The Blue Belt

Once on a time there was an old beggar-woman, who had gone out to beg. She had a little lad with her, and when she had got her bag full, she struck across the hills towards her own home. So when they had gone a bit up the hill-side, they came upon a little blue belt, which lay where two paths met, and the lad asked his mother’s leave to pick it up.

むかしむかし、物乞いに出かけた年老いた乞い女がいた。小さな男の子を連れていて、袋がいっぱいになると、丘を越えて自分の家のほうへ向かった。さて丘の斜面を少し登ると、二つの道が出会うところに小さな青い帯が落ちていて、男の子は母にそれを拾ってよいかと尋ねた。

“No”, said she, “maybe there’s witchcraft in it”; and so with threats she forced him to follow her. But when they had gone a bit further, the lad said he must turn aside a moment out of the road, and meanwhile his mother sat down on a tree-stump. But the lad was a long time gone, for as soon as he got so far into the wood, that the old dame could not see him, he ran off to where the belt lay, took it up, tied it round his waist, and lo! he felt as strong as if he could lift the whole hill. When he got back, the old dame was in a great rage, and wanted to know what he had been doing all that while. “You don’t care how much time you waste, and yet you know the night is drawing on, and we must cross the hill before it is dark!” So on they tramped; but when they had got about half-way, the old dame grew weary, and said she must rest under a bush.

「いけません」と母は言った。「魔法がかかっているかもしれないよ。」。そう言って脅しつけて、自分についてこさせた。ところがもう少し行くと、男の子はちょっと道を外れねばならないと言い、そのあいだ母は切り株に腰を下ろした。ところが男の子はなかなか戻ってこなかった。というのも、老婆に見えなくなるところまで森に入るやいなや、あの帯の落ちていたところへ駆け戻って、それを拾って腰に巻いたのである。すると見よ! 丘をまるごと持ち上げられそうなほど力が湧いてきた。戻ってくると老婆はひどく怒っていて、いままで何をしていたのかと問いただした。「どれだけ時を無駄にしようとおかまいなしだね。暗くなる前に丘を越えなきゃならないってことは知っているだろうに!」。そこで二人はとことこ歩いた。ところが半分ほど来たところで老婆は疲れてきて、茂みの下で休まねばならないと言った。

“Dear mother”, said the lad, “mayn’t I just go up to the top of this high crag while you rest, and try if I can’t see some sign of folk hereabouts?”

「ねえお母さん」と男の子は言った。「休んでいるあいだに、この高い岩のてっぺんまで行って、このあたりに人がいる印が見えないか見てきてもいい。」

Yes! he might do that; so when he had got to the top, he saw a light shining from the north. So he ran down and told his mother.

はい! それならよい。そこでてっぺんまで登ると、北のほうに明かりが輝いているのが見えた。そこで駆け下りて母に告げた。

“We must get on, mother; we are near a house, for I see a bright light shining quite close to us in the north.” Then she rose and shouldered her bag, and set off to see; but they hadn’t gone far, before there stood a steep spur of the hill, right across their path.

「先へ行こう、お母さん。家が近い。すぐ北のほうに明るい明かりが見えるよ。」。そこで母は立ち上がって袋を担ぎ、見に出かけた。ところが遠くへ行かぬうちに、切り立った丘の突端が行く手を真横にふさいでいた。

“Just as I thought!” said the old dame; “now we can’t go a step farther; a pretty bed we shall have here!”

「思ったとおりだ!」と老婆は言った。「もう一歩も進めないよ。結構な寝床になることだね!」

But the lad took the bag under one arm, and his mother under the other, and ran straight up the steep crag with them.

だが男の子は片腕に袋を、もう片腕に母を抱えて、その切り立った岩をまっすぐ駆け上がった。

“Now, don’t you see! don’t you see that we are close to a house! don’t you see the bright light?”

「ほら、見えるだろう! 家のすぐそばだよ! 明るい明かりが見えるだろう!」

But the old dame said those were no Christian folk, but Trolls, for she was at home in all that forest far and near, and knew there was not a living soul in it, until you were well over the ridge, and had come down on the other side. But they went on, and in a little while they came to a great house which was all painted red.

だが老婆は、あれはキリスト教徒ではなくトロルだと言った。老婆はその森のことなら遠くも近くも知り尽くしていて、尾根をすっかり越えて向こう側へ下りるまでは生きた人の魂一つないことを知っていたのである。だが二人は進み、まもなく一面赤く塗られた大きな家に着いた。

“What’s the good?” said the old dame, “we daren’t go in, for here the Trolls live.”

「何になるものかね」と老婆は言った。「入る度胸などありゃしない。ここにはトロルが住んでいるんだから。」

“Don’t say so; we must go in. There must be men where the lights shine so”, said the lad. So in he went, and his mother after him, but he had scarce opened the door before she swooned away, for there she saw a great stout man, at least twenty feet high, sitting on the bench.

「そんなこと言わないで。入らなきゃ。あんなに明かりが輝いているところには人がいるはずだよ」と男の子は言った。そう言って中へ入り、母もあとに続いた。ところが戸を開けるか開けないかのうちに、母は気を失ってしまった。そこには少なくとも二十フィートはある大きく頑丈な男が腰掛けに坐っていたからである。

“Good evening, grandfather!” said the lad.

「こんばんは、お爺さん!」と男の子は言った。

“Well, here I’ve sat three hundred years”, said the man who sat on the bench, “and no one has ever come and called me grandfather before.” Then the lad sat down by the man’s side, and began to talk to him as if they had been old friends.

「はて、わしはここに三百年坐っておるが」と腰掛けの男は言った。「これまで誰もわしをお爺さんと呼びに来た者はおらん。」。そこで男の子はその男のかたわらに坐って、昔なじみであるかのように話しはじめた。

“But what’s come over your mother?” said the man, after they had chattered a while. “I think she swooned away; you had better look after her.”

「だがおまえの母親はどうしたのだ」としばらくおしゃべりしたあとで男は言った。「気を失ったようだぞ。見てやったほうがよかろう。」

So the lad went and took hold of the old dame; and dragged her up the hall along the floor. That brought her to herself, and she kicked, and scratched, and flung herself about, and at last sat down upon a heap of firewood in the corner; but she was so frightened that she scarce dared to look one in the face.

