101 “Well, then, I will take you with me, but be careful!”
101「じゃあ、連れて行くけど気をつけてね！」
102 Momotaro now got a small ship, and they all got on board. The wind and weather were fair, and the ship went like an arrow over the sea. It was the first time they had ever been on the water, and so at first the dog, the monkey and the pheasant were frightened at the waves and the rolling of the vessel, but by degrees they grew accustomed to the water and were quite happy again. Every day they paced the deck of their little ship, eagerly looking out for the demons’ island.
102 桃太郎は小さな船を手に入れ、全員が乗り込みました。風も天気も良く、船は海の上を矢のように進んだ。初めての水上だったので、犬も猿も雉も、最初は波や船の揺れに怯えていましたが、だんだんと水に慣れてきてとても楽しそうでした。また。彼らは毎日、小さな船の甲板を歩き回り、熱心に悪魔の島を探していました。
103 When they grew tired of this, they told each other stories of all their exploits of which they were proud, and then played games together; and Momotaro found much to amuse him in listening to the three animals and watching their antics, and in this way he forgot that the way was long and that he was tired of the voyage and of doing nothing. He longed to be at work killing the monsters who had done so much harm in his country.
103 彼らはこれにうんざりしたとき、彼らが誇りに思っているすべての功績についてお互いに話し、それから一緒にゲームをしました。桃太郎は、三匹の動物の話を聞いたり、そのふざけた様子を見たりするのがとても楽しかったので、道のりが長いことや、航海や何もしないことにうんざりしていることを忘れてしまいました。彼は、自分の国に多大な損害を与えた怪物を殺す仕事に就きたいと切望していました。
104 As the wind blew in their favor and they met no storms the ship made a quick voyage, and one day when the sun was shining brightly a sight of land rewarded the four watchers at the bow.
104 風が彼らに有利に吹き、嵐に遭遇しなかったので、船は素早く航海し、ある日、太陽が明るく輝いていたとき、船首にいる 4 人の見張りに陸の光景が報われた。
105 Momotaro knew at once that what they saw was the devils’ stronghold. On the top of the precipitous shore, looking out to sea, was a large castle. Now that his enterprise was close at hand, he was deep in thought with his head leaning on his hands, wondering how he should begin the attack. His three followers watched him, waiting for orders. At last he called to the pheasant:
105 桃太郎は、そこが鬼の本拠地だとすぐにわかった。海を望む険しい海岸の頂上には、大きな城がありました。作戦が目前に迫った今、彼は両手に頭をもたれかけ、どのように攻撃を開始するべきかを深く考えていました。彼の 3 人の従者が彼を見て、命令を待ちました。最後に彼はキジに呼びかけました：
106 “It is a great advantage for us to have you with us.” said Momotaro to the bird, “for you have good wings. Fly at once to the castle and engage the demons to fight. We will follow you.”
106「あなたが私たちと一緒にいることは、私たちにとって大きな利点です。」桃太郎は鳥に言いました。すぐに城に飛んで、悪魔と戦ってください。私たちはあなたに従います。」
107 The pheasant at once obeyed. He flew off from the ship beating the air gladly with his wings. The bird soon reached the island and took up his position on the roof in the middle of the castle, calling out loudly:
107 キジはすぐに従いました。彼は翼で喜んで空気を叩きながら船から飛び立った。鳥はすぐに島にたどり着き、城の真ん中の屋根に陣取り、大声で叫びました。
108 “All you devils listen to me! The great Japanese general Momotaro has come to fight you and to take your stronghold from you. If you wish to save your lives surrender at once, and in token of your submission you must break off the horns that grow on your forehead. If you do not surrender at once, but make up your mind to fight, we, the pheasant, the dog and the monkey, will kill you all by biting and tearing you to death!”
108「鬼畜ども、よく聞け！日本の偉大な将軍である桃太郎は、あなたと戦い、あなたから拠点を奪うためにやって来ました。命を救いたいなら、すぐに降伏し、服従のしるしとして、額に生えている角を折らなければなりません。もしあなたがすぐに降伏せず、戦うことを決心するなら、私たち、キジ、犬、サルは、あなたを噛んで引き裂いて殺すでしょう！
109 The horned demons looking up and only seeing a pheasant, laughed and said:
109 角のある悪鬼たちは顔を上げ、キジだけを見て、笑って言った。
110 “A wild pheasant, indeed! It is ridiculous to hear such words from a mean thing like you. Wait till you get a blow from one of our iron bars!”
