The Serpent-peri and the Magic Mirror

There was once upon a time a poor wood-cutter who had an only son. One day this poor man fell sick and said to his son: “If I should die follow thou my handicraft, and go every day into the wood. Thou mayest cut down whatever trees thou dost find there, but at the edge of the wood is a cypress-tree, that thou must leave standing.” Two days afterwards the man died and was buried.

むかしむかし、一人息子を持つ貧しい木こりがいた。ある日、この貧しい男は病にかかって息子に言った。「わしが死んだら、わしの仕事を継いで、毎日森へ行け。森で見つけた木はどれを切り倒してもかまわんが、森のはずれに糸杉が一本ある。それだけは切らずに残しておかねばならん。」二日後、男は死んで葬られた。

But the son went into the wood and cut down the trees, only the cypress-tree he left alone. One day the youth stood close to this tree and thought to himself: “What can be the matter with this tree, seeing that I am not allowed to lay a hand upon it?” So he looked at it, and considered it curiously, till at last he took his axe and went with evil intent towards the tree. But he had scarcely lifted his foot when the cypress-tree drew away from him. The wood-cutter mounted his ass and pursued the tree but could not overtake it, and in the meantime eventide came upon them. Then he dismounted from his ass and tied it to a tree, but he himself climbed to the top of the tree to await the dawn.

息子は森へ行って木を切り倒したが、糸杉だけは手をつけずにおいた。ある日、若者はこの木のすぐそばに立って、心のなかで思った。「手を触れてはいけないとは、この木はいったいどうしたというのだろう。」そこで若者は木を眺め、不思議に思って考えているうちに、とうとう斧を手にして、よからぬ気持ちで木のほうへ向かった。ところが足を上げたとたん、糸杉は若者から離れていった。木こりはろばに乗って木を追いかけたが追いつけず、そうするうちに夕暮れになった。そこで若者はろばから降りて木につなぎ、自分は夜明けを待つためにその木のてっぺんに登った。

Next morning, when the sky grew red, he descended from the tree, and there at the foot of it lay only the bones of his ass. “Never mind, I’ll go on foot,” said the wood-cutter, and he continued his pursuit of the cypress, the tree going on before and he following after. All that day he pursued but could not come up with it. The third day also he shouldered his axe and pursued the tree, when he suddenly came upon an elephant and a serpent fighting with each other. Believe the truth or not as you will, but the truth is this, that the serpent was swallowing the elephant; but the elephant’s great tusk stuck in the serpent’s throat, and both beasts, seeing the youth staring at them, begged him to help them.

次の朝、空が赤くなると若者は木から下りた。するとその根もとには、ろばの骨しか残っていなかった。「かまうものか、歩いていこう」と木こりは言って、糸杉を追いつづけた。木が先に行き、若者があとを追った。その日一日じゅう追いかけたが、追いつけなかった。三日目もまた斧を担いで木を追っていくと、突然、象と大蛇が戦っているところに出くわした。本当と信じようと信じまいとお好きなように、けれども本当のところはこうだった。大蛇が象を呑み込もうとしていたが、象の大きな牙が大蛇ののどにつかえていたのである。そして二頭の獣は、若者がじっと見ているのに気づくと、助けてくれと頼んだ。

What didn’t the elephant promise him if only he would slay the serpent! “Nay, but all I would have thee do,” said the serpent, “is to break his tusk off; the work is lighter, and the reward will be greater.” At these words the youth seized his axe and chopped the elephant’s tusk right off. The serpent then swallowed the elephant, thanked the youth, and promised to keep his word and give him his reward.

