*
Here is an English translation of a short novel
I wrote 6 years ago.
I will be delighted if you read this
novel in my poor English translation.
Thank you.
Nori
http://nishiokamasanori.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/
(original Japanese text)
---------------------------------------------------------------
For Elise
１
There was a little treasure in our house.
It was a little old music box. Long ago,
the music box came from a far country.
Then it has been asleep in the depth of
our closet for many years secretly.
Nobody has opened it for many years.
Today, I decided to open the old music
box. It is because today is a special day.
２
“Now, I'll open it.”said I. My daughter nodded
slightly. I, then, winded the music box in front
of her and opened the box. Then, the melancholic
melody slowly began to play from the wooden box.
the melody played as if it has waked up from its
long sleep, quietly and melancholy. And the
smallest ballerina in the world, with the melancholic
melody, began to rotate slowly on her stage of the
music box in front of me and my daughter.
My daughter didn't say anything. And being silent,
she was gazing the little doll of the music box.
The little ballerina, which is as small as the tip
of my daughter's little finger, continued to rotate
with the sad music being played by the old music
box. This music box has waken up from its long sleep
now in front of me and my daughter. And it was the
first time the little ballerina made her debut in
front of my daughter. My daughter gazed the doll
as if to see magic.
３
Today was my daughter's birthday. She became
3 years old today. I have told my daughter
about this music box before. She, then, said
she wants to see the music box. So, I promised
her to show the music box on her birthday,
and brought the music box out from the closet
today, on her birthday, as I promiesd her.
I opened the music box. Then, the little doll
ballerina began to rotate slowly, and quietly,
in front of my daughter. The doll danced with
the melancholic music from the music box.
This ballerina was waiting for this moment
for a long time in this box. She was waiting
for the day she would dance in front of my
daughter silently. And now, she began to dance
again with this melancholic music here.
Then, the music stopped suddenly. And the little
ballerina also stopped her dance at once.
The music box has stopped as if time has stopped
there. Silence reigned the room I and my daughter
were sitting. My daughter did not say anything.
In the deep silence, I stared my daughter who
does not say anything. And I waited for her to
say something. But she didn't say anything.
Then, after the long silence, my daughter said
in a little voice without seeing me.
“Once more.”
I smiled and said “All right.” to her.
Then I took the music box in my hand and wound
the music box again. And then I put the music box
in front of my daughter. The music box began to
play the melody again and the little ballerina
began to dance again there.
My daughter continued watching the dance there.
４
The music box was my mother's belonging.
I remember my mother has shown me this
music box one day.
My mother put this music box on the table on
the day. Then she opened the music box in front
of me who saw it for the first time on the day,
without saying anything.
When she opened it, the melancholic melody
began to play quietly and the little ballerina
began to rotate slowly on this box--as it does
today. I have kept the memory of the far day in
my mind. I was absorbed by the little doll that
rotates slowly. My mother was watching the doll
that rotates slowly beside me, without a word.
it was a wonderful stream of time in which I felt
as if I had been dreaming.
The tiny doll of the size of a tip of my
little finger rotated quietly and slowly.
And when the melancholic melody stopped
suddenly, the doll stopped quietly with
the melody. After the doll stopped, there
remained only silence. And my mother kept
silence too.
My mother winded the music box again.
She made the music box play the melody once
more. Then the little ballerina started to
rotate with the melody slowly again in front
of me.
The melody was beautiful and sad. To me,
the melody seemed to be the saddest music
in this world. I felt the stream of time,
which passes with the melody, sad being a
little child then.
５
The melody played by the music box was so
beautiful. And the stream of time in which
the music box played the melody was also
so beautiful too. When I heard the melody
of this music box, I felt very sad because
I feared the beautiful moment I am listening
the melody would vanish soon. Being a child,
I learnt the sadness time would run while I
listened the melody. I felt and learnt it
in the melody. That was the memory of the day
I saw this music box for the first time.
It has passed more than 20 years since the day.
Today, when I opened this music box, I was
reminded of the sad emotion I felt on the far
day. And I wondered why I felt so sad on the
day. To me, the sad emotion I felt on the far
day seemed like an enigma. Why did I feel
such deep sadness in this melody on the day?
My daughter was gazing the music box while
I wondered why.
６
“Otohsan(Daddy).”said my daughter.
She was watching me.
“What's this song?”asked my daughter.
She said‘song’to put this melody.
I wondered if I may call it a‘song’, but then
answered her.
“This is a piece named‘For Elise’.”
My daughter thought something.
“Who is Elise?”asked my daughter.
I wondered what to answer. I was unaware
of the answer.
“It is someone who lived long ago.”
“Someone who lived long ago?”
“Yes, very long ago.”
My daughter didn't say anything.
Then I winded the music box again.
She is right. Who is Elise? I have been
unaware who she is until today.
Was it the Elise who listened this melody
first in this world?
７
Suddenly, I was reminded I had asked the same
question to my mother.
On the day my mother showed me this music box,
I had asked her this same question my daughter
has asked me now.
I have forgotten I had asked this question to
my mother until today, when my daughter has
suddenly asked me the question. And now, I was
reminded of the conversation with my mother.
My mother answered to me “She lived in mom's
country.”
I was reminded of my mother's answer when my
daughter asked me the same question.
This small music box had been brought from
Germany to this far Japan by my mother.
She came to this country with this music box.
She must have recalled her far homeland
when she opened this music box.
I answered my daughter .
“It is someone from a far country.”
My daughter nodded without words.
“Let me listen again.”said she.
I smiled to her and winded the music box
once more again, as she asked. Then, the
music box began to play the melody again
and the little ballerina began to rotate
again in front of my daughter.
“Elise.”I murmured her name in my mind.
Was she the first person who listened this
melody in this world?....
It is an eternal secret. And, this old music box
plays the melody again today with the secret.
(End)
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Written in Japanese and translated into
English by NISHIOKA Masanori
Original Japanese verion of this novel is here.
http://nishiokamasanori.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/
All rights of this novel“For Elise” belong to its author
NISHIOKA Masanori.
（This novel is entirely a fiction and it has
no relation with real person nor event.
It goes without saying the narator of
this novel--I--is not the author at all.)
*
