The Whirlwind

In a far-off country, beyond the sea and the mountains, there lived a king and queen, with a beautiful daughter, who was called Princess Ladna.

海と山のかなたの遠い国に、王と王妃が、ラドナ姫という美しい娘と暮らしていた。

A great many princes came to woo her; but she liked only one of them, called Prince Dobrotek; so they confessed their love for one another to the king, who gave his consent, and the wedding-day was fixed.

大勢の王子が姫に求婚しに来たが、姫が気に入ったのはそのうちのドブロテク王子という一人だけであった。そこで二人は互いの愛を王に打ち明け、王は許しを与えて、婚礼の日が決められた。

Now among the princess's rejected suitors there was one, who though he had changed himself into the shape of a prince, in order to come to court and make love to her, really was an ugly dwarf, only seven inches high, but with a beard more than seven feet long, and a great hump on his back. He was so offended with the princess for refusing him, that he determined to carry her off; so he watched his opportunity.

さて、姫にはねつけられた求婚者のなかに、一人の男がいた。宮廷へ来て姫に言い寄るために王子の姿に化けてはいたが、実は背丈がたった七寸しかなく、ひげは七尺以上もあり、背中に大きなこぶのある醜い小人であった。小人は姫に断られたことにひどく腹を立て、姫をさらっていこうと決め、機会をうかがっていた。

As the young couple, with all their followers and their guests, were leaving the palace to go to church, a violent wind began to blow, a regular whirlwind, raising a column of sand, and lifting the princess off her feet. She was carried up over the clouds, to the top of some inaccessible mountains, and dropped down into a magnificent palace, with a golden roof, and a high wall all round.

若い二人が、供の者や客人たちとともに教会へ行こうと宮殿を出たとき、激しい風が吹きはじめた。それはまさにつむじ風で、砂の柱を巻き上げ、姫の体を宙に持ち上げた。姫は雲の上まで運ばれて、人の近づけない山々の頂へ連れていかれ、金の屋根と高い塀に囲まれた壮麗な宮殿のなかへ落とされた。

After a while the princess woke up from the fainting-fit into which she had fallen. She looked round the splendid apartment in which she was, and came to the conclusion that some young and handsome prince must have carried her off.

しばらくして、姫は倒れていた気絶から目を覚ました。姫は自分のいる豪華な部屋を見まわし、若く美しい王子の誰かが自分をさらってきたに違いないと思った。

In the room there was a table ready spread; all the plates and dishes, as well as the knives, forks, and spoons, were of silver and gold; and the dinner itself was so good, that in spite of her grief and terror, she could not refrain from tasting it; and she had no sooner tasted, than she ate, till her appetite was appeased.

部屋には食事の用意が整った食卓があった。皿も鉢も、ナイフもフォークもスプーンも、みな金と銀でできていた。そして料理そのものがあまりにおいしそうだったので、悲しみと恐ろしさにもかかわらず、姫は味見をせずにはいられなかった。そして一口味わうやいなや、食欲が満たされるまで食べてしまった。

Then the doors opened, and there came in a company of negroes, bearing a great chair, in which sat the ugly dwarf, with the long beard and the great hump.

すると扉が開いて、黒人の一団が大きな椅子をかついで入ってきた。椅子には、長いひげと大きなこぶのある、あの醜い小人が座っていた。

The dwarf now began to pay his court to the princess, and explain how he had carried her off in the guise of the whirlwind, because he loved her so much. But she would not listen to him, and gave him a sounding slap with her open hand right in his face, so that sparks danced before his eyes. Of course he was in a great passion; but for love of her he managed to keep his temper, and turned round to leave the room. But in his haste he caught his feet in his long beard, and was thrown down on the threshold, and in his fall he dropped his cap, which he was holding in one hand.

小人は姫に言い寄りはじめ、あなたをたいそう愛しているので、つむじ風の姿になってさらってきたのだと説明した。けれども姫は耳を貸そうとせず、開いた手で小人の顔をぴしゃりと思いきり打ったので、小人の目の前に火花が散った。もちろん小人はひどく怒ったが、姫を愛するあまり、どうにか怒りをこらえ、部屋を出ようと向きを変えた。ところが慌てていたので長いひげに足をとられ、敷居のところで転んでしまい、倒れた拍子に、片手に持っていた帽子を取り落とした。

The negroes helped him again into the chair, and carried him out; but the princess jumped up, locked the door, and took up the cap that was lying on the ground. She put it on; and went to the glass to see how she looked in it. But what was her surprise to find that she could not see herself, till she took it off! So she came to the wise conclusion that this was an invisible cap; at which she was highly delighted; she put on the cap again, and began to walk about the room.

