Kyuusaku Yumeno
I congratulate you on your growing glory. If the enlightener reports according to law, he will pick up the attached beer bottle for research and seal it with red wax, so it will be submitted in the lost property declaration procedure of ordinary islanders. As attached to the package, we are glad to find three beer bottles sealed with resin floating on the south bank of the island. They were found about half a mile apart, or a mile away, or buried in sand, or stuffed in cracks in rocks. It is suspected that they drifted here a long time ago, and the contents are as described in the letter, unlike official documents and books. What are the fragments of the suspected miscellaneous account books? As for the day when they floated here, it has been impossible to verify, and it remains to be seen. Enclosed are three original bottles for your reference, together with the village fee. Once your instructions are given, I sincerely hope that you can entrust me with this work.
Month and day
Seal of XX Island Village Office
Yuzhong ocean institute
The contents of the first bottle
Alas ... the rescue boat finally reached this outlying island.
From the ship with two big chimneys erected, two small boats were put down and bumped in the big waves. The people on board reminded me of my father and mother, as if I had seen that unforgettable figure. And ... ah ... waving white handkerchiefs at us, you can see clearly from here.
Mom and dad must have read the letter in the first bottle we threw out, so they came to save us!
The huge hull keeps emitting white smoke, as if to say, I'll come to save you right away. You can clearly hear the sound of the flute, and disappear into the distant sea with the singing of birds and insects on the island. However, for both of us, this flute sounds like a terrible sound announcing the arrival of the last judgment day. As if heaven and earth had exploded before our eyes, the eyes of the gods and the flames of hell were instantly generated.
Ah, my hands are shaking, and I am too flustered to write. Tears blurred my vision.
The two of us are now climbing the high cliff facing the big ship, as if we can clearly see our parents and the sailors who came to save us. We hugged each other tightly and plunged into the unfathomable sea, but we survived. In this way, the sharks that have been swimming there will definitely devour us in an instant! After that, the bottle stuffed with this letter may be picked up by people who come to the rescue by boat!
Ah, father. Mom. I'm sorry-please treat me like an unfilial son!
For all the people who came to save us from our distant hometown, we are deeply sorry for those who did such a thing. Please forgive us. I also ask my parents' forgiveness. We have to choose the way of death, please have pity on our unfortunate fate.
If we don't punish our bodies and souls in this way, we can't repay our mistakes. This is a punishment for the terrible and evil mistakes we made on this isolated island.
Please accept our sincere confession. The two of us are worthless as shark bait, which is pure fantasy.
Ah, farewell.
Neither God nor man can save it.
From two sad people.
To father and mother.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The contents of the second bottle
Ah, deluded God!
Is there no other way to free me from pain except death? ! I climbed the high cliff called Shenzutai alone, and there were always two or three sharks swimming under it. I don't know how many times I have looked down at the bottomless abyss. Even if you jump, you don't know how deep it is! At this moment, I suddenly remembered poor johanna. I sighed deeply and walked down from the corner of the rock. Because I know that once I die, Joanna will follow me.
On that ship, johanna and I, as well as the accompanying nanny couple, boatman and driver, drifted to this small island, and I don't know how many years passed. This island is like summer all year round. I can't tell when Christmas and New Year are, but I think it should be at least ten years!
At that time, we only brought a pen, a knife and a notebook, a magnifying glass and three small bottles of water, a small New Testament … that's all.
But we are very happy.
On this small island full of green, there are no birds, animals or insects we are afraid of except the rare big ants. For johanna and I, who were only eleven or seventeen years old at that time, it was a comfortable place with rich ingredients. There are parrots that look like nine official birds, birds of paradise that I have seen in storybooks, and gorgeous butterflies that I have never seen or heard of. Delicious coconuts, pineapples, bananas, red and purple flowers, fragrant grass and big bird eggs are available all year round. There are countless unknown birds and fish. We collect these things, burn hay with a microscope, light driftwood and barbecue these things to eat.
In the rocks on the east side of the island, springs that only gush out at high tide are found. We built a small house with a broken boat in the sand nearby, covered with some soft hay, and johanna and I lay there. Then on a rock wall next to the hut, a cave with four corners like a warehouse was dug with old nails from the boat. After the completion, our coats and underwear have already been rubbed by wind and rain and rock corners. Although they are just naked like real barbarians, sooner or later we will climb the cliff in God's footsteps, read the Bible and sincerely pray for our parents.
We carefully stuffed the letter to mom and dad into one of the vials, sealed it tightly with resin, and kissed it a few times before throwing it into the sea. This little bottle circled the island, and then with the tide, it was taken to the other side of the distant sea and never floated back to the island. In order to let others see us clearly, we climbed to the highest place of God's feet, cut off a long branch and hung green leaves as a sign at any time.
Although we quarreled occasionally, we all made up immediately and played the games we often played at school at that time. I often regard johanna as a student and teach her to read the Bible and write. Then the two of us will regard the Bible as the god, father, mother and teacher in our hearts, which is more precious than magnifying glasses and small bottles. We will put the Bible on the top of the shelf in the cave. We are really happy and safe. This island is like heaven.
On such a remote island, although I am intoxicated with the happiness of two people, I always feel that terrible demons are everywhere. But it did sneak up on us. I don't know where to start. With the passage of time, johanna's body miraculously became beautiful and slender, so it caught my eye. Sometimes she is as dazzling as a flower essence, and sometimes she is as tempting as a demon ... I don't know why I feel a little ambiguous and pitiful when I look at her.
"Elder brother ..."
Johanna called me with pure eyes, ran to me quickly and leaned on my shoulder. I can clearly feel a wonderful feeling in my chest that I have never felt before. Then I became more and more worried that I would sink, trembling with fear.
