The Big Bird Dan

Once on a time there was a king who had twelve daughters, and he was so fond of them they must always be at his side; but every day at noon, while the king slept, the Princesses went out to take a walk. So once, while the king was taking his noontide nap, and the Princesses had gone to take their walk, all at once they were missing, and worse, they never came home again. Then there was great grief and sorrow all over the land, but the most sorry of all was the king. He sent messengers out throughout his own and other realms, and gave out their names in all the churches, and had the bells tolled for them in all the steeples; but gone the Princesses were, and gone they stayed, and none could tell what was become of them. So it was as clear as day that they must have been carried off by some witchcraft.

むかしむかし、娘が十二人ある王さまがいた。王さまは娘たちをたいそうかわいがっていて、いつもそばに置いておきたがった。だが毎日昼どき、王さまが眠っているあいだ、姫たちは散歩に出ていた。さてあるとき、王さまが昼寝をしていて姫たちが散歩に出たきり、突然みな姿を消してしまい、しかも悪いことに二度と帰ってこなかった。そこで国じゅうが大きな嘆きと悲しみに包まれたが、誰よりも悲しんだのは王さまだった。王さまは自分の国にもよその国にも使いを出し、教会という教会で姫たちの名を触れさせ、鐘楼という鐘楼で弔いの鐘を鳴らさせた。だが姫たちは消えたきり消えたままで、どうなったのか言える者はいなかった。だから何かの魔法にさらわれたのだということは、火を見るより明らかだった。

Well, it wasn’t long before these tidings spread far and wide, over land and town, aye, over many lands; and so the news came to a king ever so many lands off, who had twelve sons. So when these Princes heard of the twelve king’s daughters, they asked leave of their father to go out and seek them. They had hard work to get his leave, for he was afraid lest he should never see them again, but they all fell down on their knees before the king, and begged so long, at last he was forced to let them go after all.

さてこの知らせが国じゅう町じゅう、いや多くの国々に広まるのに、いくらもかからなかった。そうしてこの知らせは、はるか遠い国の、息子が十二人ある王のもとにも届いた。この十二人の王子たちは十二人の姫のことを聞くと、探しに出かける許しを父に願った。許しを得るのは大変だった。父はもう二度と息子たちに会えないのではないかと恐れたのだ。だが息子たちはみな王の前にひざまずいて長いこと願いつづけ、ついに父も行かせるほかなかった。

He fitted out a ship for them, and gave them Ritter Red, who was quite at home at sea, for a captain. So they sailed about a long, long time, landed on every shore they came to, and hunted and asked after the Princesses, but they could neither hear nor see anything of them. And now, a few days only were wanting to make up seven years since they set sail, when one day a strong storm rose, and such foul weather, they thought they should never come to land again, and all had to work so hard, they couldn’t get a wink of sleep so long as the storm lasted. But when the third day was nearly over, the wind fell, and all at once it got as still as still could be. Now, they were all so weary with work and the rough weather, they fell fast asleep in the twinkling of an eye; all but the youngest Prince, he could get no rest, and couldn’t go off to sleep at all.

王は息子たちのために船を仕立て、海をよく知っている赤のリッテルを船長としてつけた。そこで一同は長い長いあいだ航海し、行き着いた岸という岸に上陸して、姫たちを探し尋ねまわった。だが姿も噂も見つからなかった。そうして船出から七年になるまであと数日というころ、ある日強い嵐が起こり、ひどい荒れ模様になって、もう二度と陸に着けないと思うほどだった。一同は必死に働かねばならず、嵐が続くあいだひと眠りもできなかった。だが三日目が終わるころ風がやみ、たちまちこの上なく静かになった。さて一同は働きづめと荒れ模様ですっかり疲れ果て、またたく間に深い眠りに落ちた。だが末の王子だけは休むことができず、どうしても眠りにつけなかった。

So as he was pacing up and down the deck, the ship came to a little island, and on the island ran a little dog, and bayed and barked at the ship as if it wanted to come on board. So the Prince went to that side of the deck, and tried to coax the dog, and whistled and whistled to him, but the more he whistled and coaxed, the more the dog barked and snarled. Well, he thought it a shame the dog should run about there and starve, for he made up his mind that it must have come thither from a ship that had been cast away in the storm; but still he thought he should never be able to help it after all, for he couldn’t put out the boat by himself, and as for the others, they all slept so sound, he wouldn’t wake them for the sake of a dog. But then the weather was so calm and still; and at last he said to himself: “Come what may, you must go on shore and save that dog”, and so he began to try to launch the boat, and he found it far easier work than he thought. So he rowed ashore, and went up to the dog; but every time he tried to catch it, it jumped on one side, and so it went on till he found himself inside a great grand castle, before he knew where he was. Then the dog, all at once, was changed into a lovely Princess; and there, on the bench, sat a man so big and ugly, the Prince almost lost his wits for fear.

