The Lion and the Turtle

In a jungle there is a Lion King. While he was there, one day there was no prey for the Lion King when he was walking about seeking it. He obtained nothing as prey that day. As the Lion through fatigue was staying below a great big tree, avoiding the heat, he went to sleep.

ある藪に獅子王がいる。そこにいるうちに、ある日、獅子王が獲物を探して歩きまわっても、獲物がなかった。その日は何一つ獲物が手に入らなかった。獅子は疲れて、大きな木の下で暑さを避けているうちに眠り込んだ。

While he was sleeping, a Turtle came out [of the bushes], having set off to go away from there. As he was going along, a "sara, sara" sound was heard, having been made by the dry leaves. The Lion King having opened his eyes [90] at the sound of this Turtle's going, after he had looked saw the Turtle, and having become angry sprang at once near the Turtle. Having said, "Bola! What art thou going on a rapid journey in this manner for? Didst thou not see that I am [here]?" the Lion King pushed against the Turtle.

眠っているあいだに、亀が〔茂みから〕出てきて、そこから去ろうと歩きだした。歩いていくと、枯れ葉の立てる「サラ、サラ」という音が聞こえた。獅子王はこの亀の行く音に目を開け [90]、見ると亀がいたので、腹を立ててたちまち亀のそばへ跳んだ。「ボラ! なぜこんなに慌ただしく旅をしている? わしが〔ここに〕いるのが見えなかったのか?」と言って、獅子王は亀に押しかかった。

Then the Turtle says, "O Lord who will become a thousand Buddhas [in future existences], I didn't come to cause you alarm, Sir; I am walking to procure my food," the Turtle said to the Lion King.

すると亀は言う。「〔後の世で〕千の仏となられる御方さま、驚かせようとして参ったのではございません。食べ物を求めて歩いているのです」と亀は獅子王に言った。

"What art thou going to seek and eat in this forest?" the Lion asked.

「この森で何を探して食おうというのだ?」と獅子は尋ねた。

Then the Turtle says, "O Lord, I am walking to obtain and eat any sort of things that I can eat," the Turtle said.

すると亀は言う。「御方さま、食べられるものなら何でも手に入れて食べようと歩いております」と亀は言った。

Then anger having gone to the Lion, he sprang to eat the Turtle. Then the Turtle, having brought his head inside, became like a stone. After he became thus, the Lion turning the Turtle to that side and to this side, and having clawed him and bitten him, looked at him, having been unable to do anything to him. After he had been looking the Lion says, "Having been like a what-is-it stone, didn't you preach to me in overbearing words?"

すると獅子は腹を立てて、亀を食おうと跳びかかった。すると亀は頭を内へ引っ込めて、石のようになった。そうなると、獅子は亀をあちらへこちらへ転がし、爪を立て噛みついてみたが、何もできずに眺めていた。しばらく眺めてから、獅子は言う。「何とかいう石のようになりおって、さっきは偉そうな言葉でわしに説教したではないか」

When he had been looking at him a little time, as the Turtle, having put his head outside again, was going off, the Lion says, "Bola, art thou a being who can do anything?"

しばらく眺めていると、亀がまた頭を外へ出して去ろうとするので、獅子は言う。「ボラ、おまえは何かできる者なのか?」

"O Lord, the things that you, Sir, can do you do. I do the things that I can do," the Turtle said.

「御方さま、あなたさまのできることはあなたさまがなさいます。わたしはわたしにできることをいたします」と亀は言った。

"Bola, canst thou, who endest by drawing slowly and slowly what is like a lump of stone, run, jump, roar, swim in rivers that way and this way, equal to me? And what canst thou do to me, who having roared and caused the bottom of the ears to burst, and killed every animal, eats it?" the Lion said.

「ボラ、石の塊のようなものをのろのろ引きずるしかないおまえが、走り、跳び、吼え、川をあちらこちらへ泳ぐのに、わしと肩を並べられるか? 吼えて耳の底を裂き、どんな獣も殺して食らうこのわしに、おまえに何ができる?」と獅子は言った。

Then the Turtle says, "You, Sir, frighten and eat even all. You cannot frighten and kill, nor eat, me except on land. In the water, you, Sir, cannot swim that side and this side equal to me," the Turtle said to the Lion.

すると亀は言う。「あなたさまは何もかも怯えさせて食べてしまわれます。ですがわたしを怯えさせて殺し、食べることは、陸の上でしかおできになりません。水のなかでは、あなたさまはわたしほどあちらこちらへ泳げません」と亀は獅子に言った。

After the Lion, having become angry, said, "Wilt thou come to swim that side and this side with me? If not, I will put thee under a large stone," the Turtle having become afraid that he would kill him, having given his word to swim with the Lion that side and this side in a river, went near the river.

