tmas

    by MURAKAMI haruki

    translated by Cophor Allison

    o compose some music for Cmas. tor, ake tion, sed profusely under ts. As long as summer lasted, te miserable, because  a poor s afford an air conditioner. As tered softly in the breeze.

    “e, tor, unloosening tener at o alloo blo one salent, to compose music in  ron, t. tmas Day. this year, happily, you have been chosen.”

    “Ohe Sheep Man.

    “t being ticularly splendid music, befitting to t,” he concluded.

    “I see, I see,” said tching his ears.

    “Cmas is still four and a  to  mucime, I can certainly compose some magnificent sheep music.”

    “I’ll be o do it. You can count on me,”  sainly do my best to e excellent sheep music.

    September passed, and tober and November, but t been able to begin ted by t stle time to devote to tion. Moreover, wo play eps and pound on his door.

    “Cut t racket out! I can barely elevision.”

    “I’m terribly sorry. But since I o mas, migo bear tle whe Sheep Man said meekly.

    “ a idiotic to say,” erupted t like it, you can just leave rig because   you can make a laugock out of us. If too bad.”

    t tmas  four s o e a single bar of t play the piano.

    One day, tting in ting donuts urbed countenance, w’s wrong, my dear She Sheep Professor enquired.

    “I’m not feeling very mas is coming, somet is to say, Cmas is part of tory to the Sheep Professor.

    “roking ’s think I can help you.”

    “Really?” tically. Because tudied sed matters all  tle bit queer in the head.

    “Yes, really,” to my onig 6:00. I’ll teac metecion. By ts?”

    “Yes, of course,” ting it inogets.

    t evening, bearing a package of six cinnamon donuts as a gift, ted t o too, as eposts and tones, o himself.

    Of ts, t so mucopping for a breatant. Finally, ting ongue, tered crumbs on tabletop and licked his fingers clean.

    “tainly likes s,” t ther impressed.

    Once rieved a ory of Sed on the cover.

    “So, master Sten everyt been able to e the sheep music.”

    “But Professor, I already kno’s because t let me play the piano...”

    “Nonsense,” t piano, you still  e the deeper reason is in here.”

    “’s t?” asked the Sheep Man.

    “You h a grimace.

    “Cursed?”

    “Quite so,” said times. “Because you he piano nor compose music.”

    “O o anybody.”

    terously. “Per th?”

    “No. I  seen t five years.”

    “ell, te somet on Cmas Eve last year?”

    “I eat donuts for lunc remember exactly s I ate on Cmas Eve last year, but...umm... I’m pretty certain I s.”

    “Donuts hem?”

    “Yes, I imagine so. I mean, almost all donuts hem.”

    “t’s it!” t of teac aug to eat food  on Cmas Eve?”

    “I’ve never  before,” said t true all over?”

    “Not kno t of t...t’s startling,” replied today...t kno teacuff in Sheep Man’s School?”

    “Yea I didn’t do so udies,” tching his head.

    “Look une  tinued, “because you  donuts to me, I ruct you. mas Eve, it is also t of t. On t  , o a  is a very sacred day. Consequently, ting of foods -ly proed since ancient times. Sucs, onion rings, and of course bagels, can cause severe problems.”

    “I beg your pardon, but   doing ? And whe road?”

    “I don’t knoo tions. ts  be kno any  is a la, t in a curse being placed upon you. o be a s compose this reason. Yes.”

    “I’m suc,” this curse?”

    “ I’m afraid t it’s not very easy. But t’s OK, isn’t it?”

    “I don’t care. I’ll do  takes. Please tell me.”

    “to fall into a hole.”

    “ kind of  exactly? Is any hole OK?”

    “Don’t be stupid. Not just any o remove t’s fairly small. I’ll try to find it for you now.”

    trieved a tattered book entitled t  and poured over it’s pages.

    “ell... is. It says t t  fell into a ers in diameter and 203 meters deep, whe same dimensions will suffice.”

    “But I can’t dig a  deep by myself. And anyo a ,  I be killed before the curse is broken?”

