordinary children and tremendously strong, so strong that when he wrestled, there was not a single person in all the nearby villages who could beat him. Yet for all that, he had a very gentle nature and was a good, dutiful son to the old man and the old woman.
桃太郎は十五になりました。Momotarō turned fifteen.
もうそのじぶんには、日本の国中で、桃太郎ほど強いものはないようになりました。By that time there was no one in the whole land of Japan as strong as Momotarō.
桃太郎はどこか外国へ出かけて、腕いっぱい、力だめしをしてみたくなりました。Momotarō began to want to go off to some foreign land and test his strength with all his might.
するとそのころ、ほうぼう外国の島々をめぐって帰って来た人があって、いろいろめずらしい、ふしぎなお話をした末に、Around that time, a man came home after travelling around the islands of many foreign lands, and after telling all sorts of rare and wondrous stories, he said:
「もう何年も何年も船をこいで行くと、遠い遠い海のはてに、鬼が島という所がある。悪い鬼どもが、いかめしいくろがねのお城の中に住んで、ほうぼうの国からかすめ取った貴い宝物を守っている。」"If you row a boat for years and years, at the far, far edge of the sea there is a place called Onigashima. Wicked ogres live there inside a grim iron castle, guarding precious treasures they have snatched from lands all around."
と言いました。That is what he said.
桃太郎はこの話をきくと、その鬼が島へ行ってみたくって、もう居ても立ってもいられなくなりました。When Momotarō heard this story, he wanted so badly to go to Onigashima that he could not keep still a moment longer.
そこでうちへ帰るとさっそく、おじいさんの前へ出て、So as soon as he got home, he went before the old man and said,
「どうぞ、わたくしにしばらくおひまを下さい。」"Please, give me leave to go away for a while."
と言いました。That is what he said.
おじいさんはびっくりして、The old man was startled,
「お前どこへ行くのだ。」"And where are you going?"
と聞きました。he asked.
「鬼が島へ鬼せいばつに行こうと思います。」"I mean to go to Onigashima to conquer the ogres."
と桃太郎はこたえました。Momotarō answered.
「ほう、それはいさましいことだ。じゃあ行っておいで。」"Oho, now that is a brave thing to do. Well then, off you go."
とおじいさんは言いました。said the old man.
「まあ、そんな遠方へ行くのでは、さぞおなかがおすきだろう。よしよし、おべんとうをこしらえて上げましょう。」"My, if you're going somewhere so far away, you'll surely get hungry. There, there, I'll make you a packed lunch."
とおばあさんも言いました。said the old woman too.
そこで、おじいさんとおばあさんは、お庭のまん中に、えんやら、えんやら、大きな臼を持ち出して、おじいさんがきねを取ると、おばあさんはこねどりをして、So the old man and the old woman heave-hoed, heave-hoed a big mortar out into the middle of the garden, and the old man took up the pestle while the old woman turned the dough,
「ぺんたらこっこ、ぺんたらこっこ。ぺんたらこっこ、ぺんたらこっこ。」"Pentarakokko, pentarakokko. Pentarakokko, pentarakokko."
と、おべんとうのきびだんごをつきはじめました。and they began to pound millet dumplings for his lunch.
きびだんごがうまそうにでき上がると、桃太郎のしたくもすっかりでき上がりました。By the time the millet dumplings were done and looking delicious, Momotarō's preparations were all done too.
桃太郎はお侍の着るような陣羽織を着て、刀を腰にさして、きびだんごの袋をぶら下げました。Momotarō put on a battle coat like a samurai would wear, thrust a sword into his belt, and hung the bag of millet dumplings at his side.
そして桃の絵のかいてある軍扇を手に持って、Then, holding in his hand a war fan with a peach painted on it,
「ではおとうさん、おかあさん、行ってまいります。」"Well then, Father, Mother, I'm off."
と言って、ていねいに頭を下げました。he said, and bowed his head politely.
「じゃあ、りっぱに鬼を退治してくるがいい。」"Well then, go and defeat those ogres splendidly."
とおじいさんは言いました。said the old man.
「気をつけて、けがをしないようにおしよ。」"Be careful now, and mind you don't get hurt."
