The only collection of children's drama written by Osanai Kaoru, who founded a theatrical troupe and a theater called Tsukiji Shôgekijô, which became the basis of the shingeki movement, Western-style drama newly developed in modern Japan. The collection is representative of children's drama in the Taisho era.
The title piece "Mittsu no Negai" is a dramatization of a Western fairy tale in which a woodcutter was granted three wishes by a fairy but uses them in vain. Five other dramas are "Hokuchi Bako" ["The Tinder Box"] which is a dramatization of Andersen's "The Tinder Box," "Ningyô" ["A Doll"] which is a rewriting of an opera, "Iruzeberu no Nozomi" ["Iruzeberu's Wishes"] which is a dramatization of the Grimm's fairy tale "The Fisherman and His Wife," "Ookami no Kyôkun" ["A Lesson by a Wolf"] which is an analogue of Little Red Riding-Hood, and "Soramame no Nieru Made" ["Till the Broad Beans are Boiled"] which is a translation of a work by American dramatist Stuart Walker. All are translations or adaptations of works from overseas, and Osanai's originals are not included. Of these dramas, "Ningyô" was performed earliest in 1912.
Osanai was acutely aware that these scripts were for dramas watched by
children. He attached importance to implied instruction as well as entertainment.
He regarded that "Soramame no Nieru Made" deserved to be a drama
for children in that instruction and satire was still waiting to be recognized
though not forced.
Drama for children in the Meiji era was mostly feudal and didactic adaptations of fairy tales. It developed into citizen's drama in the Taisho era. The Three Wishes, especially "Ningyô," is valued as a herald of such a transition. A reprint of the original was published by Holp Shuppan in 1971. |
