Lily and the Lion

A merchant, who had three daughters, was once setting out upon a journey; but before he went he asked each daughter what gift he should bring back for her. The eldest wished for pearls; the second for jewels; but the third, who was called Lily, said, ‘Dear father, bring me a rose.’ Now it was no easy task to find a rose, for it was the middle of winter; yet as she was his prettiest daughter, and was very fond of flowers, her father said he would try what he could do. So he kissed all three, and bid them goodbye.

三人の娘を持つ商人が、あるとき旅に出ることになった。けれども出かける前に、娘たちめいめいに、土産に何を持って帰ろうかと尋ねた。いちばん上の娘は真珠をほしがり、二番めは宝石をほしがった。けれども三番めの、リリーという名の娘はこう言った。「お父さん、薔薇を一本持って帰ってください。」ところが薔薇を見つけるのは容易な仕事ではなかった。真冬だったからである。それでもこの子はいちばんかわいい娘で、花がたいそう好きだったので、父はできるだけのことをしてみようと言った。そして三人みなに口づけして、別れを告げた。

And when the time came for him to go home, he had bought pearls and jewels for the two eldest, but he had sought everywhere in vain for the rose; and when he went into any garden and asked for such a thing, the people laughed at him, and asked him whether he thought roses grew in snow. This grieved him very much, for Lily was his dearest child; and as he was journeying home, thinking what he should bring her, he came to a fine castle; and around the castle was a garden, in one half of which it seemed to be summer-time and in the other half winter. On one side the finest flowers were in full bloom, and on the other everything looked dreary and buried in the snow. ‘A lucky hit!’ said he, as he called to his servant, and told him to go to a beautiful bed of roses that was there, and bring him away one of the finest flowers.

そして家へ帰る時が来たとき、父は上の二人のために真珠と宝石を買ってあった。けれども薔薇はどこを探しても見つからなかった。どこかの庭へ入ってそんなものはないかと尋ねると、人々は笑って、薔薇が雪の中に生えるとでも思うのかと聞き返すのだった。リリーはいちばんいとしい子だったので、これが父をひどく悲しませた。そして家路をたどりながら、あの子に何を持って帰ろうかと考えていると、立派な城に来た。城のまわりには庭があって、その半分は夏、もう半分は冬のように見えた。片側ではいちばん美しい花が満開に咲き、もう片側では何もかもが荒涼として雪に埋もれていた。「これは運がいい!」と父は言い、召使いを呼んで、そこにある見事な薔薇の花壇へ行き、いちばん美しい花を一本取って来いと命じた。

This done, they were riding away well pleased, when up sprang a fierce lion, and roared out, ‘Whoever has stolen my roses shall be eaten up alive!’ Then the man said, ‘I knew not that the garden belonged to you; can nothing save my life?’ ‘No!’ said the lion, ‘nothing, unless you undertake to give me whatever meets you on your return home; if you agree to this, I will give you your life, and the rose too for your daughter.’ But the man was unwilling to do so and said, ‘It may be my youngest daughter, who loves me most, and always runs to meet me when I go home.’ Then the servant was greatly frightened, and said, ‘It may perhaps be only a cat or a dog.’ And at last the man yielded with a heavy heart, and took the rose; and said he would give the lion whatever should meet him first on his return.

それが済んで、二人が満足して馬を進めていると、獰猛な獅子が躍り出て吠えた。「わしの薔薇を盗んだ者は、生きながら食われるぞ!」そこで男は言った。「この庭があなたのものとは知りませんでした。命を助ける道は何もないのですか?」「ない!」と獅子は言った。「ただ一つ、家に帰ったときに最初に出迎えるものを、何であれわしにくれると約束するならば別だ。それを承知するなら、命も助け、娘のための薔薇もやろう。」けれども男はそれを承知したくなくて言った。「それはわたしをいちばん愛してくれて、帰るといつも駆けて来て出迎える末の娘かもしれません。」すると召使いはひどく怖がって言った。「ひょっとしたら猫か犬にすぎないかもしれませんよ。」そしてとうとう男は重い心で折れ、薔薇を受け取り、帰ったときに最初に出迎えるものを獅子に与えようと言った。

And as he came near home, it was Lily, his youngest and dearest daughter, that met him; she came running, and kissed him, and welcomed him home; and when she saw that he had brought her the rose, she was still more glad. But her father began to be very sorrowful, and to weep, saying, ‘Alas, my dearest child! I have bought this flower at a high price, for I have said I would give you to a wild lion; and when he has you, he will tear you in pieces, and eat you.’ Then he told her all that had happened, and said she should not go, let what would happen.

