The Twelve Dancing Princesses

There was a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. They slept in twelve beds all in one room; and when they went to bed, the doors were shut and locked up; but every morning their shoes were found to be quite worn through as if they had been danced in all night; and yet nobody could find out how it happened, or where they had been.

ある王に美しい娘が十二人あった。娘たちは一部屋に並べた十二の寝床で眠り、床につくと戸は閉ざされて錠が下ろされた。ところが毎朝、娘たちの靴はひと晩じゅう踊りつづけたかのようにすっかり擦り切れていた。それでいて、どうしてそうなるのか、どこへ行っていたのか、誰にも突き止められなかった。

Then the king made it known to all the land, that if any person could discover the secret, and find out where it was that the princesses danced in the night, he should have the one he liked best for his wife, and should be king after his death; but whoever tried and did not succeed, after three days and nights, should be put to death.

そこで王は国じゅうに触れ出した。この秘密を暴いて、姫たちが夜どこで踊っているのかを突き止めた者には、いちばん気に入った娘を妻として与え、自分の死後は王とする。だが試して三日三晩のうちに成し遂げられなかった者は死罪とする、と。

A king’s son soon came. He was well entertained, and in the evening was taken to the chamber next to the one where the princesses lay in their twelve beds. There he was to sit and watch where they went to dance; and, in order that nothing might pass without his hearing it, the door of his chamber was left open. But the king’s son soon fell asleep; and when he awoke in the morning he found that the princesses had all been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes. The same thing happened the second and third night: so the king ordered his head to be cut off. After him came several others; but they had all the same luck, and all lost their lives in the same manner.

まもなく一人の王子がやってきた。彼は手厚くもてなされ、夕方には、姫たちが十二の寝床で眠る部屋の隣の間に通された。そこに座って、姫たちがどこへ踊りに行くのか見張ることになっていた。そして何も聞き逃さないように、彼の部屋の戸は開けたままにされた。だが王子はまもなく眠り込んでしまい、朝目を覚ますと姫たちはみな踊っていたことが分かった。靴底が穴だらけだったからである。二晩目も三晩目も同じことが起きたので、王は彼の首を刎ねさせた。そのあと何人もが来たが、みな同じ運命をたどり、みな同じように命を落とした。

Now it chanced that an old soldier, who had been wounded in battle and could fight no longer, passed through the country where this king reigned: and as he was travelling through a wood, he met an old woman, who asked him where he was going. ‘I hardly know where I am going, or what I had better do,’ said the soldier; ‘but I think I should like very well to find out where it is that the princesses dance, and then in time I might be a king.’ ‘Well,’ said the old dame, ‘that is no very hard task: only take care not to drink any of the wine which one of the princesses will bring to you in the evening; and as soon as she leaves you pretend to be fast asleep.’

さてあるとき、戦で傷を負ってもう戦えなくなった老いた兵士が、この王の治める国を通りかかった。そして森を旅していると、一人の老婆に出会い、老婆はどこへ行くのかと尋ねた。「どこへ行くのか、何をしたらよいのか、自分でもよく分かりません」と兵士は言った。「だが、姫たちがどこで踊るのかを突き止められたらよいと思っています。そうすればいずれ王になれるかもしれない」「そうかい」と老婆は言った。「それはさして難しい務めではないよ。ただ、夕方に姫の一人が持ってくる葡萄酒をけっして飲まないよう気をつけなさい。そしてその娘が去ったらすぐ、ぐっすり眠ったふりをするのだよ」

Then she gave him a cloak, and said, ‘As soon as you put that on you will become invisible, and you will then be able to follow the princesses wherever they go.’ When the soldier heard all this good counsel, he determined to try his luck: so he went to the king, and said he was willing to undertake the task.

それから老婆は彼に外套を渡して言った。「これを着るとすぐ姿が見えなくなる。そうすれば姫たちがどこへ行こうとついていける」兵士はこのよい忠告をすべて聞くと、運を試してみようと決めた。そこで王のところへ行き、この務めを引き受けますと言った。

He was as well received as the others had been, and the king ordered fine royal robes to be given him; and when the evening came he was led to the outer chamber. Just as he was going to lie down, the eldest of the princesses brought him a cup of wine; but the soldier threw it all away secretly, taking care not to drink a drop. Then he laid himself down on his bed, and in a little while began to snore very loud as if he was fast asleep. When the twelve princesses heard this they laughed heartily; and the eldest said, ‘This fellow too might have done a wiser thing than lose his life in this way!’ Then they rose up and opened their drawers and boxes, and took out all their fine clothes, and dressed themselves at the glass, and skipped about as if they were eager to begin dancing. But the youngest said, ‘I don’t know how it is, while you are so happy I feel very uneasy; I am sure some mischance will befall us.’ ‘You simpleton,’ said the eldest, ‘you are always afraid; have you forgotten how many kings’ sons have already watched in vain? And as for this soldier, even if I had not given him his sleeping draught, he would have slept soundly enough.’

