Sigiris Siñño, the Giant

In a country there was a great person called Sigiris Siñño. He was a very wealthy person; under him ten hired labourers worked.

ある国にシギリス・シンニョという大した人物がいた。たいそう裕福な者で、その下で雇われた働き手が十人働いていた。

During the time while he was in this state, Sigiris Siñño having thought he would drink arrack (spirit distilled from palm juice), began to drink a very little. In that way he became accustomed to drink very largely. Afterwards having come [home] drunk he went to beat the labourers; also he did not give them their wages properly. When he had acted in this manner for many days, they, after speaking together, gave Sigiris Siñño a good beating, and on account of their [short] pay took the goods of Sigiris Siñño, and went away. Then no one would give work to Sigiris Siñño, so he drank until the goods in his house were finished.

そうしているうちに、シギリス・シンニョはアラック(椰子の汁から蒸留した酒)を飲もうと思って、ごく少しずつ飲みはじめた。そうやってたいそう大量に飲む癖がついた。そのあと酔って〔家に〕帰ると、働き手を打ちにかかり、賃金もきちんと払わなくなった。何日もそんなふうにしたので、働き手たちは語り合ってシギリス・シンニョをしたたかに打ち、〔足りない〕賃金の代わりにシギリス・シンニョの財産を取って去っていった。それからは誰もシギリス・シンニョに仕事をくれず、家の財産が尽きるまで飲みつづけた。

Then, there being nothing for this one to drink or eat, and having become like a madman, at the time when he was walking and walking about he saw a man carrying a young coconut. Begging, "Give me that," and taking it, he went to a travellers' resting-shed.

そして飲むものも食べるものもなくなり、狂人のようになって、あちこち歩きまわっていると、若い椰子の実を運ぶ男を見かけた。「それをくれ」と乞うて受け取り、旅人の休み小屋へ行った。

While he was there eating the young coconut after breaking it, a great number of flies began to settle there. After he had struck at the flies with his hand, twenty died. Thereupon this one went to a person who did tin work, and said, "Ane! Friend, do a little work for me and give me it."

そこで若い椰子を割って食べていると、蠅が大勢たかりはじめた。手で蠅を叩くと、二十匹死んだ。そこでこの男は錫細工をする者のところへ行って言った。「アネ! 友よ、わたしのために少し細工をして渡してくれ」

"What is it?" the tin worker asked.

「どんな細工だ?」と錫細工人が尋ねた。

This one said, "Cut on a sheet of tin in Tamil and Sinhalese, 'I killed twenty,' and give me it."

この男は言った。「錫の板に、タミル語とシンハラ語で『わたしは二十を殺した』と刻んで渡してくれ」

Having said, "It is good," he cut it and gave it.

「それがよい」と言って、細工人は刻んで渡した。

After he had cut and given it, this one took it, and preparing a hanging board, and hanging the sheet of tin on it, put the cord on his neck, and walked along the roads. Men who saw this stepped on one side through fear, and went away.

刻んで渡してもらうと、この男はそれを取り、吊るす板をこしらえて錫の板をそれに掛け、その紐を首にかけて、道を歩いた。これを見た者たちは恐れて脇へ避け、去っていった。

Certain Tamils having seen this at a city, said to Sigiris Siñño, "In our country the King has a giant. Should any one fight with him and win, the King said he will give him a present of five hundred masuran, and the post of Prime Minister. This being so, can you go there with us [and fight him]," they asked.

ある都でこれを見たタミルの者たちが、シギリス・シンニョに言った。「われらの国で王が巨人を抱えている。その者と戦って勝った者には、王は五百マスランの褒美と、宰相の役をくださるとおっしゃっている。そういうわけだが、われらといっしょにそこへ行っ〔て戦っ〕てくれまいか」と尋ねた。

Then Sigiris Siñño, thinking, "Let me go even should I be struck by lightning," said, "I am able to fight with the giant," and went to that city with the Tamils.

するとシギリス・シンニョは「雷に打たれようとも行ってみよう」と思って、「わたしはその巨人と戦える」と言い、タミルの者たちとその都へ行った。

Having arrived there, these Tamils handed him over to the King under whom that giant had a post. The King asked this one, "I have a giant. Canst thou fight with the giant and win?"

着くと、このタミルの者たちは彼を、その巨人が仕える王に引き合わせた。王はこの男に尋ねた。「わしは巨人を抱えている。そなたはその巨人と戦って勝てるか」

Sigiris Siñño said instantly, "A son who has killed twenty giants better than that one am I."

シギリス・シンニョはたちどころに言った。「そのような巨人なら二十人殺した男でございます」

So the King said to his giant, "Now then, do what fighting thou knowest, and conquer that one."

そこで王は自分の巨人に言った。「さあ、知るかぎりの戦いをして、あの者を打ち負かせ」

Then the giant said to Sigiris Siñño, "To-day you must come and swim [against me] in the great sea for eight days. We require from the King ten rupees in order to get things to eat while we are swimming." Having said this and got them, the two giants went to the shops, and got things for the ten rupees.

すると巨人はシギリス・シンニョに言った。「今日から八日間、大海で〔わたしと〕泳ぎ比べをしてもらおう。泳いでいるあいだの食べ物を手に入れるのに、王から十ルピーいただかねばならぬ」。そう言ってそれを受け取り、二人の巨人は店へ行って、十ルピー分の品を手に入れた。

Then Sigiris the Giant said to that giant, "What are these few things! For one meal I want six quarts of rice and I want three bottles of arrack. I can swim for eight or ten months."

