“This is my summer residence; you would not find my earth—my winter house—so convenient,” said the hospitable gentleman.
The Tale of Jemima Puddle-duck by Beatrix Potter
「これは わたしの なつの すまいだ」
- predicate:
- 夏の住まいだ
There was a tumble-down shed at the back of the house, made of old soap-boxes. The gentleman opened the door, and showed Jemima in.
そのいえの うらに、
ボロボロの こやが あった。
- subject:
- ボロボロの小屋が
The shed was almost quite full of feathers—it was almost suffocating; but it was comfortable and very soft.
そのこやは ほとんど うもうでいっぱいだった。
- predicate:
- 羽毛でいっぱいだった
Jemima Puddle-duck was rather surprised to find such a vast quantity of feathers. But it was very comfortable; and she made a nest without any trouble at all.
かのじょは そこで すをつくった。
- predicate:
- 巣を作った。
- 住めば都（すめばみやこ, home is where you make it / anywhere can feel like home）
The Japanese expression “すめばみやこ” means that any place can feel comfortable, pleasant, or even like a “capital city” once you live there long enough. It is often used to express how people adapt to new environments and eventually find them enjoyable or meaningful, even if the place seemed inconvenient or unfamiliar at first.
When she came out, the sandy whiskered gentleman was sitting on a log reading the newspaper—at least he had it spread out, but he was looking over the top of it.
かのじょが おもてへ でたとき、
しんしは しんぶんを ひろげていた。
- predicate:
- 広げていた
He was so polite, that he seemed almost sorry to let Jemima go home for the night. He promised to take great care of her nest until she came back again next day.
かれは ジマイマの すを だいじにすると やくそくした。
- modifier:
- ジマイマの巣を大事にすると
He said he loved eggs and ducklings; he should be proud to see a fine nestful in his wood-shed.
かれは たまごと アヒルのこどもが だいすきだ。
Jemima Puddle-duck came every afternoon; she laid nine eggs in the nest. They were greeny white and very large. The foxy gentleman admired them immensely. He used to turn them over and count them when Jemima was not there.
ジマイマは ９この たまごを うんだ。
- modifier:
- ９個の卵を
At last Jemima told him that she intended to begin to sit next day—”and I will bring a bag of corn with me, so that I need never leave my nest until the eggs are hatched. They might catch cold,” said the conscientious Jemima.
ジマイマは こもりを はじめるつもりだと つたえた。
- modifier:
- 子守りを始めるつもりだと
“Madam, I beg you not to trouble yourself with a bag; I will provide oats. But before you commence your tedious sitting, I intend to give you a treat. Let us have a dinner-party all to ourselves!
「あなたが こもりを はじめるまえに、
ディナーパーティーをしよう！」
- modifier:
- あなたが子守りを始める前に
“May I ask you to bring up some herbs from the farm-garden to make a savoury omelette? Sage and thyme, and mint and two onions, and some parsley. I will provide lard for the stuff—lard for the omelette,” said the hospitable gentleman with sandy whiskers.
「ハーブを もってきてほしい」
Jemima Puddle-duck was a simpleton: not even the mention of sage and onions made her suspicious.
ジマイマは ふしんにおもわなかった。
- predicate:
- 不審に思わなかった
She went round the farm-garden, nibbling off snippets of all the different sorts of herbs that are used for stuffing roast duck.
かのじょは ハーブを あつめた。
- predicate:
- 集める