Genna ka, Kan'ei ka, tonikaku tooi mukashi de aru.

  Tenshu no on'oshie o houzuru mono wa, sono koro de mo mou mitsukari shidai, hiaburi ya haritsuke ni awasarete ita. Shikashi hakugai ga hageshii dake ni, "Banji ni kanaitamou on'aruji" mo, sono koro wa issou kono kuni no shuuto ni, arataka na gokago o kuwaerareta rashii. Nagasaki atari no muramura ni wa, tokidoki hinokure no hikari to issho ni, tenshi ya seito no mimau koto ga atta. Gen ni ano SAN-JOAN-BACHISUTA sae, ichido nado wa urakami no shuuto MIGERU yabee no suishagoya ni, sugata o arawashita to tsutaerarete iru. To douji ni akuma mo mata shuuto no shoujin o samatageru tame, aruiwa minarenu kokujin to nari, arui wa hakurai no kusabana to nari, arui wa ajiro no norimono to nari, shibashiba onaji muramura ni shutsubotsu shita. Yoruhiru sae wakatanu tsuchi no rou ni, migeru yabee o kurushimeta nezumi mo, jitsu wa akuma no henge datta sou de aru. Yabee wa genna hachinen no aki, juuichinin no shuuto to hiaburi ni natta. -- sono genna ka, kan'ei ka, tonikaku tooi mukashi de aru.

  Yahari Uragami no Yamazato mura ni, ogin to iu dounyo ga sunde ita. Ogin no chichi haha wa Oosaka kara, harubaru nagasaki e rurou shite kita. Ga, nani mo shidasanai uchi ni, Ogin hitori o nokoshita mama, futari tomo kojin ni natte shimatta. Mochiron karera takoku mono wa, tenshu no on'oshie o shiruhazu wa nai. Karera no shinjita no wa bukkyou de aru. Zen ka, hokke ka, sore tomo mata joudo ka, nani ni mo seyo shaka no oshie de aru. Aru FURANSU no ZYESUUITTO ni yoreba, tensei kanchi ni tonda shaka wa, shina kakuchi o yuureki shinagara, amida to shousuru hotoke no michi o toita. Sono go mata nippon no kuni e mo, yahari onaji michi o oshie ni kita. Shaka no toita oshie ni yoreba, wareware ningen no reikon wa, sono tsumi no keichou shinsen ni shitagai, arui wa kotori to nari, arui wa ushi to nari, arui wa mata jumoku to naru sou de aru.

  Nominarazu shaka wa umareru toki, kare no haha okoroshita to iu. Shaka no oshie no koutan nano wa mochiron, shaka no daiaku mo mata meihaku de aru.(jian kurasse) shikashi ogin no hahaoya wa, mae ni mo choito kaita toori, sou iu shinjitsu o shiru hazu wa nai. Karera wa iki o hikitotta nochi mo, shaka no oshie o shinjite iru. Sabishii haka hara no matsu no kage ni, matsu wa "Inheruno" ni ochiru no mo shirazu, hakanai gokuraku o yumemite iru.

  Shikashi ogin wa saiwai ni mo, ryoushin no muchi ni somatte inai. Kore wa Yamazato mura itsuki no noufu,awaremi no fukai joan magoshichi wa, tou ni kono dounyo no hitai e, bapuchizu mono onmizu o sosoida ue, mariya to iu na o ataete ita. Ogin wa shaka ga umareta toki, ten to chi to o sashinagara, "Tenjou tenge yuiga dokuson" to shishiku shita koto nado wa shinjite inai. Sono kawari ni, "Fukaku gojuunan, fukaku goairen, sugurete amaku mashimasu dounyo santa-maria sama" ga, shizen to migomotta koto o shinjite iru. "Juujika ni kakarishi shitamai,ishi no gyokan ni osameraretamai" Daichi no soko ni umerareta zesusu ga, mikka no nochi yomikaetta koto o shinjite iru. Gokyuumei no rappa sae hibiki watareba, "On'aruji, ooinaru goikou,ooinaru goisei o motte amakudari tamai,tsuchibokori ni naritaru hitobito no shikishin o, moto no reikon ni awasete yomikaeshi tamai, zennin wa tenjou no keraku o uke, mata akunin wa tengu to tomo ni, jigoku ni ochi" Ru koto o shinjite iru. Koto ni "Okotoba no goseitoku ni yori, pan to sake no shokukei wa kawarazu to iedo mo, sono shoutai wa on'aruji no goketsuniku to narikawaru" Toutoi sagaramento ni bousen)' o shinjite iru. Ogin no kokoro wa ryoushin no you ni, neppuu ni fukareta sabaku de wa nai. Soboku na nobara no hana o majieta, mioshie no yutaka na bakuhatake de aru. Ogin wa ryoushin o ushinatta ushiro, joan magoshichi no youjo ni natta. Magoshichi no tsuma,joanna osumi mo, yahari kokoro no yasashii hito de aru. Ogin wa kono fuufu to issho ni, ushi o ottari mugi o kattari, koufuku ni sono hi o okutte ita. Mochiron sou iu kurashi no naka ni mo, murabito no me ni tatanai kagiri wa, danjiki ya kitou mo okotatta koto wa nai. Ogin wa idobata no ichijiku no kage ni, ookii mikaduki o aogi nagara, shibashiba nesshin ni kitou o korashita. Kono tarekami no dounyo no kitou wa, kou iu kantan na mono nano de aru."Awaremi no onhaha, onmi ni onrei o nashitatematsuru. Runin to nareru ewa no kodomo, onmi ni sakebi o nashitatematsuru. Aware ko no namida no tani ni,nyuunan no onme o megurasase tamae. Anmei."

