"鐡のこびと Tetsu no kobito" (Iron dwarfs)

Date

1941 November 25

Summary

A young boy and girl named Ichiro and Tomoko dream about a small iron dwarf coming into their house at night to gather iron and copper objects. The dwarf then gathers with other iron dwarves in the middle of the woods where they create artillery and weapons as though in a factory. When the children tell their father about their dream, their father is impressed and encourages them to tell their friends about their dream so that they may become real life iron dwarves.

This story is directed toward children regarding the importance of sacrificing small things in their lives to support their country. It tells children to be enthusiastic about supporting the nation and not mind small inconveniences, encouraging children to become “iron dwarves” to gather iron and copper for the country.

Transcription

Card 20
鐵のこびと
財団法人 戦時物資活用協会選定
原作・町谷 義三郎
作画・木原 満三郎
1 (表紙)
さあ皆さん、これから「鐵のこびと」といふお話を致しませう。
(やさしく間を置いて静かに抜く)


Card 1
チャリンー夜更け、犬の子一匹通らない町の舗道で、 安全ピンが落ちたやうな、小さな小さな響がしました。
(演出者から観衆に呼びかけるやうに)「おやッ、何でせう?」
時計台の上にかゝったお月樣が微笑んでゐます。 おや、おやおや、先刻、チャリンと音のした處で、小さな、小さなこびとが，尻餅をついてゐます。　
(静かに抜く)


Card 2
（観衆に呼びかけるやうに）
ようく御覽!そのこびとは、足も、手も、胴體も、皆、鐵で出來て居ますよ。おやツ、何か言ってゐるやうですね。
（低い太い声でなるべく早めに）
「チチン、プイ、プイ、ゴヨノオタカラ、クシャクシャクシャ」
すると、尻餅をついてゐた鐵のこびとが、ビョコンと 立って、步き出しましたよ。はてナ? 一体何處へ行くのでせう。
(静かに抜く)


Card 3
（調子をかへて）
こゝ、は子供部屋です。
先刻のこびとがデスクに登って四逢を見廻しますと、デスクの上には、錆びたペン先が幾本も散ばってゐました。そこでこびとがその上を、ピヨンピヨンとピヨン踏み乍ら步きますと、オヤオヤ今まであった古ペンが、一つー つ消えて、鐵のこびとの袋は、それだけ大きくなりましたよ。
（抜きながら説明する）
こびとはそれから、そこを出て……


Card 4
今度は、洗面所に行きますと、洗面台の上には、子供連のお父さんが使った、古い安全カミソリの刃がニ、三枚ありました。
こゝでも鐵のこびとは前と同じやうに、安全カミソリの刃の上で踊るやうに飛び廻りました。すると、また力ミソリの刃が消えて、それだけこびとの袋が大きくなりました。
（説明の調子を少し高くする）
ところが、鐵のこびとが瀨戶の洗面臺を降りやうとする拍子に、足を辷らしてガラ、ガラ、カラランと割に大きな音がして、鐵のこびとは瀨戶の床の上に落ちてしまひました。
（さっと抜く）


Card 5
（突然愕いたやうに）
少年「ア、何だらう!」
子供部屋に寢てゐた、少年と少女が眼を醒しました。
少女「鼠でもないし、變ねエ」
（低い声で耳を澄ましているやうな声で）
二人は寝巻のまゝ起きて來て、洗面所をコワゴワ覗きますと、小さな小さなこびとが湯わかしコンロの上に、何か小さな紙片を貼って、ピヨコピヨコと急いで出て行きました。
一郎「不思議だね」
友子「お伽話みたいね工」
(抜きながら)
二人は、こびとの跡を追って玄關に行きますと、


Card 6
下駄箱の中には、毀れたブリキ製のオモチャが、オモチャ箱の中に、ゴチャゴチャかためてありました。こびとがそのオモチャに、小さな小さな手を触れますと、オヤオヤオヤ、またオモチャが消えて、それだけ鐵のこびとの袋が大きくなりました.
(低く驚いた声で) 少年「まるで魔法使いみたいだね」
鐵のこびとの袋が、だんだん大きくなりましたので、こぴとは、もうドアの鍵穴から外へは出られません。
(静かに静かに抜き乍ら説明する) やっと、ドアの下の空気穴を見付けると、そこから外へ出て行きました。


