The Twelve Wild Ducks

Once on a time there was a Queen who was out driving, when there had been a new fall of snow in the winter; but when she had gone a little way, she began to bleed at the nose, and had to get out of her sledge. And so, as she stood there, leaning against the fence, and saw the red blood on the white snow, she fell a-thinking how she had twelve sons and no daughter, and she said to herself:

むかしむかし、冬に雪が新しく降り積もったころ、一人の妃が馬橇で出かけた。ところが少し行ったところで鼻血が出はじめ、橇から降りねばならなくなった。そして垣にもたれて立ちながら、白い雪の上の赤い血を見ているうちに、自分には十二人の息子がいて娘が一人もいないということに思い至り、こうひとりごちた。

“If I only had a daughter as white as snow and as red as blood, I shouldn’t care what became of all my sons.”

「雪のように白く、血のように赤い娘さえいれば、息子たちがどうなろうとかまわないのに。」

But the words were scarce out of her mouth before an old witch of the Trolls came up to her.

だがその言葉が口から出るか出ないかのうちに、トロルの年老いた魔女が近づいてきた。

“A daughter you shall have”, she said, “and she shall be as white as snow, and as red as blood; and your sons shall be mine, but you may keep them till the babe is christened.”

「娘は授かるとも」と魔女は言った。「そして雪のように白く、血のように赤い娘になるだろう。そしておまえの息子たちはわたしのものになる。だが赤子が洗礼を受けるまでは手もとに置いてよい。」

So when the time came the Queen had a daughter, and she was as white as snow, and as red as blood, just as the Troll had promised, and so they called her “Snow-white and Rosy-red.” Well, there was great joy at the King’s court, and the Queen was as glad as glad could be; but when what she had promised to the old witch came into her mind, she sent for a silversmith, and bade him make twelve silver spoons, one for each prince, and after that she bade him make one more, and that she gave to Snow-white and Rosy-red. But as soon as ever the Princess was christened, the Princes were turned into twelve wild ducks, and flew away. They never saw them again—away they went, and away they stayed.

そこで時が来ると妃は娘を産み、その娘はトロルが約束したとおり、雪のように白く、血のように赤かった。そこで人々はその娘を「雪白薔薇紅(ゆきしろばらべに)」と呼んだ。さて王の宮廷には大きな喜びがあり、妃はこの上なく嬉しかった。だが年老いた魔女に約束したことが頭に浮かぶと、妃は銀細工師を呼んで、王子一人につき一本ずつ、銀の匙を十二本作らせた。そのあともう一本作らせて、それを雪白薔薇紅に与えた。ところが姫が洗礼を受けるやいなや、王子たちは十二羽の野鴨に変えられて飛び去ってしまった。人々は二度と彼らを見なかった——去ったきり、去ったままだった。

So the Princess grew up, and she was both tall and fair, but she was often so strange and sorrowful, and no one could understand what it was that failed her. But one evening the Queen was also sorrowful, for she had many strange thoughts when she thought of her sons. She said to Snow-white and Rosy-red,

そうして姫は成長し、背も高く美しくなったが、しばしばひどく妙に物憂げになり、何が足りないのか誰にもわからなかった。ところがある晩、妃もまた物憂げだった。息子たちのことを思うと、さまざまな不思議な思いが胸に湧いたのである。妃は雪白薔薇紅に言った。

“Why are you so sorrowful, my daughter? Is there anything you want? if so, only say the word, and you shall have it.”

「なぜそんなに悲しげなのです、娘や。何かほしいものがありますか。もしあるなら、ひとこと言いさえすれば手に入りますよ。」

“Oh, it seems so dull and lonely here”, said Snow-white and Rosy-red; “every one else has brothers and sisters, but I am all alone; I have none; and that’s why I’m so sorrowful.”

「ああ、ここはあまりに退屈で寂しいのです」と雪白薔薇紅は言った。「ほかの誰にも兄弟や姉妹がいるのに、わたしは独りきりで、誰もいません。だから悲しいのです。」

“But you had brothers, my daughter”, said the Queen; “I had twelve sons who were your brothers, but I gave them all away to get you”; and so she told her the whole story.

