21 The old man shed many tears after his cross wife had gone to sleep. While he wiped away the tears with the sleeve of his cotton robe, a bright thought comforted him: he would go and look for the sparrow on the morrow. Having decided this he was able to go to sleep at last.
21 十字架の妻が寝た後、老人はたくさんの涙を流した。木綿のローブの袖で涙を拭っている間、明るい考えが彼を慰めました：彼は明日スズメを探しに行きます。そう決意した彼は、ようやく眠りにつくことができた。
22 The next morning he rose early, as soon as ever the day broke, and snatching a hasty breakfast, started out over the hills and through the woods, stopping at every clump of bamboos to cry:
22 翌朝、彼は夜明けとともに早く起き、急いで朝食をとり、丘を越えて森を通り抜け、竹の茂みごとに立ち止まって叫びました。
23 �gWhere, oh where does my tongue-cut sparrow stay? Where, oh where, does my tongue-cut sparrow stay!�h
23 �g 舌を切ったスズメはどこにいるの?舌を切ったスズメはどこに、どこにいるの!?
24 He never stopped to rest for his noonday meal, and it was far on in the afternoon when he found himself near a large bamboo wood. Bamboo groves are the favorite haunts of sparrows, and there sure enough at the edge of the wood he saw his own dear sparrow waiting to welcome him. He could hardly believe his eyes for joy, and ran forward quickly to greet her. She bowed her little head and went through a number of the tricks her master had taught her, to show her pleasure at seeing her old friend again, and, wonderful to relate, she could talk as of old. The old man told her how sorry he was for all that had happened, and inquired after her tongue, wondering how she could speak so well without it. Then the sparrow opened her beak and showed him that a new tongue had grown in place of the old one, and begged him not to think any more about the past, for she was quite well now. Then the old man knew that his sparrow was a fairy, and no common bird. It would be difficult to exaggerate the old man�fs rejoicing now. He forgot all his troubles, he forgot even how tired he was, for he had found his lost sparrow, and instead of being ill and without a tongue as he had feared and expected to find her, she was well and happy and with a new tongue, and without a sign of the ill-treatment she had received from his wife. And above all she was a fairy.
24 彼は昼の食事のために休憩するために立ち止まることはなかった.そして彼が大きな竹林の近くにいることに気付いたのは午後のずっと後のことだった.竹林はスズメのお気に入りのたまり場であり、確かに森の端で愛するスズメが彼を歓迎するのを待っているのを見ました。彼は嬉しさのあまり自分の目を疑うことができず、彼女に挨拶するために急いで前に出ました。彼女は小さな頭を下げ、師匠が教えてくれた多くのトリックを実行して、旧友に再会できる喜びを示しました。老人は彼女に、起こったことすべてをどれほど残念に思っているかを話し、彼女の舌を尋ねました。それからスズメはくちばしを開けて、古い舌の代わりに新しい舌が生えてきたことを彼に示し、もう過去のことを考えないようにと頼みました。すると老人は自分のすずめが妖精であり、普通の鳥ではないことを知りました。今の老人の喜びは誇張しがたい。彼はすべての悩みを忘れ、自分がどんなに疲れていたかさえも忘れました。なぜなら、彼は迷子になったスズメを見つけたからです。彼が彼女を見つけることを恐れ、期待していたように、病気で舌を失っていた代わりに、彼女は健康で幸せで、新しい鳥を持っていました。彼女が妻から受けた虐待の兆候はありませんでした。そしてなにより彼女は妖精だった。
25 The sparrow asked him to follow her, and flying before him she led him to a beautiful house in the heart of the bamboo grove. The old man was utterly astonished when he entered the house to find what a beautiful place it was. It was built of the whitest wood, the soft cream-colored mats which took the place of carpets were the finest he had ever seen, and the cushions that the sparrow brought out for him to sit on were made of the finest silk and crape. Beautiful vases and lacquer boxes adorned the tokonoma[1] of every room.
