The Padishah of the Forty Peris

In the old, old time, in the age of fairy tales, there was once the daughter of a Padishah who was as fair as the full moon, as slim as a cypress-tree, with eyes like coals, and hair like the night, and her eyebrows were like bows, and her eyeballs like the darts of archers. In the palace of the Padishah was a garden, and in the midst of the garden a fountain of water, and there the maid sat the livelong day sewing and stitching.

むかしむかし、おとぎ話の時代に、王(パーディシャー)の娘がいた。満月のように美しく、糸杉のようにすらりとして、目は炭のよう、髪は夜のよう、眉は弓のよう、瞳は射手の矢のようであった。王の宮殿には庭があり、庭のまんなかには噴水があって、娘は一日じゅうそこに座って縫い物や刺繍をしていた。

One day she put her ring upon her sewing-table, but scarcely had she laid it down when there came a little dove and took up the ring and flew away with it. Now the little dove was so lovely that the damsel at once fell in love with it. The next day the damsel took off her bracelet, and immediately the dove was there and flew off with that too. Then the damsel was so consumed with love that she neither ate nor drank, and could scarce tarry till the next day for the dove to come forth again. And on the third day she brought her sewing-table, put upon it her lace handkerchief, and placed herself close beside it. She waited for the dove, and waited and waited, and lo! all at once there he was right before her, and he caught up the handkerchief and away he flew. Then the damsel had scarce strength enough to rise up; weeping bitterly she went into the palace, and there she threw herself on the ground in a passion of grief.

ある日、娘は指輪を裁縫台の上に置いたが、置いたとたんに小さな鳩がやって来て、指輪をくわえて飛び去ってしまった。その小さな鳩がとても愛らしかったので、娘はたちまちその鳩に恋をしてしまった。次の日、娘が腕輪を外すと、すぐに鳩がやって来て、それもくわえて飛び去った。すると娘は恋心に身を焦がして、食べることも飲むこともせず、次の日に鳩がまた現れるのを待ちきれないほどだった。そして三日目、娘は裁縫台を持ってきて、その上にレースのハンカチを置き、すぐそばに座った。娘は鳩を待って、待って、待った。すると、なんと! 突然、鳩が目の前に現れて、ハンカチをくわえて飛び去ってしまった。娘は立ち上がる力もほとんどなく、激しく泣きながら宮殿に入り、そこで悲しみに身もだえして床に身を投げた。

Her old waiting-woman came running towards her: “O Sultana!” cried she, “wherefore dost thou weep so sorely?--what ails thee?”

年とった侍女が駆け寄ってきた。「おお、姫さま!」と侍女は叫んだ。「どうしてそんなにひどくお泣きになるのです——どうなさいました?」

“I am sick, my heart is sick!” replied the daughter of the Sultan, and with that she fell a-weeping and a-wailing worse than ever.

「病気なの、胸が苦しいの!」とスルタンの娘は答え、そう言うと前よりいっそうひどく泣きわめいた。

The old waiting-woman feared to tell of this new thing, for the damsel was the only daughter of the Padishah, but when she perceived how pale the damsel was growing, and how she wept and sobbed, the waiting-woman took her courage in both hands, went to the Padishah, and told him of his daughter’s woe. Then the Padishah was afraid, and went to see his daughter, and after him came many wise men and many cunning leeches, but not one of them could cure her sickness.

年とった侍女は、娘が王のただ一人の娘だったので、この新しい出来事を告げるのをためらった。けれども娘がどんどん青ざめていき、泣きじゃくるのを見ると、侍女は勇気をふるって王のもとへ行き、娘の苦しみを告げた。すると王は心配になって娘に会いに行き、そのあとから大勢の賢者や腕のよい医者たちがやって来たが、誰一人娘の病を治せなかった。

But on the next day the Padishah’s Vizier said to him: “The wise men and the leeches cannot help the damsel, the only medicine that can cure her lies hidden elsewhere.” Then he advised the Padishah to make a great bath, the water whereof should cure all sick people, but whoever bathed therein was to be made to tell the story of his life. So the Padishah caused the bath to be made, and proclaimed throughout the city that the water of this bath would give back his hair to the bald, and his hearing to the deaf, and his sight to the blind, and the use of his legs to the lame. Then all the people flocked in crowds to have a bath for nothing, and each one of them had to tell the story of his life and his ailment before he returned home again.

