The Master Cat; Or, Puss in Boots

There was a miller, who left no more estate to the three sons he had, than his Mill, his Ass, and his Cat. The partition was soon made. Neither the scrivener nor attorney were sent for. They would soon have eaten up all the poor patrimony. The eldest had the Mill, the second the Ass, and the youngest nothing but the Cat.

ある粉挽きが、三人の息子に、粉挽き小屋と驢馬と猫のほかには何の財産も残さずに死んだ。分け前はすぐに決まった。代書人も弁護士も呼ばれなかった。呼べばその乏しい遺産をたちまち食い尽くしてしまったであろう。長男が粉挽き小屋を、次男が驢馬を、そして末の息子は猫のほかには何ももらえなかった。

The poor young fellow was quite comfortless at having so poor a lot.

哀れな若者は、これほど乏しい取り分ではまったく慰めようがなかった。

"My brothers," said he, "may get their living handsomely enough, by joining their stocks together; but for my part, when I have eaten up my Cat, and made me a muff of his skin, I must die with hunger."

「兄さんたちは」と彼は言った。「持ち分を合わせれば、なかなか立派に暮らしていけるだろう。だがわたしはといえば、猫を食べてしまって、その皮でマフをこしらえたら、あとは飢え死にするしかない。」

The Cat, who heard all this, but made as if he did not, said to him with a grave and serious air:

猫はこれをすべて聞いていたが、聞こえないふりをして、重々しく真剣な面持ちで言った。

"Do not thus afflict yourself, my good master; you have only to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots made for me, that I may scamper thro' the dirt and the brambles, and you shall see that you have not so bad a portion of me as you imagine."

「そんなに嘆くことはありません、ご主人さま。わたしに袋を一つくださって、泥や茨の中を駆けまわれるよう長靴を一足こしらえてくだされば、わたしという取り分が思っているほど悪くはないことを、お目にかけましょう。」

Tho' the Cat's master did not build very much upon what he said, he had however often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice; as when he used to hang by the heels, or hide himself in the meal, and make as if he were dead; so that he did not altogether despair of his affording him some help in his miserable condition.

猫の主人は、猫の言うことをさほど当てにはしなかった。けれども猫が鼠や二十日鼠を捕まえるために、踵でぶら下がったり、粉の中に隠れて死んだふりをしたり、さまざまな巧妙な技を使うのをたびたび見ていたので、この惨めな境遇で何か助けになってくれるかもしれないと、まったく望みを捨てたわけではなかった。

When the Cat had what he asked for, he booted himself very gallantly; and putting his bag about his neck, he held the strings of it in his two fore paws, and went into a warren where was great abundance of rabbits. He put bran and sow-thistle into his bag, and stretching himself out at length, as if he had been dead, he waited for some young rabbit, not yet acquainted with the deceits of the world, to come and rummage his bag for what he had put into it.

頼んだものを手に入れると、猫はたいそう颯爽と長靴をはき、袋を首に掛けて、その紐を二本の前足で持ち、兎がたくさんいる兎の繁殖地へ出かけていった。袋に麩とノゲシを入れて、死んだように長々と寝そべり、世間の騙し合いをまだ知らない若い兎が、袋の中のものを探りに来るのを待った。

Scarce was he lain down, but he had what he wanted; a rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and Monsieur Puss, immediately drawing close the strings, took and killed him without pity. Proud of his prey, he went with it to the palace, and asked to speak with his Majesty. He was shewed up stairs into the King's apartment, and, making a low reverence, said to him:

寝そべるやいなや、望みのものが手に入った。軽はずみで愚かな若い兎が袋に跳び込んだのである。猫どのはすぐさま紐を引き締め、容赦なく捕まえて殺した。獲物を誇りにして、猫はそれを持って宮殿へ行き、陛下にお目通りを願った。階上の王の居室へ通されると、深々とお辞儀をして言った。

"I have brought you, sir, a rabbit of the warren which my noble lord the Marquis of Carabas" (for that was the title which Puss was pleased to give his master) "has commanded me to present to your Majesty from him."

「陛下、繁殖地の兎を一羽お持ちいたしました。わが高貴なる主人カラバ侯爵」(というのが、猫が主人に与えることにした称号であった)「が、陛下に献上せよとわたくしにお命じになったものでございます。」

"Tell thy master," said the King, "that I thank him, and that he does me a great deal of pleasure."

