Night on the Milky Way Railway

by Kenji Miyazawa

  Magellanic Clouds – (mazeran-un)

  The two Magellanic Clouds (Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud) are irregular dwarf galaxies visible from the southern hemisphere that may be orbiting our Milky Way galaxy.

  The Story of the Scorpion (from the middle of Chapter 9)

  Long, long ago, there was a scorpion that lived in the fields of Badrah, who killed and ate all kinds of small bugs and insects. Then one day a weasel found it and tried to eat it. The scorpion tried to escape and ran and ran and ran, but it couldn't get away from the weasel, and just as the weasel was going to catch it, it fell down into a well. And as hard as it tried, it couldn't get back out again, and it started to drown. So the scorpion began to pray.

  Ah, how many lives have I taken up until now? And yet, when the weasel tries to catch me, look how I run for my life. And in the end this is how I end up. Oh, what have I done? Why didn't I just offer my body to the weasel without running away? I could have given the weasel another day of life.

  Dear God, please look into my heart. Instead of allowing me to throw my life away in vain, use my body to bring true happiness to the world.

  And when the scorpion opened its eyes again, it saw that its body was burning with a bright red flame, lighting up the entire night sky.

  Star Safari Song

  The eyes of the scorpion are red

  The wings of the eagle are spread,

  The eyes of the puppy are blue

  The snake of light is coiled up tight

  Orion is singing up high

  Sending down dew and frost,

  The clouds of Andromeda

  Are in the shape of a fish's mouth

  When big bear extends his leg

  For the fifth time to the north

  Just above the forehead of little bear

  Is where our star safari heads

  Celestial River

  (included in the earlier versions of Night on the Milky Way Railway)

  Oh Celestial River

  I can see the sand on your bottom

  I can see your bed of stones

  But no matter how hard I look

  I can't see any water

  Bonus Story

  Gon the Fox

  by Nankichi Niimi

  About Nankichi Niimi

 

  Nankichi Niimi was born Shohachi Watanabe in what is now Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, on July 30, 1913, with the year 2013 marking 100 years since his birth. Gon the Fox is studied by every Japanese child in elementary school and it was recently estimated that over 60 million people have read this story, which he wrote at just 18 years of age. Although Niimi went on to write a large number of poems and short stories, such as Buying Mittens, Grandpa's Lamp and When the Thieves Came to Hananoki Village before his death from tuberculosis at age 29, Gon the Fox is undoubtedly the most famous and well-loved of all his works, and perhaps the most famous Japanese children's story of all time.

  Chapter 1

  An old man by the name of Mohei who lived in my village, told me this story when I was little.

  A long time ago, not far from our village, there was a place called Nakayama, which had a small castle and a lord, also by the name of Nakayama. And in the hills a short distance from Nakayama, there lived a fox called Gon, who'd made his home in a hole he'd dug in a forest overgrown with lush green ferns. Gon the fox was always going into the nearby village to cause mischief, any time of the day or night. He'd make all sorts of trouble, digging up potatoes and tossing them all over the ground, setting fire to bundles of rapeseed flowers hung out to dry, or stealing chili peppers strung up outside the back of the farmer's houses.

  One autumn, it had been raining non-stop for two or three days and Gon had been crouched in his hole, unable to go outside. When at last the rain cleared, Gon breathed a sigh of relief and crawled out of his hole. Outside there was a bright blue sky and the cries of the Bull-headed Shrikes rang through the air.

  Gon walked up to the edge of the small stream that ran through the village. Drops of rain, still clinging to the tops of the pampas grass, glistened in the sun. Normally there was very little water in this stream, but after three full days of rain the water level had risen all at once. Pampas grass and clumps of bush clover, normally well away from the water's edge, were sloshing about in the murky water. Gon walked further downstream along the muddy path.

  Suddenly he noticed a person standing in the middle of the river. He quickly crept into the long grass, where he could watch without being seen.

  That's Hyoju, thought Gon.