そこで彼が甲板を行ったり来たりしていると、船は小さな島にさしかかった。島には小さな犬が走っていて、船に乗りたがっているかのように吠え立てていた。そこで王子はそちら側の甲板へ行って犬をなだめようとし、口笛を吹きに吹いた。だが吹けば吹くほど、なだめればなだめるほど、犬は吠えてうなった。さて彼は、犬があそこを走りまわって飢えてしまうのはかわいそうだと思った。あの犬は嵐で難破した船から流れ着いたにちがいないと考えたのだ。だがそれでも、結局助けることはできまいと思った。ひとりで小舟を下ろせないし、ほかの者はみなぐっすり眠っていて、犬のために起こす気にはなれなかったからだ。だが天気はこれほど穏やかで静かである。そうしてついに彼は自分に言った。「どうなろうと、岸へ渡ってあの犬を助けねばならない」そこで小舟を下ろそうとしてみると、思ったよりずっとたやすかった。そこで彼は岸まで漕ぎ、犬のところへ行った。だがつかまえようとするたびに犬は横へ跳びのき、そうしているうちに、気がつくと彼は大きな立派な城のなかにいた。すると犬はたちまち美しい姫に姿を変えた。そして長椅子には、あまりに大きく醜い男が座っていて、王子はおそろしさに気を失いそうになった。

“YOU’VE NO NEED TO BE AFRAID”, said the man—but the Prince, to tell you the truth, got far more afraid when he heard his gruff voice—“for I know well enough what you want. There are twelve Princes of you, and you are looking for the twelve Princesses that are lost. I know, too, very well whereabouts they are; they’re with my lord and master, and there they sit, each of them on her chair, and comb his hair; for he has twelve heads. And now you have sailed seven years, but you’ll have to sail seven years more before you find them. As for you, you might stay here and welcome, and have my daughter; but you must first slay him, for he’s a hard master to all of us, and we’re all weary of him, and when he’s dead I shall be King in his stead; but first try if you can brandish this sword”.

「怖がることはない」と男は言った。だが正直に言えば、そのしわがれ声を聞いて王子はいっそう怖くなった。「おまえの望みはよく分かっている。おまえたちは十二人の王子で、行方知れずの十二人の姫を探している。姫たちがどのあたりにいるかも、わたしはよく知っている。姫たちはわたしの主のところにいて、めいめい椅子に座って主の髪を梳いているのだ。主には頭が十二ある。おまえたちは七年航海したが、見つけるまでにはあと七年航海せねばならない。おまえはここに留まってもかまわない、大歓迎だ。わたしの娘をやってもよい。だがまず主を討たねばならない。あれはわたしたちみなにとって厳しい主人で、みなうんざりしている。あれが死ねば、わたしが代わりに王になる。だがまず、この剣を振れるか試してみろ」

Then the King’s son took hold of a rusty old sword which hung on the wall, but he could scarce stir it.

そこで王の息子は壁に掛かっていた錆びた古い剣をつかんだが、動かすのがやっとだった。

“Now you must take a pull at this flask”, said the Troll; and when he had done that he could stir it, and when he had taken another he could lift it, and when he had taken a third he could brandish the sword as easily as if it had been his own.

「ではこの瓶から飲むがいい」とトロルは言った。一口飲むと剣を動かせるようになり、もう一口飲むと持ち上げられるようになり、三口目を飲むと自分の剣のようになんなく振りまわせるようになった。

“Now, when you get on board”, said the Troll Prince, “you must hide the sword well in your berth, that Ritter Red mayn’t set eyes on it; he’s not man enough to wield it, but he’ll get spiteful against you, and try to take your life. And when seven years are almost out all but three days”, he went on to say, “everything will happen just as now; foul weather will come on you, with a great storm, and when it is over you’ll all be sleepy. Then you must take the sword and row ashore, and so you’ll come to a castle where all sorts of guards will stand—wolves, and bears, and lions; but you needn’t be afraid of them, for they’ll all come and crouch at your feet. But when you come inside the castle, you’ll soon see the Troll; he sits in a splendid chamber in grand attire and array; twelve heads he has of his own, and the Princesses sit round them, each on her chair, and comb his heads, and that’s a work you may guess they don’t much like. Then you must make haste, and hew off one head after the other as quick as you can; for if he wakes and sets his eyes on you, he’ll swallow you alive”.

