The Jelly Fish and the Monkey

Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the Sea. His power was immense, for he was the ruler of all sea creatures both great and small, and in his keeping were the Jewels of the Ebb and Flow of the Tide. The Jewel of the Ebbing Tide when thrown into the ocean caused the sea to recede from the land, and the Jewel of the Flowing Tide made the waves to rise mountains high and to flow in upon the shore like a tidal wave.

むかしむかし、古い日本の海の国は、たいそう立派な王に治められていた。その名は竜神(りんじん)、すなわち海の竜王といった。その力は計り知れず、大小あらゆる海の生き物の支配者であり、その手には潮の満ち引きの珠が握られていた。潮を引かせる珠を海に投げ入れると、海は陸から退き、潮を満たす珠は、波を山のように高く立ち上がらせて、津波のように岸へ寄せさせた。

The Palace of Rin Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so beautiful that no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. The walls were of coral, the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and the floors were of the finest mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, in spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, his beautiful Palace and all its wonders, and his power which none disputed throughout the whole sea, was not at all happy, for he reigned alone. At last he thought that if he married he would not only be happier, but also more powerful. So he decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish retainers together, he chose several of them as ambassadors to go through the sea and seek for a young Dragon Princess who would be his bride.

竜神の宮殿は海の底にあり、あまりに美しいので、夢のなかでさえこれに似たものを見た者はなかった。壁は珊瑚、屋根は翡翠と緑玉髄、床はこのうえなく上等な真珠貝であった。けれども竜王は、広大な国も、美しい宮殿とそのすべての驚異も、海じゅうで誰も逆らえぬ力も持ちながら、少しも幸せではなかった。ひとりで治めていたからである。とうとう王は、妻を迎えれば、より幸せになるばかりか、より力も増すだろうと考えた。そこで妻をめとることに決めた。魚の家来をみな呼び集め、そのうち何匹かを使者に選んで、海を巡って自分の花嫁となる若い竜の姫を探させた。

At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely young dragon. Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of summer beetles, her eyes threw out glances of fire, and she was dressed in gorgeous robes. All the jewels of the sea worked in with embroidery adorned them.

やがて使者たちは、美しい若い竜を連れて宮殿に戻ってきた。その鱗は夏の甲虫の羽のように輝く緑で、その目は火のようなまなざしを放ち、豪奢な衣をまとっていた。海のあらゆる宝玉が縫い取られて衣を飾っていた。

The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was celebrated with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from the great whales down to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer their congratulations to the bride and bridegroom and to wish them a long and prosperous life. Never had there been such an assemblage or such gay festivities in the Fish-World before. The train of bearers who carried the bride’s possessions to her new home seemed to reach across the waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each fish carried a phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial robes, gleaming blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose and fell and broke that night seemed to be rolling masses of white and green fire, for the phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in honor of the event.

王はたちまち恋に落ち、婚礼はたいそう壮麗に執り行われた。海のあらゆる生き物が、大きな鯨から小さな海老に至るまで、群れをなしてやって来て、花嫁と花婿に祝いを述べ、長く栄える日々を祈った。魚の世界でこれほどの集いも、これほど華やかな祝いも、かつてなかった。花嫁の持ち物を新しい住まいへ運ぶ者たちの行列は、海の端から端まで波を渡って届くかと見えた。魚の一匹一匹が燐光の提灯をかかげ、青や桃色や銀に光る礼装をまとっていた。そしてその夜、寄せては返して砕ける波は、白と緑の炎が渦巻いているように見えた。この慶事をたたえて、燐光が倍も明るく輝いたからである。

Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. They loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took delight in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his coral Palace, and she was never tired of wandering with him through its vast halls and gardens. Life seemed to them both like a long summer’s day.

さて、しばらくのあいだ竜王と花嫁はたいそう幸せに暮らした。二人は深く愛し合い、花婿は日ごとに、珊瑚の宮殿のあらゆる不思議と宝を花嫁に見せることを楽しみ、花嫁も広い広間や庭を夫とともにめぐることに飽きなかった。二人には、暮らしが長い夏の一日のように思われた。

Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell ill and was obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled when he saw his precious bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish doctor to come and give her some medicine. He gave special orders to the servants to nurse her carefully and to wait upon her with diligence, but in spite of all the nurses’ assiduous care and the medicine that the doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no signs of recovery, but grew daily worse.