  Hyoju was standing waist deep in the stream with a hand towel tied around his head. He'd rolled up the sleeves of his ragged black kimono and was dragging a fishing net back and forth through the water. A clump of bush clover was stuck to the side of his face like a mole.

  After a while, Hyoju hoisted the end of his fishing net - which was in the shape of a bag - out of the water. It was filled with grass roots, weeds, rotten sticks and other rubbish, but there was something else as well; something white and shiny. They were the stomachs of a big fat eel and some large whiting. Hyoju tipped the eel and the whiting together with all the other rubbish, into his wicker fishing basket. He then closed off the opening of the net and placed it back in the water.

  With that done, he waded out of the water with his basket, placed it on the ground, and wandered upstream as if in search of something.

  As soon as Hyoju was out of sight, Gon sprang out from his hiding spot and raced up to the basket. Gon, you see, was in the mood for a little mischief. He picked out the fish from the wicker basket and, aiming downstream from the fishing net, he flung them, one at a time, back into the stream. Each of the fish landed with a plonk, quickly diving beneath the murky water.

  To finish, he tried picking up the big eel, but the eel was all slimy and kept slipping through his paws. Losing patience, he thrust his head into the basket and grabbed the head of the eel between his teeth. The eel gave out a sharp shriek and wrapped itself around Gon's neck. Just then, Hyoju yelled out from a distance,

  "Hey! You thieving fox!" Gon jumped into the air with a fright. He tried flinging the eel away so he could make his escape, but the eel was tightly wrapped around his neck. He leapt sideways, eel and all, and raced off as fast as he could run.

  He didn't dare look back until he was at the alder tree near his home, but by that time, Hyoju was nowhere in sight. He breathed a sigh of relief, and then bit down on the head of the eel to make it let go, before placing it on the grass outside his home.

 

  Chapter 2

  About ten days later, as Gon was passing behind Yasuke the farmer's house, Yasuke's wife was standing in the shade of a fig tree, dying her teeth black. And when he passed Shinbei the blacksmith's house, Shinbei's wife was busy combing her hair.

  Ha ha thought Gon, there must be something going on in the village today. I wonder what? Maybe an autumn festival... nah, if there was a festival I'd be able to hear drums and flutes. And there'd be lots of banners out the front of the shrine.

  While he was busy thinking, Gon came up to Hyoju's house, which had a small red well out the front. Hyoju's tiny run-down house was filled with people. Several women, with hand towels tucked in the back of their formal kimonos, were tending to a fire beneath the cooking stove. A giant pot was bubbling away on top.

  Ah ha, it's a funeral, thought Gon. One of Hyoju's relatives must have died.

  After midday, Gon went to the cemetery and hid in the shadows of the six Jizo statues. It was a perfect clear day and the tiles on the roof of the castle could be seen sparkling in the sun, far off in the distance. Inside the cemetery, the red spider lilies were in full bloom, covering the ground like a giant red cloth. Gong! Gong! - the sound of a bell rang out from the village, the signal for the funeral procession to depart.

  Shortly afterwards, some members of the procession, dressed in white kimonos, trickled into view. The sound of people talk
ing moved closer and closer. The procession entered the cemetery. The red spider lilies were trampled beneath their feet as they passed.

  Gon stood on tippy-toe so that he could see. Hyoju was wearing a formal kimono and holding a memorial tablet. Normally so cheerful with a face like a red sweet potato, today he looked miserable.

  Ahh, it must have been Hyoju's mum, realized Gon, and pulled his head back in.

  That night Gon was thinking to himself inside his hole.

  I bet Hyoju's mum had been sick in bed, saying she wanted to eat some eel and that was why Hyoju was out fishing. But then I went and played a prank on him and took off with his eel so he never got a chance to give his mum any before she died. I bet all she could think about when she was dying was how much she'd like to eat some eel. Darn! I wish I hadn't played such a stupid prank!

 

  Chapter 3

  Hyoju was washing some wheat by the red well. Up until now Hyoju had lived together with his mother with very little money, but now his mother had died he was all by himself.

