INTRODUCTION
introduction (序文) [名] a preliminary part of a book or speech
序文

 Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal.
folklore (民話) [名] the traditional beliefs, legends, and customs of a community
legend (伝説) [名] a story from the past that is believed by many people but cannot be proved to be true
myth (神話) [名] a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events
fairy tale (おとぎ話) [名] a children's story about magical and imaginary beings and lands
follow (彩る) [動] come after in time
childhood (子供時代) [名] the state or period of being a child
age (時代) [名] a period of time in which events occur
healthy (健全な) [形] in a good condition; not damaged or diseased
youngster (子供) [名] a young person
wholesome (健全な) [形] promoting health or well-being of mind or spirit
instinctive (本能的な) [形] relating to or prompted by instinct
love (愛する) [動] have a strong feeling of affection for
fantastic (空想的な) [形] conceived or appearing as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination
marvelous (驚異的な) [形] causing great wonder
manifestly (明らかに) [副] in a way that is clear or obvious
unreal (非現実的な) [形] not real or actual
民話、伝説、神話、おとぎ話は、時代を超えて子供時代を彩ってきた。なぜなら、健全な子供は誰でも、空想的で、驚異的で、明らかに非現実的な物語を健全に本能的に愛するからである。
The winged fairies of Grimm and Andersen have brought more happiness to childish hearts than all other human creations.
Grimm (グリム) [名] the Brothers Grimm, German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who together collected and published folklore during the 19th century
Andersen (アンデルセン) [名] Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author
winged (翼のある) [形] having wings
fairy (妖精) [名] a mythical being of folklore or mystery
bring (もたらす) [動] cause to come or occur
happiness (幸せ) [名] the state of being happy
childish (子供の) [形] of or like a child
heart (心) [名] the organ that pumps blood through the body
other (他の) [形] not the same; different
human (人間の) [形] of or relating to humankind
creation (創作物) [名] something that has been created
グリムやアンデルセンの翼のある妖精は、他のどんな人間の創作物よりも子供の心に多くの幸せをもたらした。

 Yet the old time fairy tale, having served for generations, may now be classed as “historical” in the children’s library;
old time (昔ながらの) [形] of or relating to a former time
generation (世代) [名] all of the people born and living at about the same time
serve (語り継がれる) [動] work for
children's library (児童図書館) [名] a library for children
historical (歴史的) [形] of or relating to history or past events
しかし、何世代にもわたって語り継がれてきた昔ながらのおとぎ話は、今では児童図書館で「歴史的」なものに分類されるかもしれない。
for the time has come for a series of newer “wonder tales” in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and blood-curdling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale.
for (なぜなら) [接] because
time (時代) [名] the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole
come (到来する) [動] move or travel toward or into a place thought of as near or familiar to the speaker
series (一連) [名] a number of things or events of the same class coming one after another in spatial or temporal succession
newer (新しい) [形] recently made, introduced, or discovered
wonder tale (不思議な物語) [名] a story that is not true and has magical and imaginary beings and events
stereotype (型にはまった) [形] having a fixed or general pattern
genie (魔神) [名] a spirit that appears in human form and has supernatural powers
dwarf (小人) [名] a person of very small stature
eliminate (排除する) [動] completely remove or get rid of
horrible (恐ろしい) [形] causing or likely to cause horror; shocking
blood-curdling (血も凍るような) [形] causing a feeling of great fear or horror
incident (事件) [名] something that happens, especially something unpleasant
devise (考案する) [動] plan or invent a complex procedure or mechanism
author (作者) [名] a writer of a book, article, or report
point (与える) [動] direct someone's attention to something
fearsome (恐ろしい) [形] causing fear or dread
moral (教訓) [名] a lesson that can be learned from a story or event
なぜなら、一連の新しい「不思議な物語」の時代が到来したからである。その物語では、型にはまった魔神、小人、妖精は排除され、それぞれの物語に恐ろしい教訓を与えるために作者が考案した恐ろしく血も凍るような事件もすべて排除されている。
Modern education includes morality;
modern (現代の) [形] of or relating to the present or recent times
education (教育) [名] the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university
include (含む) [動] comprise or contain as a part
morality (道徳) [名] principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior
現代の教育には道徳が含まれている。
therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident.
therefore (そのため) [副] for that reason; consequently
child (子供) [名] a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority
seek (求める) [動] try to obtain or achieve
only (だけ) [副] and no one or nothing more or else
entertainment (娯楽) [名] an activity that is enjoyable or amusing
wonder (不思議な) [形] causing a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration
tale (物語) [名] a fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted
gladly (喜んで) [副] in a happy or willing manner
dispense with (省く) [動] do without; manage without
そのため、現代の子供は不思議な物語の中で娯楽だけを求め、不快な事件はすべて喜んで省く。

 Having this thought in mind, the story of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” was written solely to please children of to-day.
have in mind (念頭に置く) [動] be thinking of
solely (だけ) [副] only
please (喜ばせる) [動] cause to feel happy or satisfied
children (子供たち) [名] a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority
このような考えを念頭に置いて、「オズの魔法使い」の物語は、今日の子供たちを喜ばせるためだけに書かれた。
It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out.
aspire (目指す) [動] direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something
modernize (現代化する) [動] make modern or more modern
wonderment (驚き) [名] a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration
joy (喜び) [名] a feeling of great pleasure or happiness
retain (残す) [動] keep or continue to have
heartache (心の痛み) [名] emotional anguish
nightmare (悪夢) [名] a frightening or unpleasant dream
それは、驚きと喜びは残し、心の痛みや悪夢は取り除いた、現代化されたおとぎ話になることを目指している。

 L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum (L・フランク・ボーム) [名] American author of children's books
L・フランク・ボーム

 Chicago, April, 1900.
Chicago (シカゴ) [名] a city in Illinois
April (4月) [名] the fourth month of the year
1900 (1900年) [名] the year 1900
シカゴ、1900年4月