Akatonbo (Red Dragonfly) 赤とんほ? [Cover]

     

"Akatonbo" is a popular nursery rhyme based on a poem
by Rofu Miki (1889-1964) which first appeared in the nursery
song book "Shinjujima (Pearl Island)" in 1921. The poem was set
to music by Kosaku Yamada (1886-1965) in 1927.

Momoclo sang it while playing guitar on the first "Sakazaki Kounosuke
no Momoiro Folk Mura
" episode in 2014

Mus: Kosaku Yamada (山田耕筰), Lyr: Rofu Miki (三木露風)

TV version:

 

Translated by Otenkiame

Kanji

 

夕焼け小焼けの 赤とんぼ
負われて見たのは いつの日か

山の畑の 桑の実を
小かごに摘んだは まぼろしか

十五でねえやは 嫁に行き
お里の便りも 絶え果てた

夕焼け小焼けの 赤とんぼ
とまっているよ 竿の先

Romaji

 

Yuuyake koyake no akatonbo
Owarete mita nowa itsunohika

Yama no hatake no kuwa no mi wo
Kokago ni tsunda wa maboroshi ka

Juugo de neeya wa yome ni iki
Osato no tayori mo taehateta

Yuuyake koyake no akatonbo
Tomatte iru yo sao no saki

Translation

 

Red dragonfly in the red sunset sky, in the orange sunset sky
Being carried on her back, I saw it at one time

In the mountain's fields, we picked mulberry fruits
And put them in a small basket, is that a mirage?

At fifteen, the young girl married
And letters too ceased to come

Red dragonfly in the red sunset sky, in the orange sunset sky
It's stopped on the tip of my fishing pole