こうして幸せに二月が過ぎ、それから竜の妃が病にかかって床につかねばならなくなった。王は大切な花嫁がこれほど病んでいるのを見てひどく心を痛め、すぐに魚の医者を呼んで薬を与えさせた。家来たちには、念入りに看病し、まめまめしく仕えるようにと特に命じた。けれども看護の者たちのたゆまぬ世話にも、医者の処方した薬にもかかわらず、若い妃は快復の兆しを見せず、日ごとに悪くなっていった。

Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not curing the Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Rin Jin’s evident displeasure, and excused his want of skill by saying that although he knew the right kind of medicine to give the invalid, it was impossible to find it in the sea.

そこで竜王は医者に会い、妃を治せぬことを責めた。医者は竜神の明らかな不興に恐れをなし、病人に与えるべき正しい薬は分かっているのだが、それを海で見つけることはできないのだと言って、自分の腕の足りなさを弁解した。

“Do you mean to tell me that you can’t get the medicine here?” asked the Dragon King.

「ここではその薬が手に入らぬと申すのか」と竜王は尋ねた。

“It is just as you say!” said the doctor.

「おっしゃるとおりでございます!」と医者は言った。

“Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?” demanded Rin Jin.

「妃のために何が要るのか言うがよい」と竜神は迫った。

“I want the liver of a live monkey!” answered the doctor.

「生きた猿の肝が欲しいのでございます!」と医者は答えた。

“The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult to get,” said the King.

「生きた猿の肝! それはむろん、手に入れるのがこのうえなく難しかろう」と王は言った。

“If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon recover,” said the doctor.

「それさえ妃さまに差し上げられれば、御方はまもなく快復なさいましょう」と医者は言った。

“Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But where are we most likely to find a monkey?” asked the King.

「よろしい、では決まりだ。何としても手に入れねばならぬ。だが猿はどこで見つかりそうか」と王は尋ねた。

Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south there was a Monkey Island where a great many monkeys lived.

すると医者は竜王に、南へいくらか行ったところに猿が島というのがあって、たいそう多くの猿が住んでいると告げた。

“If only you could capture one of these monkeys?” said the doctor.

「その猿の一匹でも捕らえられさえすれば」と医者は言った。

“How can any of my people capture a monkey?” said the Dragon King, greatly puzzled. “The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don’t see what we can do!”

「わが民の誰に猿が捕らえられよう」と竜王はすっかり困り果てて言った。「猿は乾いた陸に住み、われらは水に住む。自分の居場所を離れれば、われらはまるで無力だ! どうすればよいか分からぬ!」

“That has been my difficulty too,” said the doctor. “But amongst your innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on shore for that express purpose!”

「それはわたくしにとっても難題でございました」と医者は言った。「けれども数えきれぬご家来のなかには、まさにそのために陸へ上がれる者が、きっと見つかりましょう!」

“Something must be done,” said the King, and calling his chief steward he consulted him on the matter.

「何とかせねばならぬ」と王は言い、家令の長を呼んでこの件を相談した。

The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a sudden thought, said joyfully:

家令の長はしばらく考えていたが、それから突然何かを思いついたように、うれしそうに言った。

“I know what we must do! There is the kurage (jelly fish). He is certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on land with his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the Island of Monkeys to catch one.”

「どうすればよいか分かりました! くらげがおります。確かに見てくれは醜うございますが、亀のように四本の足で陸を歩けることを誇りにしております。あれを猿が島へ遣わして、一匹捕らえさせましょう。」

The jelly fish was then summoned to the King’s presence, and was told by His Majesty what was required of him.

そこでくらげが王の御前に召され、何を求められているかを王御自ら告げられた。

The jelly fish, on being told of the unexpected mission which was to be intrusted to him, looked very troubled, and said that he had never been to the island in question, and as he had never had any experience in catching monkeys he was afraid that he would not be able to get one.

くらげは、思いもよらぬ役目を託されると聞いてたいそう困った顔をし、その島へは行ったことがないし、猿を捕らえた覚えもないので、捕らえられないのではないかと恐れると申し上げた。

“Well,” said the chief steward, “if you depend on your strength or dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a trick on one!”