そして家の近くまで来ると、出迎えたのはリリー、いちばん下のいちばんいとしい娘だった。娘は駆けて来て父に口づけし、お帰りなさいと迎えた。そして父が薔薇を持って帰ってくれたのを見ると、なおさら喜んだ。けれども父はたいそう悲しくなって泣き出し、こう言った。「ああ、いとしい子よ! わたしはこの花を高い値で買ったのだ。おまえを野の獅子にやると言ってしまった。獅子はおまえを手に入れたら、引き裂いて食べてしまうだろう。」そして起こったことをすっかり話し、何があろうと行ってはならぬと言った。

But she comforted him, and said, ‘Dear father, the word you have given must be kept; I will go to the lion, and soothe him: perhaps he will let me come safe home again.’

けれども娘は父を慰めて言った。「お父さん、与えた言葉は守らなければなりません。わたしは獅子のところへ行って、なだめてみます。ひょっとしたら、無事に家へ帰してくれるかもしれません。」

The next morning she asked the way she was to go, and took leave of her father, and went forth with a bold heart into the wood. But the lion was an enchanted prince. By day he and all his court were lions, but in the evening they took their right forms again. And when Lily came to the castle, he welcomed her so courteously that she agreed to marry him. The wedding-feast was held, and they lived happily together a long time. The prince was only to be seen as soon as evening came, and then he held his court; but every morning he left his bride, and went away by himself, she knew not whither, till the night came again.

あくる朝、娘は行くべき道を尋ね、父に暇を告げて、雄々しい心で森へ出かけて行った。ところがこの獅子は魔法をかけられた王子だった。昼のあいだは王子も家来もみな獅子だが、夕方になるとまた本来の姿に戻るのである。そしてリリーが城に着くと、王子はたいそう丁重に迎えたので、娘は結婚することを承知した。婚礼の宴が開かれ、二人は長いあいだ幸せに暮らした。王子は夕方になるとすぐ姿を現し、そのときに宮廷を開いた。けれども毎朝、花嫁を残して、一人でどこへともなく行ってしまい、娘にはどこへ行くのか分からず、また夜が来るまで戻らなかった。

After some time he said to her, ‘Tomorrow there will be a great feast in your father’s house, for your eldest sister is to be married; and if you wish to go and visit her my lions shall lead you thither.’ Then she rejoiced much at the thoughts of seeing her father once more, and set out with the lions; and everyone was overjoyed to see her, for they had thought her dead long since. But she told them how happy she was, and stayed till the feast was over, and then went back to the wood.

しばらくして、王子は娘に言った。「明日、あなたの父上の家で大きな宴がある。いちばん上の姉上が結婚するのだ。会いに行きたいなら、わたしの獅子たちが連れて行こう。」そこで娘は、もう一度父に会えると思ってたいそう喜び、獅子たちと出かけた。誰もが娘を見て大喜びした。とうに死んだものと思っていたからである。けれども娘は自分がどんなに幸せかを語り、宴が終わるまでとどまって、それから森へ帰った。

Her second sister was soon after married, and when Lily was asked to go to the wedding, she said to the prince, ‘I will not go alone this time--you must go with me.’ But he would not, and said that it would be a very hazardous thing; for if the least ray of the torch-light should fall upon him his enchantment would become still worse, for he should be changed into a dove, and be forced to wander about the world for seven long years. However, she gave him no rest, and said she would take care no light should fall upon him. So at last they set out together, and took with them their little child; and she chose a large hall with thick walls for him to sit in while the wedding-torches were lighted; but, unluckily, no one saw that there was a crack in the door. Then the wedding was held with great pomp, but as the train came from the church, and passed with the torches before the hall, a very small ray of light fell upon the prince. In a moment he disappeared, and when his wife came in and looked for him, she found only a white dove; and it said to her, ‘Seven years must I fly up and down over the face of the earth, but every now and then I will let fall a white feather, that will show you the way I am going; follow it, and at last you may overtake and set me free.’