黒人たちは小人を助け起こしてまた椅子に座らせ、運び出していった。けれども姫は跳び起きて扉に鍵をかけ、床に落ちていた帽子を拾い上げた。姫はそれをかぶって、どんなふうに見えるか鏡の前へ行った。ところが驚いたことに、帽子を脱ぐまで自分の姿が見えなかった!そこで姫は、これは姿の見えなくなる帽子だと賢くも察した。姫はたいそう喜んで、また帽子をかぶり、部屋のなかを歩きまわりはじめた。

The door opened once more with a loud noise, and the dwarf came in with his long beard thrown back and twisted all round his hump, to be out of the way. But not seeing either his cap, or the princess, he guessed what had happened; so full of wild despair he began to rush madly about the room, knocking himself against the tables and chairs, while the princess made her escape through the door, and ran out into the garden.

扉がふたたび大きな音を立てて開き、小人が、邪魔にならないよう長いひげを後ろへはね上げてこぶにぐるぐる巻きつけて入ってきた。けれども帽子も姫も見当たらなかったので、小人は何が起きたのかを察した。そして激しい絶望にかられて部屋じゅうを狂ったように駆けまわり、食卓や椅子にぶつかっているあいだに、姫は扉から抜け出して庭へ走り出た。

The garden was very extensive, and full of beautiful fruit-trees; so she lived upon these fruits, and drank the water of a spring in the garden for some time. She used to make fun of the dwarf's impotent rage. Sometimes when he rushed wildly about the garden, she would tease him by taking off the invisible cap, so that he saw her before him, in all her beauty; but when he made a rush after her she would put it on again, and become invisible to him; she would then throw cherry-stones at him, come close to him, and laugh loudly: and then run away again.

庭はたいそう広く、美しい果樹でいっぱいであった。姫はしばらくのあいだ、その果物を食べ、庭の泉の水を飲んで暮らした。姫は小人の空しい怒りをよくからかった。小人が狂ったように庭を駆けまわると、姫はときどき姿の見えなくなる帽子を脱いで、美しい姿をまるごと小人の目の前に見せてからかった。けれども小人がつかみかかろうとすると、姫はまた帽子をかぶって見えなくなってしまうのだった。それから姫は小人にさくらんぼの種を投げつけ、すぐそばまで近寄って大声で笑い、また逃げていくのであった。

One day, when she was playing about in this manner, her cap got caught in the boughs of a tree, and fell upon a gooseberry bush. The dwarf saw it, and seized hold of the princess with one hand, and of the cap with the other. But just then--from the summit of the mountain, above the garden itself, was heard the sound of a trumpet-challenge, three times repeated.

ある日、姫がこうして遊んでいると、帽子が木の枝に引っかかって、すぐりの茂みの上に落ちた。小人はそれを見ると、片手で姫を、もう片方の手で帽子をつかんだ。けれどもちょうどそのとき——庭のすぐ上にある山の頂から、戦いを挑むラッパの音が三度響き渡った。

At this the dwarf trembled with rage; but first breathing upon the princess, he put her to sleep with his breath, then placed his invisible cap on her head. Having done this he seized his two-edged sword, and flew up into the clouds, so as to strike the knight who had challenged him from above, and destroy him at one stroke.

これを聞いて小人は怒りに震えた。けれども小人はまず姫に息を吹きかけて眠らせ、それから姫の頭に姿の見えなくなる帽子をかぶせた。そうしてから両刃の剣をつかんで雲の上へ飛び上がった。挑んできた騎士を上から打ちかかって、ひと太刀で倒してしまうつもりであった。

But where did this knight come from?

けれども、この騎士はどこから来たのだろう。

When Princess Ladna had been carried off on her wedding-day by the whirlwind, there was the greatest consternation among all the bystanders. Her distracted father and her bridegroom rushed about in all directions, and sent courtiers everywhere in search of her; but the princess had been neither seen nor heard of, nor was any trace left of her.

ラドナ姫が婚礼の日につむじ風にさらわれたとき、居合わせた人々はみな、それはそれは慌てふためいた。取り乱した父王と花婿は四方八方へ駆けまわり、あらゆるところへ廷臣を捜しにやった。けれども姫の姿を見た者も噂を聞いた者もなく、何の手がかりも残っていなかった。

The king (very unnecessarily) told Prince Dobrotek that if he did not get back his daughter, the princess, he would not only put him to death, but would reduce his whole country to ashes. He also told all the princes there that whoever should bring back his daughter should have her to wife, and receive half of his kingdom into the bargain.

