Mogarzea and His Son

There was once a young lad who had neither father nor mother. Every thing his parents had left him was in the care of guardians, and at last he could bear their unjust reproaches no longer, but went out into the wide world, entered a path leading to a glade in the forest, and followed it a long way.

むかし、父も母もない若者がいた。両親が残していったものはみな後見人たちの手にあり、とうとう若者はその不当な咎めだてに耐えきれなくなって、広い世界へ出ていき、森の空き地へ通じる小道に入って、それを長いことたどっていった。

When, in the evening, he grew tired and found no place to rest, he climbed a hill and gazed around him in every direction to try to discover a light; after a long search he saw the flicker of a tiny spark and went toward it. He walked and walked half the night, then he came to a huge fire, by which a man as big as a giant was sleeping. What was the youth to do? After thinking a while, he crept into one leg of the man's trowsers and spent the rest of the night there.

夕方になって疲れ、休む場所も見つからなかったので、若者は丘に登って、明かりを見つけようと四方を見まわした。長いこと探したすえに、小さな火花のちらつくのが見えたので、そちらへ向かった。若者は夜半まで歩きに歩いて、大きな火のところに来た。その火のそばで、大男のように大きな男が眠っていた。若者はどうしたものだろう。しばらく考えてから、男のズボンの片方の脚にもぐり込んで、その夜の残りをそこで過ごした。

When the man rose the next morning, to his great astonishment, he saw the youngster drop out of his breeches.

次の朝、男が起き上がると、たいそう驚いたことに、若者がズボンから転げ落ちるのが見えた。

"Where did you come from?" he asked.

「おまえはどこから来たのだ」と男は尋ねた。

"I was sent to you for a son last night," replied the lad.

「ゆうべ、あなたの息子になるよう遣わされたのです」と若者は答えた。

"If that is true," said the big man, "you may tend my sheep, and I'll give you something to eat, but beware that you don't cross the boundaries, or woe betide you!"

「それがほんとうなら」と大男は言った。「わしの羊の番をするがいい。食べるものはやろう。だが境を越えないように気をつけろ。さもないとひどい目にあうぞ!」

He pointed out to the boy the end of his land, and then added:

大男は自分の土地の端を若者に教えて、それから付け加えた。

"God be with you!"

「神がおまえとともにありますように!」

The lad tended the flock all day, and when he returned in the evening found the fire lighted, and helped the giant milk the sheep.

若者は一日じゅう群れの番をし、夕方帰ってくると火がおこしてあったので、大男が羊の乳を搾るのを手伝った。

After their work was done, they sat down to supper, and while they were eating the boy asked:

仕事がすむと、二人は夕食の席に着いた。そして食べながら若者は尋ねた。

"What is your name, father?"

「父さん、あなたの名は何というのです。」

"Mogarzea," replied the big fellow.

「モガルゼア」と大男は答えた。

"I wonder you don't get tired of staying here alone in this wilderness."

「こんな荒れ野でひとりでいて、いやにならないのが不思議です。」

"Then you wonder without cause. Don't you know that the bear never dances willingly?"

「不思議に思うのは筋違いだ。熊が好きこのんで踊ることはないと知らないのか。」

"Yes, you're right there," replied the boy. "But I see that you are always dull and sad. Tell me your story, father."

「ええ、それはそのとおりです」と若者は答えた。「でも、あなたはいつも沈んで悲しそうに見えます。あなたの身の上を話してください、父さん。」

"What can be the use of telling you things that would make you sorrowful too?"

「おまえまで悲しませるようなことを話して、何になろう。」

"Never mind, I should like to know them. Are you not my father? Do you suppose you have me as a son for nothing?"

「かまいません、知りたいのです。あなたはわたしの父ではないのですか。ただで息子にしたつもりですか。」

"Well then, if that's true and you wish it, listen to my story.

「では、それがほんとうで、おまえが望むのなら、わしの話を聞くがいい。

"My name, as I have already told you, is Mogarzea; I am a prince, and set out to go to the Sweet-milk Lake, which is not far from here, to marry a fairy. I had heard that three fairies lived there. But Fortune did not smile upon me; wicked elves attacked me and took away my soul. Since that time I have settled here to dwell with my sheep on this little patch of land, without being able to take pleasure in any thing, without having a moment's happiness, or even once enjoying a laugh.

