Koiwai noujou no kita ni, kuroi matsu no mori ga yottsu arimasu. Ichiban minami ga Oino mori de, sono tsugi ga Zarumori, tsugi wa Kurosakamori, kitano hazure wa Nusuttomori desu.

Kono mori ga itsugoro doushite dekita no ka, doushite konna kitai na namae ga tsuita no ka, sore o ichiban hajime kara, sukkari shitte iru mono wa, ore hitori da to Kurosakamori no mannaka no ookina iwa ga, aru hi, ibatte kono ohanashi o watakushi ni kikasemashita.

Zuutto mukashi, Iwatesan ga, nanben mo funka shimashita. Sono hai de sokora wa sukkari umarimashita. Kono makkuro na ookina iwa mo, yappari yama kara hanetobasarete, ima no tokoro ni ochite kita no dasou desu.

Funka ga yatto shizumaru to, nohara ya oka ni wa, ho no aru kusa ya ho no nai kusa ga, minami no hou kara dandan haete, toutou sokora ippai ni nari, sore kara kashiwa ya matsu mo haedashi, shimai ni, ima no yottsu no mori ga dekimashita. Keredo mo mori ni wa mada namae mo naku, meimei katte ni, ore wa ore da to omotte iru dake deshita. Suru to aru toshi no aki, mizu no you ni tsumetai sukitooru kaze ga, kashiwa no kareha o sarasara narashi, Iwatesan no gin no kanmuri ni wa, kumo no kage ga kukkiri kuroku utsutte iru hi deshita.

Yonin no, kera o kita hyakushoutachi ga, yamagatana ya sanbongowa ya touguwa ya, subete yama to nohara no buki o kataku karada ni shibaritsukete, higashi no kadobatta hiuchiishi no yama o koete, nosshi nosshi to, kono mori ni kakomareta chiisana nohara ni yatte kimashita. Yoku miru to minna ookina katana mo sashite ita no desu.

Sentou no hyakushou ga, sokora no gentou no you na keshiki o, minna ni achikochi yubisashite

"Douda. Ii toko darou. Hatake wa sugu okoserushi, mori wa chikaishi, kirei na mizu mo nagarete iru. Sore ni hiatari mo ii. Dou da, ore wa mou hayaku kara, koko to kimete oitan da." to iimasu to, hitori no hyakushou wa,

"Shikashi chimi wa dou kana." to ii nagara, kagande ippon no susuki o hikinuite, sono ne kara tsuchi o tenohira ni furuiotoshite, shibaraku yubi de konetari, chotto namete mitari shite kara iimashita.

"Un. Jimi mo hidoku yoku wa nai ga, mata hidoku waruku mo naina."

"Saa, sorede wa iyoiyo koko To kimeruka." Mo hitori ga, natsukashisou ni atari o mimawashi nagara iimashita.

"Yoshi, sou kimeyou." Imamade damatte tatte ita, yoninme no hyakushou ga iimashita.

Yonin wa sokode yorokonde, senaka no nimotsu o doshin to oroshite, sore kara kita hou e muite, takaku sakebimashita.

"Ooi, ooi. Koko dazo. Hayaku koo. Hayaku koo."

Suruto mukou no susuki no naka kara, nimotsu o takusan shotte, kao o makka ni shite okamisantachi ga sannin dete kimashita. Miru to, itsutsu muttsu yori shita no kodomo ga kunin, waiwai ii nagara hashitte tsuite kuru no deshita.

Sokode yottari no otokotachi wa, tende ni sukina hou e muite, koe o soroete sakebimashita.

"Koko e hatake okoshite mo ii kaa."

"Ii zoo." Mori ga issei ni kotaemashita.

Minna wa mata sakebimashita.

"Koko ni ie tatete mo ii kaa."

"Youshi." Mori wa ippen ni kotaemashita.

Minna wa mata koe o soroete tazunemashita.

"Kokode hi taite mo ii kaa."

"Ii zoo." Mori wa ippen ni kotaemashita.

Minna wa mata sakebimashita.

"Sukoshi ki moratte mo ii kaa."

"Youshi." Mori wa issei ni kotaemashita.

Otokotachi wa yorokonde te o tataki, sakki kara kaoiro o kaete, shin to shite ita onna ya kodomora wa, niwaka ni hashagidashite, kodomora wa ureshi magire ni kenka o shitari, onnatachi wa sono ko o pokapoka naguttari shimashita.

