The Wise King of Leon

There was a rich nobleman who had three sons; and the king, being very fond of him, appointed the eldest son his page, the second his butler, and the youngest his barber.

三人の息子を持つ裕福な貴族がいた。王はこの貴族をたいそう気に入っていたので、長男を小姓に、次男を酒番に、末の息子を理髪師に取り立てた。

The barber fell in love with the king’s only daughter, who was equally fond of him; and when this came to the ears of the king, he decided on putting a stop to it; so he called for the princess, and said—

理髪師は王のひとり娘に恋をし、王女もまた彼を同じように慕っていた。このことが王の耳に入ると、王はこれを止めさせようと決め、王女を呼んで言った——

“I know that you are in love with my barber, and if you insist on marrying him I will have you killed.”

「そなたがわしの理髪師に恋していることは知っている。もしどうしてもあの者と結ばれるというなら、そなたを殺させる。」

The princess, on hearing her father say this, became very sorrowful, and asked him to allow her one day for consideration, to which the king acceded.

父がこう言うのを聞いて王女はひどく悲しみ、考えるために一日の猶予をくださいと願った。王はそれを許した。

She then went to her room, and getting together some of her finest dresses, she made them up into a bundle, and left the palace by a secret door.

そこで王女は自分の部屋へ行き、いちばん上等な衣装をいくつか集めて包みにまとめ、秘密の扉から宮殿を抜け出した。

For seven days and nights did the princess walk through the forest, subsisting on wild fruit and the water from the rivulets. For seven days and nights did her father seek for her, and, not finding her, he sent for the barber, and told him that he must immediately go in search of the princess, and if he did not bring her back within a year he should die.

七日七晩、王女は野の果実と小川の水で命をつなぎながら森を歩き続けた。七日七晩、父は娘を探したが、見つからなかった。そこで王は理髪師を呼び、ただちに王女を探しに行け、一年のうちに連れ戻さなければ死罪とする、と言い渡した。

At the end of the seventh day the princess was so tired that she could not continue her journey; and being afraid of the wolves, she managed to climb on to the first branch of a large oak-tree; and when there, discovering that the trunk was hollow, she let herself slip down into the hollow, and there rested.

七日目の終わりには、王女はあまりに疲れて旅を続けられなくなった。狼が怖かったので、大きな樫の木のいちばん下の枝にどうにかよじ登った。そこで幹が空洞になっているのに気づき、洞の中へ滑り降りて、そこで休んだ。

She had not been long in her hiding-place when her lover, the barber, approached, sighing, and saying to himself—

隠れ場所に入ってまもなく、恋人の理髪師が溜息をつきながら近づいてきて、ひとりごとを言った——

“Woe is me, for I shall never find the princess! There are so many lovely damsels in Castille, and yet I must fall in love with the king’s only daughter.”

「ああ、なんと情けない、王女さまは決して見つからないだろう! カスティーリャには美しい娘がこんなにたくさんいるというのに、よりによって王のひとり娘に恋をするとは。」

The princess, hearing him speak, said in a disguised voice—

彼の声を聞いた王女は、声色を変えて言った——

“Woe is the king’s daughter! There are so many gallants in Spain, and yet she must fall in love with her father’s barber!”

「ああ、なんと情けない王の娘! スペインには伊達男がこんなにたくさんいるというのに、よりによって父の理髪師に恋をするとは!」

The barber was much surprised to hear this apt rejoinder; but he could not find out from whence the voice came. He looked about everywhere, and at last, feeling sleepy, he lay down under the oak-tree where the princess was hidden.

理髪師はこの気の利いた返しを聞いてたいそう驚いたが、声がどこから来るのか分からなかった。あちこち見まわしたが、とうとう眠くなって、王女の隠れている樫の木の下に横になった。

In a very short time the barber was fast asleep; and the princess, hearing him breathe heavily, got out of her hiding-place, mounted the barber’s horse, which the king had given him, and rode away with the barber’s bundle of clothes, leaving her own in its place.

ほどなく理髪師はぐっすり眠り込んだ。王女は彼の重い寝息を聞くと隠れ場所から出て、王が理髪師に与えた馬に乗り、理髪師の衣服の包みを持って走り去った。代わりに自分の包みを置いていった。

When she had ridden at full speed for some hours she dismounted, and opening the barber’s bundle, she then disrobed herself and put on male attire.

何時間か全速力で馬を走らせると、王女は馬を降り、理髪師の包みを開けた。そして着ているものを脱ぎ、男の装いを身につけた。

Next day she had arrived in the kingdom of Leon, and she rode up to the king’s palace and offered her services to the king as barber.

翌日、王女はレオンの王国に着き、王の宮殿へ馬を乗りつけて、理髪師として王に仕えたいと申し出た。

The king, being much struck by the stately bearing of the stranger, willingly accepted the proffered services.

王はこの見知らぬ者の堂々とした物腰にたいそう感じ入り、申し出を喜んで受け入れた。

When the real barber awoke and found his horse and clothes gone he was much alarmed; but seeing a bundle close to him he opened it, and was delighted to find his lover’s dresses in it.

