The Miraculous Hen

Beyond thrice-nine lands, in the thrice-tenth realm—it was not in our kingdom—once an old man and an old woman lived in great need and poverty. They had two sons, who were very young and as yet of no use for field work. So the old man got up himself, and himself did all the work; he went out and looked after the labourers, and for all that he could only earn a few pence.

三九の国の彼方、三十番めの王国に——それはわれらの国ではなかったが——あるとき一人の老人と老婆が、たいそうな窮乏と貧しさのうちに暮らしていた。二人には息子が二人あったが、まだたいそう幼く、野良仕事の役には立たなかった。そこで老人は自分で起き出し、自分で何もかもをやった。出かけては人足の差配をしたが、それでも稼げるのはわずかな銭だけだった。

As he was going home one day he met a sorry drunkard, who had a hen in his hands. “Will you, old man, buy my hen?”

ある日、家へ帰る道で、みすぼらしい酔っぱらいに出会った。手に雌鶏を提げていた。「じいさん、この鶏を買わんかね」

“What do you want for it?”

「いくらだ」

“Give me fifty kopeks for it.”

「五十コペイカくれ」

“No, brother; take these few pence—that will be enough for you; you will get a pint and can drink it out on your way home and go to sleep.”

「いやいや兄弟、このわずかな銭を取りなさい——それで足りるだろう。一パイント買って、帰り道で飲み干して寝てしまえばいい」

So the drunkard took the pence and gave the old man the hen.

そこで酔っぱらいは銭を受け取り、老人に雌鶏を渡した。

Then the old man returned home. But they were very hungry there; there was not a crust of bread. “Here,” he said, as he came in, to his wife, “here is a hen I have bought you.”

そして老人は家へ帰った。だが家ではみなひどく飢えていて、パンの皮一切れもなかった。「ほら」と老人は入ってくるなり妻に言った。「おまえに鶏を買ってきたぞ」

But his wife turned on him fiercely and scolded him. “What an old fool you are! You must have gone utterly mad: our children are sitting down at home without any bread, and you buy a hen which you must feed!”

だが妻は猛然と食ってかかり、罵った。「なんという老いぼれの馬鹿だろう! すっかり気が狂ったに違いない。子どもたちはパンもなしに家に坐っているというのに、餌をやらねばならぬ鶏を買ってくるとは!」

“Hold your tongue, foolish woman; does a hen eat so much? Why, she will lay us an egg and will bring us chicks; we can sell the chicks and then buy bread.”

「黙っておれ、愚かな女め。鶏がそんなに食うものか。卵を産んでくれるし、雛も連れてくる。雛を売ってパンを買えばいい」

So the old man made a little nest and he put the hen under the stove. In the morning he looked, and the hen had laid a jewel of absolutely natural colours. So the old man said to his wife, “Now, old lady; amongst other folks the hens lay eggs, but our hen lays jewels: what shall we do?”

そこで老人は小さな巣を作り、雌鶏を竈の下に入れた。朝になって見ると、雌鶏はまったく天然のままの色をした宝石を産んでいた。そこで老人は妻に言った。「なあ婆さん、よその家では鶏が卵を産むが、うちの鶏は宝石を産むぞ。どうしたものか」

“Take it into the city; possibly somebody may buy it.”

「町へ持っていきなさい。誰か買ってくれるかもしれない」

So the old man went into the city, went into all the inns by turns and showed his precious stone. All the merchants gathered round him and began valuing the stone. They valued it and valued it, and it was at last bought for five hundred roubles.

そこで老人は町へ行き、宿屋を片端から回って、その宝石を見せた。商人たちがみな集まってきて、石の値踏みをはじめた。値踏みに値踏みを重ねて、とうとう五百ルーブリで買われた。

From that day the old man went on trading in precious stones which his hen laid him, and he very soon became enriched, had himself inscribed into the merchants’ guild, put up a shop, hired apprentices, and set up seafaring ships to carry his wares into foreign lands. One day he was going into foreign parts, and he bade his wife have a great heed to the hen: “Treasure her more than your eyes; should she be lost, you shall forfeit your own head.”

その日から老人は、雌鶏の産む宝石を商いつづけ、たちまち豊かになった。商人組合に名を連ね、店を構え、徒弟を雇い、品を異国へ運ぶ船まで出した。ある日、異国へ出かけることになり、妻に雌鶏をよくよく大事にしてくれと言いつけた。「目より大事にしてくれ。もし失せたら、おまえの首がないと思え」

As soon as he had gone the old woman began to think evil thoughts. For she was great friends with one of the young apprentices.

