41 Princess Moonlight took the branch in her hand and looked at it carefully. She then told her foster-parent that she knew it was impossible for the man to have obtained a branch from the gold and silver tree growing on Mount Horai so quickly or so easily, and she was sorry to say she believed it artificial.
41 月光姫は枝を手に取り、じっと見つめた。それから彼女は里親に、男性が蓬莱山に生える金銀の木から枝を簡単に手に入れることは不可能であることを知っており、それが人工的であると信じていたことを残念に思っている.
42 The old man then went out to the expectant Knight, who had now approached the house, and asked where he had found the branch. Then the man did not scruple to make up a long story.
42 それから老人は、家に近づいてきた期待の騎士のところに出て行き、どこで枝を見つけたのか尋ねました。それからその男はためらわずに長い話をでっちあげました。
43 “Two years ago I took a ship and started in search of Mount Horai. After going before the wind for some time I reached the far Eastern Sea. Then a great storm arose and I was tossed about for many days, losing all count of the points of the compass, and finally we were blown ashore on an unknown island. Here I found the place inhabited by demons who at one time threatened to kill and eat me. However, I managed to make friends with these horrible creatures, and they helped me and my sailors to repair the boat, and I set sail again. Our food gave out, and we suffered much from sickness on board. At last, on the five-hundredth day from the day of starting, I saw far off on the horizon what looked like the peak of a mountain. On nearer approach, this proved to be an island, in the center of which rose a high mountain. I landed, and after wandering about for two or three days, I saw a shining being coming towards me on the beach, holding in his hands a golden bowl. I went up to him and asked him if I had, by good chance, found the island of Mount Horai, and he answered:”
43 「二年前、私は船に乗って蓬莱山を探し始めました。しばらく風に乗って東の海に出ました。その後、大嵐が起こり、私は羅針盤のすべての点を数えることができず、何日もさまよい、ついに私たちは見知らぬ島に漂着しました。ここで、かつて私を殺して食べると脅した悪魔が住んでいた場所を見つけました。しかし、私はなんとかこの恐ろしい生き物と友達になり、彼らは私と私の船員がボートを修理するのを手伝ってくれ、私は再び出航しました.私たちの食糧は尽き、船上では病気に苦しみました。ついに、出発から五百日目に、遠く地平線の彼方に山の頂らしきものが見えた。近づいてみると、これは島であることが判明し、その中心には高い山がそびえ立っていました。私は上陸し、二、三日さまよい歩いた後、浜辺で金色のボウルを手に持って、輝く存在が私に向かってくるのを見ました。私は彼に近づき、たまたま蓬莱山の島を見つけたかどうか尋ねたところ、彼はこう答えました。」
44 “‘Yes, this is Mount Horai!’”
44「はい、蓬莱山です！」
45 “With much difficulty I climbed to the summit, here stood the golden tree growing with silver roots in the ground. The wonders of that strange land are many, and if I began to tell you about them I could never stop. In spite of my wish to stay there long, on breaking off the branch I hurried back. With utmost speed it has taken me four hundred days to get back, and, as you see, my clothes are still damp from exposure on the long sea voyage. I have not even waited to change my raiment, so anxious was I to bring the branch to the Princess quickly.”
45 「私は非常に苦労して頂上に登りました。ここには、地面に銀色の根が生えている金色の木が立っていました。その見知らぬ土地の不思議はたくさんあり、それらについて話し始めたら、私は決して止めることができませんでした.ずっとそこにいたかったのに、私は枝を折って急いで引き返しました。最高速度で戻るのに 400 日かかりましたが、ご覧のとおり、私の服は長い航海でさらされてまだ湿っています。着替えも待っていないので、急いで枝を姫様のところに持って行きたいと思いました。」
46 Just at this moment the six jewelers, who had been employed on the making of the branch, but not yet paid by the Knight, arrived at the house and sent in a petition to the Princess to be paid for their labor. They said that they had worked for over a thousand days making the branch of gold, with its silver twigs and its jeweled fruit, that was now presented to her by the Knight, but as yet they had received nothing in payment. So this Knight’s deception was thus found out, and the Princess, glad of an escape from one more importunate suitor, was only too pleased to send back the branch. She called in the workmen and had them paid liberally, and they went away happy. But on the way home they were overtaken by the disappointed man, who beat them till they were nearly dead, for letting out the secret, and they barely escaped with their lives. The Knight then returned home, raging in his heart; and in despair of ever winning the Princess gave up society and retired to a solitary life among the mountains.