    “ait, ; ttempting to break t s matter if ts to one. ters and timeters s’.”

    “O’s all, I can dig it. No problem,” the Sheep Man said, relieved.

    turned  countless regulations t o be folloo break tried to e them down, one by one.

    1) t be dug uneriko  aff made of this wood.)

    2) t occur at 1:16 in tmas Eve. (Because t fell at time.)

    3) At time of taining foods must be brought.

    Regulations (1) and (2)  of t t understand ty of the sack lunch.

    “range,” t to  I guess I ter do it t says here.”

    Cmas Eve  days, o make a suneriko ers and a deptimeters.

    “Boy, trange t’s he Sheep Man sighed.

    uneriko tree in t, and cut off a small branco  into t day, o dig the back yard of his house.

    ted him.

    “You t are you digging t hole for?” she demanded.

    “I’m digging a o dump garbage in,” t maybe it would be handy.”

    “O it? ell, if you try anyt, surned and walked away.

    Using a measuring tape, t ly to tions for diameter and depth.

    “t ougo do it,” to h a wooden lid.

    At last Cmas Eve arrived. t a dozen donuts of ty variety,   sent of   and a small flas in t pocket of , and closed tener. At 1:00, otal darkness. tars  out, so  even see  of his face.

    “It must  t  fell into t . “It’ll be 1:16 soon.  if I can’t find to  until Cmas Eve next year? t  as  suddenly  to the hole.

    “Someone must  as  is  nasty landlady. Ses everyt ers deep. Surely, after falling for so long, I s ttom by now.”

    te a t ttom of t.

    After stle, tried to s at o find t t  t   he hole.

    “’s t?” came a voice out of t’s only 1:14. You’re 2 minutes early, goddamit. You’ll o climb back up to top and do it again from the beginning.”

    “I’m sorry. I couldn’t see very  o t,” t I’m afraid to top of a  deep.”

    “You got to, goddamit. Jeez, a little bit earlier and you could tened me. I t you  1:16, goddamit.”

    tc. t all. But tall, ed around like a ty donut.

    “By t, you better  a sack lunc said, “because, if you didn’t, you’re in big trouble, goddamit.”

    “Of course I broug,” the Sheep Man said, nervously.

    “ell, give it . I’m starved.”

    trieving ty donuts one by one, o t.

    “ t said, seeing ts. “You must be an idiot to bring me food t looks like my own goddam head.”

    “No, it ake,” t from  a donut sy donuts  didn’t hem.”

    “Ay’, goddamit!” t said, falling to ears began to floy eyes. “It’s because of t I o stay at ttom of te-keeper, goddamit.”

    “Oake. I meant to say ‘ted’.”

    “ell, it’s too late no.” t said, still crying.

    Lacking any course of action, trieved one of ted donuts, and after untangling t and stretc out straig to t.

    “Look, t’s straig you eat it? It’s delicious.”

    t took t and ate it  stop crying.

    ate donuts and , tigated ttom of t ’s bed and desk. “Since ekeeper’, t certainly be a gate around  ecting,” t a gate, you certainly don’t need a gatekeeper.”

    Speculating taking to tunnel.

    “If only I  ate ts on Cmas Eve last year, I  be up to himself.

    After about ten more minutes, it sloo groside t sunlight spilled in.

    “range. o t  past one in t can’t be da,” t, craning his neck.

    of tunnel, y clearing before all trees suce clouds floated in the song of birds.

    “ I s book, it said t if I fell do it didn’t mention anyt this.”

    o eat one of ts from  w, he heard a voice from behind him.

    “Good afternoon, Mr. Sheep Man.”

    “hello.”

    urned around to look, anding t bearing ther similarly wore ‘209’.

    Aside from tail.

    “o come over  donuts h me?”

    “o!” 208 said.

    “they look really good,” 209 said.

    “the Sheep Man replied.

    So t in a roe donuts.

    “the food,” 209 said.

    “t’s t time I’ve ever s,” 208 said.

    “t’s good,” t on me, and I o do nory to break the spell.”

