The Pink

There was once upon a time a queen to whom God had given no children. Every morning she went into the garden and prayed to God in heaven to bestow on her a son or a daughter. Then an angel from heaven came to her and said: ‘Be at rest, you shall have a son with the power of wishing, so that whatsoever in the world he wishes for, that shall he have.’ Then she went to the king, and told him the joyful tidings, and when the time was come she gave birth to a son, and the king was filled with gladness.

むかしあるところに、神から子を授からない王妃がいた。王妃は毎朝庭へ出て、天にまします神に、息子か娘を授けてくださいと祈った。するとある日、天から天使が降りて来て言った。「安んじなさい。あなたには願う力を持った息子が授かるでしょう。この世で何を願おうと、その子は必ず手に入れるのです。」そこで王妃は王のところへ行って嬉しい知らせを伝え、時が満ちると息子を産み、王は喜びに満たされた。

Every morning she went with the child to the garden where the wild beasts were kept, and washed herself there in a clear stream. It happened once when the child was a little older, that it was lying in her arms and she fell asleep. Then came the old cook, who knew that the child had the power of wishing, and stole it away, and he took a hen, and cut it in pieces, and dropped some of its blood on the queen’s apron and on her dress. Then he carried the child away to a secret place, where a nurse was obliged to suckle it, and he ran to the king and accused the queen of having allowed her child to be taken from her by the wild beasts. When the king saw the blood on her apron, he believed this, fell into such a passion that he ordered a high tower to be built, in which neither sun nor moon could be seen and had his wife put into it, and walled up. Here she was to stay for seven years without meat or drink, and die of hunger. But God sent two angels from heaven in the shape of white doves, which flew to her twice a day, and carried her food until the seven years were over.

王妃は毎朝その子を連れて、野の獣を飼っている庭へ行き、そこの清らかな流れで身を清めた。あるとき、子がもう少し大きくなったころ、その子が王妃の腕に抱かれているうちに、王妃は眠り込んでしまった。そこへ年取った料理人がやって来た。この子に願う力があることを知っていたので、子を盗み出し、雌鶏を一羽取って切り刻み、その血を王妃の前掛けと着物に垂らした。それから子を人目につかぬ場所へ運んで、乳母に乳を飲ませ、王のもとへ駆けつけて、王妃が子を野の獣に奪われるままにしたと訴えた。王は前掛けの血を見てこれを信じ、烈しく怒って、日も月も見えない高い塔を建てさせ、妃をそこへ入れて壁で塗りこめさせた。ここで妃は七年のあいだ食べ物も飲み物もなしに過ごし、飢えて死ぬはずであった。ところが神は、白い鳩の姿をした二人の天使を天から遣わし、鳩は日に二度妃のもとへ飛んで来て、七年が終わるまで食べ物を運んだ。

