The Twelve Huntsmen

There was once a king’s son who had a bride whom he loved very much. And when he was sitting beside her and very happy, news came that his father lay sick unto death, and desired to see him once again before his end. Then he said to his beloved: ‘I must now go and leave you, I give you a ring as a remembrance of me. When I am king, I will return and fetch you.’ So he rode away, and when he reached his father, the latter was dangerously ill, and near his death. He said to him: ‘Dear son, I wished to see you once again before my end, promise me to marry as I wish,’ and he named a certain king’s daughter who was to be his wife. The son was in such trouble that he did not think what he was doing, and said: ‘Yes, dear father, your will shall be done,’ and thereupon the king shut his eyes, and died.

むかしある王子に、たいそう愛する花嫁があった。そして花嫁のそばに座って幸せでいたとき、父が死の床にあり、最期の前にもう一度会いたがっているという知らせが来た。そこで王子は愛する人に言った。「いま行って、あなたを残さねばなりません。わたしの形見にこの指輪を差し上げます。王になったら、戻って来てあなたを迎えましょう。」そう言って馬で去り、父のもとに着いてみると、父は危篤で死が近かった。父は言った。「いとしい息子よ、最期の前にもう一度おまえに会いたかった。わしの望む相手と結婚すると約束してくれ。」そしてある王の姫の名を挙げ、それが妻になるべき人だと言った。息子は苦しみのあまり自分のしていることを考えもせず、こう言った。「はい、お父さん、お望みの通りにいたします。」するとそれきり王は目を閉じて死んだ。

When therefore the son had been proclaimed king, and the time of mourning was over, he was forced to keep the promise which he had given his father, and caused the king’s daughter to be asked in marriage, and she was promised to him. His first betrothed heard of this, and fretted so much about his faithfulness that she nearly died. Then her father said to her: ‘Dearest child, why are you so sad? You shall have whatsoever you will.’ She thought for a moment and said: ‘Dear father, I wish for eleven girls exactly like myself in face, figure, and size.’ The father said: ‘If it be possible, your desire shall be fulfilled,’ and he caused a search to be made in his whole kingdom, until eleven young maidens were found who exactly resembled his daughter in face, figure, and size.

そこで息子が王として宣せられ、喪の期間が終わると、息子は父に与えた約束を守らねばならなくなり、その王の姫に結婚を申し込ませ、姫は許嫁となった。初めの許嫁はこれを聞き、その不実を思い悩むあまり、死にそうになった。そこで父が言った。「いとしい子よ、なぜそんなに悲しんでいるのだ? 望むものは何でもやろう。」娘はしばらく考えて言った。「お父さま、顔も姿も背丈もわたしとそっくりな娘を十一人ください。」父は言った。「できることならその望みはかなえよう。」そして王国じゅうを探させ、とうとう顔も姿も背丈も娘とそっくりな若い娘が十一人見つかった。

When they came to the king’s daughter, she had twelve suits of huntsmen’s clothes made, all alike, and the eleven maidens had to put on the huntsmen’s clothes, and she herself put on the twelfth suit. Thereupon she took her leave of her father, and rode away with them, and rode to the court of her former betrothed, whom she loved so dearly. Then she asked if he required any huntsmen, and if he would take all of them into his service. The king looked at her and did not know her, but as they were such handsome fellows, he said: ‘Yes,’ and that he would willingly take them, and now they were the king’s twelve huntsmen.

娘たちが王の姫のところへ来ると、姫は狩人の衣裳を十二そろい、みな同じに仕立てさせた。そして十一人の娘に狩人の衣裳を着せ、自分も十二着めをまとった。そのうえで父に暇を告げ、みなと馬で出かけ、あれほど深く愛した昔の許嫁の宮廷へ行った。そして狩人は要りませんか、わたしたち全員を召し使ってくださいませんかと尋ねた。王は姫を見たが誰だか分からず、たいそう見目のよい者たちだったので「よろしい」と言い、喜んで召し抱えようと言った。こうして彼女たちは王の十二人の狩人となった。

The king, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew all concealed and secret things. It came to pass that one evening he said to the king: ‘You think you have twelve huntsmen?’ ‘Yes,’ said the king, ‘they are twelve huntsmen.’ The lion continued: ‘You are mistaken, they are twelve girls.’ The king said: ‘That cannot be true! How will you prove that to me?’ ‘Oh, just let some peas be strewn in the ante-chamber,’ answered the lion, ‘and then you will soon see. Men have a firm step, and when they walk over peas none of them stir, but girls trip and skip, and drag their feet, and the peas roll about.’ The king was well pleased with the counsel, and caused the peas to be strewn.

