Ashputtel

The wife of a rich man fell sick; and when she felt that her end drew nigh, she called her only daughter to her bed-side, and said, ‘Always be a good girl, and I will look down from heaven and watch over you.’ Soon afterwards she shut her eyes and died, and was buried in the garden; and the little girl went every day to her grave and wept, and was always good and kind to all about her. And the snow fell and spread a beautiful white covering over the grave; but by the time the spring came, and the sun had melted it away again, her father had married another wife. This new wife had two daughters of her own, that she brought home with her; they were fair in face but foul at heart, and it was now a sorry time for the poor little girl. ‘What does the good-for-nothing want in the parlour?’ said they; ‘they who would eat bread should first earn it; away with the kitchen-maid!’ Then they took away her fine clothes, and gave her an old grey frock to put on, and laughed at her, and turned her into the kitchen.

ある金持ちの妻が病に倒れた。そして自分の終わりが近いと感じると、たった一人の娘を枕もとへ呼んで言った。「いつもよい子でいなさい。そうすればわたしは天から見下ろして、おまえを見守っていましょう。」まもなく妻は目を閉じて死に、庭に葬られた。幼い娘は毎日その墓へ行って泣き、まわりの者みなにいつも優しく親切だった。やがて雪が降って、墓の上に美しい白い覆いを広げた。けれども春が来て日の光がそれを溶かしてしまうころには、父親は別の妻を迎えていた。この新しい妻には自分の娘が二人あって、連れて来ていた。顔は美しいが心は醜く、哀れな娘にとってはつらい日々が始まった。「あの役立たずが客間に何の用だい?」と二人は言った。「パンを食べたい者は、まず自分で稼ぐものさ。台所女中はあっちへお行き!」そして娘の上等な着物を取り上げ、古い灰色の仕事着を与え、あざ笑って、台所へ追いやった。

There she was forced to do hard work; to rise early before daylight, to bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to wash. Besides that, the sisters plagued her in all sorts of ways, and laughed at her. In the evening when she was tired, she had no bed to lie down on, but was made to lie by the hearth among the ashes; and as this, of course, made her always dusty and dirty, they called her Ashputtel.

そこで娘はつらい仕事をさせられた。夜明け前に起きて、水を汲み、火を起こし、煮炊きをし、洗濯をした。そのうえ姉たちはあらゆるやり方で娘を苦しめ、あざ笑った。夕方、疲れても横になる寝床はなく、炉ばたの灰のあいだで寝かされた。それで娘はいつも灰だらけの汚れた姿になったので、彼女たちは娘を灰かぶりと呼んだ。

It happened once that the father was going to the fair, and asked his wife’s daughters what he should bring them. ‘Fine clothes,’ said the first; ‘Pearls and diamonds,’ cried the second. ‘Now, child,’ said he to his own daughter, ‘what will you have?’ ‘The first twig, dear father, that brushes against your hat when you turn your face to come homewards,’ said she. Then he bought for the first two the fine clothes and pearls and diamonds they had asked for: and on his way home, as he rode through a green copse, a hazel twig brushed against him, and almost pushed off his hat: so he broke it off and brought it away; and when he got home he gave it to his daughter. Then she took it, and went to her mother’s grave and planted it there; and cried so much that it was watered with her tears; and there it grew and became a fine tree. Three times every day she went to it and cried; and soon a little bird came and built its nest upon the tree, and talked with her, and watched over her, and brought her whatever she wished for.

あるとき父親が市へ出かけることになり、妻の娘たちに何を買って来ようかと尋ねた。「上等の着物」と一人めが言った。「真珠とダイヤモンド」と二人めが叫んだ。「さて、おまえは」と父は自分の娘に言った。「何がほしい?」「お父さん、家へ帰ろうと顔を向けたときに、いちばん初めに帽子に触れる小枝をください」と娘は言った。そこで父は上の二人には、ねだられた上等の着物と真珠とダイヤモンドを買った。そして帰り道、緑の雑木林を馬で抜けるとき、榛の小枝が体をかすめて、あやうく帽子を払い落としそうになった。そこで父はそれを折って持ち帰り、家に着くと娘に渡した。娘はそれを受け取り、母の墓へ行ってそこに植えた。そしてさんざん泣いたので、小枝は涙で水を与えられ、そこで育って立派な木になった。娘は毎日三度その木のもとへ行って泣いた。やがて小さな鳥が来てその木に巣をかけ、娘と話をし、娘を見守り、娘の願うものを何でも運んで来るようになった。