ところが次の日、王の大臣が王に言った。「賢者も医者も姫をお救いできません。姫を治せるただひとつの薬は、どこか別のところに隠れております。」そして大臣は、あらゆる病人を治す湯の湧く大きな浴場を造るよう、ただしそこで湯浴みした者には誰でも身の上話をさせるよう、王に勧めた。そこで王は浴場を造らせて、この浴場の湯ははげ頭に髪を、耳の聞こえぬ者に耳を、目の見えぬ者に目を、足の萎えた者に足を返してくれると都じゅうに触れを出した。すると人々は、ただで湯浴みしようと大勢押し寄せ、誰もが家に帰る前に、自分の身の上と病のことを話さなければならなかった。

Now in that same city dwelt the bald-headed son of a bed-ridden mother, and the fame of the wonder-working bath reached their ears also. “Let us go too,” said the son; “perchance the pair of us shall be cured.”

さて、その同じ都に、寝たきりの母を持つはげ頭の息子が住んでいて、この不思議な浴場の噂が二人の耳にも届いた。「おれたちも行こう」と息子は言った。「ひょっとすると二人とも治るかもしれない。」

“How can I go when I can’t stand on my legs?” groaned the old woman.--“Oh, we shall be able to manage that,” replied bald-pate, and taking his mother on his shoulders he set out for the bath.

「足で立てないのに、どうやって行けるものかね」と年とった母はうめいた。——「なに、それならなんとかなるさ」とはげ頭は答え、母を肩に担いで浴場へ出かけた。

They went on and on and on, through the level plains by the flowing river, till at last the son was tired and put his mother down upon the ground. At that same instant a cock lighted down beside them with a big pitcher of water on its back, and hastened off with it. Then the young man became very curious to know why and whither this cock was carrying water; so after the bird he went. The cock went on till it came to a great castle, and at the foot of this castle was a little hole through which water was gurgling. Still the youth followed the cock, squeezed himself with the utmost difficulty through the hole, and no sooner had he begun to look about him than he saw before him a palace so magnificent that his eyes and mouth stood wide open with astonishment. No other human being had ever stood in the path that led up to this palace. All over it he went, through all the rooms, from vestibule to attic, admiring their splendour without ceasing, till weariness overcame him. “If only I could find a living being here!” said he to himself, and with that he hid himself in a large armoury, from whence he could easily pounce out upon any one who came.

二人はどんどん、どんどん、流れる川のほとりの平らな野を進んでいき、とうとう息子は疲れて、母を地面に下ろした。ちょうどそのとき、一羽のおんどりが大きな水がめを背負って二人のそばに舞い降り、それを持って急いで去っていった。すると若者は、このおんどりがなぜ、どこへ水を運んでいくのか、とても知りたくなった。そこで若者は鳥のあとを追った。おんどりは大きな城のところまで行った。城のふもとには小さな穴があって、そこから水がごぼごぼと流れ出ていた。若者はなおもおんどりのあとを追い、やっとのことで穴をくぐり抜けた。そしてあたりを見まわしはじめたとたん、目の前に、驚きで目も口もあんぐり開いてしまうほど壮麗な宮殿が見えた。この宮殿へ続く道に立った人間は、それまで一人もいなかった。若者は宮殿じゅうを、玄関から屋根裏まで部屋という部屋をめぐり、その壮麗さに感心しつづけて、とうとう疲れ果ててしまった。「ここで生き物が一人でも見つかればいいのに!」と若者はひとりごとを言った。そして、誰が来てもすぐに飛びかかれる大きな武器庫に身を隠した。

He had not waited very long when three doves flew on to the window-sill, and after shivering there a little while turned into three damsels, all so beautiful that the young man did not know which to look at first.

たいして待たないうちに、三羽の鳩が窓の敷居に飛んできて、そこでしばらく身を震わせたかと思うと、三人の娘に変わった。三人ともあまりに美しかったので、若者はどれを先に見ればよいかわからなかった。

“Alas, alas!” cried the three damsels, “we are late, we are late! Our Padishah will be here presently, and nothing is ready!” Then one seized a broom and brushed everything clean, the second spread the table, and the third fetched all manner of meats. Then they all three began to shiver once more, and three doves flew out of the window.

「たいへん、たいへん!」と三人の娘は叫んだ。「遅れたわ、遅れたわ! もうすぐ王さまがいらっしゃるのに、何も支度ができていない!」そして一人はほうきをつかんですっかり掃き清め、二人目は食卓を整え、三人目はあらゆる料理を運んできた。それから三人はまた身を震わせはじめ、三羽の鳩が窓から飛び去った。

Meanwhile the bald-pate had grown very hungry, and he thought to himself: “Nobody sees me, why should I not take a morsel or two from that table?” So he stretched his hand out from his hiding-place, and was just about to touch the food with it when he got such a blow on the fingers that the place swelled up. He stretched out the other hand, and got a still greater blow on that. The youth was very frightened at this, and he had scarcely drawn back his hand when a white dove flew into the room. It fell a-shivering and immediately turned into a beautiful youth.