「でもおまえには兄さんたちがいたのですよ、娘や」と妃は言った。「わたしには十二人の息子がいて、おまえの兄さんたちだったのです。でもおまえを授かるために、みなを渡してしまったのです。」。そうして妃は一部始終を話した。

So when the Princess heard that, she had no rest; for, in spite of all the Queen could say or do, and all she wept and prayed, the lassie would set off to seek her brothers, for she thought it was all her fault; and at last she got leave to go away from the palace. On and on she walked into the wide world, so far, you would never have thought a young lady could have strength to walk so far.

そこで姫はそれを聞くと、居ても立ってもいられなくなった。妃が何を言っても何をしても、どれほど泣いて頼んでも、娘は兄たちを探しに出かけようとした。何もかも自分のせいだと思ったのである。そしてとうとう宮殿を出る許しを得た。娘は広い世界へ歩きに歩いていった。若い姫にこれほど遠くまで歩く力があろうとは、とても思えぬほど遠くまで。

So, once, when she was walking through a great, great wood, one day she felt tired, and sat down on a mossy tuft and fell asleep. Then she dreamt that she went deeper and deeper into the wood, till she came to a little wooden hut, and there she found her brothers; just then she woke, and straight before her she saw a worn path in the green moss, and this path went deeper into the wood; so she followed it, and after a long time she came to just such a little wooden house as that she had seen in her dream.

そこであるとき、大きな大きな森を歩いていて、ある日、娘は疲れを覚えて苔の茂みに腰を下ろし、眠り込んだ。すると森の奥へ奥へと入っていって、小さな木の小屋に着き、そこで兄たちを見つけるという夢を見た。ちょうどそのとき娘は目を覚まし、目の前に緑の苔のなかを踏み分けた道が見えた。その道は森の奥へ通じていた。そこで娘はそれをたどり、長いことかかって、夢に見たのとちょうど同じような小さな木の家に着いた。

Now, when she went into the room there was no one at home, but there stood twelve beds, and twelve chairs, and twelve spoons—a dozen of everything, in short. So when she saw that she was so glad, she hadn’t been so glad for many a long year, for she could guess at once that her brothers lived here, and that they owned the beds, and chairs, and spoons. So she began to make up the fire, and sweep the room, and make the beds, and cook the dinner, and to make the house as tidy as she could; and when she had done all the cooking and work, she ate her own dinner, and crept under her youngest brother’s bed, and lay down there, but she forgot her spoon upon the table.

さて部屋に入ってみると、家には誰もいなかった。だが寝台が十二、椅子が十二、匙が十二——要するに何もかも十二ずつ置いてあった。そこでそれを見て娘はたいそう喜んだ。何年ものあいだこれほど喜んだことはなかった。というのも、ここに兄たちが住んでいて、この寝台と椅子と匙の持ち主なのだと、たちまち察しがついたからである。そこで娘は火を熾し、部屋を掃き、寝台を整え、食事を作り、できるかぎり家を片づけた。そして料理も仕事もすっかり終えると、自分の食事をとって、いちばん下の兄の寝台の下に潜り込んで横になった。だが卓の上に自分の匙を置き忘れてしまった。

So she had scarcely laid herself down before she heard something flapping and whirring in the air, and so all the twelve wild ducks came sweeping in; but as soon as ever they crossed the threshold they became Princes.

そうして横になるか横にならないかのうちに、空で何かが羽ばたき、うなる音が聞こえた。そして十二羽の野鴨がさっと舞い込んできた。ところが敷居をまたぐやいなや、みな王子になった。

“Oh, how nice and warm it is in here”, they said. “Heaven bless him who made up the fire, and cooked such a good dinner for us.”

「ああ、なんとここは心地よく暖かいことか」と王子たちは言った。「火を熾して、こんなうまい食事を作ってくれた者に天の恵みあれ。」

And so each took up his silver spoon and was going to eat. But when each had taken his own, there was one still left lying on the table, and it was so like the rest that they couldn’t tell it from them.

そうしてめいめい銀の匙を取って食べようとした。ところがめいめい自分のを取ったあとも、卓にはまだ一本残っていて、それはほかのとそっくりで見分けがつかなかった。

“This is our sister’s spoon”, they said; “and if her spoon be here, she can’t be very far off herself.”