    “errible!” 208 said.

    “Being cursed must be tough,” 209 said.

    “Really tough a sigh.

    “I ing to 208.

    “t’s a good idea. t to do, I’ll bet,” 208 said to 209.

    “S curses, after all,” 209 said to 208.

    “ake me to see tedly.

    “Umm, not the Gull,” said 208.

    “the Seagull,” said 209.

    “totally different, after all,” said 208.

    “t’s right,” said 209.

    “Sorry, sorry,” to 208 and 209. “Can you take me to see the Seagull’s wife?”

    “At your service,” said 208.

    “ith pleasure,” said 209.

    So t togettle song:

    Alwins,

    Even if t and .

    Alwins,

    Even if t and left.

    After es, t ended and t before the eye could see.

    “Can you see ttle sop of t big rock over t’s ting.

    “e can’t go outside t,” 208 said.

    “ell, t,” to rieved ts, and o eacwins.

    “thank you, Mr. Sheep Man,” 208 said.

    “Good luck breaking your curse,” 209 said.

    Getting to te a deateep, and to speak of. In addition, a sened to blo any time.

    “I guess t it’s no fun for to climb,” the Sheep Man complained.

    Someually found o top of the Seagull’s wife’s house.

    “ing for ttling voice from he house say.

    “Umm, no...I’m knohe Sheep Man...” he began.

    “I don’t  any,” said tly.

    “I’m not a he door.”

    “You’re really not collecting for the newspaper?”

    Suddenly, t open, and t. Sall and ed like a pick-axe.

    “told me t you knoo kno curses,” said t beak could  fully.

    “You’ll a come inside. I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”

    terribly messy. t, a bottle of catsup able, and trashcan was overflowing.

    ts, one by one.

    “Boy, t’s tougo find anoto your world.”

    “But can’t I just go back the way I came?”

    “No. Once you’ve come, t to rigake you to a place on my back, t rid of this curse.”

    “t would make me awfully happy.”

    “But you look pretty he Seagull’s wife said, dubiously.

    “I’m not  all. I’m barely 75 pounds,” ting by about 10 pounds.

    “All rig’s make a deal,” take you to the place where you can break your curse.”

    “Done.”

    But took quite a long time to clean. It  been cleaned in literally montes and tea cups, caked able-top; vacuumed tiles; and picked up all tras out. ed.

    “I ed curse to tly to himself.

    “It looks pretty good,” tisfied. “A .”

    “So noake me to the curse can broken?”

    “Yeah, I’ll keep my promise. here, climb on my back.”

    Once tten on, took off into t time tightly.

    “ing me. Don’t pull so  breathe Seagull’s wife growled.

    “Ohe Sheep Man said sheepishly.

    From t and t and tretc endlessly, e beac bet iful view.

    “It’s really beautiful, isn’t it,” the Sheep Man said.

    “Maybe to you, but I see it everyday, and I’m sick of it,” t boredom.

    In order to stretctle, s do even a hundred yards away.

    “’s  you feeling h concern.

    “No, I feel fine,” tupid question? I’m famous in ts for my vigour.”

    “But w down hen?”

    “Because the Seagull’s wife said.

    “But t be more t’s t in riding on your back. I could just as easily have walked.”

    “But t have cleaned my house for me, would you?”

    “ell, no, I guess not, but...”

    “ell t  to  tance. I took you on my back just like I promised.”

    “Umm, yes...certainly,” the Sheep Man said, unconvinced.

    till laugily to ook off into tion of her house.

    ree standing in ttaco trunk of tree. Since t, to try to climb to top of the ladder.

    t difficult to climb. Sing o top, 30 or 40 rungs  voice say:

    “ are you doing up here?”

    “O of a curse. You can’t ion of the voice.

    “A curse, you say? Ahe voice said.

    t to keep from slipping, elbo o a small cabin, and in front of t squatted, s razor.

    “Baa...baa...ba,” tammered. eren’t you just at ttom of the hole?”

    “  me,” t said ’s my big brot to t. Big Brots to t.  people.”

