The Wolf-child

In the North of Portugal there are many sequestered spots where the enchanted Moors and the wizards meet when it is full moon. These places are generally situated among high rocks on the precipitous sides of the hills overlooking rivers; and when the wind is very boisterous their terrible screams and incantations can be distinctly heard by the peasantry inhabiting the neighbouring villages.

ポルトガルの北部には、満月の夜に魔法をかけられたムーア人たちと魔法使いたちが集まる、人里離れた場所がたくさんある。そうした場所はたいてい、川を見下ろす丘の切り立った斜面の高い岩のあいだにある。そして風がひどく荒れる夜には、その恐ろしい叫び声や呪文が、近くの村々に住む農民たちにはっきり聞こえるのである。

On such occasions the father of the family sets fire to a wisp of straw, and with it makes the sign of the cross around his house, which prevents these evil spirits from approaching. The other members of the family place a few extra lights before the image of the Virgin; and the horse-shoe nailed to the door completes the safety of the house.

そういう晩には、一家の父親がひと束のわらに火をつけ、それで家のまわりに十字を描く。そうすればこの悪霊たちは近寄れない。家族のほかの者たちは聖母の像の前に明かりをいくつか余分にともす。そして戸口に打ちつけた蹄鉄が、家の守りを仕上げるのである。

But it will so happen that sometimes an enchanted Moor, with more cunning than honesty, will get through one of the windows on the birth of a child, and will brand the infant with the crescent on his shoulder or arm, in which case it is well known that the child, on certain nights, will be changed into a wolf.

けれども、ときには、正直さよりずる賢さのまさった魔法のムーア人が、子どもの生まれたときに窓の一つから入り込み、赤ん坊の肩か腕に三日月の焼き印を押すことがある。そうなると、その子はある晩になると狼に変わることがよく知られている。

The enchanted Moors have their castles and palaces under the ground or beneath the rivers, and they wander about the earth, seeing but not seen; for they died unbaptized, and have, therefore, no rest in the grave.

魔法のムーア人たちは、地の下や川の底に城や宮殿を持っていて、見られることなく見ながら地上をさまよう。洗礼を受けずに死んだので、墓のなかに安らぎがないのである。

They seem to have given preference to the North of Portugal, where they are held in great fear by the ignorant peasantry; and it has been observed that all such of the natives as have left their homes to study at the universities, on their return have never been visited by the enchanted Moors, as it is well known that they have a great respect for learning. In fact, one of the kings has said that until all his subjects were educated they would never get rid of the enchanted Moors and wizards.

ムーア人たちはポルトガルの北部を好んだようで、そこでは無知な農民たちにたいそう恐れられている。そして、故郷を離れて大学で学んだ土地の者はみな、帰ってきてから一度も魔法のムーア人に訪ねてこられたことがないと気づかれている。ムーア人たちが学問をたいそう敬っていることはよく知られているからである。実のところ、ある王は、臣下がみな教育を受けるまでは、魔法のムーア人や魔法使いを追い払うことはできないだろうと言ったのである。

In a village called Darque, on the banks of the Lima, there lived a farmer whose goodness and ignorance were only equalled by those of his wife. They were both young and robust, and were sufficiently well off to afford the luxury of beef once or twice a month. Their clothes were home-spun, and their hearts were homely. Beyond their landlord’s grounds they had never stepped; but as he owned nearly the whole village, it is very evident that they knew something of this world of ours. They were both born and married on the estate, as their parents had been before them, and they were contented because they had never mixed with the world.

リマ川のほとりのダルケという村に、一人の農夫が住んでいた。その善良さと無知に並ぶものといえば、妻の善良さと無知だけだった。二人とも若くてたくましく、ひと月に一度か二度は牛肉というぜいたくができるくらいには暮らし向きがよかった。着る物は家で紡いだもので、心も素朴だった。地主の地所より外へ足を踏み出したことはなかった。けれども地主は村のほとんど全体を持っていたから、二人がこの世の中のことを多少は知っていたのは明らかである。二人とも、両親がそうだったように、その地所で生まれ、結婚した。そして世の中と交わったことがなかったので、満ち足りていた。

One day, when the farmer came home to have his midday meal of broth and maize bread, he found his wife in bed with a newborn baby boy by her side, and he was so pleased that he spent his hour of rest looking at the child, so that his meal remained untasted on the table.

