今回はイソップ物語の中から “The Fox and the Grape”（「すっぱい葡萄」）の朗読をしてみたいと思います。お腹を空かせた狐が実った葡萄を見つけますが、取ろうとして何度も一生懸命ジャンプしますが届きません。悔しい狐は「どうせすっぱい葡萄だろ」と負け惜しみを言うというお話しです。まずは、文中に出てくるいくつかの単語の発音を確認しておきます。（発音は General British です）↓
ripe /raɪp/, vine /vaɪn/,
branch /brɑːntʃ/, burst /bɜːst/, gaze /geɪz/,
longingly /ˈlɒŋɪŋli/, bunch /bʌntʃ/, hung /hʌŋ/,
distance /ˈdɪstəns/ ~ /ˈdɪstns/, leap /liːp/,
vain /veɪn/, disgust /dɪsˈgʌst/, sour /saʊə/ ~ /saə/,
worth /ˈwɜːθ/, gape /geɪp/, scornfully /ˈskɔːnfəli/
despise /dɪˈspaɪz/, belittle /biːlɪtl/
それでは全文を朗読してみます。（文章は http://www.gutenberg.org/ にある The Aesop for Children by Aesop からのものです。）↓
A Fox one day spied a beautiful bunch of ripe grapes hanging from a vine trained along the branches of a tree. The grapes seemed ready to burst with juice, and the Fox’s mouth watered as he gazed longingly at them.
The bunch hung from a high branch, and the Fox had to jump for it. The first time he jumped he missed it by a long way. So he walked off a short distance and took a running leap at it, only to fall short once more. Again and again he tried, but in vain.
Now he sat down and looked at the grapes in disgust.
“What a fool I am,” he said. “Here I am wearing myself out to get a bunch of sour grapes that are not worth gaping for.”
And off he walked very, very scornfully.
There are many who pretend to despise and belittle that which is beyond their reach.
Today’s my singing
今回の歌は Joe South によって書かれ1970年にヒットした ‘Walk A Mile In My Shoes’ という曲です。エルビスを含め多くのミュージシャンにカバーされています。
If I could be you, if you could be me
For just one hour, if we could find a way
To get inside each other’s mind
If you could see you through my eyes
Instead of your own ego
I believe you’d be I believe you’d be surprised to see
That you’ve been blind
Walk a mile in my shoes
Just walk a mile in my shoes
Before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Then walk a mile in my shoes
Now if we spend the day
Throwin’ stones at one another
’Cause I will think, ’cause I will think
To wear my hat the same way you do
Well, I may be common people
But I’m your brother
And when you strike out, you’re tryin’ to hurt me
It’s hurtin’ you, Lord have mercy …
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