そのあいだに、はげ頭はとても腹が減ってきて、心のなかで思った。「誰も見ていないんだから、あの食卓からひと口ふた口いただいたっていいじゃないか。」そこで若者は隠れ場所から手を伸ばし、ちょうど料理に触れようとしたとき、指をぴしゃりと打たれて、そこが腫れ上がった。もう片方の手を伸ばすと、そちらはもっとひどく打たれた。若者はこれにひどくおびえ、手を引っ込めるやいなや、白い鳩が部屋に飛び込んできた。鳩は身を震わせると、たちまち美しい若者に変わった。

And now he went to a cupboard, opened it, and took out a ring, a bracelet, and a lace handkerchief. “Oh, lucky ring that thou art!” cried he, “to be allowed to sit on a beautiful finger; and oh, lucky bracelet, to be allowed to lie on a beautiful arm.” Then the beautiful youth fell a-sobbing, and dried his tears one by one on the lace handkerchief. Then he put them into the cupboard again, tasted one or two of the dishes, and laid him down to sleep.

そしてその若者は戸棚のところへ行って戸を開け、指輪と腕輪とレースのハンカチを取り出した。「おお、なんと幸せな指輪だ!」と若者は叫んだ。「美しい指にはまっていられるとは。そしておお、なんと幸せな腕輪だ、美しい腕に巻かれていられるとは。」それから美しい若者はすすり泣きはじめ、レースのハンカチでひとつぶずつ涙をぬぐった。それからそれをまた戸棚にしまい、料理をひと皿ふた皿味わって、横になって眠った。

It was as much as the bald-pate could do to await the dawn of the day. But then the beautiful youth arose, shivered, and flew away as a white dove. Bald-pate too came out of his hiding-place, went down into the courtyard, and crept once more through the hole at the foot of the tower.

はげ頭は夜が明けるのを待つのがやっとだった。けれども夜が明けると、美しい若者は起き上がって身を震わせ、白い鳩になって飛び去った。はげ頭も隠れ場所から出てきて中庭に下り、もう一度塔のふもとの穴をくぐり抜けた。

Outside he found his poor old mother weeping all alone, but the youth pacified her with the assurance that their troubles were nearly at an end, took her on his back again, and went to the bath. There they bathed, and immediately the old woman was able to stand on her legs, and the bald-pate got his hair back again. Then they began to tell their stories, and when the Sultan’s daughter heard what the youth had seen and heard at midnight, it was as though a stream of fresh health instantly poured into her. She rose from her bed and promised the youth a great treasure if he would bring her to that tower. So the youth went with the princess, showed her the walls of the palace, helped her through the little hole, brought her into the chamber of the doves, and pointed out to her the armoury where he had been able to hide himself. After that the youth returned home with great treasure and perfect health, and lived all his days with his old mother.

外に出てみると、かわいそうな年とった母がひとりぼっちで泣いていた。けれども若者は、苦労はもうすぐ終わると言って母をなだめ、また母を背負って浴場へ行った。そこで二人が湯浴みすると、たちまち年とった母は足で立てるようになり、はげ頭には髪が生えた。それから二人が身の上話を始めると、スルタンの娘は、若者が真夜中に見聞きしたことを聞いて、たちまち新しい元気が体に流れ込んだかのようになった。娘は寝床から起き上がり、自分をその塔へ連れていってくれたら大きな財宝をあげると若者に約束した。そこで若者は姫と一緒に出かけ、宮殿の塀を見せ、小さな穴をくぐり抜けるのを手伝い、鳩の部屋へ案内して、自分が隠れていた武器庫を指さして教えた。そのあと若者は大きな財宝とすっかり治った体を持って家に帰り、年とった母とともに一生暮らした。

At eventide the three doves flew into the room. They scoured and cleaned, brought the meats for the table, and flew away again. Soon afterwards the white dove came flying in, and how did that damsel feel when she saw her darling little dove once more? But when the dove had turned into a youth again, and stood there like a glorious full moon, the damsel scarcely knew where she was, but gazed continuously on his dazzling face.

