Unexpected Answers【意外な答え】

ある日ひ、ねこを朝あさ起おこそうと思おもったら、ねこは夢ゆめをみながら両手りょうてを合あわせてスリスリしていた。そして私わたしはねこを起こした。

私:「おはよう。今いま夢で手て洗あらってたの？」

ねこ:「火ひつけてたの。葉はっぱ置おいて。」

違ちがう日ひ。

お兄にいちゃんはゴルフをするのが好すきで、練習れんしゅうを頑張がんばっています。ある日おやつを食たべながら、

お兄ちゃん:「ねー、ねこも何なにか一生懸命いっしょうけんめい頑張ったら？」

ねこ:「サボるの頑張ってる。」

・・・

みんなで笑わらってしまった。

いつも意外いがいな答こたえが返かえってくるねこです。

One morning, when I was about to wake her up, Neko was rubbing her hands together in her sleep. I woke her up.

Me: “Good morning! Were you washing your hands in your dream?”

Neko: “I was making fire. With leaves.”

On a different day.

Big brother loves golf, and practices very hard. One day, as he was eating a snack;

Big brother: “Neko, wouldn’t it be a good idea for you to do your very best at something?”

Neko: “I’m doing my very best at not doing anything.”

…

We all burst into laughter.

Neko really surprises us with her answers.

WORDS

• 予期せぬ（よきせぬ）、意外な（いがいな）＝unexpected
• 夢で（ゆめで）＝in dream
• こする＝rub
• 葉（は）＝leaf、leaves
• 頑張る（がんばる）＝do one’s best
• 笑い（わらい）＝laughter

REMARKS

頑張る is probably one of the first words you have learned in Japanese. It is most commonly translated as “do one’s best”, but it is also used as an encouragement (“Hang in there!”) or a wish for success (“Good luck!”).
Working hard, giving one’s all, really trying for something is all included in this one word 頑張る．