そこで男の子は行って老婆をつかみ、床の上を広間の奥まで引きずっていった。それで母は正気に戻り、蹴ったり引っ掻いたり暴れたりしたが、とうとう隅の薪の山の上に坐った。だがあまりに怯えていて、人の顔を見る勇気もなかった。

After a while, the lad asked if they could spend the night there.

しばらくして男の子は、ここで一晩過ごせないかと尋ねた。

“Yes, to be sure”, said the man.

「ああ、もちろんだとも」と男は言った。

So they went on talking again, but the lad soon got hungry, and wanted to know if they could get food as well as lodging.

そこで二人はまた話しつづけたが、男の子はまもなく腹が減ってきて、宿だけでなく食べ物ももらえないかと尋ねた。

“Of course”, said the man, “that might be got too.” And after he had sat a while longer, he rose up and threw six loads of dry pitch-pine on the fire. This made the old hag still more afraid.

「もちろんだ」と男は言った。「それも手に入るとも。」。そしてもうしばらく坐っていたあと、立ち上がって乾いた松の薪を六荷ぶん火に投げ入れた。これで老婆はいっそう怯えた。

“Oh! now he’s going to roast us alive”, she said, in the corner where she sat.

「ああ! いま生きたままわたしたちを焼くつもりだよ」と老婆は坐っている隅で言った。

And when the wood had burned down to glowing embers, up got the man and strode out of his house.

そして薪が燃え尽きて赤い熾になると、男は立ち上がって家から大股で出ていった。

“Heaven bless and help us! what a stout heart you have got”, said the old dame; “don’t you see we have got amongst Trolls?”

「天よ祝福と助けを! おまえはなんて肝が据わっているんだろうね」と老婆は言った。「わたしたちがトロルのなかにいるのがわからないのかい。」

“Stuff and nonsense!” said the lad; “no harm if we have.”

「くだらない!」と男の子は言った。「そうだとしても何の害もないよ。」

In a little while back came the man with an ox so fat and big, the lad had never seen its like, and he gave it one blow with his fist under the ear, and down it fell dead on the floor. When that was done, he took it up by all the four legs, and laid it on the glowing embers, and turned it and twisted it about till it was burnt brown outside. After that, he went to a cupboard and took out a great silver dish, and laid the ox on it; and the dish was so big that none of the ox hung over on any side. This he put on the table, and then he went down into the cellar, and fetched a cask of wine, knocked out the head, and put the cask on the table, together with two knives, which were each six feet long. When this was done, he bade them go and sit down to supper and eat. So they went, the lad first and the old dame after, but she began to whimper and wail, and to wonder how she should ever use such knives. But her son seized one, and began to cut slices out of the thigh of the ox, which he placed before his mother. And when they had eaten a bit, he took up the cask with both hands, and lifted it down to the floor; then he told his mother to come and drink, but it was still so high she couldn’t reach up to it; so he caught her up, and held her up to the edge of the cask while she drank; as for himself, he clambered up and hung down like a cat inside the cask while he drank. So when he had quenched his thirst, he took up the cask and put it back on the table, and thanked the man for the good meal, and told his mother to come and thank him too, and a-feared though she was, she dared do nothing else but thank the man. Then the lad sat down again alongside the man and began to gossip, and after they had sat a while, the man said,

しばらくすると男が、これまで見たこともないほど肥えて大きな牡牛を連れて戻ってきた。そして拳で耳の下を一撃食らわすと、牛は床に倒れて死んだ。それが済むと四本の脚をつかんで赤い熾の上に載せ、外側が茶色に焼けるまで回したりひっくり返したりした。そのあと戸棚へ行って大きな銀の皿を取り出し、牛をその上に載せた。皿はあまりに大きくて、牛はどの縁からもはみ出さなかった。それを卓に置き、それから地下室へ下りて葡萄酒の樽を持ってきて、鏡板を叩き割り、それぞれ六フィートもある小刀二本とともに卓に置いた。それが済むと、坐って夕餉を食べろと言った。そこで二人は行った。男の子が先、老婆があとだった。だが老婆は泣き言を言いはじめ、こんな小刀をどう使えばよいのかと嘆いた。だが息子は一本つかんで牛の腿から薄切りを切り取り、母の前に置いた。そして少し食べたあと、樽を両手で持ち上げて床に下ろし、母に飲みに来いと言った。だがまだ高すぎて母には届かなかった。そこで母を抱き上げて樽の縁まで持ち上げ、飲ませてやった。自分はといえば、樽によじ登って猫のように内側にぶら下がりながら飲んだ。そうして喉の渇きを癒やすと、樽を持ち上げてまた卓に戻し、うまい食事の礼を男に言い、母にも礼を言いに来いと言った。そして怯えてはいたが、母は男に礼を言うほかなかった。それから男の子はまた男のかたわらに坐っておしゃべりをはじめ、しばらく坐っていたあと、男がこう言った。

“Well! I must just go and get a bit of supper too”; and so he went to the table and ate up the whole ox—hoofs, and horns, and all—and drained the cask to the last drop, and then went back and sat on the bench.

「さて! わしもちょっと夕餉を食わねばならん。」。そう言って卓へ行き、牛を丸ごと食べてしまった——蹄も角も何もかもだ——そして樽を最後の一滴まで飲み干し、それから戻って腰掛けに坐った。

As for beds”, he said, “I don’t know what’s to be done. I’ve only got one bed and a cradle; but we could get on pretty well if you would sleep in the cradle, and then your mother might lie in the bed yonder.”

「寝床については」と男は言った。「どうしたものかわからん。寝台が一つと揺りかごが一つしかないのだ。だがおまえが揺りかごで寝てくれれば、母親はあちらの寝台に寝られるから、まあうまくいくだろう。」

“Thank you kindly, that’ll do nicely”, said the lad; and with that he pulled off his clothes and lay down in the cradle; but, to tell you the truth; it was quite as big as a four-poster. As for the old dame, she had to follow the man who showed her to bed, though she was out of her wits for fear.

