The Gamarala's Foolish Son

While a Gamarala and a Gama-gaeni (his wife) were at a village, as there were no children to those two for a long time they went to a Dewala, and worshipped the Gods in order to obtain a child. After that they obtained a child. As that child was growing up the Gamarala and Gama-gaeni were becoming very old.

ガマラーラ(村長)とガマ・ガエニ(その妻)がある村にいたが、長いこと二人に子がなかったので、デーワーラ(神堂)へ行き、子を授かるよう神々を拝んだ。そのあと二人は子を授かった。その子が育つにつれて、ガマラーラとガマ・ガエニはたいそう年老いていった。

So one day the Gamarala says to the Gama-gaeni, "Before we die we must summon and give a bride to the youth." Having said this they summoned and gave him a small girl.

そこである日、ガマラーラはガマ・ガエニに言う。「われらが死ぬ前に、あの若者に花嫁を迎えてやらねばならぬ」。そう言って、二人は小さな娘を迎えて息子に与えた。

During the time while they were living thus, the Gamarala had an illness. After that the Gamarala died. Afterwards, while the Gama-gaeni, and the son, and the son's wife were there, one day the wife of the Gama-puta (son of the Gamarala) said, "Now then, let us go to my village, and having gone there, sowing our rice field lands let us do cultivation"; and both of them went.

そうして暮らしているうちに、ガマラーラが病にかかった。そのあとガマラーラは死んだ。そのあと、ガマ・ガエニと息子と息子の妻がいるなかで、ある日、ガマ・プタ(ガマラーラの息子)の妻が言った。「さあ、わたしの村へ行って、そこで田に種を蒔いて耕作をしましょう」。そして二人は行った。

While they were there, one day, as an illness settled on the Gama-puta's wife, the Vedarala (village doctor) went to see her. The Vedarala asked, "What is the illness?"

そこにいるあいだに、ある日、ガマ・プタの妻が病にかかったので、ヴェーダラーラ(村の医者)が診に行った。ヴェーダラーラは尋ねた。「どんな病か」

Then he said, "My wife has tumours which are growing large." The Vedarala having made a medicine which was to be rubbed [on the places], and having come to the house gave it, saying, "Rub thou this medicine on them."

すると男は言った。「妻に腫れ物ができて、大きくなっているのです」。ヴェーダラーラは〔患部に〕すり込む薬をこしらえて、家へ来て渡し、「この薬をすり込め」と言った。

When he had been rubbing it for four or five days they grew larger. The Gama-puta having seen this, said, "Ada! These tumours are becoming very severe. I cannot go for medicine every day if they go on like this. Let us go to my village." So they set off to come to the Gama-puta's village.

四、五日すり込むと、腫れ物はいっそう大きくなった。ガマ・プタはそれを見て言った。「アダ! この腫れ物はたいそうひどくなる。こんな調子では毎日薬を取りに行けない。わたしの村へ行こう」。そこで二人はガマ・プタの村へ来ようと出発した。

As they were coming, a man was driving a bull on the road. This Gamarala's son asked, "Where are you taking the bull?"

来る途中、ある男が道で牛を追っていた。このガマラーラの息子は尋ねた。「その牛をどこへ連れていくのです?」

The man said, "I am taking it to my village," he said. "Where are you going?" he asked.

男は言った。「わたしの村へ連れていくところだ」と言った。「あなたはどこへ行くのだ?」と尋ねた。

"We are going to my village. My wife has tumours. We are going to apply medical treatment," he said.

「わたしの村へ行くところです。妻に腫れ物があります。手当てをしに行くのです」と言った。

"Where? Let us look at them. I also know a little medical art," he said.

「どこに? 見せてくれ。わたしも医術を少し心得ている」と言った。

Then he showed them. When the man who was taking the bull saw them he said, "They are growing larger; they will never become well," he said.

そこで見せた。牛を連れていた男はそれを見て言った。「これは大きくなっていく。けっしてよくなるまい」と言った。

Then the Gama-puta thought, "This woman does not matter to me." So he said, "It would be good for you to give me that bull and take this woman." So taking the bull he gave the woman.

するとガマ・プタは思った。「この女はわたしにはどうでもよい」。そこで言った。「その牛をわたしにくださって、この女を連れていってくださるとよいのですが」。そして牛を取って女を渡した。

"This one has water in his stomach (i.e., he had drunk water); you will be careful," the man said.

