The Fool and the Wise Brother

Emily Alexander, Mandeville.

語り手 エミリー・アレグザンダー(マンデヴィル)

Once a lady had two sons; one was very foolish and the other was very wise. The wise one was hired to look after some sheep while the foolish one was to stay at home and mind the mother. One day the mother became very ill and the wise brother had to leave his work and come home, so he sent the foolish brother to go mind the sheep. So the foolish boy took a stick and broke the legs of the sheep and brought them home in the yard.

むかしある女に息子が二人いた。一人はたいそう愚かで、一人はたいそう賢かった。賢いほうは羊の番に雇われ、愚かなほうは家にいて母の世話をすることになっていた。ある日、母がひどく病んで、賢い兄は仕事をやめて家へ帰らねばならなくなり、愚かな弟を羊の番にやった。すると愚かな子は棒を取って羊の脚を折り、屋敷へ連れ帰ってきた。

The wise brother had on a bath on the fire for the mother. It was piping hot. So the wise brother went to the owner of the sheep to tell what had happened to the sheep and to ask for pardon, so he told the foolish brother to take off the pot off the fire and give the mother a sponging while he was away. The foolish brother took off the piping bath and put his mother in a tub and poured the hot bath on her, and she died.

賢い兄は母のために行水の湯を火にかけていた。煮え立っていた。そこで賢い兄は、羊の持ち主のところへ羊に起きたことを話して詫びに行くことにし、留守のあいだに鍋を火から下ろして母の体を拭いてやれと愚かな弟に言いつけた。愚かな弟は煮え立った湯を下ろし、母を盥に入れて、その熱湯を浴びせかけた。母は死んだ。

When the wise brother came home and found that his mother was dead, he was so disappointed because the owner of the sheep said as soon as their mother died he would take away their lands to pay for his sheep. So the sheep-owner took away the land and left them with only an iron gate. So both of them lifted the iron gate on their backs and began to travel. As they reached a tree they sat down to rest. While they were there, they saw a band of robbers coming; so both of them with the iron gate mounted the tree. The robbers came and sat under the tree and began to eat. But they had no custard and no vinegar and they wanted some. So the foolish brother in the tree said, “Brother, I want to werine!” So he said, “You may do so,” and so he did. The robbers underneath saw it coming down. Thinking it was vinegar, they took a pan and caught some and said, “Thank the Lord! the Lord has sent vinegar for us.” Again the foolish brother said, “I want to dédé!” So he did, and the robbers caught some, thinking it was custard, and said, “Thank the Lord! the Lord has sent down custard for us.” So both of them in the tree now became tired of holding the iron gate, so they dropped it. The robbers were so frightened that they ran away leaving everything, and the two brothers came down out of the tree and took up all the money that was left and a knife.

賢い兄が帰ってきて母が死んだと知ると、ひどく落胆した。羊の持ち主が、母親が死んだらすぐに羊の代わりに土地を取り上げると言っていたからである。そして羊の持ち主は土地を取り上げ、二人には鉄の門だけが残された。そこで二人はその鉄の門を背負って旅に出た。ある木のところに着いて、腰を下ろして休んだ。そこにいると、盗賊の一団が来るのが見えた。そこで二人は鉄の門ごと木に登った。盗賊たちは木の下に坐って食べはじめた。ところがカスタードも酢もなく、それがほしかった。そこで木の上の愚かな弟が言った。「兄さん、小便がしたい!」 兄は「していいぞ」と言い、弟はした。下の盗賊たちはそれが落ちてくるのを見た。酢だと思って、鍋を取って受け止め、こう言った。「主に感謝! 主が酢を送ってくださった」。また愚かな弟が言った。「糞がしたい!」 そしてすると、盗賊たちはそれを受け止め、カスタードだと思って、こう言った。「主に感謝! 主がカスタードを送ってくださった」。そして木の上の二人は鉄の門を支えているのに疲れ果て、それを落とした。盗賊たちは怖がって何もかも捨てて逃げ出し、二人の兄弟は木から下りて、残された金をみな取り、小刀も取った。

The robbers sent one of the men to see what it was, and the two brothers took the knife and cut off his tongue and sent him back. When the robbers saw him coming, they ran to meet him and asked him what was the matter. He could only say to them, “Bla, bla, bla!” They were so frightened that they started running, he running after them calling out “Bla! bla! bla!” They ran until they were out of breath and fell down and could go no further.

盗賊たちは何があったか見にひとりを送り出した。二人の兄弟はその小刀でその男の舌を切り取って送り返した。盗賊たちはその男が来るのを見て、走り寄ってどうしたのかと尋ねた。男は「バ、バ、バ!」としか言えなかった。盗賊たちは怖がって走り出し、男は「バ! バ! バ!」と叫びながら追いかけた。みな息が切れるまで走って倒れ、もう一歩も進めなくなった。