大蛇を殺してさえくれたら、象はどんなことを若者に約束しなかったろう!「いや、わしがしてほしいのはただ」と大蛇は言った。「そいつの牙を折ってくれることだけだ。仕事は軽いし、褒美はもっと大きいぞ。」この言葉に若者は斧をつかんで、象の牙をすっぱり切り落とした。すると大蛇は象を呑み込み、若者に礼を言って、約束を守って褒美をやると誓った。

While they were on the road the serpent stopped at a spring and said to the youth: “Wait while I bathe in this water, and whatever may happen, fear not!” With that the serpent plunged into the water, and immediately there arose such a terrible storm, such a tempest, such a hurricane, with lightning-flash upon lightning-flash, and thunder-bolt upon thunder-bolt, that the Day of Judgment could not well be worse. Presently the serpent came out of the bath, and then all was quiet again.

道を行く途中、大蛇はある泉で立ち止まって若者に言った。「わしがこの水で湯浴みするあいだ待っていてくれ。何が起こっても恐れるな!」そう言うと大蛇は水に跳び込んだ。するとたちまち、すさまじい嵐、大あらし、暴風が起こって、稲妻に稲妻、雷に雷が重なり、審判の日でもこれよりひどくはなかろうと思われるほどだった。まもなく大蛇が湯浴みから出てくると、またすっかり静かになった。

They went a long way, and they went a little way, they took coffee, they smoked their chibooks, they gathered violets on the road, till at last they drew near to a house, and then the serpent said: “In a short time we shall arrive at my mother’s house. When she opens the door, say thou art my kinsman, and she will invite thee into the house. She will offer thee coffee but do not drink it, she will offer thee meat but do not eat it; but there’s a little bit of a mirror hanging up in the corner of the door, ask my mother for that!”

一同は長い道を行き、短い道を行き、コーヒーを飲み、チブクをふかし、道々すみれを摘んで、とうとうある家に近づいた。すると大蛇が言った。「まもなくわしの母の家に着く。母が戸を開けたら、わしの身内だと言え。そうすれば母はおまえを家に招き入れるだろう。母はコーヒーを出すが、飲むな。肉を出すが、食べるな。だが、戸口の隅に小さな鏡のかけらが掛かっている。それを母にねだるのだ!」

So they came to the house, and no sooner had the Peri knocked at the door than his mother came and opened it. “Come, my brother!” said the serpent to the youth behind him.--“Who is thy brother?” asked his mother.--“He who hath saved my life,” replied her son, and with that he told her the whole story. So they went into the house, and the woman brought the youth coffee and a chibook, but he would not take them. “My journey is a hasty one,” said he, “I cannot remain very long.”

そこで一同が家に着き、ペリが戸を叩くやいなや、母が出てきて戸を開けた。「さあ、兄弟よ!」と大蛇はうしろの若者に言った。——「おまえの兄弟って誰だい」と母は尋ねた。——「わたしの命を救ってくれた人です」と息子は答え、そう言うと事の次第をすっかり話した。そこで一同は家に入り、女は若者にコーヒーとチブクを持ってきたが、若者は受け取ろうとしなかった。「急ぎの旅なのです」と若者は言った。「長くはとどまれません。」

“Rest awhile at least,” said the woman, “we cannot let our guests depart without anything.”

「せめて少し休んでいきなさい」と女は言った。「お客さまを何もなしに帰すわけにはいきません。」

“Nothing do I want, but if thou wilt give me that bit of mirror in the corner of the door I will take it,” said the youth. The woman did not want to give it, but the youth insisted that perhaps his life might depend upon that very piece of mirror, so at last she gave it to him, though very unwillingly.

「何もいりません。でも、戸口の隅にあるあの鏡のかけらをくださるなら、それをいただきます」と若者は言った。女はそれをやりたくなかったが、若者が、まさにその鏡のかけらに自分の命がかかっているかもしれないと言い張ったので、とうとう女はいやいやながらそれを若者に与えた。

So the youth went on his way with the bit of mirror, and as he looked into it he turned over in his mind what use he should make of it. As he was still turning it over and looking at it, suddenly there stood before him a negro efrit, one of whose lips touched the heavens, and the other lip the earth. The poor youth was so frightened, that if the negro had not said: “What are thy commands, my Sultan?” he would have run away for ever and ever. As it was, it was as much as he could do to ask for something to eat, and immediately there stood before him a rich and rare banquet, the like of which he had never seen at his father’s, the wood-cutter’s.

