Youth Without Age and Life Without Death

Once upon a time something happened whose like never occurred before--if it had not happened it would not be told--since the flea had one foot shod with ninety-nine pounds of iron and jumped into the skies to get us fairy tales.

むかしむかし、それまで一度も起こったことのないことが起こった——それが起こらなかったなら、こうして語られることもなかっただろう——蚤が片足に九十九ポンドの鉄の蹄鉄をはいて、わたしたちにおとぎ話を取ってこようと空に跳び上がったころのことである。

There was once a mighty emperor and empress. Both were young and handsome, and as they desired the blessing of children they did every thing that was necessary to secure it, that is they went to the witches and philosophers and asked them to read the stars to find out whether they would have children or not. But it was all in vain. Finally the emperor heard that a very wise old man lived in a neighboring village, and sent for him. The messengers returned with the answer: "Let him who needs me come to me." So the emperor and empress set out for the wise man's house, taking with them several of their courtiers, attendants, and soldiers. When the old man saw them in the distance, he rose, went to meet them, and said at once:

むかし、力ある皇帝と皇后がいた。二人とも若く美しく、子宝の祝福を望んでいたので、それを得るために必要なことは何でもした。つまり魔女や賢者のところへ行って、子が授かるかどうか星を読んでくれと頼んだのである。けれどもみなむだだった。とうとう皇帝は、隣村にたいそう賢い老人が住んでいると聞いて、使いを出した。使いは「わしに用のある者のほうがわしのところへ来るがよい」という返事を持って帰ってきた。そこで皇帝と皇后は、廷臣や侍従や兵を何人か連れて、賢い老人の家へ出かけた。老人は遠くから一行を見ると立ち上がって迎えに出てきて、いきなりこう言った。

"Welcome! But what do you want to know, oh, emperor! your wish will bring you sorrow."

「ようこそ! だが、何を知りたいのだ、おお皇帝よ。そなたの望みは悲しみをもたらすぞ。」

"I am not here to question you about that," replied the emperor, "but to learn whether you have any plants you can give us that will bestow the blessing of children."

「そのことを尋ねに来たのではない」と皇帝は答えた。「子宝の祝福を授けてくれる草があるなら、それをもらいに来たのだ。」

"I have," the old man answered, "but you will possess only one child. He will be a handsome, lovable boy, yet you will not be able to keep him long."

「ある」と老人は答えた。「だが、そなたたちが持てるのは一人だけだ。美しい愛らしい男の子だが、そなたたちは長くその子を手もとに置いてはおけまい。」

After the emperor and empress had obtained the herbs they joyfully returned to the palace. The whole empire, the courtiers, and all the attendants rejoiced too. But when the hour of its birth came, the child began to scream in a way no magic arts could silence. The emperor commenced to promise it all the good things the world contained, but it was impossible to quiet it.

皇帝と皇后は草を手に入れると、喜んで宮殿に帰った。帝国じゅうも廷臣たちも侍従たちもみな喜んだ。けれども子が生まれる時が来ると、子はどんな魔法の術でも黙らせられないほど泣きわめきはじめた。皇帝はこの世にあるよいものをみな約束しはじめたが、どうしても泣きやませられなかった。

"Hush, father's pet," said the emperor, "I will give you this or that kingdom; hush, my son, I will give you this or that princess for your wife." At last, when he saw the child would not stop, he added: "Hush, my boy, I will give you youth without age and life without death."

「泣きやんでおくれ、父さんのかわいい子」と皇帝は言った。「あれこれの王国をやろう。泣きやんでおくれ、息子よ、あれこれの姫を妻にやろう。」とうとう子がやめないのを見て、皇帝は付け加えた。「泣きやんでおくれ、坊や。おまえに不老の若さと不死の命をやろう。」

Then the prince stopped crying; the courtiers beat drums and blew trumpets, and there were great rejoicings throughout the empire for a whole week.

すると王子は泣きやんだ。廷臣たちは太鼓を打ち鳴らしラッパを吹き、帝国じゅうがまる一週間、大いに喜び祝った。

The older the boy grew, the more thoughtful and reflective he became. He went to the schools and the philosophers and gained every kind of learning, so that the emperor died of joy and came to life again. The whole realm was proud of having a prince so wise and learned, a second King Solomon. But one day, when the lad had just reached his fifteenth year and the emperor sat at a banquet with the nobles and grandees of the country, the handsome prince rose, saying: "Father, the time has come, you must now give me what you promised at my birth!"

