The Bald Wife

A certain man had two wives, the younger of whom he loved more than the elder. The younger wife had two tufts of hair on her head, and the elder only one. The man went to a distant town for merchandise; so the two wives lived together in the house. But they hated each other: the younger one, who was her husband's favourite, ill-treated the other. She made her do all the menial work in the house; rebuked her all day and night; and did not give her enough to eat. One day the younger wife said to the elder, "Come and take away all the lice from the hair of my head." While the elder wife was searching among the younger one's hair for the vermin, one lock of hair by chance gave way; on which the younger one, mightily incensed, tore off the single tuft that was on the head of the elder wife, and drove her away from the house. The elder wife, now become completely bald, determined to go into the forest, and there either die of starvation or be devoured by some wild beast. On her way she passed by a cotton plant. She stopped near it, made for herself a broom with some sticks which lay about, and swept clean the ground round about the plant. The plant was much pleased, and gave her a blessing. She wended on her way, and now saw a plantain tree. She swept the ground round about the plantain tree which, being pleased with her, gave her a blessing. As she went on she saw the shed of a Brahmani bull. As the shed was very dirty, she swept the place clean, on which the bull, being much pleased, blessed her. She next saw a tulasi plant, bowed herself down before it, and cleaned the place round about, on which the plant gave her a blessing. As she was going on in her journey she saw a hut made of branches of trees and leaves, and near it a man sitting cross-legged, apparently absorbed in meditation. She stood for a moment behind the venerable muni. "Whoever you may be," he said, "come before me; do not stand behind me; if you do, I will reduce you to ashes." The woman, trembling with fear, stood before the muni. "What is your petition?" asked the muni. "Father Muni," answered the woman, "thou knowest how miserable I am, since thou art all-knowing. My husband does not love me, and his other wife, having torn off the only tuft of hair on my head, has driven me away from the house. Have pity upon me, Father Muni!" The muni, continuing sitting, said, "Go into the tank which you see yonder. Plunge into the water only once, and then come to me again." The woman went to the tank, washed in it, and plunged into the water only once, according to the bidding of the muni. When she got out of the water, what a change was seen in her! Her head was full of jet black hair, which was so long that it touched her heels; her complexion had become perfectly fair; and she looked young and beautiful. Filled with joy and gratitude, she went to the muni, and bowed herself to the ground. The muni said to her, "Rise, woman. Go inside the hut, and you will find a number of wicker baskets, and bring out any you like." The woman went into the hut, and selected a modest-looking basket. The muni said, "Open the basket." She opened it, and found it filled with ingots of gold, pearls and all sorts of precious stones. The muni said, "Woman, take that basket with you. It will never get empty. When you take away the present contents their room will be supplied by another set, and that by another, and that by another, and the basket will never become empty. Daughter, go in peace." The woman bowed herself down to the ground in profound but silent gratitude, and went away.