夫が出かけるやいなや、老婆は邪なことを考えはじめた。というのも、若い徒弟の一人とねんごろにしていたからである。

“Where do you get these precious stones from?” the apprentice asked her.

「その宝石はどこから手に入れるのだ」と徒弟が尋ねた。

“Oh, it is our hen that lays them.”

「ああ、うちの鶏が産むのさ」

So the apprentice took the hen, looked, and under the right wing he saw written in gold: “Whoever eats this hen’s head shall become a king, and whoever eats her liver shall spit out gold.”

そこで徒弟は雌鶏を取って調べ、右の翼の下にこう金文字で書いてあるのを見つけた。「この鶏の頭を食う者は王となるべし。この鶏の肝を食う者は黄金を吐くべし」

So he told the wife, “Bake me the hen for supper.”

そこで徒弟は女に言った。「あの鶏を夕餉に焼いてくれ」

“Oh, my dear friend, how can I? My husband will be coming back and will punish me.”

「ああ、いとしい人、どうしてそんなことができましょう。夫が帰ってきたらわたしを罰します」

But the apprentice would not listen to any argument. “Bake it,” he said—that was all.

だが徒弟はどんな言い分にも耳を貸さなかった。「焼け」と言うきりだった。

The next day the old woman got supper ready, made ready to twist the hen’s neck and to roast it for supper with the head and the liver. The cook twisted the hen’s neck and put her into the oven, and himself went out. But in that time the two little children of the house, who were at school, ran in, looked into the oven, and wanted to nibble. The elder brother ate the head and the youngest ate the liver.

翌日、老婆は夕餉の支度をし、鶏の首をひねって、頭と肝ごと夕餉に焼く手はずをした。料理人が鶏の首をひねって竈に入れ、自分は外へ出ていった。ところがそのあいだに、学校に行っていたこの家の幼い子ども二人が駆け込んできて、竈をのぞいて、つまみ食いをしたくなった。兄が頭を食べ、弟が肝を食べた。

When supper-time came, the hen was put on the table, but when the apprentice saw that both the head and the liver were missing he was very angry, quarrelled with the old woman and went home. The old woman followed him and wheedled, but he still insisted: “You bring your children, take their liver out and brains, and give them me for supper; otherwise I will have nothing to do with you.”

夕餉の時分になって鶏が食卓に出されたが、徒弟は頭も肝もないのを見てひどく腹を立て、老婆と言い争って帰ってしまった。老婆はあとを追ってすがりついたが、徒弟はなお言い張った。「おまえの子どもたちを連れてこい。肝と脳を取り出して、夕餉にわたしに出せ。でなければおまえとは縁を切る」

So the old woman put her children to bed, called the cook and bade him take them whilst they were asleep into the wood, there kill them and extract their liver and their brains and get them ready for supper. The cook took the children into the slumbrous forest, stopped, and made ready to whet the knife.

そこで老婆は子どもたちを寝かしつけ、料理人を呼んで、眠っているうちに森へ連れていって殺し、肝と脳を取り出して夕餉の支度をせよと言いつけた。料理人は子どもたちを眠たげな森へ連れていき、立ち止まって刃物を研ぐ支度をした。

The boys woke up and asked, “Why are you sharpening the knife?”

少年たちは目を覚まして尋ねた。「なぜ刃物を研いでいるの」

“Because your mother has bidden me take out your liver and brains and cook them.”

「おまえたちのお母さんが、おまえたちの肝と脳を取り出して料理せよと言いつけたからだ」

“Oh, grandfather, little dove, do not slay us; we will give you all the gold you desire, only pity us and let us free.” So the younger brother filled his skirt with gold, and the cook was contented with this and he set them free.

「ああお爺さん、鳩さん、殺さないで。ほしいだけ黄金をあげるから、どうか哀れんで放しておくれ」。そう言って弟が裾いっぱいに黄金を満たすと、料理人はそれで満足して二人を放してやった。

So the boys went forth into the forest and he turned back. Fortunately for him a bitch came his way, so he took her two puppies, took their livers and brains, roasted them and gave them for supper. The apprentice was very pleased with the dish, swallowed it all, and became neither a king nor a king’s son, but simply a fool.

