Stone-patience and Knife-patience

There was once a poor woman who had one daughter, and this poor woman used to go out and wash linen, while her daughter remained at home at her working-table. One day she was sitting by the window as was her wont, when a little bird flew on to the sewing-table and said to the damsel: “Oh, little damsel, poor little damsel! death is thy Kismet!”[13] whereupon it flew away again. From that hour the damsel’s peace of mind was gone, and in the evening she told her mother what the bird had said to her. “Close the door and the window,” said her mother, “and sit at thy work as usual.”

むかし、一人の娘を持つ貧しい女がいた。この貧しい女は外へ洗濯に出かけ、娘は家に残って仕事台に向かっていた。ある日、娘がいつものように窓辺に座っていると、小さな鳥が縫い物台に飛んできて、こう言った。「おお、小さな娘よ、哀れな小さな娘よ! 死がお前のキスメット(定め)だ!」[13] そう言うと、また飛び去った。その時から娘の心の平安は失われ、夕方、母に鳥の言ったことを話した。「戸と窓を閉めて」と母は言った。「いつもどおり仕事におつき。」

So the next morning she closed the door and the window and sat her down at her work. But all at once there came a “Whirr-r-r-r!” and there was the little bird again on the work-table. “Oh, little damsel, poor little damsel! death is thy Kismet,” and with that it flew away again. The damsel was more and more terrified than ever at these words, but her mother comforted her again: “To-morrow,” said she, “close fast the door and the window, and get into the cupboard. There light a candle, and go on with thy work!”

そこで翌朝、娘は戸と窓を閉めて仕事に向かった。ところが突然「ばさばさばさっ!」と音がして、また小さな鳥が仕事台にいた。「おお、小さな娘よ、哀れな小さな娘よ! 死がお前のキスメットだ。」そしてまた飛び去った。娘はこの言葉にいよいよ怯えたが、母はまた慰めた。「明日は」と母は言った。「戸と窓をしっかり閉めて、戸棚の中に入っておいで。そこで蝋燭を灯して、仕事を続けるのだよ。」

Scarcely had her mother departed with the dawn than the girl closed up everything, lit a candle, and locked herself in the cupboard with her work-table. But scarcely had she stitched two stitches when the bird stood before her again, and said: “Oh, little damsel, poor little damsel! death is thy Kismet!” and whirr-r-r-r! it flew away again. The damsel was in such distress that she scarce knew where she was. She threw her work aside, and began tormenting herself as to what this saying might mean. Her mother, too, could not get to the bottom of the matter, so she remained at home the next day, that she also might see the bird, but the bird did not come again.

夜明けとともに母が出かけるやいなや、娘は何もかも閉ざし、蝋燭を灯し、仕事台とともに戸棚に閉じこもった。ところが二針も縫わぬうちに、鳥がまた目の前に立って言った。「おお、小さな娘よ、哀れな小さな娘よ! 死がお前のキスメットだ!」そしてばさばさばさっと、また飛び去った。娘は自分がどこにいるのかも分からぬほど取り乱した。仕事を放り出し、この言葉が何を意味するのかと自分を苛みはじめた。母にもこの謎の底は見通せなかったので、翌日は家に留まり、自分もその鳥を見ようとした。ところが鳥は二度と来なかった。

So their sorrow was perpetual, and all the joy of their life was gone. They never stirred from the house but watched and waited continually, if perchance the bird might come again. One day the damsels of their neighbour came to them and asked the woman to let her daughter go with them. “If she went for a little outing,” said they, “she might forget her trouble.” The woman did not like to let her go, but they promised to take great care of her and not to lose sight of her, so at last she let her go.

こうして二人の悲しみは絶えることなく、暮らしの喜びはすべて失われた。家から一歩も出ず、鳥がまた来るのではないかと、ひたすら見張って待ち続けた。ある日、近所の娘たちが来て、娘を連れ出させてほしいと女に頼んだ。「少し外へ出れば」と娘たちは言った。「悩みを忘れられるかもしれません。」女は行かせたくなかったが、娘たちがよく気をつけて目を離さないと約束したので、とうとう行かせることにした。

So the damsels went into the fields and danced and diverted themselves till the day was on the decline. On the way home they sat down by a well and began to drink out of it. The poor woman’s daughter also went to drink of the water, when lo! a wall rose up between her and the other damsels, but such a wall as never the eye of man yet beheld. A voice could not get beyond it, it was so high, and a man could not get through it, it was so hard. Oh, how terrified was the poor woman’s daughter, and what weeping and wailing and despair there was among her comrades. What would become of the poor girl, and what would become of her poor mother!