とおばあさんも言いました。said the old woman too.
「なに、大丈夫です、日本一のきびだんごを持っているから。」と桃太郎は言って、"Oh, I'll be fine, because I have the best millet dumplings in Japan," said Momotarō,
「では、ごきげんよう。」"Well then, farewell!"
と元気な声をのこして、出ていきました。and leaving behind these cheerful words, he went on his way.
おじいさんとおばあさんは、門の外に立って、いつまでも、いつまでも見送っていました。The old man and the old woman stood outside the gate and watched him go for a long, long time.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning | JLPT |
|---|---|---|
| 成長せいちょうする | to grow up, to developdictionary form: 成長するUsed for people, plants and economies alike. | — |
| かなうかなう | to be a match for, to rivalUsually used with a negative: かなうものはない, 'no one can match him'. | N1 |
| 気だてきだて | disposition, naturedictionary form: 気立てUsually praises a kind, good-hearted character. | N1 |
| 孝行こうこう | filial devotion, being good to one's parentsCommon in the phrase 親孝行. Takes をする. | N2 |
| 力だめしちからだめし | a test of one's strengthdictionary form: 力試し力 + 試し (試す, 'to try'); た becomes だ through rendaku. | — |
| いかめしいいかめしい | grim, stern and imposingdictionary form: 厳めしい | — |
| くろがねくろがね | iron (archaic/literary word; modern てつ)dictionary form: 鉄An old native word, literally 'black metal'. Modern Japanese uses 鉄 (てつ). | N3 |
| かすめ取ったかすめとる | to snatch, to steal by stealthdictionary form: かすめ取るAn old-fashioned, literary word. | — |
| せいばつせいばつ | a punitive expedition, conquering (enemies)dictionary form: 征伐An old word for going to subdue wrongdoers. | — |
| 臼うす | mortar (a large wooden tub for pounding rice or grain)Used together with きね (杵), the pestle, as in mochi-pounding. | — |
| きびだんごきびだんご | millet dumplingsdictionary form: 黍団子The famous food of the Momotarō story, today a specialty of Okayama. | — |
| 陣羽織じんばおり | a sleeveless battle coat worn over armourOld samurai clothing. | — |
| 軍扇ぐんせん | a war fan used by commanders軍 'army' + 扇 'fan'. | — |
| 退治たいじする | to defeat, to wipe out (monsters or pests)dictionary form: 退治するThe standard word for slaying ogres. It is also used for getting rid of insects. | — |
| 見送ってみおくる | to see someone off, to watch someone leavedictionary form: 見送る | N2 |
Grammar
〜につれて N3 as ~ (one change goes along with another)
Attached to a verb of change such as 成長する, it shows that something else changes at the same time. Here, his strength and size grow along with his age.
桃太郎はだんだん成長するにつれて
As Momotarō grew, little by little
〜くらい（だ） N3 to the extent that ~, so much that ~
くらい describes how great something is by giving an example of the result. His strength was 'to the point that' no one could beat him.
かなうものは一人もないくらいでした
it was such that not a single person could match him
AほどBはない N4 nothing / no one is as B as A
AほどBはない: 'nothing/no one is as B as A'. This pattern makes a superlative through a negative comparison. ようになりました adds that this became true over time.
日本の国中で、桃太郎ほど強いものはないようになりました
there came to be no one in all of Japan as strong as Momotarō
〜た末に N2 after ~, at the end of ~
It follows a past-tense verb and marks what happens at the end of a long action or process. Here, the traveller tells many stories and then finally mentions Onigashima.
いろいろめずらしい、ふしぎなお話をした末に
after telling all sorts of rare and wondrous stories
居ても立ってもいられない N2 cannot sit still (from eagerness or worry)
This is a set phrase meaning literally 'can neither stay seated nor stand'. It expresses restless impatience. なくなる shows that he reached that state.
もう居ても立ってもいられなくなりました
he could not keep still a moment longer
〜がいい N1 you should ~, go ahead and ~
Plain dictionary form + がいい is an old-fashioned way for a superior to give permission or encouragement. Here the old man sends his son off with a blessing.
りっぱに鬼を退治してくるがいい
go and defeat those ogres splendidly