Now it happened that the king of that land held a feast, which was to last three days; and out of those who came to it his son was to choose a bride for himself. Ashputtel’s two sisters were asked to come; so they called her up, and said, ‘Now, comb our hair, brush our shoes, and tie our sashes for us, for we are going to dance at the king’s feast.’ Then she did as she was told; but when all was done she could not help crying, for she thought to herself, she should so have liked to have gone with them to the ball; and at last she begged her mother very hard to let her go. ‘You, Ashputtel!’ said she; ‘you who have nothing to wear, no clothes at all, and who cannot even dance--you want to go to the ball? And when she kept on begging, she said at last, to get rid of her, ‘I will throw this dishful of peas into the ash-heap, and if in two hours’ time you have picked them all out, you shall go to the feast too.’

さてその国の王が三日続きの祝宴を開くことになり、そこへ来た者のうちから、王子が自分の花嫁を選ぶことになった。灰かぶりの二人の姉も招かれた。そこで彼女たちは灰かぶりを呼びつけて言った。「さあ、わたしたちの髪を梳いて、靴を磨いて、帯を結んでおくれ。王さまの祝宴で踊るのだからね。」娘は言われた通りにした。けれどもすっかり済むと、泣かずにはいられなかった。自分もあの舞踏会へ一緒に行きたかったと思ったからである。とうとう娘は、どうか行かせてくださいと継母に必死で頼んだ。「おまえが、灰かぶりのおまえが!」と継母は言った。「着るものもない、着物など何ひとつない、踊ることさえできないおまえが——舞踏会に行きたいだって?」それでも娘が頼み続けるので、継母はしまいに厄介払いのつもりでこう言った。「この皿いっぱいの豆を灰の山にぶちまけよう。二時間のうちにそれを全部拾い出せたら、おまえも祝宴に行っていい。」

Then she threw the peas down among the ashes, but the little maiden ran out at the back door into the garden, and cried out:

そう言って継母は豆を灰の中へ投げ込んだ。けれども幼い娘は裏口から庭へ駆け出して、こう呼ばわった。

‘Hither, hither, through the sky, Turtle-doves and linnets, fly! Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, Hither, hither, haste away! One and all come help me, quick! Haste ye, haste ye!--pick, pick, pick!’

「空をわたって、こちらへおいで、山鳩も紅ひわも、飛んでおいで! 黒つぐみ、つぐみ、陽気なあとり、こちらへ、こちらへ、急いでおいで! みんなおいで、早く手伝って! 急いで、急いで——つついて、つついて、つついておくれ!」

Then first came two white doves, flying in at the kitchen window; next came two turtle-doves; and after them came all the little birds under heaven, chirping and fluttering in: and they flew down into the ashes. And the little doves stooped their heads down and set to work, pick, pick, pick; and then the others began to pick, pick, pick: and among them all they soon picked out all the good grain, and put it into a dish but left the ashes. Long before the end of the hour the work was quite done, and all flew out again at the windows.

するとまず白い鳩が二羽、台所の窓から飛び込んで来た。次に山鳩が二羽、そのあとから天の下の小鳥という小鳥が、ちゅんちゅん鳴き、羽ばたきながら入って来て、灰の中へ舞い降りた。そして小さな鳩たちが頭を下げて仕事にかかり、つつく、つつく、つつく。それからほかの鳥たちもつつく、つつく、つつく。みなで力を合わせて、じきによい粒を残らずつまみ出し、皿に入れて、灰だけを残した。一時間が終わるよりずっと前に仕事はすっかり済み、鳥たちはみな窓からまた飛び去った。

Then Ashputtel brought the dish to her mother, overjoyed at the thought that now she should go to the ball. But the mother said, ‘No, no! you slut, you have no clothes, and cannot dance; you shall not go.’ And when Ashputtel begged very hard to go, she said, ‘If you can in one hour’s time pick two of those dishes of peas out of the ashes, you shall go too.’ And thus she thought she should at least get rid of her. So she shook two dishes of peas into the ashes.