獅子は腹を立てて言った。「わしとあちらこちらへ泳ぎに来るか? でなければおまえを大きな石の下敷きにしてやる」。すると亀は殺されるのが怖くなって、川で獅子とあちらこちらへ泳ぐと約束して、川のそばへ行った。

Having gone [there] the Turtle met with yet a Turtle, and said, "Friend, a great trouble has befallen me to-day." After the friendly Turtle asked, "What is it, friend?" the other Turtle says, "The Lion King has come and wagered with me to swim that side and this side," he said.

〔そこへ〕行って、亀はもう一匹の亀に出会って言った。「友よ、今日はたいそうな厄介に見舞われた」。友の亀が「どうしたのだ、友よ」と尋ねると、その亀は言う。「獅子王が来て、あちらこちらへ泳ぐ勝負を挑んできたのだ」と言った。

Then the Turtle says, "Why are you afraid of that, friend? Say, 'It is good.' I will tell you a good trick; you act in that way. What is it? You place a red flower in your mouth. I will place a red flower in my mouth. You having been on this side with the Lion King, and having sprung into the river and hidden at the bottom of the water very near there, remain [there]. I having hidden near the river bank on that side will be [there]. The Lion King having come swimming, as he is going to land on that side, I being near the river bank and having said, 'Kurmarsha,' [91] taking the flower will land [before him]. You also in that way having been hidden near the bank on this side, as the Lion King is going to land, having said, 'Kurmarsha,' quickly land [before him]." The friendly Turtle having said [this], hid at the bottom of the water near the bank on that side of the river.

すると友の亀は言う。「そんなことを何を恐れる、友よ。『それがよい』と言え。よい策を教えよう。そのとおりにやるのだ。何かというと、おまえは赤い花を口にくわえろ。わたしも赤い花を口にくわえる。おまえは獅子王とこちら側にいて、川に跳び込んですぐ近くの水の底に隠れていろ。わたしは向こう岸のそばに隠れている。獅子王が泳いできて向こう岸に上がろうとするとき、わたしは岸のそばにいて『クルマルシャ』 [91] と言い、花をくわえて〔先に〕上がる。おまえもそのようにこちらの岸のそばに隠れていて、獅子王が上がろうとするとき『クルマルシャ』と言って、すばやく〔先に〕上がれ」。友の亀はそう言って、川の向こう岸のそばの水の底に隠れた。

The Turtle that spoke with the Lion went near the Lion. Then the Lion asks, "Art thou coming to swim?" he asked.

獅子と話した亀は獅子のそばへ行った。すると獅子が尋ねる。「泳ぎに来たか?」と尋ねた。

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Turtle said.

「はい、陛下」と亀は言った。

Then [after they had gone to the river] the Lion said to the Turtle, "Thou, having swum in front, be off. I having come slowly shall get in front of thee," he said.

そこで〔二匹が川へ行ってから〕獅子は亀に言った。「おまえが先に泳いで行け。わしはゆっくり行っておまえの前に出よう」と言った。

Then the Turtle, also holding a red flower in his mouth, having descended to the river, and having gone a little far, got hid at the bottom of the water. While it was hidden, as the Lion was going swimming near the river bank, the other Turtle which stopped at that side, having got in front before the Lion landed, and said, "Kurmarsha," having placed a red flower also in his mouth, landed on the river bank at once.

そこで亀も赤い花を口にくわえて川へ下り、少し行ってから水の底に隠れた。隠れているあいだに、獅子が向こう岸のそばまで泳いでいくと、あちら側にいたもう一匹の亀が、獅子が上がる前に先に出て「クルマルシャ」と言い、赤い花も口にくわえて、たちまち川岸に上がった。

The Lion having seen him, again sprang into the river. As he came to this side, the Turtle that remained at the bank at this side, having got in front of the Lion at once, taking the flower also, said, "Kurmarsha," and landed.

獅子はそれを見て、また川に跳び込んだ。こちら側へ来ると、こちらの岸にいた亀がたちまち獅子の前に出て、花もくわえて「クルマルシャ」と言い、上がった。

Again the Lion swam to the other side. In that very way the Turtle having been there and said, "Kurmarsha," landed [in front of him].

獅子はまた向こう岸へ泳いだ。まさに同じように亀がそこにいて「クルマルシャ」と言って、〔先に〕上がった。

Thus, in that way, when swimming seven or eight times, the Lion, who was without even any prey that day, having become unable to swim, and being without strength in the middle of the river, died.

こうしてそのように七度か八度泳いだところで、その日は獲物さえなかった獅子は、もう泳げなくなり、川の真ん中で力尽きて死んだ。