Title: ∅ ～Rabbit who went to the moon～
Circle: Innocent Key
Album: 東方お伽話
Vocal: 大瀬良 あい (Ai Oosera)
Arrangement: Hate (IDEA+RHYTHM)
Original: 九月のパンプキン (September Pumpkin)
Release Date: Aug 15, 2015 (C88)
It took just one listen to this song for me to get hooked. These type of vocals are my favorite and in the process of translating I learned more about culture. This song is about a cute Japanese fairy tale that explains why there is a rabbit on the moon. You can interpret this song in a darker way, like this song does.
One day, the Goddess Chang’e looked down at the forest on Earth and saw a Monkey, a Fox, and a Rabbit. Chang’e wondered which one of them was the kindest, so she decided to go to Earth disguised as a poor beggar. She asked the three animals for food, and the animals took pity. The monkey went and got her fruits, the fox went and got her a fish, but the rabbit could not find anything. The rabbit asked the monkey to fetch some kindling (dried vegetation), and the fox to start a fire. The Rabbit told the beggar “I don’t have anything to give you. I will put myself in the fire, and when I’m cooked you can eat me.” The beggar transformed back into the Chang’e and told the rabbit that it was very kind, but it should not do anything to hurt itself. Moved by its kindness, Chang’e took the rabbit to the moon to live with her.
usagi usagi nani mite haneru kareta kusaki kuwaete haneru
negau negai aruji wo mamoru tsuyoi hito ni umaretakute
うさぎうさぎ なにみてはねる かれたクサキ くわえてはねる
ねがうねがい あるじをまもる つよいヒトに うまれたくて
Rabbit, rabbit, where are you looking at while you jump?[1]Usagi usagi is a children’s song about the moon rabbits. Almost every child in Japan knows this song. At the dried vegetation while I jump
I wish a wish to protect my lord, wanting to have be born of a strong man
keta taketari saru to kitsune no kobosu warai keriage haneru
saasa douzo kochira no kusaki megamisama ni sashiagemashou
usagi usagi nani mite haneru kareta kusaki kaesare haneru
amaku marui koshino dango to jyuugo ya wo mikurabete wa
karara karari emono sadamete megamisama ga yubisashi haneru
arujisama ni itadakutakara sashi ageremasenu
けたたけたり サルとキツネの こぼすわらい けりあげはねる
さあさどうぞ こちらのクサキ メガミさまに さしあげましょう
うさぎうさぎ なにみてはねる かれたクサキ かえされはねる
あまくまるい こしのだんごと じゅうごやを みくらべては
かららからり えものさだめて メガミさまが ゆびさしはねる
あるじさまに いただくたから さしあげれませぬ
Kicking and howling, I jump and kick up the cracked smile of the fox and monkey[2]The fox and monkey are trying to holding back their laughs but can’t help it
Now if you would please come to the vegetation, let’s send an offering to the goddess
Rabbit, rabbit, where are you looking at while you jump? At the dried vegetation as I jump again
Comparing the sweet and round bodies of the dango and the night of the 15th[3]Dangois a dumpling made of pounded mochi rice flour that is offered on August 15th for Otsukimi.
Rattling and clattering, the goddess will surely point at the trophy[4]as in hunted game animals, such as rabbits and jump
Because it is for my lord to receive, I cannot give it to you
watashi to iu na no ugokanu kase ni aragau
kokoro ga nikurashiku ugoiteru no
「私」と云う名の 動かぬ枷に抗う
「 心」が憎らしく 動いてるの
I struggle against the immovable chains of “my” name[5]Ringo’s name is made of 鈴 (chime) and 瑚(ancestral coral offering). In addition, her name is pronounced the same as “apple” in Japanese, meaning she has both “food” and “offering” in her name.
My “spirit” is moving hatefully
ikisaseteite gokuraku no naka meijite
shiroi tekubi wo shibaru techou ga amai
ochisaseteite shi nante hontou karasugite
hoshii motto hoshii fureta koto nai omotasa wo
生きさせていて 極楽の中命じて?
白い手首を 縛る命令が 甘い
堕ちさせていて 死なんて 本当 軽過ぎて
欲しい もっと 欲しい 触れた事無い 重たさを
Letting me live, are you giving orders from inside Paradise?[6]The Buddhist paradise, Sukhavati.
