At the Behest of the Pike

Once there lived a poor peasant; and, however much he might toil and moil, he got nothing out of it. “Oh,” he thought to himself, “mine is a sorry lot; I spend all my days on my fields; and then, when I look, I am starving, whilst my neighbour is lying all day long on his back, and then he has a big estate and all the profits swim into his pockets. Evidently I have not pleased God. I will get up in the morning and pray until evening, and perhaps the Lord may have mercy on me.”

むかし一人の貧しい百姓が住んでいた。そしてどれほど骨を折ってあくせく働いても、何も得られなかった。「ああ」と彼はひとりごちた。「おれの身の上は情けない。来る日も来る日も畑で過ごして、それで見てみれば飢えている。いっぽう隣人は一日じゅう仰向けに寝転がっていて、大きな屋敷を持ち、儲けがそっくり懐に流れ込む。どうやらおれは神の御心にかなっていないらしい。朝起きて夕方まで祈ろう。そうすれば主が憐れんでくださるかもしれない」

So he began to pray to God, and went hungry for days on days; and he still went on praying.

そこで彼は神に祈りはじめ、来る日も来る日も腹を空かせながら、なお祈りつづけた。

At last Easter Day came, and the bells rang for Mass. So the poor peasant thought, “All good folks are getting ready to break the fast, and I have not a crust of bread. Well, if I bring water, I can sip it like soup.” So he took a small can, went to the well, and as soon as he dipped it into the water a big pike fell into it. Then the peasant was very glad. “Here is something for supper; I will cook it and make fish soup of it, and shall have a fine supper.”

とうとう復活祭の日が来て、ミサの鐘が鳴った。そこで貧しい百姓は思った。「善き衆はみな断食明けの支度をしているのに、おれにはパンの皮一切れもない。まあ、水を汲んでくれば、スープのようにすすれるだろう」。そこで小さな缶を取って井戸へ行き、水に浸すやいなや、大きな梭子魚が一匹落ち込んできた。すると百姓は大喜びした。「夕餉のものができたぞ。煮て魚のスープにすれば、立派な夕餉になる」

Then the pike said to him in a human voice: “Let me go free, good man, go free. I will make you happy; whatever your soul may desire you shall possess. You need only say:

すると梭子魚が人の声でこう言った。「放してくれ、善き人よ、自由にしてくれ。おまえを幸せにしてやろう。おまえの魂が望むものは何でも手に入る。ただこう言えばよいのだ。

At the pike’s good pleasure, By God’s good measure—

梭子魚のよき心のまま、/神のよき計らいによって——

let this or that appear! and you will get it at once.”

これこれが現れよ、と。するとたちまち手に入る」

So the peasant put the pike back into the water, went to his hut, sat down at the table and said:

そこで百姓は梭子魚を水に戻し、小屋へ帰って卓につき、こう言った。

“At the pike’s good pleasure, By God’s good measure—

「梭子魚のよき心のまま、/神のよき計らいによって——

let the table be covered and my dinner ready.”

卓に食事が調い、わたしの膳が整え」

Then from somewhere or other all sorts of dishes and drinks appeared on the table, enough to please a Tsar, and a Tsar would not have been ashamed of it. So the poor man crossed himself, said “Glory be to Thee, O Lord! now I can break the fast.” So he went to the church, attended Matins and Mass, turned back and again broke his fast, ate and drank as well, went outside the door and sat at the counter.

するとどこからともなく、ありとあらゆる料理と飲み物が卓に現れた。ツァーリを喜ばせるに足るほどで、ツァーリでも恥ずかしくないほどだった。そこで貧しい男は十字を切り、「主よ、御栄えあれ! これで断食を明けられる」と言った。そして教会へ行き、朝課とミサに与り、戻ってきてまた断食を明け、飲み食いもして、戸口を出て帳場に坐った。

Just about then the Princess had an idea that she would go abroad in the streets, and she went with her attendants and maids of honour, and for the sake of the holy festival went to give alms to the poor; she gave to them all but forgot the poor peasant. Then he said to himself:

ちょうどそのころ、ツァレーヴナが街へ出てみようと思い立ち、従者と侍女を連れて出かけ、聖なる祭日のために貧しい者たちに施しを配った。姫はみなに施したが、この貧しい百姓だけを忘れた。そこで百姓はひとりごちた。

“At the pike’s good pleasure, Of God’s good treasure—

「梭子魚のよき心のまま、/神のよき宝より——

let the Tsarévna bear a child.” And at the word that very instant the Tsarévna became pregnant, and in ten months she bore a son.

