The Field of Bones

Once on a time there lived a king who had a son. The young prince had three friends, the son of the prime minister, the son of the prefect of the police, and the son of the richest merchant of the city. These four friends had great love for one another. Once on a time they bethought themselves of seeing distant lands. They accordingly set out one day, each one riding on a horse. They rode on and on, till about noon they came to the outskirts of what seemed to be a dense forest. There they rested a while, tying to the trees their horses, which began to browse. When they had refreshed themselves, they again mounted their horses and resumed their journey. At sunset they saw in the depths of the forest a temple, near which they dismounted, wishing to lodge there that night. Inside the temple there was a sannyasi, [43] apparently absorbed in meditation, as he did not notice the four friends. When darkness covered the forest, a light was seen inside the temple. The four friends resolved to pass the night on the balcony of the temple; and as the forest was infested with many wild beasts, they deemed it safe that each of them should watch one prahara [44] of the night, while the rest should sleep. It fell to the lot of the merchant's son to watch during the first prahara, that is to say, from six in the evening to nine o'clock at night. Towards the end of his watch the merchant's son saw a wonderful sight. The hermit took up a bone with his hand, and repeated over it some words which the merchant's son distinctly heard. The moment the words were uttered, a clattering sound was heard in the precincts of the temple, and the merchant's son saw many bones moving from different parts of the forest. The bones collected themselves inside the temple, at the foot of the hermit, and lay there in a heap. As soon as this took place, the watch of the merchant's son came to an end; and, rousing the son of the prefect of the police, he laid himself down to sleep.

むかしむかし、ひとりの王さまがいて、王子がひとりあった。若い王子には三人の友だちがいた。宰相の息子と、警察長官の息子と、都いちばんの富商の息子である。この四人の友はたがいに深く慕いあっていた。あるとき四人は、遠い国を見てみたいと思い立った。そこである日、めいめい馬にまたがって旅に出た。乗って乗って行くうちに、昼ごろ、見るからに深い森のはずれに出た。そこでしばらく休み、馬を木につなぐと、馬は草を食みはじめた。英気を養うと、四人はふたたび馬に乗って旅をつづけた。日の沈むころ、森の奥に一つの寺があるのを見つけ、そのそばで馬を下りて、その晩はそこに泊まろうとした。寺のなかにはサンニャーシ [43] がひとりいて、瞑想に沈みきっているらしく、四人の来たことに気づきもしなかった。闇が森をおおうと、寺のなかに灯りがともった。四人は寺の回廊で夜を明かすことにしたが、森には猛獣が多かったので、めいめいが夜の一プラハラ [44] ずつ番をし、残りは眠るのが安全だろうと考えた。第一のプラハラ、つまり夕方六時から夜九時までの番は、富商の息子に当たった。その番の終わりごろ、富商の息子は不思議なものを見た。行者が手に骨を一本取り上げ、その上で何やら言葉を唱えたのを、富商の息子ははっきりと聞いたのである。その言葉が唱えられたとたん、寺の境内にがらがらと音が立ち、森のあちこちから骨がたくさん動いてくるのが見えた。骨は寺のなかへ集まり、行者の足もとにひと山になって積もった。それが終わるやいなや富商の息子の番は終わり、彼は警察長官の息子を起こして、自分は横になって眠った。

The prefect's son, when he began his watch, saw the hermit sitting cross-legged, wrapped in meditation, near a heap of bones, the history of which he, of course, did not know. For a long time nothing happened. The dead stillness of the night was broken only by the howl of the hyaena and the wolf, and the growl of the tiger. When his time was nearly up he saw a wonderful sight. The hermit looked at the heap of bones lying before him, and uttered some words which the prefect's son distinctly heard. No sooner had the words been uttered than a noise was heard among the bones, "and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to its bone"; and the bones which were erewhile lying together in a heap now took the form of a skeleton. Struck with wonder, the prefect's son would have watched longer, but his time was over. He therefore laid himself down to sleep, after rousing the minister's son, to whom, however, he told nothing of what he had seen, as the merchant's son had not told him anything of what he had seen.

長官の息子は番を始めると、行者が骨の山のそばに結跏趺坐し、瞑想に包まれているのを見た。その骨の由来など、むろん彼は知らない。長いあいだ何も起こらなかった。夜の死んだような静けさを破るのは、ハイエナと狼の遠吠え、そして虎のうなり声ばかりだった。番がそろそろ終わろうというころ、彼は不思議なものを見た。行者は目の前に横たわる骨の山を見つめ、何やら言葉を唱えた。それを長官の息子ははっきりと聞いた。言葉が唱えられるやいなや、骨のあいだに物音が起こり、「見よ、揺れ動きが起こり、骨と骨とが相寄りて骨につきぬ」——さっきまで山になって積もっていた骨が、いまや骸骨のかたちを取ったのである。驚きに打たれた長官の息子は、もっと見ていたかったが、時間が来てしまった。そこで宰相の息子を起こして横になり、眠った。ただし、自分の見たものは何も話さなかった。富商の息子が自分の見たものを何も話さなかったのと同じである。

The minister's son got up, rubbed his eyes, and began watching. It was the dead hour of midnight, when ghosts, hobgoblins, and spirits of every name and description, go roaming over the wide world, and when all creation, both animate and inanimate, is in deep repose. Even the howl of the wolf and the hyaena and the growl of the tiger had ceased. The minister's son looked towards the temple, and saw the hermit sitting wrapt up in meditation; and near him lying something which seemed to be the skeleton of some animal. He looked towards the dense forest and the darkness all around, and his hair stood on end through terror. In this state of fear and trembling he spent nearly three hours, when an uncommon sight in the temple attracted his notice. The hermit, looking at the skeleton before him, uttered some words which the minister's son distinctly heard. As soon as the words were uttered, "lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon the bones, and the skin covered them above"; but there was no breath in the skeleton. Astonished at the sight, the minister's son would have sat up longer, but his time was up. He therefore laid himself down to sleep, after having roused the king's son, to whom, however, he said nothing of what he had seen and heard.