The decree (handcuffs) to tie up my white wrists is sweet
Letting me fall, death is truly insignificant
I want it, I want it more, I’ve never experienced such importance
iki wa yoi yoi kaeri wa kowai
tsuki no sasayaki mimi wo yurashite
nanatsu no toshi ni megami ni sasagu
kareta kusaki ni homura tomoshite
jabondama kieta tobazu ni kieta
hoshi no izanai yubi de chirashite
hitotsu no karada megami ni sasagu kugatsu no yoi ni
いきはよいよい かえりはこわい
つきのささやき みみをゆらして
ナナつのとしに メガミにささぐ
かれたクサキに ホムラともして
しゃぼんだまきえた とばずにきえた
ほしのいざない ゆびでちらして
ひとつのカラダ メガミにささぐ クガツのヨイに
Going is easy, but returning is scary[7]In another kid’s poem, Tooryanse, a gatekeeper tells a family celebrating their child’s birthday that it is safe to go to the shrine, but getting out is harder than going in.
Ears swaying from the moon’s whisper
For the 7th year, we sacrifice to the goddess[8]Also from Tooryanse, the family is going to the shrine to make an offering for their child’s 7th birthday.
Setting fire to the dried vegetation
The soap bubbles disappeared, disappeared without flying away
The star’s invitation scatters with a finger
We sacrifice a body to the goddess on the Evening of September[9]Otsukimi, moon-viewing, is celebrated on the 13th of September. This is believed to be the older original Japanese moon-viewing holiday where other things are offered.
aruji ga ataeta deai to chikai no akashi wo
futari no kizuna wo wataseyou ka
「 主」が与えた 出会いと誓いの証を
「 二人」の絆を 渡せようか
“The Lord” bestowed to me in an encounter to prove my vows
So shall I send over “our” bond?
kinjisaseteite kono te to kuchi ni meijite
akai hitomi ni fukumu namida ga nikai
fusagaseteite itami ni koe wo agesou de
atsui zutto atsui mirai koeteku towa mademo
禁じさせていて 此の手と口に命じて?
赤い瞳に 含む純潔が 苦い
ふさがせていて 痛みに嬌声を 上げそうで
熱い ずっと 熱い 未来越えてく 永久までも
Making me stop, are you giving orders to my hand and mouth?
The purity(tears) contained in my red eyes is bitter
Doing my duty, I’m going to scream(shriek) in pain
Hot, ever hotter, I’m going beyond the future to eternity
aisaseteite gokuraku no naka meijite
shiroi tekubi wo shibaru techou ga tokeru
aishiteite miageta tsuki ga omosugite
zutto mitemasu jyuugo ya no hi ai ni kimasu
あいさせていて 極楽の中命じて?
白い手首を 縛る命令が 解ける
あいしていて 見上げた 月が 重過ぎて
ずっと みてます 十五夜の日 会いにきます
Making me love, are you giving orders from inside Paradise?
The decree (handcuffs) to ties up my white wrists is untied[10]At the end, Chang’e spares the rabbit’s life.
I am in love, the moon I looked up at was too much for me
I will always be watching, I’ll come see you on the night of the 15th day[11]Otsukimi is also celebrated on August 15th, where dango is offered instead of what was offered on September 13th.
Notes
| ↑1 | Usagi usagi is a children’s song about the moon rabbits. Almost every child in Japan knows this song. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | The fox and monkey are trying to holding back their laughs but can’t help it |
| ↑3 | Dangois a dumpling made of pounded mochi rice flour that is offered on August 15th for Otsukimi. |
| ↑4 | as in hunted game animals, such as rabbits |
| ↑5 | Ringo’s name is made of 鈴 (chime) and 瑚(ancestral coral offering). In addition, her name is pronounced the same as “apple” in Japanese, meaning she has both “food” and “offering” in her name. |
| ↑6 | The Buddhist paradise, Sukhavati. |
| ↑7 | In another kid’s poem, Tooryanse, a gatekeeper tells a family celebrating their child’s birthday that it is safe to go to the shrine, but getting out is harder than going in. |
| ↑8 | Also from Tooryanse, the family is going to the shrine to make an offering for their child’s 7th birthday. |
| ↑9 | Otsukimi, moon-viewing, is celebrated on the 13th of September. This is believed to be the older original Japanese moon-viewing holiday where other things are offered. |
| ↑10 | At the end, Chang’e spares the rabbit’s life. |
| ↑11 | Otsukimi is also celebrated on August 15th, where dango is offered instead of what was offered on September 13th. |
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