2018/08/13（月） ～ 2018/08/17（金） の放送は
2018/08/06（月） ～ 2016/08/10（金） と同じ放送のようです。
ですので、来週はお休みいたします。
The mermaid girl grew older. She was shy about her different body. And and didn’t go outside much. However, those who had seen her were all surprised by her beauty. Some people came to buy a candle at the old couple’s shop just because they wanted to see her.
One day, the old man was making candles as usual. The girl came up to the old man and said, I have a good idea. May I paint pictures on the candles that you make? I am sure people will buy more and more candles if I do.
All right, you can try painting some.
The mermaid girl started to paint. Althought no one had taught her, she painted wonderful pictures of fish, seashells and seaweeds on the white candle with red paint. The old man was very surprised. There was something mysteriously beautiful about the painting. He thought Of course the paintings are great. She's a mermaid.
The candles with red paintings quickly became famous. Children and adults all came to buy them. The candle shop became very busy.
It was around this time that the a new story began to be told. People started to say,
These candles will protect your ship in any stone storm, and you will never drown.
The candles with red paintings sold quickly. The old man worked hard from morning tonight to night to make the candles. And the mermaid girl said sat beside him and painted although her hand hurt.
The mermaid girl’s eyes filled with tears as she thought about the old couple’s kindness. She had a good heart.
I am greatful that they took care of me even though I am not human. I cannot think thank them enough.
People heard about the candles even in faraway villages. Fisherman Fishermen and sailors came from all over to buy the special candles. They all climbed the mountain, prayed at the shirine, lit the candle and waited for it to become short. Then, they took the candle home.
So the shrine on top of the mountain was always shining with candles, day or night. It was especially a beautiful scene from the sea at night.
The shrine suddenly became famous for its powerful gods. The gods of the shrine became well known, but no one thought about the girl who created the paintings. So there was no one who cared if the girl was working too much.
The mermaid girl was tired. She put her head out of the window and cried when the moon shone brightly. She missed the blue sea of the north.
Then one day, a greedy merchant came from the south. He came to the north to find something interesting so he could make money with it when he went back home.
Ayubowan.
Vanakkam.
That means Hello in my contry’s two official languages. Can anyone guess who I am? My capital city used to be Colombo, but now it is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Good job if you know who I am. I am the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Sri means brightly shinig and Lanka means island.
I am about 20 percent smaller than Hokkaido, and you can find me in South Asia. I am an island in the Indian Ocean just south of India. My population is about 20 million, and 70 percent of them are Buddhists. I theink a lot of you know of me because of Ceylon tea and curry. Both are delicious, so you should try them when you come to my country.
Today, I want to tell you about mysterious drawings of several ladies. You can see them on a giant rock in the center of my country. The rock is a big rock mountain called Sigiriya. It is in the jungle, and I am sure you will be surprised when you see it for the first time. It looks like the gods Budda put a big rock down in the middle of the jungle.
Sigiriya is about 180 meters north to south, 100 meters east to west, and 200 meters tall. There are stone pose paws of a lion in the north part of the rock mountain. The name Sigiriya comes from this. It means lion rock.
You can see the colorful and elegant drawings of 18 ladies on the rocks today. But it is said that there used to be more than 500. People don't really know who these sigiriya ladies are, but the drawings are certainly wonderful Sri Lankan art.
A long time ago, monks used to live on Sigiriya. But in the fifth century, a king built a new capital at Sigiriya. The Sigiriya ladies were drawn during this time. The king built a palace on the top the mountain so his enemies could not attack him. The main entrance of palace was between the lion’s paws.
There are also amazing gardens and ponds, and there was is a water fountain that still works. Oh, and there is a mirror wall. Can you imgine a wall being a mirror? The stone wall was polished so the king could see himself in the wall.
Sigiriya is sometimes called the Eat Eighth Wonder of the World. But there are many other things to see in my country. There is a special Buddhist temple called the Temple of the Tooth, and you can enjoy the wonderful view of tea fields. I hope you can came and so you can see everything for yourself.
Hey, where's Mom?
She has had to go to work today.
Again? I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat?
I’m going to make you somen noodles.
Somen again? You always make somen.
I’m good at it.
Some is not even a real dish. You just boil it and serve it cold. And you can buy the dashi soup at the supermarket. You don't even have to make it.