そこで灰かぶりは皿を継母のところへ持って行った。これで舞踏会に行けると思って大喜びだった。けれども継母は言った。「いいえ、いけません! この薄汚い子、おまえには着物もないし、踊ることもできない。行かせるものですか。」それでも灰かぶりが必死に頼むので、継母は言った。「一時間のうちに、あの豆の皿を二つ分灰から拾い出せたら、おまえも行っていい。」こうしておけば、少なくとも厄介払いはできると思ったのである。そこで豆を二皿分、灰の中へ振り落とした。

But the little maiden went out into the garden at the back of the house, and cried out as before:

けれども幼い娘は家の裏の庭へ出て行って、前と同じように呼ばわった。

‘Hither, hither, through the sky, Turtle-doves and linnets, fly! Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, Hither, hither, haste away! One and all come help me, quick! Haste ye, haste ye!--pick, pick, pick!’

「空をわたって、こちらへおいで、山鳩も紅ひわも、飛んでおいで! 黒つぐみ、つぐみ、陽気なあとり、こちらへ、こちらへ、急いでおいで! みんなおいで、早く手伝って! 急いで、急いで——つついて、つついて、つついておくれ!」

Then first came two white doves in at the kitchen window; next came two turtle-doves; and after them came all the little birds under heaven, chirping and hopping about. And they flew down into the ashes; and the little doves put their heads down and set to work, pick, pick, pick; and then the others began pick, pick, pick; and they put all the good grain into the dishes, and left all the ashes. Before half an hour’s time all was done, and out they flew again. And then Ashputtel took the dishes to her mother, rejoicing to think that she should now go to the ball. But her mother said, ‘It is all of no use, you cannot go; you have no clothes, and cannot dance, and you would only put us to shame’: and off she went with her two daughters to the ball.

するとまず白い鳩が二羽、台所の窓から入って来た。次に山鳩が二羽、そのあとから天の下の小鳥という小鳥が、ちゅんちゅん鳴き、跳ね回りながらやって来た。そして灰の中へ舞い降り、小さな鳩たちが頭を下げて仕事にかかり、つつく、つつく、つつく。それからほかの鳥たちもつつく、つつく、つつく。そしてよい粒を残らず皿に入れ、灰はみな残した。半時間とたたぬうちに何もかも済んで、鳥たちはまた飛び去った。それから灰かぶりは皿を継母のところへ持って行き、これで舞踏会に行けると思って喜んだ。けれども継母は言った。「何をしても無駄です、おまえは行けません。着物もないし、踊ることもできないし、わたしたちに恥をかかせるだけです。」そう言って二人の娘を連れて舞踏会へ出かけて行った。

Now when all were gone, and nobody left at home, Ashputtel went sorrowfully and sat down under the hazel-tree, and cried out:

さてみなが行ってしまって、家に誰もいなくなると、灰かぶりは悲しげに榛の木の下へ行って座り、こう呼ばわった。

‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, Gold and silver over me!’

「揺れよ、揺れよ、榛の木よ、金と銀とをわたしの上に!」

Then her friend the bird flew out of the tree, and brought a gold and silver dress for her, and slippers of spangled silk; and she put them on, and followed her sisters to the feast. But they did not know her, and thought it must be some strange princess, she looked so fine and beautiful in her rich clothes; and they never once thought of Ashputtel, taking it for granted that she was safe at home in the dirt.

すると友だちの鳥が木から飛び出して来て、金と銀の衣裳と、きらきら光る絹の靴を持って来てくれた。娘はそれを身につけ、姉たちのあとから祝宴へ行った。けれども姉たちは娘だと分からず、どこかの見知らぬ姫に違いないと思った。豪華な衣裳をまとった娘は、それほど上品で美しく見えたのである。そして姉たちは灰かぶりのことなど一度も頭に浮かばず、あの子は家の汚れの中に無事にいるものと決め込んでいた。

The king’s son soon came up to her, and took her by the hand and danced with her, and no one else: and he never left her hand; but when anyone else came to ask her to dance, he said, ‘This lady is dancing with me.’

