The Farmer and the Badger

Long, long ago, there lived an old farmer and his wife who had made their home in the mountains, far from any town. Their only neighbor was a bad and malicious badger. This badger used to come out every night and run across to the farmer’s field and spoil the vegetables and the rice which the farmer spent his time in carefully cultivating. The badger at last grew so ruthless in his mischievous work, and did so much harm everywhere on the farm, that the good-natured farmer could not stand it any longer, and determined to put a stop to it. So he lay in wait day after day and night after night, with a big club, hoping to catch the badger, but all in vain. Then he laid traps for the wicked animal.

むかしむかし、町から遠く離れた山に住まいを構えた、年老いた百姓とその妻がいた。たった一軒の隣人は、性悪で意地の悪い狸であった。この狸は毎晩出てきて百姓の畑へ駆け込み、百姓が丹精込めて育てている野菜や米を台なしにするのが常だった。とうとう狸のいたずらはあまりに容赦のないものになり、畑じゅうにあまりに大きな害を与えたので、気立てのよい百姓もこれ以上我慢できず、やめさせようと心を決めた。そこで来る日も来る日も、夜ごと昼ごとに大きな棍棒を持って待ち伏せ、狸を捕らえようとしたが、すべてむだだった。それから、この悪い獣のために罠を仕掛けた。

The farmer’s trouble and patience was rewarded, for one fine day on going his rounds he found the badger caught in a hole he had dug for that purpose. The farmer was delighted at having caught his enemy, and carried him home securely bound with rope. When he reached the house the farmer said to his wife:

百姓の骨折りと辛抱は報われた。ある晴れた日、見回りに行くと、そのために掘っておいた穴に狸がかかっていたのである。百姓は敵を捕らえたことに大喜びで、縄でしっかり縛って家へ運んだ。家に着くと百姓は妻に言った。

“I have at last caught the bad badger. You must keep an eye on him while I am out at work and not let him escape, because I want to make him into soup to-night.”

「とうとう悪い狸を捕まえたぞ。おれが働きに出ているあいだ、こいつから目を離さずに、逃がさないようにしてくれ。今夜こいつを汁にするつもりだからな。」

Saying this, he hung the badger up to the rafters of his storehouse and went out to his work in the fields. The badger was in great distress, for he did not at all like the idea of being made into soup that night, and he thought and thought for a long time, trying to hit upon some plan by which he might escape. It was hard to think clearly in his uncomfortable position, for he had been hung upside down. Very near him, at the entrance to the storehouse, looking out towards the green fields and the trees and the pleasant sunshine, stood the farmer’s old wife pounding barley. She looked tired and old. Her face was seamed with many wrinkles, and was as brown as leather, and every now and then she stopped to wipe the perspiration which rolled down her face.

そう言って、百姓は狸を納屋の梁に吊るし、畑仕事に出かけていった。狸はたいそう困り果てた。今夜汁にされるという考えがまるで気に入らなかったからである。そして長いあいだ考えに考えて、逃げ出す手立てを思いつこうとした。逆さに吊るされていたので、この居心地の悪い姿勢では、はっきり考えるのは難しかった。すぐそば、納屋の入口には、緑の畑と木々と心地よい日ざしを眺めながら、百姓の老いた妻が立って麦を搗いていた。疲れて年老いて見えた。顔は幾筋もの皺に刻まれ、革のように茶色く、ときおり手を止めては、顔を流れる汗をぬぐっていた。

“Dear lady,” said the wily badger, “you must be very weary doing such heavy work in your old age. Won’t you let me do that for you? My arms are very strong, and I could relieve you for a little while!”

「奥さま」と抜け目のない狸は言った。「お年を召してそんな重い仕事をなさっては、さぞお疲れでしょう。わたしが代わりにやらせていただけませんか。わたしの腕はたいそう丈夫ですから、少しのあいだお楽にしてさしあげられますよ!」

“Thank you for your kindness,” said the old woman, “but I cannot let you do this work for me because I must not untie you, for you might escape if I did, and my husband would be very angry if he came home and found you gone.”

「ご親切にありがとうよ」と婆さんは言った。「でもおまえにこの仕事はさせられない。縄を解くわけにいかないからね。解いたら逃げるかもしれないし、亭主が帰ってきておまえがいなくなっていたら、たいそう怒るだろうからね。」

Now, the badger is one of the most cunning of animals, and he said again in a very sad, gentle, voice:

さて、狸は獣のなかでも最も狡いものの一つである。狸はふたたび、たいそう悲しげな優しい声で言った。

“You are very unkind. You might untie me, for I promise not to try to escape. If you are afraid of your husband, I will let you bind me again before his return when I have finished pounding the barley. I am so tired and sore tied up like this. If you would only let me down for a few minutes I would indeed be thankful!”