「これは妹の匙だ」と王子たちは言った。「妹の匙がここにあるなら、妹自身もそう遠くにはおるまい。」

“If this be our sister’s spoon, and she be here”, said the eldest, “she shall be killed, for she is to blame for all the ill we suffer.”

「これが妹の匙で、妹がここにいるのなら」と長兄は言った。「殺してしまおう。われらが受けているすべての災いは妹のせいなのだから。」

And this she lay under the bed and listened to.

そして娘は寝台の下でこれを聞いていた。

“No”, said the youngest, “’twere a shame to kill her for that. She has nothing to do with our suffering ill; for if any one’s to blame, it’s our own mother.”

「いや」といちばん下の弟は言った。「そんなことで妹を殺すのは恥ずべきことだ。われらが災いを受けているのは妹のせいではない。誰かのせいだというなら、それはわれらの母上だ。」

So they set to work hunting for her both high and low, and at last they looked under all the beds, and so when they came to the youngest Prince’s bed, they found her, and dragged her out. Then the eldest Prince wished again to have her killed, but she begged and prayed so prettily for herself.

そこで王子たちは高いところも低いところも妹を探しはじめ、とうとう寝台という寝台の下を見た。そして末の王子の寝台まで来ると妹を見つけ、引っぱり出した。すると長兄はまた妹を殺したがったが、妹はそれはそれは可愛らしく命乞いをした。

“Oh! gracious goodness! don’t kill me, for I’ve gone about seeking you these three years, and if I could only set you free, I’d willingly lose my life.”

「ああ、後生ですから、どうかわたしを殺さないでください。わたしはこの三年、あなたがたを探して歩いてきたのです。あなたがたを自由にできるものなら、喜んで命を捨てます。」

“Well!” said they, “if you will set us free, you may keep your life; for you can if you choose.”

「よかろう!」と兄たちは言った。「われらを自由にしてくれるなら、命は助けてやろう。おまえがその気になればできるのだから。」

“Yes; only tell me”, said the Princess, “how it can be done, and I’ll do it, whatever it be.”

「はい、どうすればできるのか教えてください」と姫は言った。「何であれそのとおりにします。」

“You must pick thistle-down”, said the Princes, “and you must card it, and spin it, and weave it; and after you have done that, you must cut out and make twelve coats, and twelve shirts, and twelve neckerchiefs, one for each of us, and while you do that, you must neither talk, nor laugh, nor weep. If you can do that, we are free.”

「薊の綿毛を摘まねばならぬ」と王子たちは言った。「そしてそれを梳き、紡ぎ、織らねばならぬ。それが済んだら、われら一人ずつのために上着を十二、肌着を十二、襟巻を十二、裁って縫わねばならぬ。そしてそのあいだ、口をきいても、笑っても、泣いてもならぬ。それができれば、われらは自由になる。」

“But where shall I ever get thistle-down enough for so many neckerchiefs, and shirts, and coats?” asked Snow-white and Rosy-red.

「でも、そんなにたくさんの襟巻と肌着と上着のための薊の綿毛を、いったいどこで手に入れればよいのです」と雪白薔薇紅は尋ねた。

“We’ll soon show you”, said the Princes; and so they took her with them to a great wide moor, where there stood such a crop of thistles, all nodding and nodding in the breeze, and the down all floating and glistening like gossamers through the air in the sunbeams. The Princess had never seen such a quantity of thistledown in her life, and she began to pluck and gather it as fast and as well as she could; and when she got home at night she set to work carding and spinning yarn from the down. So she went on a long long time, picking, and carding, and spinning, and all the while keeping the Princes’ house, cooking, and making their beds. At evening home they came, flapping and whirring like wild ducks, and all night they were Princes, but in the morning off they flew again, and were wild ducks the whole day.

