The Jackal and the Brahmana

In a certain city a Jackal according to custom was eating the fowls, it is said. Now, as the Jackal was there eating the fowls, by degrees he finished all the fowls in that manner. There was still one fowl at the royal palace.

ある都で、豺がいつものように鶏を食べていたという。さて豺はそこで鶏を食べつづけ、そうやってしだいに鶏をすっかり食べつくした。王宮にまだ一羽だけ鶏が残っていた。

So this Jackal went to the royal palace to eat the fowl. After he had come there the Jackal tried to catch it, and while he was there striving to eat the fowl it became light. There being no means of going away because of the people, he sought a place in which to remain hidden. As he was seeking it, except that there was open ground and no jungle, when he looked there was only a clump of weeds as a hiding place.

そこでこの豺は、その鶏を食べに王宮へ行った。そこへ来て豺は鶏を捕らえようとしたが、食べようと苦心しているうちに夜が明けてしまった。人がいて去るすべもないので、隠れる場所を探した。探してみると、開けた地面ばかりで藪はなく、見まわすと隠れ場所といえば雑草の茂みだけだった。

While he was in it peeping out, a Brahmana comes near. This Jackal asked, "You Brahmana! Where art thou going?" he asked.

そのなかから覗いていると、バラモンが近づいてくる。この豺は尋ねた。「おいバラモン! どこへ行く?」と尋ねた。

The Brahmana says, "I am going in search of a livelihood."

バラモンは言う。「暮らしの手だてを探しに行くところだ」

The Jackal says, "I will give thee a means of subsistence; carry me here and there," he said.

豺は言う。「おまえに暮らしの手だてをやろう。わたしをあちこちへ運べ」と言った。

Then the Brahmana taking the Jackal slung him by his four legs. "Dost thou carry me by the legs to some place to give a livelihood to thee?" he said.

するとバラモンは豺を取り上げて、四本の脚で吊るした。豺は言った。「おまえに暮らしの手だてをやろうというのに、わたしを脚で吊るしてどこかへ運ぶのか」

"If not, how shall I carry thee?" the Brahmana asked.

「でなければどうやって運べばよいのだ」とバラモンが尋ねた。

Then the Jackal says, "Having placed me in thy upper garment take me up and go," he said. "Look here! Take me and go thou along the road which leads to this jungle," he said. "Having taken me and gone on it there will be a clump of wild dates. Do thou put me down near the clump of wild dates," he said.

すると豺は言う。「わたしをおまえの上衣に入れて、担いで行け」と言った。「よいか! わたしを担いで、あの藪へ通じる道を行け」と言った。「わたしを担いでその道を行けば、野棗の茂みがある。その野棗の茂みのそばにわたしを下ろせ」と言った。

So the Jackal came to the open ground in the bundle. Then the Jackal told this Brahmana, after he had placed the bundle on the ground, to stay looking in the direction of the sun. Having remained looking in the direction of the sun, he told him to look in the direction of the clump of wild dates, and to take the kahawanas (coins) which were placed in it. When he had looked in the direction of the clump of wild dates, the rays of the sun having entered his eyes a yellow colour went into everything, and he thought he saw some money in it.

そこで豺は包みに入って開けた地面まで来た。すると豺は、包みを地面に置いたバラモンに、日の差すほうを向いていろと言った。日の差すほうを向いていたあとで、野棗の茂みのほうを見て、そこに置いてあるカハワナ(貨幣)を取れと言った。バラモンが野棗の茂みのほうを見ると、日の光が目に入って何もかもが黄色く見え、そこに金があるように思えた。

So the Brahmana crept into the clump of wild dates and passed his hand through it, and looked through it. Then because there were no kahawanas, he came out into the open ground.

そこでバラモンは野棗の茂みに這い込んで手を差し入れ、そのなかを探った。だがカハワナなどないので、開けた地面へ出てきた。

When he looked on the path there was no Jackal. Then the Brahmana said, "There is neither the journey that I came for, nor the kahawanas. Ada! Ada!" So he went away.

道を見ると豺がいない。そこでバラモンは言った。「来た甲斐もなければカハワナもない。アダ! アダ!」 そして去っていった。