宰相の息子は起き上がり、目をこすって番を始めた。真夜中の死んだ時刻、幽霊も妖怪もありとあらゆる名と姿の精霊も広い世を歩きまわり、生あるものも無きものもすべての造られしものが深い眠りに沈む時刻だった。狼やハイエナの遠吠えも、虎のうなりさえもやんでいた。宰相の息子が寺のほうを見ると、行者が瞑想に包まれて坐っており、そのそばに、何か獣の骸骨らしきものが横たわっている。深い森とあたり一面の闇に目をやると、恐ろしさに髪の毛が逆立った。そんな怯えと震えのうちに三時間近くを過ごしたとき、寺のなかの尋常ならぬ光景が彼の目を引いた。行者が目の前の骸骨を見つめ、何やら言葉を唱えたのを、宰相の息子ははっきりと聞いた。言葉が唱えられるやいなや、「見よ、筋と肉とが骨の上に生じ、皮がその上をおおえり」。しかし骸骨に息はなかった。その光景に驚いた宰相の息子は、もっと起きていたかったが、時間が来てしまった。そこで王子を起こして横になり、眠った。ただし、自分の見聞きしたものは何も話さなかった。

The king's son, when he began his watch, saw the hermit sitting, completely absorbed in devotion, near a figure which looked like some animal, but he was not a little surprised to see the animal lying apparently lifeless, without showing any of the symptoms of life. The prince spent his hours agreeably enough, especially as he had had a long sleep, and as he felt none of that depression which the dead hour of midnight sheds on the spirits; and he amused himself with marking how the shades of darkness were becoming thinner and paler every moment. But just as he noticed a red streak in the east, he heard a sound from inside the temple. He turned his eyes towards the hermit. The hermit, looking towards the inanimate figure of the animal lying before him, uttered some words which the prince distinctly heard. The moment the words were spoken, "breath came into the animal; it lived, it stood up upon its feet"; and quickly rushed out of the temple into the forest. That moment the crows cawed; the watch of the prince came to an end; his three companions were roused; and after a short time they mounted their horses, and resumed their journey, each one thinking of the strange sight seen in the temple.

王子は番を始めると、行者が礼拝に没入しきって坐り、そのそばに何か獣らしきかたちが横たわっているのを見た。ところがその獣は、生きているしるしを少しも見せず、死んだように横たわっているのである。王子はこれには少なからず驚いた。王子はたっぷり眠っていたし、真夜中の死んだ時刻が心にかける沈みも感じずにすんだので、この数時間をなかなか快く過ごした。闇の色が刻々と薄く淡くなってゆくのを見定めては、ひとり楽しんでいたのである。だが、東の空に赤い筋が一本のぼったのに気づいたちょうどそのとき、寺のなかから物音が聞こえた。王子は行者のほうへ目を向けた。行者は目の前に横たわる生気なき獣のかたちを見つめ、何やら言葉を唱えた。それを王子ははっきりと聞いた。言葉が発せられたとたん、「息がその獣に入り、それは生きて、おのれの足にて立てり」——そして寺から飛び出し、森へ駆け込んでいった。そのとたん烏が鳴いた。王子の番は終わり、三人の仲間は起こされ、しばらくして四人は馬に乗り、旅をつづけた。めいめいが寺で見た奇怪な光景を思いながら。

They rode on and on through the dense and interminable forest, and hardly spoke to one another, till about mid-day they halted under a tree near a pool for refreshment. After they had refreshed themselves with eating some fruits of the forest and drinking water from the pool, the prince said to his three companions, "Friends, did you not see something in the temple of the devotee? I'll tell you what I saw, but first let me hear what you all saw. Let the merchant's son first tell us what he saw as he had the first watch; and the others will follow in order."

四人は深く果てしない森を乗って乗って行き、ほとんど口もきかなかったが、昼ごろ、泉のそばの木の下に馬をとめて休んだ。森の木の実を食べ、泉の水を飲んで一息つくと、王子が三人に言った。「なあ、みんな。あの行者の寺で、何か見なかったか。おれの見たものは話すが、その前に、みなの見たものを聞かせてくれ。まず富商の息子が最初の番だったから、彼が見たものを話してくれ。あとは順に行こう」

Merchant's son. I'll tell you what I saw. I saw the hermit take up a bone in his hand, and repeat some words which I well remember. The moment those words were uttered, a clattering sound was heard in the precincts of the temple, and I saw many bones running into the temple from different directions. The bones collected themselves together inside the temple at the feet of the hermit, and lay there in a heap. I would have gladly remained longer to see the end, but my time was up, and I had to rouse my friend, the son of the prefect of the police.