王は(まったく無用なことに)ドブロテク王子に、娘の姫を取り戻さなければ、おまえを死刑にするばかりか、おまえの国をまるごと灰にしてやると言った。王はまた、その場にいた王子たちみなに、娘を連れ帰った者には娘を妻に与え、そのうえ王国の半分を与えると告げた。

When they heard this they all got to horse, and galloped in various directions; among them Prince Dobrotek.

これを聞くと、王子たちはみな馬に乗り、それぞれ思い思いの方角へ駆けていった。ドブロテク王子もそのなかにいた。

He went on for three days, never stopping for food or rest; but on the fourth day, at dusk, he felt overcome by sleep; so he let his horse go free in a meadow, and himself lay down on the grass. Then all at once he heard a piercing shriek, and straight before him beheld a hare, and an owl perched upon it--its claws digging into the poor creature's side.

王子は三日のあいだ、食事も休みもとらずに進みつづけた。けれども四日目の夕暮れ、眠気に襲われたので、馬を草原に放して自分は草の上に横になった。すると突然、つんざくような悲鳴が聞こえ、目の前に一羽の兎と、その兎の上にとまったふくろうが見えた。ふくろうの爪が、かわいそうな獣の脇腹に食い込んでいた。

The prince caught up the first thing that lay near him, and aimed at the screech-owl, so truly that he killed it on the spot, and the hare ran up to him, like a tame creature, licked his hands, and ran away.

王子はそばにあった最初のものをつかんで、そのふくろうめがけて投げつけた。狙いはあまりに正確で、ふくろうはその場で死んだ。兎は飼いならされた獣のように王子に駆け寄り、王子の手をなめてから走り去った。

Then the prince saw that the thing he had thrown at the owl was a human skull. And it spoke to him, in these words:

それから王子は、ふくろうに投げつけたものが人間の頭蓋骨だったことに気づいた。するとその頭蓋骨が、次のような言葉で王子に話しかけた。

"Prince Dobrotek, I thank you for what you have done for me. When I was alive I committed suicide, and was therefore condemned to lie unburied at this cross-way, till I should be the means of saving life. I have lain here for seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and Heaven knows how much longer I should have had to remain, if you had not chanced to throw me at the screech-owl, and so saved the life of the poor hare. Now bury me, so that I may lie peacefully in the ground at this same place, and I will tell you how to summon the Grey Seer-horse, with the golden mane, who will always help you in case of need. Go out into a plain, and without looking behind you, call out:

「ドブロテク王子、わたしのためにしてくださったことに感謝します。わたしは生きていたころ、自ら命を絶ちました。そのため、命を救う役に立つまでは、この十字路に葬られずに横たわっているよう定められていたのです。わたしはここに七百七十七年横たわってきました。あなたがたまたまわたしをふくろうに投げつけて、かわいそうな兎の命を救ってくださらなかったら、あとどれほど長くここにいなければならなかったか、天のみぞ知るところです。さあ、わたしを葬ってください。この同じ場所で、土のなかに安らかに眠れるように。そうすれば、困ったときにいつでもあなたを助けてくれる、金のたてがみの灰色の予見の馬を呼び出す方法をお教えしましょう。平原へ出て、後ろを振り返らずに、こう叫ぶのです。

"Grey Seer-horse, with golden mane! Like a bird--and not like steed, On the blast--and not the mead, Fly thou hither unto me!"

「金のたてがみの灰色の予見の馬よ!駿馬のようにではなく、鳥のように、草原をではなく、嵐に乗って、わがもとへ飛んで来い!」

Thus having spoken, the head was silent; but a blue light shot up from it towards the sky; it was the soul of the deceased, which having now expiated its sin by its long imprisonment in the skull, had attained heaven.

そう言うと頭蓋骨は黙ったが、そこから青い光が空へ向かって立ちのぼった。それは死者の魂で、頭蓋骨のなかに長く閉じ込められていたことで罪をあがない終え、天に昇ったのであった。

The prince then dug a grave, and buried the skull. He then called out:

そこで王子は墓を掘って頭蓋骨を葬った。それから王子は叫んだ。

"Grey Seer-horse, with golden mane! Like a bird--and not like steed, On the blast--and not the mead, Do thou hither fly to me!"

