Why the Back Door Was Front

In the days when were no books, or writing, and folk tales were the only ones told, there was an old woman, who had a bad reputation. She pretended to be very poor, so as not to attract or tempt robbers. Yet those who knew her best, knew also, as a subject of common talk, that she was always counting out her coins.

まだ本も文字もなく、民話だけが語られていたころ、評判の悪い年寄りの女がいた。女は泥棒の目を引いたり誘ったりしないように、たいそう貧しいふりをしていた。けれども女をいちばんよく知っている人たちは、女がいつも金貨を数えていることも、みんなの噂の種として知っていた。

Besides this, she lived in a nice house, and it was believed that she made a living by stealing babies out of their cradles to sell to the bad fairies.

そのうえ、女はこぎれいな家に住んでいて、揺りかごから赤ん坊を盗んで悪い妖精に売って暮らしを立てているのだと信じられていた。

It was matter of rumor that she would, for an extra large sum, take a wicked fairy's ugly brat, and put it in place of a mother's darling.

女は、とりわけ大金を積まれれば、悪い妖精の醜い子どもを受け取って、母親のかわいい子の代わりに置いてくるという噂もあった。

In addition to these horrid charges against her, it was rumored that she laid a spell, or charm, on the cattle of people whom she did not like, in order to take revenge on them.

こうした恐ろしい言いがかりのほかに、女は仕返しのために、気に入らない人々の家畜に呪文や魔法をかけるという噂もあった。

The old woman denied all this, and declared it was only silly gossip of envious people who wanted her money. She lived so comfortably, she averred, because her son, who was a stone mason, who made much money by building chimneys, which had then first come into fashion. When he brought to her the profits of his jobs, she counted the coins, and because of this, some people were jealous, and told bad stories about her. She declared she was thrifty, but neither a miser, nor a kidnaper, nor a witch.

年寄りの女はそんなことはみな否定し、自分の金を欲しがる妬み深い人々のばかげた陰口にすぎないと言い張った。自分がこんなに不自由なく暮らしているのは、石工の息子が、そのころ初めてはやりだした煙突を造って大金を稼いでいるからだ、と女は言った。息子が仕事の稼ぎを持ってくると、女は金貨を数える。そのために妬む者がいて、自分の悪い噂を流すのだという。女は、自分はつましいけれど、けちでも人さらいでも魔女でもない、と言い張った。

One day, this old woman wanted more feathers to stuff into her bed, to make it softer and feel pleasanter for her old bones to rest upon, for what she slept on was nearly worn through. So she went to a farm, where they were plucking geese, and asked for a few handfuls of feathers.

ある日、この年寄りの女は、寝床に詰める羽根をもっと欲しくなった。年寄りの骨を休めるのに、寝床をもっと柔らかく心地よくしたかったのである。女の寝ている寝床はもうほとんどすり切れていた。そこで女は、ガチョウの羽根をむしっている農場へ行って、羽根をふた握りほど分けてくれと頼んだ。

But the rich farmer's people refused and ordered her out of the farm yard.

けれども金持ちの農夫の家の者たちは断って、女を農場の庭から追い出した。

Shortly after this event, the cows of this farmer, who was opposed to chimneys, and did not like her or her son, suffered dreadfully from the disease called the black quarter. As they had no horse doctors or professors of animal economy, or veterinaries in those days, many of the cows died. The rich farmer lost much money, for he had now no milk or beef to sell. At once, he suspected that his cattle were bewitched, and that the old woman had cast a spell on them. In those days, it was very easy to think so.

この出来事からまもなく、煙突に反対していて、女のこともその息子のことも嫌っていたこの農夫の牛が、黒脚病という病気でひどく苦しんだ。そのころは馬医者も家畜学の教授も獣医もいなかったので、牛がたくさん死んだ。金持ちの農夫は、売る乳も牛肉もなくなって大損をした。すぐに農夫は、牛が呪いをかけられた、あの年寄りの女が牛に呪文をかけたのだと疑った。そのころは、たやすくそう考えられたのである。

So the angry man went one day to the old crone, when she was alone, and her stout son was away on a distant job. He told her to remove the charm, which she had laid on his beasts, or he would tie her arms and legs together, and pitch her into the river.

