The History of Tom Thumb

In the days of the great Prince Arthur, there lived a mighty magician, called Merlin, the most learned and skilful enchanter the world has ever seen.

偉大なアーサー王の時代に、マーリンという力のある魔法使いがいた。この世に現れたなかで、いちばん学問があり、いちばん腕の立つ魔術師だった。

This famous magician, who could take any form he pleased, was travelling about as a poor beggar, and being very tired, he stopped at the cottage of a ploughman to rest himself, and asked for some food.

思いのままにどんな姿にもなれるこの名高い魔法使いは、貧しい物乞いの姿をしてあちこち旅をしていたが、ひどく疲れたので、休もうと農夫の小屋に立ち寄り、何か食べるものをくださいと頼んだ。

The countryman bade him welcome, and his wife, who was a very good-hearted woman, soon brought him some milk in a wooden bowl, and some coarse brown bread on a platter.

田舎者の農夫は魔法使いを歓迎し、とても心のやさしい女だった農夫のおかみさんが、じきに木のお椀にミルクを入れ、お皿に粗い黒パンをのせて持ってきた。

Merlin was much pleased with the kindness of the ploughman and his wife; but he could not help noticing that though everything was neat and comfortable in the cottage, they seemed both to be very unhappy. He therefore asked them why they were so melancholy, and learned that they were miserable because they had no children.

マーリンは農夫とおかみさんの親切をたいそう喜んだ。けれども、小屋のなかは何もかもきちんとして居心地がいいのに、二人ともとても不幸せそうなのに気づかずにはいられなかった。そこでマーリンは、どうしてそんなに沈んでいるのかと尋ね、子どもがいないのでみじめなのだと知った。

The poor woman said, with tears in her eyes: “I should be the happiest creature in the world if I had a son; although he was no bigger than my husband's thumb, I would be satisfied.”

かわいそうなおかみさんは目に涙を浮かべて言った。「息子が一人いたら、わたしは世界でいちばん幸せな者になれるでしょうに。たとえ夫の親指ほどの大きさしかなくても、それで満足します。」

Merlin was so much amused with the idea of a boy no bigger than a man's thumb, that he determined to grant the poor woman's wish. Accordingly, in a short time after, the ploughman's wife had a son, who, wonderful to relate! was not a bit bigger than his father's thumb.

マーリンは、人の親指ほどの大きさしかない男の子と思うとたいそう面白くなって、そのかわいそうなおかみさんの願いをかなえてやろうと決めた。そこで、それからまもなく、農夫のおかみさんに息子が生まれた。そしてその子は、話すも不思議なことに、父親の親指ほどの大きさしかなかった。

The queen of the fairies, wishing to see the little fellow, came in at the window while the mother was sitting up in the bed admiring him. The queen kissed the child, and, giving it the name of Tom Thumb, sent for some of the fairies, who dressed her little godson according to her orders:

妖精の女王がその小さな子を見たがって、母親が寝床の上に起き上がって赤ん坊に見とれているところへ、窓から入ってきた。女王は子どもに口づけして、トム・サムという名を与え、何人かの妖精を呼び寄せた。妖精たちは女王の言いつけどおりに、女王の小さな名づけ子に服を着せた。

“An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown; His shirt of web by spiders spun; With jacket wove of thistle's down; His trowsers were of feathers done. His stockings, of apple-rind, they tie With eyelash from his mother's eye His shoes were made of mouse's skin, Tann'd with the downy hair within.”

「頭には樫の葉の帽子、シャツは蜘蛛の紡いだ糸、上着はあざみの綿毛で織り、ズボンは羽根でこしらえた。靴下はりんごの皮、母の目のまつげで結ぶ。靴はねずみの皮でつくり、内側にうぶ毛を残してなめした。」

Tom never grew any larger than his father's thumb, which was only of ordinary size; but as he got older he became very cunning and full of tricks. When he was old enough to play with the boys, and had lost all his own cherry-stones, he used to creep into the bags of his playfellows, fill his pockets, and, getting out without their noticing him, would again join in the game.

