【The Giving Tree】
Once there was a tree…
And she loved a little boy.
And every day
The boy would come
And he would gather
Her leaves
And make them into crowns
And play king of the forest.
He would climb up her trunk
And swing from her branches
And eat apples.
And they would play
Hide-and-go-seek.
And when he was tired,
He would sleep in her shade
And the boy loved the tree
Very much.
And the tree was happy.
But time went by.
And the boy grew older.
And the tree was often alone.
Then one day the boy came to the tree
And the tree said, “Come Boy, come and climb up
My trunk and swing from my branches
And eat apple and play in my shade
And be happy.”
“I am too big to climb and play,“
Said the boy.
“I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money.
Can you give me some money?
“I’m sorry,”said the tree,
“but I have no money.
I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples,Boy,
And sell them in the city.
Then you will have money
And you will be happy.”
And so the boy climbed up the tree
And gathered her apples
And carried them away.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away
For a long time…
and the tree was sad.
And then one day
the boy came back
and the tree shook with joy,
climb up my trunk
and swing from my branches
and be happy.”
“I am too busy to climb trees,”
said the boy.
“I want a house to keep me warm,”
He said.
“I want a wife and I want
Children,and so I need a house.
Can you give me a house?”
“I have no house,”said the tree.
“The forest is my house,
But you may cut off my branches
and build a house.
Then you will be happy.”
And so the boy cut off her branches
and carried them away to build his house
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away
for a long time.
And when he came back,
The tree was so happy
She could hardly speak.
“Come Boy,” she whispered,
“Come and play.”
“I am too old and sad to play,”
said the boy.
“I want a boat that will take me
Far away from here.
Can you give me a boat?”
“Cut down my trunk
and make a boat,”
said the tree.
“Then you can sail away…
And be happy.”
And so the boy cut down her trunk
And made a boat
And sailed away.
And the tree was happy…
But not really.
And after a long time
The boy came back again.
“I am sorry,Boy,”said the tree,
“but I have nothing left
to give you―
My apples are gone.”
“My teeth are too weak for apples,”
said the boy.
“My branches are gone,”
Said the tree.
“You cannot swing on them―”
“I am too tired to climb,”said the boy.
“I am sorry,”sighed the tree.
“I wish that I could
Give you something…
But I have nothing left.
I am just an old stump.
I am sorry…”
“I don’t need ery much now,”
said the bou,
“just a quiet place to sit and rest.
I am very tired.”
“Well,”said the tree,
straightening herself up
as much as she could,
“well,an old stump is good
For sitting and resting.
Come,Boy,sit down.
Sit down and rest.”
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.
原作者は、シルヴァスタイン。漫画を描いたりする多才な児童文学者です。
この英文は、中学二年生の教科書に掲載されているものですが、
いつもこの英文を読む時、なんとも言えない気持ちになります。
いまだ、その気持ちがどういうものかを説明できません。
ただ、わたしのこころの中のどこかがちくちく痛みます。
そして、ふるさとの風に吹かれてみたくなります。
英文ですが、素直に読めます。どうぞトライしてください。
前回と前、前回に私の好きな物語を英文で掲載しました。これが最後だと思います。
二度ほど、ブログ【小さな軌跡】さんが日本語に訳してくださいました。今回もたぶんしてくださるのではないかと期待しております。
ほんとうは、この英文は、英語の持つ独特のニュアンスが心に響くものなので、訳してしまうと違うものになってしまうかもしれないと思っています。
…、どうしてふるさとの風に吹かれてみたくなるかは、本当のことを言うと、私は知っているのです。
しかし、それは心の奥の奥にしまって、強いふりをしているだけなのかもしれません。
この物語は、宙に暗記をしております。それは、覚えようとしなくても、こころの中に
一瞬にして、仕舞ったものだからでしょう…。
秋深い森に迷い込んだ時には、私もやはりこの少年のように、木の株にすわって、目頭を押さえるのかもしれません。
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