The Wicked King

There was once a king who was so wicked that he would not allow any widows to live in his kingdom, because he was certain that they had caused the death of their husbands; nor would he admit of any fat man or woman, as he was afraid that they would eat up everything in the kingdom.

むかし、たいそう邪悪な王がいた。この王は、国のうちに寡婦が一人も住むことを許さなかった。寡婦はみな夫を死なせた者に違いないと思い込んでいたからである。また、太った男も女も国に入れなかった。この者たちが国じゅうのものを食い尽くしてしまうと恐れていたからである。

He was also very proud and arrogant, and if any man happened to be taller than himself, he would give him the choice of being lowered to a proper height by either having his head or his legs cut off.

王はまた、たいそう傲慢で高慢であった。もし自分より背の高い者がいれば、頭を切るか脚を切るか、どちらで適当な高さに縮めてほしいかを選ばせるのだった。

His subjects were so afraid of him and of his laws, that the married women would not let their husbands go out of their sight, lest any harm should happen to them, and if they turned at all pale, or had broken sleep, or had lost their appetites, they would nurse them night and day. So afraid were they of becoming widows that they always agreed with their husbands on all points, lest by disagreeing they should bring about an attack of indigestion, or something worse that might produce death.

臣民は王とその法をひどく恐れたので、既婚の女たちは夫を片時も目の届かぬところへ行かせなかった。何か身に災いが降りかかってはいけないからである。夫の顔色が少しでも青ざめたり、眠りが浅かったり、食が細ったりすれば、昼夜を分かたず看病した。寡婦になることをあまりに恐れたので、女たちは何事につけ夫に逆らわなかった。逆らえば夫が食あたりを起こすか、もっと悪くて死に至るようなことになりかねないからである。

And when their children commenced to grow rapidly, their fears were doubled lest they should become taller than the king; for if they fed them on pudding, which does not promote growth, they incurred the danger of their becoming fat; and if they fed them on meat, so as to make them lean, they would probably grow tall.

そして子どもがぐんぐん育ちはじめると、女たちの恐れは倍になった。王より背が高くなってはいけないからである。育ちを促さないプディングを食べさせれば太る危険を冒すことになり、痩せさせようと肉を食べさせれば、おそらく背が伸びてしまう。

It very soon became evident that there were more hunchbacks in that country than in any other; for as soon as the children were approaching the forbidden height, their parents would suspend heavy weights from their shoulders, so that their backs became rounded and eventually humped.

ほどなく、この国には他のどの国よりも猫背の者が多いことが明らかになった。子どもが禁じられた背丈に近づくやいなや、親たちがその肩から重りを吊るしたので、背中が丸くなり、ついには瘤のようになったのである。

The young men, when they were at an age to marry, found it very difficult to get any woman to have them, because they were afraid of becoming widows, and also because so many of the men were humpbacked.

若者たちは結婚できる年ごろになると、自分を娶ってくれる女を見つけるのにたいそう難儀した。女たちは寡婦になるのを恐れていたし、それに男の多くが猫背だったからである。

But, notwithstanding the king’s wickedness, it was admitted by the married men that their condition had considerably improved.

とはいえ、王の邪悪さにもかかわらず、既婚の男たちのあいだでは、自分たちの境遇はかなり良くなったと認められていた。

There was a wide road made round the cities and towns, on which all who were inclined to be stout, both men and women, would run until they were out of breath, and jump over hurdles; and there were so many of these people that the revenues of the Church commenced to suffer, owing to the decreased demand for “bulls,” as they willingly imposed long fasts on themselves.

都市や町のまわりには広い道が造られ、太りぎみの者は男も女も、息が切れるまでその道を走り、障害を跳び越えた。そういう人があまりに多かったので、教会の実入りが減りはじめた。人々が進んで長い断食を自らに課したため、「贖宥状」の求めが減ったのである。

Now, in the chief city of this country there was a very wise man, well versed in the law and in concocting drugs, for he was the public executioner and the chemist of the place. To him, therefore, went a deputation of the people to lay their grievances before him; and after the spokesman had finished what he had to say, the executioner looked very wise, and, after considering awhile, he said—