25 すずめは、自分についてきてほしいと頼むと、すずめの前を飛んで、竹林の真ん中にある美しい家に連れて行った。おじいさんは家に入ると、とても美しい場所であることにとても驚きました。それは最も白い木でできていて、じゅうたんの代わりに使われている柔らかなクリーム色のマットは、彼が今まで見た中で最高のものでした。スズメが彼を座らせるために持ってきたクッションは、最高級のシルクとちりめんでできていました。各部屋の床の間には、美しい花瓶と漆箱が飾られていました。
26 [1] An alcove where precious objects are displayed.
26 [1] 貴重品を展示する床の間。
27 The sparrow led the old man to the place of honor, and then, taking her place at a humble distance, she thanked him with many polite bows for all the kindness he had shown her for many long years.
27 すずめはおじいさんを名誉ある場所に連れて行き、それから少し離れたところに座り、長年にわたっておじいさんが示してくれたすべての親切に対して、礼儀正しくお辞儀をしてお礼を言いました。
28 Then the Lady Sparrow, as we will now call her, introduced all her family to the old man. This done, her daughters, robed in dainty crape gowns, brought in on beautiful old-fashioned trays a feast of all kinds of delicious foods, till the old man began to think he must be dreaming. In the middle of the dinner some of the sparrow�fs daughters performed a wonderful dance, called the �gsuzume-odori�h or the �gSparrow�fs dance,�h to amuse the guest.
28 それからレディ・スパロウ（今では彼女と呼ぶことにする）は、彼女の家族全員を老人に紹介した。これが終わると、彼女の娘たちは上品なちりめんのガウンを着て、美しい昔ながらのトレイにあらゆる種類のおいしい食べ物を持ってきました。夕食の途中で、すずめの娘たちが「ぐすめ踊り」または「すずめの踊り」と呼ばれる素晴らしい踊りを披露して、客を楽しませました。
29 Never had the old man enjoyed himself so much. The hours flew by too quickly in this lovely spot, with all these fairy sparrows to wait upon him and to feast him and to dance before him.
29 老人がこれほど楽しんだことはなかった.この素敵な場所では、時間はあっという間に過ぎていきました。これらすべての妖精のスズメが彼を待って、彼をごちそうし、彼の前で踊っていました。
30 But the night came on and the darkness reminded him that he had a long way to go and must think about taking his leave and return home. He thanked his kind hostess for her splendid entertainment, and begged her for his sake to forget all she had suffered at the hands of his cross old wife. He told the Lady Sparrow that it was a great comfort and happiness to him to find her in such a beautiful home and to know that she wanted for nothing. It was his anxiety to know how she fared and what had really happened to her that had led him to seek her. Now he knew that all was well he could return home with a light heart. If ever she wanted him for anything she had only to send for him and he would come at once.
30 しかし、夜が明けると、暗闇が彼に、先は長いので、休暇を取って家に帰ることを考えなければならないことを思い出させました.彼は親切なホステスのすばらしい娯楽に感謝し、彼女が十字架の老妻の手で苦しんだことをすべて忘れてくれるように頼んだ。彼はスパロウ夫人に、とても美しい家で彼女を見つけ、彼女が何も欲しがっていないことを知ったことは、彼にとって大きな慰めと幸せであると言いました.彼女がどのように生きたか、そして彼女に実際に何が起こったのかを知ることは彼の不安でした.今、彼はすべてが順調で、軽い心で家に帰ることができることを知っていました.彼女が何かのために彼を欲しがった場合、彼女は彼に送るだけでよく、彼はすぐに来ました。
31 The Lady Sparrow begged him to stay and rest several days and enjoy the change, but the old man said he must return to his old wife?who would probably be cross at his not coming home at the usual time?and to his work, and there-fore, much as he wished to do so, he could not accept her kind invitation. But now that he knew where the Lady Sparrow lived he would come to see her whenever he had the time.
