Fushigi no Kuni no Bird - Vol. 5 Ch. 24 - Kaneyama (2)

[MangaDex]

 

[frenchfry]

Thanks for the chapter! Ito just tell her the whole truth boii Maries is bad news tbh I think Ito using Maries to prevent Isabella from traveling further is gonna be more dangerous for her because she’d probably try to continue on without him

 

[henrykez]

thanks a lot for the translation, also I really appreciate the notes at the end about the letters she wrote, it really helps to understand better the perspective of isabella.

 

[themoobz]

its fine because its a manga but if this were real life the stubborn of her gonna kill herself and the guy . pretty dumb of her to go on in the weather like that if they both manage to survive then its good if they dont it will cause trouble for many other people to go looking for them , should have listen to the local that live there

 

[KarrotKakes]

noooooooooooooo

 

[cgr]

@themoobz
in case you missed the manga synopsis: other than some minor details, this actually happened. Isabella Bird and Ito really did travel during a bad, rainy time.
Their fate should be obvious:

Spoiler

they both survived this journey

one of the different minor details can be see on the final page of this chapter : letter xix = 19 , letter xxxiv = 34 , so real life Ito clearly didn't tell Bird about Maries' contract right after she saw the doctor.

 

[freakofnature]

@cgr

XIX = 19, not 20.

Your point is good, though. The manga obviously takes pains to present Ito as sympathetic. Bird's actual writings give a somewhat less positive impression.

 

[cgr]

@freakofnature
thank you for pointing it out (I probably accidentally typed the next number) , I edited it

 

[GruntZone360]

Thank you for the chapter!

 

[Nixnaw]

That art is as good as ever and I appreciate the t/n adding the actual letters at the end every time.

 

[trimurti3]

As always, the length you go to in regards to the translation and referencing Isabella's letters is phenomenal. I just wanted to let you know that you have a typo on page 20--it's spelled "nutritious", no "c".

 

[KarrotKakes]

This prob my new fav manga

 

[toriaezu]

@trimurti3 whoops, thank you for mentioning it, fixed!

 

[Simpleton]

@freakofnature Eehh.. I dunno if he's that bad.. I'd say he's been about as "cleaned up" or "symphatized" as she has been.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2184/2184-h/2184-h.htm#page161

He is never late, never dawdles, never goes out in the evening except on errands for me, never touches saké, is never disobedient, never requires to be told the same thing twice, is always within hearing, has a good deal of tact as to what he repeats, and all with an undisguised view to his own interest. He sends most of his wages to his mother, who is a widow—“It’s the custom of the country”—and seems to spend the remainder on sweetmeats, tobacco, and the luxury of frequent shampooing.

He naturally likes large towns, and tries to deter me from taking the “unbeaten tracks,” which I prefer—but when he finds me immovable, always concludes his arguments with the same formula, “Well, of course you can do as you like; it’s all the same to me.” I do not think he cheats me to any extent. Board, lodging, and travelling expenses for us both are about 6s. 6d. a day, and about 2s. 6d. when we are stationary, and this includes all gratuities and extras. True, the board and lodging consist of tea, rice, and eggs, a copper basin of water, an andon and an empty room, for, though there are plenty of chickens in all the villages, the people won’t be bribed to sell them for killing, though they would gladly part with them if they were to be kept to lay eggs. Ito amuses me nearly every night with stories of his unsuccessful attempts to provide me with animal food.

But then of course also:

That he would tell a lie if it served his purpose, and would “squeeze” up to the limits of extortion, if he could do it unobserved, I have not the slightest doubt. He seems to have but little heart, or any idea of any but vicious pleasures. He has no religion of any kind; he has been too much with foreigners for that. His frankness is something startling. He has no idea of reticence on any subject; but probably I learn more about things as they really are from this very defect. In virtue in man or woman, except in that of his former master, he has little, if any belief.

And in the letter 34:

Dr. and Mrs. Hepburn, who are here, heard a bad account of the boy after I began my travels and were uneasy about me, but, except for this original lie, I have no fault to find with him, and his Shintô creed has not taught him any better.

So his main problem was lack of religion (and Shintô apparently doesn't count as one).

 

[waled9k]

loved this chapter

this was hilarious btw lmaoo