The Old Woman who Became a Goblin

There was a Confucian scholar once who lived in the southern part of Seoul. It is said that he went out for a walk one day while his wife remained alone at home. When he was absent there came by begging an old woman who looked like a Buddhist priestess, for while very old her face was not wrinkled. The scholar's wife asked her if she knew how to sew. She said she did, and so the wife made this proposition, "If you will stay and work for me I'll give you your breakfast and your supper, and you'll not have to beg anywhere; will you agree?"

むかし、ソウルの南のほうに住む一人の儒者がいた。ある日、儒者は散歩に出かけ、妻が一人で家に残っていたという。儒者の留守に、女僧のように見える一人の老婆が物乞いにやって来た。たいそう年を取っているのに、顔にはしわがなかった。儒者の妻は老婆に縫い物ができるかと尋ねた。できると言うので、妻はこう持ちかけた。「ここにいてわたしのために働いてくれるなら、朝ご飯と夕ご飯をあげるから、どこへも物乞いに行かなくてすむわ。どうかしら。」

She replied, "Oh, thank you so much, I'll be delighted."

老婆は答えた。「まあ、ほんとうにありがとうございます。喜んで。」

The scholar's wife, well satisfied with her bargain, took her in and set her to picking cotton, and making and spinning thread. In one day she did more than eight ordinary women, and yet had, seemingly, plenty of time to spare. The wife, delighted above measure, treated her to a great feast. After five or six days, however, the feeling of delight and the desire to treat her liberally and well wore off somewhat, so that the old woman grew angry and said, "I am tired of living alone, and so I want your husband for my partner." This being refused, she went off in a rage, but came back in a little accompanied by a decrepit old man who looked like a Buddhist beggar.

儒者の妻はこの取引にすっかり満足して、老婆を家に入れ、綿を摘んだり糸をこしらえて紡いだりする仕事をさせた。老婆は一日にふつうの女八人分以上の仕事をして、それでも見たところ暇がたっぷりあるようだった。妻は大喜びして、老婆に大ごちそうをふるまった。けれども五、六日たつと、喜びの気持ちも気前よくもてなしたいという思いも少し薄れてきた。すると老婆は怒りだして言った。「一人で暮らすのは飽きたから、あんたの亭主をわたしの連れ合いにもらいたい。」これが断られると、老婆は怒って出ていったが、少しすると仏教の物乞いのような老いぼれた老人を連れて戻ってきた。

These two came boldly into the room and took possession, cleared out the things that were in the ancient tablet-box on the wall-shelf, and both disappeared into it, so that they were not seen at all, but only their voices heard. According to the whim that took them they now ordered eatables and other things. When the scholar's wife failed in the least particular to please them, they sent plague and sickness after her, so that her children fell sick and died. Relatives on hearing of this came to see, but they also caught the plague, fell ill and died. Little by little no one dared come near the place, and it became known at last that the wife was held as a prisoner by these two goblin creatures. For a time smoke was seen by the town-folk coming out of the chimney daily, and they knew that the wife still lived, but after five or six days the smoke ceased, and they knew then that the woman's end had come. No one dared even to make inquiry.

この二人はずかずかと部屋に入ってきて居座り、壁の棚にある古い位牌の箱の中身をすっかり出して、二人ともそのなかに消えてしまった。それで姿はまったく見えなくなり、声だけが聞こえた。二人は気の向くままに、食べ物やほかの品を言いつけた。儒者の妻がほんの少しでも二人の意に沿わないと、二人は妻に疫病や病を送りつけ、そのせいで子どもたちは病気になって死んだ。身内の者がそれを聞いて見舞いに来たが、その者たちも疫病にかかって病気になり死んだ。しだいに誰もその家に近づこうとしなくなり、とうとう、妻がこの二人の化け物に捕らわれの身になっていることが知れわたった。しばらくのあいだ、町の人々は毎日煙突から煙が出ているのを見て、妻がまだ生きていると知っていたが、五、六日たつと煙が絶えたので、女の最期が来たのだとわかった。誰一人、様子を尋ねに行く勇気さえなかった。

Im Bang.

任埅(イム・バン)