「すぐに教えてやろう」と王子たちは言った。そして妹を大きく広い荒れ野へ連れていった。そこには薊がびっしりと生えていて、みなそよ風にうなずきうなずきしていた。そして綿毛は日の光のなか、蜘蛛の糸のように漂ってきらめいていた。姫は生まれてこのかたこれほどたくさんの薊の綿毛を見たことがなく、できるかぎり早く上手に摘み集めはじめた。そして夜に家へ帰ると、綿毛を梳いて糸に紡ぐ仕事にかかった。そうして長い長いあいだ、摘み、梳き、紡ぎ、そのあいだずっと王子たちの家を守り、料理をし、寝台を整えた。夕方になると王子たちは野鴨のように羽ばたきうなりながら帰ってきて、夜のあいだは王子だったが、朝になるとまた飛び去って、一日じゅう野鴨だった。

But now it happened once, when she was out on the moor to pick thistle-down—and if I don’t mistake, it was the very last time she was to go thither—it happened that the young King who ruled that land was out hunting, and came riding across the moor, and saw her. So he stopped there and wondered who the lovely lady could be that walked along the moor picking thistle-down, and he asked her her name, and when he could get no answer, he was still more astonished; and at last he liked her so much, that nothing would do but he must take her home to his castle and marry her. So he ordered his servants to take her and put her up on his horse. Snow-white and Rosy-red, she wrung her hands, and made signs to them, and pointed to the bags in which her work was, and when the King saw she wished to have them with her, he told his men to take up the bags behind them. When they had done that the Princess came to herself, little by little, for the King was both a wise man and a handsome man too, and he was as soft and kind to her as a doctor. But when they got home to the palace, and the old Queen, who was his stepmother, set eyes on Snow-white and Rosy-red, she got so cross and jealous of her because she was so lovely, that she said to the king:

ところがあるとき、娘が薊の綿毛を摘みに荒れ野に出ていたときのこと——わたしの思い違いでなければ、それは娘がそこへ行く最後の日だったのだが——ちょうどその国を治める若い王が狩りに出ていて、荒れ野を馬で横切ってきて娘を見つけた。そこで王はそこに立ち止まって、荒れ野を歩いて薊の綿毛を摘んでいるこの美しい乙女は何者だろうと不思議に思い、その名を尋ねた。そして何の答えも得られなかったので、いよいよ驚いた。そしてとうとう娘がたいそう気に入って、どうしても城へ連れ帰って結婚するのでなければ気が済まなくなった。そこで家来たちに、娘を捕らえて自分の馬に乗せよと命じた。雪白薔薇紅は手をもみしだき、家来たちに身振りで合図して、自分の仕事の入った袋を指さした。そして王は娘がそれを持っていきたがっているのを見て、家来たちに袋も持っていくように言いつけた。そうしてもらうと姫は少しずつ落ち着いてきた。王は賢い人であり、そのうえ美しい人でもあって、医者のように優しく親切に娘に接したからである。ところが宮殿に帰り着くと、王の継母である年老いた妃が雪白薔薇紅に目を留め、その美しさゆえにひどく機嫌を損ねて嫉妬し、王にこう言った。

“Can’t you see now, that this thing whom you have picked up, and whom you are going to marry, is a witch. Why? she can’t either talk, or laugh, or weep!”

「あなたが拾ってきて結婚しようとしているこの者が魔女だということが、まだおわかりにならないのですか。なぜかとお思いなら、この者は口をきくことも笑うことも泣くこともできないのですよ!」

But the King didn’t care a pin for what she said, but held on with the wedding, and married Snow-white and Rosy-red and they lived in great joy and glory; but she didn’t forget to go on sewing at her shirts.

だが王はその言葉を藁ほどにも気にかけず、婚礼を押し進めて雪白薔薇紅と結婚した。そして二人は大きな喜びと栄光のうちに暮らした。だが姫は肌着を縫いつづけることを忘れなかった。

So when the year was almost out, Snow-white and Rosy-red brought a Prince into the world; and then the old Queen was more spiteful and jealous than ever, and at dead of night, she stole in to Snow-white and Rosy-red, while she slept, and took away her babe, and threw it into a pitful of snakes. After that she cut Snow-white and Rosy-red in her finger, and smeared the blood over her mouth, and went straight to the King.

