Momotaro

　　文章背景

　　《桃太郎》是日本童話故事中最受兒童喜愛的一篇古老童話。雖然經歷了很多世紀后，故事的講述形式和內容略有變動，但是大多數版本都緊緊地圍繞著同樣的主題：一對無兒無女的老夫婦意外地在一顆桃子里發現了一個小男孩。這個孩子長大后，立志去征服邪惡的食人怪。他帶著一袋老婆婆做的小米餅上路了，途中遇到了一條狗，一只猴子和一只野雞。后來，在這幾個忠實伙伴的幫助下，桃太郎把食人怪打得落花流水，光榮地凱旋故里。

　　故事的語言簡短，結構明快，生動塑造了日本的一個傳奇形象――桃太郎。值得一提的是，童話在頌揚桃太郎這樣一個勇敢，機智，善良，強壯人物的同時，也反映了他幼年時的懶惰，從而使這個形象變得豐滿起來。和世界上其他童話相似，該故事中也用豐富的想象，為桃太郎安排了很多得力的助手，從而使故事在一系列巧合中體現“善良最終戰勝邪惡”的主題。

　　Once upon a time an old man and woman lived in the mountains. Everyday the old man went to the mountain and collected firewood， while the old woman went to the river and did the laundry. One day， she was doing the washing when a big peach came floating down the river towards her. As it was a big and juicy-looking fruit， she thought that her husband would be glad to eat it so she took it home. When the old man came back for lunch and saw the nice peach， he was really happy. The old woman cut the big peach open with a knife. What a surprise！ A lovely little boy was in the peach.

　　The old man and woman had no children so they were really grateful the gods had sent them a boy in this peach. Since he was born in a peach， they decided to call him Momotaro which means “peach-boy”。 The old woman cooked a meal for the little boy who ate as much as he could； the more he ate， the more he grew. Soon he became a tall and strong boy.

　　No matter how tall or strong he was， Momotaro was a lazy boy. Day after day， all he did was sleep and eat. In the village the other boys went to the mountain and picked firewood while Momotaro was the only one doing nothing. This worried the old man and the old woman， so they asked the other boys to try to make Momotaro go and work with them.

　　The boys then invited him， “Momotaro， would you come with us？ We're going to collect firewood.”

　　But he answered， “I haven't a basket， so I can't go with you” and went back to sleep.

　　The following day， they invited him again， “Momotaro， would you come with us？ We're going to collect firewood.”

　　And he answered them， “I haven't any sandals， so I can't go with you” and went back to sleep. Upon hearing this， the old woman got angry with Momotaro for being so lazy， so the next day he went to collect firewood with the other boys.

　　While the boys were working and collecting firewood， Momotaro took a nap. When the work was finished， the boys decided to go back to the village. Just then， Momotaro awoke and said to them， “I'll collect firewood and come back with you.”

　　They retorted， “If you start working now， we'll get back too late.”

　　Momotaro turned a deaf ear to them and went to a very big tree. Holding it by the middle， he uprooted it. Astonishing！ All the boys could not believe their eyes！ Thus the tall and strong Momotaro carried the big tree， while the other boys carried bundles of firewood back to the village. The old man and the old woman were amazed when they saw Momotaro carrying this very big tree as if it was a mere bundle of firewood.

　　The county lord happened to hear about this and wished to meet Momotaro. The next day Momotaro went to see the county lord. The lord said to him， “Ogres have been threatening and robbing my peasants for a long time. If you are as strong as I heard， you shall go and punish them.” Momotaro then agreed to go to the Island of Ogres.

　　For his journey， the old man and woman baked some millet cookies and gave them to Momotaro. Away he went and on his way he met a dog.

　　“Momotaro， where are you going？” asked the dog.

　　“To the Island of Ogres， to punish them.”

　　“And what are you bringing with you？”

　　“The best millet cookies of Japan.”

　　“Can I have one and go with you？” offered the dog. Momotaro gave the dog a cookie and they went along together.

　　Soon they met a monkey.

　　“Momotaro， where are you going？” asked the monkey.

　　“To the Island of Ogres， to punish them.”

　　“And what are you bringing with you？”

　　“The best millet cookies of Japan.”

　　“Can I have one and go with you？” offered the monkey. Momotaro gave the monkey a cookie and the three of them went along together.

　　Then they met a pheasant.

　　“Momotaro， where are you going？” asked the pheasant.

　　“To the Island of Ogres， to punish them.”

　　“And what are you bringing with you？”

　　“The best millet cookies of Japan.”

　　“Can I have one and go with you？” offered the pheasant. So Momotaro gave the pheasant a cookie too.

　　Momotaro， the dog， the monkey and the pheasant went together to the Island of Ogres by boat. They were sailing but could not see the island， so the pheasant went up in the sky. He found the island and guided the boat. Soon they landed on the Island of Ogres. There on the island was a great big castle with a huge door. It was tightly closed， but the monkey jumped easily inside and opened the huge door.

　　Momotaro entered and said to the ogres， who were having a feast， “My name is Momotaro， and I came to punish you.” The ogres laughed at him， but the dog ran in and bit them as Momotaro fought using his sword. Momotaro and his companions， having eaten the best millet cookies of Japan， knew no fear and were strong.

