The Golden Goose

There was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was called Dummling,[*] and was despised, mocked, and sneered at on every occasion.

ある男に三人の息子があった。いちばん下はドゥムリング[*]と呼ばれ、何かにつけて見下され、あざけられ、鼻であしらわれていた。

[*] Simpleton

[*] おろか者

It happened that the eldest wanted to go into the forest to hew wood, and before he went his mother gave him a beautiful sweet cake and a bottle of wine in order that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst.

あるとき、いちばん上の兄が森へ木を伐りに行くことになった。そして出かける前に、母は飢えたり渇いたりしないようにと、上等の甘い菓子と葡萄酒を一瓶持たせた。

When he entered the forest he met a little grey-haired old man who bade him good day, and said: ‘Do give me a piece of cake out of your pocket, and let me have a draught of your wine; I am so hungry and thirsty.’ But the clever son answered: ‘If I give you my cake and wine, I shall have none for myself; be off with you,’ and he left the little man standing and went on.

森に入ると、白髪の小さな老人に出会った。老人は「こんにちは」と挨拶して言った。「どうか懐の菓子を一切れくださらんか。それに葡萄酒も一口。腹が減って喉が渇いているのだ。」けれども利口な息子は答えた。「菓子も葡萄酒もやったら、自分の分がなくなってしまう。あっちへ行け。」そして小さな老人を置き去りにして先へ行った。

But when he began to hew down a tree, it was not long before he made a false stroke, and the axe cut him in the arm, so that he had to go home and have it bound up. And this was the little grey man’s doing.

ところが木を伐り始めると、いくらもたたぬうちに手もとが狂い、斧が自分の腕を切った。それで家へ帰って手当てをしてもらわねばならなかった。これは小さな灰色の老人の仕業だった。

After this the second son went into the forest, and his mother gave him, like the eldest, a cake and a bottle of wine. The little old grey man met him likewise, and asked him for a piece of cake and a drink of wine. But the second son, too, said sensibly enough: ‘What I give you will be taken away from myself; be off!’ and he left the little man standing and went on. His punishment, however, was not delayed; when he had made a few blows at the tree he struck himself in the leg, so that he had to be carried home.

そのあと二番めの息子が森へ行き、母はいちばん上の兄と同じように、菓子と葡萄酒を一瓶持たせた。小さな灰色の老人はこの息子にも出会い、菓子を一切れと葡萄酒を一口くれと頼んだ。けれども二番めの息子も、いかにも物分かりよくこう言った。「おまえにやった分は、自分から取られるのと同じだ。あっちへ行け!」そして小さな老人を置き去りにして先へ行った。けれども罰は遅れなかった。木に二つ三つ斧を打ち込むと、自分の脚を切ってしまい、担いで帰られるはめになった。

Then Dummling said: ‘Father, do let me go and cut wood.’ The father answered: ‘Your brothers have hurt themselves with it, leave it alone, you do not understand anything about it.’ But Dummling begged so long that at last he said: ‘Just go then, you will get wiser by hurting yourself.’ His mother gave him a cake made with water and baked in the cinders, and with it a bottle of sour beer.

そこでドゥムリングが言った。「お父さん、わたしを木を伐りに行かせてください。」父は答えた。「兄さんたちがそれで怪我をしたのだ。やめておけ、おまえには何も分からん。」けれどもドゥムリングがあまり長く頼むので、父はとうとう言った。「では行くがいい。怪我をすれば少しは賢くなろう。」母は水でこねて灰の中で焼いた菓子を持たせ、それに酸っぱいビールを一瓶つけた。

When he came to the forest the little old grey man met him likewise, and greeting him, said: ‘Give me a piece of your cake and a drink out of your bottle; I am so hungry and thirsty.’ Dummling answered: ‘I have only cinder-cake and sour beer; if that pleases you, we will sit down and eat.’ So they sat down, and when Dummling pulled out his cinder-cake, it was a fine sweet cake, and the sour beer had become good wine. So they ate and drank, and after that the little man said: ‘Since you have a good heart, and are willing to divide what you have, I will give you good luck. There stands an old tree, cut it down, and you will find something at the roots.’ Then the little man took leave of him.

森に来ると、小さな灰色の老人がこの子にも出会い、挨拶して言った。「おまえの菓子を一切れと、その瓶から一口くださらんか。腹が減って喉が渇いているのだ。」ドゥムリングは答えた。「灰で焼いた菓子と酸っぱいビールしかありません。それでよければ、座って一緒に食べましょう。」そこで二人は腰を下ろした。するとドゥムリングが灰焼きの菓子を取り出すと、それは上等の甘い菓子になっていて、酸っぱいビールはよい葡萄酒になっていた。そこで二人は食べて飲み、そのあと小さな老人は言った。「おまえは心根がよくて、持っているものを分ける気があるのだから、幸運をやろう。あそこに古い木が立っている。あれを伐り倒せば、根のところに何か見つかるだろう。」そう言って小さな老人は別れを告げた。

Dummling went and cut down the tree, and when it fell there was a goose sitting in the roots with feathers of pure gold. He lifted her up, and taking her with him, went to an inn where he thought he would stay the night. Now the host had three daughters, who saw the goose and were curious to know what such a wonderful bird might be, and would have liked to have one of its golden feathers.