「まあよい」と家令の長は言った。「力や器用さを頼りにしていては、猿は決して捕らえられぬ。ただひとつの手は、一杯食わせることだ!」

“How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don’t know how to do it,” said the perplexed jelly fish.

「どうやって猿に一杯食わせるのです。そんなやり方は存じません」と、途方に暮れたくらげは言った。

“This is what you must do,” said the wily chief steward. “When you approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must try to get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of the Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the Dragon King’s Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can the grandeur of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to arouse his curiosity and make him long to see it all!”

「こうするのだ」と狡い家令の長は言った。「猿が島に近づいて何匹か猿に出会ったら、一匹と親しくなろうとするのだ。自分は竜王の家来だと告げて、訪ねてきて竜王の宮殿を見てはどうかと誘え。宮殿の壮麗さと海の不思議を、できるかぎり生き生きと語って、猿の好奇心をかき立て、どうしても見たくてたまらぬようにするのだ!」

“But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don’t swim?” said the reluctant jelly fish.

「けれども、どうやってその猿をここまで連れてくるのです。猿は泳げないのをご存じでしょう」としぶるくらげは言った。

“You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if you can’t do that!” said the chief steward.

「背に乗せて運ぶのだ。それができぬなら、おまえの甲羅が何の役に立つ!」と家令の長は言った。

“Won’t he be very heavy?” queried kurage again.

「ずいぶん重いのではありませんか」とくらげはまた尋ねた。

“You mustn’t mind that, for you are working for the Dragon King,” replied the chief steward.

「そんなことを気にするな。おまえは竜王のために働くのだからな」と家令の長は答えた。

“I will do my best then,” said the jelly fish, and he swam away from the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island. Swimming swiftly he reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a convenient wave upon the shore. On looking round he saw not far away a big pine-tree with drooping branches and on one of those branches was just what he was looking for—a live monkey.

「では、できるかぎりやってみます」とくらげは言い、宮殿から泳ぎ出して猿が島へ向かった。速く泳いで数時間で目指す地に着き、ちょうどよい波に乗って岸に上がった。あたりを見回すと、さほど遠くないところに枝の垂れた大きな松の木があり、その枝の一本に、まさに探していたもの——生きた猿がいた。

“I’m in luck!” thought the jelly fish. “Now I must flatter the creature and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, and my part will be done!”

「運がいいぞ!」とくらげは思った。「さあ、この生き物をおだてて、一緒に宮殿へ来るように誘い込もう。そうすればわたしの務めは果たせる!」

So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those ancient days the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a tortoise. When he got to the pine-tree he raised his voice and said:

そこでくらげはゆっくりと松の木のほうへ歩いていった。あの古い時代には、くらげには四本の足と、亀のような硬い甲羅があったのである。松の木のところに着くと、くらげは声をあげて言った。

“How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn’t it a lovely day?”

「ごきげんよう、猿どの。よいお日和ですな。」

“A very fine day,” answered the monkey from the tree. “I have never seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from and what is your name?”

「まったくよい日和だ」と猿は木の上から答えた。「このあたりでおまえを見たことはないな。どこから来て、何という名だ。」

“My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the Dragon King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I have come on purpose to see it,” answered the jelly fish.

「わたしの名はくらげと申します。竜王の家来の一人でございます。あなたの美しい島のことをずいぶん聞いておりましたので、わざわざ見に参りました」とくらげは答えた。

“I am very glad to see you,” said the monkey.

「よく来たな」と猿は言った。

“By the bye,” said the jelly fish, “have you ever seen the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?”

「ときに」とくらげは言った。「わたしの住む海の竜王の宮殿をご覧になったことはおありですか。」

“I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!” answered the monkey.

「よく耳にはするが、見たことはない!」と猿は答えた。

“Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to go through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is beyond all description—it is certainly to my mind the most lovely place in the world,” said the jelly fish.

「では、ぜひともおいでになるべきです。あれを見ずに一生を過ごされるのは、たいそう惜しいことです。宮殿の美しさは言葉では言い表せません——わたしに言わせれば、まさしくこの世でいちばん美しい場所でございます」とくらげは言った。

“Is it so beautiful as all that?” asked the monkey in astonishment.

