ＷＥＢ絵本「ルルとミミ（夢野久作）」

第２回配信

そうして、ルルとミミのお父さんが身を投げると間もなく、湖は又もとの通りに奇麗に澄み渡ってしまったのでした．
それから後、この村のお寺の鐘を造る人はありませんでした．
夜明けの鐘も夕暮れの鐘も、または休みの日のお祈りの鐘も聞こえないまま何年か経ちました．
Soon after their father threw himself into the lake, the water turned clear as it had been.
Nobody made a bell for the temple of the village after that.
Several years passed without the bell sound at dawn, at dusk and at holiday's prayer.

村の人々は皆、ルルとミミを可愛がって育てました．
そうして、いつもルルに言って聞かせました．
「早く大きくなって、いい鐘を作ってお寺へ上げるのだよ．死んだお父さんを喜ばせるのだよ」
ルルは本当にそうしたいと思いました．
ミミも、早くお兄さんが鐘をお作りになればいい．それはどんなに良い音がするだろうと、楽しみで楽しみでたまりませんでした．
All people of the village lovingly brought up Ruroo and Memie.
The people always said to Ruroo.
"You should grow up early."
"You should make a good bell."
"You should give it to the temple."
"And you should please your dead father."
Ruroo truly wanted to do so.
Memie was eager that her brother should make the bell early. And she couldn't help expecting that it would ring its wonderful peals.

二人はほんとに仲良しでした．
そうして、よく湖のふちに来て、遥かにお寺の方を見ながらいつまでも立っておりました．
「おおかた、お寺の鐘つき堂を見て、死んだお父さんの事を思い出しているのだろう．ほんとに可哀想な兄妹だ」と村の人々は云っておりました．
The two children were really close to each other.
They often came to the lakeside. And they stood looking at the faraway temple for a long time.
The village people said to each other.
"Looking at the bell tower of the temple, they provably remember their dead father."
"What pitiful brother and sister they are!"

「水が濁るとよくない事がある」と云われていた湖の水晶のような水が、またも少しずつ薄黒く濁り始めました．
村の人々は皆、どんな事が起こるのかと、恐ろしさのあまり口を利く者もありませんでした．
しまいにはみんな顔を見合わせて、ため息ばかりするようになりました．
それでも湖の水は、夜が明けるたんびに、幾らかずつ黒くなって行くのでした．
It was said that something bad would happen if the water turned muddy.
And again, the crystal water of the lake began to become dark and muddy little by litte.
All the village people imagined what would happen.
And they couldn't talk to each other with fright.
Finally, they looked at each other and only gave a sigh.
However, every time the day dawned, the lake became darker.

その時にルルは、お父さんが残した仕事場に入って、一生懸命で鐘を作っていました．
At that time, Ruroo was earnestly making a bell at the workshop which his father left.

そうして、いよいよ一つの美事な鐘を作り上げましたので、喜び勇んで村の人にこの事を話しました．
「鐘が出来ました．どうぞお寺へ上げて下さい」
At last, Ruroo finished making a beautiful bell.
And so, he told this thing to the village people with great joy.
"I finished making a bell. Please carry it to the temple!"

村の人々は、われもわれもとルルが作った鐘を見物に来ました．
その立派な格好を撫でてみたり、またはソッと叩いてみて、その美しい音に聴きとれたりしましたが、みんなその良く出来ているのに感心をしてしまいました．
One after another, the village people came to see the bell which Ruroo made.
The people tried stroking or patting the wonderful bell.
They were charmed with its nice sounds.
And they all admired the good workmanship.

そうして、日を決めてお寺に上げて、この鐘をつき鳴らして、村中でお祝いをする事になりました．
「湖の水は幾ら濁ったって構うものか．鐘つくりの名人の子のルルが死んだお父様を喜ばせたいばっかりに、あんな小さな姿をして、こんな立派な鐘を作ったのだもの、こんな目出度い事があるものか．この鐘を鳴らしたら、どんな悪い事でも、消えてしまうに違いない．湖の水も澄んでしまうに違いない」と村の人々は喜んで勇み立ちました．
Then, the people determined the date for carrying this bell to the temple.
And they planned a celebration for tolling the bell in the village.
The village people said joyfully.
"No matter how muddy the lake is, we don't care."
"Ruroo is the son of the expert bell founder."
"To please his dead father, he made this beautiful bell with his small body."
"Nothing is happier than this."
"If we sound this bell, every bad thing will die out."
"The lake must become clear."
（つづく）