二番めの姉もまもなく結婚することになり、リリーは婚礼へ来るように言われた。そこで娘は王子に言った。「今度は一人では行きません。あなたも一緒に行ってください。」けれども王子は行こうとせず、それはたいそう危ういことだと言った。もし松明の光がほんの一筋でも自分の上に落ちれば、魔法はさらに悪くなり、鳩に変えられて、七年の長いあいだ世をさまよわねばならなくなるからである。けれども娘は王子を休ませず、光が落ちないように気をつけますと言った。そこでとうとう二人は一緒に出かけ、小さな子どもも連れて行った。そして娘は、婚礼の松明がともるあいだ王子が座っていられるように、厚い壁の大きな広間を選んだ。ところが不運にも、戸に割れ目があるのを誰も見ていなかった。さて婚礼は大層な華やかさで執り行われたが、行列が教会から来て、松明を掲げて広間の前を通ったとき、ほんの小さな一筋の光が王子の上に落ちた。たちまち王子は消えてしまい、妻が入って来て探すと、そこには白い鳩が一羽いるばかりだった。そして鳩は妻に言った。「七年のあいだ、わたしは地の面を飛び回らねばならない。けれどもときどき白い羽根を一枚落として、わたしの行く道を示そう。それをたどれば、しまいにはわたしに追いついて、自由にしてくれるかもしれない。」

This said, he flew out at the door, and poor Lily followed; and every now and then a white feather fell, and showed her the way she was to journey. Thus she went roving on through the wide world, and looked neither to the right hand nor to the left, nor took any rest, for seven years. Then she began to be glad, and thought to herself that the time was fast coming when all her troubles should end; yet repose was still far off, for one day as she was travelling on she missed the white feather, and when she lifted up her eyes she could nowhere see the dove. ‘Now,’ thought she to herself, ‘no aid of man can be of use to me.’ So she went to the sun and said, ‘Thou shinest everywhere, on the hill’s top and the valley’s depth--hast thou anywhere seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the sun, ‘I have not seen it; but I will give thee a casket--open it when thy hour of need comes.’

そう言うと鳩は戸口から飛び去り、哀れなリリーは後を追った。そしてときおり白い羽根が落ちて、行くべき道を示した。こうして娘は広い世界をさまよい歩き、右も左も見ず、休みもせずに七年を過ごした。それから娘は嬉しくなり、苦しみの終わる時が近づいていると思った。けれども安らぎはまだ遠かった。ある日旅を続けていると、白い羽根が見あたらなくなり、目を上げても鳩の姿はどこにも見えなかった。「もう」と娘は心の中で思った。「人の助けはわたしの役に立たない。」そこで娘は太陽のところへ行って言った。「あなたはどこにでも、丘の頂にも谷の底にも照っています。わたしの白い鳩をどこかで見ませんでしたか?」「いいや」と太陽は言った。「見なかった。だが小箱を一つやろう——切羽詰まったときに開けるがよい。」

So she thanked the sun, and went on her way till eventide; and when the moon arose, she cried unto it, and said, ‘Thou shinest through the night, over field and grove--hast thou nowhere seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the moon, ‘I cannot help thee but I will give thee an egg--break it when need comes.’

そこで娘は太陽に礼を言い、夕暮れまで道を行った。そして月が昇ると、それに向かって叫んで言った。「あなたは夜のあいだじゅう、野にも木立にも照っています。わたしの白い鳩をどこかで見ませんでしたか?」「いいや」と月は言った。「おまえを助けることはできぬ。だが卵を一つやろう——入用になったら割るがよい。」

Then she thanked the moon, and went on till the night-wind blew; and she raised up her voice to it, and said, ‘Thou blowest through every tree and under every leaf--hast thou not seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the night-wind, ‘but I will ask three other winds; perhaps they have seen it.’ Then the east wind and the west wind came, and said they too had not seen it, but the south wind said, ‘I have seen the white dove--he has fled to the Red Sea, and is changed once more into a lion, for the seven years are passed away, and there he is fighting with a dragon; and the dragon is an enchanted princess, who seeks to separate him from you.’ Then the night-wind said, ‘I will give thee counsel. Go to the Red Sea; on the right shore stand many rods--count them, and when thou comest to the eleventh, break it off, and smite the dragon with it; and so the lion will have the victory, and both of them will appear to you in their own forms. Then look round and thou wilt see a griffin, winged like bird, sitting by the Red Sea; jump on to his back with thy beloved one as quickly as possible, and he will carry you over the waters to your home. I will also give thee this nut,’ continued the night-wind. ‘When you are half-way over, throw it down, and out of the waters will immediately spring up a high nut-tree on which the griffin will be able to rest, otherwise he would not have the strength to bear you the whole way; if, therefore, thou dost forget to throw down the nut, he will let you both fall into the sea.’

