The Weaver

There was a weaver who was unmarried, and all that he could earn in a day, in exchange for the cloth he wove, only amounted to two pounds of either rice or other grain.

独り身の機織りがいて、織った布と引き換えに一日に稼げるのは、米かほかの穀物がせいぜい二ポンドだった。

One day he cooked some kitcherie, [1] and, placing it in a plate, left it to get cool, and went out to sell his cloth.

ある日、機織りはキチュリー[1]をこしらえて、皿に盛って冷めるように置いておき、布を売りに出かけた。

While he was away a jackal came and ate up the kitcherie; and on his return he found the jackal, so he tied it up and beat it severely.

機織りの留守のあいだに豺(ジャッカル)が来てキチュリーを平らげてしまった。帰ってきた機織りは豺を見つけたので、縛り上げてひどく打ちすえた。

Then he cooked some bread, which he ate, and again beat the jackal.

それから機織りはパンを焼いて食べ、また豺を打った。

The poor creature thought: "Now my life will go, if this man keeps on beating me in this way."

かわいそうな獣は思った。「この男がこんなふうに打ち続けたら、今にも命がなくなってしまう」

When the man next went out to dispose of his cloth, the jackal, tied up by itself, felt very lonely, especially as it could hear its companions howling in the jungles; so it began to howl too, and, hearing it, one of its friends came to see where it was, and finding it, said: "Brother, what are you doing here?"

次に男が布を売りに出かけると、ひとりで縛られている豺はたいそう寂しくなった。仲間たちが密林で遠吠えしているのが聞こえたからなおさらである。そこで豺も遠吠えをはじめた。それを聞いて友だちの一匹がどこにいるのか見に来て、見つけると言った。「兄弟、ここで何をしているんだい」

The poor jackal, bruised all over and swollen with the beating it had received, replied: "Friend, a man has caught me, and takes the greatest care of me; see how fat I have grown with eating all the hulwa-poories [2] he gives me. If you will release me, I will tie you here, and you will get a share of the good things."

打たれて体じゅう傷だらけで腫れ上がったかわいそうな豺は答えた。「友よ、人間がおれをつかまえて、この上なく大事にしてくれるのさ。くれるハルワ・プーリー[2]をみな食べて、こんなに太ったのを見てくれ。放してくれたら、代わりにお前をここにつないでやるから、うまい物のお裾分けにあずかれるぞ」

So the two exchanged places, and the first jackal ran back gladly into the jungles.

そこで二匹は入れ替わり、最初の豺は喜んで密林へ駆け戻った。

On the return of the weaver he, as usual, began to beat the poor creature, who then spoke, and said: "Why are you beating me?"

機織りは帰ってくると、いつものようにかわいそうな獣を打ちはじめた。すると獣が口をきいて言った。「どうしてわたしを打つのです」

The weaver, surprised, replied: "I have never heard this jackal speak before!"

機織りは驚いて答えた。「この豺が口をきくのなんて聞いたことがない!」

"That one has gone, and he tied me here in his place, and told me I should get all sorts of good things to eat; but if you will release me, I will arrange a marriage with a King's daughter for you."

「あいつは行ってしまって、わたしを身代わりにここにつないだのです。うまい物がいろいろ食べられると言ってね。でも放してくださったら、あなたに王の娘との縁組を取りまとめてあげましょう」

"What!" said the man, "I am only a poor weaver, and can you really get me married to a King's daughter?"

「何だって!」と男は言った。「おれはただの貧しい機織りだぞ。ほんとうに王の娘と結婚させてくれるのか」

"Yes," returned the jackal.

「ええ」と豺は答えた。

So the weaver released it, and turning itself into a Brahmin, it crossed the river and presented itself at the court of a certain Rajah, to whom it said: "O King, I have found a rich weaver-caste Rajah, who wishes your daughter's hand in marriage."

そこで機織りが豺を放してやると、豺はバラモンに化けて川を渡り、ある藩王の宮廷に出向いて言った。「おお王よ、機織りカーストの裕福な藩王を見つけてまいりました。その方があなたさまの姫君をめとりたいと望んでおられます」

The Rajah, much pleased, consented, and the Brahmin, on getting outside the Palace, once more turned into a jackal, and returned to the weaver.