そこで娘たちは野へ出て、日が傾くまで踊り、興じた。帰り道、井戸のそばに腰を下ろして水を飲みはじめた。貧しい女の娘も水を飲みに行った。すると何ということか! 娘と他の娘たちのあいだに壁がせり上がった。それも、人の目がかつて見たことのないほどの壁であった。あまりに高くて声も越えられず、あまりに硬くて人も通り抜けられない。ああ、貧しい女の娘はどれほど怯えたことか。そして仲間たちのあいだの、なんという泣き声と嘆きと絶望。この哀れな娘はどうなるのか、その哀れな母はどうなるのか!

“I will not tell,” said one of them, “for she will not believe us!”--“But what shall we say to her mother,” cried another, “now that she has disappeared from before our eyes?”--“It is thy fault, it is thy fault!” “Twas thou that asked her!” “No, ’twas thou.” So they fell to blaming each other, looking all the time at the great wall.

「わたしは言わないわ」と一人が言った。「だって信じてもらえないもの!」——「でも、お母さんに何と言えばいいの」ともう一人が叫んだ。「あの子はわたしたちの目の前から消えてしまったのに。」——「あなたのせいよ、あなたのせいよ!」「あなたがあの子を誘ったんじゃない!」「いいえ、あなたよ。」こうして娘たちは互いを責めはじめ、そのあいだじゅう、あの大きな壁を見つめていた。

Meanwhile the mother was awaiting her daughter. She stood at the door of the house and watched the damsels coming. The damsels came weeping sore, and scarce dared to tell the poor woman what had befallen her daughter. The woman rushed to the

そのころ母は娘を待っていた。家の戸口に立ち、娘たちがやってくるのを見ていた。娘たちは激しく泣きながらやってきて、娘の身に起きたことを、この貧しい女に告げる勇気もほとんどなかった。女は大きな壁へ駆けつけた。

great wall, her daughter was inside it and she herself was outside, and so they wept and wailed so long as either of them had a tear to flow.

娘は壁の内側におり、母は外側にいた。こうして二人は、どちらにも流す涙が残っているかぎり、泣き、嘆いた。

In the midst of this great weeping the damsel fell asleep, and when she woke up next morning she saw a great door beside the wall. “Happen to me what may, if I am to perish, let me perish, but open this door I will!”--so she opened it. Beyond the door was a beautiful palace, the like of which is not to be seen even in dreams. This palace had a vast hall, and on the wall of this hall hung forty keys. The damsel took the keys and began opening the doors of all the rooms around her, and the first set of rooms was full of silver, and the second set full of gold, and the third set full of diamonds, and the fourth set full of emeralds--in a word, each set of rooms was full of stones more precious than the precious things of the rooms before it, so that the eyes of the damsel were almost blinded by their splendour.

この大きな泣き声のさなか、娘は眠りに落ちた。そして翌朝目を覚ますと、壁のかたわらに大きな扉があるのが見えた。「何が起ころうと、滅びる定めなら滅びるまで。だがこの扉は開けてみせる!」——そう言って娘は扉を開けた。扉の向こうには、夢にさえ見られぬほど美しい宮殿があった。この宮殿には広大な広間があり、その壁には四十の鍵が掛かっていた。娘は鍵を取り、まわりの部屋という部屋の扉を開けはじめた。最初のひと続きの部屋は銀でいっぱい、二つ目は金でいっぱい、三つ目はダイヤモンドでいっぱい、四つ目はエメラルドでいっぱい——ひとことで言えば、どの部屋も前の部屋より貴い石で満たされていて、娘はその輝きに目が眩みそうであった。

She entered the fortieth room, and there, extended on the floor, was a beautiful Bey, with a fan of pearls beside him, and on his breast a piece of paper with these words written on it: “Whoever fans me for forty days and prays all that time by my side will find her Kismet!” Then the damsel thought of the little bird. So it was by the side of this sleeper that she was to meet her fate! So she made her ablutions, and, taking the fan in her hand, she sat down beside the Bey. Day and night she kept on fanning him, praying continually till the fortieth day was at hand. And on the morning of the last day she peeped out of the window and beheld a negro girl in front of the palace. Then she thought she would call this girl for a moment and ask her to pray beside the Bey, while she herself made her ablutions and took a little repose. So she called the negro girl and set her beside the Bey, that she might pray beside him and fan his face. But the damsel hastened away and made her ablutions and adorned herself, so that the Bey, when he awoke, might see his life’s Kismet at her best and rejoice at the sight.