そこで娘は月に礼を言い、夜風が吹くまで進んだ。そして夜風に声を上げて言った。「あなたはどの木も抜け、どの葉の下も吹き抜けます。わたしの白い鳩を見ませんでしたか?」「いいや」と夜風は言った。「だがほかの三つの風に尋ねてみよう。あれらは見たかもしれぬ。」そこで東風と西風が来て、自分たちも見なかったと言った。けれども南風はこう言った。「白い鳩を見た——あれは紅海へ逃げて、もう一度獅子に変わっている。七年が過ぎたからだ。そしてそこで竜と戦っている。その竜は魔法をかけられた姫で、あれをおまえから引き離そうとしているのだ。」すると夜風が言った。「知恵を授けよう。紅海へ行け。右の岸に細い枝がたくさん立っている——それを数えて、十一本めのところまで来たらそれを折り取り、それで竜を打て。そうすれば獅子が勝ち、二人ともおまえの前に本来の姿で現れよう。それから見回せば、鳥のような翼を持つグリフォンが紅海のそばに座っているのが見えるだろう。できるかぎり早く、いとしい人とともにその背に飛び乗れ。グリフォンが水を越えておまえたちを家まで運んでくれる。この木の実もやろう」と夜風は続けた。「半ばまで渡ったところでこれを投げ落とせ。すると水の中からたちまち高い木が生え出て、グリフォンがそこで休めるようになる。そうでなければ、全部の道のりを運ぶ力はないのだ。だから木の実を投げ落とすのを忘れれば、グリフォンはおまえたち二人を海に落としてしまうだろう。」

So our poor wanderer went forth, and found all as the night-wind had said; and she plucked the eleventh rod, and smote the dragon, and the lion forthwith became a prince, and the dragon a princess again. But no sooner was the princess released from the spell, than she seized the prince by the arm and sprang on to the griffin’s back, and went off carrying the prince away with her.

そこで哀れなさすらい人は出かけて行き、何もかも夜風の言った通りだと知った。そして十一本めの枝を折り取り、竜を打った。すると獅子はたちまち王子になり、竜はまた姫になった。けれども姫は魔法から解かれるやいなや、王子の腕をつかんでグリフォンの背に飛び乗り、王子をさらって行ってしまった。

Thus the unhappy traveller was again forsaken and forlorn; but she took heart and said, ‘As far as the wind blows, and so long as the cock crows, I will journey on, till I find him once again.’ She went on for a long, long way, till at length she came to the castle whither the princess had carried the prince; and there was a feast got ready, and she heard that the wedding was about to be held. ‘Heaven aid me now!’ said she; and she took the casket that the sun had given her, and found that within it lay a dress as dazzling as the sun itself. So she put it on, and went into the palace, and all the people gazed upon her; and the dress pleased the bride so much that she asked whether it was to be sold. ‘Not for gold and silver.’ said she, ‘but for flesh and blood.’ The princess asked what she meant, and she said, ‘Let me speak with the bridegroom this night in his chamber, and I will give thee the dress.’ At last the princess agreed, but she told her chamberlain to give the prince a sleeping draught, that he might not hear or see her. When evening came, and the prince had fallen asleep, she was led into his chamber, and she sat herself down at his feet, and said: ‘I have followed thee seven years. I have been to the sun, the moon, and the night-wind, to seek thee, and at last I have helped thee to overcome the dragon. Wilt thou then forget me quite?’ But the prince all the time slept so soundly, that her voice only passed over him, and seemed like the whistling of the wind among the fir-trees.

こうして不幸な旅人はまたもや見捨てられ、よるべない身となった。けれども娘は気を取り直して言った。「風が吹くかぎり、鶏が鳴くかぎり、あの人をもう一度見つけるまで旅を続けよう。」娘は長い長い道を行き、とうとう姫が王子を連れて行った城に着いた。そこでは宴の支度がされていて、まもなく婚礼が行われると娘は聞いた。「天よ、いま助けたまえ!」と娘は言い、太陽にもらった小箱を取り出した。すると中には太陽そのもののようにまばゆい衣裳が入っていた。そこで娘はそれを着て宮殿へ入って行き、人々はみな娘を見つめた。そしてその衣裳が花嫁の姫をたいそう喜ばせたので、姫はそれを売る気はないかと尋ねた。「金や銀でなら売りません」と娘は言った。「けれども肉と血でなら売ります。」姫はどういう意味かと尋ね、娘は言った。「今夜、花婿さまの部屋でお話しさせてください。そうすればこの衣裳を差し上げます。」とうとう姫は承知したが、侍従に言いつけて、王子に眠り薬を飲ませ、娘の声も姿も届かないようにさせた。夕方になって王子が眠り込むと、娘はその部屋へ導き入れられ、足もとに座ってこう言った。「わたしは七年のあいだあなたを追って来ました。あなたを探して太陽のもとへ、月のもとへ、夜風のもとへ行き、とうとうあなたが竜に打ち勝つのを助けました。それでもわたしをすっかりお忘れになるのですか?」けれども王子はそのあいだじゅう深く眠っていて、娘の声はただ通り過ぎるばかりで、もみの木のあいだを吹く風の音のようにしか聞こえなかった。

