The Ridiculous Wishes

In days long past there lived a poor woodcutter who found life very hard. Indeed, it was his lot to toil for little guerdon, and although he was young and happily married there were moments when he wished himself dead and below ground.

遠いむかし、一人の貧しい木こりがいて、暮らしをたいそう辛いものと感じていた。実際、わずかな報酬のために骨を折るのがその身の定めで、若く、妻と睦まじく暮らしてはいたものの、いっそ死んで土の下にいたいと願う瞬間があった。

One day while at his work he was again lamenting his fate.

ある日、仕事中に、彼はまた我が身の定めを嘆いていた。

"Some men," he said, "have only to make known their desires, and straightway these are granted, and their every wish fulfilled; but it has availed me little to wish for ought, for the gods are deaf to the prayers of such as I."

「ある者は」と彼は言った。「望みを口にしさえすれば、たちどころにそれが叶えられ、願いという願いが満たされる。ところがわたしは、何を願っても何の役にも立たない。神々はわたしのような者の祈りには耳を貸さないのだ。」

As he spoke these words there was a great noise of thunder, and Jupiter appeared before him wielding his mighty thunderbolts. Our poor man was stricken with fear and threw himself on the ground.

この言葉を口にしたとき、大きな雷鳴が轟き、ユピテルが強大な雷霆を振るいながら彼の前に現れた。哀れな男は恐れおののき、地に身を投げ出した。

"My lord," he said, "forget my foolish speech; heed not my wishes, but cease thy thundering!"

「主よ」と彼は言った。「わたしの愚かな言葉をお忘れください。わたしの願いにお心を留めず、どうか雷を鳴らすのをおやめください!」

"Have no fear," answered Jupiter; "I have heard thy plaint, and have come hither to show thee how greatly thou dost wrong me. Hark! I, who am sovereign lord of this world, promise to grant in full the first three wishes which it will please thee to utter, whatever these may be. Consider well what things can bring thee joy and prosperity, and as thy happiness is at stake, be not over-hasty, but revolve the matter in thy mind."

「恐れることはない」とユピテルは答えた。「そなたの嘆きを聞いて、そなたがどれほどわたしを誤解しているかを示しに来たのだ。よく聞け。この世の主権者たるわたしが、そなたの口にする最初の三つの願いを、それが何であれ、余さず叶えると約束しよう。何がそなたに喜びと繁栄をもたらすか、よくよく考えるがよい。そなたの幸福がかかっているのだから、急ぎすぎず、心のうちでよく巡らせよ。」

Having thus spoken Jupiter withdrew himself and made his ascent to Olympus. As for our woodcutter, he blithely corded his faggot, and throwing it over his shoulder, made for his home. To one so light of heart the load also seemed light, and his thoughts were merry as he strode along. Many a wish came into his mind, but he was resolved to seek the advice of his wife, who was a young woman of good understanding.

こう言うとユピテルは身を退き、オリュンポスへ昇っていった。木こりのほうはというと、上機嫌で薪の束を縛り、肩に担いで家路についた。心が軽い者には荷も軽く感じられ、大股に歩きながらその思いは弾んでいた。数々の願いが頭に浮かんだが、彼は物わかりのよい若い妻に相談しようと心に決めていた。

He had soon reached his cottage, and casting down his faggot:

まもなく小屋に着き、薪の束を放り出して言った。

"Behold me, Fanny," he said. "Make up the fire and spread the board, and let there be no stint. We are wealthy, Fanny, wealthy for evermore; we have only to wish for whatsoever we may desire."

「見てくれ、ファニー。火を熾して食卓を整えてくれ。出し惜しみは要らない。わたしたちは金持ちだ、ファニー。これから先ずっと金持ちなんだ。欲しいものを願いさえすればいいのだから。」

Thereupon he told her the story of what had befallen that day. Fanny, whose mind was quick and active, immediately conceived many plans for the advancement of their fortune, but she approved her husband's resolve to act with prudence and circumspection.

そう言ってその日の出来事を語った。頭の回転の速いファニーは、たちまち身代を大きくする案をいくつも思いついたが、慎重に用心深く行こうという夫の決心には賛成であった。

"'Twere a pity," she said, "to spoil our chances through impatience. We had best take counsel of the night, and wish no wishes until to-morrow."

「もったいないことです」と妻は言った。「気が急いてせっかくの機会を台無しにしては。今夜はひと晩よく考えて、明日まで何も願わないことにしましょう。」

"That is well spoken," answered Harry. "Meanwhile fetch a bottle of our best, and we shall drink to our good fortune."

「もっともな話だ」とハリーは答えた。「その間に、いちばん上等な酒を一本持ってきてくれ。この幸運を祝って飲もう。」

Fanny brought a bottle from the store behind the faggots, and our man enjoyed his ease, leaning back in his chair with his toes to the fire and his goblet in his hand.

ファニーは薪の裏の蓄えから一本持ってきた。そして男は椅子にもたれ、爪先を火に向け、杯を手にして、心地よくくつろいだ。

"What fine glowing embers!" he said, "and what a fine toasting fire! I wish we had a black pudding at hand."

「なんと見事な熾火だろう!」と彼は言った。「そしてなんと具合のよい焼き火だ! ブラッドソーセージが手元にあったらなあ。」

Hardly had he spoken these words when his wife beheld, to her great astonishment, a long black pudding which, issuing from a corner of the hearth, came winding and wriggling towards her. She uttered a cry of fear, and then again exclaimed in dismay, when she perceived that this strange occurrence was due to the wish which her husband had so rashly and foolishly spoken. Turning upon him, in her anger and disappointment she called the poor man all the abusive names that she could think of.