さて、この国の首都に、たいそう賢い男がいた。法にも薬の調合にも通じていた。というのも、その男は公の処刑人であり、同時にこの町の薬師でもあったからである。そこで民の代表団がこの男のもとへ行き、苦情を申し立てた。代表が言うべきことを言い終えると、処刑人はたいそう賢そうな顔をして、しばらく考えたのちにこう言った——

“Our king’s predecessor was held to be just and generous because he allowed every man to retain a fifth of his produce for the maintenance of his family, and the tax he imposed on this fifth part was always readily paid.” Here he touched the edge of his sharp axe and smiled; and the deputation exclaimed—

「先代の王は、公正で寛大であるとされていた。どの民にも収穫の五分の一を家族の暮らしのために残すことを許し、その五分の一に課した税は、いつでも滞りなく納められていたからだ。」ここで男は鋭い斧の刃に触れて微笑んだ。代表団は声を揃えて言った——

“Quite right; so it was.”

「まさしくそのとおり。そうでございました。」

“Now, the present king,” continued the wise man, again feeling the edge of his axe, “has magnanimously increased your loyal tribute to him by one part in a hundred of the produce of the land, and yet you are not satisfied!”

「さて、当代の王は」と賢い男は、また斧の刃を確かめながら続けた。「そなたらの忠義の貢ぎを、土地の産物の百分の一だけ、寛大にも増やしてくださった。それなのに、そなたらは満足しないというのか。」

“The king’s generosity we all feel,” said the deputation; “but, if we may be allowed to express an opinion to you, sir, we would——”

「王の御寛大さは、みな感じております」と代表団は言った。「ただ、もし旦那に意見を申し上げることをお許しいただけるなら、わたくしどもは——」

“Certainly you may,” interrupted the man of drugs, running his hand quickly over the axe—“certainly you may; why should you not?”

「もちろん申してよい」と薬師は、斧の上をすばやく手で撫でながら遮った。「もちろん申してよい。なぜいけないことがあろうか。」

By this time the chief spokesman had got behind the others, and it was very evident that the members of the deputation were becoming aware that the logic of the executioner was too sharp for them.

このころには代表の長は他の者の後ろに隠れており、代表団の面々が、この処刑人の理屈は自分たちには鋭すぎると気づきはじめたのは明らかであった。

Seeing that they were all silent, the executioner went on to say that the king had, in his opinion, been extremely considerate; for he had, by the law against widows, contributed to the happiness and long life of the husbands; and, by enacting that no man should exceed a certain height or stoutness, they had economized in many ways, for they ate less, and their clothes would cost them less. In fact, he saw no reason for dissatisfaction; but as they had come to him as a deputation, he felt it to be his duty to place their supposed grievances before the king, and he, the executioner, felt certain that the king would reply to them in a suitable manner. And having said this he raised the axe to the light to see that there was no notch on the edge, which caused the deputation to tremble most violently, and to assure the executioner that they were perfectly satisfied, and desired to withdraw.

みなが黙りこくったのを見て、処刑人はさらに言った。王は自分の見るところ、きわめて思いやり深い。寡婦を禁じる法によって夫たちの幸福と長寿に寄与し、また誰も一定の背丈と太さを超えてはならぬと定めることで、民は多くの点で節約できた。食べる量は減り、衣も安く済むからである。実のところ、不満の理由は見当たらない。しかし代表団として来たのであるから、その苦情とやらを王の耳に入れるのが自分の務めだと思う。そして自分、この処刑人は、王がふさわしいやり方で答えられるであろうと確信している、と。そう言って、刃に欠けがないかを見るために斧を光にかざしたので、代表団はひどく震え上がり、自分たちはまったく満足しております、どうか退がらせてくださいと処刑人に言い立てた。

The executioner, however, would not allow them to retire—for the grievances of a people should not be withheld from the king’s ear; but the members of the deputation became so frightened that they made their escape through the windows as fast as they could. And when the king heard all about it he remarked that “Folly had entered with dignity by the door, and Wisdom had unceremoniously escaped through the window.”

しかし処刑人は退がることを許さなかった。民の苦情を王の耳から隠してはならないからである。ところが代表団の面々はあまりに怯えて、われ先にと窓から逃げ出してしまった。そして王がこの一部始終を聞いたとき、こう述べた。「愚かさは威儀を正して戸口から入り、知恵は挨拶もなく窓から逃げていったわけだ。」