Japanese News: 松尾のせどさく

松尾まつおのせどさく

Matsuo’s Sedosaku

昔四国むかししこくの松尾まつおあたりにせどさくという腕うでのいい猟師りょうしがいた

Once upon a time, there was a skilled hunter named Sedosaku near Matsuo in Shikoku.

ある日ひいつものように犬いぬのシロと猟りょうに出掛でかけ、沢さわでひと休やすみしていると、沢さわの向むこうに大おおきな猪いのししがいた

One day, I went hunting with my dog Shiro as usual, and when I was taking a break at a stream, I saw a large boar on the other side of the stream.

立派りっぱな猪いのししだったのでせどさくはしとめてやろうと、シロに反対側はんたいがわへ回まわりこんでこちらへ誘さそいこむよう指示しじした

It was a fine boar, so I wanted to kill it quickly, so I instructed Shiro to go around to the other side and lure it to me.

が、なぜかシロは気乗きのりしない様子ようす

But for some reason, Shiro doesn’t seem to care.

豪ごうをにやしたせどさくはその場ばで弓ゆみを引ひき猪いのししに放はなった

Sedosaku, grinning at Go, drew his bow on the spot and shot it at the boar.

すると矢やは猪いのししに命中めいちゅうしたが、何なにと頭あたまに当あたって跳はね返かえり、猪いのししはそのまま逃にげていった

The arrow hit the boar, but it bounced off the head and the boar ran away.

シロが拾ひろって来きた矢尻やじりを見みてせどさくは驚おどろいた

Sedosaku was surprised when he saw the arrowhead that Shiro had picked up.

矢尻やじりには油あぶらがべっとりとついている

The arrowhead is sticky with oil.

この猪いのししは大変歳たいへんとしを経へて身体しんたいが樹きのヤニで固かためられており、それで矢やが通かよらなかったのだ

This boar was very old and its body was hardened with tree tar, which made it impossible for arrows to pass through it.

せどさくはますますこの猪いのししをしとめたくなり、また追おっていった

Sedosaku wanted to kill this boar all the more, so he chased after it again.

正面しょうめんからはしとめられないと知しったせどさくは、丘おかの上うえから猪いのししの尻しりめがけて矢やを放はなった

Knowing that he would not be able to stop the boar from the front, Sedosaku shot an arrow from the top of the hill at the boar’s butt.

しかし矢やを放はなつ寸前すんぜん、シロが突然猪とつぜんいのししに向むかって吠ほえ、それに気付きづいた猪いのししは矢やをかわしまた逃にげてしまった

However, just before he was about to release the arrow, Shiro suddenly barked at the boar, and the boar, noticing this, dodged the arrow and ran away again.

せどさくはこんな時ときに吠ほえるやつがあるかとシロを叱しかりつけたが、シロはそのままどこかへ行いってしまった

Sedosaku scolded Shiro, asking if anyone would bark at a time like this, but Shiro just went away.

シロの行動こうどうを不審ふしんに思おもいながらも、せどさくは猪いのししを追おい掛かけた

Although he was suspicious of Shiro’s actions, Sedosaku chased after the boar.

すると猪いのししはせどさくが来くるのを予想よそうしていたのか真正面まっしょうめんに頭あたまを向むけて身構みがまえている

Then the boar, probably expecting Sedosaku to come, turned his head directly in front of him and prepared himself.

せどさくはこうなったら猪いのししの柔やわらかい腹はらを切きり裂さいてしとめる他無たむいと思おもい、山刀やまがたなを抜ぬいて猪いのししを正身構せいみがまえた

Sedosaku thought that if this happened, he would have no choice but to cut the boar’s soft belly and kill it, so he pulled out his machete and took a full stance on the boar.

そして猪いのししが突進とっしんし、せどさくに飛とびかかった

Then the boar rushed forward and pounced on Sedosaku.

せどさくは猪いのししと共ともに転てんがりながら山刀やまがたなを猪いのししの腹はらに突つき立たて、ようやく猪いのししの息いきの根ねを止とめた

Sedosaku rolled with the boar and thrust his machete into the boar’s belly, finally killing the boar.

そして夜よる、たき火ひをして休やすんでいると逃にげたシロが戻もどってきた

Then, at night, while I was resting by making a bonfire, Shiro, who had run away, came back.

さっきの事ことは許ゆるすからこっちへ来きて飯めしでも食くえと言いったが、猪いのししの死体したいを見みたシロは突然水とつぜんみずを吹ふき掛かけてたき火ひを消けしてしまった

I forgive him for what happened earlier and tell him to come over and have some food, but when Shiro sees the dead boar, he suddenly sprays water on him and extinguishes the bonfire.