この言葉を口にするやいなや、妻はたいそう驚いたことに、炉の隅から長いブラッドソーセージが一本、うねうねと身をよじりながら自分のほうへ向かってくるのを見た。妻は恐ろしさに叫び声をあげ、次いで、この奇妙な出来事が夫の軽々しく愚かな願いのせいだと気づいて、狼狽の声をあげた。妻は夫のほうを向き、腹立ちと落胆のあまり、思いつくかぎりの罵り言葉をこの哀れな男に浴びせた。

"What!" she said to him, "when you can call for a kingdom, for gold, pearls, rubies, diamonds, for princely garments and wealth untold, is this the time to set your mind upon black puddings!"

「まあ!」と妻は言った。「王国だって、金だって、真珠だって、ルビーだって、ダイヤモンドだって、王侯の衣装だって、数えきれない富だって求められるのに、よりによってブラッドソーセージに心を向けるときですか!」

"Nay!" answered the man, "'twas a thoughtless speech, and a sad mistake; but I shall now be on my guard, and shall do better next time."

「いや!」と男は答えた。「考えなしの言葉だった、ひどい間違いだ。だがこれからは用心する。次はもっとうまくやるさ。」

"Who knows that you will?" returned his wife. "Once a witless fool, always a witless fool!" and giving free rein to her vexation and ill-temper she continued to upbraid her husband until his anger also was stirred, and he had wellnigh made a second bid and wished himself a widower.

「あなたにそれができるかしら」と妻は言い返した。「一度の間抜けは一生の間抜けよ!」そして腹立ちと不機嫌のままに、妻は夫を責め続けた。とうとう夫の怒りにも火がつき、あやうく二つ目の願いを口にして、自分をやもめにするところであった。

"Enough! woman," he cried at last; "put a check upon thy froward tongue! Who ever heard such impertinence as this! A plague on the shrew and on her pudding! Would to heaven it hung at the end of her nose!"

「もうたくさんだ、女め」と彼はとうとう叫んだ。「その減らず口を閉じろ! こんな無礼なことがあるものか! この口やかましい女とそのソーセージに呪いあれ! いっそ、それが女房の鼻の先にぶら下がればいい!」

No sooner had the husband given voice to these words than the wish was straightway granted, and the long coil of black pudding appeared grafted to the angry dame's nose.

夫がこの言葉を口にするやいなや、願いはたちどころに叶えられ、あの長いブラッドソーセージの巻きが、怒れる妻の鼻に接ぎ木されたように現れた。

Our man paused when he beheld what he had wrought. Fanny was a comely young woman, and blest with good looks, and truth to tell, this new ornament did not set off her beauty. Yet it offered one advantage, that as it hung right before her mouth, it would thus effectively curb her speech.

自分のしでかしたことを見て、男は言葉を失った。ファニーは器量のよい若い女で、見目に恵まれていたが、実を言えば、この新しい飾りは彼女の美しさを引き立てはしなかった。とはいえ一つ利点があった。ちょうど口の前にぶら下がっているので、その口を効き目よく塞いでくれるのである。

So, having now but one wish left, he had all but resolved to make good use of it without further delay, and, before any other mischance could befall, to wish himself a kingdom of his own. He was about to speak the word, when he was stayed by a sudden thought.

そこで、残る願いはあと一つとなったので、彼はもうこれ以上ぐずぐずせずにこれを役立てようと、そしてほかの災いが降りかかる前に、自分の王国を願おうと、ほとんど心を決めていた。その言葉を口にしかけたとき、ふとある考えが彼を押しとどめた。

"It is true," he said to himself, "that there is none so great as a King, but what of the Queen that must share his dignity? With what grace would she sit beside me on the throne with a yard of black pudding for a nose?"

「なるほど」と彼は心の中で言った。「王ほど偉い者はいない。だが、その威厳を分かち合わねばならぬ王妃はどうなる。一ヤードのブラッドソーセージを鼻にして、どんな品位をもって玉座のわたしの傍らに座るというのだ。」

In this dilemma he resolved to put the case to Fanny, and to leave her to decide whether she would rather be a Queen, with this most horrible appendage marring her good looks, or remain a peasant wife, but with her shapely nose relieved of this untoward addition.

この板挟みのなかで、彼はこの件をファニーに諮り、彼女に決めさせることにした。この上なく恐ろしい付属物で器量を損ねたまま王妃になるか、それとも百姓の女房のままで、形のよい鼻からこの厄介なものを取り除いてもらうか、と。

Fanny's mind was soon made up: although she had dreamt of a crown and sceptre, yet a woman's first wish is always to please. To this great desire all else must yield, and Fanny would rather be fair in drugget than be a Queen with an ugly face.

ファニーの心はすぐに決まった。冠と笏を夢に見てはいたものの、女の第一の願いはいつでも美しくあることである。この大きな望みの前には、ほかのすべてが道を譲らねばならない。ファニーは、醜い顔の王妃になるくらいなら、粗い毛織を着ていても美しいほうを選んだ。

Thus our woodcutter did not change his state, did not become a potentate, nor fill his purse with golden crowns. He was thankful enough to use his remaining wish to a more humble purpose, and forthwith relieved his wife of her encumbrance.

こうしてこの木こりは身分を変えず、権力者になることもなく、財布を金貨で満たすこともなかった。彼は残った願いをもっと慎ましい目的に使えることを十分にありがたく思い、ただちに妻をあの厄介物から解き放ったのである。

The Moral

教訓

Ah! so it is that miserable man, By nature fickle, blind, unwise, and rash, Oft fails to reap a harvest from great gifts Bestowed upon him by the heav'nly gods.

ああ、これこそ人という哀れなものの姿である。生まれつき移り気で、盲目で、思慮浅く、軽はずみであるがゆえに、天の神々から授かった大いなる贈り物から、しばしば実りを収めそこなうのだ。