むがす、南部の国、岩手の里にゃ、馬っこは家族の一員だったんす。田んぼ耕すも、荷物運ぶも、ぜーんぶ馬っこの力。
そいだがら、村の衆は馬っこさ感謝して、年に一度、きらびやかな飾りつけして、町中ば練り歩かせる祭りばやってたんす。
それが「ちゃぐちゃぐ馬っこ」って祭りだっけや。
馬っこの首っこさ鈴ばいっぺつけで、歩くたびに「ちゃぐちゃぐ、ちゃぐちゃぐ」って、ええ音鳴らしてな、子どもらも、じっちゃもばっちゃも、みーんな笑顔で見守ってたんす。
ある年のこと、ちっちぇ馬っこの「こま太郎」が、初めて祭りさ出ることになったんす。こま太郎は、まだ若げぇ馬っこで、ちょっとビビり。
「おら、あんなに人いっぺぇのとこ、歩けるべがなぁ…」って、ブルブル震えてたんす。
そいでも、飼い主のタケじいが優しく言ったんす。
「だいじょぶだ、こま太郎。おめは立派な馬っこだ。ちゃぐちゃぐの鈴の音が、おめさ力ばくれるべ」
いよいよ祭りの日。こま太郎は、金ぴかの飾りつけして、鈴ばじゃらじゃら鳴らしながら、行列の先頭さ立ったんす。
最初は足がすくんでたばって、鈴の音が「ちゃぐちゃぐ」って響くたびに、だんだん勇気が湧いてきたんす。
「ちゃぐちゃぐ…ちゃぐちゃぐ…」
その音は、まるで「がんばれ、がんばれ」って応援してるみてぇだったんす。
こま太郎は胸張って、最後まで立派に歩ききったんす！
村の衆は拍手喝采！
「こま太郎、えらいぞ?！」
「来年も頼むど?！」
そいで今でも、6月の第二土曜日になると、岩手の空さ「ちゃぐちゃぐ、ちゃぐちゃぐ」って、あったけぇ鈴の音が響くんす。
どうだべ？ちゃぐちゃぐ馬っこの鈴の音、聞こえてきた気すっぺ。
Long ago, in the land of Nanbu, in the villages of Iwate, horses were part of the family. They plowed the fields, carried loads?everything depended on their strength.
Because of that, the villagers showed their gratitude by decorating the horses in gorgeous ornaments once a year and parading them through the town.
That festival was called "Chagu Chagu Umakko."
They hung lots of bells around the horses' necks, and with every step the horses took, the bells rang out, "chagu chagu, chagu chagu." Children, grandpas, and grandmas?all watched with big smiles.
One year, a small young horse named Komataro was going to join the festival for the first time. Komataro was still young and a bit timid.
"I...I dunno if I can walk in a place with so many people..." he said, trembling.
But his owner, Old Man Take, gently told him:
"You'll be fine, Komataro. You're a fine horse. The sound of the chagu-chagu bells will give you strength."
Then came the day of the festival. Komataro was dressed in shining golden decorations, bells jingling loudly as he stood at the head of the procession.
At first, his legs were frozen with fear, but each time the bells echoed "chagu chagu," courage slowly welled up inside him.
"Chagu chagu... chagu chagu..." The sound felt just like someone cheering him on: "You can do it, you can do it."
Komataro held his head high and proudly walked all the way to the end.
The villagers burst into applause. "Good job, Komataro!" "We're counting on you next year too!"
And even now, on the second Saturday of June, the warm sound of "chagu chagu, chagu chagu" rings through the skies of Iwate.
How about it? Feels like you can almost hear the bells of Chagu Chagu Umakko, doesn't it.