少年は大きくなるにつれて、ますます物思いにふけり、考え深くなった。少年は学校や賢者のもとへ通ってあらゆる学問を身につけたので、皇帝は喜びのあまり死んでは生き返るほどだった。国じゅうが、これほど賢く学のある王子、第二のソロモン王を持ったことを誇りにした。ところがある日、少年がちょうど十五の年になり、皇帝が国の貴族や重臣たちと宴の席に着いていると、美しい王子が立ち上がって言った。「父上、時が来ました。わたしが生まれたときに約束なさったものを、今ください!」

When the emperor heard this he grew very sorrowful and answered: "Why, my son, how can I give you an impossible thing? If I promised it to you then, it was only to hush you."

皇帝はこれを聞いてたいそう悲しくなって答えた。「なんと、息子よ、できもしないものをどうしておまえにやれよう。あのときおまえに約束したのは、泣きやませるためにすぎなかったのだ。」

"If you can't give it to me, father, I shall be obliged to wander through the whole world till I find what was promised to me, and for which I was born."

「それをくださらないのなら、父上、わたしは約束されたもの、そのために生まれてきたものを見つけるまで、世界じゅうをさまよわなければなりません。」

Then all the nobles and the emperor fell at his feet and besought him not to quit the country, because, as the courtiers said, his father was growing old, and they would place him on the throne and give him the most beautiful princess under the sun for his wife. But it was impossible to shake his resolution, he remained as firm as a rock. After his father had seen and duly considered all these things, he gave his consent and prepared to supply the prince with provisions and whatever else he might need for his journey.

すると貴族たちも皇帝もみな王子の足もとにひれ伏して、国を出ないでくれと懇願した。廷臣たちの言うには、父上は年老いてこられたのだから、あなたを王座にお据えして、日の下でいちばん美しい姫を妻に迎えよう、というのである。けれども王子の決心を揺るがすことはできず、王子は岩のように固いままだった。父はこれらのことをみな見て十分に考えたすえ、承知して、王子に旅の食糧やそのほか必要なものを持たせる支度をした。

The young hero went to the imperial stables, where the finest steeds in the whole realm were standing, to choose one of them; but when he laid his hand on the horse's tail he knocked it down, and so they all fell, one after another. At last, just as he was going out, he let his eyes wander around the building once more and saw in one corner a sick, weak horse, covered with sores. He went up to it, and when he grasped it by the tail, the animal turned its head, saying:

若い勇士は、国じゅうでいちばんりっぱな馬がそろっている皇帝の厩へ行って、そのなかから一頭選ぼうとした。ところが馬のしっぽに手をかけると、その馬は倒れてしまい、次から次へとみな倒れてしまった。とうとう出ていこうとしたとき、もう一度建物のなかを見まわすと、隅に、できものだらけの病気の弱った馬がいた。王子がそばへ行ってしっぽをつかむと、馬は首をめぐらせて言った。

"What do you command, my master? I thank God that He has permitted a hero's hand to touch me once more."

「何をお命じですか、ご主人さま。勇士の手がもう一度わたしに触れるのをお許しくださった神に感謝します。」

And, planting its feet firmly, it remained standing. The young prince told it what he intended to do, and the horse replied:

そして馬は足を踏みしめて立ったままでいた。若い王子が自分のしようとしていることを話すと、馬は答えた。

"To obtain your wish, you must ask your father for the sword, lance, bow, quiver of arrows, and garments he wore when a youth; but you must take care of me with your own hands for six weeks and give me oats boiled in milk."