But I don't know when johanna's attitude changed. Sure enough, like me, I feel something is wrong ... Look at my poor and wet tears. Then I can feel the embarrassment and a little sadness when she touches my body.
The two began to stop quarreling, replaced by unspeakable sadness and occasional sighs. Although they adapted to life on the outlying islands at first, they became more and more bored and lonely. While looking at each other, I found the other person's eyes a little lifeless and dark. I don't know if this is a revelation from God or a trick from the devil. I touched my chest, made a loud noise, and unconsciously began to expect to leave here as soon as possible.
In this way, knowing each other's feelings, I dare not say anything because I am afraid of God's punishment. What if a rescue boat suddenly comes while doing this ... I'm so worried. Although they didn't say anything, they understood each other.
It happened on a sunny and quiet afternoon. After eating the turtle eggs, we ran on the beach and watched the white clouds float to the distant sea. Johanna suddenly said:
"Elder brother. If one of us is sick and dies, what should the people who stay do? " Johanna, who said this, blushed and bowed his head. Tears rolled down the sand in the afterglow of the sunset glow and looked up at me with a sad smile.
I don't know what kind of expression I had. Feel dying, chest crashing, can only silently stood up and left from johanna. Then I went to scratch my head, annoyed.
"Oh, Almighty God!
"johanna, she doesn't know anything! So blame me! Please don't punish that innocent girl. Please bless her to remain so pure forever. Then I will.
"Ah, but ... but. ...
"God! What should I do? Anyway, please save us from this disaster! As long as I live, I will make johanna suffer the greatest sin. But if I die, Joanna will be sadder and more miserable. Oh, what should I do? " god ...
"I buried my hair in the sand and my abdomen was hit by a stone. If I can turn my wish into a sacred wish because of my death, please give my life to lightning at once!
"Oh, the deluded God! Please say your holy name. Show the sacred meaning to the ground ... "
God didn't give any instructions after all. The blue sky is just a white cloud, floating like a line. Under the cliff, several sharks' tail fins and dorsal fins can be seen playing in the waves from time to time in the waves stirred by waves of blue and white eddies.
I always stare at such a crystal-clear abyss, but suddenly I feel dizzy. The body shook unconsciously and the whole person almost fell into the foam of the waves. Fortunately, he stopped at once. ..... Then I stepped back to the highest point of the cliff, tore off the dead leaves on the long stick standing at the top and threw them into the abyss under my feet.
"It doesn't matter. This way, even if the rescue boat comes, it will drive over! "
I thought like this, and somehow I laughed and ran down the cliff like a wolf.
As soon as he ran into the hut, he took the Bible, which had been opened, to the front of the poem, put it on the fire that had just baked turtle eggs, and threw some hay to rekindle the fire. Then I tore open my throat, shouted johanna's name, ran to the seaside and looked around.
I saw johanna kneeling on a big stone protruding from the distant cape, looking up at the sky, as if praying for something.
I made two steps in three steps and staggered forward. The girl's back, bathed in the bloody sunset, is so sacred on the purple rock hit by big waves.
I didn't notice the high waves coming, washing seaweed under my knees, bathing in golden waves, and the awe-inspiring gesture of praying with one heart … so dazzling … my body froze like a stone, so I stared at it for a while. But when I suddenly realized johanna's determination, I quickly jumped on the rock. I ran to her in desperation, regardless of my feet being scratched by shells on the rocks, and climbed up the rocks in desperation. I clasped my hands around johanna and cried wildly. My blood was boiling in my body and I finally returned to the hut.
But our cabin no longer exists. Along with the Bible and hay, they were burned. After that, the two of us, both body and soul, were completely exiled in the darkness. I can only wail in pain day and night. Not to mention hugging, comforting, encouraging, praying, grieving and sleeping.
This is probably my punishment for burning the Bible!
The starlight at night, the sound of the waves, the sound of insects, the sound of fallen leaves and the sound of fruit falling from the treetops are all like the words in the Bible, as if they are surrounding us and approaching us step by step. Then we didn't dare to move, even fell asleep, as if something was coming to peep at our repressed heart, which was terrible.
It is also a long day to spend a long night like this. So even the sunshine shining on the island, singing parrots, dancing birds of paradise, biting insects, moths, coconuts, pineapples, flowers and colors, grass fragrance, sea, clouds, wind and rainbows have become the suffocating skin fragrance and charm of Johanna, coming from all directions, like a shining vortex surrounding me. Joanna, who was imprisoned in pain like me, imprisoned me in another way with her annoying eyes, like the mercy of God and the temptation of the devil, staring at me all the time, and her pencil was almost used up, so I couldn't write any more.
I want to seal my childlike innocence in a bottle and throw it into the sea after such abuse and persecution, but I am still afraid of being scolded by the gods.
Before succumbing to the devil's temptation today.
And at least two people are still pure.
Ah, ah, God ... We have suffered so much, but we are growing up healthily and painlessly in this beautiful and happy flower-and-bird environment with abundant food. Oh, what a terrible reproach! Such a beautiful and pleasant island is like hell.
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Why not just kill us both? ...
-Taro's notes
The contents of the third bottle
Father and mother. My brother and sister love each other on this island. Please help us.
Ishikawa taro
Ishikawa johanna
(Published in Curiosity in the third year of Showa 10)
note:
The last paragraph of an original is actually garbled, the sentence is fragmented (punctuation is misused) and there are pauses, mixed with a few pinyin, and the Chinese translation does not show that kind of desperate terror.
Second, Curiosity was a Japanese magazine before the war, and Yumeno Kyū saku also published a literary review "On Edgar Varabol" in Curiosity.