110 「さすが野雉！あなたのような卑劣な人からそのような言葉を聞くのはばかげています。鉄の棒で一撃するまで待て！」
111 Very angry, indeed, were the devils. They shook their horns and their shocks of red hair fiercely, and rushed to put on tiger skin trousers to make themselves look more terrible. They then brought out great iron bars and ran to where the pheasant perched over their heads, and tried to knock him down. The pheasant flew to one side to escape the blow, and then attacked the head of first one and then another demon. He flew round and round them, beating the air with his wings so fiercely and ceaselessly, that the devils began to wonder whether they had to fight one or many more birds.
111 実際、悪魔たちは非常に怒っていました。彼らは角と赤い髪の衝撃を激しく振り、より恐ろしく見えるように急いで虎の皮のズボンをはきました。それから彼らは大きな鉄の棒を持ってきて、キジが頭の上に止まっているところに駆け寄り、キジを倒そうとしました。キジは一撃を逃れるために片側に飛んで行き、最初の鬼の頭を攻撃し、次に別の鬼の頭を攻撃しました。彼は彼らの周りを飛び回り、翼で空気を激しく絶え間なく叩いたので、悪魔たちは一羽以上の鳥と戦う必要があるのか 疑問に思い始めました。
112 In the meantime, Momotaro had brought his ship to land. As they had approached, he saw that the shore was like a precipice, and that the large castle was surrounded by high walls and large iron gates and was strongly fortified.
112 その間、桃太郎は船を上陸させていた。彼らが近づいたとき、彼は海岸が絶壁のようであり、大きな城が高い壁と大きな鉄の門に囲まれ、強力に強化されているのを見ました.
113 Momotaro landed, and with the hope of finding some way of entrance, walked up the path towards the top, followed by the monkey and the dog. They soon came upon two beautiful damsels washing clothes in a stream. Momotaro saw that the clothes were blood-stained, and that as the two maidens washed, the tears were falling fast down their cheeks. He stopped and spoke to them:
113 桃太郎が着陸し、入り口を見つけることを期待して、猿と犬が続いて頂上への道を歩いた。彼らはすぐに、2 人の美しい乙女が小川で洗濯をしているのに出会いました。桃太郎は、服が血で染まっているのを見て、二人の乙女が洗うと、涙が頬を伝いました。彼は立ち止まって彼らに話しかけました：
114 “Who are you, and why do you weep?”
114 「あなたは誰ですか、なぜ泣くのですか?」
115 “We are captives of the Demon King. We were carried away from our homes to this island, and though we are the daughters of Daimios (Lords), we are obliged to be his servants, and one day he will kill us”—and the maidens held up the blood-stained clothes—“and eat us, and there is no one to help us!”
115 「私たちは魔王の囚人です。私たちは家からこの島に連れ去られました、そして私たちはダイミオス（領主）の娘ですが、私たちは彼のしもべである義務があり、いつか彼は私たちを殺します. —「そして私たちを食べてください、そして私たちを助ける人は誰もいません！」
116 And their tears burst out afresh at this horrible thought.
116 そして、この恐ろしい考えに、彼らの涙が新たに吹き出しました。
117 “I will rescue you,” said Momotaro. “Do not weep any more, only show me how I may get into the castle.”
117 「私が助けてあげます」と桃太郎。 「もう泣かないで、城に入る方法を教えてください。」
118 Then the two ladies led the way and showed Momotaro a little back door in the lowest part of the castle wall—so small that Momotaro could hardly crawl in.
118 それから二人の女性が先導し、城壁の最下部にある小さな裏口を桃太郎に見せました。
119 The pheasant, who was all this time fighting hard, saw Momotaro and his little band rush in at the back.
119 ずっとけんかをしていたキジは、後ろから桃太郎と小隊が駆け込んでくるのを見た。
120 Momotaro’s onslaught was so furious that the devils could not stand against him. At first their foe had been a single bird, the pheasant, but now that Momotaro and the dog and the monkey had arrived they were bewildered, for the four enemies fought like a hundred, so strong were they. Some of the devils fell off the parapet of the castle and were dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath; others fell into the sea and were drowned; many were beaten to death by the three animals.
120 桃太郎の猛攻は猛威を振るい、鬼たちは立ち向かうことができなかった。最初の敵はキジという一羽の鳥だったが、桃太郎と犬と猿がやってきて当惑した。悪魔の何人かは城の欄干から落ち、下の岩の上でバラバラに砕かれました。他の人は海に落ちて溺死しました。多くの人が3匹の動物に殴られて死にました。