富商の息子——おれの見たものを話そう。行者が手に骨を一本取り上げ、その上で何やら言葉を唱えるのを見た。その言葉はよく覚えている。その言葉が唱えられたとたん、寺の境内にがらがらと音が立ち、骨がたくさん、あちこちから寺へ走り込んでくるのが見えた。骨は寺のなかの行者の足もとに集まって、山になって積もった。喜んでもっと見届けていたかったが、時間が来て、友の警察長官の息子を起こさねばならなかった。

Prefect's son. Friends, this is what I saw. The hermit looked at the heap of bones lying before him, and uttered some words which I well remember. No sooner had the words been uttered than I heard a noise among the bones, and, strange to say, the bones jumped up, each bone joined itself to its fellow, and the heap became a perfect skeleton. At that moment my watch came to an end, and I had to rouse my respected friend the minister's son.

長官の息子——みんな、おれの見たものはこうだ。行者が目の前に横たわる骨の山を見つめ、何やら言葉を唱えた。その言葉はよく覚えている。言葉が唱えられるやいなや、骨のあいだに物音が聞こえ、驚いたことに、骨が跳ね起きて、一本一本が相手の骨に継ぎ合わさり、山は見事な骸骨になった。ちょうどそのとき番が終わり、敬愛する友の宰相の息子を起こさねばならなかった。

Minister's son. Well, when I began my watch I saw the said skeleton lying near the hermit. After three mortal hours, during which I was in great fear, I saw the hermit lift his eyes towards the skeleton and utter some words which I well remember. As soon as the words were uttered the skeleton was covered with flesh and hair, but it did not show any symptom of life, as it lay motionless. Just then my watch ended, and I had to rouse my royal friend the prince.

宰相の息子——さて、おれが番を始めると、その骸骨が行者のそばに横たわっているのが見えた。死ぬほど恐ろしい三時間が過ぎたころ、行者が骸骨のほうへ目を上げ、何やら言葉を唱えるのを見た。その言葉はよく覚えている。言葉が唱えられるやいなや、骸骨は肉と毛におおわれた。だが生きているしるしは少しも見せず、身じろぎもせずに横たわっていた。ちょうどそのとき番が終わり、王族の友である王子を起こさねばならなかった。

King's son. Friends, from what you yourselves saw, you can guess what I saw. I saw the hermit turn towards the skeleton covered with skin and hair, and repeat some words which I well remember. The moment the words were uttered, the skeleton stood up on its feet, and it looked a fine and lusty deer, and while I was admiring its beauty, it skipped out of the temple, and ran into the forest. That moment the crows cawed.

王子——みんな、おまえたち自身の見たものから、おれの見たものも察しがつくだろう。行者が、皮と毛におおわれた骸骨のほうを向き、何やら言葉を繰り返すのを見た。その言葉はよく覚えている。言葉が唱えられたとたん、骸骨はおのれの足で立ち上がり、それは見事な、たくましい鹿になった。その美しさに見とれているうちに、鹿は寺から跳ね出て、森へ走り込んでいった。そのとたん烏が鳴いたのだ。

The four friends, after hearing one another's story, congratulated themselves on the possession of supernatural power, and they did not doubt but that if they pronounced the words which they had heard the hermit utter, the utterance would be followed by the same results. But they resolved to verify their power by an actual experiment. Near the foot of the tree they found a bone lying on the ground, and they accordingly resolved to experiment upon it. The merchant's son took up the bone, and repeated over it the formula he had heard from the hermit. Wonderful to relate, a hundred bones immediately came rushing from different directions, and lay in a heap at the foot of the tree. The son of the prefect of the police then looking upon the heap of bones, repeated the formula which he had heard from the hermit, and forthwith there was a shaking among the bones; the several bones joined themselves together, and formed themselves into a skeleton, and it was the skeleton of a quadruped. The minister's son then drew near the skeleton, and, looking intently upon it, pronounced over it the formula which he had heard from the hermit. The skeleton immediately was covered with flesh, skin, and hair, and, horrible to relate, the animal proved itself to be a royal tiger of the largest size. The four friends were filled with consternation. If the king's son were, by the repetition of the formula he had heard from the hermit, to make the beast alive, it might prove fatal to them all. The three friends, therefore, tried to dissuade the prince from giving life to the tiger. But the prince would not comply with the request. He naturally said, "The mantras [45] which you have learned have been proved true and efficacious. But how shall I know that the mantra which I have learned is equally efficacious? I must have my mantra verified. Nor is it certain that we shall lose our lives by the experiment. Here is this high tree. You can climb into its topmost branches, and I shall also follow you thither after pronouncing the mantra." In vain did the three friends dwell upon the extreme danger attending the experiment: the prince remained inexorable. The minister's son, the prefect's son, and the merchant's son climbed up into the topmost branches of the tree, while the king's son went up to the middle of the tree. From there, looking intently upon the lifeless tiger, he pronounced the words which he had learned from the hermit, and quickly ran up the tree. In the twinkling of an eye the tiger stood upright, gave out a terrible growl, with a tremendous spring killed all the four horses which were browsing at a little distance, and, dragging one of them, rushed towards the densest part of the forest. The four friends ensconced on the branches of the tree were almost petrified with fear at the sight of the terrible tiger; but the danger was now over. The tiger went off at a great distance from them, and from its growl they judged that it must be at least two miles distance from them. After a little they came down from the tree; and as they now had no horses on which to ride, they walked on foot through the forest, till, coming to its end, they reached the shore of the sea. They sat on the sea-shore hoping to see some ship sailing by. They had not sat long, when fortunately they descried a vessel in the offing. They waved their handkerchiefs, and made all sorts of signs to attract the notice of the people on board the ship. The captain and the crew noticed the men on the shore. They came towards the shore, took the men upon board, but added that as they were short of provisions they could not have them a long time on board, but would put them ashore at the first port they came to. After four or five days' voyage, they saw not far from the shore high buildings and turrets, and supposing the place to be a large city, the four friends landed there.

