Quarcoo Bah-boni

(The Bad Boy)

(悪い子)

Once upon a time in a certain village lived a man and his wife who were childless. One day, however, when the husband was away hunting, the woman had a baby son. She was greatly troubled at her husband’s absence, because she was unable to let him know of the child’s arrival. In that country it is the custom for the father to give the baby its name when it is a week old. As the time approached for the naming, the woman wondered to herself what name she could give the child if her husband did not return in time. To her amazement, the child himself answered, “My name is Quarcoo Bah-boni.” As he was only a week old she was astonished to hear him talk. The next day she got a greater surprise. She had been grumbling because her husband was not there to go to the farm for her and fetch food. The baby announced, “I will go to the farm”—which he did.

昔、ある村に、子どものない夫婦が住んでいた。けれどもある日、夫が狩りに出ているあいだに、妻に男の赤ん坊が生まれた。子どもが生まれたことを夫に知らせられないので、妻は夫の留守をたいそう気に病んだ。その国では、赤ん坊が生まれて一週間たったら父親が名をつけるしきたりである。名づけの日が近づくと、夫が間に合うよう戻ってこなかったら子どもにどんな名をつければいいだろうと、妻は一人で思い悩んだ。驚いたことに、子どもが自分で答えた。「ぼくの名前はクワルクー・バーボニだよ」生まれてまだ一週間なのに口をきくのを聞いて、母親は仰天した。次の日、母親はもっと驚かされた。夫がいなくて、自分の代わりに畑へ行って食べ物を取ってきてくれる者がいないと、母親はこぼしていた。すると赤ん坊が「ぼくが畑へ行くよ」と言い出した——そして本当に行ったのである。

When he was a few weeks old, she was one day very busy. She laid him down on the bed while she went on with her task. In a few minutes several boys came up to her in great anger. “Your son has been beating us and ill-treating us in the street,” said they. “My son!” she cried. “Why, my son is only a tiny baby. He is lying asleep on my bed.” To convince them she went indoors to show them the baby. Imagine her surprise when he was nowhere to be seen! She had to apologize to the boys and beg them to forgive the child. Shortly after, he came in and put himself to bed.

生まれて数週間たったころ、ある日母親はたいそう忙しかった。母親は仕事を続けるあいだ、赤ん坊を寝床に寝かせておいた。数分すると、男の子たちが何人かひどく怒って母親のところへやって来た。「おばさんの息子が、通りでぼくらを殴ったりいじめたりしたんだ」と子どもたちは言った。「わたしの息子が!」と母親は叫んだ。「なに言ってるの、うちの息子はほんの小さな赤ん坊よ。わたしの寝床で眠っているわ」子どもたちを納得させようと、母親は赤ん坊を見せに家へ入った。赤ん坊がどこにも見当たらなかったときの母親の驚きを想像してほしい! 母親は男の子たちに謝り、子どもを許してやってくれと頼まねばならなかった。まもなく、赤ん坊は帰ってきて、自分で寝床にもぐり込んだ。

He continued these mischievous tricks till his mother could no longer endure them. So she turned him out of the house and forbade him to return. He departed in great glee.

クワルクーはこんないたずらを続けたので、とうとう母親はもう我慢できなくなった。そこで母親はクワルクーを家から追い出し、帰ってくるなと言い渡した。クワルクーは大喜びで出ていった。

After walking a few miles, he came to a building where a goat, wolf, tiger, lion, and elephant lived very happily together. These animals were all sitting round their fire when he approached. After many polite speeches, he begged their permission to stay and be their servant, as he was motherless. The animals, after a little discussion, agreed to this, thinking that he would be able to help them in many ways. He was given a seat and some food, which he ate with great relish.

何マイルか歩くと、山羊と狼と虎とライオンと象がたいそう仲よく一緒に暮らしている建物に来た。クワルクーが近づいたとき、獣たちはみな火を囲んで座っていた。ていねいな挨拶をあれこれ述べたあと、クワルクーは、自分には母親がいないので、ここにとどまって召使いにしてほしいと頼んだ。獣たちは少し相談したあと、この子ならいろいろと手伝ってくれるだろうと思って、承知した。クワルクーは席と食べ物を与えられ、それをたいそうおいしそうに食べた。

These five animals usually took it in turns to go out to their farm—a few miles away—every morning, to bring home food for the day. It being Goat’s turn, he asked Quarcoo to come with him to carry back the load.