Card 7
少年と少女は、この不思議な鐵のこびとの後をつけて、とうとう森の中へ來ますと、驚いたことには大勢のこ びとが、方々から集って來て、カラガラツと袋をあけました。
(びっくりした声) 少女「ま、あんなに澤山!」
少年「一体どうするんだらう?」
(さっと抜く)


Card 8
(元気な声)
少女「あ、わかった、わかった、こゝは、こびとの鐵工場だわ!」
少年「あ、あれをご覽よ!」
今まで、ここが森の中だとばかり思ってゐた二人は ビックリしてしまひました。こびと達は、大砲やら、戦車やら、 砲彈を造る立派な工場で仕事をしてゐるのです。
(鐵の音は響を持たせて。音を句切る。)
トッチンカン、トッチンカン、トッチンカンー
(早く抜く)


Card 9
チリチリリン チリチリリン チリチリリン
少年は目覺時計の響で目を醒すと、そばに寢てゐた少女も同時に、パッチリ眼を開きました。
(驚いた声)
少年「今のは夢だったのか?」
少女「まあ!今のは夢かしら?」
少年「友ちゃんも夢を見てゐたの?」
少女「えゝ、不思議なこびとの夢よ!」
少年「僕も、その夢さ。不思議だナアー、同じ夢を見るなんて?」
二人は思はず顏を見合せました。
(抜く)


Card 10
ところが、二人が洗面所に行って、本當に驚いてしま ったのは、夢の中のこびとが何か小さな紙片を貼って行った湯わかしコンロに「特別回收」といふ札が貼ってあることでした。
(感動したやうに) 友子「お兄ちゃん、御覽なさいよ、こびとが貼って行った 紙が、ちゃんと貼ってあってよ」
(なるほどと云ふ感じで)
少年「おかしいナア?」
二人は夢のこびとが本當のこびとに思へてならないのでした。
(抜く)


Card 11
(低く静かに) 一郎「お父さん，とても不思議なことあるんです。あれは 僕達が夢で見たこぴとが貼って行ったんでせうか?」
父「え、 夢のこびと？」
お父さんは、その譯が、何のことか分りませんでしたが、一郎さんと友子さんが、夢の話をしますと、
(感動して教へるやうに) 父「それは面白い!鐵のこびとが夢の中で，本當の話を敎へたのだ。戰爭に勝つには、どうしても、鐵や銅 が無ければならない。どうだね一つ、お友達にその夢 の話をして、皆が、今度は本當の鐵のこびとになって は？」
とお父さんも力を入れました。
(静かに抜く)


Card 12
(不思議さうに) 一郎「でもお父さん、コンロに貼った紙、鐵のこびとが貼 ったのですか？」
(笑ひを含んだ調子でゆっくり説明する)父「うむ、あれか? あれはお父さんが貼ったのさ。こんど政府で鐵と銅の特別回収を行ふことになったのだ。
その時出すのを用意したのさ。それで傘立や、火鉢、本立、帽子掛け、スタンド、花瓶、 郵便受け、屑入、コンロなどにも全部貼って置いたよ。ハハハハ、分ったらう!」
一郎「さうか、お父さんか？」
一郎も友子も、やっと、謎が解けたといったやうに、笑ひました。
(静かに抜く)


Card 13
（説明聲で……）鐵のこびとの話は、子供から子供へ傳へられ、幾人も 幾人も鐵のこびとが出來て行きました。
（強く高く）男の子「さうだ、お國の爲だ、少し位の不自由なんか、兵隊さんを思へば何でもない」
(高く同意の気持ちで) 女の子「使ってゐるものでも、代用品で間に合せて、 鐵や銅 を、どしどしお国の御用に立てるやうに、特別回收に 御手伝いをしませう」
（抜く）


Card 14
（説明調で……）
鐵のこびとの話は子供達から兩親へ、そして兩親から お爺さん、お婆さんに傳へられて行きました。
(ゆっくりと回想的に) 老人「さう云へば、日露戰爭の頃にな、わしの近所にあっ たお寺の有名な釣鐘もお國に捧げたのだがのう、その 釣鐘も立派に御奉公したわけぢゃよ」
と年寄りは語るのでした。
(抜く)


