How the Monkey Became a Trickster

Trickster

いたずら者

Once upon a time there was a beautiful garden in which grew all sorts of fruits. Many beasts lived in the garden and they were permitted to eat of the fruits whenever they wished. But they were asked to observe one rule. They must make a low, polite bow to the fruit tree, call it by its name, and say, "Please give me a taste of your fruit." They had to be very careful to remember the tree's correct name and not to forget to say "please." It was also very important that they should remember not to be greedy. They must always leave plenty of fruit for the other beasts who might pass that way, and plenty to adorn the tree itself and to furnish seed so that other trees might grow. If they wished to eat figs they had to say, "O, fig tree, O, fig tree, please give me a taste of your fruit;" or, if they wished to eat oranges they had to say, "O, orange tree, O, orange tree, please give me a taste of your fruit."

むかしむかし、ありとあらゆる果物の実る美しい庭があった。庭には多くの獣が住んでいて、いつでも好きなときにその果物を食べてよいことになっていた。ただし、一つだけ守るように言われていた掟があった。果樹に向かって低く丁寧にお辞儀をし、その木の名を呼び、「どうか、あなたの実を一口ください」と言わねばならない。木の正しい名を覚えておくこと、そして「どうか」と言い忘れないことに、よくよく気をつけねばならなかった。欲張らないことを忘れないのも、たいそう大事であった。そこを通りかかるかもしれないほかの獣のために果物をたっぷり残し、木そのものを飾るぶんと、ほかの木が育つための種になるぶんも、たっぷり残しておかねばならない。無花果を食べたければ「おお、無花果の木よ、おお、無花果の木よ、どうか、あなたの実を一口ください」と言わねばならず、橙を食べたければ「おお、橙の木よ、おお、橙の木よ、どうか、あなたの実を一口ください」と言わねばならなかった。

In one corner of the garden grew the most splendid tree of all. It was tall and beautiful and the rosy-cheeked fruit upon its wide spreading branches looked wonderfully tempting. No beast had ever tasted of that fruit, for no beast could ever remember its name.

庭の一隅には、どれよりも見事な木が生えていた。背が高く美しく、広く張り出した枝にみのる紅い頬の果実は、驚くほど心をそそる眺めであった。この果実を味わった獣は一匹もいなかった。どの獣も、その木の名を覚えていられなかったからである。

In a tiny house near the edge of the garden dwelt a little old woman who knew the names of all the fruit trees which grew in the garden. The beasts often went to her and asked the name of the wonderful fruit tree, but the tree was so far distant from the tiny house of the little old woman that no beast could ever remember the long, hard name by the time he reached the fruit tree.

庭のはずれの小さな家に、庭に生えるすべての果樹の名を知っている小さな老婆が住んでいた。獣たちはたびたび老婆のところへ行って、あの不思議な果樹の名を尋ねた。ところがその木は老婆の小さな家からあまりに遠く、木にたどり着くころには、どの獣もあの長く難しい名を覚えていられないのだった。

At last the monkey thought of a trick. Perhaps you do not know it, but the monkey can play the guitar. He always played when the beasts gathered together in the garden to dance. The monkey went to the tiny house of the little old woman, carrying his guitar under his arm. When she told him the long hard name of the wonderful fruit tree he made up a little tune to it, all his own, and sang it over and over again all the way from the tiny house of the little old woman to the corner of the garden where the wonderful fruit tree grew. When any of the other beasts met him and asked him what new song he was singing to his guitar, he said never a word. He marched straight on, playing his little tune over and over again on his guitar and singing softly the long hard name.

とうとう猿が一計を案じた。ご存じないかもしれないが、猿はギターを弾くことができる。獣たちが庭に集まって踊るときには、いつも猿が弾いていた。猿はギターを小脇に抱えて、小さな老婆の小さな家へ行った。老婆があの不思議な果樹の長く難しい名を教えてくれると、猿はそれに自分だけの小さな節をつけ、老婆の小さな家からあの不思議な果樹の生える庭の隅まで、道中ずっと何度も何度も歌い続けた。ほかの獣に出会って、ギターに合わせて歌っているその新しい歌は何かと尋ねられても、猿は一言も答えなかった。まっすぐに歩き続け、ギターで小さな節を何度も繰り返し弾きながら、長く難しい名を小声で歌い続けた。

At last he reached the corner of the garden where the wonderful fruit tree grew. He had never seen it look so beautiful. The rosy-cheeked fruit glowed in the bright sunlight. The monkey could hardly wait to make his bow, say the long hard name over twice and ask for the fruit with a "please." What a beautiful colour and what a delicious odour that fruit had! The monkey had never in all his life been so near to anything which smelled so good. He took a big bite. What a face he made! That beautiful sweet smelling fruit was bitter and sour, and it had a nasty taste. He threw it away from him as far as he could.

とうとう猿は、あの不思議な果樹の生える庭の隅にたどり着いた。木がこれほど美しく見えたことはなかった。紅い頬の果実が明るい日ざしに輝いていた。猿はお辞儀をし、長く難しい名を二度唱え、「どうか」と言って実を乞うのが待ちきれないほどであった。なんという美しい色、なんという芳しい香り! 猿は生まれてこのかた、これほどよい匂いのするものにこれほど近づいたことがなかった。大きく一口かじった。そのときの顔といったら! あの美しく甘く香る果実は、苦くて酸っぱく、いやな味がした。猿はできるかぎり遠くへ、それを放り投げた。

The monkey never forgot the tree's long hard name and the little tune he had sung. Nor did he forget how the fruit tasted. He never took a bite of it again; but, after that, his favourite trick was to treat the other beasts to the wonderful fruit just to see them make faces when they tasted it.

猿はあの木の長く難しい名も、自分で歌った小さな節も、決して忘れなかった。あの実の味も忘れなかった。二度と一口もかじらなかった。けれどもそれから、猿のいちばん得意ないたずらは、ほかの獣にあの不思議な果実を振る舞って、食べたときの顔を見ることになったのである。