「望みをかなえるためには、お父上が若いころに身につけていた剣と槍、弓と矢筒と衣装をお父上にもらってください。けれども六週間のあいだ、ご自分の手でわたしの世話をして、ミルクで煮た燕麦を食べさせてください。」

When the prince begged the emperor for the articles the horse had advised, the monarch called the major-domo of the palace and ordered him to open all the chests of clothing, that his son might choose what he pleased. The young hero, after rummaging them three whole days, at last found in the very bottom of an old trunk the weapons and garments his father had worn in his youth, but the arms were covered with rust. He set to work to clean them with his own hands and in six weeks, during the time he was taking care of the horse, he succeeded in making the weapons as bright and shining as a mirror. When the horse heard from the handsome prince that the clothes and arms were cleaned and ready, it shook itself once. All the sores instantly fell off and there it stood, a strong, well-formed animal, with four wings. When the hero saw this, he said:

王子が馬の勧めたものを皇帝に頼むと、君主は宮殿の家令を呼んで、息子が好きなものを選べるように衣装箱をすっかり開けるよう命じた。若い勇士はまる三日それをかきまわして、とうとう古い長持ちのいちばん底に、父が若いころに身につけていた武器と衣装を見つけたが、武器はさびだらけだった。王子は自分の手でそれを磨きにかかり、馬の世話をしながらの六週間で、武器を鏡のように明るく輝かせることができた。衣装と武器が磨き上げられたと美しい王子から聞くと、馬はひとつ身を震わせた。たちまちできものがみな落ちて、そこには四枚の翼を持つ、強く姿のよい馬が立っていた。勇士はこれを見て言った。

"We'll go in three days!"

「三日後に出発しよう!」

"May you have a long life, master. From to-day I shall be at your service," the horse answered.

「長生きなさいますように、ご主人さま。今日からわたしはあなたのお役に立ちます」と馬は答えた。

On the morning of the third day there was great mourning throughout the whole court and empire. The handsome prince, clad like a hero, holding his sword in his hand and riding the horse he had chosen, took leave of the emperor, the empress, the great nobles and lesser grandees, the army, and all the attendants, who, with tears in their eyes, implored him to give up the journey and not risk his life; but setting spurs to his steed, he dashed through the gate like the wind, followed by the carts loaded with provisions and money, and the two hundred horsemen the emperor had commanded to accompany him.

三日目の朝、宮廷じゅう、帝国じゅうが大きな嘆きに包まれた。美しい王子は勇士のいでたちをして、剣を手に、選んだ馬にまたがり、皇帝と皇后、大貴族と小貴族、軍隊と侍従たちみなに別れを告げた。人々は目に涙を浮かべて、旅をやめて命を危うくしないでくれと懇願したが、王子は馬に拍車をかけて風のように門を駆け抜けた。そのあとから、食糧と金を積んだ荷車と、皇帝が同行を命じた二百騎の騎兵が続いた。

After reaching the boundaries of his father's country and arriving at the wilderness, the prince distributed all his property among the escort, bade them farewell, and sent them back, keeping for himself only as much food as the horse could carry. Then he turned toward the east and rode for three days and three nights, till he came to a wide plain where lay a great many human bones.

父の国の境に着いて荒れ野に至ると、王子は自分の持ち物をみな護衛たちに分け与え、別れを告げて帰らせ、自分のためには馬が運べるだけの食糧だけを残した。それから東へ向かって三日三晩馬を進め、人の骨がたくさん横たわる広い平原に着いた。

When he stopped here to rest, the horse said: "You must know, master, that we are on the land of a Woodpecker Fairy who is so wicked that nobody can enter her domain without being murdered. She was once a woman, but the curse of her parents, whom she angered by her disobedience, turned her into a woodpecker. She is with her children now, but you will meet her to-morrow in yonder forest; she will come to kill you. She is terribly big, but don't be frightened; hold the bow ready to pierce her with an arrow, and keep your sword and lance in hand, so that you can use them in case of need."

ここで休もうと止まると、馬が言った。「ご主人さま、わたしたちは今、キツツキの妖精の土地にいるのです。この妖精はあまりに邪悪で、その領地に入って殺されずにすむ者はいません。かつては女でしたが、言うことを聞かずに両親を怒らせたため、その呪いでキツツキに変えられたのです。今は子どもたちと一緒にいますが、明日、あそこの森であなたに会うでしょう。あなたを殺しに来るのです。とてつもなく大きな相手ですが、恐れないでください。矢で射抜けるよう弓を構えて、いざというときに使えるように剣と槍を手にしていてください。」

Then they went to rest, taking turns in watching.