  Suruto aru toshi no natara(koutansai) no yo,akuma wa nannin ka no yakunin to issho ni, totsuzen magoshichi no ie e haitte kita. Magoshichi no ie ni wa ookina irori ni "Otogi no takimono" no hi ga moesakatte iru. Sore kara susubita kabe no ue ni mo, kon'ya dake wa juujika ga matsutte aru. Saigo ni ushiro no ushigoya e ikeba, zesususama no ubuyu no tame ni, kaioke ni mizu ga tataerarete iru. Yakunin wa tagai ni unazukiai nagara,magoshichi fuufu ni nawa o kaketa. Ogin mo douji ni kukuriagerareta. Shikashi karera wa sannin tomo, zenzen warubireru keshiki wa nakatta. Reikon no tasukari no tame naraba, ikanaru semekumo kakugo de aru. On'aruji wa kanarazu warera no tame ni, gokago o tamawaru no ni chigai nai. Daiichi natara no yo ni torawareta to iu no wa,tenchou no atsui shouko de wa nai ka? Karera wa mina iiawaseta you ni, kou kakushin shite ita no de aru.

  Yakunin wa karera o imashimeta nochi, daikan no yashikie hikitatete itta. Ga, karera wa sono tochuumo, an'ya no kaze ni fukarenagara, gokoutan no kitouo zushitsuduketa."Beren no kuni ni oumare nasareta onwakagimisama, ima wa izuko ni mashimasuka? Onhome toutome tamae."

  Akuma wa karera no torawaretano o miruto, te o utte yorokobi waratta. Shikashi karera no kenagena samaniwa, sukunakarazu hara o tatetarashii. Akumawa Hitori ni natta nochi, imaimashisou ni tsuba o suruga hayaika, tachimachi ookii ishiusu ni natta. Sou shite gorogoro korogarinagara yami no nakani kieusete shimatta.

  Joan magoshichi, joanna osumi, mariya ogin no sanninwa, tsuchi no rou ni nage komareta ue, tenshu no on oshie o suteruyouni, iroirono semeku ni awasareta. Shikashi mizuzeme ya hizemeni attemo, karera no kesshin wa ugokanakatta. Tatoi hiniku wa tadareru ni shitemo, haraiso(tengoku)no mon'e wa irunowa, mou hitoiki no shinboude aru. Iya, tenshu no daion o omoeba, ko no kurai tsuchi no rousae, sonomama "Haraiso" no sougonto kawari wa nai. Nominarazu toutoi tenshi ya seitowa, yumetomo utsutsutomo tsukanai nakani, shibashiba karerao nagusame ni kita. Koto ni sou iu koufukuwa, ichiban ogin ni megumaretarashii. Oginwa san- joan- bachi su taga, ookii ryoutenohirani, inago o takusan sukuiagenagara, kueto iu tokoro o mita koto ga aru. Mata ootenshi gaburieruga, shiroi tsubasa o tatanda Mama, utsukushii konjiki no sakazukini, mizuo kureru tokoro o mita koto mo aru.