彼はほかの者と同じように手厚く迎えられ、王は立派な王家の衣を与えるよう命じた。そして夕方になると外の間へ案内された。ちょうど横になろうとしたとき、いちばん上の姫が葡萄酒の杯を持ってきた。だが兵士はひとしずくも飲まないように気をつけて、こっそり全部捨ててしまった。それから寝床に横になり、まもなくぐっすり眠っているかのように大きないびきをかきはじめた。十二人の姫はそれを聞いて心から笑い、いちばん上の姫が言った。「この男も、こんなふうに命を落とすよりましなことができただろうに」それから姫たちは起き上がって引き出しや箱を開け、美しい衣をみな取り出して鏡の前で着飾り、早く踊りはじめたくてたまらぬように跳ねまわった。だがいちばん下の姫が言った。「どうしてか分からないけれど、みんながそんなに嬉しそうにしているあいだ、わたしはとても落ち着かないの。きっと何か災いが降りかかるわ」「この間抜けさん」といちばん上の姫は言った。「あなたはいつも怖がっている。これまで何人の王子が無駄に見張ったか忘れたの。それにこの兵士なら、たとえ眠り薬を渡さなくても、十分ぐっすり眠っていたでしょうよ」

When they were all ready, they went and looked at the soldier; but he snored on, and did not stir hand or foot: so they thought they were quite safe; and the eldest went up to her own bed and clapped her hands, and the bed sank into the floor and a trap-door flew open. The soldier saw them going down through the trap-door one after another, the eldest leading the way; and thinking he had no time to lose, he jumped up, put on the cloak which the old woman had given him, and followed them; but in the middle of the stairs he trod on the gown of the youngest princess, and she cried out to her sisters, ‘All is not right; someone took hold of my gown.’ ‘You silly creature!’ said the eldest, ‘it is nothing but a nail in the wall.’ Then down they all went, and at the bottom they found themselves in a most delightful grove of trees; and the leaves were all of silver, and glittered and sparkled beautifully. The soldier wished to take away some token of the place; so he broke off a little branch, and there came a loud noise from the tree. Then the youngest daughter said again, ‘I am sure all is not right--did not you hear that noise? That never happened before.’ But the eldest said, ‘It is only our princes, who are shouting for joy at our approach.’

みなの支度が整うと、姫たちは行って兵士を見た。だが彼はいびきをかきつづけ、手も足も動かさなかった。そこで姫たちはすっかり安心し、いちばん上の姫が自分の寝床へ行って手を打つと、寝床が床に沈んで落とし戸が開いた。兵士は姫たちが次々にその落とし戸を下りていくのを見た。いちばん上の姫が先頭に立っていた。そして時を無駄にはできないと思い、跳び起きて老婆にもらった外套を着て、あとを追った。だが階段の途中でいちばん下の姫の裾を踏んでしまい、姫は姉たちに叫んだ。「何かおかしいわ。誰かがわたしの裾をつかんだの」「ばかなことを」といちばん上の姫は言った。「壁の釘にすぎないわ」そしてみなで下りていくと、下には実に心地よい木立があって、葉はみな銀でできていて、美しくきらめき輝いていた。兵士はこの場所の証しに何か持ち帰りたいと思い、小枝を一本折った。すると木から大きな音がした。そこでいちばん下の姫がまた言った。「きっと何かおかしいわ。あの音を聞かなかった。あんなことは前になかったわ」だがいちばん上の姫は言った。「わたしたちの王子さまたちが、近づいてきたのを喜んで叫んでいるだけよ」

Then they came to another grove of trees, where all the leaves were of gold; and afterwards to a third, where the leaves were all glittering diamonds. And the soldier broke a branch from each; and every time there was a loud noise, which made the youngest sister tremble with fear; but the eldest still said, it was only the princes, who were crying for joy. So they went on till they came to a great lake; and at the side of the lake there lay twelve little boats with twelve handsome princes in them, who seemed to be waiting there for the princesses.

それから一行は別の木立に来た。そこでは葉がみな金だった。そのあと三つ目に来ると、葉はみなきらめくダイヤモンドだった。そして兵士はそれぞれから枝を折り、そのたびに大きな音がして、いちばん下の姫は恐ろしさに震えた。だがいちばん上の姫はいつも、王子たちが喜んで叫んでいるだけだと言った。そうして進んでいくと、大きな湖に出た。そして湖のほとりには十二艘の小舟があって、そこに十二人の美しい王子が乗っていて、姫たちを待っているようだった。

One of the princesses went into each boat, and the soldier stepped into the same boat with the youngest. As they were rowing over the lake, the prince who was in the boat with the youngest princess and the soldier said, ‘I do not know why it is, but though I am rowing with all my might we do not get on so fast as usual, and I am quite tired: the boat seems very heavy today.’ ‘It is only the heat of the weather,’ said the princess: ‘I feel it very warm too.’

