Rupa and Bisuntha

There was once a woman who had no little children of her own; every day she used to watch the sparrows building their nests, and bringing up their young, and it so happened that one day a mother bird died, leaving several young ones. After a time a new mother bird was brought, and she was not at all good to the young fledglings.

むかし、自分の小さな子どものいない女がいた。女は毎日、スズメたちが巣をこしらえて雛を育てるのを眺めていたが、ある日たまたま母鳥が死んで、何羽かの雛が残された。しばらくして新しい母鳥が連れてこられたが、その鳥は巣立ち前の雛たちに少しも優しくなかった。

The woman felt hurt for them, and said to her husband: "If I had children of my own, and after a time I died, would you do as the birds have done, and let my children be unkindly treated?"

女は雛たちのことで胸を痛めて、夫に言った。「わたしに子どもができて、しばらくしてわたしが死んだら、あなたはあの鳥たちがしたようにして、わたしの子どもたちがむごく扱われるのを放っておくのかしら」

But the man replied: "These are birds, and I am a man."

けれども夫は答えた。「あれは鳥で、わたしは人間だ」

After some years the woman had two sons, and when they had grown to be big boys, she died. Her husband had forgotten her conversation about the birds, and he married another wife.

何年かして女に息子が二人生まれ、息子たちが大きな少年になったころ、女は死んだ。夫は鳥についての妻との話を忘れていて、別の妻をめとった。

One day the eldest boy was playing with a ball, when it fell into his stepmother's room. He asked if he might fetch it; but when he went inside, she made it an occasion for all sorts of complaints against him to his father, so his father turned him out of the house, and he went away with his little brother.

ある日、上の少年が毬で遊んでいると、毬が継母の部屋に落ちた。少年は取りに行ってもいいかと尋ねたが、なかに入ると、継母はそれを口実に、少年についてあらゆる苦情を父に訴えた。そこで父は少年を家から追い出し、少年は小さな弟を連れて出ていった。

As they rested that night in the forest, the younger brother lay awake and overheard a conversation between two Night Jars. They talked on many subjects. At length one of the birds remarked: "How little do people guess that he who eats me will become a Rajah, and he who eats you will become a Prime Minister."

その夜、二人が森で休んでいると、弟は眠れずにいて、二羽のヨタカの話を聞いてしまった。二羽はいろいろな話をしていたが、とうとう一羽が言った。「わたしを食べた者は藩王になり、お前を食べた者は宰相になるとは、人間はまるで思いもしないだろうね」

On hearing this the youngest brother crept out of bed, and taking his gun, shot both birds and cooked them. He ate the female himself, and kept the male for his brother. But while he slept, a venomous snake, which lived in the tree, came down and bit him, so that he died as he slept.

これを聞くと弟は寝床から這い出して、鉄砲を取って二羽とも撃ち、料理した。弟は雌を自分で食べ、雄は兄のために取っておいた。ところが弟が眠っていると、その木に住む毒蛇が降りてきて弟を噛んだので、弟は眠ったまま死んでしまった。

In the morning his elder brother awoke, and found a meal prepared for him, so he ate the bird, and then tried to wake his companion, but soon discovered that the boy was dead. This grieved him very much, and he wept bitterly, and determined to wait till he could return and burn his brother in a way befitting to a good caste Hindu, so he placed him in the branches of the tree and went his way.

朝になって兄が目を覚ますと、食事が用意してあったので、その鳥を食べてから弟を起こそうとしたが、まもなく弟が死んでいるのに気づいた。兄はたいそう悲しんで激しく泣き、戻ってきて、よいカーストのヒンドゥー教徒にふさわしいやり方で弟を火葬できるときまで待とうと決めた。そこで弟を木の枝のあいだに横たえて、自分の道を行った。

The same day Mahadeo and Parbatti were passing that way, and Parbatti, who is ever described as a wilful Goddess, always wanting her own way, asked Mahadeo to see what was in the tree. They soon found the dead boy; and Parbatti insisted that he should be made alive again, so Mahadeo sprinkled a few drops of blood upon him, and he sat up alive and well.

その同じ日、マハーデーオとパールバティーがそこを通りかかった。いつも自分の思いどおりにしたがるわがままな女神として語られるパールバティーは、木に何があるのか見てくれとマハーデーオに頼んだ。二人はまもなく死んだ少年を見つけ、パールバティーが生き返らせてやってくれと言い張ったので、マハーデーオが血を数滴振りかけると、少年は起き上がって元気に生き返った。

Close to this place a Rajah had just died, and his people placed his crown in the trunk of an elephant, leaving it to him to place it upon the head of any man there; and that man would be their future King. The elephant looked upon them all, and then, walking up to Rupa, placed the crown upon his head.

