Kaguyahime The Bamboo Princess
page 2
--
Long ago, in a village near the capital there was an old man
called "old man bambu cutter (taketorinookina)".
Each day the old man went to the mountain to cut bambu and,
with that made a living by weaving baskets, and making bambu
sieves.
--
= bambu = take = bambu cutter = old man = call = basket = knit,
braid = a (bamboo) sieve = make a living
page 3
--
One day, when the old man tried to cut bamboo, he saw (there
was) a bamboo with a sparkling base.
"It is a mysterious bamboo".
The old man was surprised, and gently cut and saw the
bamboo.
Then how it is!
Inside the bamboo there was a little girl.
--
= cut = let's cut = try to cut = the root, the base = shiny =
sparkle, glitter = a wonder, a mystery = gently, quietly, lightly =
and, then = how
page 4
--
"What a cute child!"
The old man very happily took the girl up in his arms,
he took her back home.
"I am certain this is a gift from the god."
The old woman also happily embraced the girl.
Together they treated her like a treasure and raised her very
carefully.
--
= how!, what! = take up in one's arms = take, take along = grant
= give = I am sure, certainly = embrace, hug close = like (similar)
= important, valuable, carefully = very, much, very much = bring
up, raise
page 5
--
A strange thing from the next day
each time the old man cut bambu
gold came out.
Suddenly the old man became the richest in the village.
--
= every time = gold = crunch (grow out sound) = right away, at
once, suddenly = a rich man, the rich
page 6
--
The girl grew up quickly, and before long she became a
maiden.
She is beautiful as if sparkling,
and pretty as if fragrant, and from this
she came to be called Kaguyahime (fragrant princess).
--
= fast, quickly = grow up = soon, before long, by and by =
daughter, maiden, to become a young woman = as if = shine, glitter,
sparkle = fragrant, sweet-smelling = about, some, or so, such = a
point = call, named = come to be, become
page 7
--
Kaguyahime's beauty was also known in the capital,
One after another, people wanting to take a look
came to the old man's residence.
"By all means, please give me Kaguyahime as my wife."
The men all asked with their hands put together.
--
= a look ~ ~ = before to iu explains the after to, for identity,
definition, description = one after another = a mansion, a
residence = without fail, by all means = a bride, one's wife = put
together = ask
page 8
--
Among them even on rainy days and windy days there came to the
old man's residence,
five persons who say that by all means they want Kaguyahime as a
wife.
All of these (five) persons also have high social positions and
are very rich.
"Kaguyahime is a daughter granted from the god.
I can't give her to anybody."
No matter how many times the old man refuses the five men do not
give up.
The old man told Kaguyahime that he is completely at a loss.
--
= which, any = a (social) position = not to anybody = give, lift
= how much = refuse, decline = give up, abandon = be troubled, be
in trouble, be at a loss
page 9
--
"The are all only magnificent people.
Please give us piece of mind and soon also become a bride."
An then Kaguyahime said.
"In that case I will become the bride of the person who finds
rare things."
--
= person, like but polite = about, always, only, just, almost =
you (down) = we = peace of mind, be relieved = rare, new, strange =
find, discover
page 10
--
Then the old man told Kaguyahime's words to the five men.
"Prince Ishizukuri go to India and please bring a stone bowl
which Buddha used.
Prince Kuramochi go to the mountain on the Isle of Eternal
Youth, break a branch from the golden tree that bears white fruit
and bring it.
Right Minister Abe go to China and bring the skin clothing the
fire mouse.
Sir Ohtomo bring the five colored jewel ball from the dragon's
neck.
Mr. Isonokami please bring the shellfish that it is said was
born together with the egg of the swallow."
Such treasures do not enter the hands of normal people.
The five men looked blankly at each other's faces.
And yet if they can not somehow get it into their hands, they
can not receive Kaguyahime.
--
= tell = India = Buddha = stone = bowl = Isle of Eternal Youth =
fruit, a nut, a berry = grow, bear = gold = a branch, a bough =
break, snap = right minister = China = clothes, a robe = the skin,
a hide, leather = government (court) official = dragon = jewel
(ball) = lower government official = a swallow = bear, give birth
to = shellfish = only = everything, all (people) = blankly,
absent-mindedly = look at each other = and yet, still = somehow,
manage to = put ~ in, pour ~ in
page 12
--
Prince Isizukuri only left the capital, but told a lie that he
went to India.