Oh, come on. Somen is a refreshing summer dish.
I want to go to a restaurant and eat spaghetti.
That would be nice, but restaurants are usually crowded on Sundays. Hey, I have an adea.
What is it?
Let's go look at the bamboo trees in our yard.
Are we going to eat bamboo shoots?
You'll find out later. Let's go.
Dad and I go behind the house. He starts to look at the bamboo trees. He finally finds one that he likes and starts cutting it down.
Watch out. It's going to fall over. Let's cut off all the leaves. And then, we’ll cut the bamboo in half.
Wow. It's a perfect taugh half-pipe shape. The edges are so smooth. Why is a it like that.
Because the fibers of the bamboo run up and down the tree. Okay, can you use this hammer and make the inside of the bamboo smooth?
Sure. What are you going to do?
I’m going to get water.
Bamboo and water? I wonder what kind of somen we’re having.
Okay, let's put them together.
Put them together? What are we making?
We are going to make a water way waterway with this bamboo. We’ll put one and end up high so that the water will go down.
I work with my dad and make the waterway. Finally, we’re finished. It looks like a many mini waterside waterslide.
Dad, I’m so hungry. Can we eat now?
Yes, you can. Take this bowl of dashi soup and a pair of chopsticks and stands at the end of the bamboo waterway.
Okay.
Here it goes.
What?
Suddenly, water and some somen noodles come flowing down the waterway.
Hey. You have to catch the noodles.
Dad, this is just somen.
No, it's not just somen. It's nagashi-somen, or flowing somen. If you don't catch the noodles, they’ll be gone.
Okay. Wait. Not so fast.
I put my chopsticks in the water and catch the noodles.
Yay. I did it.
Good job.
The noodles are cold and delicious.
Okay. Are you ready? Catch these.
What? Wait.
I’m look at the bamboo waterway and see them some cherry tomatoes coming down.
I can't catch them.
Just use your hands.
Okay. This tomato is so good.
This is a lot of fun. I forget about the time and eat lots and lots of somen. Nagashi-somen in the summer is the best.
Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a hard-working young woodcutter.
One day, he found a small bird by the road. It was an uguisu bush warbler. It was hurt. Poor little bird. I will help you. the woodcutter took the bird home. After a few days, the bush warbler was much better. So he let the bird go back to the mountains.
A few days later, the woodcutter went into the mountains to work. But he became lost.
What should I do?
The woodcutter walked and walked. Finally, the sun set, and it became dark. Then, he saw a light.
I’m saved. I'll go to that house over there and ask for help.
The woodcutter walked toward the light and found a castle. He knocked on the gate.
Hello. I’m a woodcutter. The sun was has set, and I’m lost. Please let me stay here tonight.
The gate opened, and a young girl came out.
Please, come in. You are welcome to stay.
The young girl was living alone in the castle. She gave him wonderful food. The woodcutter was so happy but that he stayed for one, two, and then three nights. On the fourth day, he became the girl’s husband. They lived happily in the big castle.
One day, the girl said, Today, I have to go to town alone. Please stay here. On the top floor, there are 12 rooms that you have never seen. You can see them today. But please promise me you will never, ever go into the second room.
Of course, I promise, said the woodcutter.
After the girl left, he went to the top floor.
I can't go into the second room, but I will take a look at the other rooms.
So he started opening the doors. He looked into the first room. There was a beautiful New Year’s pine tree growing tall and green.
Wow, this is amazing.
He then walked by the second room without going in and went to the third room. Inside there was a cherry tree with blossomes all over it. This is wonderful. This must be March.
The woodcutter was now having fun, and opened more and more doors. The fourth room had tsubaki camellias of April. The fifth room had shobu irises of May. Each room showed beautiful flowers and trees of the month.
After a while, the woodcutter felt he had to see inside the second room.
Just a little look.
He opened the door. Inside there was an ume plum tree with beautiful blossoms. It was February. And there was a bush warbler singing in the tree.
The bird flew down from the tree and landed in front of the woodcutter. Suddenly, the bird turned into the woodcutter’s wife.
I asked you not to look into the second room.
Then, the girl turned back into a bush warbler and flew off into the mountains. The castle disappeared, and the woodcutter was standing alone in the mountains.