How the Tiger Got His Stripes

Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, so long ago that the tiger had no stripes upon his back and the rabbit still had his tail, there was a tiger who had a farm. The farm was very much overgrown with underbrush and the owner sought a workman to clear the ground for him to plant.

むかしむかし、遥かな遥かなむかし、虎の背中にまだ縞がなく、兎にまだ尻尾があったほど昔、畑を持っている虎がいた。畑は下草がすっかりはびこっていたので、持ち主は作物を植えられるよう土地を切り開いてくれる働き手を探した。

The tiger called all the beasts together and said to them when they had assembled, "I need a good workman at once to clear my farm of the underbrush. To the one of you who will do this work I offer an ox in payment."

虎は獣たちをみな呼び集め、集まったところでこう言った。「すぐにでも、わしの畑の下草を切り払ってくれる腕のよい働き手が要る。この仕事をしてくれた者には、手間賃に牛を一頭やろう」

The monkey was the first one to step forward and apply for the position. The tiger tried him for a little while but he was not a good workman at all. He did not work steadily enough to accomplish anything. The tiger discharged him very soon and he did not pay him.

まっさきに進み出てその仕事を申し込んだのは猿だった。虎はしばらく猿を使ってみたが、猿はまるで腕のよい働き手ではなかった。何かをやり遂げるほどこつこつ働かなかったのである。虎はまもなく猿を首にし、手間賃も払わなかった。

Then the tiger hired the goat to do the work. The goat worked faithfully enough but he did not have the brains to do the work well. He would clear a little of the farm in one place and then he would go away and work on another part of it. He never finished anything neatly. The tiger discharged him very soon without paying him.

次に虎は山羊を雇ってその仕事をさせた。山羊はまじめに働いたが、仕事をうまくやる頭がなかった。畑のあるところを少し切り開いたかと思うと、よそへ行って別のところで働くのだった。何一つきちんと仕上げなかった。虎はまもなく手間賃を払わずに山羊を首にした。

Next the tiger tried the armadillo. The armadillo was very strong and he did the work well. The trouble with him was that he had such an appetite. There were a great many ants about the place and the armadillo could never pass by a sweet tender juicy ant without stopping to eat it. It was lunch time all day long with him. The tiger discharged him and sent him away without paying him anything.

それから虎はアルマジロを使ってみた。アルマジロはたいそう力が強く、仕事もよくやった。困ったのは、アルマジロがたいそうな食いしん坊だったことである。そのあたりには蟻がたくさんいて、アルマジロは甘くて柔らかくて汁の多い蟻のそばを通ると、どうしても立ち止まって食べずにはいられなかった。アルマジロにとっては一日じゅうがおやつの時間だった。虎はアルマジロを首にし、何も払わずに追い出した。

At last the rabbit applied for the position. The tiger laughed at him and said, "Why, little rabbit, you are too small to do the work. The monkey, the goat, and the armadillo have all failed to give satisfaction. Of course a little beast like you will fail too."

とうとう兎がその仕事を申し込んだ。虎は兎を笑って言った。「おいおい、兎くん、お前は小さすぎてこの仕事はできないよ。猿も山羊もアルマジロも、みな満足な仕事ができなかった。お前のような小さな獣では、もちろんうまくいかないさ」

However, there were no other beasts who applied for the position so the tiger sent for the rabbit and told him that he would try him for a little while.

けれども、ほかにその仕事を申し込む獣はいなかったので、虎は兎を呼んで、しばらく使ってみようと告げた。

The rabbit worked faithfully and well, and soon he had cleared a large portion of the ground. The next day he worked just as well. The tiger thought that he had been very lucky to hire the rabbit. He got tired staying around to watch the rabbit work. The rabbit seemed to know just how to do the work anyway, without orders, so the tiger decided to go away on a hunting trip. He left his son to watch the rabbit.

兎はまじめによく働き、まもなく畑の広いところを切り開いた。次の日も同じようによく働いた。虎は兎を雇えてたいそう運がよかったと思った。兎の働くのを見張ってそばにいるのに飽きてきた。どのみち兎は言われなくても仕事のやり方がわかっているようだったので、虎は狩りの旅に出かけることにした。虎は兎を見張らせるために息子を残していった。

After the tiger had gone away the rabbit said to the tiger's son, "The ox which your father is going to give me is marked with a white spot on his left ear and another on his right side, isn't he?"

虎が出かけていくと、兎は虎の息子に言った。「お父さんがぼくにくれる牛は、左の耳に白いぶちがあって、右の脇腹にもひとつあるんだったよね」

"O, no," replied the tiger's son. "He is red all over with just a tiny white spot on his right ear."

「ううん、ちがうよ」と虎の息子は答えた。「全身真っ赤で、右の耳にほんの小さな白いぶちがあるだけだよ」

The rabbit worked for a while longer and then he said, "The ox which your father is going to give me is kept by the river, isn't he?"

兎はもうしばらく働いてから言った。「お父さんがぼくにくれる牛は、川のそばで飼っているんだったよね」

"Yes," replied the tiger's son.