「そなたの主人に伝えよ」と王は言った。「礼を申す、たいそう嬉しく思う、とな。」

Another time he went and hid himself among some standing corn, holding still his bag open; and when a brace of partridges ran into it, he drew the strings, and so caught them both. He went and made a present of these to the King, as he had done before of the rabbit which he took in the warren. The King in like manner received the partridges with great pleasure, and ordered him some money to drink.

また別のときには、猫は実った麦畑の中に隠れ、やはり袋の口を開けておいた。一つがいの山鶉が袋に駆け込むと、紐を引いて二羽とも捕まえた。そして繁殖地で捕まえた兎のときと同じように、これを王に献上しに行った。王はやはり山鶉をたいそう喜んで受け取り、猫に酒代を与えるよう命じた。

The Cat continued for two or three months, thus to carry his Majesty, from time to time, game of his master's taking. One day in particular, when he knew for certain that the King was to take the air, along the river side, with his daughter, the most beautiful Princess in the world, he said to his master:

猫はこうして二、三か月のあいだ、主人の狩りの獲物を折にふれて陛下に届け続けた。そしてある日、王が世界でいちばん美しい王女である娘を連れて、川沿いを散策なさると確かに知ると、猫は主人に言った。

"If you will follow my advice, your fortune is made; you have nothing else to do, but go and wash yourself in the river, in that part I shall shew you, and leave the rest to me."

「わたしの言うとおりになされば、ご主人さまの運は開けます。わたしがお教えする川のその場所で、ただ水浴びをなさればよいのです。あとはわたしにお任せください。」

The Marquis of Carabas did what the Cat advised him to, without knowing why or wherefore.

カラバ侯爵は、なぜともどうしてとも知らぬまま、猫の勧めどおりにした。

While he was washing, the King passed by, and the Cat began to cry out, as loud as he could:

侯爵が水浴びをしているところへ王が通りかかると、猫は力のかぎり叫びはじめた。

"Help, help, my lord Marquis of Carabas is drowning."

「助けて、助けて、わが主人カラバ侯爵が溺れておいでです!」

At this noise the King put his head out of his coach-window, and finding it was the Cat who had so often brought him such good game, he commanded his guards to run immediately to the assistance of his lordship the Marquis of Carabas.

この騒ぎに王は馬車の窓から顔を出し、それがあれほどたびたび上等な獲物を届けてくれた猫だと分かると、ただちにカラバ侯爵閣下を助けに駆けつけるよう近衛兵に命じた。

While they were drawing the poor Marquis out of the river, the Cat came up to the coach, and told the King that while his master was washing, there came by some rogues, who went off with his clothes, tho' he had cried out "Thieves, thieves," several times, as loud as he could. This cunning Cat had hidden them under a great stone. The King immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and fetch one of his best suits for the lord Marquis of Carabas.

兵たちが哀れな侯爵を川から引き上げているあいだに、猫は馬車に近づき、主人が水浴びをしているところへ悪党どもが通りかかって衣服を持ち去った、主人は力のかぎり何度も「泥棒、泥棒」と叫んだのだが、と王に申し上げた。この抜け目のない猫は、衣服を大きな石の下に隠しておいたのである。王はただちに衣装係の役人に、カラバ侯爵閣下のために最上の衣装を一揃い取ってくるよう命じた。

The King received him with great kindness, and as the fine clothes he had given him extremely set off his good mien (for he was well made, and very handsome in his person), the King's daughter took a secret inclination to him, and the Marquis of Carabas had no sooner cast two or three respectful and somewhat tender glances, but she fell in love with him to distraction. The King would needs have him come into his coach, and take part of the airing. The Cat, quite overjoyed to see his project begin to succeed, marched on before, and meeting with some countrymen, who were mowing a meadow, he said to them:

王は侯爵をたいそう親切に迎えた。与えた立派な衣服が侯爵の見栄えのよさをひときわ引き立てた(というのも、侯爵は体つきがよく、たいそう美男子であった)ので、王の娘はひそかに彼に心を寄せた。そしてカラバ侯爵が敬意を込めた、いくらか優しい眼差しを二度三度投げかけるやいなや、王女は狂おしいほど彼に恋してしまった。王はどうしても侯爵を馬車に乗せ、散策に加えたがった。計略がうまく運びはじめたのを見て大喜びの猫は、先に立って進み、牧草地を刈っている百姓たちに出会うと、こう言った。

"Good people, you who are mowing, if you do not tell the King, that the meadow you mow belongs to my lord Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as mince-meat."

