Powell, Prince of Dyfed

One of the oldest of the Welsh fairy tales tells us about Pwyle, King of Fairyland and father of the numerous clan of the Powells. He was a mighty hunter. He could ride a horse, draw a bow, and speak the truth. He was always honored by men, and he kept his faith and his promises to women. The children loved him, for he loved them. In the castle hall, he could tell the best stories. No man, bard, or warrior, foot holder or commoner, could excel him in gaining and keeping the attention of his hearers, even when they were sleepy and wanted to go to bed.

ウェールズの妖精譚のうちでも最も古いものの一つが、妖精の国の王にして、数多いパウエル一族の父であるプウィルについて語っている。彼は偉大な狩人であった。馬を乗りこなし、弓を引き、真実を語ることができた。男たちからはつねに敬われ、女たちには信義と約束を守った。子どもたちは彼を慕った。彼が子どもたちを愛したからである。城の広間では、誰よりも面白い話を語ることができた。吟遊詩人であれ戦士であれ、足持ちであれ平民であれ、聞き手が眠たくて寝床へ行きたがっているときでさえ、その注意を引きつけて離さないことにかけて、彼に勝る者はいなかった。

One day, when out a hunting in the woods, he noticed a pack of hounds running down a stag. He saw at once that they were not his own, for they were snow white in color and had red ears.

ある日、森へ狩りに出ていると、一群の猟犬が牡鹿を追い詰めているのが目に留まった。自分の犬ではないとすぐに分かった。雪のように真っ白で、耳が赤かったからである。

Being a young man, Powell did not know at this time of his life, that red is the fairy color, and that these were all dogs from Fairyland. So he drove off the red-eared hounds, and was about to let loose his own pack on the stag, when a horseman appeared on the scene.

若かったパウエルは、生涯のこのころにはまだ、赤が妖精の色であり、これらがみな妖精の国の犬であることを知らなかった。そこで赤い耳の猟犬を追い払い、自分の犬の群れを牡鹿に放とうとした。そのとき、一人の騎馬の男がその場に現れた。

The stranger at once began to upbraid Powell for being impolite. He asked why his hounds should not be allowed to hunt the deer.

見知らぬ男はたちまちパウエルの無作法を責めはじめた。なぜ自分の猟犬に鹿を狩らせてはならぬのか、と問うた。

Powell spoke pleasantly in reply, making his proper excuses to the horseman. The two began to like each other, and soon got acquainted and mutually enjoyed being companions.

パウエルは愛想よく答え、騎馬の男にしかるべき詫びを述べた。二人は互いに好ましく思うようになり、まもなく知り合って、連れ立つことを互いに楽しんだ。

It turned out that the stranger was Arawn, a king in Fairyland. He had a rival named Hargan, who was beating him and his army in war.

その見知らぬ男は、妖精の国の王アラウンであることが分かった。彼にはハヴガンという競争相手がいて、戦で彼とその軍を打ち負かしつつあった。

So Arawn asked Powell to help him against his enemy. He even made request that one year from that time, Powell should meet Hargan in battle. He told him that one stroke of his sword would finish the enemy. He must then sheathe his weapon, and not, on any account, strike a second time.

そこでアラウンは、敵に対して力を貸してほしいとパウエルに頼んだ。それどころか、今日から一年ののちにパウエルがハヴガンと戦場で相まみえてほしいと願った。剣のただ一撃で敵は片がつく、と彼は言った。そうしたら剣を鞘に収め、決して二度目の打撃を加えてはならない、と。

To make victory sure, the Fairy King would exchange shapes with the mortal ruler and each take not only the place, but each the shape and form of the other. Powell must go into Fairy Land and govern the kingdom there, while Arawn should take charge of affairs at Dyfed.

勝利を確かなものにするために、妖精の王は人間の君主と姿を取り替え、互いに相手の地位ばかりでなく、姿かたちまでもそっくり取ることにした。パウエルは妖精の国へ行ってそこの王国を治め、アラウンはディフェドの政を預かるのである。

But Powell was warned, again, to smite down his enemy with a single stroke of his sword. If, in the heat of the conflict, and the joy of victory, Powell should forget, and give a second blow to Hargan, he would immediately come to life and be as strong as ever.

しかしパウエルはもう一度、敵を剣の一撃で打ち倒すよう念を押された。もし戦いの熱と勝利の喜びのうちにそれを忘れて、ハヴガンに二度目の打撃を加えれば、ハヴガンはたちまち生き返り、元どおりの強さになってしまうのである。

Powell heeded well these words. Then, putting on the shape of Arawn, he went into Fairy Land, and no one noticed, or thought of anything different from the days and years gone by.

