サンタ社説

サンタクロースがいることを証明した社説

米ジャーナリズム史上、もっとも有名な社説。

1897年に、ニューヨークの８歳の少女が地元New Yorkの The Sun紙(保守高級紙)に手紙。

「友達が『サンタなんていない』て言うけど、本当なの？」

この新聞は、本当の社説で「いる」と断言しました。

"Is there a Santa Claus?"

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

この少女、バージニア・オハンロンさんは教育の道に進みました(のちに学校の副校長)。1971年まで長生きしました。

The Sun紙は20世紀半ば他社に吸収され(1833-1950)、2002年に同じ名前と精神で設立されたThe New York Sun新聞も2008年に解散。

以下、少女の手紙と、少女への返事として書かれた社説を読んでみましょう。比較的読みやすい文で書かれています。

■"Is There a Santa Claus?"

(実際には、全体が"Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus"として知られる)　　

September 21, 1897

この少女の手紙

Dear Editor,

I am eight years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says "If you see it in The Sun it's so."
Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon.
115 W. 95th St.

　手紙実物　Wikimedia Commonsより

↑CBSニュースより　https://www.cbsnews.com/news/yes-virginia-the-story-behind-the-letter-about-santa-claus/

1911年当時のクリスマスカード　RLogos

■社説(少女の投稿と、返事)

"Is There a Santa Claus?"

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong.

They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.

All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.

He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.

It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies!

You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove?

Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus.

The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.

Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart.

Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond.

Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever.

A thousand years from now, VIRGINIA, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

■社説の実物　

画像出典：　Wikimedia Commons　(public domain)

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

■サンタ社説に親しむ本　　

社説を読んで、もう一度サンタクロースのいる世界を想像してほしいと願ったST読者が、現地ニューヨークへ何度も出かけるなど調査を開始、思い切って自費出版した本。
サンタクロースの存在を疑ったときに子どもが軟着陸ができるように。親、そして中学・高校生・卒業生にも。全文、読解、関連情報など。
STなどの読者プレゼントにも採用された。毎年３月には、著者から高校新卒者へプレゼントするとの広告がSTに載るようになりました。

「Do You Believe in Santa Claus?　道草を楽しむ英語」　　(くるみもち著)　　ブログ

■Yes Virginia　ユーチューブ動画など各種

★絵付き朗読1　