46 ちょうどその時、枝の製作に雇われていたが、まだ騎士から報酬をもらっていない 6 人の宝石商が家に到着し、彼らの労働に対する報酬を支払うよう王女に嘆願書を送りました。彼らは、銀の小枝と宝石で飾られた果実を含む金の枝を作るのに1000日以上働いたと言った.このようにして、この騎士の欺瞞が発覚し、王女は別の熱心な求婚者からの逃亡を喜んで、あまりにも喜んで枝を送り返しました.彼女は労働者を呼んで、気前よく支払ってもらい、彼らは満足して立ち去りました。しかし、帰り道、失意の男に追いつかれ、秘密を漏らしたとして2人は死ぬ寸前まで殴られ、かろうじて命からがら逃げ出しました。その後、騎士は家に帰り、心の中で激怒しました。そして、勝つことに絶望して、王女は社会をあきらめ、山の中で孤独な生活に引退しました。
47 Now the Third Knight had a friend in China, so he wrote to him to get the skin of the fire-rat. The virtue of any part of this animal was that no fire could harm it. He promised his friend any amount of money he liked to ask if only he could get him the desired article. As soon as the news came that the ship on which his friend had sailed home had come into port, he rode seven days on horseback to meet him. He handed his friend a large sum of money, and received the fire-rat’s skin. When he reached home he put it carefully in a box and sent it in to the Princess while he waited outside for her answer.
47 さて、第三騎士には中国に友人がいたので、火鼠の皮を手に入れるために彼に手紙を書きました。この動物のあらゆる部分の美徳は、火がそれを傷つけることができないということでした.彼は友人に、希望する物品を手に入れることができれば、好きな金額を要求することを約束しました。彼の友人が乗って帰ってきた船が入港したというニュースが来るとすぐに、彼は彼に会うために馬に乗って7日間乗りました。彼は友人に大金を渡し、火鼠の皮を受け取った。彼が家に着くと、彼はそれを慎重に箱に入れ、外で彼女の答えを待っている間、王女に送りました.
48 The bamboo-cutter took the box from the Knight and, as usual, carried it in to her and tried to coax her to see the Knight at once, but Princess Moonlight refused, saying that she must first put the skin to test by putting it into the fire. If it were the real thing it would not burn. So she took off the crape wrapper and opened the box, and then threw the skin into the fire. The skin crackled and burnt up at once, and the Princess knew that this man also had not fulfilled his word. So the Third Knight failed also.
48 竹取は騎士から箱を受け取り、いつものようにそれを彼女に運び、すぐに騎士に会うように彼女を説得しようとしましたが、ムーンライト王女は、最初に肌をテストするために皮膚を入れてテストする必要があると言って拒否しました.火の中に入れます。本物なら燃えない。そこで彼女はちりめんの包み紙を外して箱を開け、皮を火の中に投げ入れました。皮膚がパチパチとたちまち燃え上がり、王女はこの男も約束を果たさなかったことに気づきました。だから第三騎士も失敗した。
49 Now the Fourth Knight was no more enterprising than the rest. Instead of starting out on the quest of the dragon bearing on its head the five-color-radiating jewel, he called all his servants together and gave them the order to seek for it far and wide in Japan and in China, and he strictly forbade any of them to return till they had found it.
49 さて、第 4 騎士は他の騎士よりも積極的ではありませんでした。頭に五色の光を放つ宝珠を持った龍を求めて出発する代わりに、彼はすべての使用人を集めて、日本と中国で遠くまでそれを探すように命じ、厳しく禁じました.彼らがそれを見つけるまで、それらのいずれかが戻ってきます。
50 His numerous retainers and servants started out in different directions, with no intention, however, of obeying what they considered an impossible order. They simply took a holiday, went to pleasant country places together, and grumbled at their master’s unreasonableness.
50 彼の多くの家臣や使用人は、彼らが不可能と考えていた命令に従うつもりはなかったが、異なる方向に出発した.彼らは単に休暇を取り、一緒に楽しい田舎の場所に行き、主人の理不尽をつぶやきました。
51 The Knight meanwhile, thinking that his retainers could not fail to find the jewel, repaired to his house, and fitted it up beautifully for the reception of the Princess, he felt so sure of winning her.
51 一方、騎士は、家臣たちが宝石を見つけ、家に修理し、王女の歓迎のために美しく整えたと考えて、彼女を勝ち取る自信がありました。
52 One year passed away in weary waiting, and still his men did not return with the dragon-jewel. The Knight became desperate. He could wait no longer, so taking with him only two men he hired a ship and commanded the captain to go in search of the dragon; the captain and the sailors refused to undertake what they said was an absurd search, but the Knight compelled them at last to put out to sea.
52 待ち疲れた一年が過ぎたが、それでも彼の部下は竜の宝石を持って帰ってこなかった。騎士は必死になった。彼はもはや待つことができなかったので、2人の男だけを連れて船を雇い、船長にドラゴンを探しに行くように命じました。船長と水夫たちは、不合理な捜索だと言って拒否したが、騎士はついに彼らに出航を強いた。
53 When they had been but a few days out they encountered a great storm which lasted so long that, by the time its fury abated, the Knight had determined to give up the hunt of the dragon. They were at last blown on shore, for navigation was primitive in those days. Worn out with his travels and anxiety, the fourth suitor gave himself up to rest. He had caught a very heavy cold, and had to go to bed with a swollen face.