その場所のすぐ近くで藩王が死んだばかりで、人々はその王冠を象の鼻に持たせ、そこにいる誰でも象の選んだ者の頭に王冠を載せさせることにしていた。その者が彼らの次の王になるのである。象はみなを見わたし、それからルーパのところへ歩いていって、その頭に王冠を載せた。

At first the people objected, because he was a stranger, and did not belong to their town, but after a while they accepted him as their King, and thus the words of the bird were fulfilled.

初め人々は、ルーパがよそ者でその町の者ではないからと反対したが、しばらくしてルーパを王として受け入れた。こうして鳥の言葉は実現した。

In the meantime, Bisuntha came to the same city, and begged a night's shelter. The people were fully aware that night after night a fierce man-eating tiger came to that town, and demanded a man to eat. They did not wish to give one of the men belonging to the town, so Bisuntha, being a stranger, was selected for the tiger, and told to go and sleep in the place where it was likely to come.

そのあいだに、ビスンタが同じ町にやって来て、ひと晩の宿を乞うた。人々はよく知っていたが、毎晩毎晩、恐ろしい人食い虎がその町に来て、食べる人間を一人よこせと求めるのだった。町の者を一人差し出すのは嫌だったので、よそ者のビスンタが虎の餌に選ばれ、虎の来そうな場所へ行って寝ろと言われた。

At night he lay awake thinking, and the tiger came; but Bisuntha had his sword beside him, so he promptly killed the tiger, and placed its ears and whiskers in his pocket.

夜、ビスンタは眠らずに考えごとをしていた。すると虎が来た。けれどもビスンタはそばに剣を置いていたので、すかさず虎を殺し、その耳とひげをポケットにしまった。

In the morning a sweeper came, thinking to find the stranger dead and his bones scattered about, but, instead, he found the tiger dead, and the stranger lying fast asleep; so he resolved to take all the honour of killing the tiger to himself, and went back to the city with the news that he had killed the tiger single-handed, and saved the man. This story was believed, and the sweeper richly rewarded, but Bisuntha heard nothing.

朝になると掃除人が、よそ者が死んで骨が散らばっているだろうと思ってやって来た。ところが死んでいたのは虎で、よそ者はぐっすり眠っていた。そこで掃除人は虎退治の手柄をひとり占めしようと決めて、町へ戻り、自分がひとりで虎を殺してよそ者を救ったと知らせた。この話は信じられて掃除人はたっぷり褒美をもらったが、ビスンタは何も知らなかった。

Now there lived in that city a merchant who owned a ship and went to distant cities to trade, but sometimes the ship stuck in the sandbanks, and could not be moved. At such times it was necessary to kill a man, and then the sand was pleased at the sacrifice and let the ship go. It was always difficult to find a man for the purpose, and the Rajah was often asked to select one.

さて、その町には船を持っていて遠くの町へ商いに行く商人が住んでいたが、ときどき船が砂州に乗り上げて動かなくなった。そういうときには人を一人殺さなければならず、そうすると砂は生贄に満足して船を放してくれるのだった。そのための人を見つけるのはいつも難しく、よく藩王に選んでくれと頼みが来た。

Bisuntha, at this time, had taken up service in the house of an oil merchant, and being a stranger, he was selected for a second time, and sent by the Rajah to accompany the merchant, at the risk of his life.

ビスンタはこのころ油商人の家に奉公していたが、よそ者だったので、ふたたび選ばれて、藩王から、命の危険を承知で商人のお供をするよう遣わされた。

At the first sandbank, when the ship was in difficulties and could not be moved, the merchant told Bisuntha he must prepare to die; but Bisuntha said: "You desire your ship to move, whether I die or whether I do not. If I can make it move on for you, will you spare my life?"

最初の砂州で船が難儀して動かなくなると、商人はビスンタに死ぬ覚悟をしろと言った。けれどもビスンタは言った。「あなたはわたしが死のうと死ぬまいと、船が動けばよいのでしょう。わたしが船を動かしてあげられたら、命を助けてくれますか」

To this the merchant agreed; and Bisuntha cut his finger, and dropped a few drops of blood into the sea. As soon as he did this the ship moved on, and so the merchant would not part with him, or kill him, but kept him during the whole voyage, and brought him back to the town.

商人がこれを承知すると、ビスンタは指に傷をつけて、血を数滴海に垂らした。そうするやいなや船は動きだしたので、商人はビスンタを手放すことも殺すこともせず、航海のあいだずっとそばに置いて、町へ連れ帰った。

Rupa had half forgotten his brother all this while, but one day he was stricken with remorse, and determined to find out what had happened after he had left the forest, with the intention of burning the remains of Bisuntha.

このあいだずっと、ルーパは弟のことをなかば忘れていたが、ある日悔いにさいなまれて、ビスンタの亡骸を火葬するつもりで森を去ったあと、何があったのかを突き止めようと決めた。

In order to get news of him, he sent out a notice that he would pay any one who would come daily and talk with him, for he hoped in the course of conversation that some one would mention the circumstance of the boy who was found dead in a tree in the forest.