ある日、農夫がスープとトウモロコシのパンの昼食をとりに家へ帰ってくると、妻が寝床にいて、そのそばに生まれたばかりの男の赤ん坊がいた。農夫はあまりにうれしくて、休みの一時間を子どもを眺めて過ごしたので、食事は食卓に手つかずのまま残った。

Kissing his wife and infant, and bidding her beware of evil eyes, he hurried out of the house back to his work; and so great was his joy at being a father that he did not feel hungry.

妻と赤ん坊に口づけし、邪眼に気をつけるよう妻に言うと、農夫は急いで家を出て仕事に戻った。父親になった喜びがあまりに大きかったので、腹もすかなかった。

He was digging potatoes, and in his excitement had sent his hoe through some of them, which, however, he did not notice until he happened to strike one that was so hard that the steel of his hoe flashed.

農夫はじゃがいもを掘っていたが、興奮して鍬でいくつか突き通してしまった。けれども、ひどく硬いのに当たって鍬の鋼が火花を散らすまで、それに気づかなかった。

Thinking it was a pebble, he stooped to pick it up, but was surprised to see that it was no longer there.

小石だと思って拾おうとかがんだが、もうそこにないのを見て驚いた。

However, he went on working, when he struck another hard potato, and his hoe again flashed.

けれども仕事を続けていると、また硬いじゃがいもに当たって、鍬がまた火花を散らした。

“Ah,” said he, “the evil one has been sowing this field with stones, as he did in the days of good Saint Euphemia, our patroness.” Saying which, he drew out the small crucifix from under his shirt, and the flinty potato disappeared; but he noticed that one of its eyes moved.

「ははあ」と農夫は言った。「われらの守護聖人、よき聖エウフェミアの時代にしたように、悪魔がこの畑に石をまいたんだな」そう言って、シャツの下から小さな十字架を取り出すと、火打ち石のようなじゃがいもは消えた。けれども農夫は、そのじゃがいもの芽の一つが動いたのに気づいた。

He thought no more of this untoward event, and went on hoeing until sunset, when, with the other labourers, he shouldered his hoe and prepared to go home.

農夫はこの妙な出来事のことはそれ以上考えず、日が沈むまで鍬を振るい続けた。日が沈むと、ほかの働き手たちと一緒に鍬を肩にかついで帰り支度をした。

Never had the distance seemed so great; but at last he found himself by his wife’s bedside. She told him that while he was absent an old woman had called, asking for something to eat, and that as she seemed to have met with some accident, because there was blood running down her face, she invited her in, and told her she might eat what her husband had left untasted.

その道のりがこれほど遠く思えたことはなかった。けれどもとうとう妻の枕元に着いた。妻の話では、夫の留守のあいだに年寄りの女が一人訪ねてきて、何か食べるものをくれと言ったという。顔から血が流れていて、何か事故にでもあったらしかったので、妻は女を招き入れ、夫が手をつけずに残したものを食べてよいと言ったのだった。

Sitting down at the table, the old woman commenced eating without asking a blessing on the food; and when she had finished she approached the bed, and, looking at the infant, she muttered some words and left the house hurriedly.

年寄りの女は食卓につくと、食べ物に祝福も求めずに食べはじめた。そして食べ終わると寝床に近づき、赤ん坊を見て何か言葉をつぶやき、急いで家を出ていった。

The husband and wife were very much afraid that the old woman was a witch; but as the child went on growing and seemed well they gradually forgot their visitor.