Sono hi, bangata made ni wa, mou kaya o kabuseta chiisana maruta no koya ga dekite imashita. Kodomotachi wa, yorokonde sono mawari o tondari hanetari shimashita. Tsugi no hi kara, mori wa sono hitotachi no kichigai no you ni natte, hataraite iru no o mimashita. Otoko wa minna kuwa o pikaripikari sasete, nohara no kusa o okoshimashita. Onnatachi wa, mada risu ya nonezumi ni motte ikarenai kuri no mi o atsumetari, matsu o kitte takigi o tsukuttari shimashita. Soshite mamonaku, ichimen no yuki ga kita no desu.

Sono hitotachi no tame ni, mori wa fuyu no aida, isshou kenmei, kita kara no kaze o fuseide yarimashita. Sore ni mo, chiisana kodomora wa samugatte, akaku hareta chiisana te o, jibun no nodo ni ate nagara, "Tsumetai, tsumetai." to itte yoku nakimashita.

Haru ni natte, koya ga futatsu ni narimashita.

Soshite soba to hie to ga makareta you deshita. Soba ni wa shiroi hana ga saki, hie wa kuroi ho o dashimashita. Sono toshi no aki, kokumotsu ga tonikaku minori, atarashii hatake ga fue, koya ga mittsu ni natta toki, minna wa amari ureshikute otona made ga hanearukimashita. Tokoro ga, tsuchi no kataku kootta asa deshita. Kyuu nin no kodo mo ra no naka no, chiisana yonin ga dou shita no ka yoru no aida ni mienaku natte ita no desu.

Minna wa marude, kichigai no you ni natte, sonohen o achikochi sagashimashita ga, kodomora no kage mo miemasen deshita.

Sokode minna wa, tende ni sukina hou e muite, issho ni sakebimashita.

"Tareka warashiyado shiranai ka."

"Shiranai" to mori wa issei ni kotaemashita.

"Sondara sagashi ni ikuzoo." to minna wa mata sakebimashita.

"Koo." to mori wa issei ni kotaemashita.

Sokode minna wa iroiro no nougu o motte, mazu ichiban chikai Oino mori ni ikimashita. Mori e hairimasu to, sugu shimetta tsumetai kaze to kuchiba no nioi to ga, sutto minna o osoimashita.

Minna wa dondon fumikonde ikimashita.

Suru to mori no oku no hou de nanika pachipachi oto ga shimashita.

Isoide socchi e itte mimasu to, sukitootta barairo no hi ga dondon moete ite, Oino ga kyuu hiki, kurukurukurukuru, hi no mawari o odotte kakearuite iru no deshita.

Dandan chikaku e itte miru to inaku natta kodomora wa yonin to mo, sono hi ni muite yaita kuri ya hatsutake nado o tabete imashita.

Oino wa minna uta o utatte, natsu no mawari dourounoyou ni, hi no mawari o hashitte imashita.

"Oino mori no mannaka de,

Hi wa dorodoro pachipachi

Hi wa dorodoro pachipachi,

Kuri wa korokoro pachipachi,

Kuri wa korokoro pachipachi."

Minna wa soko de, koe o soroete sakebimashita.

"Oino dono Oino dono, warabe sha do kaeshite goro."

Oino wa minna bikkuri shite, ippen ni uta o yametekuchi o magete, minna no hou o furimukimashita.

Suru to hi ga kyuu ni kiete, sokora wa niwaka ni aoku shiin to natte shimatta node hi no soba no kodomora ha waa to nakidashimashita.

Oino wa, dou shitara iika komatta to iu you ni shibaraku kyorokyoro shite imashita ga, toutou minna ichido ni mori no motto oku no hou e nigete ikimashita.

Sokode minna wa, kodomora no te o hiite, mori o deyou to shimashita. Suruto mori no oku no hou de Oinodomo ga,

"Waruku omowanaide goro. Kuri dano kinoko dano, un to gochisou shitazo." to sakebu no ga kikoemashita. Minna wa uchi ni kaette kara awamochi o koshiraete orei ni Oino mori e oite kimashita.

Haru ni narimashita. Soshite kodomo ga juuichi nin ni narimashita. Uma ga ni hiki kimashita. Hatake ni wa, kusa ya kusatta ki no ha ga, uma no koyashi to issho ni hairimashita node, awa ya hie wa massao ni nobimashita.