パウエルはこの言葉をよく心に留めた。そしてアラウンの姿をまとって妖精の国へ行ったが、誰一人それに気づく者も、過ぎ去った日々や年々と何か違うと思う者もいなかった。

But now, at night, a new and unexpected difficulty arose. Arawn's beautiful wife was evidently not in the secret, for she greeted Powell as her own husband.

ところが夜になると、新たな思いがけない難儀が持ち上がった。アラウンの美しい妻は、どうやら秘密を知らされていないらしく、パウエルを自分の夫として迎えたのである。

After dinner, when the telling of stories in the banqueting hall was over, the time had come for them to retire.

夕食のあと、宴の広間での物語が終わると、床につく刻限になった。

But the new bed fellow did not even kiss her, or say "good night," but turned his back to her and his face to the wall, and never moved until daylight. Then the new King in Fairy Land rose up, ate his breakfast, and went out to hunt.

しかし新しい床の相手は、妃に口づけもせず「おやすみ」も言わず、背を向けて顔を壁のほうへやり、夜が明けるまで身じろぎもしなかった。それから妖精の国の新しい王は起き上がり、朝食をとって、狩りに出かけた。

Every day, he ruled the castle and kingdom, as if he had always been the monarch. To everybody, he seemed as if he had been long used to public business, and no questions were asked, nor was there any talk made on the subject. Everyone took things as matter of course.

毎日、彼はずっと君主であったかのように城と王国を治めた。誰の目にも、彼は長らく政に慣れているように見え、何の問いも出されず、この件について噂が立つこともなかった。誰もが事を当たり前のこととして受け取っていた。

Yet, however polite or gracious he might be to the queen during the day, in the evening, he spoke not a word, and passed every night as at the first.

けれども昼のあいだ妃にどれほど丁重に優しく接しても、夕べになると彼は一言も口をきかず、毎夜を最初の夜と同じように過ごした。

The twelve months soon sped along, and now the time for the battle in single combat between Powell and Hargan had fully come. The two warriors met in the middle of a river ford, and backed their horses for a charge. Then they rushed furiously at the other. Powell's spear struck Hargan so hard, that he was knocked out of the saddle and hurled, the length of a lance, over and beyond the crupper, or tail strap of his horse. He fell mortally wounded upon the ground.

十二か月はたちまち過ぎ去り、いまやパウエルとハヴガンの一騎打ちの刻限がすっかり満ちた。二人の戦士は川の浅瀬の真ん中で相まみえ、突撃のために馬を退かせた。それから猛然と互いに向かって突進した。パウエルの槍はあまりに強くハヴガンを打ったので、ハヴガンは鞍から叩き落とされ、槍一本ぶんの長さだけ、馬の尻帯の向こうまで投げ飛ばされた。彼は致命傷を負って地に倒れた。

Now came the moment of danger and temptation to Powell, for Hargan cried out:

いまこそ、パウエルにとって危難と誘惑の瞬間が訪れた。ハヴガンがこう叫んだからである。

"For the love of Heaven, finish your work on me. Slay me with your sword."

「天の愛にかけて、わたしへの務めを仕上げてくれ。その剣でわたしを殺してくれ。」

But Powell was wise and his head was cool. He had kept in mind the warning to strike only one blow. He called out loudly, so that all could hear him:

しかしパウエルは賢く、頭は冷えていた。一撃だけを加えよという戒めを忘れずにいた。彼はみなに聞こえるよう大声で呼ばわった。

"I will not repeat that. Slay thee who may, I shall not."

「それは繰り返さぬ。そなたを殺したい者があれば殺すがよい。わたしは殺さぬ。」

So Hargan, knowing his end had come, bade his nobles bear him away from the river shore.

そこでハヴガンは、自分の最期が来たと悟り、貴族たちに、自分を川岸から運び去るよう命じた。

Then Powell, with his armies, overran the two kingdoms of Fairy Land and made himself master of all. He took oath of all the princes and nobles, who swore to be loyal to their new master.

それからパウエルは軍勢を率いて妖精の国の二つの王国を席巻し、そのすべての主となった。王侯貴族のすべてから誓いを受け、彼らは新しい主に忠誠を誓った。

This done, Powell rode away to the trysting place in a glen, and there he met Arawn, as had been appointed. They changed shapes, and each became himself, as he had been before.

これを済ませると、パウエルは谷あいの約束の場所へ馬を走らせ、そこで取り決めどおりアラウンに会った。二人は姿を取り替え、それぞれ元どおりの自分に戻った。

Arawn thanked Powell heartily, and bade him see what he had done for him.

アラウンはパウエルに心から礼を述べ、自分のために成し遂げてくれたことを見るよう促した。

Then each one rode back, in his former likeness, to his kingdom.

それから二人は、それぞれ元の姿で自分の王国へ馬を走らせて帰った。

Now at Anwyn, no one but Arawn himself knew that anything unusual had taken place. After dinner, and the evening story telling were over, and it was time to go to bed, Arawn's wife was surprised in double measure.