「ありがたいことです、それで結構です」と男の子は言った。そう言って着物を脱いで揺りかごに横になった。だが本当のことを言えば、それは四柱の寝台と同じくらい大きかった。老婆はといえば、正気を失うほど怯えていたが、寝床へ案内する男についていくほかなかった。

“Well!” thought the lad to himself, “’twill never do to go to sleep yet. I’d best lie awake and listen how things go as the night wears on.”

「さて!」と男の子は心のなかで思った。「まだ眠るわけにはいかない。起きていて、夜が更けるにつれてどうなるか聞いているのがいちばんだ。」

So after a while the man began to talk to the old dame, and at last he said:

そこでしばらくすると男は老婆に話しかけはじめ、とうとうこう言った。

“We two might live here so happily together, could we only be rid of this son of yours.”

「おまえのあの息子さえ片づけられれば、わしら二人はここで幸せに暮らせように。」

“But do you know how to settle him? Is that what you’re thinking of?” said she.

「けど、どうやって始末するか知っているのかい。そんなことを考えているのかい」と老婆は言った。

“Nothing easier”, said he; at any rate he would try. He would just say he wished the old dame would stay and keep house for him a day or two, and then he would take the lad out with him up the hill to quarry corner-stones, and roll down a great rock on him. All this the lad lay and listened to.

「わけないことだ」と男は言った。ともかくやってみようというのである。老婆に一日二日ここに残って家を切り回してほしいと言い、それから息子を丘へ連れていって隅石を切り出させ、大きな岩を転がり落としてやる、と。これをみな男の子は横になって聞いていた。

Next day the Troll—for it was a Troll as clear as day—asked if the old dame would stay and keep house for him a few days; and as the day went on he took a great iron crowbar, and asked the lad if he had a mind to go with him up the hill and quarry a few corner-stones. With all his heart, he said, and went with him; and so, after they had split a few stones, the Troll wanted him to go down below and look after cracks in the rock; and while he was doing this, the Troll worked away, and wearied himself with his crowbar till he moved a whole crag out of its bed, which came rolling right down on the place where the lad was; but he held it up till he could get on one side, and then let it roll on.

翌日、そのトロルは——昼のように明らかにトロルだったのだが——老婆に数日残って家を切り回してくれないかと尋ねた。そして日が進むと大きな鉄の梃棒を取って、男の子に、丘へ行って隅石をいくつか切り出す気はないかと尋ねた。喜んで、と男の子は言ってついていった。そうして石をいくつか割ったあと、トロルは男の子に下へ下りて岩の割れ目を見てこいと言った。そして男の子がそうしているあいだ、トロルは梃棒で疲れ果てるまで働いて、とうとう岩をまるごと一つ動かした。それは男の子のいる場所へまっすぐ転がり落ちてきた。だが男の子はそれを支えて脇へ寄れるようにし、それから転がるにまかせた。

“Oh!” said the lad to the Troll, “now I see what you mean to do with me. You want to crush me to death; so just go down yourself and look after the cracks and refts in the rock, and I’ll stand up above.”

「ほう!」と男の子はトロルに言った。「おれをどうするつもりかわかったぞ。押しつぶして殺そうというんだな。それなら自分で下りて岩の割れ目や裂け目を見てこいよ。おれが上に立っていてやる。」

The Troll did not dare to do otherwise than the lad bade him, and the end of it was that the lad rolled down a great rock, which fell upon the Troll, and broke one of his thighs.

トロルは男の子の言うとおりにするほかなく、その結果、男の子が大きな岩を転がし落としてトロルに当て、その腿の一本を折った。

“Well! you are in a sad plight”, said the lad, as he strode down, lifted up the rock, and set the man free. After that he had to put him on his back and carry him home; so he ran with him as fast as a horse, and shook him so that the Troll screamed and screeched as if a knife were run into him. And when he got home, they had to put the Troll to bed, and there he lay in a sad pickle.

「やれやれ、ひどい目に遭ったな」と男の子は大股で下りてきて、岩を持ち上げて男を助け出しながら言った。そのあと彼はトロルを背負って家まで運ばねばならなかった。そこで馬のような速さで走り、揺さぶったので、トロルは小刀でも突き刺されているかのように叫び喚いた。そして家に着くと、みなでトロルを寝床に入れねばならず、トロルはそこでひどいありさまで横たわっていた。

When the night wore on the Troll began to talk to the old dame again, and to wonder how ever they could be rid of the lad.

夜が更けると、トロルはまた老婆に話しかけて、どうすればあの子を厄介払いできるかと嘆きはじめた。

“Well”, said the old dame, “if you can’t hit on a plan to get rid of him, I’m sure I can’t.”

「そうさね」と老婆は言った。「あんたが厄介払いする手を思いつけないなら、わたしにだって思いつけやしないよ。」

“Let me see”, said the Troll; “I’ve got twelve lions in a garden; if they could only get hold of the lad they’d soon tear him to pieces.”

「そうだな」とトロルは言った。「わしは庭に獅子を十二頭飼っている。あれがあの子を捕まえさえすれば、たちまち引き裂いてしまうだろう。」

So the old dame said it would be easy enough to get him there. She would sham sick, and say she felt so poorly, nothing would do her any good but lion’s milk. All that the lad lay and listened to; and when he got up in the morning his mother said she was worse than she looked, and she thought she should never be right again unless she could get some lion’s milk.

そこで老婆は、あそこへ行かせるのは造作もないと言った。自分が病のふりをして、具合が悪くて獅子の乳のほかには何も効かないと言えばよい、と。これをみな男の子は横になって聞いていた。そして朝になって起きると、母は見かけよりずっと具合が悪い、獅子の乳が手に入らなければもう二度と元気になれそうにないと言った。

“Then I’m afraid you’ll be poorly a long time, mother”, said the lad, “for I’m sure I don’t know where any is to be got.”

「それじゃ長いこと具合が悪いままだろうね、お母さん」と男の子は言った。「そんなものがどこで手に入るか、ぼくにはまるでわからないもの。」

“Oh! if that be all”, said the Troll, “there’s no lack of lion’s milk, if we only had the man to fetch it”; and then he went on to say how his brother had a garden with twelve lions in it, and how the lad might have the key if he had a mind to milk the lions. So the lad took the key and a milking pail, and strode off; and when he unlocked the gate and got into the garden, there stood all the twelve lions on their hind-paws, rampant and roaring at him. But the lad laid hold of the biggest, and led him about by the fore-paws, and dashed him against stocks and stones, till there wasn’t a bit of him left but the two paws. So when the rest saw that, they were so afraid that they crept up and lay at his feet like so many curs. After that they followed him about wherever he went, and when he got home, they lay down outside the house, with their fore-paws on the door sill.

