The Enchanted Bird, Music, and Stream

There was once a Prince who used to amuse himself by dressing as a poor man, and going about amongst his subjects without their finding out who he was.

むかし、貧しい男の身なりをして、自分が誰か気づかれないように民のあいだを歩きまわるのを楽しみにしている王子がいた。

In this way he found out all that they did, and how they lived.

こうして王子は、民のしていることや暮らしぶりを何もかも知った。

Once, while walking through a gully, he saw three sisters, and overheard their conversation.

あるとき路地を歩いていると、王子は三人の姉妹を見かけて、その話を立ち聞きした。

One said: "If I could marry even a servant of the Prince, how happy I should be! I should eat sweets and all sorts of nice things all day long."

一人が言った。「王子さまの召使いとでも結婚できたら、どんなに幸せでしょう! 一日じゅうお菓子やらいろんなおいしい物やらを食べられるわ」

The other sister said: "I'd rather marry his cook, for then I should get still better things."

もう一人の姉妹が言った。「わたしはそれより王子さまの料理人と結婚したいわ。そうしたらもっとおいしい物がもらえるもの」

But the third sister said: "I'd like best to marry the Prince himself, for then I'd get the best things of all to eat."

けれども三人目の姉妹は言った。「わたしはいちばん王子さまご自身と結婚したいわ。そうしたら何よりいちばんおいしい物が食べられるもの」

The Prince went home, and next day, while holding court, gave an order that these three sisters should be brought to him.

王子は家に帰り、次の日宮廷を開いているときに、この三人の姉妹を連れてくるよう命じた。

The order was immediately carried out, and, as the three trembling girls stood before him, they wondered much why they had been summoned.

命令はすぐに果たされ、震える三人の娘は王子の前に立って、どうして呼び出されたのかとしきりに不思議がった。

"Now," said he, "tell me what you three were talking about last night?"

「さて」と王子は言った。「ゆうべ三人で何を話していたのか言ってみなさい」

Terribly alarmed, the eldest confessed that she had said she would like to be the wife of one of the servants, so as to get nice things to eat. The second said she had wished to be the wife of his cook.

ひどく怯えながら、いちばん上の姉が、おいしい物が食べられるように召使いの一人の妻になりたいと言ったと白状した。二番目の姉は、王子の料理人の妻になりたいと願ったと言った。

The third sister hesitated, and then said timidly that she had dared to say she would like best to be the wife of the Prince himself.

三人目の妹はためらって、それからおずおずと、恐れ多くもいちばん王子さまご自身の妻になりたいと言いました、と言った。

On this the Prince said: "You may have your wishes."

これに王子は言った。「望みをかなえてやろう」

He then ordered the one to be married to one of his servants, and the other to his cook; but the third he married himself.

それから王子は一人を召使いの一人と、もう一人を料理人と結婚させるよう命じた。けれども三人目は自分がめとった。

Some time after this, a son was born; but his wife's two sisters, who had begged to be present upon the occasion, and who were very jealous of their sister's position, quietly removed the baby, and put a dog's puppy in its place. The baby they put into a box and flung into the river.

しばらくして息子が生まれた。ところが妃の二人の姉は、その場に立ち会わせてくれとせがんでいて、妹の身分をひどく妬んでいたので、こっそり赤ん坊を取り去り、代わりに子犬を置いた。赤ん坊は箱に入れて川に投げ込んだ。

Now the Prince's gardener found the box and opened it; and, when he saw what it contained, he was overjoyed, and took the child to his wife, telling her that God had at last given her a son which he would keep and bring up as his own son.

さて、王子の庭師がその箱を見つけて開けた。なかに入っているものを見ると大喜びして、子どもを妻のところへ連れていき、神さまがとうとうお前に息子を授けてくださった、この子を自分の息子として育てよう、と言った。

Meantime, the Prince was very angry indeed, but forgave his wife at the request of her friends.