本物の理髪師は目を覚まし、馬も衣服も消えているのを見てひどく慌てた。しかしそばに包みがあるのを見つけて開けてみると、恋人の衣装が入っていたので大喜びした。

Being a beardless youth, and very handsome, he bethought him of putting on the princess’s finest dress; and as his hair was very long and curly, according to the fashion of the day, he made a very pretty woman.

髭のない若者で、たいそう見目もよかったので、彼は王女のいちばん上等な衣装を着てみようと思いついた。当時の流行で髪をたいそう長く巻き毛にしていたから、なかなかきれいな女に仕上がった。

Foot-sore and weary, he at last arrived at the palace of the King of Leon, and was admitted to the king’s presence as the daughter of the neighbouring King of Castille.

足を痛め、疲れ果てて、彼はとうとうレオンの王の宮殿にたどり着き、隣国カスティーリャの王の娘として王の前に通された。

The King of Leon was so charmed with the beauty of the new arrival that he could not sleep, and so he sent for the barber, to whom he confided his love.

レオンの王は新しく来た者の美しさにすっかり心を奪われて眠れなくなった。そこで理髪師を呼び、その恋心を打ち明けた。

The real princess was much astonished to hear that her lover was in the palace, for she guessed it was he in female attire; but she kept quiet until her lover was asleep in bed, and then she stole into his room, put back his clothes, and took her own away.

本物の王女は、恋人が宮殿にいると聞いてたいそう驚いた。女の装いをしているのは彼だと察したからである。しかし恋人が寝床で眠り込むまで黙っていて、それからそっと部屋に忍び込み、彼の衣服を置いて、自分の衣装を持ち去った。

Next morning when the real barber awoke and found his magnificent dresses gone and his male attire restored to him he was indeed surprised; but there was no help for it—he must again become a man and a barber.

翌朝、本物の理髪師は目を覚まし、見事な衣装が消えて男の装いが戻っているのを見て、まことに驚いた。しかしどうしようもない——ふたたび男に、理髪師に戻らねばならなかった。

The princess put on her own clothes, and hid in a cupboard of the room. When she saw her lover leave the room, and heard him go down the staircase, she closed the door behind him and finished her toilet.

王女は自分の衣装を着て、部屋の戸棚に隠れた。恋人が部屋を出ていき、階段を降りていく足音を聞くと、後ろ手に扉を閉め、身支度を仕上げた。

The king got up earlier than usual, for he was so anxious to see the new arrival; but before doing so he sent for the barber to shave him.

王はいつもより早く起きた。新しく来た者に会いたくてたまらなかったからである。しかしその前に、髭を剃らせるために理髪師を呼んだ。

They looked everywhere for him, but without success; and at last, in despair, they went to the bedroom of the new arrival, and, knocking at the door, intimated the king’s command that she should present herself.

人々はあちこち探したが見つからなかった。とうとう困り果てて、新しく来た者の寝室へ行き、扉を叩いて、御前に参上せよとの王の命を伝えた。

The princess was ready; and, slipping past the courtiers, presented herself before the king.

王女は支度ができていた。そして廷臣たちの脇をすり抜けて、王の前に出た。

“Who are you?” inquired the king.

「そなたは何者だ」と王は尋ねた。

“I am the daughter of the King of Castille, as I informed your mercy yesterday,” answered the princess.

「昨日陛下に申し上げましたとおり、カスティーリャの王の娘でございます」と王女は答えた。

“But where, then, is my barber?” rejoined the king.

「では、わしの理髪師はどこにいるのだ」と王は返した。

“What does one king’s daughter know about another king’s barber?” said the princess.

「一国の王の娘が、よその王の理髪師のことなど、どうして知りましょう」と王女は言った。

At this moment the real barber presented himself, and humbly begged the king’s pardon for having deceived him.

ちょうどそのとき本物の理髪師が現れ、欺いたことをへりくだって王に詫びた。

“But who are you?” roared the king. “Are you a barber or a thief?”

「だがそなたは何者だ」と王は怒鳴った。「理髪師か、それとも盗人か。」

“I am the youngest son of a marquess,” answered the youth, “a barber by trade, and affianced to the daughter of the King of Castille.”

「わたくしは侯爵の末の息子にございます」と若者は答えた。「生業は理髪師、そしてカスティーリャの王の娘の許婚にございます。」

Then the princess stepped forward and explained everything to the king, who was so interested with what he heard, that the princess and the barber had to tell the tale over and over again to him. Then he said—

そこで王女が進み出て、王にすべてを説き明かした。王はその話にたいそう興味を引かれ、王女と理髪師は何度も何度も話を繰り返させられた。それから王は言った——

“I have been shaved by the King of Castille’s daughter, and I have courted his barber. I will not be again deceived. They shall now be man and wife for ever.”

「わしはカスティーリャの王の娘に髭を剃られ、その国の理髪師に言い寄ったのだな。二度と欺かれはせぬぞ。この二人を、今こそ永久に夫婦としよう。」

This was the wise King of Leon.

これが、賢きレオンの王であった。