「わしの名は、もう言ったとおりモガルゼアだ。わしは王子で、ここから遠くない甘い乳の湖へ、妖精を妻にしに行くところだった。そこに三人の妖精が住んでいると聞いていたのだ。だが運はわしにほほえまなかった。邪悪な妖精どもがわしを襲って、わしの魂を奪っていった。そのときからわしは、この小さな土地に羊とともに住みついて、何ひとつ楽しむこともできず、ひとときの幸せもなく、一度も笑うこともできずにいるのだ。

"The abominable elves are so quarrelsome that they let no one who crosses their frontiers go unpunished. That's why I advise you to be on your guard, lest something should happen to you also."

「あのいまわしい妖精どもは喧嘩好きで、自分たちの境を越える者は誰であれ、罰せずには放っておかない。だから、おまえの身にも何か起こらないよう、用心しろと言っているのだ。」

"All right, all right, just let me alone, father," replied the youth, and they went to rest.

「わかりました、わかりました、放っておいてください、父さん」と若者は答えて、二人は休みに行った。

When day dawned, the lad rose and set off with the flock. I don't know how or why, but he could not feel content to gaze at the elves' beautiful meadows, while the sheep were grazing on Mogarzea's barren ground.

夜が明けると、若者は起きて群れを連れて出かけた。どうしてか、なぜかはわからないが、若者は、羊がモガルゼアのやせた土地で草を食べているのに、妖精たちの美しい牧草地を眺めているだけでは満足できなかった。

On the third day, when he was standing in the shade of a tree playing on the flute, for he was, as it were, a master of the art of flute playing, one of the sheep strayed away into the flowery meadows, others followed, then others, till, when the youth noticed them, a number of the animals had crossed the boundaries.

三日目、若者が木陰に立って笛を吹いていると——若者は笛を吹くことにかけては名人のようなものだった——羊が一頭、花の咲く牧草地へ迷い込み、それからほかの羊も、またほかの羊も続いて、若者が気づいたときには、かなりの数の羊が境を越えていた。

Still playing on his flute, he went to drive back the sheep which had left the flock, but he suddenly saw before him three merry maidens, who stopped him and began to dance around him. When the lad discovered the state of affairs, he summoned up his courage and blew with all his might. They danced until the evening.

若者は笛を吹きながら、群れから離れた羊を追い戻しに行った。ところが突然、目の前に陽気な三人の娘が現れて、若者を止め、そのまわりで踊りはじめた。若者はどういうことかわかると、勇気をふるって力いっぱい笛を吹いた。娘たちは夕方まで踊った。

"Let me go now," he said, "poor Mogarzea will be hungry; to-morrow, if you wish, I'll play still better."

「もう行かせてください」と若者は言った。「かわいそうなモガルゼアが腹をすかせています。望むなら、明日はもっと上手に吹きましょう。」

"We will let you go," they replied, "but you know that if you don't come you will not escape our punishment."

「行かせてあげましょう」と娘たちは答えた。「でも、来なかったらわたしたちの罰を逃れられないと知っておくのね。」

So they agreed that he was to come directly to them the next morning, sheep and all, then each went home. Mogarzea wondered why the milk had increased so much, and was not satisfied until the lad assured him that he had not crossed the boundaries. They ate their supper and went to rest.

そこで、若者は次の朝、羊もろともまっすぐ娘たちのところへ来るという約束になり、めいめい家に帰った。モガルゼアは乳がこんなに増えたのを不思議がったが、境は越えていないと若者が請け合うまで納得しなかった。二人は夕食を食べて休みに行った。

The youth did not wait till it had become perfectly light, but at the first streak of dawn set off with the sheep straight to the elves' meadows. When he began to play on his flute, the elves instantly appeared and danced and danced till evening. Then the youth pretended to drop the flute and, as if by accident, stepped upon it and broke it.

若者はすっかり明るくなるまで待たずに、夜明けの最初の光とともに羊を連れて妖精たちの牧草地へまっすぐ出かけていった。若者が笛を吹きはじめると、たちまち妖精たちが現れて、夕方まで踊りに踊った。すると若者は笛を落としたふりをして、うっかりしたように笛を踏んで壊してしまった。

If you could have seen how he bewailed it, how he wrung his hands and wept over the loss of his companion, you would surely have pitied him. Even the elves were touched with compassion and tried to comfort him.

若者がどんなにそれを嘆いたか、どんなに手をもみしぼって仲間を失ったことを泣いたかを見たなら、きっとあなたも気の毒に思ったことだろう。妖精たちでさえ憐れみに心を動かされて、慰めようとした。

"I wouldn't care so much," he said, "only I shall never find another flute that will sound as merry as this one, for it was made out of the heart of a seven-year-old cherry tree."