そのあいだに、王子はほんとうにひどく怒ったが、妃の身内の頼みで妃を許した。

Some time after this another son was born, which the sisters changed for a kitten, and, putting the babe into a box, threw it into the river as before; but again the gardener found the child and carried him to his wife.

しばらくしてまた息子が生まれた。姉たちはその子を子猫とすり替え、赤ん坊を箱に入れて前のように川に投げ込んだ。けれどもまた庭師が子どもを見つけて妻のところへ連れていった。

Yet a third child was born to the Princess, a little girl, which the two sisters changed for a rat. As before, they placed the child in a box and threw it into the river; and yet a third time did the gardener rescue the babe, and take it to grow up with its two brothers, his adopted boys.

さらに三人目の子が妃に生まれた。小さな女の子で、二人の姉はその子をネズミとすり替えた。前のように二人は子を箱に入れて川に投げ込んだ。そしてまたしても三度目に庭師が赤ん坊を救い出し、自分の養子である二人の兄と一緒に育てようと連れていった。

By this time the Prince was very angry with his wife, and turned her out of his house.

このころには王子は妃にひどく腹を立てていて、妃を家から追い出した。

The gardener and his wife, who had loved their adopted children very dearly, died when the boys were about eight or nine years of age.

養子たちをたいそうかわいがっていた庭師とその妻は、男の子たちが八つか九つのころに死んだ。

So the boys begged the Prince to give them land of their own, on which to build or cultivate; and he, remembering how fond his gardener had always been of them, granted their request, so they lived there very happily with their little sister.

そこで男の子たちは、家を建てたり耕したりするための自分たちの土地をくださいと王子に願い出た。王子は庭師がいつもこの子たちをどれほどかわいがっていたかを思い出して、願いを聞き入れた。こうして子どもたちは小さな妹と一緒にそこでたいそう幸せに暮らした。

The brothers often went out hunting, and on one occasion, when they were out and their sister alone at home, a very old woman came to her and begged for some water. She willingly gave it, and then asked the old woman very kindly if she would not come in and rest. "Come and see my house," she said, "and tell me what you think of it."

兄たちはよく狩りに出かけた。あるとき兄たちが出かけていて妹が一人で家にいると、たいそう年を取った老婆がやって来て、水をくれと頼んだ。妹は喜んで水をやり、それから老婆に、なかに入って休んでいかないかとたいそう親切に尋ねた。「わたしの家を見ていって」と妹は言った。「どう思うか聞かせてちょうだい」

The old woman said: "You have everything very nice, but there are three things which you have not got."

老婆は言った。「何もかもたいそう立派だが、ないものが三つあるね」

"And what are those?"

「それは何なの」

"You have no bird, no music, and no stream of water," replied the old woman; "without these your house is nothing."

「鳥と音楽と流れる水がない」と老婆は答えた。「それがなければ、お前の家は何でもないよ」

"Where am I to get them?"

「どこで手に入るの」

"You must go to the West."

「西へ行かなくてはならないよ」

So saying, she went away and left the girl very sad, for she wished for the three things without which her home was incomplete.

そう言うと老婆は去っていき、娘はすっかり悲しくなった。自分の家を完全なものにするのに欠けている三つのものが欲しくなったからである。

On the return of her brothers, they asked her why she looked so sad; and she told them of the old woman's visit, and what she had said.

兄たちが帰ってくると、どうしてそんなに悲しそうな顔をしているのかと尋ねた。妹は老婆が訪ねてきたことと、老婆の言ったことを話した。

"If that is all," cried the eldest brother, "I will go and bring you all three things."

「それだけのことなら」と上の兄が叫んだ。「わたしが行って三つとも持ってきてやろう」

The sister at first cried very much, and begged of him not to go, but at last she consented; and as he bade her good-bye, he gave her a string of beads, saying: "As long as I am well, these beads will be separate from each other; but should any misfortune overtake me, or I should die, the beads will be no longer separate, but will be joined together."

