The Leopard and the Ram

A ram once decided to make a clearing in the woods and build himself a house. A leopard who lived near also made up his mind to do the very same thing.

ある牡羊が、森を切り開いて自分の家を建てようと決めた。近くに住む豹も、まったく同じことをしようと心に決めた。

Unknown to each other they both chose the same site. Ram came one day and worked at the clearing. Leopard arrived after Ram had gone and was much surprised to find some of his work already done. However, he continued what Ram had begun. Each was daily surprised at the progress made in his absence, but concluded that the fairies had been helping him. He gave them thanks and continued with his task.

互いに知らないまま、二匹は同じ場所を選んだ。ある日牡羊がやって来て、土地を切り開く仕事をした。牡羊が去ったあとに豹がやって来て、仕事の一部がもうすんでいるのを見てたいそう驚いた。けれども豹は、牡羊の始めた仕事を続けた。どちらも毎日、自分の留守のあいだに仕事がはかどっているのに驚いたが、妖精が手伝ってくれているのだと考えた。妖精に礼を言って、仕事を続けた。

Thus the matter went on—the two working alternately at the building and never seeing one another. At last the house was finished to the satisfaction of both.

こうして事は続き、二匹は交代で家を建てていて、一度も顔を合わせなかった。とうとう家は二匹とも満足するほどにでき上がった。

The two prepared to take up their abode in the new home. To their great astonishment they met. Each told his tale, and after some friendly discussion, they decided to live together.

二匹は新しい家に住む支度をした。たいそう驚いたことに、二匹は出くわした。どちらも自分の話をし、仲よく話し合ったあと、一緒に住むことに決めた。

Both Leopard and Ram had sons. These two young animals played together while their parents hunted. The leopard was very much surprised to find that every evening his friend Ram brought home just as much meat or venison from the hunt as he himself did. He did not dare, however, to ask the other how he obtained it.

豹にも牡羊にも息子がいた。親たちが狩りをしているあいだ、この二匹の子どもは一緒に遊んだ。豹は、友の牡羊が毎晩、自分と同じくらいの肉や鹿肉を狩りから持ち帰るのを見てたいそう驚いた。けれども、どうやって手に入れるのかと尋ねる勇気はなかった。

One day, before setting out to hunt, Leopard requested his son to find out, if possible, from young Ram, how his father managed to kill the animals. Accordingly while they were at play, little Leopard inquired how Father Ram, having neither claws nor sharp teeth, succeeded in catching and killing the beasts. Ram refused to tell unless young Leopard would promise to show his father’s way also. The latter agreed. Accordingly they took two large pieces of plantain stem and set out into the woods.

ある日、狩りに出かける前に、豹は息子に、できたら子羊から父親がどうやって獣を仕留めるのか聞き出してくれと頼んだ。そこで遊んでいるあいだに、豹の子は、爪も鋭い歯もない羊父さんが、どうやって獣を捕まえて殺すのかと尋ねた。子羊は、豹の子も自分の父親のやり方を見せると約束しなければ教えないと言った。豹の子は承知した。そこで二匹は大きなバナナの茎を二本持って森へ出かけた。

Young Leopard then took one piece and placed it in position. Then, going first to the right, then to the left—bowing and standing on his hind legs and peeping at the stem just as his father did—he took aim, sprang toward the stem and tore it.

それから豹の子は一本を取って据えた。それから、父親がするとおりに、まず右へ、それから左へ行き、身をかがめたり後ろ足で立ったり茎をのぞき見たりして、狙いを定め、茎めがけて跳びかかって引き裂いた。

Young Ram then took the other piece and placed it in position. Wasting no time he went backward a little way, took aim, then ran swiftly forward—pushing his head against the stem and tearing it to pieces. When they had finished they swept the place clean and went home.

それから子羊がもう一本を取って据えた。子羊は時をむだにせず、少し後ろへ下がって狙いを定め、それからすばやく前へ走って、茎に頭をぶつけて粉々に引き裂いた。終わると二匹はその場所をきれいに掃いて家へ帰った。

In the evening the leopard obtained all the information about the hunt from his son. The latter warned him that he must always be careful when he saw the ram go backward. He kept this in mind, and from that day watched the ram very closely.

夕方、豹は息子から狩りのことをすっかり聞いた。息子は、牡羊が後ろへ下がるのを見たらいつも用心しなければならないと父親に注意した。豹はこれを心に留め、その日から牡羊をたいそう注意深く見張った。

Some time afterward it rained, making the floor of the house very slippery. The leopard called the ram, as usual, to dine with him. As he was coming, the ram slipped backward on the wet floor. The leopard, seeing this, thought the other was about to kill him. Calling to his son to follow, he sprang with all his might over the wall of the house and fled to the woods. The ram called him back, but he did not listen. From that time leopards have made their abode in the woods while rams have remained at home.

しばらくして雨が降り、家の床がたいそう滑りやすくなった。豹はいつものように牡羊を食事に呼んだ。牡羊はやって来るとき、濡れた床で後ろへ滑った。豹はそれを見て、牡羊が自分を殺そうとしているのだと思った。息子についてこいと叫ぶと、力のかぎり家の壁を跳び越えて森へ逃げていった。牡羊は呼び戻したが、豹は耳を貸さなかった。それ以来、豹は森に住み、牡羊は家にとどまっているのである。