「ずいぶん情けのないことをおっしゃる。縄を解いてくださってもよいでしょうに。逃げようとはしないとお約束します。ご亭主が怖いのでしたら、麦を搗き終えたら、お帰りになる前にまた縛っていただいてけっこうです。こうして縛られていては、疲れて体が痛むのです。ほんの少しのあいだ下ろしてくださるだけで、まことにありがたいのですが!」

The old woman had a good and simple nature, and could not think badly of any one. Much less did she think that the badger was only deceiving her in order to get away. She felt sorry, too, for the animal as she turned to look at him. He looked in such a sad plight hanging downwards from the ceiling by his legs, which were all tied together so tightly that the rope and the knots were cutting into the skin. So in the kindness of her heart, and believing the creature’s promise that he would not run away, she untied the cord and let him down.

婆さんは善良で素朴な気立てで、誰のことも悪く思えなかった。まして狸が逃げるために自分を欺いているだけだとは、思いもよらなかった。振り返って狸を見ると、気の毒にもなった。足を縛られて天井から逆さに吊るされ、その縄と結び目が皮に食い込んでいて、たいそう痛ましい様子だったのである。そこで心の優しさから、逃げないというこの獣の約束を信じて、婆さんは縄を解いて下ろしてやった。

The old woman then gave him the wooden pestle and told him to do the work for a short time while she rested. He took the pestle, but instead of doing the work as he was told, the badger at once sprang upon the old woman and knocked her down with the heavy piece of wood. He then killed her and cut her up and made soup of her, and waited for the return of the old farmer. The old man worked hard in his fields all day, and as he worked he thought with pleasure that no more now would his labor be spoiled by the destructive badger.

それから婆さんは木の杵を渡し、自分が休んでいるあいだ、少しのあいだ仕事をしておくれと言った。狸は杵を取ったが、言われたとおりに仕事をする代わりに、たちまち婆さんに跳びかかり、その重い木で殴り倒した。それから婆さんを殺して切り刻み、その汁を作って、老いた百姓の帰りを待った。爺さんは一日じゅう畑で懸命に働き、働きながら、もうあの破壊者の狸に自分の労が台なしにされることはないのだと、うれしく思っていた。

Towards sunset he left his work and turned to go home. He was very tired, but the thought of the nice supper of hot badger soup awaiting his return cheered him. The thought that the badger might get free and take revenge on the poor old woman never once came into his mind.

日暮れどきに爺さんは仕事を切り上げ、家へ向かった。たいそう疲れていたが、帰りを待っている熱い狸汁のうまい夕餉のことを思うと心が弾んだ。狸が自由になって、哀れな婆さんに仕返しをするかもしれないなどとは、ただの一度も頭をよぎらなかった。

The badger meanwhile assumed the old woman’s form, and as soon as he saw the old farmer approaching came out to greet him on the veranda of the little house, saying:

そのあいだに狸は婆さんの姿を取り、老いた百姓が近づいてくるのを見るやいなや、小さな家の縁側に迎えに出て言った。

“So you have come back at last. I have made the badger soup and have been waiting for you for a long time.”

「やっとお帰りだね。狸汁をこしらえて、ずいぶん長いこと待っていたんだよ。」

The old farmer quickly took off his straw sandals and sat down before his tiny dinner-tray. The innocent man never even dreamed that it was not his wife but the badger who was waiting upon him, and asked at once for the soup. Then the badger suddenly transformed himself back to his natural form and cried out:

爺さんは急いで草鞋を脱ぎ、小さな箱膳の前に座った。何も知らぬこの男は、給仕しているのが妻ではなく狸だとは夢にも思わず、すぐに汁をくれと言った。すると狸は突然もとの姿に戻って叫んだ。

“You wife-eating old man! Look out for the bones in the kitchen!”