王子はすぐに娘のところへ来て、手を取って踊り、ほかの誰とも踊らなかった。そして娘の手を決して放さず、ほかの者が踊りを申し込みに来ると、「このご婦人はわたしと踊っています」と言うのだった。

Thus they danced till a late hour of the night; and then she wanted to go home: and the king’s son said, ‘I shall go and take care of you to your home’; for he wanted to see where the beautiful maiden lived. But she slipped away from him, unawares, and ran off towards home; and as the prince followed her, she jumped up into the pigeon-house and shut the door. Then he waited till her father came home, and told him that the unknown maiden, who had been at the feast, had hid herself in the pigeon-house. But when they had broken open the door they found no one within; and as they came back into the house, Ashputtel was lying, as she always did, in her dirty frock by the ashes, and her dim little lamp was burning in the chimney. For she had run as quickly as she could through the pigeon-house and on to the hazel-tree, and had there taken off her beautiful clothes, and put them beneath the tree, that the bird might carry them away, and had lain down again amid the ashes in her little grey frock.

こうして二人は夜も更けるまで踊った。それから娘が家に帰りたがると、王子は言った。「お宅までお送りしましょう。」美しい娘がどこに住んでいるのか見たかったからである。けれども娘は隙を見て王子から抜け出し、家の方へ駆けて行った。王子が追って来ると、娘は鳩小屋へ跳び込んで戸を閉めた。そこで王子は娘の父親が帰るのを待って、祝宴に来ていた見知らぬ娘が鳩小屋に隠れたと告げた。ところが戸を破ってみると中には誰もいなかった。そして家に戻ってみると、灰かぶりはいつものように、汚れた仕事着のまま灰のそばに横たわり、小さなうす暗いランプが煙突のところで燃えていた。娘はできるかぎり急いで鳩小屋を通り抜け、榛の木のところまで行って、そこで美しい衣裳を脱ぎ、鳥が持ち去れるように木の下へ置き、灰色の小さな仕事着を着て、また灰のあいだに横になっていたのである。

The next day when the feast was again held, and her father, mother, and sisters were gone, Ashputtel went to the hazel-tree, and said:

あくる日、また祝宴が開かれ、父と継母と姉たちが出かけてしまうと、灰かぶりは榛の木のところへ行って言った。

‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, Gold and silver over me!’

「揺れよ、揺れよ、榛の木よ、金と銀とをわたしの上に!」

And the bird came and brought a still finer dress than the one she had worn the day before. And when she came in it to the ball, everyone wondered at her beauty: but the king’s son, who was waiting for her, took her by the hand, and danced with her; and when anyone asked her to dance, he said as before, ‘This lady is dancing with me.’

すると鳥が来て、前の日に着たものよりさらに上等な衣裳を持って来た。娘がそれを着て舞踏会へ来ると、誰もがその美しさに目をみはった。けれども娘を待っていた王子は、その手を取って踊った。そして誰かが娘に踊りを申し込むと、前と同じように「このご婦人はわたしと踊っています」と言った。

When night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son followed here as before, that he might see into what house she went: but she sprang away from him all at once into the garden behind her father’s house. In this garden stood a fine large pear-tree full of ripe fruit; and Ashputtel, not knowing where to hide herself, jumped up into it without being seen. Then the king’s son lost sight of her, and could not find out where she was gone, but waited till her father came home, and said to him, ‘The unknown lady who danced with me has slipped away, and I think she must have sprung into the pear-tree.’ The father thought to himself, ‘Can it be Ashputtel?’ So he had an axe brought; and they cut down the tree, but found no one upon it. And when they came back into the kitchen, there lay Ashputtel among the ashes; for she had slipped down on the other side of the tree, and carried her beautiful clothes back to the bird at the hazel-tree, and then put on her little grey frock.