　　At last the ogres cried for mercy， “We shall never be bad again， please spare our lives.”

　　The defeated ogres gave Momotaro their treasure. He took it and returned with his companions， who had eaten the best millet cookies of Japan and helped defeat the ogres. The old man and the old woman， who had been worrying about Momotaro， welcomed them back cheerfully.

　　After that Momotaro and the old man and woman lived happily together.

　　很久很久以前，一個地方住著老爺爺和老奶奶。通常，爺爺上山砍柴，奶奶去河邊洗衣服。一天，奶奶洗衣服時，一個大桃子一沉一浮地順水漂來。看到了這個桃子，奶奶就把它帶回了家，想讓爺爺嘗個鮮。吃中午飯時，爺爺從山里回來了，看到了這個桃子后歡喜得不得了。兩個人剛剛將桃子切開，不由得嚇了一大跳，原來呀，一個活蹦亂眺的小男孩從桃子里面跳了出來。

　　爺爺和奶奶沒有孩子，于是歡天喜地地認為孩子是天賜的，就把他叫做“桃太郎”， 奶奶做好了飯給他吃，盡管桃太郎有點兒害怕，但仍然吃得很香甜。于是，桃太郎漸漸地長大了。

　　桃太郎不停地吃，不停地長，變成了一個大力士，同時也是一個大懶漢。每天的任務只是吃了睡，睡了吃。村里的年輕人每日上山撿柴，可桃太郎卻什么活也不干。爺爺和奶奶挺擔心的，就拜托村里年輕人說：“叫上桃太郎一起去吧。”當他們來找桃太郎一起上山并說：“桃太郎，一塊兒打柴去吧”時，他卻推說：“沒有背簍，去不成啊。”說完后，繼續睡午覺。第二天，這些年輕人又來邀桃太郎，他推諉道：“沒鞋，去不了哇。”又過了一天，奶奶終于忍不住生氣了，沒有辦法，桃太郎不得不和村里的年輕人們一起上山了。

　　大家在山里拾柴，桃太郎卻只是睡大覺。等到大家收拾好柴簍要回家時，桃太郎說：“我也想拾點兒柴，然后一起回去吧。”大家說：“天色都已經不早了，來不及了。”就在這時， 桃太郎抓住了一棵大樹，突然間將它拔了出來，把大家嚇了一大跳。于是，他扛著大樹和大伙返回了村里。見到了這種情況，爺爺和奶奶非常吃驚。這事傳到了大人的耳朵里，大人萌生了特別想見桃太郎的念頭。見了面，大人說：“前一陣兒總有壞魔鬼騷擾村民，偷盜各種物品器具。因為你很有力氣，那么請你去征服魔鬼吧。”因此，桃太郎伏鬼這件事就這么定了。

　　爺爺和奶奶作好了黃米面團給桃太郎帶上。就這樣他出發了。途中他遇到了一條狗， 狗問他，：

　　“桃太郎，你這是去哪兒呀。”“魔鬼要去島上，我正要去除鬼。”“那你腰間掛的是什么呢？”“最最好吃的黃米面團。”“給我一個好嗎，我和你一起去”，狗說。

　　于是桃太郎給了狗一個黃米面團。

　　和狗一起繼續行進時，又遇到了一只猴子，猴子問：“桃太郎，你這是去哪兒呀。”“魔鬼要去島上，我去除鬼。”“那你腰間掛的是什么呢？”“最最好吃的黃米面團。”“給我一個吧，我和你們一塊兒去”，猴子說。

　　桃太郎又給了猴子一個黃米面團。

　　于是，桃太郎帶著狗和猴子繼續趕路了。這回跳出來一只野雞。同樣地，野雞問他：

　　“桃太郎，你這是去哪兒呀。”“魔鬼要去島上，我去除鬼。”“你腰間掛著的是什么呀？”“最最好吃的黃米面團。”“給我一個吧，我和你們一塊兒去。”

　　這樣，桃太郎又給了野雞一個黃米面團。 桃太郎，狗，猴子，野雞好不容易才到了海邊，因為魔鬼們已經去了島上，他們就劃船向海島出發了。搖啊搖，搖啊搖，怎么也看不到那個島嶼。野雞就飛到了空中，觀察到了島嶼的位置，指揮著大家向那個地方劃去，這樣，大家到達了島上。島上有一座大城，城門緊閉， 猴子敏捷地爬到了門里，將門栓摘掉，把門打開了。而魔鬼們仍一無所知地又是喝酒又是唱歌。桃太郎大聲喝道：“我乃桃太郎是也，前來消除你們。

　　“魔鬼們見他們勢單力薄，并不把他們放在眼里。但是，吃了最最好吃的黃米面團后精力充沛的桃太郎和伙伴們并肩作戰， 瞬間就把魔鬼們打得落花流水。

　　魔鬼們賠罪說：“我們歸還搶盜來的寶物，決不再做壞事了，給我們留一條活路吧。” 懲治了魔鬼后，桃太郎和伙伴們帶著寶物回到了村里。正擔驚受怕的爺爺和奶奶見狀非常高興。從那以后，桃太郎與爺爺和奶奶一直過著幸福愉快的生活。

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