「これほど気にはしないのですが」と若者は言った。「ただ、これほど陽気な音の出る笛は、もう二度と手に入らないでしょう。これは七年ものの桜の木の芯でこしらえたのですから。」

"We have, in the court-yard, a cherry tree that is just seven years old; if you want it, come, we'll cut it down and you can make yourself another flute."

「わたしたちの中庭に、ちょうど七年になる桜の木があるわ。ほしいなら、いらっしゃい、切り倒してあげるから、もう一本笛をこしらえればいいわ。」

They all went there, felled the cherry tree, and for fear of touching the pith while stripping off the bark, the youth requested all the elves to help.

一同はそこへ行って桜の木を切り倒した。若者は、樹皮をはぐときに芯に触れてしまうのを恐れて、妖精たちみなに手伝ってくれと頼んだ。

After having made a cleft in the trunk with his ax, large enough for them to get their fingers in, he told them to take hold of it in order to break it apart solely by the strength of their arms, that the blade of the ax might not touch the pith of the wood. They were actually stupid enough to do so as they stood around the trunk, and, while saying "pull," he drew out the ax and caught their fingers in the crack.

若者は斧で幹に、妖精たちが指を入れられるほど大きな割れ目をこしらえてから、斧の刃が木の芯に触れないように、腕の力だけで引き裂けるようにそこをつかめと言った。妖精たちはほんとうに愚かにも、幹のまわりに立ってそのとおりにした。そして若者が「引け」と言いながら斧を引き抜いたので、妖精たちの指は割れ目にはさまってしまった。

In vain the elves begged him to release them, in vain they said that they were almost faint with pain; the lad would not even listen to the fine promises they made, but remained as cold as a stone.

妖精たちがいくら放してくれと頼んでも、痛くて気が遠くなりそうだと言っても、むだだった。若者は妖精たちが並べ立てる立派な約束に耳を貸しもせず、石のように冷たいままだった。

Finally he asked them for Mogarzea's soul.

とうとう若者は、モガルゼアの魂を返せと言った。

"It is in a bottle on the window-sill," they said.

「窓の敷居の上の瓶に入っているわ」と妖精たちは言った。

After he had fetched it, he inquired how he could restore it to its place, and the elves explained, hoping he would then release them from their torture.

若者はそれを取ってくると、どうすればもとの場所に戻せるのかと尋ね、妖精たちは、そうすればこの責め苦から放してくれるだろうと期待して説明した。

"You have tormented many people so that they suffered terrible agony all their lives; now you too can suffer for one night, it won't make the sky fall."

「おまえたちは大勢の人を苦しめて、一生ひどい責め苦を味わわせてきた。今度はおまえたちがひと晩苦しんでも、空が落ちてくるわけではあるまい。」

With these words he took the sheep and Mogarzea's soul and departed; but the elves wailed so that any one's heart might have been torn with pity. When he reached home, Mogarzea scolded him for being late. The boy's only reply was to ask him to lie down on his back, then climbing upon his breast he jumped up and down several times, until the lazy soul the elves had conjured into him darted out and the youngster gave him his own to swallow; holding his mouth and nose with his hands he made him drink the water that had been in the bottle, and then put on a plaster he had brought from the elves.

そう言うと若者は羊とモガルゼアの魂を持って立ち去った。妖精たちは、誰の心も憐れみで引き裂かれそうなほど泣き叫んだ。若者が家に着くと、モガルゼアは遅いと若者を叱った。若者はただ、あおむけに寝てくれと頼んだだけだった。それから若者はモガルゼアの胸の上に乗って何度も跳びはねた。すると妖精たちがモガルゼアのなかに呪文で入れた怠惰な魂が飛び出したので、若者はモガルゼアの魂を呑み込ませた。そして手で口と鼻をふさいで、瓶に入っていた水を飲ませ、それから妖精たちのところから持ってきた膏薬を貼った。

He had scarcely got it on, when Mogarzea sprang up like a deer and said:

膏薬を貼るやいなや、モガルゼアは鹿のように跳ね起きて言った。

"Whether you are my son or not, what do you want as a reward for what you have done?"

「おまえがわしの息子であろうとなかろうと、してくれたことの礼に何がほしい。」

"Tell me where the Milk Lake is, and what I am to do to obtain one of the three fairies who are there for my wife, and let me be your son forever."

「乳の湖がどこにあるか、そしてそこにいる三人の妖精のうち一人を妻にするにはどうすればいいかを教えてください。そしてわたしをいつまでもあなたの息子にしてください。」

Mogarzea granted the lad's wishes and they sat down to supper without his wondering how the sheep gave so much milk; all night long they amused themselves by shouting, singing and dancing.