娘は四十番目の部屋に入った。そこには床に横たわる美しいベイ(貴人)がいて、傍らには真珠の扇が置かれ、胸の上にはこう書かれた一枚の紙があった。「四十日のあいだわたしを扇ぎ、そのあいだずっと傍らで祈る者は、その者のキスメットを見出すであろう。」そこで娘はあの小さな鳥のことを思った。ではこの眠る人の傍らでこそ、自分の定めに出会うのだ! そこで娘は身を清め、扇を手に取ってベイの傍らに座った。昼も夜も扇ぎ続け、絶えず祈り続けて、四十日目が間近に迫った。そして最後の日の朝、窓から外を覗くと、宮殿の前に一人の黒人の娘がいるのが見えた。そこで彼女は、この娘をちょっと呼んで、自分が身を清め少し休むあいだ、ベイの傍らで祈ってもらおうと思った。そこで黒人の娘を呼び、ベイの傍らに座らせて、祈り、その顔を扇ぐようにと言った。そして娘は急いで身を清め、身を飾った。目を覚ましたベイが、生涯のキスメットを最も美しい姿で見て、喜んでくれるように、と。

Meanwhile the black girl read the piece of paper, and while the white damsel tarried the youth awoke. He looked about him, and scarcely did he see the black girl than he embraced her and called her his wife. The poor white damsel could scarce believe her own eyes when she entered the room; but the black girl, who was jealous of her, said to the Bey: “I, a Sultan’s daughter, am not ashamed to go about just as I am, and this chit of a serving-maid dares to appear before me arrayed so finely!” Then she chased her out of the room, and sent her to the kitchen to finish her work and boil and fry. The Bey was surprised, but he would not say a word, for the negro girl was his bride, while the other damsel was only a kitchen-wench.

そのあいだに黒人の娘はあの紙を読んだ。そして白い娘が手間取っているうちに、若者が目を覚ました。あたりを見まわし、黒人の娘を見るやいなや、これを抱きしめて妻と呼んだ。哀れな白い娘は、部屋に入って自分の目が信じられぬほどであった。しかし彼女に嫉妬した黒人の娘は、ベイにこう言った。「わたくしは太守の娘でありながら、このままの姿で歩きまわるのを恥じてもおりませんのに、この下女風情が、こんなに着飾ってわたくしの前に現れるとは!」そう言って白い娘を部屋から追い出し、台所へ送って、煮炊きの仕事を仕上げさせた。ベイは驚いたが、一言も言おうとしなかった。黒人の娘は自分の花嫁であり、もう一人の娘はただの下働きだったからである。

Now the Feast of Bairam fell about this time, and as is the custom at such times, the Bey would fain have given gifts to them of his household. So he went to the negress and asked her what she would like on the Feast of Bairam. And the negress asked for a garment that never a needle had sewn and never scissors had cut. Then he went down into the kitchen and asked the damsel what she would like. “The stone-of-patience has a yellow colour, and the knife-of-patience has a brown handle, bring them both to me,” said the damsel. So the Bey went on his way, and got the negress her garment, but the stone-of-patience and the knife-of-patience he could find nowhere. What was he to do?--he could not return home without the gifts. So he got on board his ship.

さてそのころバイラムの祭が巡ってきた。こうした折の習わしとして、ベイは家の者たちに贈り物をしようとした。そこで黒人の娘のところへ行き、バイラムの祭に何が欲しいかと尋ねた。黒人の娘は、針で縫ったことも鋏で裁ったこともない衣が欲しいと言った。それから台所へ降りて、あの娘に何が欲しいかと尋ねた。「忍耐の石は黄色い色をしており、忍耐の小刀は柄が茶色でございます。その二つをお持ちください」と娘は言った。そこでベイは出かけていき、黒人の娘には衣を手に入れたが、忍耐の石と忍耐の小刀はどこにも見つからなかった。どうしたものか——贈り物なしでは帰れない。そこで船に乗った。

The ship had only got half-way when suddenly it stopped short, and could neither go backwards nor forwards. The captain was terrified, and told his passengers that there was some one on board who had not kept his word, and that was why they could not get on. Then the Bey came forward, and said that he it was who had not kept his word. So they put the Bey ashore, that he might keep his promise and then return back to the ship. Then the Bey walked along the sea-shore, and from the sea-shore he came to a great valley, and he went wandering on and on till he stood beside a large spring. And he had scarce trodden on the stones around it when suddenly a huge negro stood before him and asked him what he wanted.