「そんなに美しいのか」と猿は驚いて尋ねた。

Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the best of his ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King’s Palace, and the wonders of the garden with its curious trees of white, pink and red coral, and the still more curious fruits like great jewels hanging on the branches. The monkey grew more and more interested, and as he listened he came down the tree step by step so as not to lose a word of the wonderful story.

そこでくらげは好機と見て、海の王の宮殿の美しさと壮麗さ、白や桃色や赤の珊瑚の珍しい木々のある庭の不思議、枝にぶら下がる大きな宝玉のような、さらに珍しい実のことを、力のかぎり語りつづけた。猿はますます興をそそられ、聞くうちに、この不思議な話をひと言も聞き漏らすまいと、一段また一段と木を下りてきた。

“I have got him at last!” thought the jelly fish, but aloud he said:

「とうとう仕留めたぞ!」とくらげは思ったが、口に出してはこう言った。

“Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace of the Dragon King, won’t you avail yourself of this splendid opportunity by coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide and show you all the sights of the sea, which will be even more wonderful to you—a land-lubber.”

「猿どの。わたしはもう帰らねばなりません。竜王の宮殿をご覧になったことがないのなら、この願ってもない機会を生かして、一緒においでになりませんか。そうすればわたしが案内役となって、海の名所をすべてお見せできます。陸の者であるあなたには、いっそう不思議に思われましょう。」

“I should love to go,” said the monkey, “but how am I to cross the water! I can’t swim, as you surely know!”

「ぜひ行きたいものだが」と猿は言った。「どうやって水を渡ればいい。ご存じのとおり、おれは泳げないのだ!」

“There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back.”

「それは少しも難しいことではありません。わたしの背に乗せてお運びしましょう。」

“That will be troubling you too much,” said the monkey.

「それではあまりに手間をかけさせてしまう」と猿は言った。

“I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you needn’t hesitate,” said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on his back he stepped into the sea.

「わけもないことです。見かけよりも丈夫ですから、ご遠慮なさいますな」とくらげは言い、猿を背に乗せて海へ踏み出した。

“Keep very still, Mr. monkey,” said the jelly fish. “You mustn’t fall into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the King’s Palace.”

「じっとしていてください、猿どの」とくらげは言った。「海に落ちてはいけません。あなたを無事に王の宮殿までお連れするのは、わたしの役目なのですから。」

“Please don’t go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off,” said the monkey.

「そんなに速く行かないでくれ。でないときっと落ちてしまう」と猿は言った。

Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with the monkey sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the jelly fish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the monkey had his liver with him or not!

こうして二人は進んだ。くらげは波を切って進み、猿はその背に座っていた。道半ばまで来たころ、体の造りをほとんど知らないくらげは、猿が肝を持ってきているかどうかが気になりはじめた。

“Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?”

「猿どの、教えてください。肝というものをお持ちですか。」

The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked what the jelly fish wanted with a liver.

猿はこの奇妙な問いにたいそう驚き、くらげが肝に何の用があるのかと尋ねた。

“That is the most important thing of all,” said the stupid jelly fish, “so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours with you?”

「それこそ何より大事なものなのです」と愚かなくらげは言った。「ですから思い出したとたんに、お持ちかどうかお尋ねしたのです。」

“Why is my liver so important to you?” asked the monkey.

「なぜおれの肝がそんなに大事なのだ」と猿は尋ねた。

“Oh! you will learn the reason later,” said the jelly fish.

「ああ! そのわけはあとで分かりますよ」とくらげは言った。

The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the jelly fish to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up by appealing to his hearer’s feelings by saying that he was very troubled at what he had been told.

猿はますます不思議に思い、疑いを深めて、なぜ自分の肝が入り用なのかを話せとくらげに迫り、しまいには、そんなことを聞かされてたいそう不安なのだと言って、聞き手の情に訴えた。

Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry for him, and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen ill, and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live monkey would cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to find one.

するとくらげは、猿がどれほど心配そうにしているかを見て気の毒になり、何もかも話してしまった。竜の妃が病にかかったこと、医者が生きた猿の肝でなければ治らぬと言ったこと、そのために竜王が自分を探しに遣わしたことを。

“Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the Palace the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!” said the silly jelly fish.

「わたしは言われたとおりにしました。宮殿に着いたらすぐに医者があなたの肝を欲しがるでしょうから、お気の毒に思います!」と愚かなくらげは言った。

The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very angry at the trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the thought of what was in store for him.