53 彼らがそこから数日しか経っていなかったとき、彼らは非常に長く続いた大嵐に遭遇したので、その怒りが収まるまでに、騎士はドラゴンの狩りをあきらめることに決めた.当時、航海は原始的だったので、彼らはついに岸に吹き飛ばされました。旅と不安に疲れ果てた4人目の求婚者は、休息をとった。彼はひどい風邪をひいてしまい、顔がむくんで寝なければならなかった。
54 The governor of the place, hearing of his plight, sent messengers with a letter inviting him to his house. While he was there thinking over all his troubles, his love for the Princess turned to anger, and he blamed her for all the hardships he had undergone. He thought that it was quite probable she had wished to kill him so that she might be rid of him, and in order to carry out her wish had sent him upon his impossible quest.
54 その場所の知事は、彼の窮状を聞いて、彼を家に招待する手紙を持って使者を送った。彼がそこにいる間、すべての悩みを考えている間、彼の王女への愛は怒りに変わり、彼が経験したすべての苦労を彼女のせいにしました.彼は、彼女が彼を追い払うために彼を殺そうとした可能性が非常に高いと考え、彼女の願いを実行するために彼を彼の不可能な探求に送りました.
55 At this point all the servants he had sent out to find the jewel came to see him, and were surprised to find praise instead of displeasure awaiting them. Their master told them that he was heartily sick of adventure, and said that he never intended to go near the Princess’s house again in the future.
55 この時点で、彼が宝石を見つけるために派遣したすべての使用人が彼に会いに来て、彼らを待っている不快感の代わりに賞賛を見つけて驚いた.彼らの主人は、冒険にうんざりしていると言い、将来二度と王女の家に近づくつもりはないと言いました.
56 Like all the rest, the Fifth Knight failed in his quest—he could not find the swallow’s shell.
56 他のすべての騎士と同様に、第 5 騎士は探索に失敗しました。彼はツバメの殻を見つけることができませんでした。
57 By this time the fame of Princess Moonlight’s beauty had reached the ears of the Emperor, and he sent one of the Court ladies to see if she were really as lovely as report said; if so he would summon her to the Palace and make her one of the ladies-in-waiting.
57 この時までに、月光姫の美しさの名声は皇帝の耳に届いていたので、彼は宮廷の女性の 1 人を派遣して、彼女が報告にあるように本当に美しいかどうかを確認しました。もしそうなら、彼は彼女を宮殿に召喚し、彼女を侍女の一人にするだろう.
58 When the Court lady arrived, in spite of her father’s entreaties, Princess Moonlight refused to see her. The Imperial messenger insisted, saying it was the Emperor’s order. Then Princess Moonlight told the old man that if she was forced to go to the Palace in obedience to the Emperor’s order, she would vanish from the earth.
58 宮廷婦人が到着したとき、父親の懇願にもかかわらず、ムーンライト王女は彼女に会うことを拒否しました。勅使は、天皇の命令だと主張した。すると月光姫は老人に、皇帝の命令に従って宮殿に行くことを強要されれば、自分は地上から消えてしまうだろうと言いました。
59 When the Emperor was told of her persistence in refusing to obey his summons, and that if pressed to obey she would disappear altogether from sight, he determined to go and see her. So he planned to go on a hunting excursion in the neighborhood of the bamboo-cutter’s house, and see the Princess himself. He sent word to the old man of his intention, and he received consent to the scheme. The next day the Emperor set out with his retinue, which he soon managed to outride. He found the bamboo-cutter’s house and dismounted. He then entered the house and went straight to where the Princess was sitting with her attendant maidens.
59 皇帝は、彼女が召喚状に従うことを頑固に拒み、もし従うよう迫られれば彼女は完全に姿を消すだろうと告げられたとき、彼女に会いに行くことを決心した。そこで、竹取の家の近くに狩りに出かけて、姫に会いに行こうと思いました。彼はその意図を老人に伝え、彼は計画への同意を得た.翌日、皇帝は従者を連れて出発し、すぐに追い越しました。彼は竹取の家を見つけて降りました。それから彼は家に入り、王女が付き添いの乙女たちと一緒に座っていた場所にまっすぐ行きました.
60 Never had he seen any one so wonderfully beautiful, and he could not but look at her, for she was more lovely than any human being as she shone in her own soft radiance. When Princess Moonlight became aware that a stranger was looking at her she tried to escape from the room, but the Emperor caught her and begged her to listen to what he had to say. Her only answer was to hide her face in her sleeves.
60 彼はこれほど驚くほど美しい人を見たことがなかったし、彼は彼女を見ずにはいられなかった。見知らぬ人が自分を見ていることに気づいたムーンライト姫は、部屋から逃げようとしたが、皇帝は彼女を捕まえ、彼の言うことを聞くように頼んだ.彼女の唯一の答えは、袖で顔を隠すことでした.