  Daikan wa tenshu no on oshie wa mochiron, shakano oshie mo shiranakattakara, naze karera ga goujouo harunoka sappari rikai ga dekinakatta. Tokiniwa sannin ga sannintomo, kichigaide wa naikato omou koto mo atta. Shikashi kichigaide mo nai kotoga wakaruto, kondo wa daijatoka ikkakujuutoka, tonikaku jinrin ni wa fuchi no nai doubutsunoyouna ki ga shidashita. Sou iu doubutsu o ikashite oitewa, konnichi no houritsu ni tagaubakarika, ikkoku no ankini mo kakawaru ketsude aru. Sokode daikan wa ichigatsubakari, tsuchi no rou ni karerao irete oita nochi, toutou sanninto mo yakikorosu koto ni shita. (mi o ieba ko no daikanmo, seken ippan no hitobitonoyouni, ikkoku no ankini kakawaruka douka, sonna koto wa hotondo kangaenakatta. Kore wa daiichi ni houritsuga ari, daini ni jinmin no doutoku ga ari, wazawaza kangaete minaidemo, kakubetsu fujiyuu wa shinakattakarade aru.)

  Joan magoshichi o hajime sannin no shuutowa, murahazure no keijoue hikareru tochuumo, osoreru keshiki wa mienakatta. Keijou wa choudo hakaharani tonatta, ishikoro no ooi akichide aru. Karerawa sokoe touchaku suruto, ichiichi zaijou o yomi kikasareta nochi, futoi kakubashira ni kukuritsukerareta. Sorekara migi ni joanna osumi, chuuou ni JOAN Magoshichi, hidari ni mariya oginto iu junni, keijou no mannakae oshitaterareta. Osumiwa renjitsu no semeku no tame, kyuu ni toshi o tottayouni mieru. Magoshichi mo hige no nobita hou ni wa, hotondo chinoke ga kayotte inai. Ogin mo -- Ogin wa futari ni kuraberu to, mada shimo fudan to kawaranakatta. Ga, karera wa sannin tomo, uzutakai takigi o fumaeta mama, onaji you ni shizuka na kao o shite iru.

  Keijou no mawari ni wa zutto mae kara, oozei no kenbutsu ga torimaite iru. Sono mata kenbutsu no mukou no sora ni wa, hakawara no matsu ga gorokupon, tengai no you ni eda o hatte iru.

  Issai no junbi no owatta toki, yakunin no Hitori wa mono mono shige ni, sannin no mae e susumi yoru to, tenshu no on oshie o suteru ka sutenu ka, shibaraku yuuyo o ataeru kara, mou ichido yoku kangaete miro, moshi on oshie o suteru to ieba, jiki ni mo nawame wa yurushite yaru to itta. Shikashi karera wa kotaenai. Mina tooi sora o mimamotta mama, kuchimoto ni wa bishou sae tataete iru.

  Yakunin wa mochiron kenbutsu sura, kono suufun no aida kurai hissori to natta tameshi wa nai. Musuu no me wa jitto matataki mo sezu, sannin no kao ni sosogarete iru. Ga, kore wa kizushisa no amari, dare mo iki o nonda no de wa nai. Kenbutsu wa taitei hi no kakaru no o, ima ka ima ka to matte ita no de aru. Yakunin wa mata shokei no temadoru no ni, sukkari taikutsu shikitte ita kara, hanashi o suru yuuki mo denakatta no de aru.

  Suruto totsuzen ichidou no mimi wa, hakkiri to igai na kotoba o toraeta."Watashi wa on oshie o suteru koto ni itashimashita."

  Koe no nushi wa ogin de aru. Kenbutsu wa ichido ni sawagi tatta. Ga, ichido doyomeita nochi, tachimachi mata shizuka ni natte shimatta. Sore wa magoshichi ga kanashisou ni, ogin no hou o furimuki nagara, chikara no nai koe o dashita kara de aru."Ogin! Omae wa akuma ni taburakasareta no ka? Mou hito shinbou shi sae sureba, on'aruji no okao mo ogameru no da zo."

  Sono kotoba ga owaranai uchi ni, osumi mo haruka ni ogin no houe, isshou kenmei na koe o kaketa." Ogin! Ogin! Omae ni wa akuma ga tsuita no da yo. Inotte okure. Inotte okure."

  Shikashi ogin wa henji o shinai. Tada me wa oozei no kenbutsu no mukou no, tengai no you ni eda o hatta, hakahara no matsu o nagamete iru. Sono uchi ni mou yakunin no hitori wa, ogin no nawame o yurusu you ni meijita.