妹は初めひどく泣いて、行かないでと頼んだが、とうとう承知した。兄は別れを告げるとき、妹にひと連なりの数珠玉を渡して言った。「わたしが無事でいるあいだは、この玉はばらばらに離れている。けれどもわたしに何か災いがふりかかったり、わたしが死んだりしたら、玉はもう離れずにくっついてしまうだろう」

Then he mounted his horse and rode away.

それから兄は馬にまたがって去っていった。

On the way he met an old Fakir. This old man's face was covered with hair, so that he could not see, and he had a very long grey beard.

途中で兄は年老いたファキール(行者)に出会った。この老人は顔が毛で覆われていて目が見えず、たいそう長い灰色のひげを生やしていた。

The boy looked at him, and said: "Let me shave you, and you will be able to see better."

少年は老人を見て言った。「剃ってさしあげましょう。そうすればもっとよく見えるようになりますよ」

So the Fakir allowed himself to be shaved, after which he asked the youth where he was going, and on hearing, he advised him not to go. "For," said he, "many have already gone on that quest, but have never returned."

そこでファキールは剃ってもらい、そのあとで若者にどこへ行くのかと尋ねた。そしてわけを聞くと、行かないほうがいいと忠告した。「というのも」と老人は言った。「これまで大勢の者がそれを探しに行ったが、誰も帰ってこなかったのだ」

Yet the boy persisted. So the old Fakir gave him a ball, and said: "Keep throwing this before you as you go. Stop where the ball stops, and heed no sounds or interruptions on the way."

それでも少年は言い張った。そこで年老いたファキールは少年に毬を渡して言った。「行く先々でこれを前へ投げ続けなさい。毬が止まったところで止まり、途中でどんな音やじゃまが入っても気にかけてはならぬ」

The ball went in the direction of a high mountain, and the boy followed; but in the mountain there were strange hissing sounds and voices all around, which kept shouting to him, and asking who he was and where he came from.

毬は高い山のほうへ転がっていき、少年はあとを追った。ところが山のなかでは、あたり一面から奇妙なシュウシュウいう音や声が聞こえてきて、少年に叫び続け、お前は誰だ、どこから来たのかと問いかけた。

He paid no heed to these, until suddenly there came a great clap of thunder, followed by an earthquake. This so startled the boy that he looked round, and in a moment was turned into stone.

少年はそれを気にかけずにいたが、突然大きな雷鳴がとどろき、続いて地震が起こった。これに少年はあまりに驚いて振り返り、たちまち石に変わってしまった。

The poor little sister at home, discovering that she could no longer separate her beads, was grieved indeed, knowing that some harm had befallen her brother; and she wept bitterly.

家にいるかわいそうな小さな妹は、数珠玉がもう離れなくなったのに気づいて、兄の身に何か災いがふりかかったのだと知ってほんとうに悲しみ、激しく泣いた。

On this her second brother said he would go and seek him, and also find the three things she required for her house.

そこで二番目の兄が、兄を探しに行き、妹が家に欲しがっている三つのものも見つけてこようと言った。

His sister implored him not to leave her, for he was all she had left; but he was determined, so she was obliged to reluctantly consent to his going.

妹は、もう残っているのはあなただけなのだから置いていかないでと懇願したが、兄の決心は固かったので、妹は不本意ながら兄が行くのを承知するほかなかった。

Before leaving he gave her a flower, and said: "Sister, as long as this flower keeps fresh, you will know that I am alive and well; but if it should close or fade, you may feel sure that I too am dead."

出かける前に兄は妹に花を一輪渡して言った。「妹よ、この花が生き生きしているあいだは、わたしが生きていて無事だとわかるだろう。けれどもこれが閉じたりしおれたりしたら、わたしも死んだと思ってまちがいない」

Then he mounted his steed and started on his journey.

それから兄は駿馬にまたがって旅に出た。

Soon he met the old Fakir, who warned him as he had warned his brother, saying: "My son, so many have gone on this quest and have lost their lives; your own brother has lost his life, and yet you wish to go. Turn back, I advise you."