「さて船に戻ったら」とトロルの王子は言った。「その剣を寝床によく隠して、赤のリッテルの目に触れぬようにしろ。あれにはこの剣を振るう力はないが、おまえを妬んで命を取ろうとするだろう。そして七年が終わるまであと三日というころに」と彼は続けた。「今とそっくり同じことが起きる。大嵐とともに荒れ模様がやってきて、それが過ぎるとみな眠くなる。そうしたらおまえは剣を持って岸へ漕ぎ渡れ。すると城に着く。そこにはあらゆる番人が立っている——狼も熊も獅子も。だが恐れることはない。みなおまえの足もとに身をかがめに来るからだ。城のなかに入れば、すぐにトロルが見つかる。あれは立派な部屋で、豪華な装いをして座っている。頭は十二あり、そのまわりに姫たちがめいめい椅子に座って頭を梳いている。それが姫たちにとってうれしい仕事でないのは察しがつくだろう。そうしたら急いで、できるだけ速く頭を次々に切り落とすのだ。あれが目を覚ましておまえを見つけたら、生きたまま呑み込まれてしまうからな」

So the King’s son went on board with the sword, and he bore in mind what he had come to know. The others still lay fast asleep and snored, and he hid the sword in his berth, so that neither Ritter Red nor any of the rest got sight of it. And now it began to blow again, so he woke up the others and said he thought they oughtn’t to sleep any longer now when there was such a good wind. And there was none of them that marked he had been away. Well, after the seven years were all gone but three days, all happened as the Troll had said. A great storm and foul weather came on that lasted three days, and when it had blown itself out, all the rest grew sleepy and went to rest; but the youngest King’s son rowed ashore, and the guards fell at his feet, and so he came to the castle. So when he got inside the chamber, there sat the King fast asleep as the Troll Prince had said, and the twelve Princesses sat each on her chair and combed one of his heads. The king’s son beckoned to the Princesses to get out of the way; they pointed to the Troll, and beckoned to him again to go his way as quick as ever he could, but he kept on making signs to them to get out of the way, and then they understood that he wanted to set them free, and stole away softly one after the other, and as fast as they went, he hewed off the Troll King’s heads, till at last the blood gushed out like a great brook. When the Troll was slain he rowed on board and hid his sword. He thought now he had done enough, and as he couldn’t get rid of the body by himself, he thought it only fair they should help him a little. So he woke them all up, and said it was a shame they should be snoring there, when he had found the Princesses, and set them free from the Troll. The others only laughed at him, and said he had been just as sound asleep as they, and only dreamt that he was man enough to do what he said; for if any one was to set the Princesses free, it was far more likely it would be one of them. But the youngest King’s son told them all about it, and when they followed him to the land and saw first of all the brook of blood, and then the castle, and the Troll, and the twelve heads, and the Princesses, they saw plain enough that he had spoken the truth, and now the whole helped him to throw the body and the heads into the sea. So all were glad and happy, but none more so than the Princesses, who got rid of having to sit there and comb the Troll’s hair all day. Of all the silver and gold and precious things that were there, they took as much as the ship could hold, and so they went on board altogether Princes and Princesses alike.

そこで王の息子は剣を持って船に戻り、知り得たことを胸に刻んだ。ほかの者はまだぐっすり眠っていびきをかいていたので、彼は剣を寝床に隠し、赤のリッテルにもほかの誰にも見られなかった。そしてまた風が吹きはじめたので、彼はみなを起こし、こんなによい風が出てきたのだからもう眠っているべきではないと言った。彼が船を離れていたことに気づいた者はひとりもいなかった。さて七年が終わるまであと三日というころ、すべてはトロルの言ったとおりになった。大嵐と荒れ模様が三日続き、それが吹き終わるとほかの者はみな眠くなって休みに行った。だが末の王子は岸へ漕ぎ渡り、番人たちは彼の足もとにひれ伏し、そうして彼は城に着いた。部屋のなかに入ると、トロルの王子が言ったとおり、王がぐっすり眠って座っていて、十二人の姫がめいめい椅子に座ってその頭を一つずつ梳いていた。王の息子は姫たちに、どいてくれと合図した。姫たちはトロルを指さし、できるだけ速く逃げてくださいと彼に合図し返した。だが彼はどいてくれと合図しつづけたので、姫たちは彼が自分たちを助けに来たのだと悟り、ひとりまたひとりとそっと離れていった。そして姫たちが離れるにつれて、彼はトロル王の頭を次々に切り落とし、ついには血が大きな小川のようにほとばしり出た。トロルを討ち取ると、彼は船に漕ぎ戻って剣を隠した。彼は、もう十分に働いたと思った。そして死骸をひとりでは片づけられないので、少しは手伝ってもらうのが当然だと思った。そこでみなを起こし、自分が姫たちを見つけてトロルの手から救い出したというのに、おまえたちはそこでいびきをかいているのかと言った。ほかの者は彼を笑い、おまえも自分たちと同じくぐっすり眠っていて、そんな手柄を立てた夢を見ただけだろうと言った。姫たちを救い出す者がいるとすれば、自分たちの誰かであるほうがずっとありそうだ、と。だが末の王子が一部始終を話し、みなが彼について陸に上がって、まず血の流れを、それから城とトロルと十二の頭と姫たちを見ると、彼が本当のことを言ったのは明らかだった。そこで一同そろって、死骸と頭を海に投げ込むのを手伝った。そうしてみな喜び楽しんだが、誰よりも喜んだのは姫たちだった。一日じゅうそこに座ってトロルの髪を梳く務めから解き放たれたのだ。そこにあった銀も金も貴い品も、船に積めるだけ積み込んだ。そして王子も姫もそろって船に乗り込んだ。