The cook, however, thought to himself: ‘If the child has the power of wishing, and I am here, he might very easily get me into trouble.’ So he left the palace and went to the boy, who was already big enough to speak, and said to him: ‘Wish for a beautiful palace for yourself with a garden, and all else that pertains to it.’ Scarcely were the words out of the boy’s mouth, when everything was there that he had wished for. After a while the cook said to him: ‘It is not well for you to be so alone, wish for a pretty girl as a companion.’ Then the king’s son wished for one, and she immediately stood before him, and was more beautiful than any painter could have painted her. The two played together, and loved each other with all their hearts, and the old cook went out hunting like a nobleman. The thought occurred to him, however, that the king’s son might some day wish to be with his father, and thus bring him into great peril. So he went out and took the maiden aside, and said: ‘Tonight when the boy is asleep, go to his bed and plunge this knife into his heart, and bring me his heart and tongue, and if you do not do it, you shall lose your life.’ Thereupon he went away, and when he returned next day she had not done it, and said: ‘Why should I shed the blood of an innocent boy who has never harmed anyone?’ The cook once more said: ‘If you do not do it, it shall cost you your own life.’ When he had gone away, she had a little hind brought to her, and ordered her to be killed, and took her heart and tongue, and laid them on a plate, and when she saw the old man coming, she said to the boy: ‘Lie down in your bed, and draw the clothes over you.’ Then the wicked wretch came in and said: ‘Where are the boy’s heart and tongue?’ The girl reached the plate to him, but the king’s son threw off the quilt, and said: ‘You old sinner, why did you want to kill me? Now will I pronounce thy sentence. You shall become a black poodle and have a gold collar round your neck, and shall eat burning coals, till the flames burst forth from your throat.’ And when he had spoken these words, the old man was changed into a poodle dog, and had a gold collar round his neck, and the cooks were ordered to bring up some live coals, and these he ate, until the flames broke forth from his throat. The king’s son remained there a short while longer, and he thought of his mother, and wondered if she were still alive. At length he said to the maiden: ‘I will go home to my own country; if you will go with me, I will provide for you.’ ‘Ah,’ she replied, ‘the way is so long, and what shall I do in a strange land where I am unknown?’ As she did not seem quite willing, and as they could not be parted from each other, he wished that she might be changed into a beautiful pink, and took her with him. Then he went away to his own country, and the poodle had to run after him. He went to the tower in which his mother was confined, and as it was so high, he wished for a ladder which would reach up to the very top. Then he mounted up and looked inside, and cried: ‘Beloved mother, Lady Queen, are you still alive, or are you dead?’ She answered: ‘I have just eaten, and am still satisfied,’ for she thought the angels were there. Said he: ‘I am your dear son, whom the wild beasts were said to have torn from your arms; but I am alive still, and will soon set you free.’ Then he descended again, and went to his father, and caused himself to be announced as a strange huntsman, and asked if he could offer him service. The king said yes, if he was skilful and could get game for him, he should come to him, but that deer had never taken up their quarters in any part of the district or country. Then the huntsman promised to procure as much game for him as he could possibly use at the royal table. So he summoned all the huntsmen together, and bade them go out into the forest with him. And he went with them and made them form a great circle, open at one end where he stationed himself, and began to wish. Two hundred deer and more came running inside the circle at once, and the huntsmen shot them. Then they were all placed on sixty country carts, and driven home to the king, and for once he was able to deck his table with game, after having had none at all for years.