そこで少年たちは森の奥へ進み、料理人は引き返した。運のよいことに一匹の牝犬が道に来たので、その仔犬二匹を取り、肝と脳を取り出して焼き、夕餉に出した。徒弟はその料理にたいそう満足し、すっかり平らげたが、王にも王の息子にもならず、ただの阿呆になった。

The boys went out of the wood on the broad road, and went whither their eyes gazed—maybe far, maybe short, they went. Soon the road divided into two, and a column stood there, and on the column it was written:

少年たちは森を出て広い道に出ると、目の向くほうへ歩いていった——遠くまで行ったか、近くだったか。まもなく道が二つに分かれ、そこに柱が立っていて、柱にはこう書いてあった。

“WHO GOES TO THE RIGHT SHALL RECEIVE A KINGDOM, WHO GOES TO THE LEFT SHALL RECEIVE MUCH OF EVIL AND OF GRIEF, BUT HE SHALL MARRY A FAIR PRINCESS.”

「右へ行く者は王国を得べし。左へ行く者は多くの災いと悲しみを得べし。されどその者は美しき姫を娶るべし」

So the brothers considered this inscription, and decided to go in different directions; the elder went to the right and the younger to the left.

そこで兄弟はこの銘を考え、別々の方向へ行くことにした。兄は右へ、弟は左へ行った。

The elder went on and on, and soon came to an unknown capital city. He also saw a mass of people, only they were all mourning and sad. So he begged shelter of a poor old widow. “Will you protect,” he said, “a foreigner from the dark night?”

兄は歩きに歩いて、まもなく見知らぬ都に着いた。そこには人がひしめいていたが、みな喪に服して悲しげだった。そこで彼は貧しい老いた寡婦に宿を乞うた。「暗い夜から」と彼は言った。「よそ者をかくまってくださいませんか」

“I should be very glad to have you,” she said, “but I cannot put you anywhere, I am so closely packed.”

「泊めてあげたいのは山々だけれど」と寡婦は言った。「どこにも置く場所がないのですよ。ぎっしり詰まっていてね」

“Do let me in, bábushka; I am such a simple youth, just as you are; you can find me some small space, some kind of nook for the night.”

「どうか入れてください、バーブシュカ。わたしはあなたと同じ、ただの素朴な若者です。どこか小さな隙間でも、一夜の片隅でも見つかりましょう」

So the old woman admitted him, and they began to speak.

そこで老女は彼を入れ、二人は話しはじめた。

“Why, bábushka,” the stranger asked, “is there such a throng in the city, why are rooms so dear, and why are the people all mourning and melancholy?”

「バーブシュカ」と旅の若者は尋ねた。「なぜ町がこんなに混み合い、部屋がこんなに高く、人々がみな喪に服して塞いでいるのですか」

“Well, our king has just died, and the boyárs have sent the town-crier out to announce that old and young are to assemble, and each of them is to have a candle, and with the candles they are to go into the cathedral, and whosesoever’s candle lights of itself is to be king.”

「それがね、わたしたちの王が亡くなったばかりで、ボヤーレが触れ役を出して、老いも若きも集まるように、めいめい蠟燭を一本持って、その蠟燭を持って大聖堂へ行くように、そして誰の蠟燭がひとりでに灯るか、その者が王になるのだと告げさせたのですよ」

So in the morning the boy got up, washed, prayed to God, said the grace for the bread and salt and the soft bed which his hostess had given him, and went into the cathedral. When he got there, if you had been there three years you could not have counted all those people. And he took a candle in his hand, and it lit up at once. So they all burst upon him and began to blow out his candle, to damp it, but the flame lit all the brighter. There was no help for it: they acknowledged him as their king, and dressed him in golden apparel and led him to the palace.

そこで朝になると若者は起き、身を洗い、神に祈り、宿の女主人が与えてくれたパンと塩と柔らかい寝床に感謝の祈りを唱えて、大聖堂へ行った。着いてみると、三年かかってもその人数は数え切れぬほどだった。そして彼が手に蠟燭を取ると、たちまち火が灯った。すると人々はいっせいに彼に押し寄せ、蠟燭を吹き消そうとし、揉み消そうとしたが、炎はいよいよ明るく燃えた。どうしようもなかった。人々は彼を王と認め、黄金の衣裳を着せて宮殿へ導いた。

But the younger brother, who had turned to the left, heard that there was a fair princess in a certain kingdom who was indescribably lovely. But she was very grudging, and she announced in all countries that she would only marry the man who could feed her army for three whole years; yet every one had to try his luck. So the boy went there, and he went on his way, went on the broad road. And he spat into his little bag, and spat it full of pure gold. Well, it may be long, it may be short, it may be near, it may be far, but he at last reached the fair princess, and he said he would accomplish her task. He had no need to ask for gold, he simply had to spit and there it was. For three years he maintained the princess’s army, gave it food and drink and dress.