ドゥムリングが行ってその木を伐り倒すと、倒れた根のところに、純金の羽を持つ鵞鳥が一羽座っていた。ドゥムリングはそれを抱き上げ、連れて行って、一晩泊まろうと思った宿屋へ行った。ところでその宿の主人には三人の娘があって、鵞鳥を見ると、こんな不思議な鳥が何なのか知りたくてたまらず、その金の羽を一本ほしいと思った。

The eldest thought: ‘I shall soon find an opportunity of pulling out a feather,’ and as soon as Dummling had gone out she seized the goose by the wing, but her finger and hand remained sticking fast to it.

いちばん上の娘は思った。「羽を一本抜く折はじきにあるだろう。」そしてドゥムリングが出て行くとすぐ、鵞鳥の翼をつかんだ。ところが指も手もそこにぴたりとくっついて離れなくなった。

The second came soon afterwards, thinking only of how she might get a feather for herself, but she had scarcely touched her sister than she was held fast.

二番めがまもなくやって来た。自分も羽を一本手に入れようとばかり考えていたが、姉に触れるか触れないかのうちに、しっかりくっついてしまった。

At last the third also came with the like intent, and the others screamed out: ‘Keep away; for goodness’ sake keep away!’ But she did not understand why she was to keep away. ‘The others are there,’ she thought, ‘I may as well be there too,’ and ran to them; but as soon as she had touched her sister, she remained sticking fast to her. So they had to spend the night with the goose.

とうとう三番めも同じ心づもりでやって来た。すると二人は叫んだ。「来ないで、後生だから来ないで!」けれども三番めには、なぜ来てはいけないのか分からなかった。「二人がそこにいるのだもの」と娘は思った。「わたしだって行っていいはずだわ。」そして駆け寄った。ところが姉に触れたとたん、そこにくっついて離れなくなった。こうして三人は鵞鳥と一夜を過ごすはめになった。

The next morning Dummling took the goose under his arm and set out, without troubling himself about the three girls who were hanging on to it. They were obliged to run after him continually, now left, now right, wherever his legs took him.

あくる朝、ドゥムリングは鵞鳥を小脇に抱えて出かけた。それにぶら下がっている三人の娘のことなど、少しも構いはしなかった。娘たちは、ドゥムリングの足の向くまま、右へ左へと絶えず後を走らねばならなかった。

In the middle of the fields the parson met them, and when he saw the procession he said: ‘For shame, you good-for-nothing girls, why are you running across the fields after this young man? Is that seemly?’ At the same time he seized the youngest by the hand in order to pull her away, but as soon as he touched her he likewise stuck fast, and was himself obliged to run behind.

野の真ん中で牧師が出会った。そしてこの行列を見るとこう言った。「恥を知りなさい、この役立たずの娘たち、なぜこの若い男を追って野を走っているのです? 見苦しいと思いませんか?」そう言って引き離そうと末の娘の手をつかんだ。ところが触れたとたん、牧師もくっついてしまい、自分も後ろを走らねばならなくなった。

Before long the sexton came by and saw his master, the parson, running behind three girls. He was astonished at this and called out: ‘Hi! your reverence, whither away so quickly? Do not forget that we have a christening today!’ and running after him he took him by the sleeve, but was also held fast to it.

ほどなく寺男が通りかかり、主人である牧師が三人の娘の後ろを走っているのを見た。寺男はこれに驚いて叫んだ。「おい! 牧師さま、そんなに急いでどちらへ? 今日は洗礼があるのをお忘れですか!」そして後を追って袖をつかんだが、これもそこにくっついてしまった。

Whilst the five were trotting thus one behind the other, two labourers came with their hoes from the fields; the parson called out to them and begged that they would set him and the sexton free. But they had scarcely touched the sexton when they were held fast, and now there were seven of them running behind Dummling and the goose.

五人がこうして一列になって駆けていると、二人の百姓が鍬を担いで野から来た。牧師は二人に呼びかけ、自分と寺男を放してくれと頼んだ。ところが二人は寺男に触れるか触れないかのうちにくっついてしまい、いまやドゥムリングと鵞鳥の後ろを七人が走ることになった。

Soon afterwards he came to a city, where a king ruled who had a daughter who was so serious that no one could make her laugh. So he had put forth a decree that whosoever should be able to make her laugh should marry her. When Dummling heard this, he went with his goose and all her train before the king’s daughter, and as soon as she saw the seven people running on and on, one behind the other, she began to laugh quite loudly, and as if she would never stop. Thereupon Dummling asked to have her for his wife; but the king did not like the son-in-law, and made all manner of excuses and said he must first produce a man who could drink a cellarful of wine. Dummling thought of the little grey man, who could certainly help him; so he went into the forest, and in the same place where he had felled the tree, he saw a man sitting, who had a very sorrowful face. Dummling asked him what he was taking to heart so sorely, and he answered: ‘I have such a great thirst and cannot quench it; cold water I cannot stand, a barrel of wine I have just emptied, but that to me is like a drop on a hot stone!’