「なに、それだけのことなら」とトロルは言った。「獅子の乳なら不足はない、取ってくる者さえいればな。」。そう言って、自分の兄弟が獅子を十二頭飼っている庭を持っていること、獅子の乳を搾る気があるなら鍵を渡そうと話した。そこで男の子は鍵と乳桶を取って大股で出かけた。そして門を開けて庭に入ると、十二頭の獅子がみな後ろ足で立ち上がって、猛り狂って吠えかかってきた。だが男の子はいちばん大きいのをつかまえて前足で引き回し、切り株や石に叩きつけ、とうとう前足二本しか残らぬようにした。すると残りの獅子はそれを見てひどく怯え、這い寄ってきて野良犬のように彼の足もとに横たわった。そのあと獅子たちは彼の行くところどこへでもついていき、彼が家に着くと、前足を戸の敷居に載せて家の外に横たわった。

“Now, mother, you’ll soon be well”, said the lad, when he went in, “for here is the lion’s milk.”

「さあお母さん、すぐによくなるよ」と男の子は入ってきて言った。「獅子の乳を持ってきたから。」

He had just milked a drop in the pail.

彼は桶にほんのひと垂らし搾ってきただけだった。

But the Troll, as he lay in bed, swore it was all a lie. He was sure the lad was not the man to milk lions.

だがトロルは寝床に横たわったまま、そんなものはみな嘘だと言い張った。あの子が獅子の乳を搾れる男であるはずがない、と。

When the lad heard that, he forced the Troll to get out of bed, threw open the door, and all the lions rose up and seized the Troll, and at last the lad had to make them leave their hold.

男の子はそれを聞くと、トロルを無理やり寝床から起こし、戸を勢いよく開けた。すると獅子たちがみな立ち上がってトロルをつかまえ、とうとう男の子が放させねばならないほどだった。

That night the Troll began to talk to the old dame again.

その夜、トロルはまた老婆に話しかけはじめた。

“I’m sure I can’t tell how to put this lad out of the way—he is so awfully strong; can’t you think of some way?

「あの子をどうやって片づければよいか、まるでわからん——恐ろしく力が強いのでな。何か手立てを思いつかんか。」

“No,” said the old dame, “if you can’t tell, I’m sure I can’t.”

「いいや」と老婆は言った。「あんたが思いつけないなら、わたしにだって思いつけやしないよ。」

“Well!” said the Troll, “I have two brothers in a castle; they are twelve times as strong as I am, and that’s why I was turned out and had to put up with this farm. They hold that castle, and round it there is an orchard with apples in it, and whoever eats those apples sleeps for three days and three nights. If we could only get the lad to go for the fruit, he wouldn’t be able to keep from tasting the apples, and as soon as ever he fell asleep my brothers would tear him in pieces.”

「そうだな!」とトロルは言った。「わしには城に兄弟が二人いる。あれはわしの十二倍も力が強くて、だからこそわしは追い出されてこの農場で我慢するはめになったのだ。あの者たちがその城を持っていて、そのまわりには林檎の実る果樹園がある。そしてその林檎を食べた者は三日三晩眠りつづける。もしあの子にその実を取りに行かせられれば、林檎を味わわずにはおられまい。そして眠り込むやいなや、わしの兄弟たちが引き裂いてしまうだろう。」

The old dame said she would sham sick, and say she could never be herself again unless she tasted those apples; for she had set her heart on them.

老婆は、自分が病のふりをして、あの林檎を味わわなければもう二度と元の自分に戻れないと言おう、どうしてもあれが食べたいのだ、と言った。

All this the lad lay and listened to.

これをみな男の子は横になって聞いていた。

When the morning came the old dame was so poorly that she couldn’t utter a word but groans and sighs. She was sure she should never be well again, unless she had some of those apples that grew in the orchard near the castle where the man’s brothers lived; only she had no one to send for them.

朝が来ると老婆はひどく具合が悪くて、呻きと溜息のほかひとことも言えなかった。あの男の兄弟たちの住む城のそばの果樹園になっている林檎が手に入らなければ、もう二度とよくなれそうにない。ただ取りに行かせる者がいないのだ、と。

Oh! the lad was ready to go that instant; but the eleven lions went with him. So when he came to the orchard, he climbed up into the apple tree and ate as many apples as he could, and he had scarce got down before he fell into a deep sleep; but the lions all lay round him in a ring. The third day came the Troll’s brothers, but they did not come in man’s shape. They came snorting like man-eating steeds, and wondered who it was that dared to be there, and said they would tear him to pieces, so small that there should not be a bit of him left. But up rose the lions and tore the Trolls into small pieces, so that the place looked as if a dung heap had been tossed about it; and when they had finished the Trolls they lay down again. The lad did not wake till late in the afternoon, and when he got on his knees and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he began to wonder what had been going on, when he saw the marks of hoofs. But when he went towards the castle, a maiden looked out of a window who had seen all that had happened, and she said:

ああ! 男の子はすぐさま行く気になった。そして十一頭の獅子がついていった。そこで果樹園に着くと、林檎の木に登って食べられるだけ食べた。そして下りるか下りないかのうちに深い眠りに落ちた。だが獅子たちがみな輪になってまわりに横たわった。三日めにトロルの兄弟たちが来たが、人の姿では来なかった。人食い馬のように鼻息を荒らげてやって来て、ここにいるのは何者だ、粉々に引き裂いて一片も残らぬようにしてやると言った。だが獅子たちが立ち上がってトロルたちを細切れに引き裂いたので、そのあたりは糞の山をまき散らしたようなありさまになった。そしてトロルたちを片づけると、獅子たちはまた横になった。男の子は午後遅くまで目を覚まさず、膝をついて目の眠気をこすり落とすと、蹄の跡を見て、何が起こったのだろうと不思議に思いはじめた。ところが城のほうへ歩いていくと、起こったことをすっかり見ていた乙女が窓からのぞいて、こう言った。

“You may thank your stars you weren’t in that tussle, else you must have lost your life.”