一方、左へ向かった弟は、ある王国に、言葉にできぬほど美しい姫がいると聞いた。だがその姫はたいそう欲深く、まる三年のあいだ自分の軍勢を養える男とだけ結婚すると諸国に触れ出していた。それでも誰もが運を試さねばならなかった。そこで弟はそこへ向かい、広い道を歩いていった。そして小さな袋に唾を吐くと、袋は純金でいっぱいになった。さて、長かったか短かったか、近かったか遠かったか、とにかく彼はとうとう美しい姫のもとに着き、その務めを果たしましょうと言った。黄金を求める必要はなく、ただ唾を吐けばそこにあった。三年のあいだ彼は姫の軍勢を養い、食べ物と飲み物と衣を与えた。

So the time came for a jolly feast and for the wedding. But the princess was still full of wiles. She asked herself and she sought to know whence God had sent him such enormous wealth. So she invited him to be her guest, received him, honoured him. And the doughty youth fell sick, and he vomited up the liver of the hen, and the Tsarévna swallowed it. From that day gold fell from her lips, and she would not have her bridegroom with her. “What shall I do with this ignoramus?” she asked her boyárs, and she asked her generals. “He has had the idiotic idea of wanting to marry me.”

そして陽気な宴と婚礼の時が来た。だが姫はなお企みに満ちていた。この男にこれほどの莫大な富を神がどこから授けたのか、自分に問い、探り出そうとした。そこで彼を客に招き、迎え、敬った。すると勇ましい若者は具合が悪くなり、あの雌鶏の肝を吐き出した。そしてツァレーヴナがそれを呑み込んだ。その日から姫の唇から黄金が落ちるようになり、姫はもう花婿をそばに置こうとしなかった。「この無知者をどうしたものか」と姫はボヤーレに尋ね、将軍たちに尋ねた。「わたしと結婚しようなどと、阿呆な了見を起こしたのだから」

So the boyárs said he must be hung, and the generals said he must be shot. But the Tsarévna had a better idea—that he ought to be sent to hell.

そこでボヤーレは吊るすべきだと言い、将軍たちは撃つべきだと言った。だがツァレーヴナにはもっとよい考えがあった——地獄へ送るべきだというのである。

So the doughty youth escaped and once more set forth on his road. And he had only one thought in his mind, how he should make himself wise and revenge himself on the Tsarévna for her unkind jest. So he went on and went on, and he came into the dreamy wood, and he looked and he saw three men fighting with their fists.

そこで勇ましい若者は逃げ出し、もういちど旅路についた。そして胸にはただ一つの思いしかなかった。どうすれば知恵を身につけ、ツァレーヴナのむごい戯れに報いてやれるか。そうして歩きに歩き、夢見るような森へ入ると、三人の男が拳で殴り合っているのが見えた。

“What are you fighting about?”

「何を争っているのだ」

“We have three finds in the road, and we cannot divide them; every one wants them for himself.”

「道で拾いものを三つしたのだが、分けられないのだ。誰もが自分のものにしたがる」

“What are the finds? what are you contending for?”

「その拾いものとは何だ。何を取り合っている」

“Look, this is a barrel: you only have to knock it, and a soldier leaps out of its mouth. This is a flying carpet: wherever you think it will take you. And this is a whip: strike a maiden and say ‘You have been a maiden, now become a mare,’ and she will become a mare at once.”

「見ろ、これは樽だ。叩きさえすれば、口から兵隊が跳び出してくる。これは空飛ぶ絨毯だ。思ったところへどこへでも運んでくれる。そしてこれは鞭だ。乙女を打って『おまえは乙女であった、いまは牝馬となれ』と言えば、たちまち牝馬になる」

“These are valuable gifts, and they are hard to divide. But this is the way out: I will send an arrow in this direction, and you all run after it; he who reaches it first shall have the barrel, and the second shall have the flying carpet, and the third shall have the whip.”