But when they had gone a bit out on the sea, the Princesses said they had forgotten in their joy their gold crowns; they lay behind in a press, and they would be so glad to have them. So when none of the others was willing to fetch them, the youngest King’s son said:

だが海へ少し出たところで、姫たちは、喜びのあまり金の冠を忘れてきたと言った。冠は戸棚のなかに置いたままで、ぜひとも欲しいというのだ。そこで、ほかの誰も取りに行こうとしなかったので、末の王子が言った。

“I have already dared so much, I can very well go back for the gold crowns too, if you will only strike sail and wait till I come again.”

「私はもうこれだけ危ない目をくぐってきたのだから、金の冠を取りに戻るくらい何でもない。ただ、帆を下ろして私が戻るまで待っていてくれさえすればよい」

Yes, that they would do. But when he had gone back so far that they couldn’t see him any longer, Ritter Red, who would have been glad enough to have been their chief, and to have the youngest Princess, said, “it was no use their lying there still waiting for him, for they might know very well he would never come back; they all knew, too, how the king had given him all power and authority to sail or not as he chose; and now they must all say ’twas he that had saved the Princesses, and if any one said anything else, he should lose his life”.

うん、それくらいはするとも。だが彼が姿が見えなくなるほど遠くまで戻ってしまうと、自分こそ頭に立って末の姫を得たいと思っていた赤のリッテルは言った。「あんなやつをここでじっと待っていても無駄だ。二度と戻らないのは分かりきっている。それに王が、航海するもしないも思いのままの権限をこの自分に与えたことも、みな知っているはずだ。だから今からは、姫たちを救ったのはこの自分だと、みなで言うのだ。誰かがそれ以外のことを口にしたら、命はないものと思え」

The Princes didn’t dare to do anything else than what Ritter Red willed, and so they sailed away.

王子たちは赤のリッテルの意に逆らうことができず、そのまま船出してしまった。

Meanwhile the youngest King’s son rowed to land, went up to the castle, found the press with gold crowns in it, and at last lugged it down to the boat, and shoved off; but when he came where he ought to have seen the ship, lo! it was gone. Well, as he couldn’t catch a glimpse of it anywhere, he could very soon tell how matters stood. To row after them was no good, and so he was forced to turn about and row back to land. He was rather afraid to stay alone in the castle all night, but there was no other house to be got, so he plucked up a heart, locked up all the doors and gates fast, and lay down in a room where there was a bed ready made. But fearful and woeful he was, and still more afraid he got when he had lain a while and something began to creak and groan and quake in wall and roof, as if the whole castle were being torn asunder. Then all at once down something plunged close by the side of his bed, as if it were a whole cartload of hay. Then all was still again; but after a while he heard a voice, which bade him not to be afraid, and said:

そのあいだ末の王子は岸へ漕ぎ着き、城へ上がり、金の冠の入った戸棚を見つけ、ようやくそれを小舟まで引きずり下ろして漕ぎ出した。だが船が見えるはずのところまで来ると、なんと、船は消えていた。さて、どこを見ても船が見当たらないので、彼にはたちまち事の次第が分かった。追って漕いでも無駄なので、引き返して岸へ漕ぎ戻るほかなかった。ひと晩じゅう城にひとりでいるのはいささか怖かったが、ほかに宿もないので、彼は思い切って戸も門もみなしっかり錠を下ろし、寝床のととのった部屋に横になった。だが彼はおびえ、嘆いていた。そしてしばらく横になっていると、壁も屋根もぎしぎしとうめき震えはじめ、城がまるごと引き裂かれるかのようになったので、いっそう怖くなった。すると突然、寝床のすぐそばに何かがどさりと落ちた。荷車一杯の干し草のようだった。それからまた静かになった。だがしばらくすると声が聞こえ、怖がることはないと言って、こう告げた。

Here am I the Big Bird Dan Come to help you all I can.

われこそは大鳥ダン、力のかぎり助けに来たぞ。

“but the first thing you must do when you wake in the morning, will be to go to the barn and fetch four barrels of rye for me. I must fill my crop with them for breakfast, else I can’t do anything”.

