Why the Sea-turtle When Caught Beats Its Breast with Its Fore-legs

Many centuries ago, the people of this earth were much troubled by floods. The sea used at times to overflow its usual boundaries and sweep across the low, sandy stretches of land which bordered it. Time and again this happened, many lives being lost at each flood. Mankind was very troubled to find an escape from this oft-repeated disaster. He could think of no way of avoiding it.

幾世紀もの昔、この地上の人々は洪水にひどく苦しめられていた。海はときおり常の境を越えてあふれ出し、岸に沿った低い砂地を一気に呑み込んだ。それが何度も繰り返され、そのたびに多くの命が失われた。人間はこの度重なる災いから逃れる道を見つけようと悩んだが、避ける手立てはどうしても思いつかなかった。

Fortunately for him the wise turtle came to his help. “Take my advice,” said she, “and plant rows of palms along the sea-coast. They will bind the sand together and keep it from being washed so easily away.” He did so, with great success. The roots of the palms kept the sand firmly in its place. When the time came again for the sea to overflow, it washed just to the line of trees and came no farther. Thus many lives were saved annually by the kind forethought of the turtle.

幸いなことに、賢い海亀が助けに来てくれた。「わたしの言うとおりになさい」と亀は言った。「海辺に沿って椰子の木を並べて植えるのです。根が砂を束ね、たやすく流されないようにしてくれます。」人間はそのとおりにして、大いにうまくいった。椰子の根が砂をしっかりと押さえた。ふたたび海があふれる時が来ると、海は木の列のところまで洗って、それより先へは来なかった。こうして毎年、多くの命が亀の親切な思慮によって救われたのである。

In return—one would think—mankind would protect and cherish this poor animal. But no! Each time a turtle comes to the seashore to lay her eggs among the sand, she is caught and killed for the sake of her flesh. It is the thought of the ingratitude of mankind to her, which makes her beat her breast with her fore-legs when she is caught. She seems to be saying, “Ah! this is all the return I get for my kindness to you.”

その返礼として——そう思うのが道理だろう——人間はこの哀れな生き物を守り、慈しんだであろうか。いや、そうではない。亀が砂の中に卵を産みに浜へ来るたびに、その肉のために捕らえられ、殺されるのだ。捕らえられたとき、亀が前肢で胸を打つのは、人間の恩知らずを思うからである。亀はこう言っているように見える。「ああ、これがお前たちへの親切に対して、わたしの得るすべてなのか。」