1 THE FARMER AND THE BADGER
1 農夫とアナグマ
2 Long, long ago, there lived an old farmer and his wife who had made their home in the mountains, far from any town. Their only neighbor was a bad and malicious badger. This badger used to come out every night and run across to the farmer�fs field and spoil the vegetables and the rice which the farmer spent his time in carefully cultivating. The badger at last grew so ruthless in his mischievous work, and did so much harm everywhere on the farm, that the good-natured farmer could not stand it any longer, and determined to put a stop to it. So he lay in wait day after day and night after night, with a big club, hoping to catch the badger, but all in vain. Then he laid traps for the wicked animal.
2 昔々、町から遠く離れた山の中に家を建てた年老いた農夫とその妻が住んでいました。彼らの唯一の隣人は、悪い悪意のあるアナグマでした。このアナグマは、毎晩出てきて農家の畑に出くわし、農家が時間をかけて丁寧に栽培した野菜や米を台無しにしていました。とうとうアナグマはいたずら好きの仕事に無慈悲になり、農場のいたるところに危害を加えたので、気さくな農夫はもう我慢できなくなり、やめようと決心しました。それで、彼はアナグマを捕まえることを望んで、大きな棍棒を持って、昼夜を問わず待ち伏せしましたが、すべて無駄でした。それから彼は邪悪な動物のためにわなを仕掛けました。
3 The farmer�fs trouble and patience was rewarded, for one fine day on going his rounds he found the badger caught in a hole he had dug for that purpose. The farmer was delighted at having caught his enemy, and carried him home securely bound with rope. When he reached the house the farmer said to his wife:
3 農夫の苦労と忍耐は報われました。ある晴れた日、農夫は、その目的のために掘った穴にアナグマが引っかかっているのを見つけました。農夫は敵を捕まえて大喜びし、ロープでしっかりと縛って家に持ち帰りました。家に着くと、農夫は妻にこう言いました。
4 �gI have at last caught the bad badger. You must keep an eye on him while I am out at work and not let him escape, because I want to make him into soup to-night.�h
4 やっと悪いアナグマを捕まえた。私が仕事をしている間、あなたは彼に目を光らせて、彼を逃がさないようにしなければなりません。今夜彼をスープにしたいからです。
5 Saying this, he hung the badger up to the rafters of his storehouse and went out to his work in the fields. The badger was in great distress, for he did not at all like the idea of being made into soup that night, and he thought and thought for a long time, trying to hit upon some plan by which he might escape. It was hard to think clearly in his uncomfortable position, for he had been hung upside down. Very near him, at the entrance to the storehouse, looking out towards the green fields and the trees and the pleasant sunshine, stood the farmer�fs old wife pounding barley. She looked tired and old. Her face was seamed with many wrinkles, and was as brown as leather, and every now and then she stopped to wipe the perspiration which rolled down her face.
5 そう言って、アナグマを倉の垂木につるし、畑仕事に出かけた。アナグマは、その夜スープにされるという考えがまったく好きではなかったので、非常に苦しんでいました。彼は逆さまに吊るされていたので、不快な姿勢ではっきりと考えるのは困難でした。彼のすぐ近く、倉庫の入り口で、緑の野原と木々と心地よい日差しを眺めながら、農夫の老妻が麦を叩いて立っていました。彼女は疲れて老けて見えた。彼女の顔にはたくさんのしわがあり、革のように茶色で、時々立ち止まって、顔にこぼれた汗をふきました。
6 �gDear lady,�h said the wily badger, �gyou must be very weary doing such heavy work in your old age. Won�ft you let me do that for you? My arms are very strong, and I could relieve you for a little while!�h
6 「おばさん、年老いてこんなに大変な仕事をしていて、とても疲れているにちがいない」と狡猾なアナグマは言いました。私にやらせてくれませんか？私の腕はとても強いので、少しの間あなたを安心させることができました!