船は半ばまで来たところで、突然ぴたりと止まり、進むことも退くこともできなくなった。船長は怯え、乗客に向かって、船中に約束を守らなかった者がいる、だから進めないのだと告げた。そこでベイが進み出て、約束を守らなかったのは自分だと言った。そこで人々はベイを陸へ降ろし、約束を果たしてから船へ戻れるようにした。ベイは海辺を歩き、海辺から大きな谷へ出て、さまよい歩くうちに大きな泉のかたわらに立った。そのまわりの石を踏むやいなや、突然、巨大な黒人が目の前に現れ、何が望みかと尋ねた。

“The stone-of-patience is of a yellow colour and the knife-of-patience has a brown sheath, bring them both to me!” said the Bey to the negro. And the next moment both the stone and the knife were in his hand, and he came back to the ship, went on board, and returned home. He gave the garment to his wife, but the stone and the knife he put in the kitchen. But the Bey was curious to know what the damsel would do with them, so one evening he crept down into the kitchen and watched her.

「忍耐の石は黄色い色をしており、忍耐の小刀は鞘が茶色である。その二つを持ってまいれ!」とベイは黒人に言った。すると次の瞬間、石も小刀もその手にあった。ベイは船へ戻り、乗り込んで帰国した。衣は妻に与えたが、石と小刀は台所に置いた。しかしベイは、あの娘がそれをどうするのか知りたくなり、ある晩そっと台所へ降りて娘を見張った。

When night approached she took the knife in her hand and placed the stone in front of her and began telling them her story. She told them what the little bird had thrice told her, and in what great terror both her mother and herself had fallen.

夜が近づくと、娘は小刀を手に取り、石を前に置いて、自分の身の上を語りはじめた。あの小さな鳥が三度言ったこと、母と自分がどれほどの恐怖に陥ったかを語った。

And while she was looking at the stone it suddenly began to swell, and its yellow hue hissed and bubbled as if there were life in it.

そして石を見つめていると、石は突然膨れはじめ、その黄色い色は、命が宿っているかのようにしゅうしゅうと泡立った。

Then the damsel went on to say how she had wandered into the palace of the Bey, how she had prayed forty days beside him, and how she had entrusted the negress with the praying while she went to wash and dress herself.

それから娘は、どうやってベイの宮殿に迷い込んだか、どうやって四十日のあいだその傍らで祈ったか、そして身を洗い着飾りに行くあいだ、黒人の娘に祈りを託したかを語った。

And the yellow stone swelled again, and hissed and foamed as if it were about to burst.

すると黄色い石はまた膨れ、いまにも破裂しそうにしゅうしゅうと泡立った。

Then the damsel told how the negress had deceived her, how instead of her the Bey had taken the negress to wife.

それから娘は、黒人の娘がどのように自分を欺いたか、自分の代わりにベイが黒人の娘を妻に迎えたかを語った。

And all this time the yellow stone went on swelling and hissing and foaming as if there were a real living heart inside it, till suddenly it burst and turned to ashes.

そのあいだじゅう、黄色い石は膨れ続け、まるで中に生きた心臓があるかのようにしゅうしゅうと泡立ち続け、ついに破裂して灰になった。

Then the damsel took the little knife by the handle and said: “Oh, thou yellow patience-stone, thou wert but a stone, and yet thou couldst not endure that I, a tender little damsel, a poor little damsel, should thus be thrust out.” And with that she would have buried the knife in her breast, but the Bey rushed forward and snatched away the knife.

そこで娘は小刀の柄を取って言った。「おお、黄色い忍耐の石よ、お前はただの石にすぎなかった。それなのに、か弱い小さな娘、哀れな小さな娘であるわたしがこのように追いやられるのを、耐えることができなかったのだね。」そう言って小刀を自分の胸に突き立てようとしたが、ベイが飛び出してきて、小刀を奪い取った。

“Thou art my real true Kismet,” cried the youth, as he took her into the upper chamber in the place of the negress. But the treacherous negress they slew, and they sent for the damsel’s mother and all lived together with great joy.

「お前こそがわたしのまことのキスメットだ」と若者は叫び、黒人の娘に代えて、彼女を上の間へ迎えた。裏切り者の黒人の娘は殺され、娘の母を迎えにやって、みなでともに、大きな喜びのうちに暮らした。

And the little bird came sometimes and perched in the window of the palace, and sang his joyful lay. And this is what he sang: “Oh, little damsel, happy little damsel, that hast found thy Kismet!”

そして小さな鳥はときおりやってきて、宮殿の窓に止まり、喜びの歌をさえずった。その歌はこうであった。「おお、小さな娘よ、幸せな小さな娘よ、キスメットを見出した娘よ!」