The Boy and the Mermaid

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 little boy went to the river to bathe. He was washed away to sea and his parents heard nothing about him, but he was told before going that if he went he would be drowned.

むかし、小さな男の子が川へ水浴びに行った。その子は流されて海へ出てしまい、親は何の音沙汰も聞かなかった。行けば溺れるぞと、行く前に言われていたのだった。

But he was a smart little boy. A mermaid came and took him and carried him to the bottom of the sea and asked him certain questions: If he ate fish? he said “No.” If he ate beef? he said “No.” If he ate mutton? he said “No.” If he ate pork? he said “No.” If he had said “Yes,” the mermaid would have killed him, because its body was made of fish, beef, mutton and pork. So, as he didn’t eat any of those things, the mermaid carried him to the shore, threw him out, and a sheep took him up. The master of the sheep asked him certain questions,—where he was from and what was his name. He told him and they carried him to his home. They were so glad to see him they went and invited friends to come and help them enjoy themselves and make merry.

だがその子は賢い子だった。人魚がやってきてその子をさらい、海の底へ連れていって、いくつか問いを出した。魚は食べるか。子は「いいえ」と言った。牛肉は食べるか。「いいえ」。羊肉は食べるか。「いいえ」。豚肉は食べるか。「いいえ」。もし「はい」と言っていたら、人魚はその子を殺していただろう。人魚の体は魚と牛肉と羊肉と豚肉でできていたからである。そういうわけで、その子はどれも食べないので、人魚は岸へ連れていって放り出し、羊が拾い上げた。羊の飼い主がいくつか問いを出した——どこから来たのか、名は何というのか。子が答えると、飼い主は家まで送ってくれた。家の者はその子に会えてたいそう喜び、友だちを呼んできていっしょに楽しみ、賑やかに過ごした。