In the time of swords and periwigs and full-skirted coats with flowered lappets—when gentlemen wore ruffles, and gold-laced waistcoats of paduasoy and taffeta—there lived a tailor in Gloucester.
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
むかし、グロスターに テーラーが すんでいた。
- predicate:
- 住む
He sat in the window of a little shop in Westgate Street, cross-legged on a table, from morning till dark.
かれは あさからばんまで しごとをしていた。
- modifier:
- 朝から晩まで
- predicate:
- 仕事する
All day long while the light lasted he sewed and snippeted, piecing out his satin and pompadour, and lutestring; stuffs had strange names, and were very expensive in the days of the Tailor of Gloucester.
ぬのじは とても こうかだった。
- subject:
- 布地は
But although he sewed fine silk for his neighbours, he himself was very, very poor—a little old man in spectacles, with a pinched face, old crooked fingers, and a suit of thread-bare clothes.
かれは こうかな ぬのじを つかうが、
かれじしんは とても まずしかった。
- subject:
- 彼自身は
He cut his coats without waste, according to his embroidered cloth; they were very small ends and snippets that lay about upon the table—”Too narrow breadths for nought—except waistcoats for mice,” said the tailor.
かれは むだなく ぬのじを きったので、
とても ちいさな きれはしだけが のこった。
- predicate:
- 切る
- 残る
One bitter cold day near Christmastime the tailor began to make a coat—a coat of cherry-coloured corded silk embroidered with pansies and roses, and a cream coloured satin waistcoat—trimmed with gauze and green worsted chenille—for the Mayor of Gloucester.
ある さむいひに、
したてやは コートとチョッキを つくりはじめた。
- subject:
- 仕立て屋は
The tailor worked and worked, and he talked to himself. He measured the silk, and turned it round and round, and trimmed it into shape with his shears; the table was all littered with cherry-coloured snippets.
したてやは しごとに ぼっとうした。
- 没頭する（ぼっとうする, immerse oneself）
The Japanese word “bottousuru” means to become completely absorbed or deeply engaged in an activity, often to the point of losing awareness of time or surroundings. It is used when someone focuses intensely on work, hobbies, study, or creative tasks. The term frequently appears in daily conversation, workplace contexts, and descriptions of artistic or intellectual concentration.
“No breadth at all, and cut on the cross; it is no breadth at all; tippets for mice and ribbons for mobs! for mice!” said the Tailor of Gloucester.
したてやは ぐちをいった。
- predicate:
- 愚痴を言う
When the snow-flakes came down against the small leaded window-panes and shut out the light, the tailor had done his day’s work; all the silk and satin lay cut out upon the table.
したてやは そのひの しごとを おえた。
- predicate:
- 終える
There were twelve pieces for the coat and four pieces for the waistcoat; and there were pocket flaps and cuffs, and buttons all in order.
ふくの ざいりょうが ならんでいた。
- subject:
- 服の材料が
For the lining of the coat there was fine yellow taffeta; and for the button-holes of the waistcoat, there was cherry-coloured twist.
タフタとツイストもあった。
And everything was ready to sew together in the morning, all measured and sufficient—except that there was wanting just one single skein of cherry-coloured twisted silk.
ツイステッドシルクだけが ふそくしていた。
- predicate:
- 不足する
The tailor came out of his shop at dark, for he did not sleep there at nights; he fastened the window and locked the door, and took away the key.
したてやは かぎをしめて みせをでた。
No one lived there at night but little brown mice, and they run in and out without any keys!
ネズミたちは カギなしで みせを でいりする。
- predicate:
- 出入りする
For behind the wooden wainscots of all the old houses in Gloucester, there are little mouse staircases and secret trap-doors; and the mice run from house to house through those long narrow passages; they can run all over the town without going into the streets.
ネズミたちは じゆうに まちを はしりまわれる。
- predicate:
- 走りまわる
But the tailor came out of his shop, and shuffled home through the snow.
したてやは ゆきのなか いえにかえった。
He lived quite near by in College Court, next the doorway to College Green; and although it was not a big house, the tailor was so poor he only rented the kitchen.
かれは すぐちかくに すんでいた。
He lived alone with his cat; it was called Simpkin.
かれは ねこといっしょに すんでいた。