「あの取っ組み合いのなかにいなかったことを、運に感謝なさい。さもなければ命を落としていたでしょう。」

“What! I lose my life! No fear of that, I think,” said the lad.

「なんだって! おれが命を落とす。そんな心配はないと思うがね」と男の子は言った。

So she begged him to come in, that she might talk with him, for she hadn’t seen a Christian soul ever since she came there. But when she opened the door the lions wanted to go in too, but she got so frightened that she began to scream, and so the lad let them lie outside. Then the two talked and talked, and the lad asked how it came that she, who was so lovely, could put up with those ugly Trolls. She never wished it, she said; ’twas quite against her will. They had seized her by force, and she was the King of Arabia’s daughter. So they talked on, and at last she asked him what he would do; whether she should go back home, or whether he would have her to wife. Of course he would have her, and she shouldn’t go home.

そこで乙女は、話がしたいから入ってくださいと頼んだ。ここへ来てからキリスト教徒の魂を一つも見ていないというのである。ところが戸を開けると獅子たちも入りたがったので、乙女は怖くなって悲鳴をあげはじめた。そこで男の子は獅子たちを外に寝かせておいた。それから二人は話に話し、男の子は、これほど美しいあなたがなぜあんな醜いトロルたちに耐えていられるのかと尋ねた。決して望んだことではない、まったく意に反してのことだと乙女は言った。トロルたちが力ずくで奪ってきたので、自分はアラビアの王の娘なのだ、と。そうして二人は話しつづけ、とうとう乙女は彼にどうするつもりかと尋ねた。自分は家へ帰るべきか、それともあなたが妻にしてくださるか、と。もちろん妻にする、家へ帰ることはない。

After that they went round the castle, and at last they came to a great hall, where the Trolls’ two great swords hung high up on the wall.

そのあと二人は城を回り、とうとう大きな広間に来た。そこにはトロルたちの二本の大きな剣が壁の高いところに掛かっていた。

“I wonder if you are man enough to wield one of these,” said the Princess.

「あなたにこれを振るえるだけの力があるかしら」と姫は言った。

“Who?—I?” said the lad. “’Twould be a pretty thing if I couldn’t wield one of these.”

「誰が。おれが」と男の子は言った。「こんなものが振るえなかったら結構なことだ。」

With that he put two or three chairs one a-top of the other, jumped up, and touched the biggest sword with his finger tips, tossed it up in the air, and caught it again by the hilt; leapt down, and at the same time dealt such a blow with it on the floor that the whole hall shook. After he had thus got down, he thrust the sword under his arm and carried it about with him.

そう言って椅子を二つ三つ積み上げて跳び上がり、いちばん大きな剣に指先で触れて宙へ放り上げ、また柄で受け止めた。そして跳び下りると同時にそれで床に一撃を食らわせたので、広間じゅうが揺れた。そうして下りると、剣を小脇に抱えて持ち歩いた。

So, when they had lived a little while in the castle, the Princess thought she ought to go home to her parents, and let them know what had become of her; so they loaded a ship, and she set sail from the castle.

さて、二人が城に少し暮らしたあと、姫は両親のところへ帰って自分がどうなったか知らせるべきだと思った。そこで船に荷を積み、姫は城から船出した。

After she had gone, and the lad had wandered about a little, he called to mind that he had been sent on an errand thither, and had come to fetch something for his mother’s health; and though he said to himself, “After all, the old dame was not so bad but she’s all right by this time”—still he thought he ought to go and just see how she was. So he went and found both the man and his mother quite fresh and hearty.

姫が去って、男の子がしばらくさまよい歩いたあと、彼はそもそも用向きがあってここへ来たこと、母の病のために何かを取りに来たことを思い出した。そして「どうせあの婆さんはそれほど悪くもなかったし、いまごろはすっかりよくなっているだろう」と独りごちながらも、行って様子だけでも見てくるべきだと思った。そこで行ってみると、男も母もすっかり元気で達者だった。

“What wretches you are to live in this beggarly hut”, said the lad. “Come with me up to my castle, and you shall see what a fine fellow I am.”

「こんなみすぼらしい小屋に住んでいるなんて、みじめなことだ」と男の子は言った。「おれの城へいっしょに来いよ。おれがどれほど立派な男か見せてやる。」

Well! they were both ready to go, and on the way his mother talked to him, and asked, “How it was he had got so strong?”

さて! 二人とも行く気になった。そして道すがら母は息子に話しかけて、どうしてそんなに力が強くなったのかと尋ねた。

“If you must know, it came of that blue belt which lay on the hill-side that time when you and I were out begging”, said the lad.

「どうしても知りたいなら、あのとき、二人で物乞いに出ていたときに丘の斜面に落ちていたあの青い帯のおかげさ」と男の子は言った。

“Have you got it still?” asked she.

「まだ持っているのかい」と母は尋ねた。

“Yes”—he had. It was tied round his waist.

「ああ」——持っていた。腰に巻いてあった。

“Might she see it?”

「見せてもらえるかい。」

“Yes, she might”; and with that he pulled open his waistcoat and shirt to show it her.

「ああ、いいとも。」。そう言って彼はチョッキと肌着を開いて見せた。

Then she seized it with both hands, tore it off, and twisted it round her fist.

すると母は両手でそれをつかみ、引きちぎって拳に巻きつけた。

“Now”, she cried, “what shall I do with such a wretch as you? I’ll just give you one blow, and dash your brains out!”

「さあ」と母は叫んだ。「おまえのようなろくでなしをどうしてやろう。ひと殴りして脳味噌を叩き出してやろうか!」

“Far too good a death for such a scamp”, said the Troll. “No! let’s first burn out his eyes, and then turn him adrift in a little boat.”

「そんなろくでなしには上等すぎる死に方だ」とトロルは言った。「いや! まず目を焼き潰して、それから小舟に乗せて流してしまおう。」

So they burned out his eyes and turned him adrift, in spite of his prayers and tears; but, as the boat drifted, the lions swam after, and at last they laid hold of it and dragged it ashore on an island, and placed the lad under a fir tree. They caught game for him, and they plucked the birds and made him a bed of down; but he was forced to eat his meat raw, and he was blind. At last, one day the biggest lion was chasing a hare which was blind, for it ran straight over stock and stone, and the end was, it ran right up against a fir-stump and tumbled head over heels across the field right into a spring; but lo! when it came out of the spring it saw its way quite plain, and so saved its life.