7 �gThank you for your kindness,�h said the old woman, �gbut I cannot let you do this work for me because I must not untie you, for you might escape if I did, and my husband would be very angry if he came home and found you gone.�h
7 「親切にありがとう」と老婆は言いました。家に帰って、あなたがいなくなったことに気づきました。
8 Now, the badger is one of the most cunning of animals, and he said again in a very sad, gentle, voice:
8 さて、アナグマは動物の中で最も狡猾な動物の 1 つであり、非常に悲しく、優しい声で再び言いました。
9 �gYou are very unkind. You might untie me, for I promise not to try to escape. If you are afraid of your husband, I will let you bind me again before his return when I have finished pounding the barley. I am so tired and sore tied up like this. If you would only let me down for a few minutes I would indeed be thankful!�h
9 あなたはとても不親切です。私は逃げようとしないと約束するので、あなたは私を解くかもしれません。ご主人様が怖いのなら、大麦をたたき終えて帰ってくる前にまた縛らせてあげましょう。私はとても疲れていて、このように縛られています。ほんの数分だけ私をがっかりさせてくれるなら、本当に感謝します！
10 The old woman had a good and simple nature, and could not think badly of any one. Much less did she think that the badger was only deceiving her in order to get away. She felt sorry, too, for the animal as she turned to look at him. He looked in such a sad plight hanging downwards from the ceiling by his legs, which were all tied together so tightly that the rope and the knots were cutting into the skin. So in the kindness of her heart, and believing the creature�fs promise that he would not run away, she untied the cord and let him down.
10 おばあさんは気立てが良く素朴で、だれのことも悪く思いませんでした。ましてや、アナグマが逃げるために自分をだましているだけだとは思いもしませんでした。彼女はまた、その動物を気の毒に思いながら振り返りました。彼は、ロープと結び目が皮膚を切り裂くほどきつく結ばれた足で天井からぶら下がっているような悲しい窮状を見ました。それで、彼女は心の優しさで、そして彼が逃げないという生き物の約束を信じて、コードを解き、彼を降ろしました.
11 The old woman then gave him the wooden pestle and told him to do the work for a short time while she rested. He took the pestle, but instead of doing the work as he was told, the badger at once sprang upon the old woman and knocked her down with the heavy piece of wood. He then killed her and cut her up and made soup of her, and waited for the return of the old farmer. The old man worked hard in his fields all day, and as he worked he thought with pleasure that no more now would his labor be spoiled by the destructive badger.
11 すると、老婆は彼に杵を渡し、休んでいる間に少しの間その仕事をするように彼に言いました。彼は杵を取りましたが、言われた通りに仕事をする代わりに、アナグマはすぐに老婆に飛びつき、重い木片で彼女を倒しました。それから彼は彼女を殺し、切り刻んでスープを作り、年老いた農夫の帰りを待ちました。老人は一日中畑で一生懸命働きました。そして働きながら、彼はもう自分の労働が破壊的なアナグマによって台無しにされないだろうと喜んで考えました。
12 Towards sunset he left his work and turned to go home. He was very tired, but the thought of the nice supper of hot badger soup awaiting his return cheered him. The thought that the badger might get free and take revenge on the poor old woman never once came into his mind.