四人の友はたがいの話を聞き終えると、超自然の力を手に入れたと喜びあった。行者の唱えた言葉を自分たちが口にすれば、同じことが起こるにちがいないと信じて疑わなかった。だが、実際にためして力をたしかめようということになった。木の根もとに骨が一本落ちているのを見つけたので、これで試そうと決めた。富商の息子が骨を取り上げ、行者から聞いた呪文をその上で唱えた。すると驚いたことに、たちまち百本の骨があちこちから駆け寄ってきて、木の根もとに山になって積もった。つづいて警察長官の息子が骨の山を見つめ、行者から聞いた呪文を唱えた。すると即座に骨のあいだに揺れ動きが起こり、幾本もの骨がたがいに継ぎ合わさって骸骨をかたちづくった。それは四つ足の獣の骸骨だった。次に宰相の息子が骸骨に近づき、じっと見つめて、行者から聞いた呪文をその上で唱えた。骸骨はたちまち肉と皮と毛におおわれた。そして恐ろしいことに、その獣は見上げるばかりの大きさの虎だったのである。四人は肝をつぶした。もし王子が行者から聞いた呪文を唱えてこの獣に命を与えたら、四人とも命を落としかねない。そこで三人は、虎に命を与えるのはやめようと王子を説き伏せにかかった。しかし王子は聞き入れなかった。当然のことに、こう言った。「おまえたちの覚えたマントラ [45] は、本物でよく効くと証されたではないか。だが、おれの覚えたマントラが同じように効くかどうかは、どうしてわかる。おれのマントラもたしかめなければならぬ。それに、この試しで命を落とすと決まったわけでもあるまい。ここに高い木がある。おまえたちはてっぺんの枝までよじ登れ。おれもマントラを唱えたらすぐ登っていく」。三人は、この試みの並々ならぬ危うさをいくら説いても無駄だった。王子はどうしても動かなかった。宰相の息子と長官の息子と富商の息子は木のてっぺんの枝までよじ登り、王子は木の中ほどまで登った。そこから、息のない虎をじっと見つめて、行者から学んだ言葉を唱え、すばやく木を駆け上った。またたく間に虎は立ち上がり、恐ろしいうなりをあげ、ものすごい跳躍で、少し離れて草を食んでいた四頭の馬をことごとく殺し、その一頭を引きずって森のいちばん深いところへ駆け去った。木の枝に身をひそめた四人は、恐ろしい虎の姿に、恐怖で石になったようだった。だが危難はもう去った。虎は遠くへ行ってしまい、そのうなり声から、少なくとも二マイルは離れたと見当がついた。しばらくして四人は木を下りた。もう乗る馬もないので、森のなかを歩いてゆき、やがて森が尽きて、海辺に出た。四人は海辺に坐り、通りかかる船はないかと望みをかけた。坐って間もなく、幸いにも沖合に船影を認めた。四人は手ぬぐいを振り、船上の人の目を引こうとありとあらゆる合図をした。船長と船員が岸の男たちに気づいた。船は岸に寄ってきて、四人を船に乗せたが、食糧が乏しいので長くは乗せておけない、最初に着いた港で下ろすと言い添えた。四、五日の航海ののち、岸からほど遠からぬところに高い建物と塔が見えたので、大きな都だろうと思って、四人はそこに上陸した。

The four friends, immediately after landing, walked along a long avenue of stately trees, at the end of which was a bazaar. There were hundreds of shops in the bazaar, but not a single human being in them. There were sweetmeat shops in which there were heaps of confectioneries ranged in regular rows, but no human beings to sell them. There was the blacksmith's shop, there was the anvil, there were the bellows and the other tools of the smithy, but there was no smith there. There were stalls in which there were heaps of faded and dried vegetables, but no men or women to sell them. The streets were all deserted, no human beings, no cattle were to be seen there. There were carts, but no bullocks; there were carriages, but no horses. The doors and windows of the houses of the city on both sides of the streets were all open, but no human being was visible in them. It seemed to be a deserted city. It seemed to be a city of the dead--and all the dead taken out and buried. The four friends were astonished--they were frightened at the sight. As they went on, they approached a magnificent pile of buildings, which seemed to be the palace of a king. They went to the gate and to the porter's lodge. They saw shields, swords, spears, and other weapons suspended in the lodge, but no porters. They entered the premises, but saw no guards, no human beings. They went to the stables, saw the troughs, grain, and grass lying about in profusion, but no horses. They went inside the palace, passed the long corridors--still no human being was visible. They went through six long courts--still no human being. They entered the seventh court, and there and then, for the first time, did they see living human beings. They saw coming towards them four princesses of matchless beauty. Each of these four princesses caught hold of the arm of each of the four friends; and each princess called each man whom she had caught hold of her husband. The princesses said that they had been long waiting for the four friends, and expressed great joy at their arrival. The princesses took the four friends into the innermost apartments, and gave them a sumptuous feast. There were no servants attending them, the princesses themselves bringing in the provisions and setting them before the four friends. At the outset the four princesses told the four friends that no questions were to be asked about the depopulation of the city. After this, each princess went into her private apartment along with her newly-found husband. Shortly after the prince and princess had retired into their private apartment, the princess began to shed tears. On the prince inquiring into the cause, the princess said, "O prince! I pity you very much. You seem, by your bearing, to be the son of a king, and you have, no doubt, the heart of a king's son; I will therefore tell you my whole story, and the story of my three companions who look like princesses. I am the daughter of a king, whose palace this is, and those three creatures, who are dressed like princesses, and who have called your three friends their husbands, are Rakshasis. They came to this city some time ago; they ate up my father, the king, my mother, the queen, my brothers, my sisters, of whom I had a large number. They ate up the king's ministers and servants. They ate up gradually all the people of the city, all my father's horses and elephants, and all the cattle of the city. You must have noticed, as you came to the palace, that there are no human beings, no cattle, no living thing in this city. They have all been eaten up by those three Rakshasis. They have spared me alone--and that, I suppose, only for a time. When the Rakshasis saw you and your friends from a distance, they were very glad, as they mean to eat you all up after a short time."