「金のたてがみの灰色の予見の馬よ!駿馬のようにではなく、鳥のように、草原をではなく、嵐に乗って、わがもとへ飛んで来い!」

The wind rose, the lightning flashed, the thunder roared, and the wonderful horse with the golden mane appeared. He flew as fast as the storm-wind, flames shot from his nostrils, sparks from his eyes, and clouds of smoke from his mouth. He stood still, and said in human tones:

風が起こり、稲妻がひらめき、雷がとどろいて、金のたてがみのすばらしい馬が現れた。馬は嵐のように速く飛び、鼻からは炎を、目からは火花を、口からは煙の雲を吹き出していた。馬は立ち止まり、人間の声で言った。

"What are your commands, Prince Dobrotek?"

「何をお命じになりますか、ドブロテク王子」

"I am in trouble; I wish you to help me."

「困ったことになった。助けてほしいのだ」

And he told him all that had occurred.

そして王子は起きたことをすべて馬に話した。

"Creep in at my left ear," said the horse, "and creep out again at the right."

「わたしの左の耳から這い込んで、右の耳から這い出してください」と馬は言った。

So the prince crept in at the horse's left ear, and came out again at the right one, all clad in golden armour. He also found himself miraculously increased in strength, so that when he stamped on the ground it trembled; and when he shouted a storm arose, which shook the leaves from the trees.

そこで王子が馬の左の耳から這い込んで右の耳から出てくると、全身に金の鎧をまとっていた。王子はまた、不思議なことに力が増していることにも気づいた。王子が地面を踏み鳴らすと地面が震え、王子が叫ぶと嵐が起こって、木々の葉をふるい落とした。

Then he asked the horse:

それから王子は馬に尋ねた。

"What is to be done next?"

「次はどうすればよいのだ?」

"Your betrothed, Princess Ladna," said the horse, "was carried off by the seven-inch-high dwarf, with the seven-foot-long beard; he is a powerful magician; he dwells beyond the seven seas, among inaccessible mountains. He can only be conquered by the All-Cutting Sword, which sword is jealously guarded by his own brother, the Giant-Head, with basilisk eye. To this Giant-Head we must therefore go."

「あなたの許嫁のラドナ姫は」と馬は言った。「背丈七寸で、ひげが七尺ある小人にさらわれました。あれは強力な魔法使いで、七つの海のかなたの、人の近づけない山々に住んでいます。あの小人を打ち負かせるのは、すべてを断つ剣だけです。その剣は、小人の兄で、見る者を殺す目を持つ巨人の頭が、厳重に守っています。ですから、まずその巨人の頭のところへ行かねばなりません」

Prince Dobrotek mounted on horseback, and they flew like an arrow, over lands and seas, high mountains and wide oceans. They stopped at length upon a wide plain strewn with bones, before a moving mountain. And the horse said:

ドブロテク王子が馬にまたがると、二人は矢のように飛び、陸と海、高い山々と広い大洋を越えていった。やがて二人は、骨の散らばる広い平原の、動く山の前で止まった。そして馬は言った。

"This moving mountain, which you see before you, is the giant's head with the basilisk eyes; and the bones strewn so thickly hereabouts prove how deadly his looks are--so be careful. He is now asleep from the heat of the sun; but only two steps before him lies the sword, with which alone you can conquer your enemy. Lie down along my back, so that his glance cannot reach you through my neck and mane; but when you get near to it, lay hold of the sword; when you have it you will not only be safe from his basilisk glances, but you will even have the giant's head at your mercy."

「目の前に見えるこの動く山が、見る者を殺す目を持つ巨人の頭です。このあたりにこれほどびっしりと骨が散らばっているのは、その目つきがどんなに恐ろしいかの証です——ですからお気をつけなさい。巨人はいま日の暑さで眠っています。けれども、そのわずか二歩前に、あなたの敵を打ち負かせるただひとつの剣が置いてあります。わたしの背中に沿ってぴったり伏せていてください。そうすれば、巨人の目つきがわたしの首とたてがみを通してあなたに届くことはありません。近くまで行ったら剣をつかみなさい。剣を手にすれば、巨人の恐ろしい目から身を守れるばかりか、巨人の頭をも思いのままにできます」

And the horse drew near lightly, and the prince bent down, and secured the wonderful sword; but he shouted so loud that the Giant-Head woke up, sniffed hard, and looked about with his bloodshot eyes; and seeing the wonderful sword in the prince's hand, he called out:

馬がそっと近づき、王子は身をかがめてすばらしい剣を手に入れた。けれども王子があまりに大きな声で叫んだので、巨人の頭は目を覚まし、激しく鼻を鳴らして、血走った目であたりを見まわした。そして王子の手にすばらしい剣があるのを見ると、叫んだ。

"Sir knight! are you weary of the world, that you court speedy death?"