  Joan magoshichi wa sore o miru nari, akirameta you ni me o tsubutta." Banji ni kanai tamou on'aruji, on hakarai ni makase tatematsuru."

  Yatto nawa o hanareta ogin wa, bouzen to Shibaraku tatazunde ita. Ga, magoshichi ya osumi o miru to, kyuu ni sono mae e hizamazuki nagara, nani mo iwazu ni namida o nagashita. Magoshichi wa yahari me o tojite iru. Osumi mo kao o somuketa mama, Ogin no hou wa miyou to mo shinai." Otousama, okaasama, douka kannin shite kudasaimashi."

  Ogin wa yatto kuchi o hiraita." Watashi wa on oshie o sutemashita. Sono ketsu wa futo mukou ni mieru, tengai no you na matsu no kozue ni, ki no tsuita sei de gozaimasu. A no hakawara no matsu no kage ni, nemutte irassharu goryoushin wa, tenshu no on oshie mo gozonji nashi, kitto imakoro wa inheruno ni, oochi ni natte irasshaimashou. Sore o ima watashi hitori, harai sono mon ni haitta no de wa, dou shite mo moushiketsu ga arimasen. Watashi wa yahari jigoku no soko e, goryoushin no ato o otte mairimashou. Dou ka otousama ya okaasama wa, zesusu sama ya mariya sama no gogawa e oide nasutte kudasaimashi. Sono yo rion'oshie o suteta ue wa, watashi mo ikite wa iraremasen. ‥‥‥‥"

  Ogin wa kiregire ni sou itte kara, ato wa susurinaki ni shizunde shimatta. Suruto kondo wa joanna ni bousen)' osumi mo, ashi ni funda takigi no ue e, horohoro namida o otoshidashita. Kore kara haraiso e hairou to suru no ni, you mo nai nageki ni fukette iru no wa, mochiron shuuto no subeki koto de wa nai. Joan magoshichiwa, niganigashi sou ni tonari no tsuma o furikaeri nagara, kandakai koe ni shikaritsuketa." Omae mo akuma ni miirareta no ka? Tenshu no on oshie o sutetakereba, katte ni omae dake suteru ga ii. Ore wa hitori de mo yakeshinde miseru zo." " Ie, watashi mo otomo o itashimasu. Keredo mo sore wa -- sore wa"

  Osumi wa namida o nomikonde kara, nakaba sakebu you ni kotoba o nageta." Keredo mo sore wa haraisoe mairitai kara de wa gozaimasen. Tada anata no, -- anata no otomo o itasu no de gozaimasu."

  Magoshichi wa nagai aida damatte ita. Shikashi sono kao wa aozame tari, mata chi no iro o minagirase tari shita. To douji ni ase no tama mo, tsubutsubu kao ni tamaridashita. Magoshichi wa konshin no me ni, kare no reikon o mite iru no de aru. Kare no reikon o ubaiau tenshi to akuma to o mite iru no aru. Moshi sono toki ashimoto no ogin ga nakifushita kao o agezu ni itara, -- iya, mou ogin wa kao o ageta. Shikamo namida ni afureta me ni wa, fushigi na hikari o yadoshi nagara, jitto kare o mimamotte iru. Kono me no oku ni hirameite iru no wa, mujaki na dounyo no kokoro bakari de wa nai. " Runin to nareru ewa no kodomo", arayuru ningen no kokoro de aru." Otousama! Inheruno e mairimashou. Okaasama mo, watashi mo, achira no otousama ya okaasama mo, -- minna akuma ni sarawaremashou."

  Magoshichi wa toutou daraku shita.

  Kono hanashi wa waga kuni ni ookatta houkyounin no junan no uchi de mo, motto mo hazubeki tsumazuki to shite, koudai ni tsutaerareta monogatari de aru. Nan de mo karera ga sannin nagara, on oshie o suteru to natta toki ni wa, tenshu no nan taru ka o wakimae nai kenbutsu no rounyaku nannyo sae mo, kotogotoku karera o nikunda to iu. Kore wa sekkaku no hiaburi mo nani mo, misokonatta ikon datta ka mo shirenai. Sara ni mata tsutauru tokoro ni yoreba, akuma wa sono toki daikanki no amari, ookii shomotsu ni bakenagara, yojuu keijou ni tonde ita to iu. Kore mo sou mushou ni yorokobu hodo, akuma no seikou datta ka dou ka, sakusha wa hanahada kaigi-teki de aru.

(Taishou 11 nen 8 gatsu)