そうして一年が終わろうというころ、雪白薔薇紅は王子を産んだ。すると年老いた妃はこれまでになく意地悪く嫉妬深くなり、真夜中に眠っている雪白薔薇紅のところへ忍び込んで赤子を奪い、蛇でいっぱいの穴へ投げ込んだ。そのあと雪白薔薇紅の指を切って、その血を口のまわりに塗りつけ、まっすぐ王のもとへ行った。

“Now come and see”, she said, “what sort of a thing you have taken for your Queen; here she has eaten up her own babe.”

「さあ来てご覧なさい」と妃は言った。「あなたが妃に迎えたのがどんな者か。この者は自分の赤子を食べてしまったのですよ。」

Then the King was so downcast, he almost burst into tears, and said:

すると王はひどく気落ちして、あやうく涙をこぼしそうになりながら、こう言った。

“Yes, it must be true, since I see it with my own eyes; but she’ll not do it again, I’m sure, and so this time I’ll spare her life.”

「ああ、この目で見たからには、本当に違いない。だがもう二度とはしまい、それは確かだ。だから今度は命は助けよう。」

So before the next year was out she had another son, and the same thing happened. The King’s stepmother got more and more jealous and spiteful. She stole into the young Queen at night while she slept, took away the babe, and threw it into a pit full of snakes, cut the young Queen’s finger, and smeared the blood over her mouth, and then went and told the King she had eaten up her own child. Then the King was so sorrowful, you can’t think how sorry he was, and he said:

そこで次の年が終わらぬうちに、妃はまた息子を産み、同じことが起こった。王の継母はますます嫉妬深く意地悪くなっていった。継母は夜、眠っている若い妃のところへ忍び込んで赤子を奪い、蛇でいっぱいの穴へ投げ込み、若い妃の指を切ってその血を口のまわりに塗りつけ、それから王のところへ行って、この者は自分の子を食べてしまったと告げた。すると王はひどく悲しんで、どれほど悲しかったか想像もつかぬほどで、こう言った。

“Yes, it must be true, since I see it with my own eyes; but she’ll not do it again, I’m sure, and so this time too I’ll spare her life.”

「ああ、この目で見たからには、本当に違いない。だがもう二度とはしまい、それは確かだ。だから今度もまた命は助けよう。」

Well, before the next year was out, Snow-white and Rosy-red brought a daughter into the world, and her, too, the old Queen took and threw into the pit full of snakes, while the young Queen slept. Then she cut her finger, smeared the blood over her mouth, and went again to the King and said,

さて、次の年が終わらぬうちに、雪白薔薇紅は娘を産んだ。そしてその子もまた、若い妃が眠っているあいだに年老いた妃が取り上げて蛇でいっぱいの穴へ投げ込んだ。それから妃の指を切って血を口のまわりに塗りつけ、また王のところへ行ってこう言った。

“Now you may come and see if it isn’t as I say; she’s a wicked, wicked witch, for here she has gone and eaten up her third babe, too.”

「さあ来て、わたしの言うとおりかどうかご覧なさい。この者は邪な、邪な魔女です。こんどは三人めの赤子まで食べてしまったのですから。」

Then the King was so sad, there was no end to it, for now he couldn’t spare her any longer, but had to order her to be burnt alive on a pile of wood. But just when the pile was all a-blaze, and they were going to put her on it, she made signs to them to take twelve boards and lay them round the pile, and on these she laid the neckerchiefs, and the shirts, and the coats for her brothers, but the youngest brother’s shirt wanted its left arm, for she hadn’t had time to finish it. And as soon as ever she had done that, they heard such a flapping and whirring in the air, and down came twelve wild ducks flying over the forest, and each of them snapped up his clothes in his bill and flew off with them.

すると王はひどく悲しんで、その悲しみに際限がなかった。だがもはやこれ以上命を助けるわけにはいかず、薪の山の上で生きたまま焼けと命じねばならなかった。ところが薪の山がすっかり燃え上がって、いよいよ妃をその上に載せようという段になって、妃は板を十二枚取ってきて山のまわりに並べるように身振りで合図した。そしてその上に、兄たちのための襟巻と肌着と上着を並べた。だがいちばん下の兄の肌着には左の袖がなかった。仕上げる暇がなかったのである。そしてそうするやいなや、空に羽ばたきとうなりが聞こえ、十二羽の野鴨が森を越えて飛んできて、めいめい自分の着物を嘴でさらって飛び去った。

“See now!” said the old Queen to the King, “wasn’t I right when I told you she was a witch, but make haste and burn her before the pile burns low.”