夫と妻は、年寄りの女が魔女だったのではないかとたいそう恐れた。けれども子どもがすくすく育って元気そうだったので、だんだんとその訪問者のことを忘れていった。

The infant was baptized, and was named John; and when he was old enough he was sent out to work to help his parents. All the labourers noticed that John could get through more work than any man, he was so strong and active; but he was very silent.

赤ん坊は洗礼を受けてジョンと名づけられた。そして大きくなると、両親を助けるために働きに出された。働き手たちはみな、ジョンがどんな男よりもたくさん仕事をこなせることに気づいた。ジョンはそれほど力が強くて活発だった。けれどもたいそう無口だった。

The remarkable strength of the boy got to be so spoken about in the village that at last the wise woman, who was always consulted, said that there was no doubt but that John was a wolf-child; and this having come to the ears of his parents, his body was carefully examined, and the mark of the crescent was found under his arm.

男の子の並外れた力は村であまりに噂になったので、とうとう、いつも相談を受けている物知りの女が、ジョンは狼の子にちがいないと言った。これが両親の耳に入ったので、ジョンの体が念入りに調べられ、腕の下に三日月のしるしが見つかった。

Nothing now remained to be done but to take John to the great wise woman of Arifana, and have him disenchanted.

こうなると、ジョンをアリファナの偉い物知りの女のところへ連れていって、魔法を解いてもらうほかなかった。

The day had arrived for the parents to take John with them to Arifana, but when they looked for him he could nowhere be found. They searched everywhere—down the well, in the river, in the forest—and made inquiries at all the villages, but in vain; John had disappeared.

両親がジョンをアリファナへ連れていく日が来た。けれども探してみると、ジョンはどこにも見つからなかった。井戸の底も、川も、森も、あらゆるところを探し、村という村で尋ねてまわったが、無駄だった。ジョンは姿を消してしまったのである。

Weeks went by without any sign of him; and the winter having set in, the wolves, through hunger, had become more undaunted in their attacks on the flocks and herds. The farmer, afraid of firing at them, lest he might shoot his son, had laid a trap; and one morning, to his delight, he saw that a very large wolf had been caught, which one of his fellow-labourers was cudgelling. Fearing it might be the lost wolf-child, he hastened to the spot, and prevented the wolf receiving more blows; but it was too late, apparently, to save the creature’s life, for it lay motionless on the ground as if dead. Hurrying off for the wise woman of the village, she returned with him; and, close to the head of the wolf, she gathered some branches of the common pine-tree, and lighting them, as some were green and others dry, a volume of smoke arose like a tower, reaching to the top of a hill where lived some notorious enchanted Moors and wizards; so that between the wolf and the said Moors the distance was covered by a tunnel of smoke and fire. Then the wise woman intoned the following words, closing her eyes, and bidding the rest do so until she should tell them they might open them:—

何週間たってもジョンの気配はなかった。そして冬が来て、狼たちは飢えのために、羊や牛の群れをいっそう大胆に襲うようになった。農夫は、息子を撃ってしまうかもしれないと恐れて狼を撃つことができず、罠を仕掛けておいた。そしてある朝、うれしいことに、たいそう大きな狼がかかっていて、働き手仲間の一人が棍棒で打ちすえているのが見えた。いなくなった狼の子かもしれないと恐れて、農夫はその場へ急ぎ、狼がそれ以上打たれないようにした。けれども、見たところ、その獣の命を救うにはもう遅すぎたらしく、狼は死んだように地面にじっと横たわっていた。農夫が急いで村の物知りの女を呼びに行くと、女は農夫と一緒に戻ってきた。そして狼の頭のすぐそばに、ありふれた松の枝を集めて火をつけた。枝には青いのも乾いたのもあったので、塔のような煙の柱が立ちのぼり、名うての魔法のムーア人や魔法使いたちの住む丘のてっぺんまで届いた。こうして狼と、そのムーア人たちとのあいだの隔たりは、煙と火のトンネルで結ばれた。それから物知りの女は目を閉じ、自分が開けてよいと言うまでほかの者たちにも目を閉じているよう命じて、次の言葉を唱えた——

“Spirit of the mighty wind That across the desert howls, Help us here to unbind All the spells of dreaded ghouls; Through the path of smoke and fire Rising to the wizards’ mound, Bid the cursèd mark retire From this creature on the ground; Bid him take his shape again, Free him from the Crescent’s power, May the holy Cross remain On his temple from this hour.”

