The Wicked King

In a certain country there are a King and a Queen, it is said. The Queen has no children. During the time while she was rearing another (adopted) Prince, a child was born to the Queen.

ある国に王と后がいたという。后には子がなかった。別の(もらい子の)王子を育てているあいだに、后に子が生まれた。

After it was born, the King and Queen having spoken together, "Let us kill the Prince whom we have brought up," said to the King's Minister, "Take this Prince and put him down in a clump of bamboos." The Minister having taken the Prince, and put him down in a clump of bamboos, returned. The Prince was seven years old.

生まれてから、王と后は語り合って「育ててきたあの王子を殺そう」と言い、王の大臣に告げた。「この王子を連れていって、竹の茂みに置いてこい」。大臣は王子を連れていって竹の茂みに置き、帰ってきた。王子は七つだった。

After that, a man having gone to the bamboo clump to cut bamboos, and having seen, when he looked, that this Prince was there, without stopping to cut bamboos took away this Prince.

そのあと、ある男が竹を切りに竹の茂みへ行って、見るとこの王子がそこにいたので、竹を切るのもやめてこの王子を連れ去った。

On the following day the King said to the Minister, "Look if the Prince is in the bamboo bush, and come back." Afterwards he went, and when he looked, the Prince was not there. So he came to the King, and said, "The Prince is not there."

翌日、王は大臣に言った。「王子が竹の茂みにいるか見てこい」。そのあと大臣が行って見ると、王子はいなかった。そこで王のもとへ来て言った。「王子はおりません」

Then the King said, "The man who went away after cutting bamboos will have taken him. Give these thousand masuran, and bring him." Having said this, he gave him a thousand masuran. The Minister, having taken the thousand masuran, and given them to the man who took away the Prince, brought him and gave him to the King.

すると王は言った。「竹を切りに行って帰った男が連れていったのだろう。この千マスランを渡して、連れてこい」。そう言って千マスランを与えた。大臣は千マスランを取り、王子を連れ去った男に渡して、王子を連れてきて王に渡した。

Afterwards the King said to the Minister, "Take this one and put him down in the middle of the path to a cattle fold in which five hundred cattle are collected, and return, so that, having been trampled on as the cattle are going along the path, he may die." So the Minister having taken that Prince, and put him down in the middle of the path to a cattle fold in which five hundred cattle were collected, came away.

そのあと王は大臣に言った。「この者を連れていって、五百頭の牛を集めてある牛囲いへの道の真ん中に置いて帰ってこい。牛が道を通るときに踏まれて死ぬようにな」。そこで大臣はその王子を連れていって、五百頭の牛を集めてある牛囲いへの道の真ん中に置いて、帰ってきた。

After that, as the five hundred cattle were setting off to go into the cattle fold, when the great chief bull which went first was about to go in, having seen this Prince he placed him under his body, and allowing the other cattle to go in, this bull went afterwards. Subsequently, as the herdsman who drove the cattle was going along he saw this Prince, and taking the Prince the herdsman went away.

そのあと、五百頭の牛が牛囲いへ入ろうと出発すると、先頭を行く大きな頭の牡牛が、入ろうとしてこの王子を見つけ、自分の体の下に入れて、ほかの牛を先に入れてから、この牡牛はあとから入った。そのあと、牛を追っていた牛飼いが歩いてきてこの王子を見つけ、王子を連れて去っていった。

On the following day the King said to the Minister, "Look if the Prince is at the cattle fold, and come back." The Minister went, and when he looked the Prince was not there. So the Minister came and said to the King, "He is not there."

翌日、王は大臣に言った。「王子が牛囲いにいるか見てこい」。大臣が行って見ると、王子はいなかった。そこで大臣は来て王に言った。「おりません」

Then the King having given a thousand masuran into the Minister's hand said, "The herdsman who drove the cattle will have taken him. Give these thousand masuran and bring him." So the Minister having taken the thousand masuran, and given them to the herdsman, brought the Prince and gave him to the King.

すると王は千マスランを大臣の手に渡して言った。「牛を追っていた牛飼いが連れていったのだろう。この千マスランを渡して連れてこい」。そこで大臣は千マスランを取って牛飼いに渡し、王子を連れてきて王に渡した。

After that, the King said, "Take this one and put him down in the road on which five hundred carts are coming." So the Minister having taken the Prince, and put him down in the road on which five hundred carts were coming, returned.

そのあと王は言った。「この者を連れていって、五百台の車が来る道に置いてこい」。そこで大臣は王子を連れていって、五百台の車が来る道に置いて帰った。

Then the carters, having seen from afar that the Prince was there, took the Prince, and placed him in a cart, and went home with him.

すると車引きたちは遠くから王子がそこにいるのを見て、王子を抱き上げて車に乗せ、いっしょに家へ帰った。

On the following day the King said to the Minister, "Go and look if the Prince is in the road on which the five hundred carts come, and return." The Minister went, and when he looked the Prince was not there. So the Minister came and told the King, "The Prince is not there."