そこで若者は鏡のかけらを持って道を進み、それをのぞき込みながら、これを何に使おうかと思いめぐらした。まだ思いめぐらしながら眺めていると、突然、目の前に黒人のイフリートが立った。その片方のくちびるは天に触れ、もう片方のくちびるは地に触れていた。かわいそうな若者はひどくおびえたので、もしその黒人が「何をお命じですか、わがスルタンさま」と言わなかったら、どこまでも永遠に逃げ去っていたことだろう。それでも、何か食べるものをと頼むのがやっとだった。するとたちまち目の前に、木こりの父の家では見たこともないような豪華で珍しいごちそうが並んだ。

Then the youth felt very curious about the mirror, and looked into it again, and immediately the black efrit stood before him again and said: “What dost thou command, my Sultan?” Nothing would occur to his mind at first, but at last his lips murmured the word “Palace,” and immediately there stood before him a palace so beautiful that the Padishah himself could not have a finer one. “Open!” cried the youth, and immediately the gates of the palace flew open before him.

すると若者は鏡のことがとても知りたくなって、もう一度のぞき込んだ。するとたちまち黒いイフリートがまた目の前に立って言った。「何をお命じですか、わがスルタンさま。」はじめは何も思い浮かばなかったが、とうとう若者のくちびるが「宮殿」という言葉をつぶやいた。するとたちまち目の前に、王(パーディシャー)でさえこれより立派なものは持てないほど美しい宮殿が立った。「開け!」と若者が叫ぶと、たちまち宮殿の門が目の前でさっと開いた。

The youth rejoiced greatly in his bit of mirror, and his one thought was what he should ask it to get him next. The beautiful Sultana-damsel, the Padishah’s daughter, occurred to his mind, and the next moment his eye sought his mirror and he desired from the big-lipped negro efrit a palace in which the world-renowned daughter of the Padishah should be sitting beside him, and he had scarce time to look around him when he found himself sitting in the palace with the Sultan’s daughter by his side. Then they kissed and embraced each other, and lived a whole world of joy.

若者は鏡のかけらを大いに喜び、次に何を手に入れてもらおうかとばかり考えた。王の娘である美しい姫のことが頭に浮かび、次の瞬間、若者の目は鏡を求め、大くちびるの黒人のイフリートに、世に名高い王の娘が自分のそばに座っている宮殿を望んだ。そしてあたりを見まわす間もないうちに、若者はスルタンの娘をそばにして宮殿に座っていた。そこで二人は口づけし、抱き合って、喜びにあふれた世界に暮らした。

Meanwhile the Sultan learnt that his daughter had disappeared from her own palace. He searched for her the whole realm through, he sent heralds in every direction, but in vain were all his labours, the girl could not be discovered. At last an old woman came to the Padishah and told him to make a large casket, line it well with zinc, put her inside it, and cast it into the sea. She would find the daughter of the Sultan, she said, for if she was not here, she must be beyond the sea. So they made ready the great casket, put the old woman inside it, put food for nine days beside her, and cast it into the sea. The casket was tossed from wave to wave, till at last it came to that city where the Sultan’s daughter dwelt with the youth.

そのあいだに、スルタンは娘が自分の宮殿から消えたことを知った。スルタンは国じゅうを探し、あらゆる方角に触れ役を送ったが、苦労はみなむだで、娘は見つからなかった。とうとう年とった女が王のところへ来て、大きな箱をこしらえ、内側によく亜鉛を張って、自分をそのなかに入れて海に投げ込むよう言った。スルタンの娘は自分が見つけよう、ここにいないのなら海の向こうにいるにちがいない、と女は言った。そこで人々は大きな箱を支度し、年とった女をそのなかに入れ、九日分の食べ物をそばに置いて、海に投げ込んだ。箱は波から波へともまれて、とうとうスルタンの娘が若者と暮らしている都に着いた。

Now the fishermen were just then on the shore, and saw the huge casket floating in the sea. They drew it ashore with ropes and hooks, and when they opened it an old woman crept out of it. They asked her how she had got inside it.