ツァレーヴナが子を身ごもれ」。するとその言葉のとたんにツァレーヴナは身ごもり、十か月ののちに息子を産んだ。

Then the Tsar began to ask her, “Do acknowledge with whom you have been guilty.”

そこでツァーリは問いただしはじめた。「誰と過ちを犯したのか白状せよ」

Then the Tsarévna wept and swore in every way that she had been guilty with nobody. “I do not know myself,” she said, “why the Lord has chastised me.”

するとツァレーヴナは泣いて、誰とも過ちを犯していないとあらゆる仕方で誓った。「わたし自身にもわかりません」と姫は言った。「なぜ主がわたしを懲らしめられたのか」

The Tsar asked, but found nothing out.

ツァーリは尋ねたが、何も探り出せなかった。

Soon a boy was born who grew not by days but by hours; and at the end of a week he could already talk. So the Tsar summoned all the boyárs and the senators from every part of the kingdom to show them the youth, but none of them acknowledged that he was the father.

まもなく男の子が生まれ、日ではなく時で育ち、一週間の終わりにはもう口をきけた。そこでツァーリは王国じゅうからボヤーレと元老をみな呼び集めて子を見せたが、誰一人自分が父だと認めなかった。

“No,” the boy answered, “none of them is my father.”

「いいえ」と子は答えた。「この人たちの誰もぼくの父さんじゃない」

Then the Tsar bade the maids of honour and attendants take him up to every courtyard, through all the streets, and to show him to all manner of people. So the attendants and maids of honour took the youth through all the courtyards, through all the streets they went. But the boy said nothing.

そこでツァーリは侍女と従者に、子をあらゆる庭へ、あらゆる通りへ連れていって、ありとあらゆる人々に見せよと命じた。そこで従者と侍女は子をあらゆる庭へ、あらゆる通りへ連れていった。だが子は何も言わなかった。

At last they came to the poor peasant’s hut. As soon as the boy saw that peasant, he at once stretched out his little hands and said “Tyátya, Tyátya!” Then they told the Emperor of this, and they summoned the poor man into the palace, and the Tsar began to inquire of him, “Acknowledge on oath, is this your boy?”

とうとう一行は貧しい百姓の小屋に来た。子はその百姓を見るやいなや、小さな手を差し伸べて言った。「チャーチャ(父ちゃん)、チャーチャ!」。そこで人々はそれを帝に告げ、貧しい男を宮殿へ呼び出し、ツァーリは問いただしはじめた。「誓って白状せよ。これはおまえの子か」

“No, he is God’s son.”

「いいえ、この子は神の子です」

Then the Tsar was angry and married the poor man to the Princess, and after the wedding he set them both with the child in a big tub, smeared it with tar, and sent it out into the open sea. So the tub sailed on the open sea, and the boisterous winds carried and bore it to a distant shore. When the poor man heard that the water no longer moved under them, he said:

するとツァーリは怒って、貧しい男を姫と結婚させ、婚礼のあと、二人を子ごと大きな桶に入れ、瀝青を塗って、大海へ送り出した。そこで桶は大海を漂い、荒々しい風がそれを遠い岸へと運び去った。貧しい男は、もう足の下で水が動かなくなったと知ると、こう言った。

“At the pike’s good pleasure, At God’s good measure—

「梭子魚のよき心のまま、/神のよき計らいのもとに——

let the barrel rest on a dry spot.”

この樽を乾いた場所に留まらせよ」

So the barrel turned round and got on to a dry spot, and they went on, following their eyes. And they went on and on, on and on, and they had nothing to eat or drink. The Princess was utterly exhausted and had pined away to a shadow, and she could hardly stand on her legs.