トムは、ごく並の大きさだった父親の親指より大きくなることはなかった。けれども大きくなるにつれて、たいそうずる賢く、いたずらでいっぱいになった。男の子たちと遊べる年ごろになって、自分のさくらんぼの種をみんななくしてしまうと、トムは遊び仲間の袋にもぐり込んでポケットをいっぱいにし、みんなに気づかれずに抜け出して、また遊びに加わるのだった。

One day, however, as he was coming out of a bag of cherry-stones, where he had been stealing as usual, the boy to whom it belonged chanced to see him. “Ah, ah! my little Tommy,” said the boy, “so I have caught you stealing my cherry-stones at last, and you shall be rewarded for your thievish tricks.” On saying this, he drew the string tight round his neck, and gave the bag such a hearty shake, that poor little Tom's legs, thighs, and body were sadly bruised. He roared out with pain, and begged to be let out, promising never to steal again.

ところがある日、いつものように盗みをはたらいていたさくらんぼの種の袋から出てくるところを、その袋の持ち主の男の子にたまたま見つかってしまった。「ははあ! ちびのトミーめ」と男の子は言った。「とうとうおれのさくらんぼの種を盗んでいるところをつかまえたぞ。どろぼうの悪さのお礼をしてやる。」そう言うと、男の子はトムの首のまわりで袋のひもをきつく締めて、袋を力いっぱい振ったので、かわいそうな小さなトムは脚もももも体もひどく打ち身だらけになった。トムは痛くてわめき、もう二度と盗みはしませんと約束して、出してくれと頼んだ。

A short time afterwards his mother was making a batter-pudding, and Tom, being very anxious to see how it was made, climbed up to the edge of the bowl; but his foot slipped, and he plumped over head and ears into the batter, without his mother noticing him, who stirred him into the pudding-bag, and put him in the pot to boil.

それから少しして、母親がバタープディングをこしらえていると、トムはどうやってこしらえるのかとても見たくて、お椀のふちまでよじ登った。ところが足がすべって、頭から耳まで生地のなかにどぼんと落ちてしまった。母親はトムに気づかずに、トムごとプディング袋にかき入れて、鍋に入れてゆではじめた。

The batter filled Tom's mouth, and prevented him from crying; but, on feeling the hot water, he kicked and struggled so much in the pot, that his mother thought that the pudding was bewitched, and, pulling it out of the pot, she threw it outside the door. A poor tinker, who was passing by, lifted up the pudding, and, putting it into his budget, he then walked off. As Tom had now got his mouth cleared of the batter, he then began to cry aloud, which so frightened the tinker that he flung down the pudding and ran away. The pudding being broke to pieces by the fall, Tom crept out covered all over with the batter, and walked home. His mother, who was very sorry to see her darling in such a woeful state, put him into a teacup, and soon washed off the batter; after which she kissed him, and laid him in bed.

生地がトムの口をふさいでいたので、トムは叫ぶことができなかった。けれども熱いお湯を感じると、鍋のなかでばたばた蹴ってもがいたので、母親はプディングに魔法がかかったのだと思って、鍋から取り出して戸口の外へ放り投げてしまった。通りかかった貧しい鋳掛け屋がプディングを拾い上げて、道具袋に入れて歩いていった。トムはそのころには口から生地をきれいに取り除いていたので、大声で泣きはじめた。それで鋳掛け屋はすっかり怖くなって、プディングを放り出して逃げていった。プディングは落ちてこなごなに割れたので、トムは生地まみれになって這い出して、家へ歩いて帰った。母親はかわいい子がそんなみじめなありさまになっているのを見てたいそう気の毒に思い、トムを紅茶茶碗に入れて、じきに生地を洗い落としてやった。それから母親はトムに口づけして、寝床に寝かせた。

Soon after the adventure of the pudding, Tom's mother went to milk her cow in the meadow, and she took him along with her. As the wind was very high, for fear of being blown away, she tied him to a thistle with a piece of fine thread. The cow soon observed Tom's oak-leaf hat, and liking the appearance of it, took poor Tom and the thistle at one mouthful. While the cow was chewing the thistle Tom was afraid of her great teeth, which threatened to crush him in pieces, and he roared out as loud as he could: “Mother, mother!”