まもなく兄は年老いたファキールに出会った。ファキールは兄に忠告したように弟にも忠告して言った。「息子よ、これまで大勢の者がそれを探しに行って命を落とした。お前の兄も命を落としたのに、それでもお前は行きたいのか。引き返しなさい、わしはそう勧める」

"No," said the boy, "I am determined to find my brother, and also the bird, music, and stream of water."

「いいえ」と少年は言った。「わたしは兄を見つけ、鳥と音楽と流れる水も見つけると心に決めているのです」

Then the Fakir gave him also a ball of string, with the same directions which he had given his brother; and he continued on his journey.

そこでファキールはこの少年にも糸の玉を渡し、兄に与えたのと同じ言いつけをした。少年は旅を続けた。

As he reached the hill, he too heard the same hissing, shouting, and cries to stop; but he heeded nothing, until at last came the peal of thunder and earthquake, which so terrified him that he turned round to look, and he too was turned into stone.

丘に着くと、少年もまた同じシュウシュウいう音や叫び声や止まれという声を聞いた。けれども何も気にかけずにいたが、とうとう雷鳴がとどろいて地震が起こり、少年はあまりに恐ろしくなって振り返って見てしまい、少年もまた石に変わってしまった。

At home his poor sister saw her flower fade away and die, and then she knew that her other brother had also come to an untimely end.

家では、かわいそうな妹が花がしおれて枯れるのを見て、もう一人の兄も非業の最期を遂げたと知った。

So she arose and locked her door, and said: "I will go myself and find my brothers."

そこで妹は立ち上がって戸に鍵をかけ、言った。「わたしが自分で行って兄さんたちを見つけよう」

On her way she met the same old Fakir, who accosted her, and asked her whither she was going.

途中で妹は同じ年老いたファキールに出会った。ファキールは妹に声をかけて、どこへ行くのかと尋ねた。

He was much grieved when she told him her story, and said: "Brave men have lost their lives, and you, a woman, without half their strength, are going. I pray you be advised and return."

妹が身の上を話すと、ファキールはたいそう悲しんで言った。「勇敢な男たちでさえ命を落としたというのに、その半分の力もない女のお前が行くというのか。どうか忠告を聞いて帰りなさい」

"No, no," she returned; "if men have lost their courage, I, a woman, shall not lose mine. I am very brave, and I mean to go."

「いいえ、いいえ」と妹は返した。「男たちが勇気をなくしても、女のわたしはなくしません。わたしはとても勇敢なのです。行くつもりです」

So the Fakir bade her God-speed very sadly, and gave her the same parting gift as he had given her brothers, directing her what to do with it.

そこでファキールはたいそう悲しげに妹の道中の無事を祈り、兄たちに与えたのと同じはなむけの品を与えて、それをどう使えばよいかを教えた。

The first thing she did was to buy some cotton wool, and with it stop her ears, so that she could not hear a sound; then she proceeded on her journey up the hill.

妹がまず最初にしたのは、綿を買って耳に詰め、何の音も聞こえないようにすることだった。それから妹は丘を登る旅を続けた。

The same sounds followed her all the way, but she heard them not, nor did she hear the thunder or heed the earthquake in her anxiety to find her brothers.

同じ音が道すがらずっとつきまとってきたが、妹にはそれが聞こえなかった。兄たちを見つけたい一心で、雷鳴も聞かず地震も気にかけなかった。

On and on went she, until she saw a cage hanging on a tree, and in it a bird. She took it with great joy, and said: "I have found my bird, and have only the music and water to get for my home to be perfect."

妹はどんどん進んでいき、とうとう木に鳥籠がかかっていて、なかに鳥がいるのを見つけた。妹は大喜びでそれを取って言った。「鳥が見つかったわ。家が完全になるには、あとは音楽と水を手に入れるだけね」

To her delight, the bird heard, and replied: "If you break off a branch of that tree and stick it into the ground, the breeze through its leaves will make the sweetest music you have ever heard; and if you will take a little water from that enchanted stream yonder, and pour it into your garden, it will never cease to flow. Thus you will have both music and stream."