上陸するとすぐ、四人は堂々とした並木の長い通りを歩いていった。その突き当たりに市場があった。市場には店が何百軒とあったが、そのどれにも人ひとりいない。菓子屋には菓子がきちんと列をなして山と積まれているのに、売る人がいない。鍛冶屋の店があり、金床があり、ふいごも鍛冶道具もあるのに、鍛冶屋がいない。しなびて干からびた野菜が山と積まれた屋台はあるのに、売る男も女もいない。通りはどこも人けがなく、人も家畜も見あたらない。荷車はあるが牛はなく、馬車はあるが馬はいない。通りの両側の家々の戸も窓もみな開け放たれているのに、なかに人の姿は見えない。捨てられた都のようだった。死者の都——しかも死者はみな運び出されて葬られたあとの都のようだった。四人は驚いた——その光景に怯えた。進んでゆくと、王の宮殿らしい壮麗な建物の群れに近づいた。門へ、そして門番小屋へ行ってみた。小屋には盾や剣や槍やそのほかの武器が掛かっているのに、門番はいない。敷地に入ってみたが、衛士もいなければ人もいない。厩へ行くと、飼い葉桶があり、穀物も草もありあまるほど転がっているのに、馬がいない。宮殿のなかへ入り、長い回廊をいくつも抜けた——やはり人ひとり見えない。長い中庭を六つ通り抜けた——やはり人がいない。七つめの中庭に入って、そのときはじめて、生きた人間を見た。たぐいまれな美しさの姫が四人、こちらへ歩いてくるのである。この四人の姫はそれぞれ四人の友のひとりずつの腕を取り、それぞれ自分のつかまえた男を夫と呼んだ。姫たちは、長いことあなたがたを待っていたと言い、その到着を大いに喜んだ。姫たちは四人を奥の部屋へ通し、豪勢なご馳走を出した。給仕する者はひとりもなく、姫たち自身が食べ物を運んできて四人の前に並べた。はじめに四人の姫は、この都に人がいなくなったわけを尋ねてはならぬ、と四人に言い渡した。そののち、姫たちはそれぞれ、新たに得た夫とともに自分の私室へ入っていった。王子と姫が私室に引き取ってまもなく、姫は涙を流しはじめた。王子がわけを尋ねると、姫は言った。「ああ王子さま、わたくしはあなたがたいそうお気の毒でなりません。お物腰から見て、あなたは王のご子息、まちがいなく王子のお心をお持ちのかた。ですからわたくしの身の上も、姫のように見えるあの三人の連れの正体も、すっかりお話しいたします。わたくしはこの宮殿の主であった王の娘でございます。そして姫のなりをして、あなたのお三方を夫と呼んだあの三匹は、ラクシャシー(女の羅刹)でございます。いつぞやこの都へやってきて、父である王も、母である后も、大勢いた兄弟も姉妹も、みな食べてしまいました。王の大臣たちも家来たちも食べました。都の人々も、父の馬も象も、都の家畜もことごとく、少しずつ食べつくしました。宮殿へおいでになる道すがら、この都には人も家畜も生きものひとつ見あたらないのに、お気づきになったでしょう。みんなあの三匹のラクシャシーに食べられてしまったのです。生かされているのはわたくしだけ——それも、たぶん今しばらくのあいだだけ。ラクシャシーたちは遠くからあなたがたを見つけて、たいそう喜びました。しばらくしたらあなたがたをみな食べるつもりなのです」

King's son. But if this is the case, how do I know that you are not a Rakshasi yourself? Perhaps you mean to swallow me up by throwing me off my guard.

王子——だがそうだとすると、おまえ自身がラクシャシーでないと、どうしてわかる。おれの油断を誘って呑み込むつもりかもしれぬではないか。

Princess. I'll mention one fact which proves that those three creatures are Rakshasis, while I am not. Rakshasis, you know, eat food a hundred times larger in quantity than men or women. What the Rakshasis eat at table along with us is not sufficient to appease their hunger. They therefore go out at night to distant lands in search of men or cattle, as there are none in this city. If you ask your friends to watch and see whether their wives remain all night in their beds, they will find they go out and stay away a good part of the night, whereas you will find me the whole night with you. But please see that the Rakshasis do not get the slightest inkling of all this; for if they hear of it, they will kill me in the first instance, and afterwards swallow you all up.