「草を刈っている善き人々よ、お前たちの刈っている牧草地がわが主人カラバ侯爵のものだと王に申し上げなければ、お前たちはひき肉のように細かく刻まれることになるぞ。」

The King did not fail asking of the mowers, to whom the meadow they were mowing belonged.

王は草刈りたちに、刈っている牧草地は誰のものかと尋ねるのを忘れなかった。

"To my lord Marquis of Carabas," answered they all together; for the Cat's threats had made them terribly afraid.

「カラバ侯爵さまのものでございます」と一同は声を揃えて答えた。猫の脅しにひどく怯えていたからである。

"Truly a fine estate," said the King to the Marquis of Carabas.

「まことに見事な領地であるな」と王はカラバ侯爵に言った。

"You see, sir," said the Marquis, "this is a meadow which never fails to yield a plentiful harvest every year."

「ごらんのとおり、陛下」と侯爵は言った。「この牧草地は毎年きまって豊かな実りをもたらすのでございます。」

The Master Cat, who still went on before, met with some reapers, and said to them:

なおも先を行く猫の親方は、麦を刈っている者たちに出会って言った。

"Good people, you who are reaping, if you do not tell the King that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as mince-meat."

「麦を刈っている善き人々よ、この麦はすべてカラバ侯爵のものだと王に申し上げなければ、お前たちはひき肉のように細かく刻まれることになるぞ。」

The King, who passed by a moment after, would needs know to whom all that corn, which he then saw, did belong. "To my lord Marquis of Carabas," replied the reapers; and the King again congratulated the Marquis.

一瞬後に通りかかった王は、目にしたあの麦はすべて誰のものか、どうしても知りたがった。「カラバ侯爵さまのものでございます」と刈り手たちは答えた。王はまた侯爵に祝いの言葉を述べた。

The Master Cat, who went always before, said the same words to all he met; and the King was astonished at the vast estates of my lord Marquis of Carabas.

いつも先を行く猫の親方は、出会う者すべてに同じ言葉を言った。そして王は、カラバ侯爵閣下の広大な領地に驚嘆した。

Monsieur Puss came at last to a stately castle, the master of which was an Ogre, the richest had ever been known; for all the lands which the King had then gone over belonged to this castle. The Cat, who had taken care to inform himself who this Ogre was, and what he could do, asked to speak with him, saying, he could not pass so near his castle, without having the honour of paying his respects to him.

猫どのはとうとう堂々たる城に着いた。その城の主は人食い鬼で、かつて知られたうちでいちばんの金持ちであった。王がそれまで通ってきた土地は、みなこの城に属していたのである。この人食い鬼が何者で、何ができるのかをあらかじめ調べておいた猫は、鬼に面会を願い、城のすぐ近くを通りながら敬意を表しに伺う栄誉を得ずに通り過ぎるわけにはまいりません、と言った。

The Ogre received him as civilly as an Ogre could do, and made him sit down.

人食い鬼は、人食い鬼にできるかぎり丁重に猫を迎え、座らせた。

"I have been assured," said the Cat, "that you have the gift of being able to change yourself into all sorts of creatures you have a mind to; you can, for example, transform yourself into a lion, or elephant, and the like."

「うかがったところでは」と猫は言った。「あなたは、思いのままにどんな生き物にも姿を変えられる天賦をお持ちだとか。たとえば獅子や象などに変身なさることもおできになるそうですね。」

"This is true," answered the Ogre very briskly, "and to convince you, you shall see me now become a lion."

「それは本当だ」と人食い鬼はたいそう威勢よく答えた。「その証に、いまから獅子になるのを見せてやろう。」

Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight of a lion so near him, that he immediately got into the gutter, not without abundance of trouble and danger, because of his boots, which were ill-suited for walking upon the tiles. A little while after, when Puss saw that the Ogre had resumed his natural form, he came down, and owned he had been very much frightened.

猫はすぐそばに獅子を見てあまりに怯えたので、ただちに雨樋の上に逃げ上がった。瓦の上を歩くには不向きな長靴のせいで、それはたいそうな骨折りと危険を伴った。しばらくして人食い鬼が元の姿に戻ったのを見ると、猫は降りてきて、たいそう怖かったと打ち明けた。

"I have been moreover informed," said the Cat, "but I know not how to believe it, that you have also the power to take on you the shape of the smallest animals; for example, to change yourself into a rat or a mouse; but I must own to you, I take this to be impossible."