「だが朝目を覚ましたら、まず納屋へ行ってライ麦を四樽持ってきてくれ。朝飯にそれで嗉嚢を満たさねば、わたしは何もできないのだ」

When he woke up, sure enough there he saw an awfully big bird, which had a feather at the nape of his neck, as thick and long as a half-grown spruce fir. So the King’s son went down to the barn to fetch four barrels of rye for the Big Bird Dan, and when he had crammed them into his crop he told the King’s son to hang the press with the gold crowns on one side of his neck, and as much gold and silver as would weigh it down on the other side, and after that to get on his back and hold fast by the feather in the nape of his neck. So away they went till the wind whistled after them, and so it wasn’t long before they outstripped the ship. The King’s son wanted to go on board for his sword, for he was afraid lest any one should get sight of it, for the Troll had told him that mustn’t be; but Bird Dan said that mustn’t be either.

目を覚ますと、たしかにそこにはおそろしく大きな鳥がいて、うなじには半ばまで育った樅の木ほどに太くて長い羽根が一本生えていた。そこで王の息子は納屋へ下りて大鳥ダンのためにライ麦を四樽持ってきた。そして鳥がそれを嗉嚢に詰め込むと、金の冠の入った戸棚を首の片側に掛け、それと釣り合うだけの金銀をもう片側に掛けて、それから背に乗ってうなじの羽根にしっかりつかまれと言った。そうして二人は風が後ろで鳴るほどの速さで飛び、まもなく船を追い越した。王の息子は剣を取りに船へ乗り移りたがった。誰かに見られてはならないとトロルに言われていたので、それが心配だったのだ。だが鳥のダンは、それもいけないと言った。

“Ritter Red will never see it, never fear; but if you go on board, he’ll try to take your life, for he has set his heart on having the youngest Princess; but make your mind quite easy about her, for she lays a naked sword by her side in bed every night.”

「赤のリッテルにはけっして見つからない、心配するな。だがおまえが船に乗り移れば、あれはおまえの命を取ろうとするだろう。末の姫をわがものにしようと心に決めているからだ。だが姫のことなら何も案ずるには及ばない。毎晩、抜き身の剣を寝床のわきに置いているからな」

So after a long, long time, they came to the island where the Troll Prince was; and there the King’s son was welcomed so heartily there was no end to it. The Troll Prince didn’t know how to be good enough to him for having slain his Lord and Master, and so made him King of the Trolls, and if the King’s son had been willing he might easily have got the Troll King’s daughter, and half the kingdom. But he had so set his heart on the youngest of the twelve Princesses, he could take no rest, but was all for going after their ship time after time. So the Troll King begged him to be quiet a little longer, and said they had still nearly seven years to sail before they got home. As for the Princess the Troll said the same thing as the Big Bird Dan.

そうして長い長いのちに、二人はトロルの王子のいる島に着いた。そこで王の息子は、これ以上ないほど手厚く迎えられた。トロルの王子は、自分の主を討ってくれた彼にどれほど尽くしても足りないと思い、彼をトロルの王にした。そして王の息子がその気なら、トロル王の娘と国の半分をたやすく手に入れられただろう。だが彼は十二人の姫の末の姫に心を奪われていて、じっとしていられず、何度も何度も船を追いたがった。そこでトロルの王は、もう少し静かにしていろと頼み、船が国に帰り着くまでにはまだ七年近く航海があるのだと言った。姫については、トロルも大鳥ダンと同じことを言った。

“You needn’t fret yourself about her, for she lays a naked sword by her side every night in bed. And now if you don’t believe what I say”, said the Troll, “you can go on board when they sail by here, and see for yourself, and fetch the sword too, for I may just as well have it again.”

「姫のことで気を揉むには及ばない。毎晩、抜き身の剣を寝床のわきに置いているからな。さて、わたしの言うことが信じられないなら」とトロルは言った。「船がここを通るときに乗り移って、自分の目で見てくるがいい。それに剣も取ってこい。あれはわたしが持っていてもよいものだからな」

So when they sailed by another great storm arose, and when the king’s son went on board they all slept, and each Princess lay beside her Prince; but the youngest lay alone with a naked sword beside her in the bed, and on the floor by the bedside lay Ritter Red. Then the king’s son took the sword and rowed ashore again, and none of them had seen that he had been on board. But still the King’s son couldn’t rest, and he often and often wanted to be off, and so at last when it got near the end of the seven years, and only three weeks were left, the Troll King said:

そこで船が通りかかるとまた大嵐が起こり、王の息子が乗り移るとみな眠っていて、姫たちはめいめい自分の王子のかたわらに寝ていた。だが末の姫だけはひとりで寝ていて、抜き身の剣が寝床のわきに置かれ、寝床のそばの床には赤のリッテルが寝ていた。そこで王の息子は剣を取り、また岸へ漕ぎ戻った。彼が乗り移ったのを見た者はひとりもいなかった。だがそれでも王の息子は落ち着かず、何度も何度も出かけたがった。そうしてついに七年が終わりに近づき、あと三週間を残すだけになったとき、トロルの王は言った。

“Now you may get ready to go since you won’t stay with us; and you shall have the loan of my iron boat, which sails of itself, if you only say:

「わたしたちのもとに留まる気がないのなら、出かける支度をするがいい。わたしの鉄の舟を貸してやろう。ただこう言うだけでひとりでに進む舟だ。

Boat, boat, go on!

