Beer and Bread

In a certain kingdom, in a certain State, there once lived a rich peasant, and he had much money and bread; he used to lend money on interest to the poor husbandmen of his village. And, if he gave corn, then it had to be returned in full in the summer; and in addition to that, for every three pecks the debtor had to work two days on the lord’s field.

あるところの王国、あるところの国に、むかし裕福な百姓が住んでいて、金も麦もたくさん持っていた。彼は村の貧しい農夫たちに利をつけて金を貸すのが常だった。そして麦を貸したなら、夏には満額で返さねばならず、そのうえ三ペックごとに債務者は二日、旦那の畑で働かねばならなかった。

And one day it happened that there was a festival in the Church, and the peasants began brewing beer for the feast. But in this village there was a peasant who was so poor that there was no poorer to be found. And there he sat in the evening with his wife on the eve of the festival in his little hut. He was thinking: “What shall I do? All the good folk are now gadding about making merry, and we have not a crust of bread in our house. I might have gone to the rich man and asked him for a loan; but he would not trust me. Now what shall I do, I am so woebegone!” And he thought and thought, and he left the bench and stood in front of the icon, and sighed a heavy sigh. “Lord,” he said, “have forgiveness on my sins, for I cannot buy any oil with which to fill the lamp in front of Thy icon for Thy feast.”

そしてある日、教会で祭りがあり、百姓たちは祭りのためにビールを醸しはじめた。ところがこの村には、これ以上貧しい者は見つからぬというほど貧しい百姓がいた。そして祭りの前夜、彼は夕方に妻とともに小さな小屋に坐っていた。彼は考えていた。「どうしたものか。善き衆はみな出歩いて楽しんでいるのに、うちにはパンの皮一切れもない。金持ちのところへ行って借りを頼んでもよかったが、あの男はわしを信用すまい。さてどうしたものか、なんと情けないことだ!」。そして考えに考えて、腰掛けを離れて聖像の前に立ち、重い溜息をついた。「主よ」と彼は言った。「わが罪をお赦しください。あなたの祭日に、あなたの聖像の前の灯明に注ぐ油さえ買えないのです」

And after a little while, an old man came into the hut.

そしてしばらくすると、一人の老人が小屋に入ってきた。

“Hail, master,” he said. “Hail, old man! Can I stay the night here?”

「よう、ご主人」と老人は言った。「よう、ご老人! ここに一晩泊まれますかな」

“If you will. Stay the night if you like. But, Gossip, I have not a crust of bread in my house, and I cannot feed you.”

「お望みなら。泊まりたければ泊まりなさい。だがお仲間さん、うちにはパンの皮一切れもなく、食べさせて差し上げられません」

“Never mind, master, I have three crusts of bread, and meat: give me a ladle of water. I will take a taste of the loaf and a sup of the water, and we shall be satisfied.”

「かまわぬ、ご主人。わしはパンの皮を三切れと肉を持っている。水を柄杓に一杯くれ。わしはパンを一口かじり、水を一口すする。それで二人とも満ち足りよう」

So the old man sat down on the bench, and spoke.

そこで老人は腰掛けに坐って言った。

“Why are you so sad, master? What has made you melancholy?”

「なぜそんなに悲しげなのだ、ご主人。何がそんなに気を滅入らせている」

“Old man,” the master answered, “why should I not be heavy?—it is God’s gift. We were so looking forward to the feast. All the good folk are making merry and rejoicing, but we are clean swept out. All around me and within there is emptiness.”

「ご老人」と主人は答えた。「どうして重くならずにいられましょう——これは神の与えです。祭りをあれほど楽しみにしていたのに。善き衆はみな楽しみ喜んでいるのに、わたしたちはきれいに掃き出されている。周りにも内にも、あるのは空っぽばかりです」

“Well, be of good cheer,” said the old man; “go to the rich peasant and ask whatever you require of him as a debt.”

「まあ、気を確かに持ちなさい」と老人は言った。「あの裕福な百姓のところへ行って、必要なものを借りとして頼んでみなさい」

“No, I cannot go, for he will not give it.”