「騎士どの!この世に飽きて、早く死にたいのか?」

"You need not boast like that, you empty head!" replied Prince Dobrotek. "Your looks cannot hurt me now; and you shall die by this All-Cutting Sword! But I would first know who, and what you are."

「そんなに威張ることはない、空っぽ頭め!」とドブロテク王子は答えた。「おまえの目つきはもうわたしを傷つけられないし、おまえはこのすべてを断つ剣で死ぬのだ!だがその前に、おまえが何者なのかを知りたい」

"Then I confess, prince," replied the head; "that I am in your power; but be merciful to me, for I am worthy of pity. I am a knight of the race of giants, and were it not for the envy of my brother, I should still have been happy. He was the black sheep of our family, and was born an ugly dwarf, with a long beard; and my handsome giant-like proportions caused him to hate me bitterly. His only good point is his great strength, and it all resides in his long beard, and so long as it is not cut he cannot be conquered, and this can only be done by that sword, which you now hold.

「では白状しよう、王子」と頭は答えた。「わたしはおまえの手のうちにある。だが情けをかけてくれ。わたしは哀れむに値する者なのだ。わたしは巨人の一族の騎士で、弟のねたみさえなければ、いまも幸せでいられたはずだった。弟は一族の厄介者で、長いひげの醜い小人に生まれついた。そしてわたしの立派な巨人らしい体つきのせいで、弟はわたしをひどく憎んだ。弟のただひとつの取り柄は大きな力で、その力はすべてあの長いひげに宿っている。ひげが切られないかぎり、弟は打ち負かされない。そしてひげを切れるのは、いまおまえが持っているその剣だけなのだ。

"One day, being bent upon my destruction, he said to me:

「ある日、わたしを亡き者にしようとたくらんで、弟はわたしに言った。

"'Brother, do not refuse to help me. I have read in my books of magic that beyond the mountains, on a plain lies buried a certain sword, whereby a knight, seeking for his betrothed, shall compass the destruction of us both; let us therefore go and dig it up, so that we shall escape the threatened doom!'

「『兄さん、どうか手伝ってくれ。魔法の本で読んだのだが、山々のかなたの平原に、ある剣が埋まっていて、許嫁を捜す騎士がその剣でわたしたち二人を滅ぼすのだという。だから行ってそれを掘り出して、迫っている運命から逃れよう!』

"To this I agreed. I took a hundred-year-old pine--torn up from its roots--on one arm, and carried my brother on my other. We set out; he showed me the spot, and I dug up the sword, on this same plain. Then we began to quarrel about who should possess it. After a long dispute he said:

「わたしは承知した。わたしは根こそぎ引き抜いた樹齢百年の松を片腕にかかえ、もう片方の腕に弟をかかえた。わたしたちは出発し、弟が場所を教え、わたしはこの同じ平原で剣を掘り出した。それからわたしたちは、どちらが剣を持つかで言い争いはじめた。長いこと言い争ったあげく、弟が言った。

"'We were best decide it by lot, brother. Let each of us lay his ear to the ground, and whoever first hears the sound of the evening bell shall have the sword.'

「『兄さん、くじで決めるのがいちばんだ。二人とも地面に耳を当てて、先に夕べの鐘の音を聞いたほうが剣をもらうことにしよう』

"So he laid his ear to the ground, and I mine. I listened; but heard nothing; and he meantime, having got hold of the sword, crept up to me, and cut my head from my shoulders.

「そこで弟は地面に耳を当て、わたしも耳を当てた。わたしは耳をすましたが、何も聞こえなかった。そのあいだに弟は剣をつかみ、わたしに忍び寄って、わたしの頭を肩から切り落としたのだ。

"My headless trunk, left unburied, rotted away, and the grass grew over it; but my head, endowed with supernatural life by the malicious dwarf, my brother, was left here, with charge to guard this sword, and kill every one who came near with my deadly glance. After many centuries you have won it; so I implore you to cut off his seven-foot beard, and make him into mince-meat; and avenge me."

「葬られずに残されたわたしの首のない胴体は朽ち果て、その上に草が生い茂った。だがわたしの頭は、悪意に満ちた小人の弟によって魔法の命を吹き込まれ、この剣を守り、近づく者を残らずわたしの死の目つきで殺すよう言いつけられて、ここに残されたのだ。何百年もたって、おまえがこの剣を勝ち取った。だから頼む、弟の七尺のひげを切り落とし、弟を細切れにしてくれ。わたしの恨みを晴らしてくれ」

"You shall be avenged," said the prince; "and at once. Grey Seer-Horse, carry me to the kingdom of the dwarf magician, with the seven-foot-long beard."