舟よ、舟よ、進め。

“In that boat there is an iron club, and that club you must lift a little when you see the ship straight a-head of you, and then they’ll get such a rattling fair breeze, they’ll forget to look at you; but when you get alongside them, you must lift the club a little again, and then they’ll get such a foul wind and storm, they’ll have something else to do than to stare at you; and when you have run past them, you must lift the club a third time, but you must always be sure and lay it down carefully again, else there’ll be such a storm both you and they will be wrecked and lost. Now, when you have got to land, you’ve no need to bother yourself at all about the boat; just turn it about, and shove it off, and say:

「その舟には鉄の棍棒が積んである。船がまっすぐ前に見えたら、その棍棒を少し持ち上げろ。すると船にはごうごうと順風が吹いて、おまえのほうを見るのを忘れる。船と並んだらまた少し持ち上げろ。すると逆風と嵐が来て、おまえを見つめるどころではなくなる。船を追い越したら三度目に持ち上げろ。だが毎回きっと気をつけて、そっと置き直すのだぞ。さもないとおまえも船の者も難破して命を落とすほどの嵐になる。さて陸に着いたら、舟のことは何も気にかけなくてよい。向きを変えて押し出し、こう言うだけでよい。

Boat, boat, go back home!

舟よ、舟よ、家へ帰れ。

When he set out they gave him so much gold and silver, and so many other costly things, and clothes and linen which the Troll Princess had sewn and woven for him all that long time, that he was far richer than any of his brothers.

彼が出発するとき、一同は金銀をはじめ、たいそう多くの貴い品々と、トロルの姫がその長いあいだずっと縫い織りしてくれた衣や麻布を持たせてくれた。おかげで彼は兄たちの誰よりもはるかに裕福になった。

Well, he had no sooner seated himself in the boat, and said,

さて彼が舟に腰を下ろし、こう言うやいなや、

Boat, boat, go on!

舟よ、舟よ、進め。

than away went the boat, and when he saw the ship right ahead he lifted up the club, and then they got such a fair breeze, they forgot to look at him. When he was alongside the ship, he lifted the club again, and then such a storm arose and such foul weather, that the white foam flew about the ship, and the billows rolled over the deck, and they had something else to do than to stare at him; and when he had run past them he lifted the club the third time, and then the storm and the wind rose so, they had still less time to look after him, and to make him out. So he came to land long, long before the ship; and when he had got all his goods out of the boat, he shoved it off again, and turned it about and said:

舟は走り出した。そして船がまっすぐ前に見えると棍棒を持ち上げた。すると船には順風が吹いて、みな彼のほうを見るのを忘れた。船と並ぶとまた棍棒を持ち上げた。すると嵐と荒れ模様が起こり、白い泡が船に飛び散り、大波が甲板に打ち寄せて、彼を見つめるどころではなくなった。そして追い越すと三度目に棍棒を持ち上げた。すると嵐と風がいよいよ激しくなり、彼を目で追って見分けるひまはますますなくなった。そうして彼は船よりはるかに早く陸に着いた。そして荷物をみな舟から下ろすと、舟を押し出し、向きを変えて言った。

Boat, boat, go back home!

舟よ、舟よ、家へ帰れ。

And off went the boat.

すると舟は帰っていった。

Then he dressed himself up as a sailor—whether the Troll king had told him that, or it was his own device, I’m sure I can’t say—and went up to a wretched hut where an old wife lived, whom he got to believe that he was a poor sailor who had been on board a great ship that was wrecked, and that he was the only soul that had got ashore. After that he begged for house-room for himself and the goods he had saved.

それから彼は水夫の姿に身をやつした——トロルの王がそう教えたのか、彼自身の思いつきだったのかは、私にはどうにも分からない——そして年老いた女がひとりで住むみすぼらしい小屋へ行った。彼はその女に、自分は難破した大きな船に乗っていた貧しい水夫で、岸にたどり着いたのは自分ひとりだと信じ込ませた。そのうえで、自分と助け出した荷物を置く場所を貸してくれと頼んだ。

“Heaven mend me!” said the old wife, “how can I lend any one house-room? look at me and mine, why, I’ve no bed to sleep on myself, still less one for any one else to lie on.”

「まあ、なんてこと」と老婆は言った。「どうして人に貸す部屋なんかあるものかね。わたしとこの家を見てごらん。自分の寝る寝床さえないんだ、まして人の寝る寝床なんて」

Well, well, it was all the same, said the sailor; if he only got a roof over his head, it didn’t matter where he lay. So she couldn’t turn him out of the house, when he was so thankful for what there was. That afternoon he fetched up his things, and the old wife, who was very eager to hear a bit of news to run about and tell, began at once to ask who he was, whence he came, whither he was bound, what it was he had with him, what his business was, and if he hadn’t heard anything of the twelve Princesses who had been away the Lord knew how many years. All this she asked and much more, which it would be waste of time to tell. But he said he was so poorly and had such a bad headache after the awful weather he had been out in, that he couldn’t answer any of her questions; she must just leave him alone and let him rest a few days till he came to himself after the hard work he’d had in the gale, and then she’d know all she wanted.