姫——あの三匹がラクシャシーで、わたくしがそうでないと証すことを一つ申しましょう。ラクシャシーは、ご存じのとおり、人間の男や女の百倍もの量を食べます。食卓でわたくしたちといっしょに食べるだけでは、飢えを満たすには足りません。ですから夜になると、この都には人も家畜もおりませんから、遠い土地へ人や家畜を探しに出てゆくのです。ご友人がたに、妻が一晩じゅう床にいるかどうか見張ってみるようお言いつけください。妻たちは出ていって、夜のあらかたを外で過ごすとおわかりになりましょう。いっぽうわたくしは、ひと晩じゅうあなたのおそばにおります。けれども、このことがラクシャシーたちにほんの少しでも気取られませぬよう、くれぐれもお気をつけください。耳に入れば、まずわたくしを殺し、そのあとであなたがたをみな呑み込んでしまいますから。

The next day the king's son called together the minister's son, the prefect's son, and the merchant's son, and held a consultation, enjoining the strictest secrecy on all. He told them what he had heard from the princess, and requested them to lie awake in their beds to watch whether their pretended princesses went out at night or not. One presumptive argument in favour of the assertion of the princess was that all the pretended princesses were fast asleep during the whole of the day in consequence of their nightly wanderings, whereas the female friend of the king's son did not sleep at all during the day. The three friends accordingly lay in their beds at night pretending to be asleep and manifesting all the symptoms of deep sleep. Each one observed that his female friend at a certain hour, thinking her mate to be in deep sleep, left the room, stayed away the whole night, and returned to her bed only at dawn. During the following day each female friend slept out nearly the whole day, and woke up only in the afternoon. For two nights and days the three friends observed this. The king's son also remained awake at night pretending to be asleep, but the princess was not observed for a single moment to leave the room, nor was she observed to sleep in the day. From these circumstances the friends of the king's son began to suspect that their partners were really Rakshasis as the princess said they were.

翌日、王子は宰相の息子と長官の息子と富商の息子を呼び集め、厳重な口止めをしたうえで相談をした。姫から聞いたことを話し、夜、床で眠らぬふりをして、姫と称する妻たちが夜に出てゆくかどうか見張ってくれと頼んだ。姫の言い分を裏づける一つの証は、姫と称する者たちが夜歩きのせいで日中ずっとぐっすり眠っているのに、王子の連れの女だけは昼にまったく眠らないことだった。そこで三人は夜、床に横になり、眠っているふりをして、深く寝入っているしるしをことごとく見せた。めいめいが見たところ、連れの女はある時刻になると、相手が熟睡していると思って部屋を出てゆき、ひと晩じゅう戻らず、夜明けにようやく床へ帰ってきた。その翌日は、どの女もほとんど一日じゅう眠りつづけ、午後になってやっと起きた。三人は二晩と二日、これを見届けた。王子もまた夜、眠るふりをして起きていたが、姫は一度も部屋を出ることがなく、昼に眠ることもなかった。こうしたことから、王子の友人たちも、連れの女たちはまことに姫の言うとおりラクシャシーなのだと疑いはじめた。

By way of confirmation the princess also told the king's son, that the Rakshasis, after eating the flesh of men and animals, threw the bones towards the north of the city, where there was an immense collection of them. The king's son and his three friends went one day towards that part of the city, and sure enough they saw there immense heaps of the bones of men and animals piled up into hills. From this they became more and more convinced that the three women were Rakshasis in deed and truth.

そのうえ姫は、裏づけとして王子にこう告げた。ラクシャシーたちは人や獣の肉を食べたあと、骨を都の北のほうへ投げ捨てており、そこには骨が途方もなく集まっている、と。王子と三人の友はある日その方角へ行ってみた。はたして、人と獣の骨が山のように積み上げられた、途方もない骨の山がいくつもあった。これで、三人の女がまことにまぎれもないラクシャシーだという確信はいよいよ深まった。

The question now was how to run away from these devourers of men and animals? There was one circumstance greatly in favour of the four friends, and that was, that the three Rakshasis slept during nearly the whole day; they had therefore the greater part of the day for the maturing of their plans. The princess advised them to go towards the sea-shore, and watch if any ships sailed that way. The four friends accordingly used to go to the sea-shore looking for ships. They were always accompanied by the princess, who took the precaution of carrying with her in a bundle her most valuable jewels, pearls and precious stones. It happened one day that they saw a ship passing at a great distance from the shore. They made signs which attracted the notice of the captain and crew. The ship came towards the land, and the four friends and princess were, after much entreaty, taken up. The princess exhorted the crew to row with all their might, for which she promised them a handsome reward; for she knew that the Rakshasis would awake in the afternoon, and immediately come after the ship; and they would assuredly catch hold of the vessel and destroy all the crew and passengers if it stood short of eighty miles from land, for the Rakshasis had the power of distending their bodies to the length of ten Yojanas. [46] The four friends and the princess cheered on the crew, and the oarsmen rowed with all their might; and the ship, favoured by the wind, shot over the deep like lightning. It was near sun-down when a terrible yell was heard on the shore. The Rakshasis had wakened from their sleep, and not finding either the four friends or the princess, naturally thought they had got hold of a ship and were escaping. They therefore ran along the shore with lightning rapidity, and seeing the ship afar off they distended their bodies. But fortunately the vessel was more than eighty miles off land, though only a trifle more: indeed, the ship was so dangerously near that the heads of the Rakshasis with their widely-distended jaws almost touched its stern. The words which the Rakshasis uttered in the hearing of the crew and passengers were--"O sister, so you are going to eat them all yourself alone." The minister's son, the prefect's son, and the merchant's son had all along a suspicion that the pretended princess, the prince's partner, might after all also be a Rakshasi; that suspicion was now confirmed by what they heard the three Rakshasis say. Those words, however, produced no effect in the mind of the king's son, as from his intimate acquaintance with the princess he could not possibly take her to be a Rakshasi.