「さらにうかがったところでは」と猫は言った。「もっとも、どう信じてよいものか分からないのですが、あなたはいちばん小さな獣の姿もお取りになれるとか。たとえば鼠や二十日鼠に変わることもおできになるそうですね。でも正直に申し上げれば、そんなことはできないと思っております。」

"Impossible?" cried the Ogre, "you shall see that presently," and at the same time changed into a mouse, and began to run about the floor.

「できないだと?」と人食い鬼は叫んだ。「いますぐ見せてやろう。」そう言うと同時に二十日鼠に変わって、床を走りまわりはじめた。

Puss no sooner perceived this, but he fell upon him, and ate him up.

猫はそれを見るやいなや、飛びかかって食べてしまった。

Meanwhile the King, who saw, as he passed, this fine castle of the Ogre's, had a mind to go into it. Puss, who heard the noise of his Majesty's coach running over the drawbridge, ran out and said to the King:

そのころ王は、通りすがりに人食い鬼のこの立派な城を目にして、中へ入ってみたくなった。陛下の馬車が跳ね橋を渡る音を聞いた猫は、駆け出して王に言った。

"Your Majesty is welcome to this castle of my lord Marquis of Carabas."

「陛下、わが主人カラバ侯爵のこの城へ、ようこそお越しくださいました。」

"What! my lord Marquis?" cried the King, "and does this castle also belong to you? There can be nothing finer than this court, and all the stately buildings which surround it; let us go into it, if you please."

「なんと! 侯爵どの」と王は叫んだ。「この城もそなたのものなのか。この中庭とそれを取り巻く堂々たる建物ほど見事なものはあるまい。よろしければ、中へ入ろうではないか。」

The Marquis gave his hand to the Princess, and followed the King, who went up first. They passed into a spacious hall, where they found a magnificent collation which the Ogre had prepared for his friends, who were that very day to visit him, but dared not to enter knowing the King was there. His Majesty was perfectly charmed with the good qualities of my lord Marquis of Carabas, as was his daughter who was fallen violently in love with him; and seeing the vast estate he possessed, said to him, after having drank five or six glasses:

侯爵は王女に手を差し出し、先に上る王に続いた。一行は広々とした広間に入り、そこには人食い鬼がその日訪ねてくるはずの友人たちのために用意した豪勢な軽食があった。友人たちは王がいると知って、入る勇気がなかったのである。陛下はカラバ侯爵閣下の美点にすっかり魅了され、激しく恋してしまった娘も同じであった。そして侯爵の持つ広大な領地を見て、五、六杯飲み干したのち、王は言った。

"It will be owing to yourself only, my lord Marquis, if you are not my son-in-law."

「侯爵どの、そなたがわしの婿にならぬとすれば、それはひとえにそなた次第であるぞ。」

The Marquis making several low bows, accepted the honour which his Majesty conferred upon him, and forthwith, that very same day, married the Princess.

侯爵は幾度も深々とお辞儀をして、陛下の授けてくださる栄誉を受け、その同じ日のうちに王女と結婚した。

Puss became a great lord, and never ran after mice any more, but only for his diversion.

猫は大貴族になり、もう鼠を追いかけることはなかった。気晴らしのとき以外は。

The Moral

教訓

How advantageous it may be, By long descent of pedigree, T'enjoy a great estate, Yet knowledge how to act, we see, Join'd with consummate industry, (Nor wonder ye thereat) Doth often prove a greater boon, As should be to young people known.

代々の家柄を受け継いで、大きな財産を享受するのは、どれほど得なことかもしれぬ。しかし、振る舞い方を心得、それにこの上ない勤勉を併せ持つことは(驚くには当たらない)、しばしばもっと大きな恵みとなるのである。若い人々は、そのことを知っておくべきであろう。

Another

もう一つ

If the son of a miller so soon gains the heart Of a beautiful princess, and makes her impart Sweet languishing glances, eyes melting for love, It must be remark'd of fine clothes how they move, And that youth, a good face, a good air, with good mien, Are not always indifferent mediums to win The love of the fair, and gently inspire The flames of sweet passion, and tender desire.

粉挽きの息子がたちまち美しい王女の心を得て、恋にとろける目で甘くやるせない眼差しを送らせたのなら、立派な衣服がいかに人を動かすかを心に留めておかねばならぬ。そして若さも、良い顔立ちも、良い風采も、良い物腰も、美しい人の愛を得て、甘い情熱の炎と優しい思いを穏やかにかき立てるのに、決してどうでもよい手立てではないのである。