藩王はたいそう喜んで承知した。バラモンは宮殿の外へ出るとまた豺に戻って、機織りのところへ帰った。

"Follow me," said he, "and I will take you to the King's daughter."

「ついてきなさい」と豺は言った。「王の娘のところへ連れていってあげましょう」

So the weaver took up his blanket, which was all he possessed.

そこで機織りは、持ち物のすべてである毛布を手に取った。

On their way they met a Dhobie, or washerman, carrying his bundle of clothes. The jackal gave him a gold mohur, and told him to spread all the clean clothes he possessed upon the trees around.

途中で二人はドービー、つまり洗濯屋が洗濯物の包みを運んでいるのに出会った。豺は洗濯屋にモフル金貨を一枚やって、持っているきれいな着物をみなあたりの木に広げてかけておくよう言った。

Further on they met a cotton-beater, or man who, in the East, beats cotton and prepares it to make up into pillows and quilts; to him they also gave a gold mohur, and asked in return for several large balls of cotton.

さらに行くと綿打ち、つまり東洋で綿を打って枕や掛け布団にこしらえる支度をする男に出会った。この男にも二人はモフル金貨を一枚やって、代わりに大きな綿の玉をいくつかくれと頼んだ。

These they carried on a large plate to the river; and the jackal, leaving the weaver, returned as a Brahmin to the Rajah, who had seen the Dhobie's clothes in the distance, and thought they were tents pitched by his daughter's future husband.

二人はそれを大きな皿に載せて川まで運んだ。豺は機織りを残して、バラモンの姿で藩王のもとへ戻った。藩王は遠くにドービーの着物を見て、姫の未来の夫が張った天幕だと思っていた。

The jackal had told the weaver to watch, and, as soon as he saw him enter the Palace, he was to take large lumps of cotton and throw them one by one into the river, so that they might be seen floating down the stream.

豺は機織りに、見張っていて、自分が宮殿に入るのを見たらすぐに大きな綿のかたまりを取ってひとつずつ川に投げ込み、流れを下っていくのが見えるようにしろ、と言いつけてあった。

"The Bridegroom," explained the Brahmin, "has met with a terrible accident; all his possessions and his followers are lost in the river, and only he and I remain, dressed in the clothes in which we stand."

「花婿どのが」とバラモンは説明した。「恐ろしい災難にあわれました。持ち物もお供の者もみな川に呑まれ、残ったのは花婿どのとわたしだけ、それも身に着けているこの着物だけなのです」

Then the Rajah ordered his musicians and followers to come out, and go with horses in great pomp to bring the weaver, who was forthwith married to the Princess.

そこで藩王は楽師やお供の者に出てくるよう命じ、馬を連ねて盛大に機織りを迎えに行かせた。機織りはすぐさま王女と結婚した。

After the marriage the Brahmin said: "This son-in-law of yours has lost all he had; what is the use of his returning to his country? Let him stay here with you."

婚礼がすむとバラモンは言った。「このお婿さんは持っていた物をみな失いました。国へ帰っても何になりましょう。ここにあなたさまと一緒にとどまらせてください」

To this the Rajah, who loved his daughter, gladly consented, and gave them a fine house and grounds.

娘を愛していた藩王は喜んでこれを承知し、二人に立派な家と庭を与えた。

Now the weaver, who was not accustomed to good society, or to living with those above his station in life, made a salaam, or obeisance, such as a poor man is wont to do, to his wife every morning, and she began to suspect that he had deceived her, and was not a real Rajah. So she asked him one day to tell her the whole truth about himself, and he did so.

さて機織りは、よい人々とのつきあいにも、自分より身分の高い人々と暮らすことにも慣れていなかったので、毎朝、貧しい者がいつもするようにサラーム、つまりうやうやしいお辞儀を妻にした。妻は夫が自分をだましていて、ほんとうの藩王ではないのではないかと疑いはじめた。そこである日、自分のことを包み隠さず話してくれと頼むと、夫はそうした。

"Well," said she, "you have owned it to me, but do not let my father or mother know; for now that I am married to you, things cannot be altered, and it is better that they should remain in ignorance; but whatever my father may ask you to do, promise me that you will do it, always answering 'Yes, I will,' to anything he may suggest."