31 レディ・スパロウは彼にここにいて数日休んで変化を楽しむように頼んだが、老人は年老いた妻の元に戻らなければならないと言いました。そのため、彼はそうしたいと望んでいましたが、彼女の親切な招待を受け入れることができませんでした。しかし、レディ・スパロウがどこに住んでいるかを知った今、彼は時間があればいつでも彼女に会いに来るだろう.
32 When the Lady Sparrow saw that she could not persuade the old man to stay longer, she gave an order to some of her servants, and they at once brought in two boxes, one large and the other small. These were placed before the old man, and the Lady Sparrow asked him to choose whichever he liked for a present, which she wished to give him.
32 すずめ夫人は、おじいさんにこれ以上滞在するよう説得できないのを見て、使用人の何人かに命令し、すぐに大きな箱と小さな箱を 2 つ持ってきました。これらは老人の前に置かれ、スパロウ夫人は老人にプレゼントとして好きなものを選ぶように頼みました。
33 The old man could not refuse this kind proposal, and he chose the smaller box, saying:
33 老人はこの親切な申し出を断ることができず、小さい方の箱を選び、こう言った。
34 �gI am now too old and feeble to carry the big and heavy box. As you are so kind as to say that I may take whichever I like, I will choose the small one, which will be easier for me to carry.�h
34 �g 私は年を取りすぎて体が弱くなり、大きくて重い箱を運ぶことができなくなりました。好きな方を選んでいいので、持ち運びやすい小さい方を選びます。
35 Then the sparrows all helped him put it on his back and went to the gate to see him off, bidding him good-by with many bows and entreating him to come again whenever he had the time. Thus the old man and his pet sparrow separated quite happily, the sparrow showing not the least ill-will for all the unkindness she had suffered at the hands of the old wife. Indeed, she only felt sorrow for the old man who had to put up with it all his life.
35 するとすずめたちは皆、彼がそれを背中に乗せるのを手伝い、門まで見送りに行き、何度もお辞儀をして別れを告げ、時間があればまた来るように懇願しました。このようにして、おじいさんとペットのすずめはとても幸せに別れました。確かに、彼女はそれを一生我慢しなければならなかった老人に悲しみを感じただけでした.
36 When the old man reached home he found his wife even crosser than usual, for it was late on in the night and she had been waiting up for him for a long time.
36 老人が家に着くと、夜遅く、長い間彼を待っていたので、妻はいつもよりもさらに頭を抱えていた。
37 �gWhere have you been all this time?�h she asked in a big voice. �gWhy do you come back so late?�h
37 「ずっとどこにいたの？」 彼女は大きな声で尋ねた。 「なんでそんなに遅く帰ってくるの？」
38 The old man tried to pacify her by showing her the box of presents he had brought back with him, and then he told her of all that had happened to him, and how wonderfully he had been entertained at the sparrow�fs house.
38 おじいさんは、持って帰ってきたプレゼントの箱を見せて彼女をなだめようとしました。
39 �gNow let us see what is in the box,�h said the old man, not giving her time to grumble again. �gYou must help me open it.�h And they both sat down before the box and opened it.
39 「さて、箱の中に何が入っているか見てみましょう。 「それを開けるのを手伝ってください。」そして二人とも箱の前に座り、箱を開けました。
40 To their utter astonishment they found the box filled to the brim with gold and silver coins and many other precious things. The mats of their little cottage fairly glittered as they took out the things one by one and put them down and handled them over and over again. The old man was overjoyed at the sight of the riches that were now his. Beyond his brightest expectations was the sparrow�fs gift, which would enable him to give up work and live in ease and comfort the rest of his days.
40 驚いたことに、彼らはその箱が金貨や銀貨、その他多くの貴重なものでいっぱいになっているのを見つけた。物を一つ一つ取り出したり、置いたり、何度も何度も扱っているので、彼らの小さなコテージのマットはかなり輝いていました.老人は、今や自分のものになった富を見て大喜びしました。スズメからの贈り物は、彼の明るい期待をはるかに超えていました。これにより、彼は仕事をやめて残りの日を安心して快適に暮らすことができるようになりました。