12 日が沈む頃、彼は仕事を辞めて家に帰ろうとした。彼はとても疲れていましたが、彼の帰りを待っている熱いアナグマのスープの素晴らしい夕食の考えは彼を元気づけました.アナグマが自由になってかわいそうな老婆に復讐するかもしれないという考えは、一度も彼の頭に浮かびませんでした。
13 The badger meanwhile assumed the old woman�fs form, and as soon as he saw the old farmer approaching came out to greet him on the veranda of the little house, saying:
13 その間、アナグマはおばあさんの姿になり、年寄りの農夫が近づいてくるのを見るとすぐに出てきて、小さな家のベランダで彼に挨拶しました。
14 �gSo you have come back at last. I have made the badger soup and have been waiting for you for a long time.�h
14 やっと帰ってきたね。アナグマのスープを作って、あなたをずっと待っていました。
15 The old farmer quickly took off his straw sandals and sat down before his tiny dinner-tray. The innocent man never even dreamed that it was not his wife but the badger who was waiting upon him, and asked at once for the soup. Then the badger suddenly transformed himself back to his natural form and cried out:
15 農夫はすぐに草履を脱ぎ、小さな皿の前に腰を下ろした。無実の男は、彼を待っていたのが妻ではなくアナグマだとは夢にも思わず、すぐにスープを求めました。すると、アナグマは突然元の姿に戻り、叫びました。
16 �gYou wife-eating old man! Look out for the bones in the kitchen!�h
16 人妻喰いオヤジ！キッチンの骨に気をつけて！
17 Laughing loudly and derisively he escaped out of the house and ran away to his den in the hills. The old man was left behind alone. He could hardly believe what he had seen and heard. Then when he understood the whole truth he was so scared and horrified that he fainted right away. After a while he came round and burst into tears. He cried loudly and bitterly. He rocked himself to and fro in his hopeless grief. It seemed too terrible to be real that his faithful old wife had been killed and cooked by the badger while he was working quietly in the fields, knowing nothing of what was going on at home, and congratulating himself on having once for all got rid of the wicked animal who had so often spoiled his fields. And oh! the horrible thought; he had very nearly drunk the soup which the creature had made of his poor old woman. �gOh dear, oh dear, oh dear!�h he wailed aloud. Now, not far away there lived in the same mountain a kind, good-natured old rabbit. He heard the old man crying and sobbing and at once set out to see what was the matter, and if there was anything he could do to help his neighbor. The old man told him all that had happened. When the rabbit heard the story he was very angry at the wicked and deceitful badger, and told the old man to leave everything to him and he would avenge his wife�fs death. The farmer was at last comforted, and, wiping away his tears, thanked the rabbit for his goodness in coming to him in his distress.
17 大声で嘲笑しながら、彼は家から逃げ出し、丘の自分の巣穴に逃げた。老人は一人取り残されました。彼は自分が見たり聞いたりしたことをほとんど信じられませんでした。それから彼がすべての真実を理解したとき、彼はとても怖くて恐ろしくなり、すぐに気を失いました.しばらくすると、彼が戻ってきて、突然泣き出しました。彼は大声で激しく泣いた。彼は絶望的な悲しみの中で体を前後に揺さぶりました。忠実な老妻がアナグマに殺され、調理されたのは、彼が家で何が起こっているのか何も知らずに畑で静かに働いていたときに、あまりにも恐ろしいことでした.彼の畑を何度も荒らしてきた邪悪な動物。そしてああ！恐ろしい考え;彼は、怪物がかわいそうな老婆のために作ったスープをほとんど飲み干したところだった。 「ああ、ああ、ああ、ああ、ああ！」彼は大声で叫びました。さて、遠く離れた同じ山に、親切で気さくな年老いたウサギが住んでいました。彼は老人が泣いたりすすり泣いたりしているのを聞いて、すぐに何が問題なのか、隣人を助けるために何かできることがないか調べに出かけました。老人は彼に起こったことをすべて話しました。話を聞いたうさぎは、邪悪で欺瞞的なアナグマにとても腹を立て、老人にすべてを彼に任せて妻の死に復讐するように言いました。農夫はやっと安心し、うさぎに涙をふき取り、困っているときに来てくれてありがとうと言いました。
18 The rabbit, seeing that the farmer was growing calmer, went back to his home to lay his plans for the punishment of the badger.
18 うさぎは、農夫が落ち着いてきたのを見て、家に帰って、アナグマを罰する計画を立てました。
19 The next day the weather was fine, and the rabbit went out to find the badger. He was not to be seen in the woods or on the hillside or in the fields anywhere, so the rabbit went to his den and found the badger hiding there, for the animal had been afraid to show himself ever since he had escaped from the farmer�fs house, for fear of the old man�fs wrath.
19 次の日、天気がよかったので、うさぎはアナグマを探しに出かけました。森の中、丘の中腹、野原のどこにも見られなかったので、うさぎは自分の巣穴に行き、そこに隠れているアナグマを見つけました。老人の怒りを恐れて、彼の家。
20 The rabbit called out:
20 うさぎはこう叫びました。