プディングの冒険からまもなく、トムの母親は牧場へ牛の乳を搾りに行き、トムを一緒に連れていった。風がとても強かったので、トムが吹き飛ばされないように、母親はトムを細い糸であざみに結びつけておいた。牛はじきにトムの樫の葉の帽子に目をとめて、その見かけが気に入り、かわいそうなトムとあざみをひと口で食べてしまった。牛があざみを噛んでいるあいだ、トムは自分をこなごなに砕いてしまいそうな大きな歯が怖くて、ありったけの声で叫んだ。「母さん、母さん!」

“Where are you, Tommy, my dear Tommy?” said his mother.

「どこにいるの、トミー、わたしのかわいいトミー」と母親は言った。

“Here, mother,” replied he, “in the red cow's mouth.”

「ここだよ、母さん」とトムは答えた。「赤い牛の口のなかだよ。」

His mother began to cry and wring her hands; but the cow, surprised at the odd noise in her throat, opened her mouth and let Tom drop out. Fortunately his mother caught him in her apron as he was falling to the ground, or he would have been dreadfully hurt. She then put Tom in her bosom and ran home with him.

母親は泣きだして、手をもみしぼった。けれども牛はのどのなかの妙な音に驚いて、口を開けてトムを落とした。運よく、トムが地面に落ちるところを母親がエプロンで受け止めた。そうでなかったら、トムはひどいけがをしていただろう。それから母親はトムを胸もとに入れて、家へ走って帰った。

Tom's father made him a whip of a barley straw to drive the cattle with, and having one day gone into the fields, he slipped a foot and rolled into the furrow. A raven, which was flying over, picked him up, and flew with him over the sea, and there dropped him.

トムの父親は、トムが牛を追えるように大麦のわらで鞭をこしらえてやった。ある日、トムが畑に出かけていると、足をすべらせてうねの溝に転がり込んだ。上を飛んでいたカラスがトムをくわえ上げて、海の上まで運んでいき、そこで落とした。

A large fish swallowed Tom the moment he fell into the sea, which was soon after caught, and bought for the table of King Arthur. When they opened the fish in order to cook it, every one was astonished at finding such a little boy, and Tom was quite delighted at being free again. They carried him to the king, who made Tom his dwarf, and he soon grew a great favourite at court; for by his tricks and gambols he not only amused the king and queen, but also all the Knights of the Round Table.

トムが海に落ちたとたんに大きな魚がトムを呑み込み、その魚はまもなくつかまって、アーサー王の食卓のために買われた。料理しようと魚を開けると、こんな小さな男の子が見つかったので、みんなはびっくりした。トムはまた自由になれてすっかり喜んだ。人々はトムを王さまのところへ連れていき、王さまはトムを自分の小人にした。トムはまもなく宮廷でたいそうなお気に入りになった。その悪ふざけやはしゃぎぶりで、王さまと王妃さまばかりでなく、円卓の騎士たちみんなをも楽しませたからである。

It is said that when the king rode out on horseback, he often took Tom along with him, and if a shower came on, he used to creep into his majesty's waistcoat-pocket, where he slept till the rain was over.

王さまが馬で出かけるときには、よくトムを一緒に連れていったそうだ。そしてにわか雨が降ってくると、トムは陛下のチョッキのポケットにもぐり込んで、雨がやむまでそこで眠ったという。

King Arthur one day asked Tom about his parents, wishing to know if they were as small as he was, and whether they were well off. Tom told the king that his father and mother were as tall as anybody about the court, but in rather poor circumstances. On hearing this, the king carried Tom to his treasury, the place where he kept all his money, and told him to take as much money as he could carry home to his parents, which made the poor little fellow caper with joy. Tom went immediately to procure a purse, which was made of a water-bubble, and then returned to the treasury, where he received a silver threepenny-piece to put into it.