さて料理人は心の中で思った。「あの子に願う力があって、わしがここにいたのでは、たやすく難儀に落とされかねない。」そこで宮殿を出て少年のところへ行き、少年はもう口がきけるほどに大きくなっていたので、こう言った。「ご自分のために、庭のついた美しい宮殿と、それにふさわしいものを何もかもお願いなさい。」少年が言い終わるか終わらないかのうちに、願ったものが残らずそこにあった。しばらくして料理人は言った。「こんなに独りきりではよくありません。話し相手にきれいな娘をお願いなさい。」そこで王子が願うと、娘はたちまち目の前に立った。どんな絵師も描けないほど美しかった。二人は一緒に遊び、心から慕い合い、年取った料理人は貴族のように狩りに出かけた。ところがふと、王子がいつか父のもとへ行きたいと願うかもしれず、そうなれば自分は大変な危難に陥ると思いついた。そこで出かけて行って娘をわきへ呼び、こう言った。「今夜あの子が眠ったら、寝床へ行ってこの小刀を心臓に突き立て、心臓と舌を持って来い。しなければ命はないぞ。」そう言って立ち去り、あくる日戻ってみると、娘はそれをしておらず、こう言った。「誰にも害を加えたことのない罪のない子の血を、どうして流せましょう。」料理人はもう一度言った。「やらなければ、おまえ自身の命で償うことになるぞ。」料理人が行ってしまうと、娘は小さな雌鹿を一頭連れて来させ、殺すように言いつけて、その心臓と舌を取り、皿に載せた。そして年寄りが来るのを見ると、少年に言った。「寝床に横になって、掛け物をかぶっていらして。」そこへ邪な悪党が入って来て言った。「あの子の心臓と舌はどこだ?」娘が皿を差し出すと、王子は掛け布をはねのけて言った。「この老いぼれの罪人め、なぜわたしを殺そうとした? いま裁きを言い渡してやる。おまえは黒いむく犬となり、首には金の首輪をはめ、喉から炎が噴き出すまで燃える炭を食らうがよい。」こう言い終わると、年寄りはむく犬に変えられ、首には金の首輪がはまっていた。そして料理人たちが燃える炭を運んで来るよう命じられ、犬は喉から炎が噴き出すまでそれを食べた。王子はもうしばらくそこにとどまっていたが、母のことを思い、まだ生きているだろうかと考えた。とうとう娘に言った。「わたしは自分の国へ帰る。一緒に来てくれるなら、暮らしの面倒はみよう。」「ああ」と娘は答えた。「道はあんまり遠いし、誰も知る人のない他国へ行って、わたしはどうすればいいのでしょう。」娘があまり気が進まないようで、しかも互いに離れることができなかったので、王子は娘が美しい撫子に変わるように願い、それを連れて行った。こうして王子は自分の国へ帰り、むく犬はその後を走らねばならなかった。王子は母の閉じ込められている塔へ行き、たいそう高いので、てっぺんまで届く梯子を願った。そして登って中を覗き、叫んだ。「いとしい母上、王妃さま、まだご存命ですか、それとも亡くなられましたか?」母は答えた。「いま食べたばかりで、まだ満ち足りています。」天使が来ているのだと思ったからである。王子は言った。「わたしはあなたの大切な息子です。野の獣にあなたの腕から奪われたと言われた者です。けれどもわたしは今も生きていて、じきにあなたを自由にしてさしあげます。」それから梯子を降りて父のもとへ行き、見知らぬ狩人として取り次がせ、奉公させてもらえないかと願い出た。王は、腕がたしかで獲物を取って来られるなら来るがよい、ただしこのあたりの土地には鹿が住みついたためしがないと言った。すると狩人は、王の食卓に使いきれないほどの獲物を取って来ましょうと約束した。そこで狩人をみな呼び集め、一緒に森へ出るよう命じた。そして彼らとともに行って大きな輪を作らせ、一方を開けておいて自分がそこに立ち、願い始めた。二百頭あまりの鹿がいちどきに輪の中へ駆け込んで来て、狩人たちがそれを射た。それから鹿はみな六十台の荷車に積まれ、王のもとへ運ばれた。王は何年も獲物がなかったあとで、ようやく食卓を獲物で飾ることができた。

Now the king felt great joy at this, and commanded that his entire household should eat with him next day, and made a great feast. When they were all assembled together, he said to the huntsman: ‘As you are so clever, you shall sit by me.’ He replied: ‘Lord King, your majesty must excuse me, I am a poor huntsman.’ But the king insisted on it, and said: ‘You shall sit by me,’ until he did it. Whilst he was sitting there, he thought of his dearest mother, and wished that one of the king’s principal servants would begin to speak of her, and would ask how it was faring with the queen in the tower, and if she were alive still, or had perished. Hardly had he formed the wish than the marshal began, and said: ‘Your majesty, we live joyously here, but how is the queen living in the tower? Is she still alive, or has she died?’ But the king replied: ‘She let my dear son be torn to pieces by wild beasts; I will not have her named.’ Then the huntsman arose and said: ‘Gracious lord father she is alive still, and I am her son, and I was not carried away by wild beasts, but by that wretch the old cook, who tore me from her arms when she was asleep, and sprinkled her apron with the blood of a chicken.’ Thereupon he took the dog with the golden collar, and said: ‘That is the wretch!’ and caused live coals to be brought, and these the dog was compelled to devour before the sight of all, until flames burst forth from its throat. On this the huntsman asked the king if he would like to see the dog in his true shape, and wished him back into the form of the cook, in which he stood immediately, with his white apron, and his knife by his side. When the king saw him he fell into a passion, and ordered him to be cast into the deepest dungeon. Then the huntsman spoke further and said: ‘Father, will you see the maiden who brought me up so tenderly and who was afterwards to murder me, but did not do it, though her own life depended on it?’ The king replied: ‘Yes, I would like to see her.’ The son said: ‘Most gracious father, I will show her to you in the form of a beautiful flower,’ and he thrust his hand into his pocket and brought forth the pink, and placed it on the royal table, and it was so beautiful that the king had never seen one to equal it. Then the son said: ‘Now will I show her to you in her own form,’ and wished that she might become a maiden, and she stood there looking so beautiful that no painter could have made her look more so.