「いえ、行けません。あの人は貸してくれませんから」

“Go,” the old man insisted. “Fear nothing. Ask him for three pecks of malt, and we will brew the beer together.”

「行きなさい」と老人は言い張った。「何も恐れることはない。麦芽を三ペック頼みなさい。二人でいっしょにビールを醸そう」

“But it is so late. How shall we brew beer?—the feast is to be to-morrow.”

「けれどもう遅い。どうやってビールを醸すのです——祭りは明日ですよ」

“Do what I say. Go to the rich peasant and ask for the three pecks of malt. He will give it you at once. No, he cannot refuse it. And to-morrow you shall have beer so good at the feast—better than any you shall find throughout the village.”

「わしの言うとおりにしなさい。裕福な百姓のところへ行って麦芽を三ペック頼みなさい。あの男はすぐに貸してくれる。いや、断れないのだ。そして明日は祭りで、村じゅうのどれよりうまいビールが飲めるだろう」

What could the poor man say? He got up, took his sack under his arm, and went up to the rich peasant.

貧しい男に何が言えたろう。彼は立ち上がり、袋を小脇に抱えて、裕福な百姓のところへ行った。

He went into the rich man’s izbá,[52] bowed down, besought him by his name and his father’s name, and asked him for the loan of three pecks of malt, as he wanted to brew beer for the festival.

彼は金持ちのイズバー [52] に入り、深く礼をして、名と父称で呼びかけて願い、祭りのためにビールを醸したいので麦芽を三ペック貸してくれと頼んだ。

“Why did you not think of it sooner?” the rich man replied. “How can you do it now, for this is the eve of the festival?”

「なぜもっと早く思いつかなかった」と金持ちは答えた。「いまさらどうするのだ。今日は祭りの前夜だぞ」

“Never mind, Gossip,” the poor man replied; “if you will be so good, I and my wife will still brew something together, and can drink together and celebrate the festival.”

「かまいません、お仲間さん」と貧しい男は答えた。「お情けを下されば、女房と二人でともかく何か醸して、いっしょに飲んで祭りを祝えます」

The rich man gave him three pecks of malt and poured them into his sack. The poor man lifted the sack on to his shoulders and went home and recounted how things had gone.

金持ちは麦芽を三ペック与え、袋に注いだ。貧しい男は袋を肩に担いで家へ帰り、事の次第を語った。

“Now, master,” his old guest said, “you shall have a feast. Is there a well at your door?”

「さてご主人」と老いた客は言った。「祭りができるぞ。おまえの戸口に井戸はあるか」

“There is,” said the peasant.

「あります」と百姓は言った。

“Well, we will go to your well and brew the beer. Bring your sack and follow me.”

「では井戸へ行ってビールを醸そう。袋を持ってついてきなさい」

So they went out to the courtyard up to the well.

そこで二人は庭へ出て井戸のところへ行った。

“Pour it all in there,” the old man said.

「そっくりそこへ注ぎ込みなさい」と老人は言った。

“Why should we hurl all this good stuff into the well?” the master replied, “for there are only three pecks, and it will all be thrown away for nothing.”

「なぜこのよい物をすっかり井戸へ放り込まねばならないのです」と主人は答えた。「たった三ペックしかないのに、みな無駄になってしまう」

“It is the best thing you can do.”

「それがいちばんよい手立てだ」

“We shall not do any good—we shall only sully the water.”

「何の役にも立ちません——水を汚すだけです」

“Listen to me, and do what I say: there is nothing to fear.”

「わしの言うことを聞いて、言うとおりにしなさい。恐れることは何もない」

So what could he do? He simply had to pour all his malt into the well.

さてどうすることができたろう。彼はただ麦芽をすっかり井戸に注ぎ込むほかなかった。

“Now,” the old man said, “formerly there was water in the well, and to-morrow it will be beer. Now, master, we will go into the izbá[53] and lie down to sleep, for the morning is wiser than the evening, and to-morrow you will have such good beer for dinner that one glass will make you drunk.”