He went around to temples here and there, and found and brought
back an old stone bowl.
He put it into a brocade bag, and brought it to Kaguyahime's
place.
"Finally I found the bowl, and returned from India."
--
= a lie = tell a lie = here and there = temple = go around (from
place to place) = find, discover = (Japanese) brocade = bag = put ~
in, pour ~ in = at last, finally = go back, come back, return
page 13
--
But Kaguyahime looked at the dirty bowl and said.
"This a bowl that you could find and bring from any temple,
isn't it.
If this was truly Buddha's bowl, it ought to shine with a more
beautiful light.
Prince Ishizukuri became embarrassed, and secretly ran away
--
= somewhere, anywhere = if = more = light = shine, glitter,
sparkle = be to ~, should, must = secretly = run away, get away
page 14
--
Prince Kuramochi said he will go to the mountain on the Isle of
Eternal Youth and boarded a ship.
But he doesn't know where the Isle of Eternal Youth is.
Thereupon when he returned,
he gathered some goldwork masters and had them make a golden
branch.
As may be expected they are masters.
Kaguyahime also could not make such a distinction from the
genuine.
Kaguyahime was trouble, and then the masters delivered a letter
to her.
--
= board = then, thereupon = secretly, in secret = gold = work =
an expert, a master = gather, collect = branch = as may be expected
= a real thing, real, genuine = a distinction = such = be troubled,
be in trouble = deliver
page 15
--
"In spite of our making the gold branch, Prince Kuramochi did
not pay us.
Please princess pay us from your side."
Suddenly upon knowing of the counterfeit, Prince Karamochi
confusedly ran away.
--
= in spite of = pay = do for me (us) = please = princess =
direction, way = right away, at once, suddenly = an immitation, a
counterfeit, a fake = be confused, be flurried, confusedly = run
away and go back
page 16
--
Right Minister Abe went to the harbor where the ship came from
China and paid a lot of money,
he got the skin of the fire mouse.
She opened the box and found a beautiful skin.
"This is a thing that an Indian monk brought all the way to
China."
The Right Minister proudly explained.
--
= China = port, harbor = get, acquire = India = monk = all the
way = proud = proudly
page 17
--
"Then let's put it in the fire and see.
If it is the skin of the fire mouse it will not burn."
But regretably in the fire, the skin immediately began to
burn.
The Right Minister became angry and said.
"That despicable merchant, how dare he cheat me."
--
= put ~ in = burn, catch fire = but = begin to ~, start ~ing =
regret, completely = get angry = a storekeeper, merchant = how dare
~ ?, How can ~ ? = deceive, cheat
page 18
--
Sir Ohtomo got on a ship by himself and went out to search for a
dragon.
As soon as he set off, it became terribly stormy.
The ship shook like a leaf, and was about to sink.
"Because I tried to catch a dragon the dragon king got
angry."
The boatmen also trembled violently.
Sir Ohtomo didn't feel alive any more.
Without thinking he put his hands together in prayer and
shouted.
"Dragon king please forgive me.
I no longer dare to want a dragon's ball."
And yet the sea remained rough for three days and three
nights,
finally they floated to the beach.
After that Sir Ohtomo did not return to the place of
Kaguyahime.
--
= dragon = look for, search for = the offing = leave = as soon
as ~, at the very moment = storm = a leaf = shake, wave = be ready
to ~ = sink, go down = is about to (for verbs), looks as if (for
adjectives) = catch, catch hold lets + = to try to = get angry =
boatman = tremble violently = a feeling = already, another, not ~
more = live, be alive = in spite of oneself, unconciously = put
hands together to prey = cry (out), shout = forgive = please = ball
(in this case, transparent) = want ~ (~ ) = don't do anything such
as ~ = be rough, be stormy = continue, last, follow verb + = to
continue verb-ing = finally = flow, stream, run = since then
page 21
--
Mr. Osonokami was very pleased.
In the case of swallow's nests, they are everywhere.
One day he found a swallow's nest under the eaves of the
storehouse of the emperor's mansion.
Right away he had his men make a scaffolding, and hang a
basket.
Mr. Osonokami got in the basket and put his hand in the nest and
the shellfish was there.
"I found it! Quickly bring down the basket."
While his men hurriedly let the rope up, the basket fell, Mr.
Osonokami also fell down on his back.
He was still holding the shellfish firmly.
But, when they looked closely, there was a swallow's
dropping.