この五匹の獣は、たいてい毎朝交代で、何マイルか離れた畑へ出かけて、その日の食べ物を持ち帰っていた。山羊の番だったので、山羊はクワルクーに、荷を運んで帰るために一緒に来てくれと頼んだ。

The basket was accordingly handed to the little boy and he set off meekly after the goat. When they reached the farm, Quarcoo set down the basket and ran off to play. He paid no heed at all to the goat’s calls for assistance, but went on quietly playing. At last the goat was so annoyed that he came up to Quarcoo and boxed his ears. To his great astonishment, the boy gave him such a blow that he fell to the ground. Quarcoo then proceeded to beat him till he cried for mercy. Nor would he stop his blows till the goat had promised to finish the work, carry home the load, and tell no one what had happened. Having promised this, the goat was allowed to go free. By this time the poor animal’s face was bruised and swollen.

そういうわけで籠が小さな男の子に渡され、男の子はおとなしく山羊のあとについて出かけた。畑に着くと、クワルクーは籠を下ろして遊びに走っていった。手伝ってくれという山羊の呼び声には少しも耳を貸さず、平気で遊び続けた。とうとう山羊はたいそう腹を立てて、クワルクーのところへ来て横面を張った。たいそう驚いたことに、男の子は山羊に一発見舞い、山羊は地面に倒れてしまった。それからクワルクーは、山羊が許してくれと泣き叫ぶまで山羊を打ち続けた。山羊が仕事を終わらせ、荷を家まで運び、起こったことをだれにも話さないと約束するまで、殴るのをやめなかった。これを約束すると、山羊は放してもらえた。そのころには、かわいそうな獣の顔は打ち身で腫れ上がっていた。

When the time came to go home the goat had to pack up the load and put it on his head. Then they set out.

帰る時間になると、山羊が荷をまとめて頭に載せなければならなかった。それから二人は出かけた。

As soon as they came in sight of their cottage, Quarcoo took the basket from the goat and he himself carried it into the cottage.

自分たちの小屋が見えるところまで来るとすぐ、クワルクーは山羊から籠を取り上げて、自分で小屋のなかへ運び込んだ。

The other animals all exclaimed in wonder when they saw the goat’s face, and asked him how it had happened. “I was unfortunate enough to get into a swarm of bees when I was working. They stung me,” answered the poor goat.

ほかの獣たちはみな山羊の顔を見て驚きの声を上げ、どうしたのかと尋ねた。「働いていたら、運悪く蜂の群れのなかに入ってしまって、刺されたんだよ」とかわいそうな山羊は答えた。

Next day it was the wolf’s turn to go to the farm. He also returned, much bruised and swollen. Goat (guessing what had happened) listened with a smile to the excuses made by Wolf to the others.

次の日は狼が畑へ行く番だった。狼もまた、ひどく打ち身だらけで腫れ上がって帰ってきた。山羊は(何があったか察して)狼がほかの者たちにする言い訳を、にやにやしながら聞いていた。

Goat and Wolf afterward talked the matter over and wondered much at the strength of the little boy.

山羊と狼はあとでこのことを話し合い、小さな男の子の力にたいそう驚いた。

Each day another animal took his turn at the farm, and each day he returned in the same condition as his friends had done. At last all the animals had been, and all now came together to discuss how best they might get rid of Quarcoo Bah-boni.

毎日別の獣が交代で畑へ行き、毎日、仲間たちと同じ有様で帰ってきた。とうとう獣たちはみな行ってしまい、今度はみなで集まって、どうすればいちばんうまくクワルクー・バーボニを追い払えるか話し合った。

They made up their minds that, early the following morning, they would start off together and leave the boy in possession of the house. They prepared a big basket of food and set it ready.

獣たちは、次の朝早くみなで一緒に出かけて、家は男の子にくれてやろうと決めた。獣たちは食べ物を大きな籠に詰めて支度しておいた。

Unfortunately for them, Quarcoo had heard their discussion and decided that he also would go with them. He quietly got himself a large leaf, rolled it round him (for he was very tiny) and laid himself down in the basket of food.

獣たちには運の悪いことに、クワルクーは獣たちの相談を聞いていて、自分も一緒に行こうと決めた。クワルクーはこっそり大きな葉を一枚手に入れ、それを体に巻きつけて(たいそう小さかったので)、食べ物の籠のなかに横になった。

At dawn the animals got up very quietly. Goat, being the youngest, was given the basket to carry. They started, feeling very thankful to get away from the tiresome boy—never dreaming that they were carrying him along with them.

夜明けに、獣たちはそっと起き出した。山羊がいちばん年下だったので、籠を運ぶ役を与えられた。うるさい男の子から逃れられるのをたいそうありがたく思いながら、獣たちは出発した——その子を一緒に運んでいるとは夢にも思わずに。

When they had gone a fair distance Goat, feeling very hot and tired, sat down to rest for a little while. As soon as the others had gone out of sight, he opened the basket, meaning to have some food unknown to his friends. His greed was rewarded, however, by a terrible blow on the face. He then heard the words, “Shut the basket at once, and say nothing to the others.” He obeyed and hurried after the others in fear of this terrible boy.