それから二人は交替で見張りながら休んだ。

At dawn the next morning they prepared to pass through the forest; the prince saddled and bridled the horse, drew the girths tighter than usual, and mounted. Suddenly he heard a tremendous crashing. "Make ready, master," said the horse, "the Woodpecker Fairy is coming." As she approached, she moved so fast that she tore the trees down; but the horse leaped upward like the wind, so that it was almost over her, and the prince shot off one of her feet with an arrow. Just as he was about to discharge the second arrow, she cried:

次の朝、夜明けに二人は森を抜ける支度をした。王子は馬に鞍と手綱をつけ、腹帯をいつもよりきつく締めて馬に乗った。突然、すさまじい音が聞こえた。「お支度を、ご主人さま」と馬は言った。「キツツキの妖精が来ます。」妖精は近づいてくるとき、木々をなぎ倒すほどの速さで動いた。けれども馬が風のように舞い上がって妖精のほとんど真上に出たので、王子は矢で妖精の片足を射落とした。二本目の矢を放とうとしたとき、妖精は叫んだ。

"Stop, my young hero, I'll do you no harm." And seeing that he did not believe her, she gave him the promise written with her own blood.

「おやめ、若い勇士よ、おまえに害はなさないから。」そして王子が信じないのを見ると、妖精は自分の血で書いた約束を与えた。

"Your horse can not be killed, my young hero," she added, "it is enchanted; if it hadn't been for that, I would have roasted and eaten you. Know that until to-day no mortal man has ventured to cross my boundaries as far as this; a few bold wights who dared to make the trial, reached the plain where you saw so many bones."

「おまえの馬は殺せないよ、若い勇士よ」と妖精は付け加えた。「あれは魔法をかけられている。そうでなかったら、おまえを焼いて食っていたところだ。今日まで、ここまでわたしの境を越える勇気のあった人間は一人もいない。あえて試した命知らずが幾人か、おまえがあんなにたくさんの骨を見たあの平原までは来たがね。」

They now went to the fairy's house, where she entertained them as guests. But while sitting at the table enjoying the banquet, the Woodpecker Fairy moaned with pain, so the prince pulled the foot he had shot off out of the traveling bag where he had put it, fastened it on, and it instantly healed. The hostess, in her joy, kept open house for three days, and begged the emperor's son to choose one of her daughters, all three of whom were beautiful as fairies, for his wife. He would not do that, but told her what he was seeking, and she replied:

それから一同は妖精の家へ行き、妖精は二人を客としてもてなした。けれども食卓に着いて宴を楽しんでいるあいだ、キツツキの妖精は痛みにうめいた。そこで王子は、射落とした足を旅の袋から取り出してつけてやると、たちまち治った。女主人は喜んで三日のあいだ家を開け放してもてなし、みな妖精のように美しい三人の娘のうち一人を妻に選んでくれと皇帝の息子に頼んだ。王子はそうしようとせず、自分が探しているものを話した。すると妖精は答えた。

"With your horse and your heroic courage, I believe you will succeed."

「おまえの馬と勇ましさがあれば、きっと成し遂げられるだろう。」

After three days had passed, the prince prepared to continue his journey and departed. He rode on, and on, and on; the road seemed to grow longer and longer, but when he had finally crossed the frontiers of the Woodpecker Fairy's kingdom, he entered a beautiful meadow, one side of which was covered with blooming plants, but the other was scorched.

三日が過ぎると、王子は旅を続ける支度をして出発した。王子はどんどん進んでいった。道はますます長くなるように思えたが、とうとうキツツキの妖精の国の境を越えると、美しい牧草地に出た。その片側は花の咲く草に覆われていたが、もう片側は焼け焦げていた。

The prince asked why the grass was singed, and the horse answered:

王子がどうして草が焦げているのかと尋ねると、馬は答えた。

"We are now in the domain of the Scorpion Witch; she is the Woodpecker Fairy's sister, but they are both so wicked that they can't live together. Their parents' curse has fallen upon them, and so, as you see, they have become monsters; their enmity goes beyond all bounds; they are always trying to get possession of each other's lands. When this one is very angry she spits fire and pitch; she must have had some quarrel with her sister, and, to drive her out of her kingdom, has burned the grass on which she was standing. She is even worse than her sister, and has three heads. We will rest awhile now, and be ready at the first peep of dawn to-morrow."