--
= be very pleased = swallow (bird) = nest = are everywhere =
emperor = mansion = a storehouse = under the eaves = find = right
away = his men = a footing, scaffolding = palanquin = hang = put ~
in = shellfish = rope = lift, hold up = fall, drop = on the back =
fall down = firmly = grasp firmly = dropping = well
page 22
--
Kaguyahime who nobody could make their bride became increasingly
beautiful.
However, it happened about when the Spring came in the fourth
year after that.
Kaguyahime came to shed tears whenever she looked at the
moon.
"Is there anything worrying you, or something?"
No matter whether the old man asked or the old woman asked, she
only smiled gently and turned her head.
But as the moon became round,
Kaguyahime came to show more sadness and weep.
--
= bride = increasingly ~ = nobody = however, but = four # = nth
= past of = about when, approximately when = it was about when =
look = tear = shed = becomes a custom, or habit, a reccurent event
~ + * = whenever doing ~ do * = something = like , making a
question, more informal = ask (question, not request) = smile =
turn = only, just = but = round = as = feel, want, desire =
weep
page 24
......
--
"It also makes me sad to see your sad appearance."
"Please tell us the reason why."
said the old man and old woman, shedding tears.
And then Kaguyahime's eyes filled with tears and she said
"To tell the truth, I am (a thing) of the capital of the
moon."
When the night of the next full moon comes
the people from heaven will come to get (me).
...... Thinking that I leave my loving mother and father I am
sad..."
--
= night = night of a full moon = if something comes = people
from heaven = heaven = come for, come to get something = love =
thankfulness = depart from = appearance = reason (why) = store,
save, collect = to tell the truth, to be honest
page 25
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"We will not permit such a thing,"
the old man said.
"No matter who comes we will not hand you over,"
the old woman said while crying.
--
= make a person ~, let a person ~ = very strong negation
(informal form) = very strong negation (polite form) = hand (over),
give = cry
page 26
--
The old man decided to ask the emperor to protect
Kaguyahime.
When the day of the full moon came,
as many as 2000 of the emperor's attendants
came and surrounded the old man's home.
The attendants holding bows and arrows are even lined up on the
roof,
ready to kill every one of the moon capital people.
Kaguyahime was put in the deepest room of the house, and
the old man and woman held her firmly in their arms.
Before long it became evening,
the full moon began to rise and,
the sky became bright like high noon.
--
= emperor = ask (a request) = protect, defend = following
expresses gratitude ~ = decide to do ~ = an attendant = home
(large) = surround = around something = surround # = as many as # =
roof = bow and arrow = hold = in a row, sit in a row, be lined up =
everybody (in a group) = slay, kill = be ready for = deep = put
something in = firmly = hold in one's arms = before long = it
becomes evening = full moon = rise = high noon = like = light,
bright
page 28
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And then a large cloud came down slowly.
Above the cloud, there stood a great many people from heaven, as
if surrounding the cart.
The attendants who were looking absorbedly, hastily fixed their
bows.
However, what happened to them?
The power went out from all of the attendants, and they could
not move their bodies at all.
The cloud on which the people from heaven were riding stopped a
little above the garden.
A very clear voice sounded all over.
"Old man bambu cutter, we came for Kaguyahime.
Thank you for raising the princess until now."
At that moment,
the completely closed door of the house opened without a
sound,
Kaguyahime departed from the company of her parents.
--
= cloud = slowly = enclose, surround = many, a great number of =
absorbedly, be charmed = look = hastily = bow = fit, fix = come
out, be missing = by all means (positive sentence), will not
(negative sentence) = move = give a ride, pick up = very clear (eg.
water, voice) = sound = cross, go across, go over, come over =
meet, welcome = until now = raise = as soon as, immediately after,
at the very moment = completely closed, locked = door (sliding) =
open = by, beside, neighborhood = leave
page 30
--
Kaguyahime went out to the garden and she wore a heavenly
woman's robe of feathers.
"Father, mother, it is farewell.
Please think of this as me and treat it as valuable."
Kaguyahime gave the kimono whe was wearing to her father and got
in the car.
--
= robe of feathers = wear = farewell = please = think = think of
this as me = important, valuable = wear = hand over, give
page 31
--
"Sayonara."
Kaguyahime surrounded by the heavenly people
went up up in the shining light of the full moon.
--
= surround = light (visible) = shine = go up