そこで怒った男は、ある日、たくましい息子が遠くの仕事に出かけていて年寄りの女がひとりきりのときに、女のところへ行った。男は女に、自分の家畜にかけた魔法を解け、さもないと手足を縛って川に放り込むぞ、と言った。

The old woman denied vehemently that she possessed any such powers, or had ever practiced such black arts.

年寄りの女は、自分にそんな力などないし、そんな黒い術を使ったこともないと激しく否定した。

To make sure of it, the farmer made her say out loud, "The Blessing of God be upon your cattle!" To clinch the matter, he compelled her to repeat the Lord's Prayer, which she was able to do, without missing one syllable. She used the form of words which are not found in the prayer book, but are in the Bible, and was very earnest, when she prayed "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

それを確かめるために、農夫は女に声に出して「神の祝福があなたの牛にありますように!」と言わせた。念を押すために、農夫は女に主の祈りを唱えさせたが、女はひと言も間違えずに唱えることができた。女は祈祷書にはないけれど聖書にはある言い回しを使い、「われらに負い目ある者をわれらが赦すごとく、われらの負い目をも赦したまえ」と祈るときには、たいそう真剣だった。

But after all that trouble, and the rough way which the rich farmer took to save his cattle, his efforts were in vain. In spite of that kind of religion which he professed--which was shown by bullying a poor old woman--his cattle were still sick, with no sign of improvement. He was at his wits' end to know what to do next.

けれども、そんな手間をかけ、金持ちの農夫が牛を救うために乱暴なやり方をとったにもかかわらず、その骨折りは無駄だった。農夫が口にしていたたぐいの信心——それは貧しい年寄りの女をいじめることで示されたのだが——にもかかわらず、牛は相変わらず病気で、よくなるきざしはなかった。農夫は次にどうすればよいのか、途方に暮れた。

Now, as we have said, this was about the time that chimneys came into fashion. In very old days, the Cymric house was a round hut, with a thatched roof, without glass windows, and the smoke got out through the door and holes in the walls, in the best way it could. The only tapestry in the hut was in the shape of long festoons of soot, that hung from the roof or rafters. These, when the wind blew, or the fire was lively, would swing or dance or whirl, and often fall on the heads, or into the food, while the folks were eating. When the children cried, or made wry faces at the black stuff, their daddy only laughed, and said it was healthy, or was for good luck.

さて、前に言ったように、これはちょうど煙突がはやりだしたころのことだった。ずっと昔、カムリの家はわらぶき屋根の丸い小屋で、ガラス窓はなく、煙は戸口や壁の穴から精いっぱいうまく出ていった。小屋のなかにあるただ一つのタペストリーといえば、屋根や垂木から垂れ下がる、長い花綱のようなすすだけだった。これが、風が吹いたり火が勢いよく燃えたりすると、揺れたり踊ったりくるくる回ったりして、人々が食べているときにたびたび頭の上や食べ物のなかに落ちてきた。子どもたちが泣いたり黒いものにしかめっ面をしたりすると、父親はただ笑って、体にいいとか縁起がいいとか言うのだった。

But by and by, the carpenters and masons made much improvement, especially when, instead of flint hatchets, they had iron axes and tools. Then they hewed down trees, that had thick cross branches and set up columns in the center, and made timber walls and rafters. Then the house was square or oblong. In other words, the Cymric folks squared the circle.

けれどもやがて、大工や石工は、とりわけ火打ち石の手斧の代わりに鉄の斧や道具を持つようになると、たいそう工夫を重ねた。そして、太い横枝のある木を切り倒して、まんなかに柱を立て、材木の壁と垂木をこしらえた。こうして家は四角や長方形になった。言いかえれば、カムリの人々は円を四角にしたのである。

Now they began to have lattices, and, much later, even glass windows. They removed the fireplace from the middle of the floor and set it at the end of the house, opposite the door, and built chimneys.

