The Goblin of Adachigahara

Long, long ago there was a large plain called Adachigahara, in the province of Mutsu in Japan. This place was said to be haunted by a cannibal goblin who took the form of an old woman. From time to time many travelers disappeared and were never heard of more, and the old women round the charcoal braziers in the evenings, and the girls washing the household rice at the wells in the mornings, whispered dreadful stories of how the missing folk had been lured to the goblin’s cottage and devoured, for the goblin lived only on human flesh. No one dared to venture near the haunted spot after sunset, and all those who could, avoided it in the daytime, and travelers were warned of the dreaded place.

むかしむかし、日本の陸奥の国に、安達ヶ原という広い原があった。この土地には、老婆の姿をした人食いの鬼が棲むと言われていた。折にふれて多くの旅人が姿を消し、二度と消息を聞かれることがなかった。そして夕方、炭火の火鉢を囲む老女たちや、朝、井戸で家の米をとぐ娘たちは、行方知れずになった人々がいかにして鬼の小屋へ誘い込まれ、食われてしまったかを、恐ろしげにささやき合った。その鬼は人の肉だけを食べて生きているというのである。日が落ちてからその祟りの場所に近づこうとする者は一人もおらず、できる者はみな昼間でもそこを避け、旅人にはあの恐ろしい土地のことが伝えられていた。

One day as the sun was setting, a priest came to the plain. He was a belated traveler, and his robe showed that he was a Buddhist pilgrim walking from shrine to shrine to pray for some blessing or to crave for forgiveness of sins. He had apparently lost his way, and as it was late he met no one who could show him the road or warn him of the haunted spot.

ある日、日が沈むころ、一人の僧がこの原へやってきた。日暮れに遅れた旅人であり、その衣は、何かの加護を祈るか罪の赦しを乞うかして、社から社へと歩く仏道の巡礼であることを示していた。どうやら道に迷ったらしく、遅い時刻であったから、道を教えてくれる者にも、祟りの場所を教えてくれる者にも出会わなかった。

He had walked the whole day and was now tired and hungry, and the evenings were chilly, for it was late autumn, and he began to be very anxious to find some house where he could obtain a night’s lodging. He found himself lost in the midst of the large plain, and looked about in vain for some sign of human habitation.

僧は一日じゅう歩き通し、いまや疲れて腹を空かせていた。晩秋のことで夕暮れは冷え、一夜の宿を借りられる家をぜひとも見つけたいと思いはじめた。気がつけば広い原の真ん中で道を見失っており、人の住まいの気配を探してあたりを見まわしたが、何も見えなかった。

At last, after wandering about for some hours, he saw a clump of trees in the distance, and through the trees he caught sight of the glimmer of a single ray of light. He exclaimed with joy:

とうとう、幾時かさまよったのち、遠くに木立が見え、その木々の合間に一条の光がちらつくのが目に入った。僧は喜びの声をあげた。

“Oh. surely that is some cottage where I can get a night’s lodging!”

「おお、あれはきっと小屋だ。一夜の宿を借りられよう!」

Keeping the light before his eyes he dragged his weary, aching feet as quickly as he could towards the spot, and soon came to a miserable-looking little cottage. As he drew near he saw that it was in a tumble-down condition, the bamboo fence was broken and weeds and grass pushed their way through the gaps. The paper screens which serve as windows and doors in Japan were full of holes, and the posts of the house were bent with age and seemed scarcely able to support the old thatched roof. The hut was open, and by the light of an old lantern an old woman sat industriously spinning.

光を目の前に置いたまま、疲れて痛む足をできるかぎり急がせてその場所へ向かうと、まもなくみすぼらしい小さな小屋にたどり着いた。近づいてみると、それは今にも崩れそうな有様で、竹垣は壊れ、隙間から雑草と草が伸び出していた。日本で窓や戸の役をする紙の障子は穴だらけで、家の柱は年を経て歪み、古い茅葺きの屋根をかろうじて支えているように見えた。小屋は開け放たれており、古い行灯の明かりのもとで、一人の老婆がせっせと糸を紡いでいた。

The pilgrim called to her across the bamboo fence and said:

巡礼は竹垣越しに老婆に声をかけて言った。

“O Baa San (old woman), good evening! I am a traveler! Please excuse me, but I have lost my way and do not know what to do, for I have nowhere to rest to-night. I beg you to be good enough to let me spend the night under your roof.”