そこで二人は彼の目を焼き潰し、彼がどれほど祈り泣いても小舟で流してしまった。ところが舟が漂っていくと、獅子たちが泳いでついてきて、とうとう舟をつかまえて島の岸へ引き上げ、男の子を樅の木の下に置いた。獅子たちは彼のために獲物を捕らえ、鳥の羽をむしって羽毛の寝床を作ってやった。だが彼は肉を生で食べるほかなく、目は見えなかった。とうとうある日、いちばん大きな獅子が目の見えない兎を追いかけた。兎は切り株も石もかまわずまっすぐ走っていき、その果てに樅の切り株にまともにぶつかって、野をもんどり打って転がり、泉に落ち込んだ。ところが見よ! 泉から出てくると、兎にはすっかり道が見えるようになっていて、それで命拾いをした。

“So, so!” thought the lion, and went and dragged the lad to the spring, and dipped him over head and ears in it. So, when he had got his sight again, he went down to the shore and made signs to the lions that they should all lie close together like a raft; then he stood upon their backs while they swam with him to the mainland. When he had reached the shore he went up into a birchen copse, and made the lions lie quiet. Then he stole up to the castle, like a thief, to see if he couldn’t lay hands on his belt; and when he got to the door, he peeped through the keyhole, and there he saw his belt hanging up over a door in the kitchen. So he crept softly in across the floor, for there was no one there; but as soon as he had got hold of the belt, he began to kick and stamp about as though he were mad. Just then his mother came rushing out.

「なるほど、なるほど!」と獅子は思い、行って男の子を泉まで引きずっていき、頭から耳まですっかり浸してやった。そこで彼は目が見えるようになると岸へ下りていって、獅子たちにみないっしょに筏のように寄り集まれと合図した。そして獅子たちが彼を乗せて本土まで泳ぐあいだ、その背の上に立っていた。岸に着くと彼は白樺の茂みへ行き、獅子たちをじっとさせておいた。それから盗人のようにこっそり城まで忍び寄り、帯を取り戻せないか見てみた。そして戸のところまで来て鍵穴からのぞくと、台所の戸の上に自分の帯が掛かっているのが見えた。そこでそっと床を横切って忍び込んだ。そこには誰もいなかった。だが帯を手にするやいなや、気が狂ったように蹴ったり踏み鳴らしたりしはじめた。するとちょうどそのとき母が駆け出してきた。

“Dear heart, my darling little boy! do give me the belt again”, she said.

「まあ、かわいい坊や! どうかその帯をお返し」と母は言った。

“Thank you kindly”, said he. “Now you shall have the doom you passed on me”, and he fulfilled it on the spot. When the old Troll heard that, he came in and begged and prayed so prettily that he might not be smitten to death.

「ありがたいことだ」と彼は言った。「さあ、おまえがおれに下した裁きをおまえが受けるがいい。」。そしてその場でそれを果たした。年老いたトロルはそれを聞くと入ってきて、打ち殺さないでくれとそれは可愛らしく頼み込んだ。

“Well, you may live”, said the lad, “but you shall undergo the same punishment you gave me”; and so he burned out the Troll’s eyes, and turned him adrift on the sea in a little boat, but he had no lions to follow him.

「よかろう、命は助けてやる」と男の子は言った。「だがおまえがおれに与えたのと同じ罰を受けてもらう。」。そう言ってトロルの目を焼き潰し、小舟に乗せて海へ流した。だがトロルにはついていく獅子がいなかった。

Now the lad was all alone, and he went about longing and longing for the Princess; at last he could bear it no longer; he must set out to seek her, his heart was so bent on having her. So he loaded four ships and set sail for Arabia. For some time they had fair wind and fine weather, but after that they lay wind-bound under a rocky island. So the sailors went ashore and strolled about to spend the time, and there they found a huge egg, almost as big as a little house. So they began to knock it about with large stones, but, after all, they couldn’t crack the shell. Then the lad came up with his sword to see what all the noise was about, and when he saw the egg, he thought it a trifle to crack it; so he gave it one blow and the egg split, and out came a chicken as big as an elephant.

さて男の子はひとりきりになり、姫を恋しく思いつづけて歩き回った。とうとう堪えきれなくなり、探しに出かけねばならなくなった。それほど心が姫に傾いていたのである。そこで船四艘に荷を積んでアラビアへ船出した。しばらくは順風と好天に恵まれたが、そのあと岩だらけの島の陰で風待ちになった。そこで水夫たちは上陸して、時をつぶそうとぶらつき回った。するとそこで、小さな家ほどもある巨大な卵を見つけた。そこで大きな石で叩きはじめたが、それでも殻を割ることができなかった。そこへ男の子が剣を持って、この騒ぎは何ごとかと見に来た。そして卵を見ると、割るくらい造作もないと思って一撃食らわせた。すると卵が割れて、象ほどもある雛が出てきた。

“Now we have done wrong”, said the lad; “this can cost us all our lives”; and then he asked his sailors if they were men enough to sail to Arabia in four-and-twenty hours if they got a fine breeze. Yes! they were good to do that, they said, so they set sail with a fine breeze, and got to Arabia in three-and-twenty hours. As soon as they landed, the lad ordered all the sailors to go and bury themselves up to the eyes in a sandhill, so that they could barely see the ships. The lad and the captains climbed a high crag and sate down under a fir.

「これはまずいことをした」と男の子は言った。「これでみな命を落とすかもしれん。」。そして水夫たちに、よい風が吹けば二十四時間でアラビアまで走れる男たちかと尋ねた。ああ、それくらいはできますとも、と水夫たちは言った。そこで一行はよい風を受けて船出し、二十三時間でアラビアに着いた。上陸するやいなや男の子は水夫たちに、船がかろうじて見えるだけの高さに目のところまで砂丘に埋まれと命じた。そして男の子と船長たちは高い岩に登って、樅の木の下に坐った。

In a little while came a great bird flying with an island in its claws, and let it fall down on the fleet, and sunk every ship. After it had done that, it flew up to the sandhill and flapped its wings, so that the wind nearly took off the heads of the sailors, and it flew past the fir with such force that it turned the lad right about, but he was ready with his sword, and gave the bird one blow and brought it down dead.

