四神地名録 6巻. [4]葛飾郡 - 翻刻

翻刻

　調へて知音となりしよし此虎かたち力にも似ぬ質朴
　柔和ものにして至孝也父には早くおくれ母に仕ふ事
　念頃なりしよく委敷尋聞くに兄弐人ありといへとも
　貧しき家にて妻もなかりし故虎女の業をし水を
　汲飯を焼て母の労を助くる男太く力ある事を聞
　玉垣額之助といひし角力取度々来り弟子として
　関取にせんといふ友達もより〳〵進めけれ共兄姪#1のあら
　ざれは母の苦労を思ひてすゝめ応ぜず母も末の子故に
　虎よ〳〵と童子をつかふ様に愛もふかく虎は大男にて

　アイ〳〵といふて母のいふに違ず見る人笑ひもせず盛心
　す母にも拾年以前後れ今は江戸へ出て少しき商ひを業と
　せるよし今年卅余の歳のものと聞し忠臣必孝子の門
　より出るといへ共頼もしき男にて然も大力なれは用ゆる
　所多かるべし今の行状はいかゞにや詳ならず右は名主
　の夜話にて聞捨にするも遺念なりと爰に記すなり
　　　　下今井村
　此日は暑に絶兼夕暮方様に出て涼居しに拾弐斗の少女
　長刀に木刀を取添前に置御退屈にもあるへし御慰に被遊候へと

現代語訳

整えて親しい仲となったという。この虎は容姿や力とは似つかわしくない質朴で柔和な人柄で、非常に親孝行であった。父には早くに死別し、母に仕えることを念入りにしていた。詳しく尋ね聞くところによると、兄二人がいるとはいえ、貧しい家で妻もいなかったため、虎が女性の仕事をして水を汲み飯を炊いて母の労働を助けていた。男が太く力があることを聞いて、玉垣額之助という相撲取りが度々来て、弟子として関取にしようと言った。友達も皆勧めたけれども、兄たちがいないので母の苦労を思って勧めに応じなかった。母も末の子であるがゆえに虎よ虎よと幼子を使うように愛情も深く、虎は大男でありながら

「はいはい」と言って母の言うことに逆らわず、見る人も笑いもせずに感心した。母にも十年ほど前に先立たれ、今は江戸へ出て少しの商いを業としているという。今年三十余歳の男と聞いた。忠臣は必ず孝子の門より出ると言うが、頼もしい男であって、しかも大力なので用いる所が多いであろう。今の行状はどうであろうか、詳しくは分からない。以上は名主の夜話で聞いたもので、聞き捨てにするのも残念なのでここに記すのである。

下今井村
この日は暑さに耐えかね、夕暮れ頃に出て涼んでいると、十二歳ほどの少女が長刀に木刀を取り添えて前に置き、「お退屈でもあるでしょう、お慰みにお遊びくださいませ」と

英語訳

hospitality, and they became close friends. This Tora, despite his appearance and strength, had a simple and gentle nature, and was extremely filial. He had lost his father early and served his mother with great devotion. When I inquired in detail, I learned that although he had two older brothers, the family was poor and had no wives, so Tora performed women's work, drawing water and cooking rice to help ease his mother's burden. Hearing of this man's great size and strength, a sumo wrestler named Tamagaki Gakunosuke came repeatedly, wanting to take him as a disciple and make him a professional wrestler. Friends also urged him repeatedly, but since his brothers were absent, he thought of his mother's hardships and would not accept their urgings. His mother, since he was her youngest child, loved him deeply, calling "Tora, Tora" and treating him like a small child. Though Tora was a large man,

he would say "Yes, yes" and never disobeyed his mother's words. Those who saw this did not laugh but were moved with respect. His mother also passed away about ten years ago, and now he has gone to Edo where he engages in small trade as his occupation. I heard he is a man of thirty-some years this year. It is said that loyal retainers necessarily come from the homes of filial children - he is a reliable man, and moreover, being of great strength, there would be many uses for him. I do not know the details of his current conduct. The above was heard in an evening conversation with the village headman, and it would be regrettable to let it pass unrecorded, so I write it down here.

Shimo-Imai Village
This day I could not bear the heat, so I went out around evening to cool myself. A girl of about twelve years old placed a naginata with a wooden sword beside it in front of me and said, "You must be bored - please amuse yourself with these,"