【642/3P】The White Hare and the Crocodiles(因幡の白うさぎ)

41 Just then another King’s son passed by, carrying a great bag on his back. He saw the hare, and stopped and asked why he was crying so loudly.

41 ちょうどその時、別の王様の息子が大きな袋を背負って通りかかった。彼はうさぎを見て立ち止まり、なぜそんなに大声で泣いているのかと尋ねました。

42 But the poor hare, remembering that he had been deceived by one very like the man who now spoke to him, did not answer, but continued to cry.

42 しかしかわいそうなうさぎは、今話しかけてきた男とそっくりな男にだまされたことを思い出し、答えずに泣き続けました。

43 But this man had a kind heart, and looked at the hare very pityingly, and said:

43 しかし、この人は心の優しい人で、非常にかわいそうにうさぎを見て、こう言いました。

44 “You poor thing! I see that your fur is all pulled out and that your skin is quite bare. Who can have treated you so cruelly?”

44「かわいそう!毛皮がすべて引き抜かれ、肌がむき出しになっているのがわかります。誰があなたをそんなに残酷に扱うことができたのですか?」

45 When the hare heard these kind words he felt very grateful to the man, and encouraged by his gentle manner the hare told him all that had befallen him. The little animal hid nothing from his friend, but told him frankly how he had played a trick on the crocodiles and how he had come across the bridge they had made, thinking that he wished to count their number: how he had jeered at them for their stupidity, and then how the crocodiles had revenged themselves on him. Then he went on to say how he had been deceived by a party of men who looked very like his kind friend: and the hare ended his long tale of woe by begging the man to give him some medicine that would cure him and make his fur grow again.

45 うさぎはこの親切な言葉を聞くと、その人にとても感謝し、彼の優しい態度に励まされて、彼に降りかかったすべてのことを話しました。小動物は友達に何も隠しませんでしたが、率直に言って、どうやってワニに悪戯をしたか、どうやってワニの作った橋を渡ったか、ワニの数を数えたいと思ったのだと思いました。彼らの愚かさ、そしてワニが彼にどのように復讐したか。それから彼は、彼の親切な友人に非常によく似た男性の一団にどのようにだまされたかを話し続けました.そして、うさぎは、彼を治し、彼の毛皮を作る薬を彼に与えるように男に懇願することで、彼の長い悲惨な話を終わらせました.再び成長します。

46 When the hare had finished his story, the man was full of pity towards him, and said:

46 うさぎが話を終えると、男はうさぎに同情し、こう言いました。

47 “I am very sorry for all you have suffered, but remember, it was only the consequence of the deceit you practiced on the crocodiles.”

47 「あなたが被ったすべてのことを非常に残念に思いますが、それはあなたがワニに対して行った欺瞞の結果にすぎないことを覚えておいてください。」

48 “I know,” answered the sorrowful hare, “but I have repented and made up my mind never to use deceit again, so I beg you to show me how I may cure my sore body and make the fur grow again.”

48 悲しいうさぎは、「わかっています」と答えました。

49 “Then I will tell you of a good remedy,” said the man. “First go and bathe well in that pond over there and try to wash all the salt from your body. Then pick some of those kaba flowers that are growing near the edge of the water, spread them on the ground and roll yourself on them. If you do this the pollen will cause your fur to grow again, and you will be quite well in a little while.”

49 「それでは、良い治療法を教えましょう」とその男は言った。 「まずそこの池に行ってよく水浴びをして、体から塩分を洗い流してください。次に、水辺近くに生えているカバの花をいくつか摘み、地面に広げて、その上を転がります。そうすれば、花粉がまた毛を生やすので、しばらくすると元気になるでしょう。」

50 The hare was very glad to be told what to do, so kindly. He crawled to the pond pointed out to him, bathed well in it, and then picked the kaba flowers growing near the water, and rolled himself on them.