うれしいことに鳥がそれを聞いて答えた。「あの木の枝を一本折って地面に挿せば、その葉を吹き抜けるそよ風が、あなたが聞いたこともないほど美しい音楽を奏でるでしょう。それから、向こうの魔法の流れから水を少し汲んで庭に注げば、その水は決して流れやむことがないでしょう。こうして音楽も流れも手に入りますよ」

The girl did as the bird advised, and heard the sweetest melody in the branch of the tree. Then she filled a vessel with water and prepared to return, but very sorrowfully, for she had found both her brothers turned into stone.

娘は鳥の勧めるとおりにして、木の枝がこの上なく美しい調べを奏でるのを聞いた。それから器に水を満たして帰り支度をしたが、心はたいそう悲しかった。兄が二人とも石に変わっているのを見つけたからである。

She told her trouble to the bird, who said: "Sprinkle some of the water on the stones."

妹が鳥に悩みを話すと、鳥は言った。「その水を少し石に振りかけなさい」

This she did, and, to her great surprise, both the lads came to life.

妹がそうすると、たいそう驚いたことに、二人の若者は生き返った。

They were delighted to see her, and to know that she had succeeded in finding the gifts they had failed to get; and the three returned home and lived very happily together for some time.

兄たちは妹に会えて、自分たちが手に入れそこねた贈り物を妹が見つけてきたと知って大喜びし、三人は家へ帰って、しばらくのあいだ一緒にたいそう幸せに暮らした。

One day the two brothers thought they would like to go out hunting again.

ある日、二人の兄はまた狩りに出かけたいと思った。

Now they did not know that an order had been passed that nobody was to hunt in that forest except the Prince, and, while they were there, they came face to face with the Prince himself. This alarmed them, and they tried to hide themselves; but he called them, and enquired why they were hunting there against orders.

さて兄たちは、その森では王子のほかは誰も狩りをしてはならないという命令が出されていることを知らなかった。そして森にいるうちに、兄たちは王子ご本人と鉢合わせしてしまった。兄たちは驚いて隠れようとしたが、王子は二人を呼んで、どうして命令にそむいてここで狩りをしているのかと尋ねた。

Then they explained that they were in ignorance of his orders when they came, and begged forgiveness.

そこで兄たちは、ここへ来たときにはそのご命令を知らなかったのだと説明して、許しを乞うた。

The Prince, pleased at their appearance, enquired who they were, and they said: "The adopted sons of your gardener who died some time ago. Our own parents died when we were young."

王子は二人の姿を気に入って、何者かと尋ねた。二人は言った。「しばらく前に亡くなったあなたさまの庭師の養子です。実の親はわたしたちが幼いころに死にました」

Then the Prince invited them to his Palace, but they said they could go nowhere without first telling their sister.

すると王子は二人を宮殿に招いたが、二人は、まず妹に話さずにはどこへも行けませんと言った。

"Well, ask your sister," said he, "and come to-morrow."

「では、妹に聞いて」と王子は言った。「明日おいで」

On the third day they met the Prince again, and he asked why they had not come; but they pleaded as an excuse that they had forgotten to ask their sister. The Prince then gave them a golden ball and said: "When you see this, you will remember."

三日目に兄たちはまた王子に会った。王子はどうして来なかったのかと尋ねたが、二人は妹に聞くのを忘れていたと言いわけをした。そこで王子は二人に金の毬を与えて言った。「これを見れば思い出すだろう」

That night as they were going to bed, the small golden ball rolled out on the floor, and seeing it, they remembered, and told their sister of the Prince's invitation.

その夜、二人が寝ようとすると、小さな金の毬が床に転がり出た。それを見て二人は思い出し、妹に王子の招きのことを話した。

She was very displeased with them for not having complied with it earlier; and told them that they must go and see him the very next day.

妹は、もっと早く招きに応じなかったことで兄たちにたいそう腹を立て、まさに明日、王子に会いに行かなければいけないと言った。

On the morrow the two boys went to the Palace, where the Prince received them very kindly, and gave them all sorts of good things to eat and drink, saying to himself: "Had I had children, they would by this time be the same ages as these lads."

