1 THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA. AN OLD CHINESE STORY
1 五色の石と女禍
2 Long, long ago there lived a great Chinese Empress who succeeded her brother the Emperor Fuki. It was the age of giants, and the Empress Jokwa, for that was her name, was twenty-five feet high, nearly as tall as her brother. She was a wonderful woman, and an able ruler. There is an interesting story of how she mended a part of the broken heavens and one of the terrestrial pillars which upheld the sky, both of which were damaged during a rebellion raised by one of King Fuki’s subjects.
2 むかしむかし、弟の富貴天皇の後を継いだ偉大な中国の皇后がいました。それは巨人の時代であり、彼女の名前であるジョクワ皇后は、身長が25フィートで、兄とほぼ同じ高さでした.彼女は素晴らしい女性であり、有能な支配者でした。富貴王の臣下の一人が起こした反乱の際に壊れた天の一部と空を支えていた地上の柱の 1 つを、彼女がどのように修復したかという興味深い話があります。
3 The rebel’s name was Kokai. He was twenty-six feet high. His body was entirely covered with hair, and his face was as black as iron. He was a wizard and a very terrible character indeed. When the Emperor Fuki died, Kokai was bitten with the ambition to be Emperor of China, but his plan failed, and Jokwa, the dead Emperor’s sister, mounted the throne. Kokai was so angry at being thwarted in his desire that he raised a revolt. His first act was to employ the Water Devil, who caused a great flood to rush over the country. This swamped the poor people out of their homes, and when the Empress Jokwa saw the plight of her subjects, and knew it was Kokai’s fault, she declared war against him.
3 反逆者の名はコーカイ。彼の身長は 26 フィートでした。全身が毛で覆われ、顔は鉄のように真っ黒。彼は魔法使いであり、実に恐ろしいキャラクターでした。富貴天皇が亡くなると、幸海は中国の皇帝になるという野心を抱いたが、彼の計画は失敗し、亡くなった皇帝の妹である浄和が王位に就いた.公海は自分の欲望を裏切られたことに怒り、反乱を起こした。彼の最初の行動は、大洪水を国に押し寄せた水の悪魔を雇うことでした.これは貧しい人々を家から追い出し、ジョクワ皇后は臣民の窮状を見て、それが公海のせいだと知ったとき、彼に対して宣戦布告した.
4 Now Jokwa, the Empress, had two young warriors called Hako and Eiko, and the former she made General of the front forces. Hako was delighted that the Empress’s choice should fall on him, and he prepared himself for battle. He took up the longest lance he could find and mounted a red horse, and was just about to set out when he heard some one galloping hard behind him and shouting:
4 さて、女帝ジョクワにはハコとエイコという二人の若い戦士がおり、前者は前線の将軍となった。ハコは皇后の選択が自分に委ねられたことを喜び、戦いの準備を整えた。彼は見つけることができる最長の槍を手に取り、赤い馬にまたがり、出発しようとしたところ、誰かが彼の後ろで激しく疾走し、叫んでいるのが聞こえました。
5 “Hako! Stop! The general of the front forces must be I!”
5「ハコ！止まる！前線の総帥はこの私に違いない！」
6 He looked back and saw Eiko his comrade, riding on a white horse, in the act of unsheathing a large sword to draw upon him. Hako’s anger was kindled, and as he turned to face his rival he cried:
6 振り返ると、戦友の英子が白馬にまたがり、大剣を抜こうとしているのが見えた。ハコの怒りが燃え上がり、ライバルに向き直ると彼は叫んだ。
7 “Insolent wretch! I have been appointed by the Empress to lead the front forces to battle. Do you dare to stop me?”
7 「横柄な野郎！私は前線部隊を率いて戦うために皇后に任命されました。私を止めてみませんか？」
8 “Yes,” answered Eiko. “I ought to lead the army. It is you who should follow me.”
8 「はい」エイコは答えた。 「私は軍隊を率いるべきです。私に従うべきはあなたです。」
9 At this bold reply Hako’s anger burst from a spark into a flame.
9 この大胆な返答に、ハコの怒りは火花から炎へと弾けた。
10 “Dare you answer me thus? Take that,” and he lunged at him with his lance.
10 「あなたは私にこう答えますか。それを取りなさい」そして彼は槍で彼に突進した.
11 But Eiko moved quickly aside, and at the same time, raising his sword, he wounded the head of the General’s horse. Obliged to dismount, Hako was about to rush at his antagonist, when Eiko, as quick as lightning, tore from his breast the badge of commandership and galloped away. The action was so quick that Hako stood dazed, not knowing what to do.