「わたしたちは今、さそりの魔女の領地にいるのです。キツツキの妖精の妹ですが、二人ともあまりに邪悪なので一緒には住めません。両親の呪いが二人にふりかかって、ごらんのとおり怪物になってしまったのです。二人の憎み合いには際限がなく、いつも互いの土地を奪い合おうとしています。この魔女はひどく怒ると火と瀝青を吐きます。姉と何か言い争いがあって、姉を国から追い出そうと、姉の立っていた草を焼いたのでしょう。この魔女は姉よりもっとひどくて、頭が三つあります。今はしばらく休んで、明日、夜明けの最初の光とともに支度をしましょう。」

The next day they prepared themselves just as they did when they expected to meet the Woodpecker fairy, and set out. Soon they heard a howling and rustling unlike any thing ever known before.

次の日、二人はキツツキの妖精を迎え撃ったときと同じように支度をして出発した。まもなく、それまで知られたことのないようなうなり声とざわめきが聞こえてきた。

"Make ready, master, the Scorpion Witch is coming."

「お支度を、ご主人さま、さそりの魔女が来ます。」

The Scorpion Witch, with one jaw in the sky and the other on the earth, approached like the wind, spitting fire as she came, but the horse darted upward as swiftly as an arrow, and then rushed over her a little on one side. The hero shot an arrow and one of her heads fell, but when he was going to strike off another, the Scorpion Witch entreated him to forgive her, she would do him no harm, and to convince him of this she gave him her promise, written in her own blood.

さそりの魔女は、片方の顎を空に、もう片方を地につけて、火を吐きながら風のように近づいてきた。けれども馬は矢のように速く舞い上がり、それから少し横にそれて魔女の上を駆け抜けた。勇士が矢を放つと魔女の頭がひとつ落ちた。けれどももうひとつ切り落とそうとすると、さそりの魔女は許してくれ、害はなさないからと懇願し、それを信じさせるために、自分の血で書いた約束を与えた。

Like the Woodpecker Fairy, she entertained the prince, who returned her head, which grew on again, and at the end of three days he resumed his travels.

キツツキの妖精と同じように、魔女は王子をもてなし、王子は頭を返してやって、それはまたくっついた。そして三日たつと王子は旅を続けた。

When the hero and his horse had reached the boundaries of the Scorpion Witch's kingdom they hurried on without resting till they came to a field covered with flowers, where reigned perpetual spring. Every blossom was remarkably beautiful and filled with a sweet, intoxicating fragrance; a gentle breeze fanned them all. They remained here to rest, but the horse said:

勇士と馬がさそりの魔女の国の境に着くと、二人は休まずに急いで、花に覆われた野に出た。そこでは永遠の春が支配していた。どの花も目を見張るほど美しく、甘くうっとりするような香りに満ちていて、やさしいそよ風が花々をあおいでいた。二人はここで休むことにしたが、馬は言った。

"We have arrived so far successfully, master, but we still have one great peril to undergo and, if the Lord helps us to conquer it, we shall really be valiant heroes. A short distance further on is the palace where dwell Youth without Age and Life without Death. It is surrounded by a high, dense forest, where roam all the wild animals in the world, watching it day and night. They are very numerous, and it is almost beyond the bounds of possibility to get through the wood by fighting them; we must try, if we can, to jump over them."

「ここまでうまく来られました、ご主人さま。けれどもまだひとつ、大きな危険を切り抜けなければなりません。主のお助けでそれに打ち勝てたら、わたしたちはまことに勇ましい英雄です。少し先に、不老の若さと不死の命の住む宮殿があります。そのまわりは高く深い森に囲まれていて、そこには世界じゅうのあらゆる野の獣がいて、昼も夜も見張っています。獣はたいそう多くて、戦って森を抜けるのはほとんど望みのないことです。できることなら、跳び越えてみなければなりません。」

After resting about two days they prepared to continue their journey, and the horse, holding its breath, said:

二日ほど休んでから、二人は旅を続ける支度をした。馬は息を止めて言った。

"Buckle my girth as tight as you can, and when you have mounted hold fast to my mane and press your feet close to my neck, that you may not hinder me." The prince mounted, and in a moment they were close to the forest.

「わたしの腹帯をできるかぎりきつく締めて、乗ったらたてがみにしっかりつかまり、じゃまにならないように足を首に押しつけてください。」王子が乗ると、たちまち二人は森のすぐそばにいた。

"Master," said the horse, "this is the time that the wild beasts are fed; they are all collected together, now we'll jump over."