夕暮れになると、三羽の鳩が部屋に飛び込んできた。鳩たちは掃除をして磨き上げ、食卓に料理を運んで、また飛び去った。まもなく白い鳩が飛び込んできた。いとしい小さな鳩をもう一度見たとき、娘はどんな気持ちだっただろう。けれども鳩がまた若者に変わり、輝く満月のようにそこに立ったとき、娘は自分がどこにいるのかもわからなくなるほどで、そのまばゆい顔をじっと見つめつづけた。

Then the youth went to the cupboard, opened it, and took out the ring, the bracelet, and the lace handkerchief that belonged to the daughter of the Sultan. “Oh, thou ring! how happy shouldst thou be to sit on a beauteous finger! Oh, thou bracelet! how happy thou shouldst be to lie on a beauteous arm!” he cried. Then he took the lace handkerchief and dried his tears, and at the sight thereof the heart of the damsel was nigh to breaking. Then she tapped with her fingers on the door of the armoury. The youth approached it, opened the door, and there stood his heart’s darling. Then the joy of the youth was so great that it was almost woe.

それから若者は戸棚のところへ行って戸を開け、スルタンの娘のものだった指輪と腕輪とレースのハンカチを取り出した。「おお、指輪よ! 美しい指にはまっていられて、なんと幸せなことだろう! おお、腕輪よ! 美しい腕に巻かれていられて、なんと幸せなことだろう!」と若者は叫んだ。それからレースのハンカチを取って涙をぬぐった。それを見て、娘の胸は張り裂けんばかりになった。そこで娘は武器庫の戸を指でとんとんと叩いた。若者が近寄って戸を開けると、そこには心のいとしい人が立っていた。すると若者の喜びはあまりに大きくて、ほとんど悲しみのようであった。

He asked the damsel how she had come thither to the palace of the Peris. Then she told him of her journey, and how sick for love she had been.

若者は娘に、どうやってこのペリの宮殿へ来たのかと尋ねた。そこで娘は自分の道のりと、どれほど恋わずらいをしていたかを話した。

Then the youth told her that he also was the son of a mortal mother, but when he was only three days old the Peris had stolen him, and carried him to this palace and made him their Padishah. He was with them the whole day, and had only two hours to himself in the twenty-four. The damsel, he said, might stay with him, and walk about here the whole day, but towards evening she must hide herself; for if the forty Peris came and saw her with him they would not leave her alive. To-morrow, he said, he would show her his mother’s palace, where they would live in peace, and he would be with her for two hours out of the twenty-four.

すると若者は、自分もまた人間の母の子だが、生まれてまだ三日のときにペリたちにさらわれ、この宮殿へ連れてこられて、ペリたちの王にされたのだと娘に話した。若者は一日じゅうペリたちと一緒にいて、二十四時間のうち自分の自由になるのはたった二時間だけだった。娘はここにとどまって、一日じゅうここを歩きまわってもよいが、夕方になったら隠れなければならない、四十人のペリが来て娘が自分と一緒にいるのを見たら、娘を生かしてはおかないだろうから、と若者は言った。明日は母の住む館を見せてあげよう、そこで二人は安らかに暮らし、自分は二十四時間のうち二時間はそばにいよう、と若者は言った。

So the next day the Padishah of the Peris took the damsel and showed her his mother’s palace. “When thou goest there,” said the Padishah, “bid them have compassion on thee, and receive thee in memory of Bahtiyar Bey, and when my mother hears my name she will not refuse thy request.”

そこで次の日、ペリの王は娘を連れていって、母の館を見せた。「あそこへ行ったら」と王は言った。「どうか憐れんで、バフティヤール・ベイのよしみで迎えてくださいと頼みなさい。わたしの名を聞けば、母はあなたの願いを断りはしないだろう。」

So the damsel went up to the house and knocked at the door. An old woman came and opened it, and when she saw the damsel and heard her son’s name, she burst into tears and took her in. There the damsel stayed a long time, and every day the little bird came to visit her, until a son was born to the daughter of the Sultan. But the old woman never knew that her son came to the house, nor that the damsel had been brought to bed.

そこで娘は家へ行って戸を叩いた。年とった女が出てきて戸を開け、娘を見て息子の名を聞くと、わっと泣きだして娘を中に入れてくれた。そこで娘は長いあいだ暮らし、毎日小鳥が娘を訪ねてきたが、やがてスルタンの娘に息子が生まれた。けれども年とった女は、自分の息子が家に来ていることも、娘がお産をしたことも知らなかった。

One day the little bird came, flew upon the window-sill, and said: “Oh, my Sultana, what is my little seedling doing?”--“No harm hath happened to our little seedling,” replied she, “but he awaits the coming of Bahtiyar.”--“Oh! if only my mother knew,” sighed the youth, “she would open her best room.” With that he flew into the room, turned into a man, and fondled in his arms his wife and his little child. But when two hours had passed he shivered a little, and a little dove flew out of the window.