姫たちは一人ずつそれぞれの舟に乗り、兵士はいちばん下の姫と同じ舟に乗り込んだ。湖を漕いで渡っているとき、いちばん下の姫と兵士と同じ舟にいた王子が言った。「どうしてか分からないが、力のかぎり漕いでもいつものように進まない。すっかり疲れてしまった。今日は舟がたいそう重いようだ」「天気が暑いせいですわ」と姫は言った。「わたしもとても暑く感じます」

On the other side of the lake stood a fine illuminated castle, from which came the merry music of horns and trumpets. There they all landed, and went into the castle, and each prince danced with his princess; and the soldier, who was all the time invisible, danced with them too; and when any of the princesses had a cup of wine set by her, he drank it all up, so that when she put the cup to her mouth it was empty. At this, too, the youngest sister was terribly frightened, but the eldest always silenced her. They danced on till three o’clock in the morning, and then all their shoes were worn out, so that they were obliged to leave off. The princes rowed them back again over the lake (but this time the soldier placed himself in the boat with the eldest princess); and on the opposite shore they took leave of each other, the princesses promising to come again the next night.

湖の向こう岸には明るく照らされた立派な城が立っていて、そこから角笛と喇叭の陽気な楽の音が聞こえてきた。一行はみなそこに上陸して城に入り、それぞれの王子がそれぞれの姫と踊った。そしてそのあいだずっと姿の見えない兵士も一緒に踊り、姫の誰かのそばに葡萄酒の杯が置かれると、それをすっかり飲み干してしまった。そこで姫が杯を口に当てると空になっているのだった。これにもいちばん下の姫はひどく怯えたが、いちばん上の姫がいつも黙らせた。一行は朝の三時まで踊りつづけ、そのころには靴がみな擦り切れてしまったので、やめざるをえなかった。王子たちは姫たちをまた湖の向こうへ漕いで戻し(だが今度は兵士はいちばん上の姫の舟に乗った)、向こう岸で互いに別れを告げ、姫たちは翌晩また来ると約束した。

When they came to the stairs, the soldier ran on before the princesses, and laid himself down; and as the twelve sisters slowly came up very much tired, they heard him snoring in his bed; so they said, ‘Now all is quite safe’; then they undressed themselves, put away their fine clothes, pulled off their shoes, and went to bed. In the morning the soldier said nothing about what had happened, but determined to see more of this strange adventure, and went again the second and third night; and every thing happened just as before; the princesses danced each time till their shoes were worn to pieces, and then returned home. However, on the third night the soldier carried away one of the golden cups as a token of where he had been.

階段のところに来ると、兵士は姫たちより先に走って横になった。そして十二人の姉妹がひどく疲れてゆっくり上がってくると、彼が寝床でいびきをかいているのが聞こえた。そこで姫たちは言った。「これですっかり安心ね」それから着物を脱ぎ、美しい衣をしまい、靴を脱いで床についた。朝、兵士は起きたことについて何も言わなかったが、この不思議な冒険をもっと見ようと決めて、二晩目も三晩目も行った。そして何もかも前と同じように運んだ。姫たちは毎回、靴がぼろぼろになるまで踊って家に帰った。だが三晩目に、兵士はどこにいたかの証しとして金の杯を一つ持ち帰った。

As soon as the time came when he was to declare the secret, he was taken before the king with the three branches and the golden cup; and the twelve princesses stood listening behind the door to hear what he would say. And when the king asked him. ‘Where do my twelve daughters dance at night?’ he answered, ‘With twelve princes in a castle under ground.’ And then he told the king all that had happened, and showed him the three branches and the golden cup which he had brought with him. Then the king called for the princesses, and asked them whether what the soldier said was true: and when they saw that they were discovered, and that it was of no use to deny what had happened, they confessed it all. And the king asked the soldier which of them he would choose for his wife; and he answered, ‘I am not very young, so I will have the eldest.’--And they were married that very day, and the soldier was chosen to be the king’s heir.

秘密を明かす時が来ると、彼は三本の枝と金の杯を持って王の前に連れていかれた。そして十二人の姫は戸の後ろで、彼が何を言うか聞こうと立っていた。そして王が「わしの十二人の娘は夜どこで踊っているのか」と尋ねると、彼は答えた。「地の下の城で、十二人の王子と」それから彼は起きたことをすべて王に語り、持ち帰った三本の枝と金の杯を見せた。そこで王は姫たちを呼んで、兵士の言うことは本当かと尋ねた。そして姫たちは見破られたことを知り、起きたことを否んでも無駄だと悟って、すべて白状した。そして王は兵士に、誰を妻に選ぶかと尋ねた。彼は答えた。「わたしはもう若くないので、いちばん上の方をいただきます」そして二人はその日のうちに結婚し、兵士は王の跡継ぎに選ばれた。