ところで王は獅子を一頭飼っていた。それは不思議な獣で、隠されたこと、秘められたことを何もかも知っていた。あるとき、獅子が王に言った。「あなたは狩人を十二人お持ちだと思っておいでですね?」「そうだ」と王は言った。「あれは十二人の狩人だ。」獅子は続けた。「お間違いです。あれは十二人の娘です。」王は言った。「そんなはずはない! どうやってそれを証してみせる?」「なに、控えの間に豆をまいておおきなさい」と獅子は答えた。「そうすればすぐお分かりになります。男は足取りがしっかりしていて、豆の上を歩いても一粒も動きません。けれども娘は軽く跳ねるように歩き、足を引きずるので、豆が転がるのです。」王はこの知恵をたいそう気に入って、豆をまかせた。

There was, however, a servant of the king’s who favoured the huntsmen, and when he heard that they were going to be put to this test he went to them and repeated everything, and said: ‘The lion wants to make the king believe that you are girls.’ Then the king’s daughter thanked him, and said to her maidens: ‘Show some strength, and step firmly on the peas.’ So next morning when the king had the twelve huntsmen called before him, and they came into the ante-chamber where the peas were lying, they stepped so firmly on them, and had such a strong, sure walk, that not one of the peas either rolled or stirred. Then they went away again, and the king said to the lion: ‘You have lied to me, they walk just like men.’ The lion said: ‘They have been informed that they were going to be put to the test, and have assumed some strength. Just let twelve spinning-wheels be brought into the ante-chamber, and they will go to them and be pleased with them, and that is what no man would do.’ The king liked the advice, and had the spinning-wheels placed in the ante-chamber.

ところが王の召使いに狩人たちに好意を持つ者がいて、こういう試しにかけられると聞くと、狩人たちのところへ行って何もかも伝え、こう言った。「獅子が、あなたがたは娘だと王さまに信じ込ませようとしています。」そこで王の姫は召使いに礼を言い、娘たちに言った。「力を出して、豆の上をしっかり踏みなさい。」そこであくる朝、王が十二人の狩人を呼び出し、狩人たちが豆の敷かれた控えの間に入って来ると、みなたいそうしっかりと豆を踏み、力強く確かな足取りだったので、豆は一粒も転がりも動きもしなかった。それから狩人たちが去ると、王は獅子に言った。「そちはわしに嘘をついた。あれらはまるで男のように歩くではないか。」獅子は言った。「試しにかけられると知らされて、力を装ったのです。控えの間に糸車を十二台運び込ませてごらんなさい。あれらはそこへ寄って行って喜ぶでしょう。男なら決してしないことです。」王はこの知恵を気に入り、糸車を控えの間に置かせた。

But the servant, who was well disposed to the huntsmen, went to them, and disclosed the project. So when they were alone the king’s daughter said to her eleven girls: ‘Show some constraint, and do not look round at the spinning-wheels.’ And next morning when the king had his twelve huntsmen summoned, they went through the ante-chamber, and never once looked at the spinning-wheels. Then the king again said to the lion: ‘You have deceived me, they are men, for they have not looked at the spinning-wheels.’ The lion replied: ‘They have restrained themselves.’ The king, however, would no longer believe the lion.

けれども狩人たちに好意を持つあの召使いが、狩人たちのところへ行って企みを明かした。そこで二人きりになると、王の姫は十一人の娘に言った。「こらえなさい、糸車の方を見てはいけません。」そしてあくる朝、王が十二人の狩人を呼び出すと、彼らは控えの間を通り、糸車を一度も見なかった。そこで王はまた獅子に言った。「そちはわしを欺いた。あれらは男だ。糸車を見もしなかったのだからな。」獅子は答えた。「あれらは自分を抑えたのです。」けれども王はもう獅子を信じようとしなかった。

The twelve huntsmen always followed the king to the chase, and his liking for them continually increased. Now it came to pass that once when they were out hunting, news came that the king’s bride was approaching. When the true bride heard that, it hurt her so much that her heart was almost broken, and she fell fainting to the ground. The king thought something had happened to his dear huntsman, ran up to him, wanted to help him, and drew his glove off. Then he saw the ring which he had given to his first bride, and when he looked in her face he recognized her. Then his heart was so touched that he kissed her, and when she opened her eyes he said: ‘You are mine, and I am yours, and no one in the world can alter that.’ He sent a messenger to the other bride, and entreated her to return to her own kingdom, for he had a wife already, and someone who had just found an old key did not require a new one. Thereupon the wedding was celebrated, and the lion was again taken into favour, because, after all, he had told the truth.

十二人の狩人はいつも王のお供をして狩りに出て、王の彼らへの好意はますます増した。さてあるとき狩りに出ていると、王の花嫁が近づいているという知らせが来た。本当の花嫁はそれを聞くと、胸が張り裂けそうなほど痛み、気を失って地に倒れた。王は大切な狩人に何かあったのだと思い、駆け寄って助けようとし、手袋を引き抜いた。するとそこに、初めの花嫁に与えた指輪が見えた。そして顔を見ると、それが誰だか分かった。王の心は深く打たれて、その人に口づけした。そして彼女が目を開けると、こう言った。「あなたはわたしのもの、わたしはあなたのもの。この世の誰にもそれを変えることはできない。」王はもう一人の花嫁に使いを出し、自分にはすでに妻がいるのだから、どうか自分の国へ帰ってほしいと乞うた。古い鍵を見つけたばかりの者に、新しい鍵は要らないのだ、と。こうして婚礼が執り行われ、獅子もまた寵を取り戻した。なんといっても、本当のことを言っていたのだから。