まもなく一行はある町に着いた。そこを治める王には娘があったが、たいそう生真面目で、誰にも笑わせることができなかった。そこで王は、娘を笑わせることのできた者には娘を嫁にやるというお触れを出していた。ドゥムリングはこれを聞くと、鵞鳥と引き連れた一行を連れて王の姫の前へ行った。すると姫は、七人の人間が一列になってどこまでも走り続けるのを見るやいなや、大声で、まるでいつまでも止まらないかのように笑い出した。そこでドゥムリングは姫を妻にほしいと願い出た。けれども王はこの婿が気に入らず、ありとあらゆる言い逃れをして、まずは穴倉いっぱいの葡萄酒を飲める男を連れて来いと言った。ドゥムリングはあの小さな灰色の老人を思い出した。あの人ならきっと助けてくれる。そこで森へ行き、木を伐り倒したのと同じ場所へ来ると、そこに一人の男が座っていて、たいそう悲しげな顔をしていた。ドゥムリングが何をそんなに思い悩んでいるのかと尋ねると、男は答えた。「ひどく喉が渇いて、どうしても癒せないのだ。冷たい水は受けつけないし、葡萄酒を一樽空けたばかりだが、おれにはそれが焼け石に一滴というものだ!」

‘There, I can help you,’ said Dummling, ‘just come with me and you shall be satisfied.’

「それなら、わたしが助けてあげられる」とドゥムリングは言った。「一緒に来れば、満ち足りるだろう。」

He led him into the king’s cellar, and the man bent over the huge barrels, and drank and drank till his loins hurt, and before the day was out he had emptied all the barrels. Then Dummling asked once more for his bride, but the king was vexed that such an ugly fellow, whom everyone called Dummling, should take away his daughter, and he made a new condition; he must first find a man who could eat a whole mountain of bread. Dummling did not think long, but went straight into the forest, where in the same place there sat a man who was tying up his body with a strap, and making an awful face, and saying: ‘I have eaten a whole ovenful of rolls, but what good is that when one has such a hunger as I? My stomach remains empty, and I must tie myself up if I am not to die of hunger.’

ドゥムリングはその男を王の穴倉へ連れて行った。男は巨大な樽に身をかがめ、腰が痛くなるまで飲みに飲んで、その日が暮れる前に樽をみな空にしてしまった。そこでドゥムリングはもう一度花嫁を求めた。けれども王は、誰からもドゥムリングと呼ばれるようなみっともない男に娘を取られるのが癪で、新しい条件を出した。まずは山ひとつ分のパンを食える男を見つけて来い、というのである。ドゥムリングは長くも考えず、まっすぐ森へ行った。すると同じ場所に一人の男が座っていて、体を帯で締めつけ、ひどい顔をしてこう言っていた。「かまど一杯のパンを食ったのに、おれほどの空腹には何の役に立つものか? 腹は空っぽのままだ。飢え死にしたくなければ、こうして体を縛るほかない。」

At this Dummling was glad, and said: ‘Get up and come with me; you shall eat yourself full.’ He led him to the king’s palace where all the flour in the whole Kingdom was collected, and from it he caused a huge mountain of bread to be baked. The man from the forest stood before it, began to eat, and by the end of one day the whole mountain had vanished. Then Dummling for the third time asked for his bride; but the king again sought a way out, and ordered a ship which could sail on land and on water. ‘As soon as you come sailing back in it,’ said he, ‘you shall have my daughter for wife.’

これを聞いてドゥムリングは喜んで言った。「立って一緒に来なさい。腹いっぱい食べさせてあげよう。」そして王の宮殿へ連れて行った。そこには王国じゅうの粉が集められていて、ドゥムリングはそれで巨大なパンの山を焼かせた。森から来た男はその前に立って食べ始め、一日が終わるころには山はそっくり消えていた。そこでドゥムリングは三度めに花嫁を求めた。けれども王はまた逃げ道を探し、陸でも水でも進む船を作れと命じた。「それに乗って帰って来たなら」と王は言った。「娘を妻にやろう。」

Dummling went straight into the forest, and there sat the little grey man to whom he had given his cake. When he heard what Dummling wanted, he said: ‘Since you have given me to eat and to drink, I will give you the ship; and I do all this because you once were kind to me.’ Then he gave him the ship which could sail on land and water, and when the king saw that, he could no longer prevent him from having his daughter. The wedding was celebrated, and after the king’s death, Dummling inherited his kingdom and lived for a long time contentedly with his wife.

ドゥムリングはまっすぐ森へ行った。するとそこに、菓子をやったあの小さな灰色の老人が座っていた。老人はドゥムリングの望みを聞くと言った。「おまえはわたしに食べさせ、飲ませてくれたのだから、船をやろう。これもみな、おまえがかつてわたしに親切にしてくれたからだ。」そして陸でも水でも進む船を与えた。王はそれを見て、もはや娘を与えるのを拒めなかった。婚礼が執り行われ、王の死後、ドゥムリングはその王国を継いで、妻とともに長く満ち足りて暮らした。