ある日、小鳥がやって来て窓の敷居に飛び乗り、言った。「おお、わが姫よ、わたしの小さな苗はどうしている?」——「わたしたちの小さな苗には何の障りもありません」と娘は答えた。「でもバフティヤールが来るのを待っています。」——「おお! 母さえ知っていたら」と若者はため息をついた。「いちばんいい部屋を開けてくれるだろうに。」そう言うと若者は部屋に飛び込み、人の姿に変わって、妻と小さな子を腕に抱いてかわいがった。けれども二時間がたつと、若者は少し身を震わせて、小さな鳩が窓から飛び去った。

But the mother had heard her son’s speech, and could scarce contain herself for joy. She hastened to her daughter-in-law, fondled and caressed her, led her into her most beautiful room, and put everything in order against her son’s arrival. She knew that the forty Peris had robbed her of him, and she took counsel with herself how she might steal him back again.

けれども母は息子の言葉を聞いていて、うれしさのあまりじっとしていられなかった。母は嫁のもとへ急いで、嫁を抱きしめてかわいがり、いちばん美しい部屋へ連れていって、息子が来るのに備えてすっかり支度を整えた。母は四十人のペリが自分から息子を奪ったことを知っていたので、どうすれば息子を取り戻せるかと思案した。

“When my son comes to-morrow,” said the old woman, “contrive so that he stays beyond his time, and leave the rest to me.”

「明日息子が来たら」と年とった女は言った。「時間を過ぎてもとどまるように仕向けておくれ。あとはわたしに任せなさい。」

The next day the bird flew into the window, and lo! the damsel was nowhere to be seen in the room. Then he flew into the more beautiful room, and cried, “Oh! my Sultana, what is our little seedling doing?”--And the damsel replied: “No harm hath befallen our little seedling, but he awaits the coming of Bahtiyar.” Then the bird flew into the room and changed into a man, and was so taken up with talking to his wife, so filled with the joy of playing with his child and seeing it play, that he took no count of time at all.

次の日、鳥が窓に飛んでくると、なんと! 部屋のどこにも娘の姿が見えなかった。そこで鳥はもっと美しい部屋へ飛んでいって叫んだ。「おお! わが姫よ、わたしたちの小さな苗はどうしている?」——すると娘は答えた。「わたしたちの小さな苗には何の障りもありません。でもバフティヤールが来るのを待っています。」そこで鳥は部屋に飛び込んで人の姿に変わり、妻と話し込み、子どもと遊んだり子どもが遊ぶのを見たりする喜びですっかり夢中になって、時間のことなど少しも気にかけなかった。

But what was the old woman doing all this time?

けれども年とった女は、そのあいだずっと何をしていたのだろう。

There was a large cypress-tree in front of the house, and there the forty doves were sometimes wont to alight. The old woman went and hung this tree full of venomous needles. Towards evening, when the Padishah’s two hours had run out, the doves who were the forty Peris came to seek their Padishah, and alighted on the cypress-tree, but scarcely had their feet touched the needles than they fell down to the ground poisoned.

家の前には大きな糸杉の木があって、四十羽の鳩はときどきそこに止まるのがならいだった。年とった女は行って、この木に毒の針をいっぱいに吊るした。夕方近く、王の二時間が過ぎると、四十人のペリである鳩たちが王を探しにやって来て、糸杉の木に止まった。けれども足が針に触れたとたん、鳩たちは毒にあたって地面に落ちた。

Meanwhile, however, the youth suddenly remembered the time, and great was his terror when he came out of the palace so late. He looked to the right of him and he looked to the left, and when he looked towards the cypress-tree there were the forty doves. And now his joy was as great as his terror had been before. First he fell upon the neck of his consort, and then he ran to his mother and embraced her, so great was his joy that he had escaped from the hands of the Peris.

一方、若者は突然時間のことを思い出して、こんなに遅くなって館から出てきたので、ひどくおびえた。右を見、左を見て、糸杉の木のほうを見ると、そこに四十羽の鳩がいた。すると今度は、さっきの恐れと同じくらい大きな喜びがわいてきた。若者はまず妻の首に抱きつき、それから母のところへ駆けていって抱きしめた。ペリたちの手から逃れられたことが、それほどうれしかったのである。

Thereupon they made them such a banquet that even after forty days they had not got to the end of it. So they had their hearts’ desires, and ate and drank and rejoiced with a great joy. May we too get the desires of our hearts, with good eating and drinking to comfort us!

それから一同は盛大な宴を開き、四十日たってもまだ食べ尽くせないほどだった。こうして一同は心の願いをかなえ、食べて飲んで大いに喜んだ。わたしたちもおいしく食べて飲んで慰められ、心の願いがかないますように!