弟の消息を得るために、ルーパは、毎日来て話をしてくれる者には誰にでも金を払うというお触れを出した。話しているうちに、誰かが森の木の上で死んでいるのが見つかった少年のことを口にするのではないかと望んだのである。

At length Bisuntha himself came to hear what the Rajah his brother was doing, so he disguised himself as a girl, and went to the Palace.

とうとうビスンタ自身が、兄の藩王が何をしているかを聞きつけ、娘に変装して宮殿へ行った。

When the Rajah saw him he said: "What have you to say, O my daughter?" and Bisuntha said: "Do you wish me to talk on general subjects or only of myself?"

藩王はビスンタを見ると言った。「何を話してくれるのだ、娘よ」するとビスンタは言った。「世間一般のことをお話ししましょうか、それともわたし自身のことだけをお話ししましょうか」

"Of yourself," said Rupa.

「お前自身のことを」とルーパは言った。

So the lad began. "There were once two brothers, whose names were Rupa and Bisuntha, and they had a stepmother."

そこで若者は語りはじめた。「むかし、ルーパとビスンタという名の二人の兄弟がいて、二人には継母がおりました」

Rupa's interest was now breathless, but after telling a small part of the story Bisuntha said he was tired, and would tell the rest next day.

ルーパは今や息をのんで聞き入っていたが、話の少しを語ったところで、ビスンタは疲れたので残りは明日話すと言った。

The next day he continued, and told how a snake had bitten Bisuntha, and how he had died in the forest, and had been raised to life by Mahadeo and Parbatti. Rupa was now full of anxiety to know the rest, but Bisuntha said he had forgotten it, so nothing could be done.

次の日ビスンタは続きを語り、蛇がビスンタを噛んだこと、ビスンタが森で死んだこと、そしてマハーデーオとパールバティーに生き返らせてもらったことを話した。ルーパは今や続きを知りたくてたまらなかったが、ビスンタは続きを忘れてしまったと言ったので、どうしようもなかった。

When he came again, he said he remembered that Bisuntha came to a certain town, where the Rajah ordered him to be given to a tiger; how he had escaped the tiger and all other dangers, and had in his pocket the proof. Thus saying he took out the tiger's ears and whiskers, and, as his eyes met his brother's, they recognised each other, and fell upon each other's necks.

またやって来ると、ビスンタは、思い出したと言って、ビスンタがある町に来て、藩王の命令で虎に差し出されたこと、虎からもほかのあらゆる危険からも逃れたこと、そしてその証拠をポケットに持っていることを語った。そう言いながら虎の耳とひげを取り出した。そして兄と目が合うと、二人は互いに相手がわかって、抱き合った。

SHEIK CHILLI

シェーク・チッリー

The hero of this story was one day walking along with a vessel of oil upon his head. As he walked he kept thinking of the future.

この話の主人公は、ある日、油の入った器を頭に載せて歩いていた。歩きながら、主人公はずっと先のことを考えていた。

"I will sell the oil, and with the money I shall buy a goat, and then I shall sell the kids, and then I shall buy a cow, and sell the milk, till I get a large sum of money; then I shall buy a pair of buffaloes, and a field, and plough the field, and gain more money, and build myself a house, and marry a wife, and have many sons and daughters. And when my wife comes to call me to dinner, I'll say: 'Dhur, away! I'll come when 1 think fit!'" and with that he held up his head suddenly, and away fell the chattie with the oil, and it was all spilt.

「この油を売って、その金で山羊を買おう。それから子山羊を売って、それから雌牛を買って、乳を売って、大金ができるまでそうしよう。それから水牛をひとつがいと畑を買って、畑を耕して、もっと金を稼いで、自分の家を建てて、嫁をもらって、息子や娘をたくさん持つんだ。そうして嫁が夕飯だと呼びに来たら、こう言ってやろう。『ドゥル、あっちへ行け! わたしの気が向いたら行く!』」そう言ってシェーク・チッリーがいきなり頭をそらしたので、油の入ったチャッティー(壺)が落ちて、油はすっかりこぼれてしまった。

This upset Sheik Chilli so much that he began to yell: "I have lost my goats, I have lost my cows, I have lost my buffaloes, and my house, and my wife and children."

これにシェーク・チッリーはすっかり取り乱して、わめきはじめた。「山羊をなくした、雌牛をなくした、水牛をなくした、家も嫁も子どもたちもなくした」

That such dire calamity should befall a man caused great pity, so the bystanders took Sheik Chilli to the Rajah, who asked him how it had all happened.

人の身にそんな恐ろしい災難がふりかかるとはと、たいそう哀れまれたので、居合わせた人々はシェーク・チッリーを藩王のもとへ連れていった。藩王は、どうしてそんなことになったのかと尋ねた。

When he heard the story he laughed, and said: "This boy has a good heart, let him be given a reward to compensate him for the loss of his oil."

藩王は話を聞くと笑って言った。「この若者は心根がよい。油をなくした埋め合わせに褒美を取らせてやれ」