すると樽は向きを変えて乾いた場所に上がり、二人は目の向くほうへ歩いていった。そして歩きに歩き、歩きに歩いたが、飲むものも食べるものもなかった。姫はすっかり疲れ果て、影のようにやつれて、足で立っているのもやっとだった。

“Now,” said the poor man, “do you know what hunger and thirst are?”

「さて」と貧しい男は言った。「飢えと渇きがどういうものか、わかったかね」

“Yes, I do,” said the Princess.

「ええ、わかりました」と姫は言った。

“Well, this is what the poor have to endure. Yet you would not give me alms on Easter Day.” Then the poor man said:

「これが貧しい者の耐えねばならぬことなのだ。それなのにあなたは復活祭の日にわたしに施しをくださらなかった」。それから貧しい男は言った。

“At the pike’s good pleasure, Of God’s good treasure—

「梭子魚のよき心のまま、/神のよき宝より——

let there be here a rich palace, the finest in all the world, with gardens and ponds and all sorts of pavilions.”

ここに豊かな館が、この世でいちばん立派な館が、庭と池とあらゆる四阿とともに現れよ」

As soon as he had spoken a rich palace appeared; faithful henchmen ran out of it and carried them in their hands, led them into the white stone rooms, and they sat down at the oaken tables with chequered linen on them. It was marvellously decorated, was this palace. On the table everything was ready, wine and sweets and made dishes. The poor man and the Tsarévna ate and drank at their will, rested them, and went for a walk into the garden.

そう言うやいなや豊かな館が現れた。忠実な家来たちが駆け出してきて二人を手に抱え、白い石の部屋へ導き入れた。二人は市松模様の麻布を掛けた樫の卓についた。この館は驚くほど見事に飾られていた。卓には何もかも整っていた。葡萄酒も菓子も手の込んだ料理も。貧しい男とツァレーヴナは心ゆくまで飲み食いし、一息ついて、庭へ散歩に出た。

“Everything is beautiful here,” said the Princess; “the only thing still lacking is to see the birds upon our ponds.”

「ここは何もかも美しい」と姫は言った。「ただ一つ足りないのは、池に鳥の姿を見ることだけです」

“Wait, you shall have birds as well,” answered the poor man, and he said at once:

「待ちなさい、鳥も手に入る」と貧しい男は答え、すぐにこう言った。

“At the pike’s good pleasure, At God’s good measure—

「梭子魚のよき心のまま、/神のよき計らいのもとに——

let twelve ducks and one drake swim on the pond, and let them have one feather of gold and another of silver, and let the drake have a diamond tuft on his forehead!” And lo and behold, on the water there were twelve ducks and one drake swimming; one feather was of gold and one feather was of silver, and the drake had a diamond tuft on his forehead.

池に鴨十二羽と牡鴨一羽が泳ぎ、その羽根の一枚は黄金、もう一枚は銀であれ。そして牡鴨の額にはダイヤの房飾りがあれ!」。すると見よ、水の上に鴨が十二羽と牡鴨が一羽泳いでいて、羽根の一枚は黄金、一枚は銀で、牡鴨の額にはダイヤの房飾りがあった。

So there the Princess and her husband lived without grief or moil, and their son grew up a big lad and began to feel in himself a giant’s strength. And he asked leave of his father and mother to go out into the white world and to seek himself a bride. They gave him leave to go, and said, “Go, my son.”

そうして姫と夫は嘆きも苦労もなく暮らし、息子は大きな若者に育って、自分のうちに巨人のような力を感じはじめた。そして白い世へ出て自分の花嫁を探しに行きたいと父と母に許しを求めた。二人は行くことを許して言った。「行っておいで、息子よ」

So he saddled his knightly horse and set out on his road and way. And as he journeyed on he met an old woman who said, “Hail, Russian prince, where do you wish to go?”

そこで彼は勇士の馬に鞍を置いて道と旅路についた。そして進んでいくと一人の老女に出会い、老女は言った。「よう、ロシアの王子よ、どこへ行きたいのだね」

“I am going, bábushka,[49] to seek a bride, but I do not know where I am to find her.”

「バーブシュカ [49]、花嫁を探しに行くのですが、どこで見つければよいかわからないのです」

“Stay, I will tell you, my child. Do you go beyond the ocean into the thrice-tenth kingdom; there there is a king’s daughter so fair, that, if you go through all the world, you will never find any one more beautiful.”

