Hukumusume fairy tale collection >Classical stories of the Japanese >Septembe

イラスト　たつよ　　　提供　らくがきの日常

A cat who got married to a man

Translation　ちいさな翻訳屋さん

Japanese  ・English　・Japanese＆English

Make Origami ORIGAMI CLUB Cat face　　　kitten

　Once up on a time, a farmer lived in a certain place.
　He worked a lot every day in the field.
　His life didn’t get any easier.
　So, he was already over 40.
　He couldn’t marry.

　Well, next to him　the richest person in the village lived.　In his warehouse, rice bales were piled high.

　He had enough to live on, even if he were a spender.
　Though, he was a miser.
　Even for a female cat he had

　He said, “In these days, it eats too much.”
　And keep the cat away from his house.

　When the farmer was sleeping,　he heard an answering meow.

　He couldn’t help opening the door.
　He found the cat of the richest man was shivering.
　“What’s wrong?”
　“Staying such a place, you will die.”
　He took the cat up in his arms and moved inside.
　He cleaned her dirty body.
　And take her inside bed with him.

　Next day, the farmer took the cat to the richest man’s place.

　Though, “It doesn’t belong to me no longer.”　the richest man said.
　The farmer had no choice but to have the cat.

　He shared everything with his cat.
　He petted the cat as if she were his daughter.

　The farmer was single.　One night,　He said to himself with his cat on his knees.

　“I wish you were a human.　While I was out in the field,　if you grind wheat at home.　How my life will be easy!”
　Then the cat happily give a meow.
　“Wow! Do you understand me?　Wait. No way.”
　The farmer slept with his cat in his arms as usual.

　In the next evening.　When he came back from the field.

　He heard a stone mill rumbling from inside the dark room.
　He looked into the room questioningly.
　Surprisingly, the cat was grinding wheat!

　“You really understand me!　Wow! Thank you!”
　He was so glad and made dumplings from the flour and shared with the cat.
　From that point on, every time when he was out,　the cat ground wheat for him.　That was so helpful for him.

　One night, he was sitting by the fireside.　the cat staying by him　suddenly speak in human language.

　“I’m having very happy days by your favor.
　Though,　if it goes on, I can do nothing but grinding.
　So, I would like to change into a human shape and 　do more favor for you!”

　He kindly looked at the cat and said.

“Thank you so much.
　Though, I’m happy enough that you grind for me.
　I’m not sad at all because you are here.
　Please, stay with me forever.”

　Then, the cat said with tears in her eyes.

　“What a happy cat, I am!
　The richest man have much money, though,　he didn’t pet me at all.
　On the other hand, you are…
　Please!
　Let me go to Ise shrine.
　I promise to come back here in the shape of a human.”

　Hearing the cat,　the farmer felt the cat more and more sweet.

　“All right. You just leave!”

　He did something for the cat.　He tied a bag inside which what little money he had was around her neck.　Then the cat happily left his home.

　After a while, the cat safely arrived at Ise shrine.
　She proceeded to main hall housed the deity,　put her hands together and made a prayer.

　“Dear god,　please let me turn into a human.　I would like to do more favor for my master who really pet me.
　How do you think what happened next?

　The cat somehow changed into a beautiful girl.
　The cat, at the time was the human! She was so glad and 　went back to the house the farmer lived.

　The farmer looked at the beautiful girl.　Though, he couldn’t imagen she was the cat.
“Did you really change into a human?”
“Yes, thank to our god! I’m now a really human.　I will never change back into a cat.”

　Of course, the farmer married the girl who was the cat.

　His wife was beautiful, who was a kind cat.　She worked harder than any other humans from household to farming chores.

　Thanks for her, the farmer became richer than the neighboring.　They lived happily for long time.

End

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