Soshite mi mo yoku toreta no desu. Aki no sue no minna no yorokobi you to ittara arimasen deshita.

Tokoro ga, aru shimobashira no tatta tsumetai asa deshita.

Minna wa, kotoshi mo nohara o okoshite, hatake o hirogete imashita node, sono asa mo shigoto ni deyou to shite nougu o sagashimasu to, doko no uchi ni mo yamagatana mo sanbonguwa mo touguwa mo hitotsu mo arimasen deshita.

Minna wa isshou kenmei sokora o sagashimashita ga, doushite mo mitsukarimasen deshita. Sore de shikatanaku, meimei sukina hou e muite, issho ni takaku sakebimashita.

"Ora noudougu shiranai kaa."

"Shiranai zoo." to mori wa ippen ni kotaemashita.

"Sagashi ni iku zoo." to minna wa sakebimashita.

"Koo." to mori wa issei ni kotaemashita.

Minna wa, kondo wa nan nimo motanai de, zorozoro mori no hou e ikimashita. Hajime wa mazu ichiban chikai Oino mori ni ikimashita.

Suruto, sugu Oino ga kyuu hiki dete kite, minna majime na kao o shite, te o sewashiku futte iimashita.

"Nai, nai, kesshite nai, nai. Hoka o sagashite nakattara, mou ippen oide."

Minna wa, mottomo da to omotte, sore kara nishi no hou no Zarumori ni ikimashita. Soshite dandan mori no oku e haitte ikimasu to, ippon no furui kashiwa no ki no shita ni, ki no eda de anda ookina zaru ga fusete arimashita.

"Koitsu wa dou mo ayashii zo. Zarumori no Zaru wa mottomo da ga, naka ni wa nani ga aru ka wakaranai. Hitotsu akete miyou." to ii nagara sore o akete mimasu to, naka ni wa nakunatta nougu ga kokonotsu tomo, chanto haitte imashita.

Sore dokoro de wa naku, mannaka ni wa, kogane iro no me o shita, kao no makka na yamaotoko ga, agura o kaite suwatte imashita. Soshite minna o miru to, ookina kuchi o akete baa to iimashita.

Kodomora wa sakende nigedasou to shimashita ga, otona ha biku to mo shinai de, koe o soroete iimashita.

"Yamaotoko, kore kara itazura yamete goroyo. Kure gure ta nomuzo, kore kara itazura tomede goroyo."

Yamaotoko wa, taihen kyoushuku shita you ni, atama o kaite tatte orimashita. Minna wa tende ni, jibun no nougu o totte, mori o dete ikou to shimashita.

Suru to mori no naka de, sakki no yamaotoko ga,

"Orasa mo awamochi motte kite goroyo." to sakende kururi to mukou o muite, te de atama o kakushite, mori no motto oku e hashitte ikimashita.

Minna wa ahhaahha to waratte, uchi e kaerimashita. Soshite mata awamochi o koshiraete, Oino mori to Zarumori ni motte itte oite kimashita.

Tsugi no toshi no natsu ni narimashita. Tairana tokoro wa mou minna hatake desu. Uchi ni wa kikoya ga tsuitari, ookina naya ga dekitari shimashita.

Sore kara uma mo sanbiki ni narimashita. Sono aki no toriire no minna no yorokobi wa, totemo taihen na mono deshita.

Kotoshi koso wa, donna ookina awamochi o kosaete mo, daijoubu da to omotta no desu.

Sokode, yappari fushigi na koto ga okorimashita.

Aru shimo no ichimen ni oita asa naya no naka no awa ga, minna nakunatte imashita. Minna wa marude ki ga kide naku, isshoukenmei, sonohen o kakemawarimashita ga, doko ni mo awa wa, hitotsubu mo koborete imasen deshita.

Minna wa gakkari shite, tende ni sukina hou e muite sakebimashita.

"Ora no awa shiranai kaa."

"Shiranai zoo." Mori wa ippen ni kotaemashita.

"Sagashi ni iku zo." to minna wa sakebimashita.

"Koo." to mori wa issei ni kotaemashita.

Minna wa, tende ni sukina Emono o motte, mazu tedika no Oino mori ni ikimashita.

Oino domo wa kyuuhiki tomo mou dete matte imashita. Soshite minna o mite, futto waratte iimashita.

"Kyou mo awamochi da. Koko ni wa awa nanka nai, nai, kesshite nai. Hoka o sagashite mo nakattara mata koko e oide."