「ご主人さま」と馬は言った。「今は野の獣が餌をもらう時刻です。みな一か所に集まっています。さあ、跳び越えましょう。」

"Forward," replied the handsome prince, "and may the Lord have mercy on us."

「進め」と美しい王子は答えた。「主がわたしたちを憐れんでくださるように。」

They flew upward and saw the palace, which glittered so that it would have been easier to look at the sun. They passed over the forest, and, just as they were descending at the palace steps, one of the horse's hoofs lightly touched the top of a tree, which put the whole woods in motion. The wild animals began to howl till it was enough to make one's hair bristle. They hastily alighted, and if the mistress of the palace had not been outside feeding her chickens (for that is what she called the wild beasts), they would certainly have been killed. She spared their lives out of pure pleasure, for she had never before seen a human being. Restraining the savage beasts, she soothed them, and sent them back to their haunts. She was a tall, slender, lovely fairy, quite too beautiful. When the young hero saw her, he stood still as though turned to stone. But as she gazed at him she pitied him and said:

二人は舞い上がって、太陽を見るほうがまだたやすいほどきらめく宮殿を目にした。二人は森の上を越えていき、ちょうど宮殿の階段に降りようとしたとき、馬のひづめのひとつが木のてっぺんに軽く触れて、森じゅうがざわめきだした。野の獣たちは、身の毛のよだつほどほえはじめた。二人は急いで降りた。もし宮殿の女主人が外に出て雛たち(女主人は野の獣をそう呼んでいた)に餌をやっていなかったら、二人はきっと殺されていただろう。女主人は人間を見たことがなかったので、ただうれしくて二人の命を助けた。女主人は荒々しい獣たちを押しとどめてなだめ、ねぐらへ帰らせた。女主人は背が高くほっそりした、美しすぎるほど美しい妖精だった。若い勇士は女主人を見ると、石になったように立ちつくした。けれども女主人は王子を見つめて憐れみ、こう言った。

"Welcome, my handsome prince. What do you seek here?"

「ようこそ、わたしの美しい王子さま。ここで何を探しているのですか。」

"We seek Youth without Age and Life without Death."

「わたしたちは不老の若さと不死の命を探しているのです。」

Then he dismounted from his horse and entered the palace, where he found two other ladies, both of the same age, the elder sisters of the first one. He began to thank the fairy for having delivered him from danger, but she and her sisters, to show their joy, had a handsome banquet served in golden dishes. They gave the horse liberty to graze wherever it chose, and afterward made it acquainted with all the wild beasts, so that it might rove about the forest in peace. The ladies entreated the prince to stay with them, saying that it was so tiresome to be alone. He did not wait to be asked a second time, but accepted the offer with the satisfaction of a man who has found precisely what he sought.

それから王子は馬から降りて宮殿に入り、そこで同じ年ごろの二人の婦人、最初の妖精の姉たちを見つけた。王子は危険から救ってくれた妖精に礼を言いはじめたが、妖精と姉たちは喜びを表そうと、金の皿に立派な宴を並べさせた。三人は馬に好きなところで草を食べる自由を与え、そのあと森を安心して歩けるように、野の獣たちみなに引き合わせた。婦人たちは王子に、一人きりでは退屈でたまらないから、ここにいてくださいと頼んだ。王子は二度頼まれるまで待たず、まさに探していたものを見つけた者の満足とともに、その申し出を受けた。

By degrees they became accustomed to live together; the prince told them his story and related what he had suffered before meeting them, and after some time he married the youngest sister. At their wedding permission was granted to him to go wherever he liked in the neighborhood; they only begged him not to enter one valley, which they pointed out, otherwise some misfortune would befall him; it was called, they said, the Valley of Lamentation.

だんだんに一同は一緒に暮らすのに慣れていった。王子は自分の身の上を話し、三人に会うまでに味わった苦労を語った。そしてしばらくすると、いちばん下の妹と結婚した。婚礼のとき、王子は近くのどこへでも好きなところへ行ってよいと許された。ただ三人は、指し示したひとつの谷にだけは入らないでくれと頼んだ。さもないと何か災いがふりかかるという。その谷は嘆きの谷と呼ばれているのだと三人は言った。

The prince spent a very long time at the palace without being aware of it, for he always remained just as young as he was when he arrived. He wandered about the woods without ever having a headache. He amused himself in the golden palace, lived in peace and quiet with his wife and her sisters, enjoyed the beauty of the flowers, and the sweet, pure air. He often went hunting; but one day, while pursuing a hare, he shot two arrows at it without hitting the animal. Angrily chasing it he discharged a third arrow, which struck it, but in his haste the luckless man had not noticed that he had passed through the Valley of Lamentation while following the game.