    Rig, urned to t and ing left, was carefully she while.

    “From t your personalities couldn’t be more different,” the Sheep Man said, impressed.

    “ell, you knoes,” Rig said, shaving behind his ears. “ha ha ha ha ha.”

    “No the Sheep Man began.

    “Don’t tell me anyt it,  t said. “t’s han being cursed, ha ha ha ha ha.”

    the Sheep Man descended, furious.

    “I really e t t or Left t, ted just t Seagull’s wife was so selfish.”

    t  take mucrudged sloer tle o stop ter and eat anot.  o groretc on the spring, had a nice nap.

    ars sely in times it he baying of a wolf.

    “I’m exed. And on top of t, I’m lost in a strange land. And I still  even broken to himself.

    “Umm, I couldn’t  be a great annoyance,” a timid voice suddenly came out of the darkness.

    “he Sheep Man asked, surprised.

    “Uhe voice said, sounding embarrassed.

    tically, but  see anythe darkness.

    “Please don’t bot ime.”

    “ill you come out and eat donuts ried to tempt ’s lonely sitting here by myself.”

    “I’m not really s,” t does sound awfully nice.”

    “It’s OK. I s. But if you’re surn around, and t it.  t?”

    “OK,” nobody said. “But I’m really small, so a y.”

    t a donut on turned around. Before long, tealting a donut.

    “O turn around.”

    “I  turn around, but ell me  the Sheep Man enquired.

    “O it,” Nobody said. “Really delicious. Munch munch.”

    “o get rid of it?” the Sheep Man asked.

    “Just dive into t spring. Munc’s really easy,” Nobody said.

    “But I don’t know o swim.”

    “You don’t need to  ’s OK. t. Munch munch munch.”

    it trepidation, to to t. As soon as er vanistom of thud. his head swam.

    “O mean for you to dive in .”

    ood before tle old man about five feet tall.

    “A ,” t whe heck are you?”

    “I am t ,” th a kindly smile.

    “You!  to do all t auff? I never did anyto anybody, and yet I o put up  t on my   .

    “Yes, I agree. It errible. terrible, indeed. But for t said.

    “ell, I’d really like to he Sheep Man said angrily.

    “Anon, anon,” t said. “But first come over o show you.”

    t turned and oerior of till santly after  came to stand in front of a door, and promptly opened it.

    “Merry Cmas!” everyone sed. Everybody  t and Left t, 208 and 209, till  around  looked like the Sheep Professor.

    Inside ted Cmas tree. Underneatree, s tied up h ribbons had been piled.

    “ in t are all of you doing unned.

    “e’re all ing for you,” 208 said.

    “e’ve been ing all time,” 209 said.

    “You’ve been invited to a Cmas party, don’t you see,” t said.

    “But I’ve been cursed, so I...” stammered the Sheep Man.

    “I put t you ing, and everyone .”

    “It certainly he Seagull’s wife.

    “And interesting, goddammit,” added Left t.

    “A pleasure,  t.

    “It was delicious,” mumbled Nobody.

    Alte upset about tion, o enjoy  ay mad wime.

    “If t ’s OK the Sheep Man said, nodding agreeably.

    “Mr. S to play the piano for us,” 208 said.

    “You must be very good,” 209 said.

    “Is the Sheep Man.

    “t said, pulling aside a giant clote, sheep-shaped piano.

    “t to your ’s content.”

    t nigiful and deliger another.

    Rig and Left t sang, 208 and 209 danced, t  faced off in a beer-drinking contest. Nobody rolled over and over on tmas cake ributed to everyone.

    “Mmm...delicious. Munco a third piece.

    “May t prayed.

    seemed as if ill a very distinct bump on ain on t’s place stood te sheep piano.

    t happened when he woke up.

    Outside trees, on ts, we snow was piled high.

    In ternoon of t day, t into too pay a visit to t t t a vacant lot. teposts and paving stones had all disappeared.

    “I  be able to meet any of t to s, and t.” Overcome s, tears streamed from o like t.

    urned to tmas card ure of a s ed:

    May the sheep man world forever...