Minna wa mottomo to omotte, soko o hikiagete, kondo wa Zarumori e ikimashita.

Suru to akatsura no yamaotoko wa, mou mori no iriguchi ni dete ite, niyaniya waratte iimashita.

"Awamochi da. Awamochi da. Ora wa nattemo toranaiyo. Awa o sagasu nara, motto kita ni itte mitara yokabe."

Sokode minna wa, mottomo da to omotte, kondo wa kita no Kurosakamori, sunawachi kono hanashi o watakushi ni kikaseta mori no, iriguchi ni kite iimashita.

"Awa o kaeshite goro. Awa o kaeshite goro."

Kurosakamori wa katachi o dasanaide, koe dake de kotaemashita.

"Ore wa akekata, makkurona ookina ashi ga, sora o kita e tonde iku no o mita. Mou sukoshi kita no hou e itte miro." Soshite awamochi no koto nado wa, hitokoto mo iwanakatta sou desu. Soshite mattaku sono toori dattarou to watakushi mo omoimasu. Naze nara, kono mori ga watakushi e kono hanashi o shita ato de, watakushi wa saifu kara arikkiri no douka o nana sen dashite, orei ni yatta no deshita ga, kono mori wa nakanaka uketorimasen deshita, kono kurai kishou ga sappari to shite imasu kara.

Sate minna wa Kurosakamori no iu koto ga mottomo da to omotte, mou sukoshi kita e ikimashita.

Sore koso wa, matsu no makkuro na Nusuttomori deshita. Desu kara minna mo,

"Nakara shite nusuto kusai." to ii nagara, mori e haitte itte, "Saa awa kaese. Awa kaese." to donarimashita.

Suruto mori no oku kara, makkuro na te no nagai ookina ookina otoko ga dete kite, marude sakeru you na koe de iimashita.

"Nan dato. Ore o nusuto dato. Sou iu yatsu wa, minna tatakitsubushite yaruzo. Zen tai nan no shouko ga arunda."

"Shounin ga aru. Shounin ga aru." to minna wa kotaemashita.

"Tare da. Chikushou, sonna koto iu yatsu wa dare da." to Nusuttomori wa hoemashita.

"Kurosakamori da." to, minna mo makezu ni sakebimashita.

"Aitsu no iu koto wa tende ate ni naran. Naran. Naran. Naran zo. Chikushou." to Nusuttomori wa donarimashita.

minna mo mottomo da to omottari, osoroshiku nattari shite otagai ni kao o miawasete nigedasou to shimashita.

Suruto niwaka ni atama no ue de,

"Iyaiya, sore wa naran." to iu hakkiri shita ogosoka na koe ga shimashita.

Miru to sore wa, gin no kanmuri o kabutta Iwatesan deshita. Nusuttomori no kuroi otoko wa, atama o kakaete chi ni taoremashita.

Iwatesan wa shizuka ni iimashita.

"Nusuto wa tashika ni Nusuttomori ni soui nai. Ore wa akegata, higashi no sora no hikari to, nishi no tsuki no akari tode, tashika ni sore o mitodoketa. Shikashi minna mo mou kaette yokarou. Awa wa kitto kaesaseyou. Dakara waruku omowan de oke. Ittai Nusuttomori wa, jibun de awamochi o kosaete mitakute tamaranakatta no da. Sorede awa mo nusunde kita no da. Hahhahha."

Soshite Iwatesan wa, mata sumashite sora o mukimashita. Otoko wa mou sonohen ni miemasen deshita.

Minna wa akke ni torarete gayagaya uchi ni kaette mimashitara, awa wa chan to naya ni modotte imashita. Sokode minna wa, waratte awamochi o koshiraete, yottsu no mori ni motte ikimashita.

Naka de mo nusu to morini wa, ichiban takusan motte ikimashita. Sono kawari sukoshi suna ga haitte ita sou desu ga, sore wa dou mo shikata nakatta koto deshou.

Sate sore kara mori mo sukkari minna no tomodachi deshita. Soshite mainen, fuyu no hajime ni wa kitto awamochi o moraimashita.

Shikashi sono awamochi mo, jisetsu gara, zuibun chiisaku natta ga, kore mo dou mo shikata ga nai to, Kurosakamori no mannaka no makkuro na ookina iwa ga oshimai ni itte imashita.