さて問題は、この人と獣を食らう者どもからどう逃げるかである。四人にとって大いに好都合な事情が一つあった。三匹のラクシャシーは一日のほとんどを眠って過ごすので、四人には昼のあらかたを計略を練るのに使えたのである。姫は、海辺へ行って、船が通らないか見張るように勧めた。そこで四人は海辺へ行っては船を探すのが常となった。いつも姫がついてきて、用心して、いちばん値打ちのある宝石や真珠や宝玉を包みにして持っていた。ある日、岸からはるか遠くを船が通るのが見えた。合図を送ると船長と船員の目にとまった。船は陸のほうへ寄ってきて、四人と姫は、さんざん頼み込んだすえに乗せてもらえた。姫は船員たちに、力のかぎり漕いでくれと励まし、たっぷり礼をすると約束した。ラクシャシーたちは午後には目を覚まし、すぐ船を追ってくると知っていたからである。そして船が陸から八十マイル足らずのところにいれば、きっと船にとりついて船員も乗客もみな殺しにするだろう。ラクシャシーには体を十ヨージャナ [46] の長さに伸ばす力があるのだ。四人と姫が船員を励まし、漕ぎ手は力のかぎり漕ぎ、船は追い風を得て、稲妻のように沖を走った。日の沈むころ、岸から恐ろしい叫び声が聞こえた。ラクシャシーたちは眠りから覚め、四人も姫も見あたらないので、船を手に入れて逃げたのだと当然のことに思ったのである。そこで稲妻のような速さで岸を走り、はるか沖の船を見て、体を伸ばした。だが幸いにも、船は陸から八十マイルより先に出ていた——ほんのわずか先ではあったが。じっさい船は危ういほど近く、大口を開いたラクシャシーの頭が船尾に触れんばかりだった。船員と乗客の耳に届いたラクシャシーの言葉はこうだった。「おお妹よ、おまえひとりで食べてしまうつもりか」。宰相の息子と長官の息子と富商の息子は、王子の連れの、姫と称するあの女もやはりラクシャシーではないかと前から疑っていた。その疑いが、三匹のラクシャシーのこの言葉を聞いていまや裏づけられた。しかしこの言葉は王子の心には何の働きもしなかった。姫を親しく知る王子には、彼女をラクシャシーだなどとは到底思えなかったからである。

The captain told the four friends and princess that as he was bound for distant regions in search of gold mines, he could not take them along with him; he, therefore, proposed that on the next day he should put them ashore near some port, especially as they were now safe from the clutches of the Rakshasis. On the following day no port was visible for a long time; towards the evening, however, they came near a port where the four friends and the princess were landed. After walking some distance, the princess, who had never been accustomed to take long walks, complained of fatigue and hunger; they all therefore sat under a tree, and the king's son sent the merchant's son to buy some sweetmeats in the bazaar which they heard was not far off. The merchant's son did not return, as he was fully persuaded in his mind that the king's son's partner was as real a Rakshasi as the three others from whose clutches he had escaped. Seeing the delay of the merchant's son, the king's son sent the prefect's son after him; but neither did he return, he being also convinced that the pretended princess was a Rakshasi. The minister's son was next sent; but he also joined the other two. The king's son then himself went to the shop of the sweetmeat seller where he met his three friends, who made him remain with them by main force, earnestly declaring that the woman was no princess, but a real Rakshasi like the other three. Thus the princess was deserted by the four friends who returned to their own country, full of the adventures they had met with.

船長は四人と姫に、自分は金鉱を探しに遠い地方へ向かうところなので、いっしょに連れてはゆけないと告げた。そこで、もうラクシャシーの手からは逃れたのだから、翌日どこかの港の近くで下ろそうと申し出た。翌日は長いこと港が見えなかったが、夕方近くになって、ある港に近づき、四人と姫はそこで降ろされた。しばらく歩いたところで、長く歩くことに慣れていない姫が、疲れたし空腹だと訴えた。そこで一同は木の下に腰を下ろし、王子は富商の息子に、遠くないと聞いた市場へ菓子を買いに行かせた。ところが富商の息子は帰ってこなかった。王子の連れは、逃れてきた三匹と同じまぎれもないラクシャシーだと、心に固く信じ込んでいたのである。富商の息子が遅いので、王子は長官の息子をあとから行かせた。ところが彼も帰ってこなかった。やはり姫と称する女はラクシャシーだと思い込んでいたのである。次に宰相の息子が行かされた。だが彼も、ほかの二人に合流した。そこで王子自身が菓子屋の店へ行くと、三人の友がいて、力ずくで王子を引きとめ、あの女は姫などではなく、ほかの三匹と同じまことのラクシャシーだと、しきりに言い立てた。こうして姫は四人に見捨てられ、四人は数々の冒険の話を抱えて故国へ帰っていった。

In the meantime the princess walked to the bazaar and found shelter for a few days in the house of a poor woman, after which she set out for the city of the four friends, the name and whereabouts of which city she had learnt from the king's son. On arriving at the city, she sold some of her costly ornaments, pearls and precious stones, and hired a stately house for her residence with a suitable establishment. She caused herself to be proclaimed as a heaven-born dice-player, and challenged all the players in the city to play, the conditions of the game being that if she lost it she would give the winner a lakh [47] of rupees, and if she won it she should get a lakh from him who lost the game. She also got authority from the king of the country to imprison in her own house any one who could not pay her the stipulated sum of money. The merchant's son, the prefect's son, and the minister's son, who all looked upon themselves as miraculous players, played with the princess, paid her many lakhs, but being unable to pay her all the sums they owed her, were imprisoned in her house. At last the king's son offered to play with her. The princess purposely allowed him to win the first game, which emboldened him to play many times, in all of which he was the loser; and being unable to pay the many lakhs owing her, the prince was about to be dragged into the dungeon, when the princess told him who she was. The merchant's son, the prefect's son, and the minister's son were brought out of their cells; and the joy of the four friends knew no bounds. The king and the queen received their daughter-in-law with open arms, and with demonstrations of great festivity.