「そうだよ」と虎の息子は答えた。

The rabbit had made a plan to go and get the ox without waiting to finish his work. Just as he started off he saw the tiger returning. The tiger noticed that the rabbit had not worked so well when he was away. After that he stayed and watched the rabbit until the whole farm was cleared. Then the tiger gave the rabbit the ox as he had promised.

兎は、仕事を仕上げるのを待たずに牛を取りに行こうと、計略を立てていた。ちょうど出かけようとしたとき、虎が帰ってくるのが見えた。虎は、自分の留守のあいだ兎がそれほどよく働いていなかったことに気づいた。それからは、畑がすっかり切り開かれるまで、そこにいて兎を見張っていた。それから虎は約束どおり兎に牛をやった。

"You must kill this ox," he said to the rabbit, "in a place where there are neither flies nor mosquitoes."

「この牛は」と虎は兎に言った。「蠅も蚊もいないところで殺さねばならぬぞ」

The rabbit went away with the ox. After he had gone for some distance he thought he would kill him. He heard a cock, however, crowing in the distance and he knew that there must be a farm yard near. There would be flies of course. He went on farther and again he thought that he would kill the ox. The ground looked moist and damp and so did the leaves on the bushes. Since the rabbit thought there would be mosquitoes there he decided not to kill the ox. He went on and on and finally he came to a high place where there was a strong breeze blowing. "There are no mosquitoes here," he said to himself. "The place is so far removed from any habitation that there are no flies, either." He decided to kill the ox.

兎は牛を連れて去っていった。しばらく行ったところで、牛を殺そうと思った。けれども遠くで雄鶏の鳴く声が聞こえたので、近くに農家の庭があるにちがいないとわかった。それならもちろん蠅がいるだろう。もっと先へ行って、また牛を殺そうと思った。地面は湿っていて、茂みの葉も湿っぽく見えた。兎はそこには蚊がいるだろうと思ったので、牛を殺すのはやめた。どこまでも進んでいくと、とうとう強い風の吹く高いところに来た。「ここには蚊はいない」と兎は独りごちた。「人の住まいからずっと離れているから、蠅もいない」兎は牛を殺すことに決めた。

Just as he was ready to eat the ox, along came the tiger. "O, rabbit, you have been such a good friend of mine," said the tiger, "and now I am so very, very hungry that all my ribs show, as you yourself can see. Will you not be a good kind rabbit and give me a piece of your ox?"

ちょうど牛を食べる支度ができたとき、虎がやって来た。「おうい、兎くん、お前はわしのたいそうよい友だちだった」と虎は言った。「ところで今、わしは腹がへって腹がへって、お前も見てのとおり、あばら骨がすっかり浮き出ている。どうか親切な兎くんになって、お前の牛をひと切れ分けてくれないか」

The rabbit gave the tiger a piece of the ox. The tiger devoured it in the twinkling of an eye. Then he leaned back and said, "Is that all you are going to give me to eat?"

兎は虎に牛をひと切れやった。虎はそれをあっという間に平らげた。それからのけぞって言った。「わしに食べさせてくれるのはこれだけかい」

The tiger looked so big and savage that the rabbit did not dare refuse to give him any more of the ox. The tiger ate and ate and ate until he had devoured that entire ox. The rabbit had been able to get only a tiny morsel of it. He was very, very angry at the tiger.

虎があまりに大きく獰猛に見えたので、兎は牛をもっとやるのを断る勇気がなかった。虎は食べて食べて食べ続け、とうとう牛を丸ごと平らげてしまった。兎は牛のほんのひと口しか食べられなかった。兎は虎にたいそう、たいそう腹を立てた。

One day not long after the rabbit went to a place not far from the tiger's house and began cutting down big staves of wood. The tiger soon happened along and asked him what he was doing.

それからまもないある日、兎は虎の家からさほど遠くないところへ行って、大きな木の杭を切り出しはじめた。まもなく虎が通りかかって、何をしているのかと尋ねた。

"I'm getting ready to build a stockade around myself," replied the rabbit. "Haven't you heard the orders?" The tiger said that he hadn't heard any orders.

「自分のまわりに柵を建てる支度をしているんだよ」と兎は答えた。「お触れを聞いていないのかい」虎は、お触れなど何も聞いていないと言った。

"That is very strange," said the rabbit. "The order has gone forth that every beast shall fortify himself by building a stockade around himself. All the beasts are doing it."

「それはたいそう妙だな」と兎は言った。「どの獣も自分のまわりに柵を建てて守りを固めよ、というお触れが出ているんだ。獣たちはみなそうしているよ」

The tiger became very much alarmed. "O, dear! O, dear! What shall I do," he cried. "I don't know how to build a stockade. I never could do it in the world. O, good rabbit! O, kind rabbit! You are such, a very good friend of mine. Couldn't you, as a great favour, because of our long friendship, build a stockade about me before you build one around yourself?"