なに、かまいません、と水夫は言った。頭の上に屋根さえあれば、どこに寝ようとかまわない、と。彼があるものにこれほど感謝するので、老婆も彼を追い出すわけにいかなかった。その日の午後、彼は荷物を運び上げた。すると老婆は、駆けまわって触れてまわれる話の種を聞きたくてたまらず、すぐに尋ねはじめた。おまえは誰か、どこから来たのか、どこへ行くのか、持っているのは何か、仕事は何か、そして、神さましか知らぬほど長いこと行方知れずの十二人の姫のことを何か聞いていないか。こんなことを、そしてここに書くのも時間の無駄なほど多くのことを、老婆は尋ねた。だが彼は、あのひどい荒れ模様のなかにいたせいで具合が悪く、頭がひどく痛むので、どの問いにも答えられないと言った。嵐のなかで働きづめだったのが抜けて元に戻るまで、数日そっとしておいて休ませてくれ、そうすれば知りたいことはみな分かる、と。

The very next day the old wife began to stir him up and ask again, but the sailor’s head was still so bad he hadn’t got his wits together, but somehow he let drop a word or two to show that he did know something about the Princesses. Off ran the old wife with what she had heard to all the gossips and chatterboxes round about, and soon the one came running after the other to ask about the Princesses, “if he had seen them”, “if they would soon be there”, “if they were on the way”, and much more of the same sort. He still went on groaning over his headache after the storm, so that he couldn’t tell them all about it, but so much he told them, unless they had been lost in the great storm they’d make the land in about a fortnight or before perhaps; but he couldn’t say for sure whether they were alive or no, for though he had seen them, it might very well be that they had been cast away in the storm since. So what did one of these old gossips do but run up to the Palace with this story, and say that there was a sailor down in such and such an old wife’s hut, who had seen the Princesses, and that they were coming home in a fortnight or in a week’s time. When the King heard that he sent a messenger down to the sailor to come up to him and tell the news himself.

その翌日には早くも老婆は彼をせっついてまた尋ねはじめたが、水夫の頭はまだ痛んで考えもまとまらなかった。だがどういうわけか、姫たちについて何か知っているとほのめかす言葉をひと言ふた言もらした。老婆は聞いたことを持って近所の噂好きやおしゃべりのところへ駆け出し、まもなく次から次へと人がやって来て、姫たちのことを尋ねた。「見たのか」「もうじき来るのか」「途中まで来ているのか」など、そんな類いのことをさんざん尋ねた。彼はなおも嵐のあとの頭痛をうめいて、詳しくは話せないと言った。だがこれだけは話した。あの大嵐で失われていないかぎり、二週間ほど、いやもっと早く、陸に着くだろう。だが姫たちが生きているかどうかは請け合えない。自分は姫たちを見たけれど、そのあと嵐で難破したかもしれないからだ、と。すると噂好きの老女のひとりがこの話を持って宮殿へ駆け上がり、これこれの老婆の小屋に姫たちを見たという水夫がいて、姫たちは二週間か一週間ほどで帰ってくるそうだ、と告げた。王さまはそれを聞くと、水夫のもとへ使いをやり、宮殿へ来て自分でその知らせを話せと命じた。

“I don’t see how it’s to be”, said the sailor, “for I haven’t any clothes fit to stand in before the King.”

「そうもまいりません」と水夫は言った。「王さまの前に出られるような衣を持っていないのです」

But the King said he must come; for the King must and would talk with him, whether he were richly or poorly clad, for there was no one else who could bring him any tidings of the Princesses. So he went up at last to the Palace and went in before the King, who asked him if it were true that he had seen anything of the Princesses.

だが王さまは、どうしても来いと言った。豊かな装いであろうと貧しい装いであろうと、王さまはどうしても彼と話したかったのだ。姫たちの消息を伝えられる者はほかにいなかったからである。そこで彼はついに宮殿へ上がり、王さまの前に出た。王さまは、姫たちを見たというのは本当かと尋ねた。

“Aye, aye”, said the sailor, “I’ve seen them sure enough, but I don’t know whether they’re still alive, for when I last caught sight of them, the weather was so foul we in our ship were cast away; but if they’re still alive they’ll come safe home in a fortnight or perhaps before.”