「おお婆さん、こんばんは。わたしは旅の者です。まことに恐れ入りますが、道に迷ってしまい、どうしてよいか分かりません。今夜は休む場所もないのです。どうか、あなたの屋根の下で一夜を過ごさせてください。」

The old woman as soon as she heard herself spoken to stopped spinning, rose from her seat and approached the intruder.

老婆は声をかけられるやいなや糸を紡ぐ手を止め、座から立ち上がって、この闖入者に近づいた。

“I am very sorry for you. You must indeed be distressed to have lost your way in such a lonely spot so late at night. Unfortunately I cannot put you up, for I have no bed to offer you, and no accommodation whatsoever for a guest in this poor place!”

「それはお気の毒に。こんな寂しい場所で、こんな夜更けに道に迷われては、さぞお困りでしょう。あいにく、お泊めすることはできません。差し上げる寝床もなく、この貧しい住まいには客をもてなすものが何一つないのです。」

“Oh, that does not matter,” said the priest; “all I want is a shelter under some roof for the night, and if you will be good enough just to let me lie on the kitchen floor I shall be grateful. I am too tired to walk further to-night, so I hope you will not refuse me, otherwise I shall have to sleep out on the cold plain.” And in this way he pressed the old woman to let him stay.

「おお、それはかまいません」と僧は言った。「わたしが欲しいのは、ただ一夜の屋根の下の雨露しのぎです。台所の床に横になることさえお許しくだされば、ありがたく存じます。今夜これ以上歩くには疲れすぎております。どうかお断りにならないでください。さもなければ、冷たい原で野宿するほかありません。」こうして僧は、泊めてくれるようにと老婆に強く頼んだ。

She seemed very reluctant, but at last she said:

老婆はたいそう気が進まない様子であったが、とうとうこう言った。

“Very well, I will let you stay here. I can offer you a very poor welcome only, but come in now and I will make a fire, for the night is cold.”

「よろしゅうございます、ここにお泊めしましょう。ろくなもてなしもできませんが、さあお入りなさい。火を熾しましょう。夜は冷えますから。」

The pilgrim was only too glad to do as he was told. He took off his sandals and entered the hut. The old woman then brought some sticks of wood and lit the fire, and bade her guest draw near and warm himself.

巡礼は言われたとおりにするのが嬉しくてならなかった。草鞋を脱いで小屋に入った。老婆は薪を何本か持ってきて火を熾し、客に近くへ寄って暖まるようにと勧めた。

“You must be hungry after your long tramp,” said the old woman. “I will go and cook some supper for you.” She then went to the kitchen to cook some rice.

「長い道中で、お腹も空いておいででしょう」と老婆は言った。「行って夕餉をこしらえてまいります。」そして飯を炊きに台所へ行った。

After the priest had finished his supper the old woman sat down by the fire-place, and they talked together for a long time. The pilgrim thought to himself that he had been very lucky to come across such a kind, hospitable old woman. At last the wood gave out, and as the fire died slowly down he began to shiver with cold just as he had done when he arrived.

僧が夕餉を終えると、老婆は炉端に腰を下ろし、二人は長いこと語り合った。巡礼は心の中で、これほど親切でもてなし深い老婆に出会えたのは幸運だったと思った。とうとう薪が尽き、火がゆるゆると消えていくと、僧は着いたときと同じように寒さに震えはじめた。

“I see you are cold,” said the old woman; “I will go out and gather some wood, for we have used it all. You must stay and take care of the house while I am gone.”

「お寒いようですね」と老婆は言った。「薪を集めに出てまいります。すっかり使ってしまいましたから。わたしが留守のあいだ、ここにいて家を見ていてください。」

“No, no,” said the pilgrim, “let me go instead, for you are old, and I cannot think of letting you go out to get wood for me this cold night!”