ある男に二人の妻がいて、男は年上の妻より年下の妻をより愛していた。年下の妻の頭には髪の房が二つあり、年上の妻には一つしかなかった。男は商いのために遠くの町へ出かけたので、二人の妻は家でいっしょに暮らすことになった。しかし二人は憎み合っていた。夫のお気に入りである年下の妻は、もう一人をひどく扱った。家の下働きをすべてやらせ、昼も夜も叱りつけ、十分な食べ物を与えなかった。ある日、年下の妻が年上の妻に言った。「来て、わたしの髪の虱をみんな取っておくれ。」年上の妻が年下の妻の髪の中を探っていると、たまたま髪がひと房抜けてしまった。すると年下の妻はひどく怒り、年上の妻の頭にあったたった一つの房をむしり取って、家から追い出した。すっかり禿げてしまった年上の妻は、森へ行って、そこで飢え死にするか、何かの獣に食われるかしようと心に決めた。道すがら、綿の木のそばを通った。その近くで立ちどまり、あたりに落ちていた小枝で箒をこしらえ、木のまわりの地面をきれいに掃いた。綿の木はたいそう喜んで、彼女に祝福を与えた。彼女は道を続け、今度はバナナの木を見た。バナナの木のまわりの地面を掃くと、木は彼女を喜んで祝福を与えた。進んでいくと、バラモンの牡牛の小屋が見えた。小屋はたいそう汚れていたので、そこをきれいに掃くと、牡牛はたいそう喜んで彼女を祝福した。次にトゥラシーの草が見えたので、その前にひれ伏し、まわりをきれいにすると、草は彼女に祝福を与えた。旅を続けていると、木の枝と葉でこしらえた庵が見え、その近くに、瞑想に没入している様子で一人の男が脚を組んで座っていた。彼女はしばし、その尊いムニ(聖者)の背後に立った。「そなたが何者であれ」と聖者は言った。「わたしの前へ来なさい。背後に立ってはならぬ。立つなら、そなたを灰にしてしまうぞ。」女は恐ろしさに震えながら、聖者の前に立った。「そなたの願いは何か」と聖者は尋ねた。「聖者さま」と女は答えた。「すべてをご存じのあなたは、わたくしがどれほど惨めかをご存じでしょう。夫はわたくしを愛さず、もう一人の妻はわたくしの頭のたった一つの髪の房をむしり取って、家から追い出したのです。どうかお憐れみを、聖者さま!」聖者は座ったまま言った。「あそこに見える池へ入りなさい。水に一度だけ潜って、それからまたわたしのところへ来なさい。」女は池へ行き、そこで身を洗い、聖者の言いつけどおり、水に一度だけ潜った。水から上がったとき、なんという変わりようであったろう! 頭は漆黒の髪で満ち、その髪は踵に届くほど長かった。肌はまったく白く澄み、若く美しく見えた。喜びと感謝に満たされて、女は聖者のもとへ行き、地にひれ伏した。聖者は言った。「立ちなさい、女よ。庵の中へ入れば、籐の籠がたくさんある。どれでも好きなものを持ってきなさい。」女は庵に入り、つつましい見かけの籠を一つ選んだ。聖者は言った。「その籠を開けてみなさい。」開けると、金の延べ棒と真珠と、ありとあらゆる宝石でいっぱいだった。聖者は言った。「女よ、その籠を持っていきなさい。決して空にならない。いま入っているものを取り出せば、その跡を別のもので満たし、それをまた別のもので、さらに別のもので満たし、籠は決して空にならぬ。娘よ、安らかに行きなさい。」女は深い、しかし言葉にならぬ感謝のうちに地にひれ伏し、立ち去った。

As she was returning homewards with the basket in her hand, she passed by the tulasi plant whose bottom she had swept. The tulasi plant said to her, "Go in peace, child! thy husband will love thee warmly." She next came to the shed of the Brahmani bull, who gave her two shell ornaments which were twined round its horns, saying, "Daughter, take these shells, put them on your wrists, and whenever you shake either of them you will get whatever ornaments you wish to obtain." She then came to the plantain tree, which gave her one of its broad leaves, saying, "Take, child, this leaf; and when you move it you will get not only all sorts of delicious plantains, but all kinds of agreeable food." She came last of all to the cotton plant, which gave her one of its own branches, saying, "Daughter, take this branch; and when you shake it you will get not only all sorts of cotton clothes, but also of silk and purple. Shake it now in my presence." She shook the branch, and a fabric of the finest glossy silk fell on her lap. She put on that silk cloth, and wended on her way with the shells on her wrists, and the basket and the branch and the leaf in her hands.

籠を手に家路をたどっていると、根元を掃いたトゥラシーの草のそばを通った。トゥラシーの草は言った。「安らかにお行き、子よ! 夫はそなたを熱く愛するであろう。」次にバラモンの牡牛の小屋に来ると、牡牛は角に巻きつけていた貝の飾りを二つ与えて言った。「娘よ、この貝を取って手首につけなさい。どちらかを振れば、欲しい飾りが何でも手に入る。」それからバナナの木のところに来ると、木は広い葉を一枚与えて言った。「子よ、この葉をお取り。これを動かせば、あらゆる美味しいバナナばかりか、あらゆる好ましい食べ物が手に入る。」最後に綿の木のところに来ると、木は自分の枝を一本与えて言った。「娘よ、この枝をお取り。これを振れば、あらゆる木綿の衣ばかりか、絹や紫の衣も手に入る。いまわたしの前で振ってごらん。」女が枝を振ると、この上なく艶やかな絹の布が膝に落ちてきた。女はその絹の衣をまとい、手首に貝を、手に籠と枝と葉を持って、道を続けた。