「はい、はい」と水夫は言った。「たしかに見ました。ですが今も生きているかどうかは分かりません。最後に姿を見たとき、あまりの荒れ模様で私たちの船は難破したのです。ですがもし生きていれば、二週間ほど、いやもっと早く無事に帰ってくるでしょう」

When the King heard that he was almost beside himself for joy; and when the time came that the sailor had said they would come, the King drove down to the strand to meet them in a great state; and there was joy and gladness over the whole land, when the ship came sailing in with the Princes and Princesses and Ritter Red. But no one was gladder than the old King, who had got his daughters back again. The eleven eldest Princesses too, were glad and merry, but the youngest who was to have Ritter Red, who said that he had set them all free and slain the Troll, she wept and was always sorrowful. The King took this ill, and asked why she wasn’t cheerful and merry like the others; she hadn’t anything to be sorry for now when she had got out of the Troll’s clutches, and was to have such a husband as Ritter Red. But she daredn’t say anything, for Ritter Red had said he would take the life of any one who told the truth how things had gone.

王さまはそれを聞いて、喜びのあまり我を忘れんばかりだった。そして水夫が言った時が来ると、王さまは盛大な行列を仕立てて渚へ迎えに下りた。そして王子たちと姫たちと赤のリッテルを乗せた船が入ってくると、国じゅうが喜びに沸いた。だが誰よりも喜んだのは、娘たちを取り戻した老いた王さまだった。上の十一人の姫たちも喜んで浮き立っていた。だが、みなを救い出しトロルを討ったと言い張る赤のリッテルに嫁ぐことになっていた末の姫だけは泣いてばかりで、いつも沈んでいた。王さまはそれを不快に思い、なぜほかの者のように明るく浮き立たないのかと尋ねた。トロルの手から逃れ、赤のリッテルのような夫を得るというのに、今さら悲しむことなど何もあるまい、と。だが姫は何も言えなかった。事の次第を本当に話した者は誰であれ命を取ると、赤のリッテルが言っていたからである。

But now one day, when they were hard at work sewing and stitching the bridal array, in came a man in a great sailor’s cloak with a pedlar’s pack on his back, and asked if the Princesses wouldn’t buy something fine of him for the wedding; he had so many wares and costly things, both gold and silver. Yes, they might do so perhaps, so they looked at his wares and they looked at him, for they thought they had seen both him and many of his costly things before.

だがある日、姫たちが婚礼の装いを縫うのに精を出していると、大きな水夫の外套をまとい、行商の荷を背負った男が入ってきて、婚礼のために何か上等なものを買いませんかと尋ねた。金も銀も、たくさんの品と貴いものを持っている、と。ええ、買うかもしれませんね。そこで姫たちは品を見、そして男を見た。男も、その貴い品々の多くも、どこかで見たことがあると思ったからである。

“He who has so many fine things”, said the youngest Princess, “must surely have something still more precious, and which suits us better even than these.”

「これほど見事な品をたくさん持っている人なら」と末の姫は言った。「きっとこれよりもっと貴い、わたしたちにもっとふさわしいものを持っているでしょう」

“Maybe I have”, said the Pedlar.

「持っているかもしれませんな」と行商人は言った。

But now all the others cried “Hush”, and bade her bear in mind what Ritter Red had said he would do.

だがここでほかの姫たちはみな「お黙り」と叫び、赤のリッテルがどうすると言ったかを忘れるなと言った。

Well, some time after the Princesses sat and looked out of the window, and then the King’s son came again with the great sea-cloak thrown about him, and the press with the gold crowns at his back; and when he got into the palace hall he unlocked the press before the Princesses, and when each of them knew her own gold crown again, the youngest said:

さてしばらくして、姫たちが座って窓の外を眺めていると、王の息子がまた大きな海の外套を羽織り、金の冠の入った戸棚を背負ってやってきた。そして宮殿の広間に入ると、姫たちの前で戸棚の錠を開けた。そしてめいめいが自分の金の冠をそれと見分けると、末の姫が言った。

“I think it only right that he who set us free should get the meed that is his due; and he is not Ritter Red, but this man who has brought us our gold crowns. He it is that set us free.”

「わたしたちを救い出した方が、当然の報いを受けるのが正しいと思います。それは赤のリッテルではなく、わたしたちの金の冠を持ってきてくれたこの方です。わたしたちを救い出したのはこの方です」

Then the King’s son cast off the sailor’s cloak, and stood there far finer and grander than all the rest; and so the old King made them put Ritter Red to death. And now there was real right down joy in the palace; each took his own bride, and there just was a wedding! Why, it was heard of and talked about over twelve kings’ realms.

そこで王の息子は水夫の外套を脱ぎ捨て、ほかの誰よりもはるかに立派で堂々とした姿でそこに立った。そして老いた王さまは赤のリッテルを処刑させた。こうして宮殿には正真正銘の喜びが訪れた。めいめいが自分の花嫁を得て、それはもう見事な婚礼だった。その噂は十二の王国に伝わり、語り草になった。