ある日、アーサー王はトムに両親のことを尋ねた。両親もトムのように小さいのか、暮らし向きはいいのかを知りたかったのである。トムは王さまに、父も母も宮廷のまわりの誰にも負けないくらい背が高いけれど、暮らしはかなり貧しいと話した。これを聞くと、王さまはトムを宝物蔵、つまり王さまが自分のお金をみんなしまっているところへ連れていって、両親のところへ持って帰れるだけのお金を持っていけと言った。かわいそうな小さなトムはうれしくて跳びはねた。トムはすぐに財布を手に入れに行った。それは水の泡でこしらえた財布だった。それからトムは宝物蔵へ戻ってきて、そこで財布に入れる三ペンス銀貨を一枚受け取った。

Our little hero had some difficulty in lifting the burden upon his back; but he at last succeeded in getting it placed to his mind, and set forward on his journey. However, without meeting with any accident, and after resting himself more than a hundred times by the way, in two days and two nights he reached his father's house in safety.

われらが小さな英雄は、その荷を背負い上げるのにいくらか苦労したが、とうとう思うように背に載せることができて、旅に出発した。そして何の事故にもあわず、途中で百回以上も休んで、二日二晩かかって無事に父親の家に着いた。

Tom had travelled forty-eight hours with a huge silver-piece on his back, and was almost tired to death, when his mother ran out to meet him, and carried him into the house. But he soon returned to Court.

トムは大きな銀貨を背負って四十八時間も旅をしてきたので、疲れて死にそうだった。そこへ母親が駆け出してきてトムを迎え、家のなかへ運び入れた。けれどもトムはまもなく宮廷へ戻っていった。

As Tom's clothes had suffered much in the batter-pudding, and the inside of the fish, his majesty ordered him a new suit of clothes, and to be mounted as a knight on a mouse.

トムの服はバタープディングと魚の腹のなかでひどく傷んでしまっていたので、陛下はトムのために新しい服を一揃い仕立てさせ、トムを騎士としてねずみに乗せるよう命じた。

Of Butterfly's wings his shirt was made, His boots of chicken's hide; And by a nimble fairy blade, Well learned in the tailoring trade, His clothing was supplied. A needle dangled by his side; A dapper mouse he used to ride, Thus strutted Tom in stately pride!

シャツは蝶の翅でこしらえ、長靴は鶏の革。そして仕立ての技をよく心得た、身軽な妖精の若者が、トムの衣装をととのえた。わきには針をぶら下げて、小粋なねずみにまたがって、こうしてトムは堂々と胸を張ったとさ!

It was certainly very diverting to see Tom in this dress and mounted on the mouse, as he rode out a-hunting with the king and nobility, who were all ready to expire with laughter at Tom and his fine prancing charger.

この服を着てねずみにまたがったトムが、王さまや貴族たちと狩りに出かけるのを見るのは、たしかにとても愉快だった。王さまも貴族たちも、トムとそのりっぱに跳ねまわる軍馬を見て、笑い死にしそうだった。

The king was so charmed with his address that he ordered a little chair to be made, in order that Tom might sit upon his table, and also a palace of gold, a span high, with a door an inch wide, to live in. He also gave him a coach, drawn by six small mice.

王さまはトムの物腰がすっかり気に入って、トムが王さまの食卓の上に座れるように小さな椅子をこしらえさせ、さらにトムが住めるように、高さが一スパンで戸の幅が一インチの金の宮殿もこしらえさせた。王さまはまた、六匹の小さなねずみに引かせる馬車もトムに与えた。

The queen was so enraged at the honours conferred on Sir Thomas that she resolved to ruin him, and told the king that the little knight had been saucy to her.