翌日、王は大臣に言った。「五百台の車が来る道に王子がいるか見てこい」。大臣が行って見ると、王子はいなかった。そこで大臣は来て王に告げた。「王子はおりません」

Then the King gave the Minister a thousand masuran, and said, "The carters will have taken him. Give these thousand masuran and bring him." The Minister having given the thousand masuran to the carters, brought the Prince and gave him to the King.

すると王は大臣に千マスランを渡して言った。「車引きたちが連れていったのだろう。この千マスランを渡して連れてこい」。大臣は千マスランを車引きたちに渡して、王子を連れてきて王に渡した。

After that, the King said to the Minister, "Speak to the potter and come back. There is no other means of killing this one but surrounding him with pottery in the pottery kiln, and burning him." So the Minister went and spoke to the potter, "Our King tried thus and thus to kill this Prince; he could not. Because of that, how if you should surround him even in the pottery kiln?"

そのあと王は大臣に言った。「陶工に話して帰ってこい。この者を殺すには、陶器の窯で陶器に囲ませて焼くほかに手だてがない」。そこで大臣は行って陶工に言った。「われらの王はこうしてもああしてもこの王子を殺そうとしたが、できなかった。それゆえ、いっそ陶器の窯で囲んではどうか」

The potter said, "Should you bring him I will surround him."

陶工は言った。「連れてきてくださるなら囲みましょう」

So the Minister came and said to the King, "The potter told me to take the Prince."

そこで大臣は来て王に言った。「陶工は王子を連れてこいと申しました」

After that, the King wrote a letter: "Immediately on seeing the Prince who brings this letter, surround him in the pottery kiln, and kill him." Having written that in the letter, and given the letter to the Prince who had been adopted, he said, "Take this letter to such and such a potter, and having given it come back."

そのあと王は手紙を書いた。「この手紙を持ってくる王子を見たら、ただちに陶器の窯で囲んで殺せ」。そう手紙に書いて、その手紙をもらい子の王子に渡して言った。「この手紙をどこそこの陶工に持っていって、渡してから帰ってこい」

Afterwards, as the Prince was going along taking the letter, the King's Prince having played at "Disks," [71] and the counters having been driven out, was dragging along the hop counters. Then, having seen this Prince, the King's Prince asked, "Where, elder brother, are you going?"

そのあと、王子が手紙を持って歩いていくと、王の王子が「円盤遊び」 [71] をしていて、駒がはじき出されたので、けんけんの駒を引きずっていた。そしてこの王子を見て、王の王子は尋ねた。「兄さん、どこへ行くの」

The Prince said, "Father gave me this letter, and told me to give it to such and such a potter. Having given it I am going to return."

王子は言った。「父上がこの手紙をくださって、どこそこの陶工に渡せとおっしゃった。渡してから帰るところだ」

The King's Prince said, "If so, elder brother, I will give that letter and come back. You drag these hop counters."

王の王子は言った。「それなら兄さん、ぼくがその手紙を渡してくるよ。兄さんはこのけんけんの駒を引いていて」

Then this Prince having said "Ha," and given the letter into the hands of the King's Prince, dragged the hop counters.

そこでこの王子は「よし」と言って、手紙を王の王子の手に渡し、けんけんの駒を引いた。

While the King's Prince was taking the letter, the potter was making ready the pottery kiln. After the Prince had given the letter to the potter, when the potter looked at it there was in the letter, "After you have seen this letter, surround in the pottery kiln the Prince who brings this letter, and set fire to it." So the potter taking the Prince surrounded him in the pottery kiln, and set fire to it. While it was burning in the pottery kiln the King's Prince died.

王の王子が手紙を持っていくころ、陶工は陶器の窯を用意していた。王子が手紙を陶工に渡し、陶工がそれを見ると、手紙には「この手紙を見たら、この手紙を持ってくる王子を陶器の窯で囲んで火をかけよ」とあった。そこで陶工は王子を取って陶器の窯で囲み、火をかけた。陶器の窯で焼かれて、王の王子は死んだ。

After the adopted Prince finished dragging the hop counters, and came to the palace, the King asked, "Did you give the letter to the potter?"

もらい子の王子がけんけんの駒を引き終えて宮殿へ来ると、王は尋ねた。「手紙を陶工に渡したか」

The Prince said, "As I was going there, younger brother having played at 'Disks,' and the counters being driven out, was dragging the hop counters. Having seen me going, younger brother asked, 'Where, elder brother, are you going?' I said, 'Father gave me this letter to give to such and such a potter; having given it I am going to return.' Then younger brother said, 'Elder brother, I will give that letter and come; you draw these hop counters.' So I gave the letter into the hand of younger brother, and I myself having drawn the hop counters came back."

王子は言った。「行く途中、弟が『円盤遊び』をしていて、駒がはじき出されたのでけんけんの駒を引いていました。わたしが行くのを見て、弟が『兄さん、どこへ行くの』と尋ねました。わたしは『父上がこの手紙をくださって、どこそこの陶工に渡せとおっしゃった。渡してから帰るところだ』と言いました。すると弟が『兄さん、ぼくがその手紙を渡してくるよ。兄さんはこのけんけんの駒を引いていて』と言いました。それで手紙を弟の手に渡し、わたしはけんけんの駒を引いてから帰ってきました」

Then the King quickly said to the Ministers, "Go to the potter, and look if the Prince is there, and return."