「砂漠を越えて吠えわたる 力強き風の霊よ、 恐ろしき食屍鬼どもの まじないをみな解くのを助けたまえ。 魔法使いの塚へと立ちのぼる 煙と火の道を通って、 地に伏すこの生きものから 呪われたしるしを退かせたまえ。 もとの姿を取り戻させ、 三日月の力より解き放ち、 この時より聖なる十字が そのこめかみにとどまりますように」

She now made the sign of the Cross over the head of the wolf, and continued:—

女は今度は狼の頭の上で十字を切り、続けた——

“River, winding to the west, Stay thy rippling current, stay, Jordan’s stream thy tide has blest, Help us wash this stain away; Bear it to the ocean wide, Back to Saracenic shore. Those who washed in thee have died But to live for evermore.”

「西へとうねる川よ、 さざめく流れをとどめよ、とどめよ。 ヨルダンの流れがお前の水を祝福した。 このしみを洗い流すのを助けたまえ。 広き大海へと運び去り、 サラセンの岸へと戻したまえ。 お前の水で身を洗った者たちは死んだが、 それは永遠に生きるためであった」

Then she sprinkled a few drops over the fire, which caused a larger amount of smoke, and exclaimed—

それから女は火の上に水を数滴ふりかけた。そのためにいっそう多くの煙が立った。そして女は叫んだ——

“Hie thee, spirit, up through smoke, Quenched by water and by fire; Hie thee far from Christian folk, To the wizard’s home retire. Open wide your eyelids now, All the smoke has curled away; ’Neath the peaceful olive bough Let us go, and let us pray.”

「急げ、霊よ、煙を昇れ、 水と火に消されて。 キリストの民から遠く急げ、 魔法使いのすみかへ退け。 さあ、まぶたを大きく開けよ、 煙はみな渦巻いて去った。 安らかなオリーブの枝の下へ 行こう、そして祈ろう」

Then they all rose, and the wolf was no longer there. The fire had burned itself out, and the stream was again running. In slow procession they went to the olive grotto, headed by the wise woman; and, after praying, they returned to the house, where they found, to their delight, John fast asleep in his bed; but his arms showed signs of bruises which had been caused by the cudgelling he had received when he was caught in the trap.

それからみなが立ち上がると、狼はもうそこにいなかった。火は燃え尽き、流れはまた流れていた。一同は物知りの女を先頭にゆっくりと列をなしてオリーブの洞穴へ行き、祈ったあと家へ帰った。するとうれしいことに、ジョンが寝床でぐっすり眠っていた。けれども腕には、罠にかかったときに受けた棍棒の打ち身の跡があった。

There were great rejoicings that day in the village of Darque; and no one was better pleased than John at having regained his proper shape.

その日、ダルケの村では大きな祝いがあった。そしてもとの姿を取り戻したことを、ジョンほど喜んだ者はいなかった。

He was never known to join in the inhuman sport of hunting wolves for pleasure, because, as he said, although they may not be wolf-children, they do but obey an instinct which was given them; and to be kind-hearted is to obey a precept which was given us. And, owing to the introduction into Portugal of the Book in which this commandment is to be found, wolf-children have become scarcer, and the people wiser.

ジョンが、楽しみのために狼を狩るという非道な遊びに加わったことは一度もなかった。ジョンの言うには、狼たちは狼の子ではないかもしれないが、自分たちに与えられた本能に従っているだけであり、優しい心を持つことは、わたしたちに与えられた教えに従うことなのだという。そして、この戒めの書かれている書物がポルトガルにもたらされたおかげで、狼の子は少なくなり、人々は賢くなったのである。