The White Squash

Ilocano

イロカノ

In a queer little bamboo house in front of a big garden lived a man and his wife all alone. They had always been kind and good to everyone, but still they were not happy, because the child for which they longed had never come to them. Each day for many years they had prayed for a son or a daughter, but their prayers had been unanswered. Now that they were growing old they believed that they must always live alone.

大きな庭の前の風変わりな小さな竹の家に、一人の男とその妻がまったく二人だけで住んでいた。二人はいつも誰にでも親切で善かったけれども、それでも幸せではなかった。待ち望んでいた子が一度も来なかったからである。長い年月のあいだ毎日、二人は息子か娘を祈り求めたけれども、その祈りは答えられなかった。いまは年老いてきて、二人はいつまでも二人だけで暮らさなければならないと思っていた。

In the garden near their house this couple grew fine white squash, and as the vines bore the year around, they had never been in need of food. One day, however, they discovered that no new squash had formed to take the place of those they had picked, and for the first time in many seasons they had no vegetables.

この夫婦は家の近くの庭で見事な白い南瓜を育てており、そしてその蔓は年じゅう実をつけたので、二人は食べ物に困ったことがなかった。けれどもある日、摘んだものの代わりになる新しい南瓜がまったくついていないのを見つけ、そして数多くの季節のうちで初めて、野菜がなくなった。

Each day they examined the vines, and though the big, yellow flowers continued to bloom and fade, no squash grew on the stems. Finally, one morning after a long wait, the woman cried out with delight, for she had discovered a little green squash. After examining it, they decided to let it ripen that they might have the seeds to plant. They eagerly watched it grow, and it became a beautiful white vegetable, but by the time it was large enough for food they were so hungry that they decided to eat it.

毎日二人は蔓を調べた。そして大きな黄色い花が咲いては褪せるのが続いたけれども、茎に南瓜は育たなかった。とうとうある朝、長く待ったあとで、女は喜びの声を上げた。小さな緑の南瓜を見つけたからである。それを調べたあと、二人は、植えるための種が手に入るように熟させておくことに決めた。二人は夢中でそれが育つのを見守り、そしてそれは美しい白い野菜になった。けれども食べるのに足りる大きさになったころには、二人はあまりに腹が空いていたので、それを食べることに決めた。

They brought a large knife and picked it, but scarcely had they started to open it when a voice cried out from within, "Please be careful that you do not hurt me."

二人は大きな刃物を持ってきてそれを摘んだ。けれども開け始めるとすぐに、中から声が叫んだ。「どうかわたしを傷つけないように気をつけてください。」

The man and woman stopped their work, for they thought that a spirit must have spoken to them. But when the voice again called and begged them to open the squash, they carefully opened it, and there inside was a nice baby boy. [153] He could already stand alone and could talk. And the man and his wife were overjoyed.

男と女は手を止めた。霊が自分たちに語ったのだと思ったからである。けれどもその声がまた呼んで、南瓜を開けてくれと願うと、二人は気をつけて開けた。そしてそこの中にいたのは、かわいい男の赤子だった。[153] その子はもう独りで立つことができ、話すこともできた。そして男とその妻は喜びに溢れた。

Presently the woman went to the spring for a jar of water, and when she had brought it she spread a mat on the floor and began to bathe the baby. As the drops of water fell off his body, they were immediately changed to gold, so that when the bath was finished gold pieces covered the mat. The couple had been so delighted to have the baby that it had seemed as if there was nothing more to wish for, but now that the gold had come to them also they were happier than ever.

ほどなく女は水の甕のために泉へ行き、そして持ってくると床に蓆を広げて、赤子を水浴させ始めた。水の滴がその体から落ちると、すぐに黄金に変わり、それで水浴が終わると蓆は黄金の片で覆われていた。この夫婦は赤子を得てあまりに喜んでいたので、もうほかに望むものは何もないように思えていた。けれどもいまはその黄金までも来たので、二人はいままでにないほど幸せだった。

The next morning the woman gave the baby another bath, and again the water turned to gold. They now had enough money to build a large house. The third morning she brought water for his bath again, but he grew very sad and flew away. At the same time all the gold disappeared also, and the man and his wife were left poor and alone.

次の朝、女は赤子をもう一度水浴させ、そしてまた水は黄金に変わった。二人はいまでは大きな家を建てられるほどの金を持っていた。三日めの朝、女はまた水浴のために水を持ってきた。けれどもその子はたいそう悲しくなって飛び去った。同じときに黄金もみな消え、そして男とその妻は貧しくひとり残された。