すると王はすぐさま大臣たちに言った。「陶工のところへ行って、王子がいるか見てこい」

The Ministers went and asked the potter, "Is the Prince here?"

大臣たちは行って陶工に尋ねた。「王子はここにいるか」

The potter said, "I killed the Prince."

陶工は言った。「王子は殺しました」

So the Ministers came and told the King that the Prince was dead.

そこで大臣たちは来て、王子は死んだと王に告げた。

The King immediately wrote a letter to the King of another city, that when he saw the Prince who brought the letter he was to kill him; and having given the letter into the hand of this adopted Prince, he said, "Give this letter to the King of such and such a city, and come back."

王はただちに別の都の王に手紙を書き、この手紙を持ってくる王子を見たら殺せと記し、その手紙をこのもらい子の王子の手に渡して言った。「この手紙をどこそこの都の王に渡して、帰ってこい」

The Prince having taken the letter went to the palace of the King of the city. At that time the King was not in the palace; the King's Princess was there. This Prince having grown up was beautiful to look at; the Princess thought of marrying him. Asking for the letter in the hand of the Prince, when she looked at it there was written that on seeing the Prince they were to kill him.

王子は手紙を持って、その都の王の宮殿へ行った。そのとき王は宮殿にいなかった。王の姫がいた。この王子は育って見目が美しかった。姫は王子を娶ろうと思った。王子の手の手紙をくれと言って見てみると、王子を見たら殺せと書いてあった。

Then the Princess having torn up and thrown away the letter, wrote a letter that on seeing the Prince they were to marry him to the Princess. Having written it and given it into the hand of the Prince, she said, "After our father the King has come give him this letter."

そこで姫はその手紙を破り捨て、王子を見たら姫に娶らせよという手紙を書いた。それを書いて王子の手に渡して言った。「父である王が帰ってきたら、この手紙を渡してください」

After that, while the Prince, having taken the letter, was there, the King came. The Prince gave him the letter. When the King looked at the letter he learnt that on seeing the Prince he was to marry the King's Princess to him. So the King married the King's Princess to the Prince.

そのあと、王子が手紙を持ってそこにいると、王が帰ってきた。王子は手紙を渡した。王が手紙を見ると、王子を見たら王の姫を娶らせよとあった。そこで王は王の姫を王子に娶らせた。

Having married her, while the Prince was there, illness seized the King who brought up the Prince, and they sent letters for this Prince to come. The Prince would not. Afterwards they sent a letter: "Even now the King cannot be trusted [to live]; he is going to die even to-day. You must come." To that also the Prince replied, "I will not."

娶って王子がそこにいるうちに、王子を育てた王が病に倒れ、この王子に来いという手紙をよこした。王子は行こうとしなかった。そのあとまた手紙が来た。「いまや王の命は〔生きているとは〕当てにできぬ。今日にも死ぬ。来られたい」。それにも王子は「行かぬ」と答えた。

The Princess said, "Having said 'I will not,' how will it be? Let us two go to-day." So the Prince and Princess came. When they arrived, the King was about to die, and breathing with difficulty. The Prince came and sat near the King's feet; the Princess sat near the King's head. The King told the Prince to come near in order to give him an oath [to repeat], in such a manner that he would be unable to seize any article of the King's.

姫は言った。「『行かぬ』と言ってどうなさるのです。今日二人で行きましょう」。そこで王子と姫は行った。着くと王はいまにも死のうとして、苦しげに息をしていた。王子は王の足もとに坐り、姫は王の枕もとに坐った。王は、王の品を一つも取れないようにする〔唱えさせる〕誓いを立てさせようと、王子に近くへ寄れと言った。

Well then, as the King was coming to mention the King's treasure houses and all other things, while he was opening his mouth to say the truth-oath to the Prince, the Princess, the King's daughter-in-law, being aware of it, stroked the King's neck, saying, "If so, father, for whom are they if not for us?" Then that which the King was about to say he had no opportunity of saying; while she was holding his neck he died.

さて王が王の宝蔵やそのほかすべてを口にしようとして、真の誓いを王子に言うために口を開こうとしたとき、王の嫁である姫はそれに気づいて、王の首を撫でながら言った。「それなら父上、わたしたちのほかに誰のためのものでしょう」。すると王の言おうとしていたことは、言う機会を失い、姫が首を押さえているうちに王は死んだ。

After that, the Prince having obtained the sovereignty, and the treasure houses, and the other different houses that were there, the Prince and Princess stayed at that very palace.

そのあと王子は主権と宝蔵と、そこにあったさまざまな家を手に入れ、王子と姫はまさにその宮殿で暮らした。

Anun nahanda yanakota tamumma nahinawa.

アヌン ナハンダ ヤナコタ タムンマ ナヒナワ。

While they are going to kill others they die themselves.

人を殺しに行くうちに、自分が死ぬ。