「恨みは晴らしてやろう」と王子は言った。「それもすぐに。灰色の予見の馬よ、七尺のひげを持つ小人の魔法使いの国へわたしを運んでくれ」

So they set off at once, flying with lightning speed through the air, over the seas and over the forests. In an hour or two they halted on the summit of a high mountain, and the horse said:

そこで二人はすぐに出発し、稲妻の速さで空を飛び、海を越え森を越えていった。一、二時間もすると二人は高い山の頂で止まり、馬が言った。

"These mountains are the kingdom of the dwarf magician, who carried off your betrothed, and they are both now in the garden; challenge him to fight."

「この山々が、あなたの許嫁をさらった小人の魔法使いの国です。二人はいま庭にいます。小人に戦いを挑みなさい」

Prince Dobrotek sounded a challenge three times, and the dwarf, as we have seen, flew up into the air, so as to swoop down upon his antagonist, unperceived of him.

ドブロテク王子が三度挑戦のラッパを鳴らすと、小人は、すでに見たとおり、敵に気づかれずに襲いかかろうと空へ飛び上がった。

All at once the prince heard a murmuring sound above him, and he saw when he looked up, the dwarf soaring above him, like an eagle in the clouds--for he had the magic power of increasing his size and strength--with his sword drawn, ready to fall upon him.

突然、王子は頭の上でざわざわという音を聞いた。見上げると、小人が雲のなかの鷲のように上空を舞い——小人には体の大きさと力を増す魔法の力があったのである——抜き身の剣を手に、いまにも襲いかかろうとしていた。

The prince sprang aside, and the dwarf came down, with such an impetus, that his head and neck were rammed into the ground.

王子がさっと脇へ跳びのくと、小人はあまりの勢いで落ちてきたので、頭と首が地面に突き刺さってしまった。

The prince dismounted, seized the dwarf by the beard, wound it about his left hand, and began to sever it with the All-Cutting Sword.

王子は馬を降り、小人のひげをつかんで左手に巻きつけ、すべてを断つ剣でそれを切りはじめた。

The dwarf saw that he had to do with no feather-bed knight; so he tugged with all his strength, and flew up again into the clouds; but the prince, holding fast with his left hand to the beard, kept on severing it with his sword, so that he had nearly cut half of it through; and the dwarf became weaker and weaker the more hair he lost, so he began to cry for mercy.

小人は、相手が柔弱な騎士ではないと見てとると、ありったけの力で引っぱって、また雲の上へ飛び上がった。けれども王子は左手でひげをしっかりつかんだまま剣で切りつづけ、とうとう半分近くを切ってしまった。小人は毛を失えば失うほど弱っていったので、命乞いをしはじめた。

"Drop down to the ground, off which you took me," said the prince.

「わたしを持ち上げた地面へ降りろ」と王子は言った。

The dwarf dropped down slowly, but the prince cut off the remainder of his beard and threw him--when thus deprived of his charms and his strength alike--on to the ground, wreathed the severed beard round his own helmet, and entered the palace.

小人はゆっくりと降りていったが、王子はひげの残りを切り落とし、魔力も力も同じように奪われた小人を地面に投げ出した。そして切り取ったひげを自分の兜に巻きつけて、宮殿に入っていった。

The invisible servants of the dwarf, seeing their master's beard, wreathed about the prince's helmet, threw open all the doors to him at once.

小人の姿の見えない召使いたちは、主人のひげが王子の兜に巻きついているのを見ると、すぐに王子のためにすべての扉を開け放った。

He went through all the rooms; but not finding his princess anywhere, went into the garden, traversing all the paths and lawns, and calling her name. He could find her nowhere.

王子は部屋という部屋を見てまわったが、どこにも姫が見つからなかったので庭へ行き、小道や芝生をくまなく歩きまわって姫の名を呼んだ。けれどもどこにも姫は見つからなかった。

But thus running from one place to another he chanced to touch the invisible cap; he caught hold of it, and pulled it away from where it was, on the head of the princess, and saw her at once in all her loveliness, but fast asleep.