そのあいだに姫は市場まで歩いてゆき、貧しい女の家に数日の宿を得た。それから、王子から名も所も聞いていた四人の故郷の都へ向かった。都に着くと、高価な装身具や真珠や宝玉をいくつか売り、堂々とした屋敷を借りて、相応の使用人もそろえて住まいとした。そして、天与のさいころ打ちだと触れ回らせ、都じゅうの打ち手に勝負を挑んだ。勝負の条件は、自分が負ければ勝った者に十万 [47] ルピー払い、自分が勝てば負けた者から十万取る、というものだった。さらに、決めた金を払えぬ者を自分の屋敷に閉じ込める権限を、その国の王から得ていた。富商の息子も長官の息子も宰相の息子も、みな自分は神業の打ち手だと思っていたから姫と打ったが、何十万と払わされ、ついに負けた分を払いきれなくなって、姫の屋敷に閉じ込められた。最後に王子が姫に勝負を申し出た。姫はわざと最初の一番を王子に勝たせ、気をよくした王子は何番も打ったが、そのどれもが負けだった。負けた何十万も払えず、王子が地下牢へ引き立てられようとしたとき、姫は自分が何者かを明かした。富商の息子と長官の息子と宰相の息子も牢から出され、四人の友の喜びはこのうえもなかった。王と后は嫁を両手を広げて迎え、盛大な祝いをして喜んだ。

Every one in the palace was glad except the princess. She could not forget that her parents, her brothers and sisters had been devoured by the Rakshasis, and that their bones, along with the bones of her father's subjects, stood in mountain heaps on the north side of the capital. The prince had told her that he and his three friends had the power of giving life to bones. They could then reconstruct the frames of her parents and other relatives; but the difficulty lay in this--how to kill the three Rakshasis. Could not the hermit, who taught them to give life, not teach also how to take away life? In all likelihood he could. Reasoning in this manner, the four friends and the princess went to the temple of the hermit in the forest, prayed to him to give them the secret of destroying life from a distance by a charm. The hermit became propitious, and granted the boon. A deer was passing by at the moment. The hermit took a handful of water, repeated over it some words which the king's son distinctly heard, and threw it upon the deer. The deer died in a moment. He repeated other words over the dead animal, the deer jumped up and ran away into the forest.

宮殿の誰もが喜んだが、姫ひとりはそうではなかった。両親も兄弟姉妹もラクシャシーに食われ、その骨が父の民の骨とともに、都の北側に山と積まれていることを忘れられなかったのである。王子は姫に、自分と三人の友には骨に命を与える力があると話していた。それなら両親や親族の体を組み立て直すことはできる。だが難しいのは、どうやって三匹のラクシャシーを殺すかであった。命を与えることを教えてくれた行者なら、命を奪うすべも教えてはくれまいか。十中八九、教えられるはずだ。こう考えて、四人の友と姫は森の行者の寺へ行き、離れたところから呪いで命を絶つ秘法を授けてくださいと願った。行者は心を動かし、望みをかなえてくれた。ちょうどそのとき一頭の鹿が通りかかった。行者はひと掬いの水を手に取り、その上で何やら言葉を唱え——それを王子ははっきりと聞いた——鹿にふりかけた。鹿はたちまち死んだ。行者が死んだ獣の上で別の言葉を唱えると、鹿は跳ね起きて森へ走り去った。

Armed with this killing charm, the king's son, together with the princess and the three friends, went to his father-in-law's capital. As they approached the city of death, the three Rakshasis ran furiously towards them with open jaws. The king's son spilled charmed water upon them, and they died in an instant. They all then went to the heaps of bones. The merchant's son brought together the proper bones of the bodies, the prefect's son constructed them into skeletons, the minister's son clothed them with sinews, flesh, and skin, and the king's son gave them life. The princess was entranced at the sight of the re-animation of her parents and other relatives, and her eyes were filled with tears of joy. After a few days which they spent in great festivity, they left the revivified city, went to their own country, and lived many years in great happiness.

この殺しの呪いを得た王子は、姫と三人の友とともに、舅の都へ向かった。死の都に近づくと、三匹のラクシャシーが大口を開けて猛然と走り寄ってきた。王子は呪いをかけた水を浴びせ、三匹は瞬く間に死んだ。それから一同は骨の山へ行った。富商の息子がそれぞれの体の正しい骨を寄せ集め、長官の息子がそれを骸骨に組み立て、宰相の息子が筋と肉と皮をまとわせ、王子が命を与えた。姫は両親や親族がよみがえる光景に我を忘れ、その目は喜びの涙でいっぱいになった。よみがえった都で幾日か盛大な祝いを過ごしたのち、一同はそこを発って自分たちの国へ帰り、長い年月を大きな幸せのうちに暮らした。

Here my story endeth, The Natiya-thorn withereth, etc.

ここでわたしの話はおしまい。ナティヤの棘は枯れゆく、云々。