今や人々は格子窓を持つようになり、ずっとあとには、ガラス窓さえ持つようになった。人々は炉を床のまんなかから移して、家の戸口の向かいの端に据え、煙突を建てた。

Then they set the beds at the side, and made sleeping rooms. This was done by stretching curtains between partitions. They had also a loft, in which to keep odds and ends. They hung up the bacon and hams, and strings of onions, and made a mantle piece over the fireplace. They even began to decorate the walls with pictures and to set pewter dishes, china cats, and Dresden shepherds in rows on the shelves for ornaments.

それから人々は寝台を脇に置いて、寝室をこしらえた。これは仕切りのあいだにカーテンを張ってこしらえた。がらくたをしまっておく屋根裏部屋もあった。人々はベーコンやハムや玉ねぎの束を吊るし、炉の上にはマントルピースをこしらえた。壁を絵で飾ったり、白目の皿や陶器の猫やドレスデン焼きの羊飼いの人形を飾りに棚にずらりと並べたりさえするようになった。

Now people wore shoes and the floor, instead of being muddy, or dusty, with pools and puddles of water in the time of rainy weather and with the pigs and chickens running in and out, was of clay, beaten down flat and hard, and neatly whitewashed at the edges. Outside, in front, were laid nice flat flagstones, that made a pleasant path to the front door. Flowers, inside and out, added to the beauty of the home and made perfume for those who loved them.

今では人々は靴をはき、床は、雨の季節にぬかるんだりほこりっぽかったり水たまりができたり、豚や鶏が出たり入ったりしていたのが、平らに固く突き固めた粘土になり、へりはきちんと漆喰で白く塗られていた。外の家の前には、表の戸口へ気持ちよく続く平らな敷石が並べてあった。家の内にも外にも花があって、住まいの美しさを増し、花を愛する人々に香りを与えた。

The rich farmer had just left his old round hut and now lived in one of the new and better kind of houses. He was very proud of his chimney, which he had built higher than any of his neighbors, but he could not be happy, while so many of his cows were sick or dying. Besides, he was envious of other people's prosperity and cared nothing, when they, too, suffered.

金持ちの農夫は、ちょうど古い丸い小屋を出て、新しいもっとよい家の一つに住むようになっていた。農夫は、近所のどの家よりも高く建てた煙突がたいそう自慢だったが、たくさんの牛が病気になったり死にかけたりしているあいだは幸せになれなかった。そのうえ、農夫はほかの人々の繁盛を妬み、その人々も苦しんだときには少しも気にかけなかった。

One night, while he was standing in front of his fine house and wondering why he must be vexed with so many troubles, he talked to himself and, speaking out loud, said:

ある夜、農夫は立派な家の前に立って、どうして自分はこんなにたくさんの悩みに悩まされなければならないのだろうと考えていたが、独りごとを言い、声に出してこう言った。

"Why don't my cows get well?"

「どうしておれの牛はよくならないんだ」

"I'll tell you," said a voice behind him. It seemed half way between a squeak and a growl.

「教えてやろう」と後ろで声がした。それはキーキー声とうなり声の中間のような声だった。

He turned round and there he saw a little, angry man. He was dressed in red, and stood hardly as high as the farmer's knee. The little old man glared at the big fellow and cried out in a high tone of voice:

農夫が振り返ると、そこには小さな怒った男がいた。男は赤い服を着て、背丈は農夫の膝ほどもなかった。小さな年寄りの男は大男をにらみつけて、甲高い声で叫んだ。

"You must change your habits of disposing of your garbage, for other people have chimneys besides you."

「ごみの捨て方を改めねばならんぞ。煙突を持っているのはお前だけではないのだからな」

"What has that to do with sickness among my cows?"

「それがおれの牛の病気と何の関係があるんだ」

"Much indeed. Your family is the cause of your troubles, for they throw all their slops down my chimney and put out my fire."