「ほらごらんなさい!」と年老いた妃は王に言った。「この者は魔女だと申し上げたのは正しかったでしょう。さあ急いで、火が弱まらぬうちに焼いておしまいなさい。」

“Oh!” said the King, “we’ve wood enough and to spare, and so I’ll wait a bit, for I have a mind to see what the end of all this will be.”

「いや」と王は言った。「薪はありあまるほどある。だから少し待とう。この一部始終がどう終わるのか見てみたいのだ。」

As he spoke, up came the twelve princes riding along, as handsome well-grown lads as you’d wish to see; but the youngest prince had a wild duck’s wing instead of his left arm.

そう言っているうちに、十二人の王子が馬に乗ってやって来た。これ以上望めぬほど美しく立派に育った若者たちだった。だがいちばん下の王子だけは、左腕の代わりに野鴨の翼があった。

“What’s all this about?” asked the Princes.

「これはいったい何ごとだ」と王子たちは尋ねた。

“My Queen is to be burnt,” said the King, “because she’s a witch, and because she has eaten up her own babes.”

「わが妃を焼くところだ」と王は言った。「この者は魔女で、自分の赤子を食べてしまったのだ。」

“She hasn’t eaten them at all”, said the Princes. “Speak now, sister; you have set us free and saved us, now save yourself.”

「妹は赤子を食べてなどおりません」と王子たちは言った。「さあ話せ、妹よ。おまえはわれらを自由にして救ってくれた。こんどは自分を救うのだ。」

Then Snow-white and Rosy-red spoke, and told the whole story; how every time she was brought to bed, the old Queen, the King’s stepmother, had stolen into her at night, had taken her babes away, and cut her little finger, and smeared the blood over her mouth; and then the Princes took the King, and shewed him the snake-pit where three babes lay playing with adders and toads, and lovelier children you never saw.

そこで雪白薔薇紅は口をきいて、一部始終を話した。自分が床につくたびに、王の継母である年老いた妃が夜に忍び込んで赤子を奪い、自分の小指を切って血を口のまわりに塗りつけたことを。それから王子たちは王を連れていって、三人の赤子が蝮や蟇と遊んでいる蛇の穴を見せた。そしてこれほど愛らしい子どもは見たことがないほどだった。

So the King had them taken out at once, and went to his stepmother, and asked her what punishment she thought that woman deserved who could find it in her heart to betray a guiltless Queen and three such blessed little babes.

そこで王はすぐさま子どもたちを引き上げさせ、継母のところへ行って、罪のない妃とこれほど祝福された三人の幼子を裏切るような心を持てる女は、どんな罰にふさわしいと思うかと尋ねた。

“She deserves to be fast bound between twelve unbroken steeds, so that each may take his share of her”, said the old Queen.

「まだ馴らされていない馬十二頭のあいだにしっかり縛りつけられて、めいめいがその分け前を取るのがふさわしいでしょう」と年老いた妃は言った。

“You have spoken your own doom”, said the King, “and you shall suffer it at once.”

「そなたは自分の裁きを口にしたのだ」と王は言った。「そしていますぐそれを受けるがよい。」

So the wicked old Queen was fast bound between twelve unbroken steeds, and each got his share of her. But the King took Snow-white and Rosy-red, and their three children, and the twelve Princes; and so they all went home to their father and mother, and told all that had befallen them, and there was joy and gladness over the whole kingdom, because the Princess was saved and set free, and because she had set free her twelve brothers.

そうして邪な年老いた妃はまだ馴らされていない馬十二頭のあいだにしっかり縛りつけられ、めいめいがその分け前を取った。だが王は雪白薔薇紅と三人の子どもたち、そして十二人の王子を連れて、みなで父と母のところへ帰り、身に起こったことをすべて話した。そして王国じゅうに喜びと歓びがあふれた。姫が救われて自由になり、十二人の兄たちを自由にしたからである。