しばらくすると大きな鳥が島を爪につかんで飛んできて、それを船団の上に落とし、船をすっかり沈めてしまった。そうしたあと、その鳥は砂丘まで飛んできて翼を打ち振った。すると水夫たちの首が吹き飛ばされんばかりの風が起こった。そして樅の木のそばをあまりに勢いよく飛び過ぎたので、男の子はくるりと回されてしまった。だが彼は剣を構えていて、鳥に一撃を食らわせて撃ち落とし、殺してしまった。

After that he went to the town, where every one was glad because the king had got his daughter back; but now the king had hidden her away somewhere himself, and promised her hand as a reward to any one who could find her, and this though she was betrothed before. Now as the lad went along he met a man who had white bear-skins for sale, so he bought one of the hides and put it on; and one of the captains was to take an iron chain and lead him about, and so he went into the town and began to play pranks. At last the news came to the king’s ears, that there never had been such fun in the town before, for here was a white bear that danced and cut capers just as it was bid. So a messenger came to say the bear must come to the castle at once, for the king wanted to see its tricks. So when it got to the castle every one was afraid, for such a beast they had never seen before; but the captain said there was no danger unless they laughed at it. They mustn’t do that, else it would tear them to pieces. When the king heard that, he warned all the court not to laugh. But while the fun was going on, in came one of the king’s maids, and began to laugh and make game of the bear, and the bear flew at her and tore her, so that there was scarce a rag of her left. Then all the court began to bewail, and the captain most of all.

そのあと彼は町へ行った。そこでは王が娘を取り戻したので誰もが喜んでいた。ところが王はいまや自分で姫をどこかに隠してしまい、見つけ出した者には褒美として姫を与えると約束していた。姫にはすでに許婚がいたにもかかわらずである。さて男の子が歩いていくと、白熊の毛皮を売っている男に出会った。そこでその皮を一枚買って身にまとい、船長の一人が鉄の鎖を取って引き回すことにした。そうして町へ入って芸をしはじめた。とうとうその噂が王の耳に届いた。町にこれほど面白いものがあったためしはない、命じられたとおりに踊って跳ね回る白熊がいる、というのである。そこで使いが来て、王が芸を見たいから熊をすぐ城へ連れてこいと言った。そこで城に着くと、こんな獣は見たことがなかったので誰もが怖がった。だが船長が、笑いさえしなければ危険はないと言った。笑ってはならぬ、笑えば引き裂かれてしまう、と。王はそれを聞くと、宮廷の者みなに笑うなと警めた。ところが余興のさなかに王の女中の一人が入ってきて、笑って熊をからかいはじめた。すると熊は飛びかかって引き裂き、ぼろ一枚残らぬほどにしてしまった。そこで宮廷じゅうが嘆きはじめ、誰よりも船長が嘆いた。

“Stuff and nonsense”, said the king; “she’s only a maid, besides it’s more my affair than yours.”

「くだらん」と王は言った。「ただの女中ではないか。それに、おまえよりわしの損だ。」

When the show was over, it was late at night. “It’s no good your going away, when it’s so late”, said the king. “The bear had best sleep here.”

余興が終わったころには夜も更けていた。「こんなに遅くに帰ることもあるまい」と王は言った。「熊はここで寝るのがよかろう。」

“Perhaps it might sleep in the ingle by the kitchen fire”, said the captain.

「台所の火のそばの炉端で寝てもよいかもしれません」と船長は言った。

“Nay”, said the king, “it shall sleep up here, and it shall have pillows and cushions to sleep on.” So a whole heap of pillows and cushions was brought, and the captain had a bed in a side-room.

「いや」と王は言った。「ここで寝るがよい。枕も蒲団もやろう。」。そこで枕と蒲団が山と運ばれ、船長は脇の小部屋に寝床をもらった。

But at midnight the king came with a lamp in his hand and a big bunch of keys, and carried off the white bear. He passed along gallery after gallery, through doors and rooms, up-stairs and down-stairs, till at last he came to a pier which ran out into the sea. Then the king began to pull and haul at posts and pins, this one up and that one down, till at last a little house floated up to the water’s edge. There he kept his daughter, for she was so dear to him that he had hid her, so that no one could find her out. He left the white bear outside while he went in and told her how it had danced and played its pranks. She said she was afraid, and dared not look at it; but he talked her over, saying there was no danger, if she only wouldn’t laugh. So they brought the bear in, and locked the door, and it danced and played its tricks; but just when the fun was at its height, the Princess’s maid began to laugh. Then the lad flew at her and tore her to bits, and the Princess began to cry and sob.

ところが真夜中に王が手に灯りを、大きな鍵束を持ってきて、白熊を連れ出した。廊下から廊下へ、戸をくぐり部屋を抜け、階段を上り下りして、とうとう海に突き出た桟橋に着いた。そこで王は柱や栓を引いたり押したりしはじめた。あれを上げこれを下げしていると、とうとう小さな家が水面まで浮かび上がってきた。そこに王は娘を置いていたのである。娘があまりに大切だったので、誰にも見つけられぬように隠していたのだ。王は白熊を外に残して中へ入り、熊がどう踊って芸をしたかを娘に話した。娘は怖いから見る勇気がないと言ったが、王は、笑いさえしなければ危険はないと説き伏せた。そこで熊を中へ入れて戸に錠を下ろすと、熊は踊って芸をした。ところが面白さが極まったちょうどそのとき、姫の女中が笑いはじめた。すると男の子は飛びかかって細切れに引き裂き、姫は泣きじゃくりはじめた。

“Stuff and nonsense”, cried the king; “all this fuss about a maid! I’ll get you just as good a one again. But now I think the bear had best stay here till morning, for I don’t care to have to go and lead it along all those galleries and stairs at this time of night.”

「くだらん」と王は叫んだ。「女中一人でこの騒ぎか! 同じくらいよい女中をまたやろう。だがいまは、朝まで熊はここにいるのがよかろう。こんな夜更けに廊下と階段をすっかり通って連れていく気にはなれん。」

“Well!” said the Princess, “if it sleeps here, I’m sure I won’t.”

