The Four-gifted Princess

There was once a King, who was sitting with his wife before the fire when they heard a partridge call. The King said: "That sound comes from the left," and his wife said it came from the right, so they had a bet about it, and the Rajah said: "If you are right you may have my kingdom, and I will cease to reign any longer;" so he went out, and found that his wife was right.

むかし、ある王が妃と一緒に炉の前に座っていると、ヤマウズラの鳴き声が聞こえた。王は「あの声は左から聞こえる」と言い、妃は右から聞こえると言った。そこで二人は賭けをして、藩王は言った。「そなたが正しければ、わが王国をやろう。わたしはもう王をやめる」そこで王が外に出てみると、妃が正しかった。

This being the case, he began to make preparations to leave, and to make over his kingdom to her; but, as he was about to do this, his servants, who knew of the bet, advised him not to be so foolish, but to take another wife, and to do away with this one, rather than part with the kingdom. At first the King would not listen, but after a time he agreed to leave the matter in their hands.

そういうわけで、王は去る支度をして、王国を妃に譲ろうとした。ところがちょうどそうしようとしたとき、賭けのことを知っていた家来たちが、そんな愚かなことはせず、王国を手放すくらいなら別の妃をめとって、この妃を始末してしまうよう王に勧めた。初め王は耳を貸さなかったが、しばらくして、この件を家来たちに任せることに承知した。

That night they waited till the poor Ranee lay asleep, and took her as she slept, placed her in a box, locked it up, and threw it into a river.

その夜、家来たちはかわいそうなラーニー(王妃)が眠るまで待って、眠っている妃を連れ出し、箱に入れて鍵をかけ、川に投げ込んだ。

An old Fakir was in the habit of bathing in the river very early in the morning, and when he came he found the box and opened it. The Ranee was unconscious, but not dead; so he carried her to his own home, and there looked after her until she recovered.

年老いたファキール(行者)が朝たいそう早く川で水浴びをするのを習いにしていて、やって来て箱を見つけて開けた。ラーニーは気を失っていたが、死んではいなかった。そこでファキールは妃を自分の家へ運び、そこで回復するまで世話をした。

Now the Ranee was about to present the kingdom with an heir, and was very miserable to find herself deserted and in a strange home at such a time, so she cried bitterly, and three fairies were sent to her assistance.

さて、ラーニーは王国に世継ぎを授けようとしているところで、そんなときに見捨てられて見知らぬ家にいることにたいそう心を痛め、激しく泣いた。すると三人の妖精が助けに遣わされた。

Soon after this a little daughter was born to her, and when the child was a month old, the three fairies took their leave, but, before going, each determined to leave a parting gift for the little Princess.

まもなく妃に小さな娘が生まれ、子どもがひと月になると、三人の妖精は別れを告げた。けれども去る前に、妖精たちはそれぞれ小さな姫に別れの贈り物を残そうと決めた。

The first said that whenever she placed her foot on a stone it would turn to either silver or gold. The second said that whenever she laughed sweet scented flowers would fall from her lips. The third said that whenever she cried pearls would fall from her eyes.

一人目は、姫が石に足を載せるたびに、その石は銀か金に変わるだろうと言った。二人目は、姫が笑うたびに、口から甘い香りの花がこぼれるだろうと言った。三人目は、姫が泣くたびに、目から真珠がこぼれるだろうと言った。

All these things came to pass, so in time they built a beautiful Palace.

これらのことがみな本当になったので、やがて一家は美しい宮殿を建てた。

One day the Rajah passed that way, and asked the Brahmin how he had built such a lovely Palace in the place of his old mud-hut.

ある日、藩王がそこを通りかかって、どうやって昔の泥小屋のあったところにこんな美しい宮殿を建てたのかと、そのバラモンに尋ねた。

The old man told him how he had found the box, and all about the Queen, his wife, whom he thought was dead.

老人は、箱を見つけたいきさつと、藩王が死んだと思っていた妃のことをすっかり話した。

The Rajah owned his sin, and implored forgiveness of his wife. At first she refused to forgive him, but after a time she listened, and the Rajah said that, if ever again he did anything to vex or hurt her, the old Fakir might punish him as he thought best.

藩王は自分の罪を認めて、妃に許しを乞うた。初め妃は許すのを断ったが、しばらくして耳を傾けた。藩王は、もしまた妃を悩ませたり傷つけたりすることをしたら、年老いたファキールが思うとおりに自分を罰してよいと言った。

Now the Indian people dread the punishment of a holy Fakir; so the Queen returned to her former Palace, and lived happily ever after.

さて、インドの人々は聖なるファキールの罰をたいそう恐れる。そこで妃はもとの宮殿に戻り、それからずっと幸せに暮らした。