王子はそれと気づかないまま、たいそう長いあいだ宮殿で過ごした。着いたときとまったく同じ若さのままだったからである。王子は頭痛ひとつ起こさずに森を歩きまわった。金の宮殿で楽しみ、妻とその姉たちと平和に静かに暮らし、花の美しさと甘く清らかな空気を楽しんだ。王子はしばしば狩りにも出かけた。けれどもある日、野うさぎを追って二本矢を放ったが、当たらなかった。腹を立てて追いかけ三本目の矢を放つとそれは当たったが、あわてていたので、この不運な男は、獲物を追ううちに嘆きの谷を通り抜けてしまったことに気づかなかった。

He picked it up and turned toward home, but was suddenly seized with a longing for his father and mother. He did not venture to speak of this wish to his wife, yet by his grief and restlessness both she and her sisters instantly perceived his condition.

王子は野うさぎを拾って家へ引き返したが、突然、父と母に会いたい思いに襲われた。王子はこの望みを妻に話す勇気がなかったが、その悲しみと落ち着きのなさから、妻も姉たちもたちまち王子の様子を察した。

"Oh! luckless prince, you have passed through the Valley of Lamentation," they said in terror.

「ああ! 不運な王子さま、嘆きの谷を通ってしまったのね」と三人は恐ろしさに言った。

"I did so, my dear ones, without meaning to be so imprudent, but now the longing to see my parents is killing me! Yet I can not forsake you. I have already spent several days with you and have no cause to complain. So I'll go and see my parents once more, and then come back to you, never to leave you again."

「そうなんだ、いとしい人たち、そんな軽はずみをするつもりはなかったのに。でも今、両親に会いたくて死にそうなんだ! それでもきみたちを捨てることはできない。もうきみたちと何日も過ごして、何の不満もない。だからもう一度両親に会いに行って、それから帰ってくる。もう二度ときみたちから離れない。」

"Do not quit us, beloved prince! Your parents died two or three hundred years ago, and if you go, we fear you yourself will never return; stay with us, for a presentiment of evil tells us that you will perish!"

「わたしたちのもとを去らないで、いとしい王子さま! あなたのご両親は二、三百年前に亡くなっています。それに、行ってしまったら、あなたご自身がもう二度と帰ってこられないのではと心配なのです。ここにいてください。悪い予感がするのです、あなたは死んでしまうでしょう!」

All the entreaties of the three ladies, as well as those of the horse, were unable to quiet the young hero's longing for his parents, which was fairly consuming him alive.

三人の婦人の懇願も、馬の懇願も、若い勇士の、身を焼き尽くすような両親への思いを鎮めることはできなかった。

At last the horse said: "If you don't listen to me, master, whatever happens to you will be your own fault. I'll tell you something, and if you accept my condition, I'll take you back."

とうとう馬が言った。「わたしの言うことを聞かないのなら、ご主人さま、あなたの身に何が起ころうと、それはご自分のせいです。ひとつ申し上げますから、その条件を呑んでくださるなら、お連れしましょう。」

"I'll accept it with many thanks," replied the prince; "let me hear it."

「喜んで呑もう」と王子は答えた。「言ってくれ。」

"As soon as you reach your father's palace you will dismount, but I am to return alone in case you stay even an hour."

「お父上の宮殿に着いたら馬をお降りください。けれども、たとえ一時間でもとどまるなら、わたしは一人で帰ります。」

"Be it so," the prince agreed.

「そうしよう」と王子は承知した。

They made their preparations for the journey, the prince embraced the ladies and after having bade them farewell he rode away, but they sobbed and wept bitterly when he left them.

二人は旅の支度をし、王子は婦人たちを抱きしめて別れを告げて馬を走らせたが、三人は王子が去るとき激しく泣きじゃくった。

They reached the country which had once been the kingdom of the Scorpion Witch, but found cities there; the woods had become fields; the prince questioned one person and another about the Scorpion Witch and her house, but they answered that their grandfathers had heard from their great, great grandfathers that such silly tales had once been told.