さて、ちょうど漁師たちが浜にいて、大きな箱が海に浮かんでいるのを見た。漁師たちは綱と鉤で箱を浜に引き上げ、開けてみると、なかから年とった女が這い出してきた。漁師たちは、どうやってそのなかに入ったのかと尋ねた。

“Oh, that my enemy might lose the sight of his little eye that is so dear to him!” lamented the old woman; “I have not deserved this of him!” and with that she fell a-weeping and wailing till the men believed every word she said. “Where is the Bey of your city?” cried she; “perhaps he will have compassion upon me and receive me into his house,” she said to the men. Then they showed her the palace, and exhorted her to go thither, as perhaps she might get an alms.

「ああ、わたしの敵が、あんなに大事にしているその目の光を失えばいい!」と年とった女は嘆いた。「わたしはこんな目にあういわれはないのに!」そう言うと女は泣きわめいたので、男たちは女の言うことを一言残らず信じた。「あんたたちの町のベイはどこにいるんだい」と女は叫んだ。「もしかすると、わたしを憐れんで家に置いてくださるかもしれない」と女は男たちに言った。そこで男たちは宮殿を指さして、施しがもらえるかもしれないから行ってみなさいと勧めた。

So the old woman went to the palace, and when she knocked at the door, the Sultan’s daughter came down to see who it was. The old woman immediately recognized the damsel, and begged her (for the damsel knew not the old woman) to take her into her service. “My lord comes home to-night, I will ask him,” replied the damsel; “meanwhile rest in this corner!” And the damsel’s lord allowed her to receive the old woman into the house, and the next day she waited upon them.

そこで年とった女は宮殿へ行き、戸を叩くと、スルタンの娘が誰だろうと見に下りてきた。年とった女はすぐに娘だとわかり、(娘のほうは年とった女を知らなかったので)召し使いに雇ってくれと頼んだ。「今夜わたしの旦那さまが帰ってきますから、聞いてみます」と娘は答えた。「それまでこの隅で休んでいてください!」そして娘の夫は年とった女を家に置くことを許し、次の日から女は二人に仕えた。

There the old woman was for one day and for two days, for a week, for two weeks, and there was no cook to cook the food, and no servant to keep the place clean, and yet every day there was a costly banquet and everything was as clean as clean could be. Then the old woman went to the damsel and asked her whether she did not feel dull at being alone all day. “If I were allowed to help thee pass the time away,” added she, “perhaps it might be better.”--“I must first ask my lord,” replied the damsel. The youth did not mind the old woman helping his wife to pass away the time, and so she went up to the rooms of the damsel and stayed with her for days together.

年とった女はそこに一日、二日、一週間、二週間といたが、料理をする料理人も、家をきれいにしておく召し使いもいないのに、毎日豪華なごちそうが並び、何もかもこの上なくきれいになっていた。そこで年とった女は娘のところへ行って、一日じゅうひとりで退屈ではないかと尋ねた。「わたしがお暇つぶしのお手伝いをさせていただけたら」と女は付け加えた。「少しはましかもしれません。」——「まず旦那さまに聞かなくては」と娘は答えた。若者は、年とった女が妻の暇つぶしを手伝うことをかまわなかったので、女は娘の部屋へ上がって、何日も続けて娘と一緒に過ごした。

One day the old woman asked the damsel whence came all the rare meats, and who did the service of the house. But the damsel knew not of the piece of mirror, so she could tell the old woman nothing. “Find out from thy lord,” said the old woman, and scarcely had the youth come home, scarce had he had time to eat, than she wheedled him so that he showed her the mirror.