「こいつは腹に水が入っている(つまり水を飲んだ)。気をつけなさい」と男は言った。

Then having taken the bull, as he was going to the village he took a large cloth and tied it round the middle of the bull. While he was there after tying it, a man came, carrying a bill-hook on his shoulder. When he saw it he asked, "What is this doing?"

そこで牛を連れて村へ行く途中、男は大きな布を取って牛の胴に巻きつけた。巻きつけてそこにいると、肩に鉈をかついだ男が来た。それを見て尋ねた。「これは何をしているのだ?」

"This one has water in his stomach; on that account I have tied the cloth round it," he said.

「こいつは腹に水が入っているのです。それで布を巻きつけました」と言った。

Having seen the bill-hook, "What is that?" he asked.

鉈を見て「それは何です?」と尋ねた。

"This is a bill-hook," the man said.

「これは鉈だ」と男は言った。

After he asked, "What do you do with the bill-hook?" the man said, "Taking a packet of cooked rice and a water-gourd, it is for cutting the jungle," he said.

「鉈で何をするのです?」と尋ねると、男は言った。「炊いた飯の包みと水の瓢箪を持って、藪を切るためのものだ」と言った。

When he asked, "Will you take this bull and give me the bill-hook," the man said, "It is good," and having given the bill-hook went away taking the bull.

「この牛を取って、その鉈をわたしにくださいませんか」と尋ねると、男は「それがよい」と言って、鉈を渡し、牛を連れて去っていった。

Then the Gama-puta, having taken the bill-hook, and gone to the village, during the time while he was there thought he would go to cut jungle. Having thought so, he took a packet of cooked rice and a water-gourd, and the bill-hook, and having placed them upon a rock he remained looking on. Seeing that the bill-hook stayed [there] without cutting the jungle, and thinking that it was because he was looking at it, he came home.

そこでガマ・プタは鉈を持って村へ行き、そこにいるあいだに藪を切りに行こうと思った。そう思って、炊いた飯の包みと水の瓢箪と鉈を持って、それを岩の上に置いて、眺めていた。鉈が藪を切らずにそこにじっとしているのを見て、自分が見ているせいだと思い、家に帰った。

Having come and eaten rice, and having gone back afterwards, when he looked, the bill-hook having been put in the sun had become extremely hot. So the Gama-puta thinks, "The bill-hook having got fever, is it on that account it did not eat the cooked rice and did not cut the jungle?"

帰って飯を食べ、そのあと戻って見ると、鉈は日に当てられてひどく熱くなっていた。そこでガマ・プタは考える。「鉈が熱を出したので、それで炊いた飯も食べず藪も切らなかったのか」

He went quickly for medicine. Having gone he told the Veda (village doctor). The Veda having looked [at it] told him to bury it under the frame on which the water pots were set. Afterwards, having come home, he buried it under the water-pots' frame. On the following day, after he had looked [he found that] having become thoroughly wetted by the water it was cold. Having seen that, he got into his mind [the notion], "Ada! The medical treatment is very good."

男は急いで薬を取りに行った。行ってヴェーダ(村の医者)に告げた。ヴェーダは〔それを〕見て、水壺を置く台の下に埋めよと言った。そのあと家に帰って、水壺の台の下に埋めた。翌日、見てみると、水にすっかり濡れて冷たくなっていた。それを見て、男は心に思い込んだ。「アダ! この手当てはたいそうよく効く」

When a little time had gone, one day the Gamarala's wife had a severe illness, having got fever. The Gama-gaeni said, "Son, I have much fever. Having gone for medical advice and brought a little medicine, give me it," she said.

しばらくして、ある日、ガマラーラの妻が熱を出して重い病にかかった。ガマ・ガエニは言った。「息子や、ひどく熱がある。医者に診てもらって薬を少しもらってきておくれ」と言った。

He said, "It is good," and speedily having cut a hole under the water-pots' frame, and put the Gama-gaeni in the hole, he covered her with earth.

息子は「それがよい」と言って、すばやく水壺の台の下に穴を掘り、ガマ・ガエニをその穴に入れ、土をかけて埋めた。

Afterwards when he looked, the fever having thoroughly gone down she had become cold like a plantain tree; and saying, "Ada! Mother's fever is completely well," he went away.

そのあと見てみると、熱はすっかり下がって、芭蕉の木のように冷たくなっていた。それを見て「アダ! 母さんの熱はすっかりよくなった」と言って、去っていった。