哀れな猿はこれをすっかり知って身の毛がよだち、自分にかけられた策略にたいそう腹を立てた。この先に待っているものを思って恐ろしさに震えた。

But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest plan not to show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm himself and to think of some way by which he might escape.

けれども猿は賢い獣で、感じている恐れをおくびにも出さぬのがいちばん賢いやり方だと考えた。そこで落ち着こうとつとめ、逃れる手立てを考えた。

“The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I shall die!” thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, so he said quite cheerfully to the jelly fish:

「医者はおれを切り開いて肝を取り出すつもりだ! そんなことをされたら死んでしまう!」と猿は思った。とうとうよい考えが浮かんだので、猿はたいそう快活な調子でくらげに言った。

“What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this before we left the island!”

「それは惜しいことをしましたな、くらげどの。島を発つ前にそれを言ってくださらなかったとは!」

“If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly have refused to come,” answered the jelly fish.

「なぜご一緒願いたいのかを申し上げていたら、あなたはきっと来るのを断られたでしょう」とくらげは答えた。

“You are quite mistaken,” said the monkey. “Monkeys can very well spare a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon Queen of the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need. I should have presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I have several livers. But the greatest pity is, that as you did not speak in time, I have left all my livers hanging on the pine-tree.”

「それはまったくの思い違いだ」と猿は言った。「猿は肝の一つや二つ、なくても十分やっていける。まして海の竜の妃さまのためとあれば、なおさらだ。あなたが何を必要としているかさえ察していれば、頼まれるのを待たずに一つ差し上げていたものを。おれは肝をいくつも持っているのだ。だがいちばん惜しいのは、あなたが早く言ってくださらなかったばかりに、肝をみな松の木に掛けたまま置いてきてしまったことだ。」

“Have you left your liver behind you?” asked the jelly fish.

「肝を置いてこられたのですか」とくらげは尋ねた。

“Yes,” said the cunning monkey, “during the daytime I usually leave my liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in the way when I am climbing about from tree to tree. To-day, listening to your interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and left it behind when I came off with you. If only you had spoken in time I should have remembered it, and should have brought it along with me!”

「そうだ」と狡い猿は言った。「昼のあいだは、たいてい肝を木の枝に掛けておくのだ。木から木へ登り回るときに、ひどく邪魔になるのでな。きょうはあなたの面白い話に聞き入って、すっかり忘れてしまって、一緒に出かけるときに置いてきてしまった。早く言ってくださっていれば思い出して、持ってきたのだが!」

The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he believed every word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good without a liver. Finally the jelly fish stopped and told the monkey so.

くらげはこれを聞いてたいそう落胆した。猿の言うことをひと言残らず信じたからである。肝のない猿では何の役にも立たない。とうとうくらげは止まって、猿にそう告げた。

“Well,” said the monkey, “that is soon remedied. I am really sorry to think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to the place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver.”

「なに」と猿は言った。「それはすぐに片がつく。あなたの骨折りを思うとまことに気の毒だが、わたしを見つけた場所へ連れ戻してくださりさえすれば、すぐに肝を取ってこられる。」

The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way back to the island again; but the monkey assured him that if he would be so kind as to take him back he would get his very best liver, and bring it with him the next time. Thus persuaded, the jelly fish turned his course towards the Monkey Island once more.

くらげは、わざわざ島までまた戻るという考えがまるで気に入らなかった。けれども猿は、そうして連れ戻してくださるなら、いちばん上等な肝を取ってきて次の折に持っていくと請け合った。そう説き伏せられて、くらげはふたたび猿が島のほうへ舵を向けた。

No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey landed, and getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had first seen him, he cut several capers amongst the branches with joy at being safe home again, and then looking down at the jelly fish said:

くらげが岸に着くやいなや、狡い猿は上陸して、くらげが初めに見つけた松の木に登り、無事に家へ帰れた喜びに枝のあいだで幾度も跳ね回った。それから見下ろしてくらげに言った。

“So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my compliments to the Dragon King on your return!”

「いろいろとご苦労さま! 帰られたら竜王さまによろしくお伝えくだされ!」

The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which it was uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn’t his intention to come with him at once after getting his liver.