「それは値打ちのある授かりものだ。分けるのは難しい。だがこういう手がある。おれがこちらへ矢を一本射るから、みなでそれを追って走れ。最初に着いた者が樽を、二番めが空飛ぶ絨毯を、三番めが鞭をもらえばいい」

“Very well; shoot the dart.”

「よかろう。矢を射ろ」

So the youth sent out the arrow very far. The three darted after it and ran, and they never looked up. But the doughty youth took the barrel and the whip, sat upon the flying carpet, waved it one end, and he rose higher than the forest that stood there, lower than the clouds above, and he flew whither he would.

そこで若者は矢をたいそう遠くへ射た。三人は矢を追って駆け出し、走りに走って、顔も上げなかった。だが勇ましい若者は樽と鞭を取り、空飛ぶ絨毯に坐って、その端を振った。すると彼はそこに立つ森より高く、上の雲より低く舞い上がり、行きたいところへ飛んでいった。

So he went back to the forbidden lands of the fair princess, began beating the barrel, and an enormous army came out; infantry, cavalry and artillery, with cannon and with powder waggons. And the mighty host rolled on and rolled on. The doughty youth asked for a horse, mounted it, and went up to his army and commanded it. The drums beat out and the trumpets sounded, and the army went at a pace. Then the Tsarévna saw from her rooms and was very much frightened, and sent her boyárs and generals to ask for peace. The good youth bade these ambassadors be seized, had them cruelly and savagely punished and sent them back to the Tsarévna, who was to come herself and ask for a reconciliation.

そうして美しい姫の禁じられた国へ戻り、樽を叩きはじめた。すると途方もない軍勢が出てきた。歩兵、騎兵、砲兵、大砲も火薬車もあった。その大軍が押し寄せに押し寄せた。勇ましい若者は馬を求めてまたがり、軍勢の前に出て号令した。太鼓が鳴り響き、喇叭が鳴って、軍は足並みそろえて進んだ。するとツァレーヴナは自室からそれを見てひどく怯え、ボヤーレと将軍たちを遣わして和を乞うた。若者はこの使者たちを捕らえさせ、むごく荒々しく罰してツァレーヴナのもとへ送り返し、姫自身が来て和解を乞うようにと伝えさせた。

Well, there was no help for it: so the Tsarévna herself got out of her carriage, recognised him and swooned. But he took the whip, struck her on the back: “You are a maiden, now become a mare!” And the Tsarévna turned into a mare. He bridled and rode her, and went to the kingdom of his elder brother. He galloped at a full pace, put both spurs into her back and used a scourge of three iron rods, and the army followed him, an unbelievable host. It may be long, it may be short, at last they came to the boundary, and the doughty youth stopped, collected his army into the barrel, and went to the capital. He went straight to the royal palace, and the king himself saw him and looked at the mare and began to wonder: “What is this great hero approaching? I have never seen such a fine mare in all my life.” So he sent his generals to trade for that horse.

さて、どうしようもなかった。そこでツァレーヴナは自分で馬車から降り、彼だと気づいて気を失った。だが彼は鞭を取って姫の背を打った。「おまえは乙女であった、いまは牝馬となれ!」。するとツァレーヴナは牝馬になった。彼はそれに轡をはめて乗り、兄の王国へ向かった。全速で駆け、両の拍車を背に打ち込み、鉄の棒三本の笞を使い、そのあとを軍勢が——信じがたいほどの大軍が従った。長かったか短かったか、とうとう国境に着き、勇ましい若者は立ち止まって軍勢を樽に収め、都へ向かった。まっすぐ王宮へ行くと、王その人が彼を見て、牝馬に目を留めて不思議がりはじめた。「近づいてくるあの偉大な勇士は何者だろう。あんな見事な牝馬は生まれてこのかた見たことがない」。そこで王は将軍たちを遣わして、その馬を商わせようとした。

“No, what an envious king you have!” said the youth. “It would evidently be out of the question in your city to come here with a young wife; if you are so greedy for a mare, you would certainly take away my wife.”

「なんと妬み深い王をお持ちか!」と若者は言った。「この町へ若い妻を連れてくるなど、とても思いもよらぬことだ。牝馬にこれほど欲を出すからには、きっとわたしの妻を奪うだろう」

Then he went to the palace and said, “Hail, brother!”

それから彼は宮殿へ行って言った。「よう、兄さん!」

“Oh, I never knew you!”