「大ありだ。お前の悩みのもとはお前の家族だ。お前の家族はわしの煙突に汚水をみなぶちまけて、わしの火を消してしまうのだからな」

The farmer was puzzled beyond the telling, for he owned all the land within a mile, and knew of no house in sight.

農夫はなんとも言いようがないほど面食らった。一マイル四方の土地はみな自分のもので、見えるところに家など一軒も知らなかったからである。

"Put your foot on mine, and then you will have the power of vision, to see clearly."

「わしの足に足を載せてみろ。そうすればはっきり見える目の力が得られる」

The farmer's big boot was at once placed on the little man's slipper, and when he looked down he almost laughed at the contrast in size. What was his real surprise, when he saw that the slops thrown out of his house, did actually fall down; and, besides, the contents of the full bucket, when emptied, kept on dripping into the chimney of a house which stood far below, but which he had never seen before.

農夫の大きな長靴がすぐに小男の上靴の上に載せられ、農夫は下を見て、その大きさのちがいにあやうく笑いそうになった。けれども農夫がほんとうに驚いたのは、自分の家から捨てた汚水がほんとうに下へ落ちていくのが見えたときだった。そのうえ、いっぱいのバケツをあけると、その中身が、ずっと下に建っているけれどそれまで一度も見たことのない家の煙突に、したたり落ち続けるのだった。

But as soon as he took his foot off that of the tiny little man, he saw nothing. Everything like a building vanished as in a dream.

けれども小さな小男の足から足をどけたとたん、何も見えなくなった。建物のようなものはみな、夢のように消えてしまった。

"I see that my family have done wrong and injured yours. Pray forgive me. I'll do what I can to make amends for it."

「わたしの家族が悪いことをして、あなたの家族に害を与えたのはわかりました。どうか許してください。償いのためにできることは何でもします」

"It's no matter now, if you only do as I ask you. Shut up your front door, build a wall in its place, and then my family will not suffer from yours."

「わしの頼みどおりにしてくれさえすれば、もうかまわない。表の戸口をふさいで、そこに壁を建ててくれ。そうすれば、わしの家族がお前の家族のために苦しむことはなくなる」

The rich farmer thought all this was very funny, and he had a hearty laugh over it all.

金持ちの農夫はこれがみなたいそうおかしいと思って、腹を抱えて笑った。

Yet he did exactly as the little man in the red cloak had so politely asked him. He walled up the old door at the front, and built another at the back of the house, which opened out into the garden. Then he made the path, on which to go in from the roadway to the threshold, around the corners and over a longer line of flagstones. Then he removed the fireplace and chimney to what had been the front side of the house, but was now the back. For the next thing, he had a copper doorsill nailed down, which his housemaid polished, until it shone as bright as gold.

それでも農夫は、赤い外套の小男がたいそう丁寧に頼んだとおりにした。農夫は表の古い戸口を壁でふさぎ、家の裏の、庭に面したところに別の戸口をこしらえた。それから、道から敷居まで入っていく小道を、家の角をまわって、もっと長く敷石を並べてこしらえた。それから炉と煙突を、前は家の表側だったけれど今は裏側になったほうへ移した。その次に、農夫は銅の敷居を釘で打ちつけさせ、女中がそれを金のようにぴかぴかになるまで磨いた。

Yet long before this, his cows had got well, and they now gave more and richer milk than ever. He became the wealthiest man in the district. His children all grew up to be fine looking men and women. His grandsons were famous engineers and introduced paving and drainage in the towns so that to-day, for both man and beast, Wales is one of the healthiest of countries.

けれども、これよりずっと前に、牛たちはよくなっていて、今では前よりもたくさんの濃い乳を出した。農夫はその地方でいちばんの金持ちになった。子どもたちはみな立派な男女に育った。孫たちは名高い技師になって、町に舗装と下水を取り入れた。そのおかげで今日、人にとっても家畜にとっても、ウェールズはいちばん健康によい国の一つなのである。