ある日、年とった女は娘に、あの珍しい料理はどこから来るのか、家の仕事は誰がしているのかと尋ねた。けれども娘は鏡のかけらのことを知らなかったので、年とった女に何も教えられなかった。「旦那さまから聞き出してごらんなさい」と年とった女は言った。そして若者が家に帰ってくるやいなや、食事をする暇もないうちに、娘がうまく言いくるめたので、若者は鏡を娘に見せた。

That was all the old woman wanted. A couple of days she let go by, but on the third and the fourth days she bade the damsel beg her lord for the piece of mirror so that she might amuse herself therewith, and make the time pass more easily. And indeed she had only to ask her lord for it, for he, not suspecting her falseness, gave it to her. And in the meantime the old woman was not asleep. She knew where the damsel had put the mirror, stole it, and when she looked into it the negro efrit appeared. “What is thy command?” inquired he of the old woman. “Take me with this damsel to her father’s palace,” was her first command. Her second command made of the youth’s palace a heap of ashes, so that when the young wood-cutter returned home he found nought but the cat meeowing among the ashes. There was also a small piece of meat there; the Sultan’s daughter had thrown it down for the cat.

年とった女がほしかったのはそれだけだった。女は二日ほどやり過ごしたが、三日目と四日目に、暇つぶしに楽しんで時間を過ごしやすくするために、鏡のかけらを旦那さまにねだってごらんなさいと娘に言った。そして実際、娘は夫にねだりさえすればよかった。夫は妻が不実だなどとは疑いもせず、鏡を与えたからである。そしてそのあいだ、年とった女は眠ってはいなかった。女は娘が鏡をどこにしまったかを知っていたので、それを盗み、のぞき込むと黒人のイフリートが現れた。「何をお命じですか」とイフリートは年とった女に尋ねた。「わたしとこの娘を、娘の父の宮殿へ連れていけ」というのが女の最初の命令だった。二つ目の命令で若者の宮殿は灰の山になり、若い木こりが家に帰ってくると、灰のなかで猫がにゃあにゃあ鳴いているほかは何もなかった。そこには小さな肉のかけらもひとつあった。スルタンの娘が猫に投げてやったものだった。

The youth took up the fragment of meat and set out to seek his consort. Find her he would, though he roamed the whole world over. He went on and on, he searched and searched till he came to the city where his wife lived. He went up to the palace, and there he begged the cook to take him into the kitchen as a servant out of pure compassion. In a couple of days he had learnt from his fellow-servants in the kitchen that the Sultan’s daughter had returned home.

若者は肉のかけらを拾い上げて、妻を探しに出かけた。たとえ世界じゅうをさまよい歩いても、きっと見つけてみせる。若者はどこまでも進み、探しに探して、とうとう妻の住む都に着いた。若者は宮殿へ行き、そこで料理番に、どうか憐れと思って台所の下働きに雇ってくれと頼んだ。二日ほどのうちに、若者は台所の仲間の召し使いたちから、スルタンの娘が家に戻ってきたことを聞き知った。

One day the cook fell sick and there was no heart in him to attend to the cooking. The youth, seeing this, bade him rest, and said he would cook the food in his stead. The cook agreed, and told him what to cook, and how to season it. So the youth set to work, roasting and stewing, and when he sent up the dishes, he also sent up the scrap of food that he had found on the ashes, and put it on the damsel’s plate. Scarcely had the damsel cast eyes on this little scrap than she knew within herself that her lord was near her. So she called the cook and asked whom he had with him in the kitchen. At first he denied that he had any one, but at last he confessed that he had taken a poor lad in to assist him.