夜になって娘が家に帰りたがると、王子は前と同じようについて行った。どの家に入るのか見ようとしたのである。ところが娘はいきなり王子から跳びのいて、父の家の裏の庭へ入った。この庭には熟した実をいっぱいつけた立派な大きな梨の木が立っていた。灰かぶりはどこに隠れたらよいか分からず、見られないうちにその木へ跳び上がった。王子は娘を見失い、どこへ行ったのか突き止められなかったが、父親が帰るのを待ってこう言った。「わたしと踊った見知らぬ婦人が逃げてしまった。あの梨の木に跳び上がったのだと思う。」父親は心の中で思った。「灰かぶりだろうか?」そこで斧を持って来させ、木を切り倒したが、木の上には誰もいなかった。そして台所へ戻ってみると、灰かぶりが灰のあいだに横たわっていた。娘は木の反対側を伝って降り、美しい衣裳を榛の木の鳥のところへ返して、それから灰色の小さな仕事着を着ていたのである。

The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone, she went again into the garden, and said:

三日め、父と継母と姉たちが出かけると、娘はまた庭へ行って言った。

‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, Gold and silver over me!’

「揺れよ、揺れよ、榛の木よ、金と銀とをわたしの上に!」

Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than the former one, and slippers which were all of gold: so that when she came to the feast no one knew what to say, for wonder at her beauty: and the king’s son danced with nobody but her; and when anyone else asked her to dance, he said, ‘This lady is my partner, sir.’

すると親切な友だちの鳥が、前のよりさらに上等な衣裳と、すっかり金でできた靴を持って来た。それで娘が祝宴に来ると、誰もその美しさに驚いて何と言えばよいか分からなかった。そして王子は娘のほかは誰とも踊らず、ほかの者が娘に踊りを申し込むと、「このご婦人はわたしの相手です」と言うのだった。

When night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son would go with her, and said to himself, ‘I will not lose her this time’; but, however, she again slipped away from him, though in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper upon the stairs.

夜になって娘が家に帰りたがると、王子は一緒に行くつもりで、心の中で「今度こそ見失うものか」と言った。けれども娘はまたもや王子から抜け出した。ただあまりに急いだので、左足の金の靴を階段に落としてしまった。

The prince took the shoe, and went the next day to the king his father, and said, ‘I will take for my wife the lady that this golden slipper fits.’ Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear it; for they had beautiful feet, and had no doubt that they could wear the golden slipper. The eldest went first into the room where the slipper was, and wanted to try it on, and the mother stood by. But her great toe could not go into it, and the shoe was altogether much too small for her. Then the mother gave her a knife, and said, ‘Never mind, cut it off; when you are queen you will not care about toes; you will not want to walk.’ So the silly girl cut off her great toe, and thus squeezed on the shoe, and went to the king’s son. Then he took her for his bride, and set her beside him on his horse, and rode away with her homewards.

王子はその靴を取り、あくる日父である王のところへ行って言った。「この金の靴の合うご婦人を妻に迎えます。」それを聞いて姉たちは二人とも大喜びした。二人とも足がきれいで、金の靴を履けるに違いないと思ったからである。まず姉の方が靴のある部屋へ入って履いてみようとし、母親がそばに立っていた。ところが足の親指がどうしても入らず、靴はどう見ても小さすぎた。そこで母親は小刀を渡して言った。「かまうものか、切っておしまい。妃になれば足の指など構うものか。歩く必要もないのだからね。」そこで愚かな娘は親指を切り落とし、そうやって靴に足を押し込んで、王子のところへ行った。すると王子は娘を花嫁とし、自分の馬に並んで座らせ、家路へ馬を進めた。

But on their way home they had to pass by the hazel-tree that Ashputtel had planted; and on the branch sat a little dove singing:

ところが帰り道、二人は灰かぶりが植えた榛の木のそばを通らねばならなかった。すると枝に小さな鳩がとまって、こう歌った。

‘Back again! back again! look to the shoe! The shoe is too small, and not made for you! Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.’

