One-Inch Fellow 一寸法師 (7)

One-Inch Fellow 一寸法師　(7)
　
After the visit to the shrine the Princess, with One-Inch Fellow and her other attendants close behind her, came down a long, shadowy avenue of cedar trees.

Suddenly a huge monster, an Oni, leaped out of the darkness, yelling, "Waー!  Waー! "



At the sight of this ugly Oni, the beautiful Princess screamed, and fainted away, while the terrified attendants ran off in different directions to hide.

Only tiny One-Inch Fellow stood his ground.



" What are you ? " he shouted, standing before the Princess.
" Do you know who I am ! " he cried, looking up to the firce Oni.

" I am the famous One-Inch Fellow who serves the great lord of Kyoto. This is his only daughter. If you even so much as come near her, beware ! "

" Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! I like to hear you talk ! " laughed the huge Oni, looking down at the tiny man.
" But that is enough. Do not bother me, or I shall eat you up ! "

" Yoshi, Go ahead, "　cried One-Inch Fellow, angrily.
※
Yoshi, Go ahead ：よし、やれるならやってみろ

As One-Inch Fellow expected, the huge monster caught hold of him, and started to put him into his huge mouth.

Quickly One-Inch Fellow darted on to his cheek.
He climbed up to the monster's eye, whipped out his needle sword, and thrust it at the eye.

" Itai ! Ouch ! " cried the monster, trying to catch him.

But One-Inch Fellow slipped from the monster's fingers and went on thrusting his needle sword all over the Oni's face.

" No more ! No more ! " roared the monster.
" I make my humble bow to you ! "

One-Inch Fellow quickly ran down to the ground and the Oni disappeared into the shadows.

By this time the Princess had opened her eyes.
" What happened to the Oni ? " she asked.

" I have chased him away with my sword. Do not worry, Princess. One-Inch Fellow, your bodyguard, is at your service. "

Then the Princess exclaimed, " What is that ? "

(7/9 続く)
おそくなりましたが。