11 しかし栄子は素早くわきへ退き、同時に剣を振り上げて将軍の馬の頭に傷を負わせた。馬から降りなければならないハコが敵に突進しようとしたとき、エイコは電光石火のように素早く彼の胸から指揮官の記章を引きちぎり、疾走した。その行動はあまりに素早かったので、ハコは何をすべきか分からず、ぼんやりと立っていた。
12 The Empress had been a spectator of the scene, and she could not but admire the quickness of the ambitious Eiko, and in order to pacify the rivals she determined to appoint them both to the Generalship of the front army.
12 女帝はこの光景の傍観者であり、野心的な栄子の素早さに感心せずにはいられず、敵をなだめるために、彼女は二人を前軍の将軍に任命することに決めた。
13 So Hako was made commander of the left wing of the front army, and Eiko of the right. One hundred thousand soldiers followed them and marched to put down the rebel Kokai.
13 そこでハコは前軍の左翼の指揮官となり、栄光は右翼の指揮官となった。 10万人の兵士が彼らに従い、反逆者のコウカイを倒すために行進した.
14 Within a short time the two Generals reached the castle where Kokai had fortified himself. When aware of their approach, the wizard said:
14 ほどなくして、二人の将軍はコーカイが防備を固めた城に到着した。彼らのアプローチに気づいたとき、魔法使いは言った：
15 “I will blow these two poor children away with one breath.” (He little thought how hard he would find the fight.)
15 「この二人の可哀想な子供たちを一息で吹き飛ばしてしまいます。」 （彼は戦いを見つけるのがどれほど難しいかをほとんど考えていませんでした。）
16 With these words Kokai seized an iron rod and mounted a black horse, and rushed forth like an angry tiger to meet his two foes.
16 これらの言葉で、公海は鉄の棒をつかみ、黒い馬に乗り、怒った虎のように急いで2人の敵に会いました.
17 As the two young warriors saw him tearing down upon them, they said to each other: “We must not let him escape alive,” and they attacked him from the right and from the left with sword and with lance. But the all-powerful Kokai was not to be easily beaten—he whirled his iron rod round like a great water-wheel, and for a long time they fought thus, neither side gaining nor losing. At last, to avoid the wizard’s iron rod, Hako turned his horse too quickly; the animal’s hoofs struck against a large stone, and in a fright the horse reared as straight on end as a screen, throwing his master to the ground.
17 二人の若い戦士は、彼が自分たちを打ち倒しているのを見て、互いに言い合った。しかし、全能のコーカイは簡単に打ち負かされることはありませんでした.彼は鉄の棒を大きな水車のように回転させ、長い間こうして戦い、どちらの側も勝ったり負けたりしませんでした.最後に、魔法使いの鉄の棒を避けるために、ハコは馬の向きを変えすぎた。動物のひづめが大きな石にぶつかり、馬は恐怖でスクリーンのようにまっすぐに立ち上がって、主人を地面に投げつけました。
18 Thereupon Kokai drew his three-edged sword and was about to kill the prostrate Hako, but before the wizard could work his wicked will the brave Eiko had wheeled his horse in front of Kokai and dared him to try his strength with him, and not to kill a fallen man. But Kokai was tired, and he did not feel inclined to face this fresh and dauntless young soldier, so suddenly wheeling his horse round, he fled from the fray.
18 すると、公海は三枚刃の剣を抜き、ひれ伏したハコを殺そうとしたが、魔法使いがその邪悪な意志を働かせる前に、勇敢な栄子は公海の前で馬を動かし、あえて彼と一緒に力を試してみた。倒れた男を殺す。しかし、公海は疲れていたので、この新鮮で勇猛果敢な若い兵士と向き合う気はなかったので、突然馬を動かして戦いから逃げました.
19 Hako, who had been only slightly stunned, had by this time got upon his feet, and he and his comrade rushed after the retreating enemy, the one on foot and the other on horseback.
わずかに気絶しただけだったハコは、この時までに立ち上がっており、彼と彼の同志は、退却する敵を追いかけ、一方は徒歩で、もう一方は馬に乗った.
20 Kokai, seeing that he was pursued, turned upon his nearest assailant, who was, of course, the mounted Eiko, and drawing forth an arrow from the quiver at his back, fitted it to his bow and drew upon Eiko.
20 コーカイは追われているのを見て、一番近くにいた加害者、もちろん馬に乗ったエイコーに向きを変え、背中の矢筒から矢を抜き、それを自分の弓に取り付けてエイコーに向けた.