「お戻り! お戻り! 靴をごらん! 靴は小さすぎる、あなたのために作られたものではない! 王子よ、王子よ、もう一度花嫁を探しなさい、そばに座っているのは本当の花嫁ではない!」

Then the prince got down and looked at her foot; and he saw, by the blood that streamed from it, what a trick she had played him. So he turned his horse round, and brought the false bride back to her home, and said, ‘This is not the right bride; let the other sister try and put on the slipper.’ Then she went into the room and got her foot into the shoe, all but the heel, which was too large. But her mother squeezed it in till the blood came, and took her to the king’s son: and he set her as his bride by his side on his horse, and rode away with her.

そこで王子は馬を降りて娘の足を見た。そして流れ出ている血によって、どんな謀りごとをされたかを知った。そこで馬の向きを変え、偽の花嫁を家へ連れ戻して言った。「これは正しい花嫁ではない。もう一人の妹に靴を履かせてみなさい。」そこで妹が部屋に入って足を靴に入れると、踵のほかは全部入ったが、踵が大きすぎた。けれども母親は血が出るまでそれを押し込み、娘を王子のところへ連れて行った。王子は娘を花嫁として馬に並んで座らせ、馬を進めた。

But when they came to the hazel-tree the little dove sat there still, and sang:

ところが榛の木のところへ来ると、小さな鳩がまだそこにとまっていて、こう歌った。

‘Back again! back again! look to the shoe! The shoe is too small, and not made for you! Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.’

「お戻り! お戻り! 靴をごらん! 靴は小さすぎる、あなたのために作られたものではない! 王子よ、王子よ、もう一度花嫁を探しなさい、そばに座っているのは本当の花嫁ではない!」

Then he looked down, and saw that the blood streamed so much from the shoe, that her white stockings were quite red. So he turned his horse and brought her also back again. ‘This is not the true bride,’ said he to the father; ‘have you no other daughters?’ ‘No,’ said he; ‘there is only a little dirty Ashputtel here, the child of my first wife; I am sure she cannot be the bride.’ The prince told him to send her. But the mother said, ‘No, no, she is much too dirty; she will not dare to show herself.’ However, the prince would have her come; and she first washed her face and hands, and then went in and curtsied to him, and he reached her the golden slipper. Then she took her clumsy shoe off her left foot, and put on the golden slipper; and it fitted her as if it had been made for her. And when he drew near and looked at her face he knew her, and said, ‘This is the right bride.’ But the mother and both the sisters were frightened, and turned pale with anger as he took Ashputtel on his horse, and rode away with her. And when they came to the hazel-tree, the white dove sang:

そこで王子が見下ろすと、靴からあまりにたくさん血が流れて、白い靴下がすっかり赤くなっていた。そこで馬の向きを変え、この娘も連れ戻した。「これは本当の花嫁ではない」と王子は父親に言った。「ほかに娘はいないのか?」「おりません」と父は言った。「ここには前の妻の子である、小さな薄汚い灰かぶりがいるだけです。あの子が花嫁であるはずがありません。」王子はその子を呼べと言った。けれども継母は言った。「いいえ、いけません、あの子はあまりに汚れていて、人前に出るのも恐ろしいでしょう。」それでも王子はどうしても来させようとした。娘はまず顔と手を洗い、それから入って来て王子に膝を折ってお辞儀をし、王子は金の靴を差し出した。すると娘は左足の不格好な靴を脱いで金の靴を履き、それは娘のために作られたようにぴったり合った。そして王子が近寄って娘の顔を見ると、それと分かって言った。「これが正しい花嫁だ。」けれども継母と姉たちは二人とも肝をつぶし、王子が灰かぶりを馬に乗せて連れて行くとき、怒りで顔色を失った。そして榛の木のところへ来ると、白い鳩がこう歌った。

‘Home! home! look at the shoe! Princess! the shoe was made for you! Prince! prince! take home thy bride, For she is the true one that sits by thy side!’

「お帰り! お帰り! 靴をごらん! 姫よ、その靴はあなたのために作られたもの! 王子よ、王子よ、花嫁を連れてお帰りなさい、そばに座っているのが本当の花嫁です!」

And when the dove had done its song, it came flying, and perched upon her right shoulder, and so went home with her.

そして鳩は歌い終えると、飛んで来て娘の右の肩にとまり、そのまま娘と一緒に家へ行った。