１２月７日（木曜日）２０２３
小３ろ組の子供たちに「わすれられられないおくりもの」（スーザン・バーレイ作絵）を読みました。体がなくなっても心は残ると信じて死をおそれない歳をとったアナグマは皆んなにとってかけがいのない存在でした。そのアナグマが死んでしまった後の皆の悲しみは言うまでもありません。しばらくして皆んなが集まるとそれぞれがアナグマから教えてもらったことを話すようになり、それが自分の力になっていることを知ります。
アナグマといえば、２年ほど前に屋根裏に侵入した小動物を捕獲するために庭に設置した罠に捕まったのがアナグマでした。実は、屋根裏に入ったのはアナグマではなく彼は濡れ衣だった訳で役場の獣害課の人に罠ごと持っていってもらいましたが、かわいそうなことをしたと今思っています。また、その話を私から聞いて、動物好きのO君は自分で色づけしたアナグマのフィギュアをカフェに持ってきてくれました。
私にとってアナグマの登場はこれで三度目。今回の絵本は小３の国語の教材にもなっているようで、子供達は一部を宿題として読んだと話してくれました。「死」は恐ろしいものでも悲しむものでもないという作者の穏やかなメッセージが子供達にどう届いたでしょうか。一部ではなく絵と一緒に全部読めたのはよかったです。
I read "Badger's Parting Gifts" by Susan Varlel for the third graders at the morning storytelling class. Badger, who is very old but not afraid of death because he believes that even if his body disappears, his soul will remain, was loved by everyone. So, when he died, it went without saying that everybody was in deep grief. After a while spring came, and all the animals got together and talked to each other about the things which they learned from the badger. Then they knew that everything from the badger turned to their current power.
I remember that some animal penetrated my attic a couple of years ago, and in order to catch it we set a cage in my backyard in which we put some food. Then badger was caught but actually it was not the animal which we tried to catch. Poor badger was taken away by the man who came from the town hall. I talked about it to Mr.O who loves insects and animals and has much knowledge about them. He brought a small figure of badger which he colored himself, and gifted it to me.
This is the third time for me to encounter "badger". I heard from the teacher and children that the picture book ,"Badger's Parting Gifts" is partially used as teaching material and they let me know that they read the first part of the book on the assignment sheet. I wonder how the gentle message of Susan Verley that "death" is not something you should be afraid of or sad, reached the third graders. Anyhow, I am glad that I could read the whole story and show the pictures.