「女房食らいの爺いめ! 台所の骨でも見るがいい!」

Laughing loudly and derisively he escaped out of the house and ran away to his den in the hills. The old man was left behind alone. He could hardly believe what he had seen and heard. Then when he understood the whole truth he was so scared and horrified that he fainted right away. After a while he came round and burst into tears. He cried loudly and bitterly. He rocked himself to and fro in his hopeless grief. It seemed too terrible to be real that his faithful old wife had been killed and cooked by the badger while he was working quietly in the fields, knowing nothing of what was going on at home, and congratulating himself on having once for all got rid of the wicked animal who had so often spoiled his fields. And oh! the horrible thought; he had very nearly drunk the soup which the creature had made of his poor old woman. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!” he wailed aloud. Now, not far away there lived in the same mountain a kind, good-natured old rabbit. He heard the old man crying and sobbing and at once set out to see what was the matter, and if there was anything he could do to help his neighbor. The old man told him all that had happened. When the rabbit heard the story he was very angry at the wicked and deceitful badger, and told the old man to leave everything to him and he would avenge his wife’s death. The farmer was at last comforted, and, wiping away his tears, thanked the rabbit for his goodness in coming to him in his distress.

そして高らかに、あざけるように笑いながら家から逃げ出し、山のすみかへ走り去った。爺さんはあとに一人残された。自分の見たもの、聞いたことが、とても信じられなかった。そして事の真相をすっかり悟ると、あまりの恐ろしさと戦慄に、その場で気を失ってしまった。しばらくして正気に返ると、わっと泣き出した。声をあげ、苦々しく泣いた。どうしようもない悲しみに、体を前後に揺すった。あまりに恐ろしくて、現とは思えなかった——自分が畑で静かに働きながら、家で何が起きているかも知らず、幾度も畑を荒らしたあの悪い獣をとうとう追い払えたと喜んでいたあいだに、忠実な老いた妻が狸に殺され、煮られていたとは。そしてああ! 身の毛のよだつことに、あの獣が哀れな妻から作った汁を、危うく飲んでしまうところだったのだ。「ああ何ということだ、何ということだ、何ということだ!」と爺さんは声をあげて嘆いた。さて、さほど遠くない同じ山に、心優しく気立てのよい年寄りの兎が住んでいた。兎は爺さんが泣きすすり泣くのを聞いて、何事かと、隣人を助けられることは何かないかと、すぐに出かけてきた。爺さんは起きたことをすべて話した。兎はその話を聞いて、悪く偽りに満ちた狸にたいそう腹を立て、すべて自分に任せてくれ、奥さんの死の仇を討ってやろうと爺さんに言った。爺さんはようやく慰められ、涙をぬぐって、悲しみのなかの自分のところへ来てくれた兎の優しさに礼を述べた。

The rabbit, seeing that the farmer was growing calmer, went back to his home to lay his plans for the punishment of the badger.

兎は百姓が落ち着いてきたのを見て、狸を罰する計略を練るために自分の家へ帰った。

The next day the weather was fine, and the rabbit went out to find the badger. He was not to be seen in the woods or on the hillside or in the fields anywhere, so the rabbit went to his den and found the badger hiding there, for the animal had been afraid to show himself ever since he had escaped from the farmer’s house, for fear of the old man’s wrath.

翌日は天気がよく、兎は狸を探しに出かけた。森にも山の中腹にも畑にも、どこにも見えなかったので、兎はすみかへ行き、そこに隠れている狸を見つけた。この獣は百姓の家から逃げて以来、爺さんの怒りを恐れて、姿を見せるのが怖かったのである。

The rabbit called out:

兎は呼びかけた。

“Why are you not out on such a beautiful day? Come out with me, and we will go and cut grass on the hills together.”

「こんな美しい日に、どうして外へ出ないんだい。一緒においでよ、二人で山へ草を刈りに行こう。」

The badger, never doubting but that the rabbit was his friend, willingly consented to go out with him, only too glad to get away from the neighborhood of the farmer and the fear of meeting him. The rabbit led the way miles away from their homes, out on the hills where the grass grew tall and thick and sweet. They both set to work to cut down as much as they could carry home, to store it up for their winter’s food. When they had each cut down all they wanted they tied it in bundles and then started homewards, each carrying his bundle of grass on his back. This time the rabbit made the badger go first.