ところがこうしてあちこち走りまわっているうちに、王子はたまたま姿の見えなくなる帽子に触れた。王子はそれをつかんで、姫の頭のあった場所から引きはがした。するとたちまち、この上なく愛らしい姫の姿がそっくり見えたが、姫はぐっすり眠っていた。

Overcome with joy, he called her by her name; but she had been cast into such a deep sleep by the dwarf's poisonous breath, that he could not rouse her.

王子は喜びでいっぱいになって姫の名を呼んだが、姫は小人の毒の息でひどく深い眠りに落とされていたので、どうしても起こすことができなかった。

He took her up in his arms, put the invisible cap into his pocket, also picking up the wicked dwarf, whom he carried along with him. He then mounted his horse, flew like an arrow, and in a few minutes stood before the Giant-Head, with the basilisk eyes.

王子は姫を腕に抱き上げ、姿の見えなくなる帽子をポケットに入れ、悪い小人も拾い上げて連れていった。それから馬にまたがって矢のように飛び、数分のうちに、見る者を殺す目を持つ巨人の頭の前に立っていた。

He threw the dwarf into its open jaws, where he was ground at once into powder; the prince then cut up the monstrous head into small pieces, and scattered them all over the plain.

王子が小人をその開いた口に投げ込むと、小人はたちまちすりつぶされて粉になった。それから王子はその怪物のような頭を細かく切り刻み、平原一面にまき散らした。

Thus having got rid of both the dwarf and the giant, the prince rode on with the sleeping princess, upon the Golden-Mane horse, and at sunset they came to the same cross-roads, where he had first summoned him.

こうして小人と巨人の両方を片づけると、王子は眠っている姫を連れて金のたてがみの馬に乗って進み、日暮れに、はじめて馬を呼び出したあの十字路にたどり着いた。

"Here, prince, we must part," said the Golden-Mane; "but here in the meadow is your own horse, and it is not far to your own home, so creep into my right ear, and come out at my left."

「王子、ここでお別れしなければなりません」と金のたてがみは言った。「けれども、この草原にあなたご自身の馬がいますし、あなたの家まではもう遠くありません。さあ、わたしの右の耳から這い込んで、左の耳から出てきてください」

The prince did as he was told, and came out as he was before. His own horse recognized him, and came running with a joyful neigh to meet his master.

王子が言われたとおりにすると、もとの姿に戻って出てきた。王子の馬は主人に気づき、嬉しそうにいななきながら駆け寄ってきた。

The prince was tired out with the long journey, so, having laid down his betrothed wife, still sleeping, on the soft grass, and covered her up from the cold, he laid down himself and went to sleep.

王子は長旅ですっかり疲れていたので、まだ眠っている許嫁をやわらかい草の上に寝かせ、寒くないように覆ってやると、自分も横になって眠った。

But that very night, one of Princess Ladna's rejected suitors, riding that way, saw by the light of the moon those two asleep, and he recognized in them the princess, and the prince, his fortunate rival. So first stabbing the latter through with his sabre, he carried off the princess, and bore her on horseback before him to her father.

ところがちょうどその夜、ラドナ姫にはねつけられた求婚者の一人がそこを通りかかり、月の光で眠っている二人を見て、それが姫と、自分の幸運な恋敵である王子だと気づいた。そこでその男はまず王子をサーベルで刺し貫き、姫をさらって、自分の前に乗せて父王のもとへ連れていった。

The king welcomed him rapturously, as his daughter's deliverer. But when he found, to his dismay, that he could not awake her, with all his caresses, he asked the supposed rescuer what this meant.

王は、娘を救い出してくれた者として男を大喜びで迎えた。けれども、どんなに愛撫しても娘を起こせないとわかって困り果て、救い主と思われていた男に、これはどういうことかと尋ねた。

"I do not know, Sir King," replied the knight. "After I had overtaken and slain the great enchanter, who was carrying off the princess, I found her as she is now, sound asleep."

「わかりません、王さま」と騎士は答えた。「姫をさらっていった大魔法使いに追いついて殺したあと、姫はいまのように、ぐっすり眠っておいでだったのです」

Prince Dobrotek meanwhile, mortally wounded, had just strength enough left to summon the Wonderful Grey Horse, who came instantly; and seeing what was the matter, flew off to the top of the mountain of Everlasting Life. On its summit were three springs--the Water of Loosening, the Water of Healing, and the Water of Life. He sprinkled the dead prince with all three; Prince Dobrotek opened his eyes, and exclaimed:

そのあいだに、深手を負ったドブロテク王子は、ようやく残っていた力を振りしぼって不思議な灰色の馬を呼び出した。馬はすぐに現れ、事の次第を見てとると、永遠の命の山の頂へ飛んでいった。その頂には三つの泉があった——解きほぐす水、癒す水、そして命の水である。馬が死んだ王子に三つの水をすべてふりかけると、ドブロテク王子は目を開けて叫んだ。

"Oh! how well I have slept!"

