なめとこ山の熊
どういうわけか、雪が降るといつも宮沢賢治の「なめとこ山の熊」を思い出す。
賢治を本格的に読み始めたのは、15年ほど前からだ。亡くなった義父が昔、テアトルコメディという劇団で長岡輝子さんと親しく、彼女が賢治の文学を朗読しており家が近いこともあって、朗読を聴きに行ったり本を読んだりしていた。そのときに「なめとこ山の熊」に誘発され、大田市場が開場して間もなく「花の仕事は人に害を及ぼすわけではないから本当に良い仕事だ。しかし、人間の都合で切り花にしたり、根をもっと張りたいのに狭い鉢の中に押し込めるなど、これは業そのものではないか」としばし深刻に思い悩む時期があった。
92年のオランダズータメーヤで行われた花博の時、オランダの友人の家に行き、その家族やちょうど来ていたニュージーランド人と業の話をした。その時渡された本が、あとに日本語訳された「植物の不思議生活」（工作舎）であった。今でも人間の生活に欠かせない身の周りの野菜や果物や花は、有り難いことに強い忠誠心を持った家臣の様に我々の生活を支えてくれている。
なめとこ山の小十郎のように、誠意を持って日々の業務を行いたい。
Faithful ServantWhenever it snows, it reminds me of a story written by Kenji Miyazawa.
I was getting involved in the Miyazawa world about 15 years ago. My late father in law had a good friend who worked as an actress in a theatre. She used to read Miyazawa's works, then I would go there to listen to her and read Miyazawa for I lived near her house.
I came across to a certain Miyazawa story at that time. The story often made me think deeply that flower business was harmless as it would never do harm on people. However, it can be human's willfulness to cut flowers for our convenience and squeeze their roots into a small pot.
When I visited the flower festival held in Holland in 1992, I had a talk about selfishness of our business with Dutch friends and some New Zealanders, who also visited them by chance. One of them gave me a book named "shokubutsu no fushigi seikatsu" ( Miracle Life of Plants). This book has made me change my thinking. I realized that all vegetables, fruits and flowers are supporting our life like faithful servants. Those are just answering our purpose.
When I visited the flower festival held in Holland in 1992, I had a talk about selfishness of our business with Dutch friends and some New Zealanders, who also visited them by chance. One of them gave me a book named "shokubutsu no fushigi seikatsu" ( Miracle Life of Plants). This book has made me change my thinking. I realized that all vegetables, fruits and flowers are supporting our life like faithful servants. Those are just answering our purpose.
We should accomplish our tasks in good faith to suit those vegetables.
2001/01/08 磯村信夫