狸は兎が自分の友だと疑いもせず、喜んで一緒に出かけることに承知した。百姓の近所と、彼に会うかもしれぬ恐れから離れられるのが、うれしくてならなかったのである。兎は家から何マイルも離れた、草が高く厚く甘く茂る山へと先に立って行った。二人とも、冬の食料に蓄えるために、持ち帰れるだけの草を刈りはじめた。それぞれが欲しいだけ刈り終えると、束に縛って家路につき、めいめい草の束を背に負った。このとき兎は狸を先に行かせた。

When they had gone a little way the rabbit took out a flint and steel, and, striking it over the badger’s back as he stepped along in front, set his bundle of grass on fire. The badger heard the flint striking, and asked:

少し行ったところで、兎は火打ち石と鉄を取り出し、前を歩く狸の背の上でそれを打ち合わせて、草の束に火をつけた。狸は火打ち石を打つ音を聞いて尋ねた。

“What is that noise. ‘Crack, crack’?”

「その音は何だ。『カチカチ』というのは。」

“Oh, that is nothing.” replied the rabbit; “I only said ‘Crack, crack’ because this mountain is called Crackling Mountain.”

「ああ、何でもないさ」と兎は答えた。「この山はカチカチ山というから、『カチカチ』と言っただけだよ。」

The fire soon spread in the bundle of dry grass on the badger’s back. The badger, hearing the crackle of the burning grass, asked, “What is that?”

火はまもなく、狸の背の乾いた草の束に広がった。狸は燃える草のぱちぱちいう音を聞いて尋ねた。「あれは何だ。」

“Now we have come to the ‘Burning Mountain,’” answered the rabbit.

「今度は『ボウボウ山』に来たのさ」と兎は答えた。

By this time the bundle was nearly burned out and all the hair had been burned off the badger’s back. He now knew what had happened by the smell of the smoke of the burning grass. Screaming with pain the badger ran as fast as he could to his hole. The rabbit followed and found him lying on his bed groaning with pain.

そのころには束はほとんど燃え尽き、狸の背の毛はすっかり焼けてしまっていた。狸は燃える草の煙の匂いで、何が起きたのかをようやく知った。痛みに叫びながら、狸はできるかぎりの速さで自分の穴へ走った。兎はあとを追い、狸が寝床に横たわって痛みにうめいているのを見つけた。

“What an unlucky fellow you are!” said the rabbit. “I can’t imagine how this happened! I will bring you some medicine which will heal your back quickly!”

「なんと運の悪いやつだ!」と兎は言った。「どうしてこんなことになったのか、まるで見当もつかないよ! 背中がすぐに治る薬を持ってきてやろう!」

The rabbit went away glad and smiling to think that the punishment upon the badger had already begun. He hoped that the badger would die of his burns, for he felt that nothing could be too bad for the animal, who was guilty of murdering a poor helpless old woman who had trusted him. He went home and made an ointment by mixing some sauce and red pepper together.

兎は、狸への罰がもう始まったと思うと、うれしくなって微笑みながら帰っていった。狸が火傷で死ねばよいと願っていた。自分を信じた哀れで無力な婆さんを殺した罪を負うこの獣には、どんな罰も重すぎることはないと思ったのである。兎は家へ帰り、味噌と唐辛子を混ぜて膏薬をこしらえた。

He carried this to the badger, but before putting it on he told him that it would cause him great pain, but that he must bear it patiently, because it was a very wonderful medicine for burns and scalds and such wounds. The badger thanked him and begged him to apply it at once. But no language can describe the agony of the badger as soon as the red pepper had been pasted all over his sore back. He rolled over and over and howled loudly. The rabbit, looking on, felt that the farmer’s wife was beginning to be avenged.

兎はそれを狸のところへ持っていき、塗る前に、これはたいそう痛むだろうが、火傷や湯傷やそうした傷にはこのうえなく効く薬だから、辛抱して耐えねばならぬと告げた。狸は礼を言い、すぐに塗ってくれと頼んだ。けれども、ただれた背一面に唐辛子が塗りつけられたときの狸の苦しみようは、どんな言葉にも言い表せない。狸は転げまわり、大声で吠えた。それを眺めながら、兎は百姓の妻の仇が討たれはじめたと感じた。

The badger was in bed for about a month; but at last, in spite of the red pepper application, his burns healed and he got well. When the rabbit saw that the badger was getting well, he thought of another plan by which he could compass the creature’s death. So he went one day to pay the badger a visit and to congratulate him on his recovery.

狸はひと月ほど床についていたが、とうとう唐辛子の膏薬にもかかわらず火傷は癒え、達者になった。兎は狸が治ってきたのを見て、この獣の命を奪う別の計略を思いついた。そこである日、狸を訪ねて、快癒を祝いに出かけた。

During the conversation the rabbit mentioned that he was going fishing, and described how pleasant fishing was when the weather was fine and the sea smooth.