「ああ、なんとよく眠ったことか!」

"You were sleeping the sleep of death," returned the Golden-Mane; "one of your rivals killed you sleeping, and carried off your princess home to her father, pretending to be her deliverer, in the hope of gaining her hand. But do not be afraid; she is still asleep, and only you can awaken her, by touching her forehead with the beard of the dwarf, which you have with you. Go then to her; I must be elsewhere."

「あなたは死の眠りについていたのです」と金のたてがみは答えた。「恋敵の一人が眠っているあなたを殺し、あなたの姫を父王のもとへ連れ帰って、姫の手を得ようと救い主のふりをしています。けれども心配はいりません。姫はまだ眠っていて、姫を起こせるのはあなただけです。お持ちになっている小人のひげで姫の額に触れればよいのです。さあ、姫のもとへお行きなさい。わたしはほかへ行かねばなりません」

The Golden-Mane vanished, and the prince, calling his own horse, and taking with him his invisible cap, betook himself to the court of his loved one's father.

金のたてがみは姿を消した。王子は自分の馬を呼び、姿の見えなくなる帽子を持って、愛する人の父王の宮廷へ向かった。

But when he drew near he found that the city was all surrounded by enemies, who had already mastered the outer defences, and were threatening the town itself; and half of its defenders being slain, the rest were thinking of surrender.

ところが近くまで来ると、都は敵にすっかり取り囲まれていた。敵はすでに外側の守りを破り、町そのものに迫っていた。守り手の半分は殺され、残りの者たちは降参しようと考えていた。

Prince Dobrotek put on his invisible cap, and drawing his All-Cutting Sword, fell upon the enemy.

ドブロテク王子は姿の見えなくなる帽子をかぶり、すべてを断つ剣を抜いて敵に襲いかかった。

They fell to right and left as the sword smote them on each side, till one half of them were slain, and the rest ran away into the forest.

剣が左右に振るわれるたびに敵はばたばたと倒れ、とうとう半分が殺され、残りは森へ逃げていった。

Unseen by anyone the prince entered the city, and arrived at the royal palace, where the king, surrounded by his knights, was hearing the account of this sudden attack, whereby his foes had been discomfited; but by whom no one could inform him.

誰にも見られずに王子は都に入り、王宮にたどり着いた。そこでは王が騎士たちに囲まれて、この突然の攻撃がどのように撃退されたかの報告を聞いていた。けれども誰に撃退されたのかは、誰も王に告げることができなかった。

Then Prince Dobrotek took off his invisible cap, and appearing suddenly in the midst of the assembly, said:

そこでドブロテク王子は姿の見えなくなる帽子を脱ぎ、一同のただなかに突然姿を現して言った。

"King and father! it was I who beat your enemies. But where is my betrothed, Princess Ladna, whom I rescued from the wizard dwarf, with the seven-foot beard? whom one of your knights treacherously stole from me? Let me see her, that I may waken her from her magic sleep."

「王さま、父上!あなたの敵を打ち破ったのはわたしです。けれども、わたしの許嫁のラドナ姫はどこにいるのですか。七尺のひげを持つ小人の魔法使いからわたしが救い出し、あなたの騎士の一人が卑怯にもわたしから盗んでいった姫は。姫に会わせてください。魔法の眠りから目覚めさせてさしあげますから」

When the traitor knight heard this he took to his heels; Prince Dobrotek touched the sleeping princess's forehead with the beard, she woke up directly, gazed at him fondly with her lovely eyes, but could not at first understand where she was, or what had happened to her.

これを聞くと裏切り者の騎士は一目散に逃げ出した。ドブロテク王子が眠っている姫の額にひげで触れると、姫はすぐに目を覚まし、愛らしい目でいとおしそうに王子を見つめたが、はじめは自分がどこにいるのか、自分の身に何が起きたのかわからなかった。

The king caught her in his arms, pressed her to his heart, and that very evening he married her to Prince Dobrotek. He gave them half his kingdom, and there was a splendid wedding, such as had never been seen or heard of before.

王は姫を腕に抱きしめて胸に押し当て、その夜のうちに姫をドブロテク王子と結婚させた。王は二人に王国の半分を与え、それまで見たことも聞いたこともないほど盛大な婚礼が催された。