  He's all alone, just like me, thought Gon, as he watched Hyoju from behind a nearby storeroom.

  As he walked away from the storeroom, Gon heard the cry of the sardine man going door to door.

  "Cheap sardines for sale! Get your fresh sardines!"

  Gon ran toward the sound of the man's booming voice. Just then, Yasuke's wife appeared at the back entrance and called out,

  "I'll have some sardines please."

  The sardine man stopped his cart by the side of the road, grabbed two handfuls of shiny sardines and carried them into Yasuke's house. Seizing his chance, Gon raced up and grabbed five or six sardines out of the basket and then raced back the way he came. When he got to Hyoju's house he tossed them through the back door, and then quickly ran back in the direction of his home. He turned around when he reached the top of the nearest hill and was just able to make out Hyoju, still washing his wheat beside the well.

  Well at least I've done one good thing to make up for the eel, he thought.

  The next day Gon collected an armful of chestnuts from the forest, and carried them to Hyoju's house. When Gon peaked in through the back door, he saw Hyoju staring blankly into space, his bowl in his hands with his lunch half-eaten. Strangely, he had a gash across his cheek. Gon was wondering what could have happened when Hyoju mumbled out loud,

  "Who on earth threw those sardines into my house? Thanks to them people think I'm a thief and the sardine man tries to knock my head in."

  Uh oh, thought Gon. Poor Hyoju got beaten up and left with that big gash on his face.

  As he was thinking this, Gon crept quietly round to the storeroom and left the chestnuts by the doorway.

  Gon collected chestnuts and took them to Hyoju's house the next day too, and then the next day after that. The day after that, not only did he take chestnuts, but two or three matsutake mushrooms as well.

 

  Chapter 4

  One evening when the moon was shining bright, Gon was walking aimlessly in the forest. After passing beneath Nakayama Castle, he suddenly noticed some people walking the other way down the narrow path. He heard the sound of people talking. Chin-chira-ling, chin-chira-ling sang the pine crickets.

  Gon hid perfectly still by the side of the road. Their voices moved closer and closer. It was Hyoju and Kasuke the farmer.

  "Oh yeah, Kasuke," said Hyoju.

  "Yeah?"

  "Something really strange has been going on recently."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I don't know who, but ever since mother died, someone's been bringing me chestnuts and mushrooms every day."

  "Yeah!? Who?"

  "That's what I told you, I don't know. They always bring them when I'm not around."

  After they'd passed, Gon started following behind them.

  "Truly?"

  "Yeah, truly! If you think I'm lying, come 'round tomorrow and see for yourself. I'll show you the chestnuts."

  "Huh, that's weird."

  They continued walking in silence.

  Suddenly, Kasuke turned around behind him. Gon froze to the spot, trying to make himself as small as possible. Not noticing anything, Kasuke hurried on ahead. After reaching the house of Kichibei, another farmer, the two headed inside. Pon-pon-pon-pon came the sound of a wooden gong. A light shone through the paper sliding window, the outline of a priest's shaven head moving across it.

  They must be praying, thought Gon, as he crouched down beside a well. Not long after, another group of three arrived and went inside. Afterwards there came the sound of someone reading a Buddhist sutra.

 

  Chapter 5

  Gon stayed crouched down by the well until they'd finished praying. Hyoju and Kasuke headed off home again. Gon followed close behind in Hyoju's shadow so he could listen to their conversation.

  When they came to the castle, Kasuke said,

  "What you were talking about before, I think it must be God."

  "Huh?" muttered Hyoju in surprise, looking over at Kasuke.

  "I was thinking about it the whole time, and well, I don't think it's a person... it's God. God's taken pity on you because you are all alone, so he brings you these things."

  "I don't know about that."

  "I'm sure it is. You should say a prayer to God every day, to thank Him."

  "Right."

  Huh, that's not fair, thought Gon. I'm the one taking him chestnuts and mushrooms everyday, but instead of thanking me he goes and thanks God. What's the point!?