話の途中で、兎は自分は釣りに行くのだと言い、天気がよく海の穏やかなときの釣りがどれほど楽しいかを語った。

The badger listened with pleasure to the rabbit’s account of the way he passed his time now, and forgot all his pains and his month’s illness, and thought what fun it would be if he could go fishing too; so he asked the rabbit if he would take him the next time he went out to fish. This was just what the rabbit wanted, so he agreed.

狸は、兎が近ごろどう時を過ごしているかという話を喜んで聞き、痛みもひと月の病もすっかり忘れて、自分も釣りに行けたらどんなに面白いだろうと思った。そこで、次に釣りに出るときには連れていってくれないかと兎に頼んだ。これこそまさに兎の望んでいたことだったので、兎は承知した。

Then he went home and built two boats, one of wood and the other of clay. At last they were both finished, and as the rabbit stood and looked at his work he felt that all his trouble would be well rewarded if his plan succeeded, and he could manage to kill the wicked badger now.

それから兎は家へ帰って、舟を二艘こしらえた。一艘は木で、もう一艘は泥である。とうとう両方とも仕上がり、兎は自分の仕事を眺めて立ちながら、この計略がうまくいって、あの悪い狸をとうとう仕留められるなら、骨折りはすっかり報われると思った。

The day came when the rabbit had arranged to take the badger fishing. He kept the wooden boat himself and gave the badger the clay boat. The badger, who knew nothing about boats, was delighted with his new boat and thought how kind it was of the rabbit to give it to him. They both got into their boats and set out. After going some distance from the shore the rabbit proposed that they should try their boats and see which one could go the quickest. The badger fell in with the proposal, and they both set to work to row as fast as they could for some time. In the middle of the race the badger found his boat going to pieces, for the water now began to soften the clay. He cried out in great fear to the rabbit to help him. But the rabbit answered that he was avenging the old woman’s murder, and that this had been his intention all along, and that he was happy to think that the badger had at last met his deserts for all his evil crimes, and was to drown with no one to help him. Then he raised his oar and struck at the badger with all his strength till he fell with the sinking clay boat and was seen no more.

兎が狸を釣りに連れていくと取り決めた日が来た。兎は木の舟を自分のものにして、狸には泥の舟を与えた。舟のことを何も知らない狸は、新しい舟に大喜びで、兎がくれるとはなんと親切なことかと思った。二人とも舟に乗って漕ぎ出した。岸からいくらか離れたところで、兎は、どちらの舟が速いか、舟比べをしようと言い出した。狸はその話に乗り、二人ともしばらくのあいだ、力のかぎり速く漕ぎはじめた。競い合いのさなかに、狸は自分の舟が崩れていくのに気づいた。水が泥をふやかしはじめたのである。狸はひどく怯えて、助けてくれと兎に叫んだ。けれども兎は、自分は婆さんを殺された仇を討っているのだ、これは初めからの目論見だったのだ、狸がとうとうその悪行のすべてに見合う報いを受けて、誰にも助けられずに溺れるのだと思うとうれしい、と答えた。それから櫂を振り上げ、力のかぎり狸に打ちかかった。とうとう狸は沈む泥の舟とともに落ち、二度と姿を見せなかった。

Thus at last he kept his promise to the old farmer. The rabbit now turned and rowed shorewards, and having landed and pulled his boat upon the beach, hurried back to tell the old farmer everything, and how the badger, his enemy, had been killed.

こうして兎はついに老いた百姓との約束を守った。兎は向きを変えて岸へ漕ぎ戻り、上陸して舟を浜へ引き上げると、急いで爺さんのもとへ戻り、一部始終と、敵である狸をどうやって討ち取ったかを話した。

The old farmer thanked him with tears in his eyes. He said that till now he could never sleep at night or be at peace in the daytime, thinking of how his wife’s death was unavenged, but from this time he would be able to sleep and eat as of old. He begged the rabbit to stay with him and share his home, so from this day the rabbit went to stay with the old farmer and they both lived together as good friends to the end of their days.

老いた百姓は目に涙を浮かべて礼を述べた。今までは、妻の死の仇が討たれていないことを思うと、夜も眠れず、昼も心安らかでいられなかったが、これからは昔のように眠り、食べられるだろうと言った。そして兎に、ここにとどまって一緒に暮らしてくれと乞うた。そこでこの日から兎は爺さんのもとに住むようになり、二人はよい友としてともに生涯を終えたのである。