こぶとりじいさん

Thematic Links

Setsubun (Around February 3rd)
mythical creatures

Story Overview

Kobutorijiisan　is the story of a happy-go-lucky old man and his greedy neighbour both of whom have a lump on their cheek. One day the happy-go-lucky old man went into the forest, where he was caught in a storm. While taking shelter under a log, he hears some oni having a party nearby. The music is so enticing that despite his fear of the oni he decides to join them. The oni are so happy with his dancing prowess that they asked him to come again the next day. They take the lump off his cheek to make sure he comes back to them the next day. His envious neighbour hears the story and heads off into the forest too.

Cultural Notes

Oni

Japanese ogres that feature in many folktales. They tend to be large, fierce looking creatures with horns and bulging muscles. They are often pictured carrying a club and are usually pink, red, blue or grey. While occasionally comical they are usually cruel and malicious creatures. They are not considered to be very intelligent.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oni (Japanese_folklove)

Web Links

www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0503.html#japan
　Contains a number of international fairy tales all related to the protagonists having a part of their body, such as a hump on their back, removed by fairies. The similarities with Kobutorijiisan are striking.
www.e-hon.jp/kobuto/kobe1.htm
　Site contains many fairytales in kamishibai format.

Language Concepts

adjective + na + noun
onomatopoeia zaa zaa, wai wai, gaya gaya, kokekoko
～ga hoshii desu
～nai desu

Characters


Narrators x 2 Ojiisan Yokubari-jiisan (Greedy Old Man) Oni (any number)

SCENE 1 - In the mountains


ナレーター 1		むかし　むかし　あるところに　しんせつな　おじいさんと　よくばりな　おじいさんが　すんで　いました。

ナレーター 2		A long time ago there lived two old men, one good and kind and the other greedy and jealous.

ナレーター 1		しんせつな　おじいさんは　みぎの　ほほに　おおきな　こぶが　ありました。

ナレーター 2		The kind old man had a lump on his right cheek.

ナレーター 1		よくばりじいさんは　ひだりの　ほほに　おおきな　こぶが　ありました。

ナレーター 2		The greedy old man had a lump on his left cheek.

ナレーター 1		しんせつな　おじいさんが　あるひ　やまに　いきました。　すると、とつぜん　あめが　ふって　きました。

ナレーター 2		One day the old man went into the mountains to collect firewood when it began to rain.

おじいさん		ああ、あめだ！

ナレーター 1		The old man sought shelter under a log and he slept there until it was dark. He woke to the sound of loud and wild music.

おじいさん		おや、わいわい　がやがや　おとが　きこえます。　なんでしょう。

ナレーター 2		The old man followed the sound of the music, dancing his way closer until he found himself in the middle of a group of oni dancing and drinking in a circle.

おじいさん		これは　おもしろい！　わたしも　いっしょに　おどりたいです。

ナレーター 1		おじいさんは　おにと　いっしょに　おどりました。

ナレーター 2		Ojiisan knew the oni were to be feared because they were known to eat people but he was lost in the fun of the music and dancing.

		(Music plays and then a rooster crows)

		コケコッコー、　コケコッコー、　コケコッコー。

おに		おじいさん、　おどりが　じょうずですね。
		これは　おれいです。
		あしたも　きてください。
		ぜったい　きてください。
		そうだ！　あしたまで　その　こぶを　あずかりましょう。

		Just to make sure you come back we'll take your precious lump.

ナレーター 2		The old man ran home smiling all the way.



SCENE 2 - Oni's place

ナレーター 1		さて、その　はなしを　きいて、よくばりじいさんも　おにの　ところへ　いきました。

ナレーター 2		The greedy old man was determined that he wasn't going to be the only man with a lump on his cheek. So the next day he went to dance with the oni.

よくばりじいさん		こんばんは。　わたしも　いっしょに　おどりたいです。

		(The old man starts to dance really badly.)

ナレーター 1		でも、よくばりじいさんの　おどりは　とてもへたです。　おには　おこりました。

ナレーター 2		The greedy old man was really bad at dancing that the oni demanded he stop and go home.

おに		もう　いい！
		おじいさんは　おどりが　へたですね。
		かえって　ください。

よくばりじいさん		でも･･･　.こぶは？　(Pointing to his lump.)

おに		ああ、こぶ。　はい、どうぞ。

ナレーター 1		The greedy old man asked about his lump. The oni slapped the lump of his friendly neighbour on to his other cheek.

おじいさん		わっ！　ちがいます！　ちがいます！　まってくださーーーい！

		(Oni leave in disgust.)

ナレーター 2		But it was too late! No matter how hard he tried he could not pull the lump off his cheek. He ran home, crying all the way.