「さて」と老人は言った。「これまでは井戸に水があったが、明日はビールになる。さあご主人、イズバー [53] へ入って横になって寝よう。朝は夕より賢いのだ。そして明日は昼餉に、一杯で酔うほどのよいビールが飲めるだろう」

So they waited until the morning, and then when dinner-time came round the old man said: “Well, master, get as many tubs as you can, and stand them round the well and fill them all full of beer, and then call every one in to drink, and you shall have a really riotous feast.”

そこで二人は朝まで待った。そして昼餉の時分が来ると老人は言った。「さてご主人、できるだけたくさん桶を集めて井戸のまわりに並べ、すっかりビールで満たしなさい。それからみなを呼んで飲ませなさい。それはもう賑やかな祭りになる」

And the peasant went and called all his neighbours and asked for tubs.

そこで百姓は近所じゅうを呼びに行って、桶を貸してくれと頼んだ。

“What do you want all these tubs and pails for?” they asked him.

「こんなに桶や手桶を何にするのだ」とみなが尋ねた。

“Oh, I really want them at once, as I have not vessels enough to hold my beer.”

「いや、すぐに要るのです。ビールを入れる器が足りなくて」

And the neighbours whispered: “What on earth does he mean? Is the good fellow gone mad? There is not a crust of bread in his house, and he is still chattering about beer.”

すると近所の者たちはささやき合った。「いったい何のつもりだ。あの男は気でも狂ったのか。家にはパンの皮一切れもないのに、まだビールのことをしゃべっている」

Well, somehow or other, he got twenty pails and tubs together, put them all round the well, and began to haul them up. And the beer turned out so fine, finer than ever anybody could think or guess, or any tale could tell. And he filled all the tubs to the very brim, and the well was as full as ever. And he began to cry out aloud and to call guests to his door.

さてどうにかこうにか、彼は手桶と桶を二十ばかり集めて井戸のまわりに並べ、汲み上げはじめた。するとそのビールの見事なことといったら、誰も思いつくことも推し量ることもできず、どんな話も語り尽くせぬほどだった。そして彼は桶という桶を縁までいっぱいに満たしたが、井戸は相変わらず満々としていた。そこで彼は大声で叫び、戸口に客を呼びはじめた。

“Come to me, good Christians, and drink strong beer here, such beer as you never saw in your life!”

「わたしのところへおいでなさい、善きキリスト者たちよ。ここで強いビールを飲みなさい。生まれてこのかた見たこともないビールを!」

And the people looked round. “What on earth was he up to? Surely you take water out of a well, and he calls it beer? Anyhow, let’s go and see, whatever knavery it may be.” So they all rushed up to the tubs, and they began to ladle it out and to look at it. Evidently, after all, it must be beer. And they said: “Such beer we have never drunk before!” His courtyard was full of the village folk. And the master was not at a loss to ladle beer out of the well for himself, and treated all of his guests right royally.

すると人々は見回した。「いったい何をしているのだ。井戸から水を汲み出しておいて、それをビールと呼ぶのか。まあともかく行って見てみよう、どんな詐術か知らぬが」。そこでみなが桶に押し寄せ、柄杓で汲んで眺めはじめた。どうやら、これはまことにビールらしい。そしてみなは言った。「こんなビールは飲んだことがない!」。彼の庭は村の衆でいっぱいになった。そして主人は自分でも井戸からビールを汲むのをためらわず、客たちをみな王侯のようにもてなした。

When the rich peasant heard of this, he came to the poor man’s courtyard, tasted the beer, and began to ask the poor man: “Please to tell me how ever you managed to make such magnificent beer?”

裕福な百姓はこれを聞いて、貧しい男の庭へ来てビールを味わい、貧しい男に尋ねはじめた。「どうか教えてくれ、どうやってこんな見事なビールを作ったのだ」

“Oh, there was not any cleverness about it,” the poor man answered. “It is the simplest thing in the world. When I took your three pecks from you I simply went and threw them into the well. Formerly it was water, and in a single night it all became beer.”