「まあ!」と姫は言った。「それがここで寝るなら、わたしは寝ませんわ。」

But just then the bear curled himself up and lay down by the stove; and it was settled at last that the Princess should sleep there too, with a light burning. But as soon as the king was well gone, the white bear came and begged her to undo his collar. The Princess was so scared she almost swooned away; but she felt about till she found the collar, and she had scarce undone it before the bear pulled his head off. Then she knew him again, and was so glad there was no end to her joy, and she wanted to tell her father at once that her deliverer was come. But the lad would not hear of it; he would earn her once more, he said. So in the morning when they heard the king rattling at the posts outside, the lad drew on the hide, and lay down by the stove.

ところがちょうどそのとき熊が身を丸めて竈のそばに横になった。そしてとうとう、姫も灯りを灯したままそこで寝るということに落ち着いた。ところが王がすっかり行ってしまうやいなや、白熊は寄ってきて首輪を外してくれと頼んだ。姫はあまりに怯えて気を失いそうになったが、手探りで首輪を見つけた。そして外すか外さないかのうちに、熊は自分の頭を外した。そこで姫は彼が誰かを思い出し、喜びに際限がないほど嬉しくて、救い主が来たことをすぐ父に告げようとした。だが男の子はそれを聞き入れなかった。もう一度あなたを勝ち取るのだと言うのである。そこで朝になって外で王が柱をがたがたやる音がすると、男の子は毛皮をかぶって竈のそばに横になった。

“Well, has it lain still?” the king asked.

「どうだ、じっとしていたか」と王は尋ねた。

“I should think so”, said the Princess; “it hasn’t so much as turned or stretched itself once.”

「ええ、そうだと思いますわ」と姫は言った。「一度も寝返りも伸びもしませんでしたもの。」

When they got up to the castle again, the captain took the bear and led it away, and then the lad threw off the hide, and went to a tailor and ordered clothes fit for a prince; and when they were fitted on he went to the king, and said he wanted to find the Princess.

また城へ上がってくると、船長が熊を引き取って連れ去った。そこで男の子は毛皮を脱ぎ捨てて仕立屋へ行き、王子にふさわしい衣裳を注文した。そして仕上がって着てみると、王のところへ行って姫を探し当てたいと言った。

“You’re not the first who has wished the same thing”, said the king, “but they have all lost their lives; for if any one who tries can’t find her in four-and-twenty hours his life is forfeited.”

「同じことを望んだのはそなたが最初ではない」と王は言った。「だがみな命を落とした。試みた者が二十四時間で見つけられなければ、その命は召し上げなのだ。」

Yes; the lad knew all that. Still he wished to try, and if he couldn’t find her, ’twas his look-out. Now in the castle there was a band that played sweet tunes, and there were fair maids to dance with, and so the lad danced away. When twelve hours were gone, the king said:

そうだ、男の子はそれをみな知っていた。それでも試したい、見つけられなければ自分の責めだと言った。さて城には甘い調べを奏でる楽隊があり、踊る相手の美しい乙女たちもいた。そこで男の子は踊りつづけた。十二時間が過ぎると、王はこう言った。

“I pity you with all my heart. You’re so poor a hand at seeking; you will surely lose your life.”

「心から気の毒に思う。そなたは探すのがまるで下手だ。きっと命を落とすことになるぞ。」

“Stuff!” said the lad; “while there’s life there’s hope! So long as there’s breath in the body there’s no fear; we have lots of time”; and so he went on dancing till there was only one hour left.

「くだらない!」と男の子は言った。「命ある限り望みあり! 体に息があるかぎり恐れることはありません。時はたっぷりあります。」。そう言って残り一時間になるまで踊りつづけた。

Then he said he would begin to search.

そこで彼は探しはじめると言った。

“It’s no use now”, said the king; “time’s up.”

「もう無駄だ」と王は言った。「時は尽きた。」

“Light your lamp; out with your big bunch of keys”, said the lad, “and follow me whither I wish to go. There is still a whole hour left.”

「灯りをつけて、その大きな鍵束を出してください」と男の子は言った。「そしてわたしの行きたいところへついてきてください。まだまる一時間残っています。」

So the lad went the same way which the king had led him the night before, and he bade the king unlock door after door till they came down to the pier which ran out into the sea.

そこで男の子は、前の晩に王が連れていったのと同じ道を行き、王に戸を次々と開けさせて、とうとう海に突き出た桟橋まで下りていった。

“It’s all no use, I tell you”, said the king; “time’s up, and this will only lead you right out into the sea.”

「まったく無駄だと言っているのだ」と王は言った。「時は尽きた。それにこの先はまっすぐ海へ出るだけだぞ。」

“Still five minutes more”, said the lad, as he pulled and pushed at the posts and pins, and the house floated up.

「まだ五分あります」と男の子は言って、柱と栓を引いたり押したりした。すると家が浮かび上がってきた。

“Now the time is up”, bawled the king; “come hither, headsman, and take off his head.”

「さあ時は尽きた」と王は喚いた。「首斬り役人、こちらへ来てこの者の首を刎ねよ。」

“Nay, nay!” said the lad; “stop a bit, there are still three minutes! Out with the key, and let me get into this house.”

「いやいや!」と男の子は言った。「少し待ってください、まだ三分あります! 鍵を出して、この家に入らせてください。」

But there stood the king and fumbled with his keys, to draw out the time. At last he said he hadn’t any key.

ところが王はそこに立って鍵をまさぐり、時を引き延ばした。そしてとうとう、鍵は持っていないと言った。

“Well, if you haven’t, I have”, said the lad, as he gave the door such a kick that it flew to splinters inwards on the floor.

「では、あなたが持っていなくとも、わたしが持っています」と男の子は言って、戸を蹴りつけた。すると戸は内側の床へ粉々に飛び散った。

At the door the Princess met him, and told her father this was her deliverer, on whom her heart was set. So she had him; and this was how the beggar boy came to marry the king’s daughter of Arabia.

戸口で姫が彼を迎え、この方がわたしの救い主で、わたしの心はこの方に決まっていますと父に告げた。こうして彼は姫を得た。物乞いの少年がアラビアの王の娘と結婚したいきさつは、こういうわけである。