Card 15
（力強く明るく）
やがて町々には、 銅鐵特別回收の日が來ました。先づ一郎さんのお父さんが、鐵の門扉を外しますと、一郎さんを始め多くの子供たちは、力を協せて重い重い門扉監を、軽々と担ぎ上げました。
(元気に) 一郎「僕たちの労力も御奉公するのだ！」
わっしょいわっしょい。
少年達は重い門扉を肩にして、銅鐵の集荷場である自分達の学校へ急ぎました。
(抜く)


Card 16
（力強く ゆっくり）
町會の回收品は校庭に、次から次と運ばれ、門柱、鐵柵、廣吿板、泥拭器、火鉢、痰壺、自轉車架、などいろいろのものが山のやうた積まれてゐます。そして、それらの鐵や鋼がトラックに積み込まれるのです。
（ゆっくり抜く）


Card 17
（ゆっくり明朗な調子で）三輪車、空氣銃、砲丸、鐵の本立、インクスタシド等を持った鐵のこびと達がどしどし集って來ます。
(元気にあふれる声で) 少年「これをタンクにして下さい！」
少年「僕のも爆彈にして下さい!」
かうした小さな愛國者は、次から次へと現はれて來ます。
（早めに抜く）


Card 18
（勇ましく）ワッショイワッショイ
勇ましいかけ聲で門扉を擔いだ鐵のこびと達がやって来ます。
（とがめる意で）大人の声「おやおや、あの上に子供が乘ってゐるぞ!」
（やさしく）大人の声「あれが噂の鐵のこびとですよ」
一郞を乘せた門扉が回收品置場に近づきますと町の 人々は感激しました。（静かに抜く）


Card 19
世話人の中に居た軍人はニコニコして、一郎さんの頭をなでました。
（静かに力強い声で）軍人「おかげで、こんなにどっさり、鐵や銅が集まりまし た。これが日本の底力です。かうした皆さんの太陽の やうに燃えあがる愛國心があってこそ、日本の兵隊さんが強いのです。」
軍人はさういって、一郎さんと友子さんの胸に美しい 太陽の花、ヒマハリを挿してあげました。
（やさしく観衆に呼びかけるやうに）さあ皆さんも、一郎さんや、友子さん達のやうに今日から早速、鐵のこびとになって、お國の爲、少しでも多 く銅や鐵を回收致しませうねか！！

Translation of transcription

Card 20
Iron Dwarfs
Incorporated foundation Practical Wartime Resource Use Association selection

Original story: Gisaburō Machitani
Illustration: Mansaburō Kihara

COVER

NARRATOR
Now everyone, today I shall tell you the story of the iron dwarfs.
(A gentle pause)

(Pull the slide.)


Card 1
NARRATOR (continued)
Clink—In the middle of the night, on a paved street in town where not a single dog roams, a small, small sound echoed as if a safety pin was dropped.
(As if the performer is calling out to the crowd)
Oh, what is it?
The moon above the clock tower smiles. My, my, my, from the place where the clinking sound came earlier, there is a small, small dwarf who has fallen on his back.

(Pull the slide quietly.)

Card 2
NARRATOR (continued)
(As if calling out to the crowd)
Look very closely! This dwarf has legs, hands, and a body made of iron. Oh, it seems like he is mumbling.

DWARF
(Quickly in a low, deep voice)
There now, there now, an imperial treasure, crumple crumple crumple.

NARRATOR (continued)
Then, the iron dwarf that had fallen on its back jumps to its feet and starts walking. Hmm? I wonder where he is going.

(Pull the slide quietly.)

Card 3
NARRATOR (continued)
(Changing the tone)
This is a children’s room.
The dwarf from earlier has climbed onto a desk and is looking around. There are many rusty pen nibs strewn about. Seeing this, the dwarf hops skips and jumps on top of the pen nibs, and wouldn’t you know it, the old pen nibs that were there a second ago disappear one at a time, and each time the iron dwarf’s bag becomes bigger.

(Explain while pulling the slide)
Then, the dwarf leaves the room, and

Card 4
NARRATOR (continued)
This time, he heads to the bathroom, where there are a few old razor blades used by the children’s father on the washbasin. Here, too, the dwarf jumps around on the blades like he is dancing, just like before. Then, the blades disappear, and each time the dwarf’s bag becomes bigger.
(Heightening the tone while explaining)
However, when the dwarf tries to get down from the ceramic washbasin, his foot slips, and he goes tumbling down, making a loud clattering sound as he hits the ceramic floor.