「いや、何の知恵もありません」と貧しい男は答えた。「この世でいちばん簡単なことです。あなたから三ペックいただいたとき、ただそれを井戸へ投げ込んだのです。前は水でしたが、一夜のうちにすっかりビールになったのです」

“Well,” the rich man thought, “I will go home and I will do the same.”

「よし」と金持ちは思った。「家へ帰って同じことをしよう」

So he went home, and he ordered all of his servants to take all of the best malt out of his granaries, and throw it into the well. And his husbandmen threw ten sacks of malt into the well.

そこで彼は家へ帰り、下男たちに、蔵からいちばんよい麦芽をすっかり出して井戸に投げ込めと命じた。そして農夫たちは麦芽を十袋、井戸に投げ込んだ。

“Now,” the rich man said, and rubbed his hands, “I shall have finer beer than the poor man.”

「さて」と金持ちは手をこすり合わせて言った。「あの貧乏人より上等なビールができるぞ」

So the next time he went out to his courtyard and up to the well, sampled it, and looked. It was water before, and it was still water; only it was rather dirtier. “I don’t quite understand this: I put too little malt into it, so I will add some more,” the rich man thought, and he ordered his workmen to put five more sacks into the well. They were all thrown in, and it was all no good: he had simply wasted all of his malt.

そこで次の日に庭へ出て井戸のところへ行き、汲んで味わって眺めた。前は水で、いまも水だった。ただ少し汚れていただけである。「どうもよくわからん。麦芽が少なすぎたのだ、もっと足そう」と金持ちは思い、下男たちにもう五袋井戸へ入れよと命じた。すっかり投げ込んだが、何の役にも立たなかった。ただ麦芽をすっかり無駄にしただけだった。

And when the feast had passed by the water in the poor peasant’s well was as pure as ever, just as if nothing had happened.

そして祭りが過ぎると、貧しい百姓の井戸の水は、まるで何も起こらなかったかのように、もとどおり清らかだった。

Once again the old man came to the poor peasant and said: “Listen, master, have you sown your corn this year?”

またあるとき老人が貧しい百姓のところへ来て言った。「なあご主人、今年は麦を蒔いたかね」

“No, grandfather, I have not sown a single grain.”

「いいえ、お爺さん、一粒も蒔いておりません」

“Well, now go to the rich man and ask him for three pecks of every kind of corn. We will eat with you in the fields, and we will then sow the corn.”

「では、あの金持ちのところへ行って、あらゆる種類の麦を三ペックずつ頼みなさい。畑でいっしょに食事をして、それから麦を蒔こう」

“How shall we sow it now?” the poor man answered. “It is now the very midst of winter and the frost is crackling.”

「いまどうやって蒔くのです」と貧しい男は答えた。「いまはまさに冬の最中で、霜が音を立てているのに」

“Never mind about that. Go and do as I say. I brewed you beer, and I will sow you corn.”

「そんなことは気にするな。行ってわしの言うとおりにしなさい。わしはおまえにビールを醸してやった。こんどは麦を蒔いてやろう」

So the poor man went once more to the rich peasant and asked him as a debt for three pecks of every kind of corn. When he came back he told his aged guest:

そこで貧しい男はまた裕福な百姓のところへ行き、あらゆる種類の麦を三ペックずつ借りとして頼んだ。帰ってくると老いた客に言った。

“Here it all is, grandfather.”

「これですっかりです、お爺さん」

So they went outside to the fields, scattered it according to its nature on the peasant’s lots; and lo and behold! they went and threw all the grains on the white snow—every single grain.

そこで二人は畑へ出て、それぞれの種類に応じて百姓の地所に撒いた。すると、なんと! 二人は白い雪の上に麦粒をすっかり投げたのである——一粒残らず。

The old man said to the peasant: “Go home and wait until the summer; you will have bread enough.”

老人は百姓に言った。「家へ帰って夏まで待ちなさい。パンは十分にできる」

So the poor man went to his hut and became the laughing-stock of the village for sowing his corn in the winter. “Look at him! What a fool he is! He has forgotten when he ought to sow: he didn’t think of sowing in the autumn.” He never minded, but waited for the spring, and the warm days came, and the snow melted, and the grain sprouts appeared.