するとシギリス巨人はその巨人に言った。「こんなわずかな品が何だ! ひと食いに米が六クォートいるし、アラックが三瓶いる。わたしは八か月でも十か月でも泳げる」

After that, this giant thought, "I can't eat as much as this one, and I can't drink as much, and I can't swim for eight or ten months. Therefore I am indeed unable to swim with this giant and beat him." He told the King so.

そのあと、この巨人は思った。「わたしはこの者ほど食えぬし、これほど飲めぬし、八か月も十か月も泳げぬ。だからこの巨人と泳いで打ち負かすことなど、まことにできぬ」。そして王にそう告げた。

The King said, "If so, thou wilt lose."

王は言った。「それでは、そなたの負けだ」

The giant said, "At swimming I shall lose. We must fight each other."

巨人は言った。「泳ぎでは負けます。殴り合いで戦わねばなりません」

"It is good," said the King. Then the King asked Sigiris Siñño, "Canst thou fight with this one?"

「それがよい」と王は言った。そして王はシギリス・シンニョに尋ねた。「そなたはこの者と戦えるか」

Sigiris Siñño replied, "I will give that one one blow."

シギリス・シンニョは答えた。「あの者にはひと打ち食らわせましょう」

So the King said, "Fight ye each other to-morrow."

そこで王は言った。「明日たがいに戦え」

Thereupon Sigiris the Giant said, "Not to-morrow. After a month has gone both giants will fight each other. Having proclaimed it, and put both of us into two houses under one roof, you must give us to eat until the month is finished."

するとシギリス巨人は言った。「明日ではいけません。ひと月たってから両者は戦います。それを触れ出して、われら二人を一つ屋根の下の二つの部屋に入れ、ひと月が終わるまで食べ物を与えてください」

The King said, "It is good."

王は「それがよい」と言った。

Sigiris the Giant having sought for an iron nail, from that day dug into the wall of the house in which the giant was [which separated their two rooms]. Having dug [nearly through] it, when the month would be finished to-morrow Sigiris the Giant said to that giant, "Ade! Giant, give me a little tobacco."

シギリス巨人は鉄の釘を探し出して、その日から、巨人のいる家の壁〔二つの部屋を隔てる壁〕を掘りはじめた。〔ほぼ貫くまで〕掘って、明日でひと月が終わるというとき、シギリス巨人はその巨人に言った。「アデ! 巨人よ、煙草を少しくれ」

That giant said, "How can I give you tobacco there?"

その巨人は言った。「どうやってそちらへ煙草を渡せる?」

Sigiris the Giant replied, "Knock a hole through that wall with your hand, and give me it."

シギリス巨人は答えた。「その壁に手で穴を開けて渡してくれ」

"I cannot," that one said.

「そんなことはできぬ」とその者は言った。

Then Sigiris the Giant said, "What sort of a giant art thou, one who can't make a hole through that wall and give me a little tobacco!" Saying, "Look there! Give me it through there," Sigiris the Giant struck with his hand at the place which he had previously bored. When he struck it his hand made a hole through to the other side. That giant becoming afraid at the blow, began to tremble, and thought, "I can't win in fighting with this one."

するとシギリス巨人は言った。「あの壁に穴も開けられず、煙草も少し渡せぬとは、いったいどんな巨人だ! ほら見ろ! そこから渡してくれ」と言って、シギリス巨人は前もって掘っておいた場所を手で打った。打つと、手は向こう側まで穴を開けた。その巨人はその一撃に怯えて震えだし、「この者と戦って勝てぬ」と思った。

On the following day they made them come out to fight. The place was filled with people who had come to look on. Sigiris the Giant thinks in his mind, "To-day is indeed my Fate. How shall I escape?" That giant, through fear his thoughts were the same.

翌日、二人は戦いに出された。見物に来た人々でその場は埋まった。シギリス巨人は心のうちで思う。「今日こそわたしの運の尽きだ。どうやって逃れよう」。その巨人も恐れて同じことを思っていた。

The King said, "Strike ye each other."

王は言った。「たがいに打て」

Having said, "It is good," each one being afraid of the other, said, "Strike thou." Sigiris says to the other, "Thou strike," he says. By that one and by this one not a blow was struck.

「それがよい」と言って、二人はたがいを恐れて「おまえが打て」と言い合った。シギリスは相手に「おまえが打て」と言う。どちらからも一撃も出なかった。

Then the King says to Sigiris the Giant, "Strike thou first."

そこで王はシギリス巨人に言う。「そなたが先に打て」

Sigiris the Giant said, "It is good," and thinking of running away, and saying to the people, addressing them loudly, "Get to both sides, and stop there," looked round to run off. At that, the other giant, rolling the people over, began to run away, and the people who were there cried "Hu," after him.

シギリス巨人は「それがよい」と言い、逃げようと思って、人々に向かって大声で「両側へ寄って、そこに止まっていろ」と言い、逃げ出そうとあたりを見まわした。すると、もう一人の巨人が人々を押し倒しながら逃げはじめ、そこにいた人々はそのあとから「フー」と叫んだ。

Then the King having become pleased with Sigiris Siñño, and having given him a present of five hundred masuran, established him in the post of Prime Minister.

そこで王はシギリス・シンニョをたいそう気に入って、五百マスランの褒美を与え、宰相の役に据えた。