「お待ち、教えてあげよう、坊や。大海の彼方の三十番めの王国へお行き。そこには王の娘がいて、たいそう美しく、世界じゅうをめぐってもこれ以上美しい者は見つかるまい」

So the good youth thanked the woman, went to the seashore, hired a boat, and sailed to the thrice-tenth land. He sailed, maybe far, maybe near, maybe long, maybe short—the tale is soon told but the deed is not soon done—and he at last arrived at that kingdom, and appeared before the king of it, and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage.

そこで善き若者は老女に礼を言い、海辺へ行って舟を雇い、三十番めの国へ帆走した。遠かったか近かったか、長かったか短かったか——話すのはたやすいが事を成すのはたやすくない——そしてとうとうその王国に着き、その王の前に出て、娘の手を求めた。

Then the King said to him, “You are not the only suitor for my daughter; there is another suitor, a mighty knight. If I refuse him he will destroy all of my kingdom.”

すると王は言った。「わが娘の求婚者はそなただけではない。もう一人、力強い勇士の求婚者がおる。もし断れば、あの者はわが王国をことごとく滅ぼすだろう」

“But, if you decline my offer, I will ravage your kingdom.”

「ですが、わたしの申し出を断られるなら、わたしがあなたの王国を荒らします」

“What will you?—you had better measure your strength with him: to whichever of you conquers I will give my daughter.”

「どうしようというのだ——あの者と力を比べるがよい。どちらであれ勝ったほうにわが娘をやろう」

“Very well; summon all the Tsars and Tsarévichi, all the Kings and Korolévichi, to see us wage an honourable holmgang to win your daughter.”

「よろしい。ツァーリもツァレーヴィチも、王もコロリェーヴィチもみな呼び集めて、あなたの姫を得るための名誉ある一騎討ちを見届けさせてください」

So then hunters were sent out to all cities, and one year had not gone by before from all the neighbouring parts all the Tsars and Tsarévichi, all the Kings and Korolévichi came together, as also the Tsar who had put his own daughter into the barrel and sent her out into the sea.

そこで使者が町という町へ送られ、一年も経たぬうちに、近隣のあらゆる地からツァーリもツァレーヴィチも、王もコロリェーヴィチも集まってきた。そのなかには、自分の娘を樽に入れて海へ送り出したあのツァーリもいた。

On the day appointed all the knights made ready for a bloody holmgang. They fought and fought, and the earth groaned at their blows, the forests bowed down and the rivers rose in waves. The Tsarévna’s son first overcame his opponent and cut off his turbulent head.

定めの日、勇士たちはみな血みどろの一騎討ちの支度をした。二人は戦いに戦い、その打ち合いに大地は呻き、森は身を屈め、川は波立った。ツァレーヴナの息子がまず相手を打ち負かし、その荒ぶる首を斬り落とした。

Then all the royal boyárs ran up, took the doughty youth into their hands and led him into the palace. Next day he was married to the Korolévna. And after they had feasted at the wedding he set about inviting all the Tsars and Tsarévichi, the Kings and the Korolévichi as his guests to his father and mother. So they all came together, and they got their ships ready and sailed on the sea. The Tsarévna with her husband received her guests with honour, and they began to celebrate banquets and to be joyous. The Tsars and the Tsarévichi, the Kings and the Korolévichi, gazed at the palace and the gardens and wondered. They had never seen such wealth. Then some of them wondered when they saw the ducks and drakes, every one of them worth half a kingdom.

すると王のボヤーレがみな駆け寄ってきて、この勇ましい若者を手に抱え、宮殿へ導き入れた。翌日、彼はコロリェーヴナと結婚した。そして婚礼の宴のあと、ツァーリもツァレーヴィチも、王もコロリェーヴィチもみな、自分の父と母のもとへ客として招きはじめた。そこで一同は集まって船を仕立て、海へ乗り出した。ツァレーヴナと夫は客たちを敬意をもって迎え、宴を催して喜びはじめた。ツァーリもツァレーヴィチも、王もコロリェーヴィチも、館と庭を眺めて驚いた。これほどの富は見たことがなかった。そしてなかには、鴨と牡鴨を見て驚く者もあった。その一羽一羽が王国の半分ほどの値打ちがあったのである。

So the guests were fed and bethought themselves of going home, but before ever they had got to the haven, swift hunters precursed them, saying, “Our master bids you turn back again; he wishes to hold secret counsel with you.”