Then poor Lily was led away, and forced to give up the golden dress; and when she saw that there was no help for her, she went out into a meadow, and sat herself down and wept. But as she sat she bethought herself of the egg that the moon had given her; and when she broke it, there ran out a hen and twelve chickens of pure gold, that played about, and then nestled under the old one’s wings, so as to form the most beautiful sight in the world. And she rose up and drove them before her, till the bride saw them from her window, and was so pleased that she came forth and asked her if she would sell the brood. ‘Not for gold or silver, but for flesh and blood: let me again this evening speak with the bridegroom in his chamber, and I will give thee the whole brood.’

そこで哀れなリリーは連れ出され、黄金の衣裳を渡さねばならなかった。そしてもう手立てがないと知ると、娘は草原へ出て座り込み、泣いた。けれども座っているうちに、月がくれた卵のことを思い出した。そして割ってみると、中から純金の親鶏と十二羽の雛が出て来て、遊び回り、それから親鶏の翼の下に身を寄せて、この世でいちばん美しい眺めを作った。そこで娘は立ち上がってその一群を追い立てて行き、とうとう花嫁が窓からそれを見た。姫はたいそう喜んで出て来て、その一群を売る気はないかと尋ねた。「金や銀でなら売りません、けれども肉と血でなら売ります。今晩もう一度、花婿さまの部屋でお話しさせてください。そうすればこの一群をそっくり差し上げます。」

Then the princess thought to betray her as before, and agreed to what she asked: but when the prince went to his chamber he asked the chamberlain why the wind had whistled so in the night. And the chamberlain told him all--how he had given him a sleeping draught, and how a poor maiden had come and spoken to him in his chamber, and was to come again that night. Then the prince took care to throw away the sleeping draught; and when Lily came and began again to tell him what woes had befallen her, and how faithful and true to him she had been, he knew his beloved wife’s voice, and sprang up, and said, ‘You have awakened me as from a dream, for the strange princess had thrown a spell around me, so that I had altogether forgotten you; but Heaven hath sent you to me in a lucky hour.’

そこで姫は前と同じように娘を欺こうと思い、頼みを聞き入れた。ところが王子が自分の部屋へ行くとき、侍従に、なぜ夜のうちにあんなに風が鳴ったのかと尋ねた。すると侍従は何もかも話した——眠り薬を飲ませたこと、貧しい娘が来て部屋で語りかけたこと、そして今夜もまた来ることを。そこで王子は気をつけて眠り薬を捨てた。そしてリリーが来て、身に降りかかった苦しみと、自分がどれほど忠実で真実であったかをまた語り始めると、王子は愛する妻の声だと分かって跳び起き、こう言った。「あなたはわたしを夢から覚ましてくれた。あの見知らぬ姫がわたしに魔法をかけて、あなたのことをすっかり忘れさせていたのだ。けれども天がよい時にあなたを遣わしてくださった。」

And they stole away out of the palace by night unawares, and seated themselves on the griffin, who flew back with them over the Red Sea. When they were half-way across Lily let the nut fall into the water, and immediately a large nut-tree arose from the sea, whereon the griffin rested for a while, and then carried them safely home. There they found their child, now grown up to be comely and fair; and after all their troubles they lived happily together to the end of their days.

そして二人は夜のうちに人知れず宮殿を抜け出し、グリフォンにまたがった。グリフォンは二人を乗せて紅海を越えて飛んだ。半ばまで渡ったところでリリーは木の実を水に落とし、たちまち大きな木が海から生え出た。グリフォンはそこでしばらく休み、それから二人を無事に家まで運んだ。そこで二人は子どもに会った。子はもう大きくなって、見目よく美しくなっていた。そして数々の苦しみのあと、二人は生涯の終わりまで幸せに暮らした。