かなりの道のりを来たところで、山羊はたいそう暑くて疲れたので、しばらく休もうと腰を下ろした。ほかの者たちが見えなくなるとすぐ、山羊は仲間に知られないように食べ物を少し食べようと思って、籠を開けた。けれども、その欲張りの報いは、顔への恐ろしい一撃だった。それから、こう言う声が聞こえた。「すぐに籠を閉めろ。ほかの者には何も言うな」山羊は言われたとおりにして、この恐ろしい男の子におびえながら、急いでほかの者たちのあとを追った。

As soon as he reached them he called out, “Wolf, Wolf, it is your turn now to take the basket. I am very tired.” Wolf took the load at once.

追いつくとすぐ、山羊は叫んだ。「狼、狼、今度はお前が籠を持つ番だ。わしはたいそう疲れた」狼はすぐに荷を受け取った。

They had not gone far when Wolf began to think of all the nice things in the basket and he also said he was going to rest a little while in the shade. Having got rid of the others in this way, he hastily opened the basket. He was greeted by Quarcoo in the same way as Goat had been, and speedily closed the basket and followed the others. In this way each animal got his turn of carrying the basket, and each was punished for his greed.

いくらも行かないうちに、狼は籠のなかのおいしいものをあれこれ思い浮かべはじめ、狼もまた、少し木陰で休んでいくと言った。こうしてほかの者たちを追い払うと、狼は急いで籠を開けた。狼もクワルクーに山羊と同じように迎えられ、急いで籠を閉めてほかの者たちのあとを追った。こうして獣たちはみな順番に籠を運び、みなその欲張りを懲らしめられた。

Finally, Elephant’s turn came. When he rejoined the others and asked some one to relieve him of his load they cried out, “If you do not want to carry it any farther, throw it away.” He did so, and they all took to their heels. They ran for several miles and only stopped when they came to a huge tree, in whose shade they sat down to rest, being quite breathless.

とうとう象の番が来た。象がほかの者たちに追いついて、だれか荷を代わってくれと頼むと、みなは叫んだ。「もうそれ以上運びたくないなら、放り出してしまえ」象がそうすると、みな一目散に逃げ出した。何マイルも走って、大きな木のところに来てようやく立ち止まり、すっかり息が切れていたので、その木陰に座って休んだ。

Quarcoo, however, had got there before them. He had quietly stepped out of the basket, taken a short cut across country and arrived at the tree some time before them. He guessed that they would probably rest there—so he climbed up into the branches. There he remained, hidden among the leaves, while the animals sat on the ground below.

けれどもクワルクーは、獣たちより先にそこに着いていた。そっと籠から出て、野を突っ切る近道をして、獣たちよりしばらく前に木に着いていたのである。クワルクーは、獣たちがたぶんそこで休むだろうと見当をつけて——枝の上に登った。そこで葉のあいだに隠れてじっとしていると、獣たちが下の地面に座った。

There they discussed Quarcoo and all the trouble he had caused them. They blamed Goat for having been the one to persuade them to take the boy as a servant. Goat being the youngest of the company had the domestic work to do and he had welcomed the idea of help. Goat indignantly denied being the cause of all their troubles, saying: “If I am really to blame for the admission of Quarcoo—let him appear before us.” Quarcoo promptly jumped down from the tree and stood in front of them. They were so alarmed at his appearance they scattered in all directions. The wolf ran to the woods—the tiger into the heart of the forest, the elephant to Nigeria, the lion to the desert, and the goat to the abode of human beings. That is the reason why they live now in these various places instead of all together as they did previously.

そこで獣たちは、クワルクーのことと、クワルクーのせいで味わった苦労をあれこれ話し合った。みなは、あの子を召使いにしようとみなを説き伏せたのは山羊だと責めた。山羊は一行でいちばん年下だったので家の仕事をしなければならず、手伝いが来るのを歓迎したのである。山羊はみなの苦労のもとは自分だということを憤然として否定し、こう言った。「クワルクーを入れたのが本当にわしのせいなら——あいつがわしらの前に姿を現すがいい」クワルクーはすかさず木から飛び降りて、みなの前に立った。獣たちはクワルクーが現れたのにあまりに驚いて、四方へ散っていった。狼は林へ——虎は森の奥へ、象はナイジェリアへ、ライオンは砂漠へ、そして山羊は人間の住むところへ逃げていった。獣たちが前のようにみな一緒にではなく、今ではこうしたいろいろな場所に住んでいるのは、このためである。