 

  Chapter 6

  Gon took chestnuts to Hyoju's house the next day as well. Hyoju was in the storeroom making some rope. Gon crept quietly into the house through the back door. Just then Hyoju happened to look up.

  Was that a fox going into my house? That rotten fox Gon that stole my eel that day, he's up to no good again.

  "Right."

  Hyoju stood up, went across and grabbed his rifle off the wall and loaded it with gunpowder. He then crept quietly up to the back door, and just as Gon was coming out again - Bang! - he shot him. Gon flopped to the ground.

  Hyoju ran up to Gon, but then, glancing inside the house, his gaze fell on the chestnuts lying on the floor.

  "Huh!" exclaimed Hyoju in surprise, looking down at Gon.

  "Gon, was it you? Are you the one who's been bringing me chestnuts?"

  Gon nodded, his eyes clenched tight.

  The rifle fell from Hyoju's hands, landing with a thud, a thin trail of blue smoke still rising from the barrel.

  THE END

  About Little J Books

  Hi, my name is Paul and I started Little J Books because I personally wanted to be able to read more of these kinds of Japanese stories in English, especially in ebook form. By putting these stories into an ebook format they will be available for anyone to access anywhere in the world, forever. That last word is key, because quite often translators do an incredible job of translating a book into English, but after it gets published and sells out, it's gone. But now with ebooks and publishing on demand (POD) that is changing. So thank you so much for choosing to read this book, and if you would like to get involved somehow please send me an email at mailto:info@littlejbooks.com.

  Other stories by Kenji Miyazawa

  Ame-ni-mo Makezu

  Perhaps the most famous Japanese poem of the modern age, it was written by Kenji while lying on his death bed and was never seen by anyone else until after his death. This significance of this poem has increased greatly for the Japanese people following the Great East Japan Earthquake, with many people using it to reflect on what truly is important in their lives.

  Kenju's Forest Playground

  Kenju is different from other kids his age, and he gets teased a lot. But Kenju can see things all around that others can't. One day, completely out-of-the-blue, he decides to plant seven hundred cedar trees, and those trees become something that no one ever imagined.

  Gauche t
he Cellist

  Gauche is a hopeless musician and he's always being yelled at by the conductor. It's not because he doesn't try, it's just that there is something lacking in his music. With a big concert approaching, Gauche receives some special music lessons from his closest neighbors.

  The Nighthawk Star

  The nighthawk has a hard time of it. He's got a face like a mud pie, he gets teased by all the other birds and he has to put up with bullies. Hans Christian Andersen was a great inspiration to Kenji and you will recognize something of the Ugly Duckling in this story, but the setting and the finale is classical Kenji, making this story a standout favorite amongst many Japanese readers.

  Wild Pear (Yamanashi)

  A surreal tale about a family of crabs on the bottom of the river. The amazing descriptions of life under the water will leave you with a truly new perspective on the world. An extremely well-crafted fable, with a profound underlying message.

  The Restaurant of Many Orders

  This is perhaps the most famous of Kenji's short stories and one of his personal favorites, as it was the title story of his one and only self-published collection of short stories. Two hunters go on a hunting trip in the country and end up completely lost. Luckily they come across what appears to be an extremely popular restaurant…but everything is not as it seems

  Other stories by Nankichi Niimi

  Buying Mittens

  Mama fox only wants the best for her little one, so when the cold winter arrives and her precious boy needs some mittens, then she knows what she must do. The only problem is that she is afraid and her legs won't take her any further. So her son must go on his own. The highlight of this delightful children's story is the beautiful description of the foxes' journey through the snow covered woods during the middle of the night.

  The Story of the Giant

  All of the town's people are terrified of the giant because he is enormous and he is the son of that horrible old witch. But is it possible that they may have misjudged him?

  Grandpa's Lamp

  Minosuke was born a poor orphan, but with a little luck and a lot of hard work he manages to carve out a business of his own and starts to rise up in the world. One day a competitor arrives that threatens to take it all away from him. A fascinating insight into the period of transition in Japan, from a country in darkness to one bathed in light.