さて王はこれを大いに喜び、あくる日は家中の者みなに自分と食事をせよと命じて、盛大な宴を開いた。一同が集まると、王は狩人に言った。「そちはそれほど腕がよいのだから、わしのそばに座るがよい。」狩人は答えた。「王さま、どうかお許しください。わたしは貧しい狩人にすぎません。」けれども王は「わしのそばに座れ」と言い張り、とうとう狩人はそうした。座っているあいだ、狩人はいとしい母のことを思い、王の重立った家来の誰かが母の話を切り出して、塔の王妃はどうしているか、まだ生きているか、それとも死んだかと尋ねますようにと願った。願いが形になるかならないかのうちに、家令が口を開いて言った。「王さま、われらはここで楽しく暮らしておりますが、塔の王妃さまはいかがお過ごしでしょう。まだご存命でしょうか、それともお亡くなりでしょうか。」ところが王は答えた。「あれはわしの大事な息子を野の獣に引き裂かせたのだ。名を口にするのも許さぬ。」そこで狩人が立ち上がって言った。「慈悲深き父上、母上は今も生きておられます。そしてわたしがその息子です。わたしは野の獣にさらわれたのではなく、あの悪党の年取った料理人に、母上が眠っているあいだに腕からもぎ取られ、母上の前掛けには雌鶏の血が振りかけられたのです。」そう言って金の首輪をした犬を引いて来て、「これがその悪党です」と言い、燃える炭を運ばせ、犬は一同の見ている前で、喉から炎が噴き出すまでそれを食わされた。そのうえで狩人は王に、この犬の本当の姿をご覧になりたいかと尋ね、料理人の姿に戻るよう願った。すると料理人はたちまちそこに立ち、白い前掛けをかけ、腰には小刀を差していた。王はそれを見て烈しく怒り、いちばん深い牢に投げ込めと命じた。それから狩人はさらに言った。「父上、わたしをあれほど優しく育ててくれ、そのあとわたしを殺すはずだったのに、自分の命がかかっていながらそうしなかった娘をご覧になりますか?」王は答えた。「うむ、会ってみたい。」王子は言った。「慈悲深き父上、まずは美しい花の姿でお見せしましょう。」そして懐に手を入れて撫子を取り出し、王の食卓に置いた。それがあまりに美しいので、王はこれほどの花を見たことがなかった。それから王子は言った。「では本来の姿でお見せしましょう。」そして娘に戻るよう願うと、娘はそこに立ち、どんな絵師にもこれ以上には描けないほど美しかった。

And the king sent two waiting-maids and two attendants into the tower, to fetch the queen and bring her to the royal table. But when she was led in she ate nothing, and said: ‘The gracious and merciful God who has supported me in the tower, will soon set me free.’ She lived three days more, and then died happily, and when she was buried, the two white doves which had brought her food to the tower, and were angels of heaven, followed her body and seated themselves on her grave. The aged king ordered the cook to be torn in four pieces, but grief consumed the king’s own heart, and he soon died. His son married the beautiful maiden whom he had brought with him as a flower in his pocket, and whether they are still alive or not, is known to God.

そして王は侍女を二人と従者を二人塔へ遣わし、王妃を迎えて王の食卓へ連れて来させた。けれども導き入れられた王妃は何も食べず、こう言った。「塔でわたしを支えてくださった慈悲深き神が、じきにわたしを自由にしてくださいましょう。」王妃はそれから三日生きて、安らかに死んだ。そして葬られるとき、塔へ食べ物を運んだあの二羽の白い鳩、天の天使であった鳩が、亡骸に付き添い、その墓の上に止まった。年老いた王は料理人を四つ裂きにせよと命じたが、王自身の心は嘆きに蝕まれて、まもなく死んだ。その息子は、懐に花として連れ帰った美しい娘と結婚した。二人が今も生きているかどうかは、神のみぞ知る。