長者と そば団子の 森

Forest of soba dumplings with the rich

Forest of soba dumplings with the rich
山口県に伝わる昔話です

This is a folk tale that is passed down in Yamaguchi Prefecture

This is a folk tale that is passed down in Yamaguchi Prefecture
昔、秋吉という所は岩が多くて川もなく、村の人たちは岩の間から出る水を使っていました

In the past, Akiyoshi was a place with lots of rocks and no rivers, and the villagers used water from between the rocks.

In the past, Akiyoshi was a place with lots of rocks and no rivers, and the villagers used water from between the rocks.
村の人たちは米をつくることができなくて、そば団子を食べていました

The villagers couldn't make rice, so they ate soba dumplings.

The villagers couldn't make rice, so they ate soba dumplings.
村には、お金持ちの人がいました

There were rich people in the village

There were rich people in the village
村の人たちは、食べるそば以外はこの人に渡していました

The villagers gave this person everything except the soba noodles they eat.

The villagers gave this person everything except the soba noodles they eat.
お金持ちの家には、たくさんのそばが入った俵がありました

In the rich house there were bales filled with lots of soba noodles.

In the rich house there were bales filled with lots of soba noodles.
ある夏の日、村には3日3晩も雨が降り続きました

One summer day, it rained in the village for three days and three nights.

One summer day, it rained in the village for three days and three nights.
雨がやんだ後も村の人たちはお金持ちの家に行くことができませんでした

Even after the rain stopped, the villagers were unable to go to the rich houses.

Even after the rain stopped, the villagers were unable to go to the rich houses.
道がぬかるんでいたからです

Because the road was muddy

Because the road was muddy
お金持ちは、村の人たちに「早く水を運んで来なさい」と言いました

The rich told the villagers, "Come and bring water quickly."

The rich told the villagers, "Come and bring water quickly."
村の人たちは「道がぬかるんでいるので行くことができません」と言いました

The villagers said, "The road is muddy so I can't go."

The villagers said, "The road is muddy so I can't go."
お金持ちは、家の人にそばの俵をたくさん道に並べるように言いました

The rich told the family to line up lots of nearby bales on the road.

The rich told the family to line up lots of nearby bales on the road.
村の人たちがそばの俵の上を歩いて水を運ぶようにしたのです

The villagers walked over the bales nearby to carry water.

The villagers walked over the bales nearby to carry water.
次の日の朝、太陽が出て、そばの俵に光が当たると、俵はなくなってしまいました

The next morning, the sun came out and the light hit the nearby bales, and the bales disappeared.

The next morning, the sun came out and the light hit the nearby bales, and the bales disappeared.
俵は1つ1つがちょうに変わっていました

Each bale had changed slightly

Each bale had changed slightly
ちょうは空を飛んで、どこかへ行ってしまいました

Cho flew in the sky and went somewhere

Cho flew in the sky and went somewhere
村の人たちは「食べ物を大切にしなかったから、罰が当たったのだろう」と話しました

The villagers said, "They probably got punished because they didn't value the food."

The villagers said, "They probably got punished because they didn't value the food."
しばらくすると、お金持ちの家はなくなって、森になりました

After a while, the rich man's house disappeared and it became a forest.

After a while, the rich man's house disappeared and it became a forest.
村の人たちはこの森を「ちょうじゃがもり」と呼びました

The villagers called this forest "Chojagamori."

The villagers called this forest "Chojagamori."