Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun.
February 7, 2022 at 12:08 JST
In “A Bear Called Paddington,” the bear from Peru who is adopted by a kindhearted family in London innocently gets into trouble.
When I reread a Japanese version translated by Kyoko Matsuoka, I was stopped by the same passage that caught my attention in the past.
The protagonist has a label around his neck with some writing on it when he arrives at a railway station in London.
In the Japanese translation, it reads: “Could anyone please take care of this bear. I beg your kindness.”
The note, which is supposed to have been written by Aunt Lucy, who parted with the bear in Peru, has a poignant tone.
The original English line is simple and dry, however. “Please look after this bear. Thank you.”
Matsuoka, a scholar of children’s literature who translated the Paddington Bear series, died on Jan. 25. She was 86.
In an interview, Matsuoka said, “If my translation has some unique quality, it is because of my experience of telling stories to children.”
She made a point of checking her translations by reading them aloud, including long sentences, and listening to the recordings.
Matsuoka learned the importance of words both in writing and speech when she studied in the United States during her 20s.
Working at a local library, she received training on storytelling, the art of memorizing stories and narrating them to children.
After returning to Japan, she jointly established Tokyo Kodomo Toshokan (Tokyo Children’s Library) and focused on storytelling activities.
When she narrated a story, Matsuoka darkened the room and lit a candle. Children got excited with expectations for what was about to happen.
For quite some time, however, she expressed concerns that she received “weaker reactions from children than before.” She wondered if the reason was the lightness of words uttered by adults.
Matsuoka kept calling on people to choose substantial words and speak them to children with their whole heart.
Paddington Bear must have been happy that he found a good storyteller in Japan.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 6
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
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Kyoko Matsuoka in 2008 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