モガルゼアは若者の望みをかなえてやり、二人は羊がどうしてこんなにたくさん乳を出すのか不思議がりもせずに夕食の席に着いた。そしてひと晩じゅう、叫んだり歌ったり踊ったりして楽しんだ。

Noticing that dawn was approaching before they had gone to rest, they resolved to set out together to pay a visit to the cheated elves,--and did so. When Mogarzea saw them, he took them, log and all, on his back and went to his father's kingdom, where every body rejoiced when he came home as brave and cheery as ever. But he pointed out his deliverer, who was following behind with the sheep.

休みもしないうちに夜明けが近づいてきたのに気づいて、二人は一緒にだまされた妖精たちを訪ねに行こうと決め、そのとおりにした。モガルゼアは妖精たちを見ると、丸太ごと背負って父の王国へ行った。そこではモガルゼアが以前のように勇ましく陽気になって帰ってきたので、みなが喜んだ。けれどもモガルゼアは、羊を連れてうしろからついてくる自分の救い主を指し示した。

Then they all thanked the lad for his cleverness in rescuing Mogarzea from misfortune, and the festivities at the palace lasted three whole days.

すると一同は、モガルゼアを不幸から救い出した若者の知恵に感謝し、宮殿の祝宴はまる三日続いた。

After these three days had passed, the boy took Mogarzea aside and said:

この三日が過ぎると、若者はモガルゼアをわきへ呼んで言った。

"I want to go now; please tell me where the Sweet-milk Lake is, and, God willing, I'll come back again with my wife."

「わたしはもう行きたいのです。甘い乳の湖がどこにあるか教えてください。神の思し召しがあれば、妻を連れて帰ってきます。」

At first Mogarzea tried to detain him, but finding it no use to talk till he was tired, he told him what he had heard--he had seen nothing, on account of the elves.

モガルゼアははじめ若者を引きとめようとしたが、いくら言っても疲れるだけで無駄だとわかると、自分が聞いたことを話した——妖精たちのせいで、自分では何も見ていなかったのである。

The boy took his flute and some food for the journey, and then, departing, walked three long summer days until the evening, before he reached the Milk Lake, which was in a fairy's kingdom. Early the next morning he began to play on his flute at the edge of the lake,--and what did he see? A beautiful fairy, whose hair was exactly like gold, and whose clothes were more costly than any he had ever seen; she was more dazzling than the sun as she began to dance. The boy stood motionless with his eyes fixed upon her, but when the fairy noticed that he was no longer playing she vanished. The next day she did the same thing. On the third, still playing, he approached, and as in the pleasure of dancing she did not notice it, he suddenly rushed upon her, clasped her in his arms, kissed her, and snatched the rose from her head.

若者は笛と旅の食べ物を持って出発し、夏の長い日を三日歩いて、夕方になってから乳の湖に着いた。そこは妖精の国にあった。次の朝早く、若者は湖のほとりで笛を吹きはじめた——すると何が見えたと思う? 髪がまさに金そのもので、着ている衣装はそれまで見たどれよりも高価な、美しい妖精だった。妖精は踊りはじめると太陽よりもまばゆかった。若者は身じろぎもせず妖精に目を釘づけにして立っていたが、若者がもう笛を吹いていないことに妖精が気づくと、妖精は消えてしまった。次の日も同じことが起こった。三日目、若者は笛を吹きながら近づいていき、妖精は踊る楽しさにそれに気づかなかったので、若者は突然妖精に飛びかかって腕に抱きしめ、口づけして、その頭から薔薇をもぎ取った。

She screamed and then begged him to give her back the flower, but he refused. Even wood and stone might have wept over her grief, as she lamented and entreated. But when he fastened the rose in his hat, she followed him.

妖精は悲鳴をあげて、その花を返してくれと頼んだが、若者は断った。妖精が嘆き懇願するさまは、木や石でさえ涙を流しそうなほどだった。けれども若者が薔薇を帽子に留めると、妖精は若者について来た。

Finding that he could not be persuaded to restore the rose, they agreed to be married. So they went to Mogarzea, to be wedded by the emperor, and remained there, but every year in the month of May they returned to the Milk Lake to bathe their children in its waves.

薔薇を返すよう若者を説き伏せられないとわかると、二人は結婚することに決めた。そこで二人はモガルゼアのところへ行って皇帝に結婚させてもらい、そこにとどまったが、毎年五月には乳の湖へ戻って、子どもたちをその波で水浴びさせた。

After the emperor's death Mogarzea divided the kingdom with his preserver.

皇帝が死んだあと、モガルゼアは自分を救ってくれた者と王国を分け合った。