The Squirrel and the Spider

A hard-working squirrel had, after much labour, succeeded in cultivating a very fine farm. Being a skilful climber of trees, he had not troubled to make a roadway into his farm. He used to reach it by the trees.

働き者のリスが、さんざん苦労してたいそう見事な畑をこしらえた。リスは木登りが上手だったので、畑へ通じる道をこしらえる手間はかけなかった。いつも木づたいに畑へ行っていたのである。

One day, when his harvests were very nearly ripe, it happened that Spider went out hunting in that neighbourhood. During his travels, he arrived at Squirrel’s farm. Greatly pleased at the appearance of the fields, he sought for the roadway to it. Finding none, he returned home and told his family all about the matter. The very next day they all set out for this fine place, and set to work immediately to make a road. When this was completed Spider—who was very cunning—threw pieces of earthenware pot along the pathway. This he did to make believe that his children had dropped them while working to prepare the farm.

ある日、作物がほとんど熟したころ、たまたま蜘蛛がその近くへ狩りに出かけた。歩きまわるうちに、蜘蛛はリスの畑に着いた。畑の様子にたいそう喜んで、そこへ通じる道を探した。一本も見つからなかったので、家へ帰って家族にそのことをすっかり話した。まさにその翌日、蜘蛛の一家はそろってこのすばらしい場所へ出かけ、すぐに道をこしらえる仕事にとりかかった。道ができ上がると、たいそうずる賢い蜘蛛は、小道に沿って土器の壺のかけらをまき散らした。子どもたちが畑の手入れをしているあいだに落としたように見せかけるためである。

Then he and his family began to cut down and carry away such of the corn as was ripe. Squirrel noticed that his fields were being robbed, but could not at first find the thief. He determined to watch. Sure enough Spider soon reappeared to steal more of the harvest. Squirrel demanded to know what right he had on these fields. Spider immediately asked him the same question. “They are my fields,” said Squirrel. “Oh, no! They are mine,” retorted Spider. “I dug them and sowed them and planted them,” said poor Squirrel. “Then where is your roadway to them?” said crafty Spider. “I need no roadway. I come by the trees,” was Squirrel’s reply. Needless to say, Spider laughed such an answer to scorn, and continued to use the farm as his own.

それから蜘蛛と家族は、熟したトウモロコシを刈り取って運び出しはじめた。リスは畑が荒らされているのに気づいたが、はじめは泥棒が見つからなかった。リスは見張ることにした。はたして、まもなく蜘蛛がまた作物を盗みにやって来た。リスは、この畑にどんな権利があるのかと問いただした。蜘蛛はすぐに同じ問いをリスに返した。「わたしの畑です」とリスは言った。「いやいや、わしの畑だ」と蜘蛛は言い返した。「わたしが耕して、種をまいて、植えたのです」とかわいそうなリスは言った。「それなら、畑へ通じるお前の道はどこにある」とずる賢い蜘蛛は言った。「道はいりません。木づたいに来るのです」というのがリスの答えだった。言うまでもなく、蜘蛛はそんな答えをあざ笑い、畑を自分のもののように使い続けた。

Squirrel appealed to the law, but the court decided that no one had ever had a farm without a road leading to it, therefore the fields must be Spider’s.

リスは裁きに訴えたが、法廷は、畑へ通じる道のない畑を持った者などこれまでいなかったのだから、畑は蜘蛛のものにちがいないと裁いた。

In great glee Spider and his family prepared to cut down all the harvest that remained. When it was cut they tied it in great bundles and set off to the nearest market-place to sell it. When they were about half-way there, a terrible storm came on. They were obliged to put down their burdens by the roadside and run for shelter. When the storm had passed they returned to pick up their loads.

蜘蛛と家族は大喜びで、残った作物をすっかり刈り取る支度をした。刈り取ると、大きな束に縛って、いちばん近い市場へ売りに出かけた。半分ほど来たところで、ひどい嵐がやって来た。一家は荷を道ばたに置いて、雨宿りの場所へ走るほかなかった。嵐が過ぎると、荷を拾いに戻った。

As they approached the spot they found a great, black crow there, with his broad wings outspread to keep the bundles dry. Spider went to him and very politely thanked him for so kindly taking care of their property. “Your property!” replied Father Crow. “Who ever heard of any one leaving bundles of corn by the roadside? Nonsense! These loads are mine.” So saying, he picked them up and went off with them, leaving Spider and his children to return home sorrowful and empty-handed. Their thieving ways had brought them little profit.

その場所に近づくと、そこには大きな黒い鴉がいて、広い翼を広げて束が濡れないようにしていた。蜘蛛は鴉のところへ行って、自分たちの持ち物をこれほど親切に守ってくれたことに、たいそうていねいに礼を言った。「お前たちの持ち物だと」と鴉父さんは答えた。「トウモロコシの束を道ばたに置いていく者など、聞いたことがあるか。ばかを言え。この荷はわしのものだ」そう言うと、鴉は荷を持ち上げて行ってしまい、蜘蛛と子どもたちは悲しく手ぶらで家へ帰るほかなかった。盗みのやり方は、ほとんど何の得にもならなかったのである。