ＷＥＢ絵本「ルルとミミ（夢野久作）」第５巻

「あら、ミミちゃん．こんな所で花の鎖を作っててよ．まあ、奇麗な事．そんなに長くして何になさるの」と大勢のお友達がミミの周りに集まって尋ねました．

ミミは夜の明けぬ内から花の鎖を作り始めていたのですが、こう尋ねられますと淋しく笑いました．

Many friends gathered around Memie. And they asked to her.

"Oh, Memie!"

"You are making a chain of flowers here, aren't you?"

"Wow, how pretty!"

"What do you make it so long for?"

Memie had started making the chain of flowers before dawn. But their inquiry made her smile lonesomely.

「あたし、この鎖をもっともっと長く作ると、それにつかまってお兄さんに会いに行くのです」

「あら、そう．それじゃ、あたし達もお加勢しましょうね」

"I will make this chain long more and more. And, hanging on it, I'm going to meet my brother."

"Oh dear! So, we shall help you!"

ミミのお友達の女の子達はみんな、こう言って方々から花を取って来てミミに遣りました．

ミミは草の葉を撚り合せた糸に、その花をひとつひとつ、つなぎまして、長い長い花の鎖にして行きました．

Saying such a thing, all of Memie's girl friends plucked flowers here and there. And they handed them to Memie.

Memie twisted blades of grass into a string. Joining flowers on the string one by one, she was making the chain of flowers longer and longer.

夕方になると、お友達はみんな、お家へ帰りましたが、ミミはなおも一生懸命に花を摘んでは草の糸につなぎました．

そのうちに日が暮れると花の咲いているのが見えなくなりましたので、ミミは草の中に突っ伏してウトウトと眠りながら月の出るのを待ちました．

All her friends went back to home in the twilight.

But Memie still plucked flowers. And she eagerly joined them on the string of grass.

There was no open flowers to be seen after dusk.

And so, Memie lay on the grass and took a nap. She was waiting for the moon.

やがて何だか、からだがヒヤヒヤするようなので、ミミは目を覚まして見ますと、どうでしょう、いつのまに昇ったのか、お月様はもう空の真ん中に近づいております．

ミミは月の光を頼りに花の鎖を振り返って見ました．

色々の花をつないだ草の糸は湖の周りをひとまわりしてもまだ余るほどで果ては広い野原の草に隠れて見えなくなっております．

ミミはこの花の鎖が湖の底まで届くかどうか分かりませんでした．

けれども思い切って、その端をしっかりと握って湖の中に沈んで行きました．

After a while, Memie felt chilly. And so, she awoke.

The moon was approaching the center of the sky without her noticing.

Memie turned round and looked at the flower chain in the moonlight.

The grass string joining various flowers was as long as the distance around the lake.

One end of the string was hidden from sight in grass of the large field.

Memie didn't know whether the flower chain could reach the bottom of the lake.

But she held the other end tightly and dared to sink in the lake.

湖の水が濁っているのは、ほんの上の方の少しばかりでした．

下の方はやはり水晶のように明るく透き通って、キラキラと輝いておりました．

Only the surface of the lake was muddy.

The lower part was clear like crystal and was shining brilliantly.

その中に揺らめく水草の林の美しい事・・・

The prettiness of the thicket of water plants waving in......

ミミを振り返って行く魚の群れの奇麗な事・・・

The loveliness of the schools of fishes going and looking back at Memie......

けれどもミミは、ただ兄さんのルルの事ばかり考えて、なおも底深く沈んで行きました．

そうすると遥か底の方に湖の御殿が見え始めました．

湖の御殿は、ありとあらゆる貴い美しい石で出来ておりまして、真珠の屋根が林のように幾らも幾らも並んでおりました．

ミミは、その一番外側の一番大きな御門の所まで来ますと、花の鎖を放して中へ入って行きました．

However, Memie only thought about her brother Ruroo. And she was sinking deeper and deeper.

And then, the Palace of the lake was coming into sight far away to the bottom.

The Palace of the lake was made of all sorts of precious stones. And many pearly steeples stood in rows like a grove.

When Memie came to the biggest outer gate, she let go of the flower chain.

And she went inside.

（つづく）