くらげはこの言葉と、その嘲るような調子を不思議に思った。そして猿に、肝を取ったらすぐに一緒に来るつもりではなかったのかと尋ねた。

The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn’t afford to lose his liver: it was too precious.

猿は笑いながら、肝を失うわけにはいかない、あまりに大事なものだから、と答えた。

“But remember your promise!” pleaded the jelly fish, now very discouraged.

「けれども約束を覚えていてください!」と、すっかり気落ちしたくらげは訴えた。

“That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!” answered the monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he had been deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose his life, which he certainly would have done had he gone on to the Sea King’s Palace to the old doctor waiting for him, instead of persuading the jelly fish to return under false pretenses.

「あの約束は嘘だった。それに今はもう破られたのだ!」と猿は答えた。それからくらげをあざけりはじめ、はじめからずっと騙していたのだ、自分は命を失いたくなかった、偽りの口実でくらげを引き返させる代わりに海の王の宮殿まで行っていれば、待ち構える老いた医者の手で確かに命を落としていただろうと言った。

“Of course, I won’t GIVE you my liver, but come and get it if you can!” added the monkey mockingly from the tree.

「もちろん、肝をくれてやる気などない。だが取れるものなら取りに来るがいい!」と猿は木の上から嘲るように言い添えた。

There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his stupidity, and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to confess his failure, so he started sadly and slowly to swim back. The last thing he heard as he glided away, leaving the island behind him, was the monkey laughing at him.

くらげにはもう、自分の愚かさを悔いて海の竜王のもとへ帰り、しくじりを白状するほかなかった。そこで悲しげにのろのろと泳いで戻りはじめた。島をあとに滑るように去りながら最後に聞こえたのは、自分を笑う猿の声であった。

Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all the servants were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly fish. When they caught sight of him approaching the Palace, they hailed him with delight. They began to thank him profusely for all the trouble he had taken in going to Monkey Island, and then they asked him where the monkey was.

そのころ竜王も医者も家令の長も、家来たちもみな、くらげの帰りを待ちかねていた。くらげが宮殿に近づいてくるのを見つけると、みな喜んで迎えた。猿が島まで行った骨折りを口々に手厚くねぎらい、それから猿はどこだと尋ねた。

Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all over as he told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway over the sea, and then had stupidly let out the secret of his commission; how the monkey had deceived him by making him believe that he had left his liver behind him.

さて、くらげの年貢の納めどきが来た。くらげは身を震わせながら顛末を語った。猿を海の半ばまで運んできて、そこで愚かにも自分の役目の秘密を漏らしてしまったこと、猿が肝を置いてきたと信じ込ませて自分を欺いたことを。

The Dragon King’s wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that the jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a horrible one. All the bones were to be drawn out from his living body, and he was to be beaten with sticks.

竜王の怒りは大きく、ただちにくらげを厳しく罰せよと命じた。その罰は恐ろしいものであった。生きたままその体から骨をすべて抜き取り、棒で打ちのめすというのである。

The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, cried out for pardon. But the Dragon King’s order had to be obeyed. The servants of the Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and surrounded the jelly fish, and after pulling out his bones they beat him to a flat pulp, and then took him out beyond the Palace gates and threw him into the water. Here he was left to suffer and repent his foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new state of bonelessness.

哀れなくらげは、言葉に尽くせぬ屈辱と恐怖のなかで、許しを乞うて叫んだ。けれども竜王の命は守られねばならなかった。宮殿の家来たちはただちにめいめい棒を持ち出してくらげを取り囲み、骨を抜き取ってから平たくなるまで打ちのめし、それから宮殿の門の外へ運び出して水に投げ込んだ。ここでくらげは苦しみながら、その愚かなおしゃべりを悔い、骨のない新しい身の上に慣れるほかなかったのである。

From this story it is evident that in former times the jelly fish once had a shell and bones something like a tortoise, but, ever since the Dragon King’s sentence was carried out on the ancestor of the jelly fishes, his descendants have all been soft and boneless just as you see them to-day thrown up by the waves high upon the shores of Japan.

この話から明らかなとおり、むかしくらげには亀のような甲羅と骨があったのだが、くらげの先祖に竜王の裁きが下されてからというもの、その子孫はみな、今日みなさんが日本の岸に波で高く打ち上げられたのを見るとおり、柔らかく骨なしになったのである。