八月の終わり、ダニエルは近所の神社の夏祭りに行った。At the end of August, Daniel went to the summer festival at the local shrine.日が暮れるにつれて、人はますます増えてきた。As the sun went down, the crowd grew bigger and bigger.屋台の明かりが並ぶ道の奥に、金魚すくいの店があった。At the far end of the row of lit-up stalls there was a goldfish-scooping stand.
ダニエルは日本に三年住んでいるが、金魚すくいは初めてだ。Daniel has lived in Japan for three years, but this was his first go at scooping goldfish.「一回二百円だよ。やってみる？」"Two hundred yen a go. Want to try?"店のおじさんに言われて、ダニエルは小さないすに座った。At the invitation of the man running the stall, Daniel sat down on a little stool.紙のあみを水に入れたとたん、紙が真ん中から破れてしまった。The moment he put the paper scoop into the water, the paper tore straight down the middle.まだ一匹も取っていないのに、もう終わりだ。He had not caught a single fish, and it was already over.
「早すぎるよ。ゆっくり、斜めに入れるんだ。」"Too fast. Put it in slowly, at an angle."おじさんはそう言って、新しいあみを渡してくれた。Saying that, the man handed him a new scoop.今度は慎重に動かしたが、金魚に近づいたとたん、また破れた。This time he moved it carefully, but the moment he got near a goldfish it tore again.見ていた子どもたちが、声を上げて笑った。The children who were watching burst out laughing.ダニエルも一緒に笑うしかなかった。All Daniel could do was laugh along with them.
三回目はうまくいくはずだ、と自分に言い聞かせた。The third go was bound to work, he told himself.あみを動かさずに待つと、一匹が目の前で止まった。He held the scoop still and waited, and a goldfish stopped right in front of him.息を止めて、そっとあみを持ち上げる。Holding his breath, he lifted the scoop gently.入った、と思ったとたん、金魚は跳ねて水に戻った。The moment he thought he had it, the fish jumped and fell back into the water.「惜しいね」とおじさんが笑った。"So close," the man said with a laugh.
結局、ダニエルは一匹も取れなかった。In the end, Daniel did not catch a single goldfish.それでも、おじさんは袋に金魚を二匹入れて渡してくれた。Even so, the man put two of them into a bag and handed it to him.「初めての人には、あげることにしてるんだ。」"I always give a couple to people who are trying it for the first time."家の小さな水そうに入れると、金魚は元気に泳ぎ始めた。When he put them in the little tank at home, the goldfish began to swim happily about.来年は自分の手で取ってみせる、とダニエルは思った。Next year he would catch one with his own hands, Daniel thought.