(Pull the slide quickly.)

Card 5
BOY (ICHIRO)
(As if suddenly surprised)
Ah, what was that!
GIRL (TOMOKO)
It wasn’t a mouse, how strange.

NARRATOR (continued)
The two got up and, still in their pajamas, peeked timidly into the kitchen. There, a small, small dwarf had stuck a small piece of paper on the water boiler and was hurriedly skipping outside.

ICHIRO
How strange.

TOMOKO
It’s like a fairy tale.

(As you pull the slide)

NARRATOR (continued)
When the pair followed the dwarf to the front door,

Card 6
NARRATOR (continued)
In the shoe rack were many broken tin toys stuffed into a toy box. As the dwarf touches each toy with his small, small hands, my, my, the toys again disappear, and the dwarf’s bag becomes bigger.

BOY (ICHIRO)
(In a low, surprised voice)
It’s like he’s using magic!

NARRATOR (continued)
Since the iron dwarf’s bag had become so big, he can no longer leave through the keyhole in the door.

(As you pull the slide very, very quietly)

NARRATOR (continued)
Finally, he finds an air vent under the door and leaves through there.

Card 7
NARRATOR (continued)
The young boy and girl chased this strange iron dwarf and finally reached the middle of the woods. To their surprise, a great number of dwarfs were gathering from all directions, and they all emptied their bags, their contents clattering to the ground.
GIRL
(In a surprised voice)
My, that’s a lot!
BOY
I wonder what they’re going to do?

(Pull slide quickly.)

Card 8
GIRL
(In a lively voice)
Oh, I know I know, this is the dwarfs’ iron factory!

BOY
Oh, look at that!

NARRATOR
Until now, the two had only thought of this place as the middle of the woods, so they were surprised. The dwarfs were working at a fine factory making artillery, and tanks, and cannonballs.
(The echoing sound of iron. Insert breaks after each sound.)
Clink clank, clink clank, clink clank…

(Pull slide quickly.)

Card 9
NARRATOR (continued)
Ring ring ring, ring ring ring, ring ring ring.
The boy woke up to his alarm, and the girl who was sleeping nearby also opened her eyes wide.
BOY
(In a surprised voice)
Was that a dream?

GIRL
My! Was that a dream?

BOY
Tomo-chan, were you dreaming too?

GIRL
Yes, it was a dream about a strange dwarf!

BOY
I dreamed about that too. How strange that we had the same dream.

NARRATOR
The two exchanged looks.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 10
NARRATOR (continued)
However, when the two headed to the bathroom, they were truly shocked. The water boiler on which the dwarf had stuck the small paper in their dream had a note on it that said “Special Collection.”

TOMOKO
(In an impressed voice)
Big brother, look at that, the paper that the dwarf stuck there is still there.

BOY
(As if to say “I see”)
That’s strange?

NARRATOR
The two were starting to wonder if the dwarf they had seen in their dreams was actually real.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 11
ICHIRO (BOY)
(Low and quietly)
Father, something very strange has happened. That note was stuck there by a dwarf that we saw in our dreams.

FATHER
What, a dwarf?

NARRATOR
Their father had no idea what they were talking about, but when Ichiro and Tomoko told him about their dream,

FATHER
(Teaching them in an impressed voice)
How interesting! The iron dwarf in your dreams taught you a true story. In order to win the war, no matter what, we need a lot of iron and copper. How about this, why don’t you tell your friends about your dream, and you can all become real iron dwarfs?

NARRATOR
Their father said with vigor.

(Pull the slide quietly.)

Card 12
ICHIRO
(Curiously)
But Father, the note on the water boiler, did the iron dwarfs put it there?

FATHER
(Explaining slowly with a hint of a laugh)
Oh, that? That was Father. The government is holding a special collection of iron and copper soon. I was preparing things to take to them. That’s why I stuck these onto the umbrella stand, brazier, bookends, hat rack, stands, copper vase, mailbox, wastebasket, burner, everything. Ha ha ha ha, now you understand!

ICHIRO
I see, it was Father.