ある日、料理番が病気になって、料理をする気力がなくなった。若者はそれを見て、料理番に休むように言い、自分が代わりに料理をしようと言った。料理番は承知して、何を料理し、どう味をつけるかを教えた。そこで若者は仕事に取りかかって、焼いたり煮込んだりし、料理を上に運ばせるとき、灰のなかで見つけた食べ物のかけらも一緒に持たせて、娘の皿にのせた。娘はこの小さなかけらを見るやいなや、夫がすぐ近くにいると心のなかで悟った。そこで娘は料理番を呼んで、台所に誰を置いているのかと尋ねた。はじめ料理番は誰もいないと言い張ったが、とうとう、手伝いに貧しい若者を雇ったと白状した。

Then the damsel went to her father and said to him that there was a young lad in the kitchen who prepared coffee so well that she should like some coffee from his hands. So the lad was ordered up, and from thenceforth he prepared the coffee and took it to the Sultan’s daughter. So they came together again, and she told her lord how the matter had gone. Then they took counsel how they should await their turn and get the mirror back again.

そこで娘は父のところへ行って、台所にとても上手にコーヒーをいれる若者がいるから、その手からコーヒーをいれてほしいと言った。そこで若者は上に呼ばれ、それからは若者がコーヒーをいれてスルタンの娘のところへ運ぶことになった。こうして二人はまた一緒になり、娘は夫にこれまでのいきさつを話した。それから二人は、どうやって機会を待って鏡を取り戻すかを相談した。

Scarcely had the youth gone in to the damsel than the old woman appeared. Although she had not seen him for long, she recognized him, and, looking into the mirror, caused the poor lad to be sent back again to the ashes of his old palace. There he found the cat still squatting. When she felt hungry she caught mice, and such ravages did she make upon them that at last the Padishah of the mice had scarce a soldier left.

ところが若者が娘のもとへ入っていくやいなや、年とった女が現れた。長いあいだ若者を見ていなかったのに、女は若者だとわかって、鏡をのぞき込み、かわいそうな若者をもとの宮殿の灰のなかへ送り返してしまった。そこには猫がまだうずくまっていた。猫は腹が減るとねずみを捕らえ、それがあまりにひどい荒らしようだったので、とうとうねずみの王にはほとんど兵士が残っていなかった。

Very wroth was the poor Padishah, but he durst not tackle the cat. One day, however, he observed the youth, went up to him, and begged his assistance in his dire distress, for if he waited till the morrow his whole realm would be ruined.

かわいそうな王はひどく腹を立てたが、猫に立ち向かう勇気はなかった。ところがある日、王は若者に気づいて近寄っていき、このひどい苦境を助けてくれと頼んだ。明日まで待っていたら、国がまるごと滅びてしまうというのである。

“I’ll help thee,” said the youth, “though, indeed, I have enough troubles of my own to carry already.”

「助けてあげよう」と若者は言った。「もっとも、実のところ、自分の悩みだけでもう手いっぱいなのだけれど。」

“What is thy trouble?” asked the Padishah of the mice. The youth told him about the history of the piece of looking-glass, and how it had been stolen from him, and into whose hands it had fallen.

「あなたの悩みとは何です」とねずみの王は尋ねた。若者は鏡のかけらのいきさつと、それが盗まれたこと、それが誰の手に渡ったかを話した。

“Then I can help thee,” cried the Padishah, whereupon he called together all the mice in the world. And he asked which of them had access to this palace, and which knew of such-and-such an old woman, and the piece of looking-glass. At these words a lame mouse hobbled forth, kissed the ground at the feet of the Padishah, and said that it was his wont to steal food from the old woman’s box. He had seen through the keyhole how she took out a little bit of looking-glass every evening and hid it under a cushion.

「それならお助けできます」と王は叫び、世界じゅうのねずみを呼び集めた。そして王は、そのなかで誰がこの宮殿に出入りできるか、しかじかの年とった女と鏡のかけらのことを誰が知っているかと尋ねた。この言葉に、足の悪いねずみが一匹よたよたと進み出て、王の足もとの地面に口づけし、自分はいつも年とった女の箱から食べ物を盗んでいると言った。そのねずみは、女が毎晩小さな鏡のかけらを取り出して、クッションの下に隠すのを鍵穴から見ていたのである。

Then the Padishah commanded him to go and steal this bit of mirror. The mouse, however, begged that he might have two comrades, sat on the back of one of them, and so went on to the old woman. It was evening when they arrived there, and the old woman was just eating her supper. “We have come at the right time,” said the lame mouse, “we shall get something to eat.” And with that they scampered into the room, satisfied their hunger, and waited for the night. They arranged between them what they should do, and when the old woman lay down they waited till she was asleep. Scarcely had she fallen asleep than the lame mouse leaped into her bed, made for her face, and began tickling her nose with the end of its tail.