「いえいえ」と巡礼は言った。「代わりにわたしが行きましょう。あなたはお年を召しておられる。こんな寒い夜に、わたしのために薪を取りに行かせるなど、思いもよりません!」

The old woman shook her head and said:

老婆は首を振って言った。

“You must stay quietly here, for you are my guest.” Then she left him and went out.

「あなたはここで静かにしていてください。お客なのですから。」そう言って僧を残し、出ていった。

In a minute she came back and said:

ほどなく老婆は戻ってきて言った。

“You must sit where you are and not move, and whatever happens don’t go near or look into the inner room. Now mind what I tell you!”

「そこに座ったまま動かないでください。そして何が起ころうと、奥の部屋に近づいたり、覗いたりしてはなりません。よろしいですね、わたしの言うことを心に留めておいてください!」

“If you tell me not to go near the back room, of course I won’t,” said the priest, rather bewildered.

「奥の部屋に近づくなと仰せなら、もちろん近づきません」と僧はいささか当惑して言った。

The old woman then went out again, and the priest was left alone. The fire had died out, and the only light in the hut was that of a dim lantern. For the first time that night he began to feel that he was in a weird place, and the old woman’s words, “Whatever you do don’t peep into the back room,” aroused his curiosity and his fear.

老婆はふたたび出ていき、僧は一人残された。火は消え、小屋にあるのは薄暗い行灯の明かりだけであった。その夜はじめて、僧は自分が怪しい場所にいることを感じはじめた。そして老婆の「何をしようと奥の部屋を覗いてはなりません」という言葉が、好奇心と恐れをかき立てた。

What hidden thing could be in that room that she did not wish him to see? For some time the remembrance of his promise to the old woman kept him still, but at last he could no longer resist his curiosity to peep into the forbidden place.

老婆が見せたくないというのは、あの部屋に何が隠されているからなのか。しばらくは老婆との約束を思い出して身を慎んでいたが、とうとう、禁じられた場所を覗いてみたいという好奇心に抗いきれなくなった。

He got up and began to move slowly towards the back room. Then the thought that the old woman would be very angry with him if he disobeyed her made him come back to his place by the fireside.

僧は立ち上がり、奥の部屋へゆっくりと歩きはじめた。すると、言いつけに背けば老婆がたいそう腹を立てるだろうという思いが浮かび、炉端の自分の場所へ戻った。

As the minutes went slowly by and the old woman did not return, he began to feel more and more frightened, and to wonder what dreadful secret was in the room behind him. He must find out.

時が刻一刻と過ぎても老婆は戻らず、僧はいよいよ怖くなり、背後の部屋にどんな恐ろしい秘密があるのだろうかと考えはじめた。どうしても確かめねばならない。

“She will not know that I have looked unless I tell her. I will just have a peep before she comes back,” said the man to himself.

「わたしが言わなければ、見たことは分かるまい。戻ってくる前に、ちょっと覗くだけだ」と男は心の中で言った。

With these words he got up on his feet (for he had been sitting all this time in Japanese fashion with his feet under him) and stealthily crept towards the forbidden spot. With trembling hands he pushed back the sliding door and looked in. What he saw froze the blood in his veins. The room was full of dead men’s bones and the walls were splashed and the floor was covered with human blood. In one corner skull upon skull rose to the ceiling, in another was a heap of arm bones, in another a heap of leg bones. The sickening smell made him faint. He fell backwards with horror, and for some time lay in a heap with fright on the floor, a pitiful sight. He trembled all over and his teeth chattered, and he could hardly crawl away from the dreadful spot.

そう言って立ち上がり(それまでずっと日本ふうに足を折って座っていたのである)、禁じられた場所へそっと忍び寄った。震える手で引き戸を押し開け、中を覗いた。そこに見たものは、彼の血を凍らせた。部屋は死人の骨で埋まり、壁には血が飛び散り、床は人の血で覆われていた。一隅には髑髏が天井まで積み上がり、別の隅には腕の骨の山が、また別の隅には脚の骨の山があった。吐き気を催す臭いに気が遠くなった。僧は恐ろしさに後ろへ倒れ、しばらくは怯えたまま床に丸まって伏していた。哀れな有様である。全身が震え、歯の根が合わず、その恐ろしい場所から這って離れることさえままならなかった。

“How horrible!” he cried out. “What awful den have I come to in my travels? May Buddha help me or I am lost. Is it possible that that kind old woman is really the cannibal goblin? When she comes back she will show herself in her true character and eat me up at one mouthful!”