NARRATOR
Ichiro and Tomoko laughed as the mystery was finally solved.

(Pull the slide quietly.)

Card 13
NARRATOR (continued)
(Explaining)
The story of the iron dwarfs was passed along from child to child, and many, many iron dwarfs were created.

BOY
(In a strong, high tone)
Yep, this is for the country, a little bit of inconvenience is nothing compared to what the soldiers face.

GIRL
(In agreement, in a high tone)
Even things that we use, we can replace with substitutes, and help with the special collection to give all the iron and copper we can to serve the country.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 14
NARRATOR
(Explaining)
The story of the iron dwarfs was passed from the children to their parents, and from their parents to their grandparents.

OLD MAN
(Reminiscing)
Come to think of it, during the Russo-Japanese war, our neighborhood temple offered their temple bell to the nation, and did great public service.

NARRATOR
The elderly man spoke.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 15
NARRATOR (continued)
(Strong and bright)
The day finally came for each town’s iron and copper special collection. First, Ichiro’s father removed the iron doors of their gate, and the children including Ichiro put their strength together and lifted the heavy iron door as though it were nothing.

ICHIRO
(In a lively voice)
We’ll offer our efforts to the nation too!

NARRATOR
Heave-ho! Heave-ho!
The young boys lifted the heavy door on their shoulders and hurried to their school, which was being used as the iron and copper collection point.

(Pull the slide.)

Card 16
NARRATOR (continued)
(Slowly in a strong tone)
The town council’s collection items were carried one by one to the schoolyard. Gateposts, iron railings, billboards, mud wipers, braziers, spittoons, bicycle racks, all sorts of items piled up like a mountain, and these iron and copper items were then loaded onto trucks.

(Pull the slide slowly.)

Card 17
NARRATOR (continued)
(Slowly in cheerful tone)
Iron dwarfs carrying tricycles, air guns, shells, iron bookends, and ink stands rapidly gathered.

BOY
(In a voice full of energy)
Please turn this into a tank!

BOY
Turn mine into a bomb please!

NARRATOR
Such small patriots appeared one after another.

(Pull the slide quickly)

Card 18
NARRATOR (continued)
(Gallantly)
Heave-ho, heave-ho.
With valiant voices the iron dwarfs arrive carrying the iron door.

ADULT
(Rebuking the children)
My, my, there’s a child on top of that door.

ADULT
(In a kind voice)
They are the rumored iron dwarfs.

NARRATOR
The townspeople were impressed by the children carrying the iron door, with Ichiro sitting on top, to the collection grounds.

(Pull the slide quietly.)

Card 19
A soldier who was among the managers smiled as he patted Ichiro in the head.

SOLDIER
(Quietly in a strong voice)
Thanks to you, we’ve gathered so much iron and copper. This is the real, hidden strength of the Japanese. We soldiers are strong because of your patriotism that burns like the sun.

NARRATOR
Saying this, the soldier placed a beautiful sunflower on Ichiro’s and Tomoko’s chest.
(As if to gently call out to the audience)
Now, everyone, it is time for you to become iron dwarfs like Ichiro-san and Tomoko-san. Starting today, let’s gather as much iron and copper as we can for our country!

Scope and contents

Kihara Mansaburō 木原 満三郎 (artist); Machitani Gisaburō 町谷 義三郎 (author); Dai Nihon Gageki Kabushiki Kaisha 大日本画劇株式会社 (publisher)

Language

Japanese

Script

Japanese (alias for Han + Hiragana + Katakana)

Genre/form

Kamishibai plays

Collection information

Collection title

Kamishibai collection

Collection ID

2018C32.12417284

Collection abstract

Japanese illustrated paper play sheets, intended primarily for children and women at the homefront and dealing with World War II propaganda themes.

Rights

No known restrictions.

Holding repository

Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Preferred citation

"鐡のこびと Tetsu no kobito" (Iron dwarfs), Kamishibai collection, Hoover Institution Library & Archives, https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3gp5j

Identifiers

Record ID

2018C32.00006

Permalink

https://n2t.net/ark:/54723/h3gp5j

RefID

0813f8ea96b7a62dc17308954aed96e9

EZID

ark:/54723/h3gp5j

Digitization information

Imaging system

IQ180, Phase One

Capture date

2018-07-08T10:20:18-07:00