「そう」と妻は言った。「わたしには打ち明けてくれたけれど、父や母には知らせないで。あなたと結婚したからには、もう事は変えられないし、二人は知らないままでいるほうがいいのです。でも父があなたに何をしろと言っても、必ずすると約束してちょうだい。父が何を言いだしても、いつも『はい、いたします』と答えるのよ」

To this the weaver agreed; and shortly afterwards the Rajah called him and enquired if he was willing to help him, and, as promised, the man replied, "Yes, I will." Then he went to his wife and told her, and she commended him.

機織りはこれを承知した。まもなく藩王が機織りを呼んで、わしを助けてくれる気はあるかと尋ねると、男は約束どおり「はい、いたします」と答えた。それから妻のところへ行って話すと、妻は夫を褒めた。

Next day the King told him that two brothers, by name "Darya" and "Barjo," threatened to fight and take his kingdom from him, and he desired his son-in-law to go to the stables and select a horse on which to ride on the morrow to battle.

次の日、王は、「ダリヤー」と「バルジョー」という名の兄弟が戦を仕掛けて王国を奪うと脅している、ついては婿どのに馬屋へ行って、明日の戦に乗っていく馬を選んでほしい、と言った。

In the stables was a horse that was standing on three legs. "This," thought the weaver, "will just suit me, for it seems lame and has only three legs to go on, and making this an excuse, I'll keep behind all the rest, and out of danger."

馬屋には、三本足で立っている馬がいた。「こいつは」と機織りは思った。「おれにぴったりだ。足が悪くて、歩くのに足が三本しかないようだから、それを口実にほかのみんなのうしろに控えて、危ない目にあわずにすむ」

Now this horse [3] used to eat a quarter of a pound of opium daily, and could fly through the air, so that when the Rajah heard of the selection he was very delighted, and said to himself: "What a clever man this is, that he is able to discover which is the best horse!"

さて、この馬[3]は毎日四分の一ポンドのアヘンを食べていて、空を飛ぶことができた。そのため藩王はこの選択を聞くとたいそう喜んで、心のなかで言った。「どの馬がいちばんよいか見抜けるとは、なんと賢い男だろう!」

The day following he had the horse brought round, and mounted it in fear and trembling, having himself securely tied on lest he should fall off, while, to weight himself equally, he fastened a small millstone on either side.

翌日、機織りは馬を引いてこさせ、震えおののきながらまたがった。落ちないように体をしっかり馬に縛りつけさせ、重さの釣り合いを取るために、左右に小さな石臼をひとつずつくくりつけた。

As soon as the groom released the horse, it flew up into the air, then down again, and then up through the branches of trees, which broke off and clung to the weaver's arms and body, so that he presented a strange spectacle. He was terrified, and kept on crying out: "O Darya! Barjo! for your sakes have I come to my death."

馬丁が馬を放すやいなや、馬は空へ舞い上がり、また降りてきて、それから木々の枝のあいだを突き抜けて上っていった。枝は折れて機織りの腕や体にからみついたので、機織りは奇妙な見ものになった。機織りは恐ろしくてたまらず、叫び続けた。「おおダリヤー! バルジョー! お前たちのせいでおれは死ぬのだ」

The two Princes, Darya and Barjo, seeing this strange horse flying through the air, and hearing their names coming from a queer object all covered with branches of trees, were very much alarmed, and said: "If more come like this, we shall indeed be lost; one is enough for us."

二人の王子ダリヤーとバルジョーは、この奇妙な馬が空を飛んでいるのを見て、木の枝にすっかり覆われた妙なものから自分たちの名が聞こえてくるので、たいそう恐れて言った。「こんなのがもっと来たら、われわれはほんとうにおしまいだ。一人でたくさんだ」

So they wrote to the King, and said: "We have seen your warrior; stay in your country, and we will stay in ours: we cannot fight."

そこで二人は王に手紙を書いて言った。「あなたの戦士を見ました。あなたはあなたの国にとどまってください。わたしたちはわたしたちの国にとどまります。わたしたちには戦えません」

And they sent him a peace-offering.

そして二人は和睦の贈り物を王に送った。