二人はかつてさそりの魔女の国だった土地に着いたが、そこには町があった。森は畑になっていた。王子はあれこれの人にさそりの魔女とその家のことを尋ねたが、人々は、自分たちの祖父が曾祖父のそのまた祖父から、そんなばかげた話がむかしあったと聞いたと答えるだけだった。

"How is that possible!" replied the prince, "I came through this region myself only a short time ago," and he told them all he knew.

「そんなことがあるものか!」と王子は答えた。「わたし自身、ついこのあいだここを通ったばかりだ。」そして知っていることをすっかり話した。

The people laughed at him as if he were a lunatic or a person talking in his sleep, and the prince angrily rode on without noticing that his hair and beard were growing white.

人々は王子を、気が狂った者か寝言を言う者のように笑った。王子は腹を立てて、自分の髪とひげが白くなってきたのにも気づかずに馬を進めた。

When he reached the realm of the Woodpecker Fairy, the same questions and answers were exchanged. The prince could not understand how these places had altered so much in a few days, and again rode angrily on. He now had a white beard that reached to his waist, and he felt as if his feet were beginning to tremble.

キツツキの妖精の国に着くと、同じ問いと答えが交わされた。王子には、どうして数日のうちにこの土地がこんなに変わってしまったのかわからず、また腹を立てて馬を進めた。今では白いひげが腰まで届き、足が震えはじめたように感じた。

Quitting this country he arrived in his father's empire. Here he found new people, new towns, and every thing so much changed that he could not recognize it. At last he came to the palace where he was born. When he dismounted, the horse kissed his hand, and said:

この国を出て、王子は父の帝国に着いた。ここには新しい人々がいて、新しい町があり、何もかもすっかり変わっていて見分けがつかなかった。とうとう王子は自分の生まれた宮殿に着いた。王子が馬を降りると、馬は王子の手に口づけして言った。

"I wish you good health, master, I'm going back to the place from which I came. If you want to go too, mount quickly, and we'll be off."

「ご健康を祈ります、ご主人さま。わたしは来たところへ帰ります。あなたも行きたいなら、早くお乗りください。すぐに発ちましょう。」

"Farewell, I too hope to return soon."

「さらばだ。わたしもすぐに帰るつもりだ。」

The horse darted away with the speed of an arrow.

馬は矢の速さで駆け去った。

When the prince saw the ruined palace and the weeds growing around it, he sighed deeply and with tears in his eyes tried to remember how magnificent these places had once been. He walked around the building two or three times, tried to recollect how every room, every corner had looked, found the stable where he had discovered the horse, and then went down into the cellar, whose entrance was choked up with fallen rubbish.

王子は荒れ果てた宮殿とそのまわりに生い茂る雑草を見ると、深くため息をついて、目に涙を浮かべながら、この場所がかつてどんなに壮麗だったかを思い出そうとした。王子は建物のまわりを二度三度めぐり、どの部屋もどの隅もどんなふうだったかを思い出そうとし、馬を見つけた厩を見つけ、それから、落ちたがれきで入口のふさがった地下室へ下りていった。

He groped hither and thither, holding up his eyelids with his hands, and scarcely able to totter along, while his snowy beard now fell to his knees, but found nothing except a dilapidated old chest, which he opened. It seemed empty, but as he raised the lid a voice from the bottom said: "Welcome, if you had kept me waiting much longer, I too should have gone to decay."

王子はあちらこちらと手さぐりし、まぶたを手で持ち上げながら、やっとよろよろ歩ける有様で、その雪のようなひげは今やひざまで届いていた。けれども見つかったのは、崩れかけた古い長持ちひとつだけで、王子はそれを開けた。なかは空のようだったが、ふたを持ち上げると、底から声がした。「ようこそ。もうこれ以上わしを待たせていたら、わしのほうが朽ち果てていたところだ。」

Then his death, which had become completely shriveled in the chest, seized him; but the prince fell lifeless on the ground and instantly crumbled into dust.

それから、長持ちのなかですっかりしなびていた王子の死神が王子をつかんだ。すると王子は息絶えて地に倒れ、たちまち崩れて塵になった。

Into the saddle then I sprung, The tale to tell to old and young.

それから馬にまたがって、老いも若きもこの話を聞かせにまいろう。