Hukumusume fairy tale collection > Foreign language (English) > Japanese classical stories

イラスト　myi　　　ブログ　sorairoiro

Kasa Jizo

(Japanese classical stories)

Translation　ちいさな翻訳屋さん

Japanese  ・ English (A)  ・ English (B)   ・ Traditional Chinese ・ Simplified Chinese

Japanese＆English (A)　・Japanese＆English (B)　・　Japanese＆Traditional Chinese　・　Japanese＆Simplified Chinese

　A long time ago, there lived an old man and a woman who were poor but kind.

　It happened on one year-end day.

 The old man and woman were making hats made from straw.

 They were going to sell the hats in the town and buy rice cakes for New Year.

“There are five hats to sell. I guess I can buy rice cakes at least.”

“I hope so. And please be careful because it will be snowy tonight.”

　The old man left home with his five hats.

　Soon after he left, it began snowing.

　Because the snow became worse, he hurried his way to the town.

　When he arrived on the edge of his village, he found six Jizos standing in a row.

　Snow piled up on their heads and shoulders.

　The old man couldn’t pass by the Jizos as they were.

“Oh, poor Jizos. You must be freezing under the snow. Put these hats on your head.”

　The old man put his hats on Jizos, which he was going to sell in the town.

　But he only had five hats while there were six Jizos.

　Then the old man took his hat off and put it on the sixth Jizo.


　On returning home, the old woman were surprised and said,

“You came home so early. What happened with your hat?”

　The old man told her about six Jizos.

“Oh you did such a nice thing. It doesn’t matter if we have rice cakes for New Year or not.”

　She said so smiling.

　At that night, they heard a song in the middle of the night.

♪Where is the old man’s house?

♪We are here to give you a present in return.

♪Where is the old man’s house?

♪We are here to give you a present in return.

　The voice of the song came closer and closer. And finally when it arrived in front of the old man’s house,

　 Zot!

　They heard a sound of leaving something and the voice disappeared after all.

　The old man opened the door quietly. Then he saw the back view of Jizos with his hats on.

　And he found tons of rice cakes for New Year and delicious foods in front of the house.

The end

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