「なんと恐ろしい!」と僧は叫んだ。「旅の途中で、なんという恐ろしい巣穴に来てしまったのだ。仏よ、お助けください。さもなくばわたしは終わりです。あの親切な老婆が、まことに人食いの鬼なのか。戻ってくれば、本性を現してわたしを一口に食ってしまうにちがいない!」

With these words his strength came back to him and, snatching up his hat and staff, he rushed out of the house as fast as his legs could carry him. Out into the night he ran, his one thought to get as far as he could from the goblin’s haunt. He had not gone far when he heard steps behind him and a voice crying: “Stop! stop!”

この言葉とともに力が戻り、僧は笠と杖をひっつかんで、足の続くかぎりの速さで家を飛び出した。夜の中へ駆け出し、ただ一つの思いは、鬼の棲み処からできるだけ遠くへ離れることであった。ほどなく背後に足音が聞こえ、「待て! 待て!」と叫ぶ声がした。

He ran on, redoubling his speed, pretending not to hear. As he ran he heard the steps behind him come nearer and nearer, and at last he recognized the old woman’s voice which grew louder and louder as she came nearer.

僧は聞こえぬふりをして、速度を倍にして走り続けた。走るうちに、背後の足音がいよいよ近づいてくるのが聞こえ、とうとうそれが老婆の声であることに気づいた。その声は近づくにつれて大きくなっていった。

“Stop! stop, you wicked man, why did you look into the forbidden room?”

「待て! 待て、悪しき者め。なぜ禁じた部屋を覗いた!」

The priest quite forgot how tired he was and his feet flew over the ground faster than ever. Fear gave him strength, for he knew that if the goblin caught him he would soon be one of her victims. With all his heart he repeated the prayer to Buddha:

僧は自分がどれほど疲れていたかをすっかり忘れ、その足はこれまでになく速く地を蹴った。恐怖が力を与えたのである。鬼に捕まれば、たちまちその餌食の一人になると分かっていたからだ。彼は心のかぎり仏への祈りを繰り返した。

“Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu.”

「南無阿弥陀仏、南無阿弥陀仏。」

And after him rushed the dreadful old hag, her hair flying in the wind, and her face changing with rage into the demon that she was. In her hand she carried a large blood-stained knife, and she still shrieked after him, “Stop! stop!”

その後ろを、あの恐ろしい老婆が追ってきた。髪は風になびき、その顔は怒りとともに、まさにその正体である鬼の相へと変わっていった。手には血に染まった大きな包丁を握り、なおも「待て! 待て!」と叫び続けた。

At last, when the priest felt he could run no more, the dawn broke, and with the darkness of night the goblin vanished and he was safe. The priest now knew that he had met the Goblin of Adachigahara, the story of whom he had often heard but never believed to be true. He felt that he owed his wonderful escape to the protection of Buddha to whom he had prayed for help, so he took out his rosary and bowing his head as the sun rose he said his prayers and made his thanksgiving earnestly. He then set forward for another part of the country, only too glad to leave the haunted plain behind him.

とうとう、僧がもう走れないと感じたとき、夜が明けた。そして夜の闇とともに鬼は消え、僧は助かった。僧はいま、自分が安達ヶ原の鬼に出会ったのだと知った。その話はたびたび耳にしていたが、本当のこととは信じていなかったのである。この不思議な逃れは、助けを祈った仏の加護によるものだと感じ、数珠を取り出し、日が昇るなかで頭を垂れ、心をこめて祈りと感謝を捧げた。それから僧は国の別の土地へ向かって歩き出した。あの祟りの原を後にできるのが、ただただ嬉しかった。