50 うさぎはとても親切に教えてもらえてとてもうれしかったです。彼は指差された池に這って行き、よく水浴びをし、水の近くに生えているカバの花を摘み、その上を転がりました。

51 To his amazement, even while he was doing this, he saw his nice white fur growing again, the pain ceased, and he felt just as he had done before all his misfortunes.

51 驚いたことに、これをしている間でさえ、彼は素敵な白い毛皮が再び成長するのを見て、痛みが止まり、すべての不幸の前にやったのと同じように感じました.

52 The hare was overjoyed at his quick recovery, and went hopping joyfully towards the young man who had so helped him, and kneeling down at his feet, said:

52 うさぎはすぐに回復したことに大喜びし、助けてくれた若者に向かって喜んで跳びはね、足もとにひざまずき、こう言いました。

53 “I cannot express my thanks for all you have done for me! It is my earnest wish to do something for you in return. Please tell me who you are?”

53 「あなたが私のためにしてくれたすべてのことに感謝の意を表しきれません!あなたのために何かをしたいというのが私の切なる願いです。どなたか教えてください。」

54 “I am no King’s son as you think me. I am a fairy, and my name is Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto,” answered the man, “and those beings who passed here before me are my brothers. They have heard of a beautiful Princess called Yakami who lives in this province of Inaba, and they are on their way to find her and to ask her to marry one of them. But on this expedition I am only an attendant, so I am walking behind them with this great big bag on my back.”

54 「あなたが思っているように、私は王様の息子ではありません。私は妖精で、私の名前は大国主命です」と男は答えました。彼らは、この因幡の国に住んでいるヤカミと呼ばれる美しい王女のことを聞いており、彼女を見つけて、そのうちの1人と結婚するように彼女に頼む.でも、この遠征では私は付き添いに過ぎないので、この大きなバッグを背負って彼らの後ろを歩いています。」

55 The hare humbled himself before this great fairy Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto, whom many in that part of the land worshiped as a god.

55 うさぎは、その土地の多くの人が神として崇拝していたこの偉大な妖精大国主命の前にへりくだりました。

56 “Oh, I did not know that you were Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto. How kind you have been to me! It is impossible to believe that that unkind fellow who sent me to bathe in the sea is one of your brothers. I am quite sure that the Princess, whom your brothers have gone to seek, will refuse to be the bride of any of them, and will prefer you for your goodness of heart. I am quite sure that you will win her heart without intending to do so, and she will ask to be your bride.”

56 「おお、あなたが大国主命だとは知りませんでした。あなたは私にどれほど親切にしてくれましたか!私を海水浴に送った不親切な男があなたの兄弟の一人であるとは信じられません。あなたの兄弟が探しに行った王女は、彼らの花嫁になることを拒否し、あなたの心の良さのためにあなたを好むと確信しています.あなたがそうするつもりがなくても彼女の心をつかむと確信しており、彼女はあなたの花嫁になりたいと頼むでしょう.

57 Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto took no notice of what the hare said, but bidding the little animal goodby, went on his way quickly and soon overtook his brothers. He found them just entering the Princess’s gate.

57 大国主命はうさぎの言うことを気にもとめず、小動物に別れを告げ、足早に進み、すぐに兄弟たちに追いついた。彼は彼らが王女の門に入っているのを見つけました。

58 Just as the hare had said, the Princess could not be persuaded to become the bride of any of the brothers, but when she looked at the kind brother’s face she went straight up to him and said:

うさぎが言ったように、王女はどの兄弟の花嫁になることもできませんでした。

59 “To you I give myself,” and so they were married.

59 「私はあなたに自分自身を与えます」そして、彼らは結婚しました。

60 This is the end of the story. Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto is worshiped by the people in some parts of Japan, as a god, and the hare has become famous as “The White Hare of Inaba.” But what became of the crocodiles nobody knows.

60 話はこれで終わりです。大国主命は、日本各地で神として信仰され、「因幡の白兎」として有名になりました。しかし、ワニがどうなったかは誰にもわかりません。