次の日、二人の少年は宮殿へ行った。王子は二人をたいそう優しく迎え、あらゆるおいしい物を食べさせ飲ませながら、心のなかで言った。「わたしに子どもがいたら、今ごろはこの若者たちと同じ年ごろになっていただろうに」

One day, soon after this, the bird advised the sister of the boys to invite the Prince to dinner.

それからまもなくのある日、鳥は少年たちの妹に、王子を食事に招くよう勧めた。

"How can I entertain so grand a man?" said she.

「あんなに偉い方を、どうやっておもてなしできるの」と妹は言った。

"Make him a dish of kheer (rice cooked with milk and sugar); and besides this, to please him, another dish of pearls."

「キール(米を乳と砂糖で煮たもの)をひと皿こしらえなさい。それに加えて、王子さまを喜ばせるために、真珠をもうひと皿」

"But where shall I get the pearls?"

「でも真珠はどこで手に入るの」

"Send a man to dig beneath that tree, and you will find as many as you require," replied the bird.

「あの木の下を人に掘らせなさい。入り用なだけ見つかりますよ」と鳥は答えた。

So the girl did as she was told, and sent a man to dig. He soon found a box full of pearls, and these she placed in a very beautiful dish, and put it alongside the plate of kheer.

そこで娘は言われたとおりにして、人を遣わして掘らせた。男はまもなく真珠のいっぱい詰まった箱を見つけた。娘はそれをたいそう美しい皿に盛って、キールの皿の隣に置いた。

The Prince accepted the invitation to dinner, and came to the house.

王子は食事の招きを受けて、家にやって来た。

After showing him all round, the girl led him at last to the room in which she had prepared dinner; and as her bird was also there, she told it to make a salaam to the Prince, which it did.

家じゅうを案内したあと、娘はとうとう王子を食事を用意した部屋へ連れていった。そこには娘の鳥もいたので、娘は鳥に王子にサラーム(お辞儀)をするよう言い、鳥はそのとおりにした。

Then the first dish was uncovered, and the Prince knew that he could not eat it as it was made of pearls; but the bird spoke up and said: "O Prince! are you not yet able to understand the difference between pearls and dross? When your wife bore your children, you believed them to be dogs, cats, or rats, and turned out your poor wife, who was in reality the mother of these"--and she pointed to the two boys and their sister--"your own children, who were exchanged by their wicked aunts for a dog, a cat, a rat, and you believed them."

それから最初の皿の覆いが取られた。王子はそれが真珠でできていたので食べられないとわかった。けれども鳥が口をはさんで言った。「おお王子さま! まだ真珠とくずの違いがおわかりにならないのですか。お妃さまがあなたの子を産んだとき、あなたはそれを犬や猫やネズミだと信じて、かわいそうなお妃さまを追い出しました。けれどもお妃さまはほんとうはこの子たちの母親だったのです」——と鳥は二人の少年とその妹を指し示して——「あなたご自身の子どもたちです。邪悪な伯母たちが犬や猫やネズミとすり替え、あなたはそれを信じたのです」

On hearing this, the Prince was astounded; and then the bird told him exactly all that had taken place.

これを聞いて王子は仰天した。それから鳥は、起こったことをすべてそのまま王子に話した。

Delighted to be once more united to his children, he sought his poor wife, and, throwing himself at her feet, besought her with tears to forgive him.

ふたたび子どもたちと一緒になれたことを喜んで、王子はかわいそうな妃を探し出し、その足もとに身を投げて、涙ながらに許しを乞うた。

This she very gladly did, and returned with him to the Palace, where her children received her; and they were all very happy ever after.

妃は喜んで許し、王子と一緒に宮殿へ戻った。そこで子どもたちが妃を迎え、みなそれからずっとたいそう幸せに暮らした。

The two wicked sisters were killed by order of the Prince.

二人の邪悪な姉妹は王子の命令で殺された。