そこで貧しい男は小屋へ帰り、冬に麦を蒔いたといって村じゅうの笑い者になった。「あれを見ろ! なんという間抜けだ! いつ蒔けばよいか忘れたのだ。秋に蒔くことを思いつかなかったのだ」。彼は気にも留めず春を待った。そして暖かい日が来て、雪が解け、麦の芽が出てきた。

“Come now,” the poor man said, “I will go and see what my stretch of land looks like.” So he went to his stretch of land and saw such splendid blades of corn, at which any soul might rejoice. And on all the acres of the others it was not half as fine. “Glory be to God!” the peasant cried; “I am now looking up!”

「さて」と貧しい男は言った。「行って自分の地所がどうなっているか見てこよう」。そこで地所へ行ってみると、どんな魂でも喜ぶほど見事な麦の葉が育っていた。そしてほかの者の地所は、どれもその半分もよくなかった。「神に栄えあれ!」と百姓は叫んだ。「これで上向きになったぞ!」

Soon the time of harvest came by, and all good folk began to gather their corn, and the old man also went and busied himself, and called his wife to help him. And he could not get through, but had to summon for the harvesting all the husbandmen, and to give half of his corn away; and all the peasants were astonished at the poor man, for he had not sown his land, but had scattered the seeds in the winter and his corn had been splendid. The poor peasant had put his affairs straight and had managed to live without any trouble; and whatever he required for his household, he went into the town, sold quarters and quarters of corn, and bought whatever he required, and repaid the rich peasant his debt in full.

まもなく刈り入れの時が来て、善き衆はみな麦を集めはじめた。そして老人も出かけて忙しく働き、妻を呼んで手伝わせた。それでも手が回らず、刈り入れのために農夫たちをみな呼ばねばならず、麦の半分を分け与えた。そして百姓たちはみなこの貧しい男に驚いた。この男は地を蒔きもせず、冬に種を撒いただけなのに、その麦は見事だったのである。貧しい百姓は身代を立て直し、何の苦労もなく暮らせるようになった。そして家に必要なものがあれば町へ行き、麦をクォーター単位で何度も売って、必要なものを買い、裕福な百姓に借りを満額で返した。

Then the rich peasant began to think: “Heigh-ho! I shall also begin sowing in the winter; possibly I shall have corn as fine.” So he waited to the very day on which the poor peasant in the previous year had sown his corn, went and took from his bins quarters of different sorts of corn, went out into the fields and scattered it all on the snow. He covered the fields entirely, but a storm arose at night, and mighty winds blew, and wafted all the corn from his land away on to the other fields.

すると裕福な百姓は考えはじめた。「ほほう! わしも冬に蒔きはじめよう。同じくらい見事な麦ができるかもしれん」。そこで前の年に貧しい百姓が麦を蒔いたのとまさに同じ日を待ち、蔵からいろいろな種類の麦をクォーター単位で取り出し、畑へ出てすっかり雪の上に撒いた。畑をそっくり覆い尽くしたが、夜に嵐が起こり、強い風が吹いて、麦をすっかり自分の地からほかの者の畑へ吹き飛ばしてしまった。

Then there came a fine spring, and the rich man went to his fields and saw them bare, and saw that his own land was naked and waste; there was not a single blade that appeared, and on all the other strips where there had been no ploughing and no sowing, you never saw such a fine green crop! Then the rich man began to think: “Lord, I have spent much on corn, and it has all been in vain, and my debtors have all neither ploughed nor sown, and their corn grows of itself. Needs I must be a great sinner!”

やがて麗しい春が来て、金持ちは畑へ行って、そこが裸なのを見た。自分の地は剝き出しで荒れ果て、葉一枚出ていない。そしてほかのどの地所も、耕しも蒔きもしなかったのに、あれほど見事な緑の作物が育っているのを見たことがないほどだった! そこで金持ちは考えはじめた。「主よ、わしは麦にたくさんを費やし、それがすっかり無駄になった。わしの債務者たちは耕しも蒔きもしなかったのに、その麦はひとりでに育つ。わしはよほどの大罪人に違いない!」