そこで王はそのねずみに、その鏡のかけらを盗んでくるよう命じた。けれどもねずみは仲間を二匹つけてほしいと頼み、そのうちの一匹の背に乗って年とった女のところへ出かけた。着いたのは夕方で、年とった女はちょうど夕食を食べているところだった。「ちょうどいいときに来たぞ」と足の悪いねずみは言った。「何か食べられる。」そう言うとねずみたちは部屋に駆け込み、腹を満たして、夜を待った。ねずみたちはどうするかを取り決め、年とった女が横になると、眠り込むまで待った。女が眠り込むやいなや、足の悪いねずみは女の寝床に跳び込み、顔のほうへ向かって、しっぽの先で女の鼻をくすぐりはじめた。

“P-chi! p-chi!” the old woman sneezed, so that her head nearly leaped from her shoulders. “P-chi! p-chi!” she sneezed again, and meanwhile the two other little mice rushed out, picked up the piece of looking-glass from underneath the cushion, took the lame mouse on their backs, and hurried home again.

「ぴっくしょん! ぴっくしょん!」と年とった女は、頭が肩から跳び出しそうなほどくしゃみをした。「ぴっくしょん! ぴっくしょん!」と女はまたくしゃみをした。そのあいだにほかの二匹の小さなねずみが駆け出して、クッションの下から鏡のかけらを拾い上げ、足の悪いねずみを背に乗せて、急いで家へ帰った。

The youth rejoiced greatly at the sight of the mirror, then he took the cat with him so that it should do no more harm to the mice, and went into other parts. There he took out the bit of mirror, looked into it, and lo! the black efrit stood before him and said: “What is thy command, my Sultan?”

若者は鏡を見て大喜びし、それから猫がもうねずみに害をなさないように猫を連れて、よその土地へ行った。そこで若者は鏡のかけらを取り出してのぞき込んだ。すると、なんと! 黒いイフリートが目の前に立って言った。「何をお命じですか、わがスルタンさま。」

The youth asked for a raiment of cloth of gold and a whole army of soldiers, and before he had time to look round, in front of him stood costly raiment, and he put it on; and a beautiful horse, and he sat on its back; and a large army which marched behind him into the city. When he arrived there he stood before the palace, and surrounded it with his soldiers. Oh, how terrified the Padishah was at the sight of that vast army!

若者は金襴の衣装と、兵士の大軍をまるごと望んだ。するとあたりを見まわす暇もないうちに、目の前には豪華な衣装があったので若者はそれを着た。美しい馬もいたので若者はその背にまたがった。そして大軍がいて、若者のあとについて都へ進軍した。都に着くと、若者は宮殿の前に立ち、兵士たちで宮殿を取り囲んだ。おお、あの大軍を見て、王はどんなにおびえたことか!

The youth went into the palace, and demanded the damsel from her father. In his terror the Padishah gave him not only his daughter but his realm. The old woman was given into the hands of the big-lipped efrit, but the bride and bridegroom lived happily in the midst of their glorious kingdom. And close beside them stood the magic mirror that made all their woes to vanish.

若者は宮殿に入り、娘を返せと父に要求した。王は恐ろしさのあまり、若者に娘ばかりか国まで与えた。年とった女は大くちびるのイフリートの手に引き渡されたが、花嫁と花婿はその輝かしい国のまんなかで幸せに暮らした。そして二人のすぐそばには、あらゆる悩みを消してくれる魔法の鏡があった。