「おお、おまえだとはまるでわからなかった!」

So they set to kissing each other.

そして二人は抱き合って口づけを交わした。

“What sort of barrel have you?”

「その樽は何だい」

“That is for drinking. How should I journey forth on the road otherwise?”

「飲むためのものさ。でなければどうやって旅を続ける」

“And the carpet?”

「では絨毯は」

“Sit down and you will find out.”

「坐ってごらん、わかるから」

So they sat on the flying carpet, and the younger brother shook it at the corner and they flew higher than the forest, lower than the wandering cloud, straight back to their own country. So they flew back, took a room with their father, and as to who they were they never told their father and mother. So they then thought they would give a feast to all the christened world. They assembled all the people in countless hosts, and for three whole days they gave food and drink to all without requital, without any charge. And afterwards every one began saying had any one a tale of wonder to tell; let him start. But no one would say: “We, it is said, are strange folk, but——”

そこで二人は空飛ぶ絨毯に坐り、弟がその隅を振ると、二人は森より高く、流れる雲より低く、まっすぐ自分たちの国へ飛んでいった。こうして飛んで帰り、父の家に部屋を借りたが、自分たちが何者であるかは父にも母にも告げなかった。そこで二人は、洗礼を受けた世の人みなに宴をふるまおうと思い立った。数え切れぬほどの人々をみな集めて、まる三日のあいだ、誰にも見返りを求めず、代も取らずに食べ物と飲み物をふるまった。そのあと、誰か不思議な話をできる者はいないか、語りはじめよという声が出た。だが誰も言い出さなかった。「わしらは、まあ、変わり者ではあるが、しかし——」

“Well, I will tell you a story,” said the younger brother; “only do not talk until the end. Whoever interrupts three times is to be ruthlessly punished.” So they all agreed.

「では、わたしが話をしよう」と弟が言った。「ただし終わりまで口を挟まないでくれ。三度さえぎった者は容赦なく罰する」。そこでみなが承知した。

And he began to tell how the two old folks had lived together, how they had had a hen which laid jewels, and how the mother had made friends with the apprentice. “What a lie!” interrupted the mistress. But the son went on with his tale. And he narrated how they had twisted the hen’s neck, and the mother again interrupted. At last the story went up to the point when the old woman wished to take away the children, and again she would not stand it: “It is untrue!” she said. “Could ever such a thing happen? Could ever a mother wish to be torn from her children?”

そして彼は語りはじめた。二人の老夫婦が暮らしていたこと、宝石を産む雌鶏を持っていたこと、母親が徒弟とねんごろになったこと。「なんという嘘!」と女主人がさえぎった。だが息子は話を続けた。そして鶏の首をひねったくだりを語ると、母はまたさえぎった。とうとう話は、老婆が子どもたちを取り上げようとしたところまで来た。すると母はまた堪えきれなくなった。「作り話だ!」と母は言った。「そんなことが起こるものか。母親が自分の子から引き離されたいなどと願うものか」

“Obviously, it is possible. Look at us, mother; we are your children.”

「明らかに、あり得ることです。ぼくらを見てください、お母さん。ぼくらがあなたの子どもです」

Then the whole story came out, and the father bade his wife be chopped up into bits. He tied the apprentice to the tail of horses, and the horses broke in every direction and scattered his bones over the fields. “Let the dog die a dog’s death!” said the old man. And he gave all his property to the poor and went to live in his elder son’s kingdom.

そうして話はすっかり明るみに出た。父は妻を切り刻めと命じた。徒弟は馬の尾に縛りつけ、馬は四方へ駆けてその骨を野にまき散らした。「犬は犬の死にざまを!」と老人は言った。そして財産をことごとく貧しい者に与え、上の息子の王国へ移り住んだ。

But the younger son smote his mare with the back of his hand and said, “You are a mare; now become a maiden!” So the mare turned into the fair Tsarévna. They made peace, became friends and wedded. It was a magnificent wedding.

そして下の息子は牝馬を手の甲で打って言った。「おまえは牝馬であった、いまは乙女となれ!」。すると牝馬は美しいツァレーヴナに戻った。二人は和睦し、友となり、夫婦となった。それは見事な婚礼だった。

I was there, I drank mead and it flowed up to my beard, but none came into my mouth.

わたしもそこにいて蜂蜜酒を飲んだ。酒は髭まで流れてきたが、口には一滴も入らなかった。