王妃さまは、トマス卿に与えられた栄誉にたいそう腹を立てて、トムを破滅させてやろうと決め、王さまに、あの小さな騎士が自分に無礼なことをしたと告げた。

The king sent for Tom in great haste, but being fully aware of the danger of royal anger, he crept into an empty snail-shell, where he lay for a long time until he was almost starved with hunger; but at last he ventured to peep out, and seeing a fine large butterfly on the ground, near the place of his concealment, he got close to it and jumping astride on it, was carried up into the air. The butterfly flew with him from tree to tree and from field to field, and at last returned to the court, where the king and nobility all strove to catch him; but at last poor Tom fell from his seat into a watering-pot, in which he was almost drowned.

王さまは大急ぎでトムを呼びにやったが、トムは王さまの怒りの恐ろしさを十分承知していたので、空っぽのかたつむりの殻にもぐり込み、腹が減って死にそうになるまで長いあいだそこにひそんでいた。けれどもとうとう思いきって外をのぞいてみると、隠れ場所の近くの地面に、りっぱな大きな蝶が一匹とまっていたので、トムはそっと近寄って蝶にまたがった。すると蝶はトムを乗せて空へ舞い上がった。蝶はトムを乗せて木から木へ、畑から畑へと飛んでいき、とうとう宮廷に戻ってきた。そこで王さまと貴族たちはみんなトムをつかまえようとしたが、とうとうかわいそうなトムは蝶の背から如雨露のなかに落ちて、あやうく溺れるところだった。

When the queen saw him she was in a rage, and said he should be beheaded; and he was again put into a mouse trap until the time of his execution.

王妃さまはトムを見ると激怒して、首をはねよと言った。そしてトムは処刑の時まで、またねずみ捕りに入れられた。

However a cat, observing something alive in the trap, patted it about till the wires broke, and set Thomas at liberty.

けれども一匹の猫が、ねずみ捕りのなかに何か生きているものがいるのに気づいて、針金が壊れるまでねずみ捕りをぽんぽん叩いたので、トマスは自由になった。

The king received Tom again into favour, which he did not live to enjoy, for a large spider one day attacked him; and although he drew his sword and fought well, yet the spider's poisonous breath at last overcame him.

王さまはトムをまた寵愛したが、トムはそれを長く楽しむことはできなかった。ある日、大きな蜘蛛がトムに襲いかかってきたのである。トムは剣を抜いて勇ましく戦ったが、とうとう蜘蛛の毒の息にやられてしまった。

He fell dead on the ground where he stood, And the spider suck'd every drop of his blood.

トムは立っていたその場に倒れて死に、蜘蛛はその血を一滴残らず吸った。

King Arthur and his whole court were so sorry at the loss of their little favourite that they went into mourning and raised a fine white marble monument over his grave with the following epitaph:

アーサー王と宮廷じゅうの人々は、小さなお気に入りを失ってたいそう悲しみ、喪に服して、トムの墓の上に、次の墓碑銘を刻んだりっぱな白い大理石の記念碑を建てた。

Here lies Tom Thumb, King Arthur's knight, Who died by a spider's cruel bite. He was well known in Arthur's court, Where he afforded gallant sport; He rode at tilt and tournament, And on a mouse a-hunting went. Alive he filled the court with mirth; His death to sorrow soon gave birth. Wipe, wipe your eyes, and shake your head And cry,--Alas! Tom Thumb is dead!

ここに眠るはトム・サム、アーサー王の騎士、むごい蜘蛛のひと噛みで死んだ。アーサー王の宮廷ではよく知られ、そこで勇ましい遊びを見せてくれた。馬上槍試合にも出場し、ねずみにまたがり狩りにも出た。生きては宮廷を笑いで満たし、死んではたちまち悲しみを生んだ。ぬぐえ、ぬぐえ、その目をぬぐえ、首を振って叫べ——ああ! トム・サムは死んだ!