虎はひどくうろたえた。「ああ、困った、困った。どうしたらいいのだ」と虎は叫んだ。「わしは柵の建て方を知らない。この世でとてもできやしない。おお、よい兎くん、親切な兎くん。お前はわしのたいそうよい友だちだ。長い付き合いに免じて、たってのお願いだ、自分のまわりに建てる前に、わしのまわりに柵を建ててくれないか」

The rabbit replied that he could not think of risking his own life by building the tiger's fortifications first. Finally, however, he consented to do it.

兎は、先に虎の守りを建てて自分の命を危険にさらすなど考えられないと答えた。けれども、とうとうそうしてやることを承知した。

The rabbit cut down great quantities of long sharp sticks. He set them firmly in the ground about the tiger. He fastened others securely over the top until the tiger was completely shut in by strong bars. Then he went away and left the tiger.

兎は長く尖った棒をたくさん切り出した。それを虎のまわりの地面にしっかり立てた。ほかの棒を上にしっかり渡して結び、とうとう虎は頑丈な格子にすっかり閉じ込められた。それから兎は虎を置いて去っていった。

The tiger waited and waited for something to happen to show him the need of the fortifications. Nothing at all happened.

虎は、守りの必要がわかるような何かが起こるのを待ちに待った。何も起こらなかった。

He got very hungry and thirsty. After a while the monkey passed that way.

虎はひどく腹がへり、のどが渇いた。しばらくすると猿がそこを通りかかった。

The tiger called out, "O, monkey, has the danger passed?"

虎は呼びかけた。「おうい、猿くん、危険は去ったのかい」

The monkey did not know what danger the tiger meant, but he replied, "Yes."

猿は虎がどんな危険のことを言っているのかわからなかったが、「ああ」と答えた。

Then the tiger said, "O, monkey, O, good, kind monkey, will you not please be so kind as to help me out of my stockade?"

すると虎は言った。「おうい、猿くん、おお、よい親切な猿くん、どうかわしをこの柵から出してくれないか」

"Let the one who got you in there help you out," replied the monkey and he went on his way.

「お前をそこへ入れたやつに出してもらえよ」と猿は答え、行ってしまった。

Along came the goat and the tiger called out, "O, goat, has the danger passed?"

山羊がやって来たので、虎は呼びかけた。「おうい、山羊くん、危険は去ったのかい」

The goat did not know anything about any danger, but he replied, "Yes."

山羊は危険のことなど何も知らなかったが、「ああ」と答えた。

Then the tiger said, "O, goat, O, good kind goat, please be so kind as to help me out of my stockade."

すると虎は言った。「おうい、山羊くん、おお、よい親切な山羊くん、どうかわしをこの柵から出してくれ」

"Let the one who got you in there help you out," replied the goat as he went on his way.

「お前をそこへ入れたやつに出してもらえよ」と山羊は答えて、行ってしまった。

Along came the armadillo and the tiger called out, "O, armadillo, has the danger passed?"

アルマジロがやって来たので、虎は呼びかけた。「おうい、アルマジロくん、危険は去ったのかい」

The armadillo had not heard of any danger, but he replied that it had passed.

アルマジロは危険のことなど聞いていなかったが、去ったと答えた。

Then the tiger said, "O, armadillo, O, good, kind armadillo, you have always been such a good friend and neighbour. Please help me now to get out of my stockade."

すると虎は言った。「おうい、アルマジロくん、おお、よい親切なアルマジロくん、お前はいつもたいそうよい友だちでよい隣人だった。どうか今、わしがこの柵から出るのを手伝っておくれ」

"Let the one who got you in there help you out," replied the armadillo as he went on his way.

「お前をそこへ入れたやつに出してもらえよ」とアルマジロは答えて、行ってしまった。

The tiger jumped and jumped with all his force at the top of the stockade, but he could not break through. He jumped and jumped with all his might at the front side of the stockade, but he could not break through. He thought that never in the world would he be able to break out. He rested for a little while and as he rested he thought. He thought how bright the sun was shining outside. He thought what good hunting there was in the jungle. He thought how cool the water was at the spring. Once more he jumped and jumped with all his might at the back side of the stockade. At last he broke through. He did not get through, however, without getting bad cuts on both his sides from the sharp edges of the staves. Until this day the tiger has stripes on both his sides.

虎は力のかぎり柵のてっぺんめがけて何度も何度も跳んだが、突き破れなかった。力のかぎり柵の前側めがけて何度も何度も跳んだが、突き破れなかった。この世で決して抜け出せないだろうと思った。しばらく休み、休みながら考えた。外ではどんなに明るく陽が照っているかを考えた。ジャングルではどんなによい狩りができるかを考えた。泉の水はどんなに冷たいかを考えた。もう一度、力のかぎり柵の後ろ側めがけて何度も何度も跳んだ。とうとう突き破った。けれども、杭の鋭い縁で両方の脇腹にひどい切り傷を負わずには抜け出せなかった。今日に至るまで、虎は両方の脇腹に縞があるのである。