The younger wife was standing at the door of her house, when she saw a beautiful woman approach her. She could scarcely believe her eyes. What a change! The old, bald hag turned into the very Queen of Beauty herself! The elder wife, now grown rich and beautiful, treated the younger wife with kindness. She gave her fine clothes, costly ornaments, and the richest viands. But all to no purpose. The younger wife envied the beauty and hair of her associate. Having heard that she got it all from Father Muni in the forest, she determined to go there. Accordingly she started on her journey. She saw the cotton plant, but did nothing to it; she passed by the plantain tree, the shed of the Brahmani bull, and the tulasi plant, without taking any notice of them. She approached the muni. The muni told her to bathe in the tank, and plunge only once into the water. She gave one plunge, at which she got a glorious head of hair and a beautifully fair complexion. She thought a second plunge would make her still more beautiful. Accordingly she plunged into the water again, and came out as bald and ugly as before. She came to the muni, and wept. The sage drove her away, saying, "Be off, you disobedient woman. You will get no boon from me." She went back to her house mad with grief. The lord of the two women returned from his travels and was struck with the long locks and beauty of his first wife. He loved her dearly; and when he saw her secret and untold resources and her incredible wealth, he almost adored her. They lived together happily for many years, and had for their maid-servant the younger woman, who had been formerly his best beloved.

年下の妻が家の戸口に立っていると、美しい女が近づいてくるのが見えた。自分の目がほとんど信じられなかった。なんという変わりよう! 年寄りの禿げ婆が、美の女王その人に変わっているのである! いまや豊かで美しくなった年上の妻は、年下の妻に親切にした。上等の衣と高価な飾りと、この上なく贅沢な料理を与えた。しかしすべては無駄であった。年下の妻は、連れ合いの美しさと髪を妬んだ。それをすべて森の聖者から授かったと聞いて、自分もそこへ行こうと決めた。そこで旅に出た。綿の木を見たが、何もしなかった。バナナの木も、バラモンの牡牛の小屋も、トゥラシーの草も、目もくれずに通り過ぎた。彼女は聖者に近づいた。聖者は、池で身を洗い、水に一度だけ潜るように言った。一度潜ると、見事な髪と美しく白い肌が手に入った。もう一度潜ればもっと美しくなるだろうと彼女は思った。そこでもう一度水に潜ると、以前と同じように禿げて醜くなって出てきた。彼女は聖者のもとへ来て泣いた。賢者は「去れ、言いつけに背く女め。わたしから何の恵みも得られはせぬ」と言って追い払った。彼女は悲しみに狂ったようになって家へ帰った。二人の女の主は旅から戻り、最初の妻の長い髪と美しさに打たれた。彼は彼女を心から愛した。そしてその秘められた計り知れない富の源と、信じがたい財産を見たとき、ほとんど崇めんばかりであった。二人は幾年も幸せにともに暮らし、かつて夫にいちばん愛されていた年下の女を下女として使ったのである。

Here my story endeth, The Natiya-thorn withereth; "Why, O Natiya-thorn, dost wither?" "Why does thy cow on me browse?" "Why, O cow, dost thou browse?" "Why does thy neat-herd not tend me?" "Why, O neat-herd, dost not tend the cow?" "Why does thy daughter-in-law not give me rice?" "Why, O daughter-in-law, dost not give rice?" "Why does my child cry?" "Why, O child, dost thou cry?" "Why does the ant bite me?" "Why, O ant, dost thou bite?" Koot! koot! koot!

ここでわたしの話はおしまい。ナティヤの棘は枯れゆく。「なぜ、おおナティヤの棘よ、枯れるのか。」「なぜお前の牛がわたしを食むのか。」「なぜ、おお牛よ、食むのか。」「なぜお前の牛飼いがわたしの世話をしないのか。」「なぜ、おお牛飼いよ、牛の世話をしないのか。」「なぜお前の嫁がわたしに飯をくれないのか。」「なぜ、おお嫁よ、飯をやらないのか。」「なぜわたしの子が泣くのか。」「なぜ、おお子よ、泣くのか。」「なぜ蟻がわたしを噛むのか。」「なぜ、おお蟻よ、噛むのか。」クート! クート! クート!