そうして客たちはもてなされ、帰ろうと思い立った。ところが港に着かぬうちに、足の速い使いが先回りしてこう言った。「われらの主が引き返してほしいと仰せです。内々のご相談があるとのことです」

So the Tsars and Tsarévichi, the Kings and Korolévichi, were turning back, when the master came to meet them and said: “Oh ye good folk, one of my ducks has gone: has any one of you taken it?”

そこでツァーリもツァレーヴィチも、王もコロリェーヴィチも引き返した。すると主が迎えに出てきて言った。「おお善き衆よ、わたしの鴨が一羽いなくなりました。どなたかお取りになりましたか」

“Why are you making a vain quest?” the Tsars and Tsarévichi, the Kings and Korolévichi answered; “this would be an unguestly act. Search us all over. If you find the duck on any one of us do with him what you will; if you do not, let your own head pay for it.”

「なぜ空しい詮議をなさる」とツァーリもツァレーヴィチも、王もコロリェーヴィチも答えた。「それは客をもてなす仕儀ではない。われらをすっかり調べるがよい。誰かの身に鴨が見つかったら、その者を好きなようになさい。見つからなければ、あなたの首で償っていただこう」

“I will,” said the master. And he placed them all in a row and searched them; and, as soon as he had come to the father of the Tsarévna, he said quietly:

「そういたしましょう」と主は言った。そして一同を一列に並べて調べ、ツァレーヴナの父のところへ来ると、そっとこう言った。

“At the pike’s good pleasure, At God’s good measure—

「梭子魚のよき心のまま、/神のよき計らいのもとに——

under the lappet of the kaftan of this Tsar, let the duck be found.” So he went and lifted his kaftan and found the duck tied to the lappet; one feather was of gold, one was of silver.

このツァーリのカフタンの裾の下に、あの鴨が見つかれ」。そして行って裾を持ち上げると、裾に結ばれた鴨が見つかった。羽根の一枚は黄金、一枚は銀だった。

Then all the Tsars and Tsarévichi, Kings and Korolévichi cried out fiercely, “Ho! ho! ho! what a deed! are Tsars turning into thieves?”

するとツァーリもツァレーヴィチも、王もコロリェーヴィチもみな激しく叫んだ。「ほう! ほう! ほう! なんという仕業だ! ツァーリが盗人になるのか!」

Then the Tsarévna’s father swore by everything holy that as to thieving there had never been such an idea in his head. And he had no idea how the duck had come to him.

するとツァレーヴナの父は、聖なるものすべてにかけて、盗みなどという考えは頭に浮かんだこともないと誓った。そしてこの鴨がどうして自分のところへ来たのか、まるでわからないと言った。

“That is a fine tale; it was found on you; you must be guilty.”

「それは結構な話だ。あなたの身から見つかったのだから、あなたが罪あるに違いない」

Then the Tsarévna came out, burst upon her father, and acknowledged that she was his daughter whom he had given away to the poor peasant in marriage and had put into a barrel. “Bátyushka,”[50] she said, “you would not then believe my words, and now you have acknowledged yourself that it is possible to be guilty without guilt.”

するとツァレーヴナが出てきて父に躍りかかり、自分こそあなたが貧しい百姓に嫁がせて樽に入れた娘だと打ち明けた。「バーチュシュカ [50]」と姫は言った。「あのときあなたはわたしの言葉を信じてくださいませんでした。そしていま、罪なくして罪ある身となることがあり得ると、あなたご自身がお認めになったのです」

And she told him how it had all arisen. And after that they began to live, and lived all together and lived all for good and forgot bygones.

そして姫はすべてがどうして起こったかを話した。そしてそののち、一同は暮らしはじめ、みないっしょに暮らし、ひたすら善きもののうちに暮らして、過ぎたことを忘れた。