さてアヌンでは、アラウンのほかには、何か変わったことが起きたと知る者は一人もいなかった。夕食と夕べの物語が終わり、床につく刻限になったとき、アラウンの妻は二重に驚かされた。

Two things puzzled her. Her husband was now very tender to her and also very talkative; whereas, for a whole year, every night, he had been as silent and immovable as a log. How could it be, in either case?

二つのことが彼女を戸惑わせた。夫がいまはたいそう優しく、しかもたいそうよくしゃべる。ところがまる一年のあいだ、毎夜、丸太のように黙りこくって動かなかったのである。どちらにしても、どうしてそんなことがありえよう。

But this time, the wife was silent as a statue. Even though Arawn spoke to her three times, he received no reply.

しかし今度は、妻のほうが像のように黙っていた。アラウンが三度話しかけても、返事は返ってこなかった。

Then he asked directly of her, why she was so silent. She made an answer that, for a whole year, no word had been spoken in their bedroom.

そこで彼は、なぜそんなに黙っているのかと妻に直に尋ねた。妻は、まる一年のあいだ、二人の寝室では一言も言葉が交わされなかったと答えた。

"What?" said he, "did we not talk together, as always before?"

「なんだと」と彼は言った。「以前と変わらず、二人で語り合っていたではないか。」

"No," said she, "not for a year has there been talk or caress between us."

「いいえ」と妻は言った。「この一年、わたくしたちのあいだに語らいも愛撫もございませんでした。」

At this answer, Arawn was overcome with surprise, and as struck with admiration at having so good a friend. He burst out first in praise of Powell, and then told his wife all that had happened during the past twelve months. She, too, was full of admiration, and told her husband that in Powell he had certainly found a true friend.

この答えに、アラウンは驚きに打ちのめされ、これほど良い友を持ったことに感嘆の念に打たれた。まずパウエルを褒め称える言葉がほとばしり、それからこの十二か月に起きたことをすべて妻に語った。妻もまた感嘆に満たされ、パウエルこそまさに真の友を見出されたのだと夫に言った。

In Dyfed, when Powell had returned to his own land and castle, he called his lords together. Then he asked them to be perfectly frank and free to speak. They must tell him whether they thought him a good king during the year past.

ディフェドでは、パウエルが自分の国と城に戻ると、臣下の諸侯を呼び集めた。そして包み隠さず、遠慮なく話してほしいと頼んだ。この一年、自分が良い王であったと思うかどうかを告げよ、と。

All shouted in chorus of approval. Then their spokesman addressed Powell thus:

みなが声を揃えて賛同の声をあげた。それから代表がパウエルにこう述べた。

"My lord, never was thy wisdom so great, thy generosity more free, nor thy justice more manifest, than during the past year."

「わが君、この一年ほど、君の知恵が大きく、君の気前がよく、君の正義が明らかであったことはございません。」

When he ceased, all the vassals showed their approval of this speech.

彼が言い終えると、臣下みながこの言葉への賛同を示した。

Then Powell, smiling, told the story of his adventures in exchanging his form and tasks; at the end of which, the spokesman taking his cue from the happy faces of all his fellow vassals, made reply:

そこでパウエルは微笑みながら、姿と務めを取り替えた冒険の話を語った。語り終えると、代表は同輩の臣下たちの嬉しげな顔から意を汲んで、こう答えた。

"Of a truth, lord, we pray thee, do thou give thanks to Heaven that thou hast formed such a fellowship. Please continue to us the form of the kingdom and rule, that we have enjoyed for a year past."

「まことに、わが君、どうかこのような友誼を結ばれたことを天に感謝なさいませ。そしてこの一年わたくしどもが享受してまいりました王国と治世のあり方を、どうかこれからもお続けください。」

Thereupon King Powell took oath, kissing the hilt of his sword, and called on Heaven to witness his promise that he would do as they had desired.

そこでパウエル王は剣の柄に口づけして誓いを立て、臣下たちの望みどおりにするという約束の証人となるよう天に呼びかけた。

So the two kings confirmed the friendship they had made. Each sent the other rich gifts of jewels, horses and hounds.

こうして二人の王は、結んだ友誼を固めた。それぞれが相手に、宝石と馬と猟犬の豪華な贈り物を送った。

In memory of so wonderful and happy union, of a mortal and a fairy, Powell was thereafter, in addition to all his titles, saluted as Lord of Anwyn, which is only another name for the Land of the Fairies.

人間と妖精とのこれほど不思議で幸福な結びつきを記念して、パウエルはそれ以後、そのあらゆる称号に加えて、アヌンの主と呼ばれるようになった。アヌンとは、妖精の国の別の名にほかならない。