『親指トムの物語』

偉大なアーサー王子の時代に、マーリンという名の強力な魔法使いが住んでいた。彼は世界で最も知識が深く、腕の立つ魔法使いだった。

In the days of the great Prince Arthur, there lived a mighty magician, called Merlin, the most learned and skilful enchanter the world has ever seen.

この有名な魔法使いは、思い通りの姿になることができた。あるとき貧しい物乞いの姿で旅をしていたが、とても疲れたので、休むために農夫の小屋に立ち寄り、食べ物を求めた。

This famous magician, who could take any form he pleased, was travelling about as a poor beggar, and being very tired, he stopped at the cottage of a ploughman to rest himself, and asked for some food.

農夫は彼を歓迎した。とても心優しい妻は、すぐに木の器に入れたミルクと、粗末な黒パンを皿に載せて持ってきた。

The countryman bade him welcome, and his wife, who was a very good-hearted woman, soon brought him some milk in a wooden bowl, and some coarse brown bread on a platter.

マーリンは農夫夫婦の親切をとても喜んだ。しかし、小屋の中は清潔で心地よいのに、二人がとても不幸そうに見えることに気づかずにはいられなかった。

Merlin was much pleased with the kindness of the ploughman and his wife; but he could not help noticing that though everything was neat and comfortable in the cottage, they seemed both to be very unhappy.

そこで、なぜそんなに悲しんでいるのか尋ねると、子どもがいないために辛い思いをしているのだと分かった。

He therefore asked them why they were so melancholy, and learned that they were miserable because they had no children.

気の毒な妻は、目に涙を浮かべて言った。「もし息子がいたら、世界で一番幸せになれるでしょう。たとえ夫の親指ほどの大きさしかなくても、満足ですわ」

The poor woman said, with tears in her eyes: “I should be the happiest creature in the world if I had a son; although he was no bigger than my husband’s thumb, I would be satisfied.”

マーリンは、男の親指ほどの大きさの男の子という考えをとても面白いと思い、その願いをかなえてやることにした。すると、それから間もなく、農夫の妻に男の子が生まれた。驚いたことに、

Merlin was so much amused with the idea of a boy no bigger than a man’s thumb, that he determined to grant the poor woman’s wish. Accordingly, in a short time after, the ploughman’s wife had a son, who, wonderful to relate!

その子は父親の親指より少しも大きくなかった。

was not a bit bigger than his father’s thumb.

妖精の女王は、その小さな男の子を見たいと思い、母親がベッドに座って我が子をめでている間に、窓から入ってきた。

The queen of the fairies, wishing to see the little fellow, came in at the window while the mother was sitting up in the bed admiring him.

女王はその子にキスをし、親指トムという名を与えた。そして数人の妖精を呼び寄せ、言い伝えた通りに小さな名子の服を仕立てさせた。

The queen kissed the child, and, giving it the name of Tom Thumb, sent for some of the fairies, who dressed her little godson according to her orders:

「カシの葉の冠を頭にいただき、クモの巣の糸で紡いだシャツを着る。アザミの綿毛で織った上着に、鳥の羽で作ったズボンをはく。

“An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown; His shirt of web by spiders spun; With jacket wove of thistle’s down; His trowsers were of feathers done.

リンゴの皮の靴下を、母のまつげで結び留める。ネズミの皮で作った靴は、中の柔らかい毛を残してなめしてある」

His stockings, of apple-rind, they tie With eyelash from his mother’s eye His shoes were made of mouse’s skin, Tann’d with the downy hair within.”

トムは人並みの大きさだった父親の親指より大きくならなかった。しかし、大きくなるにつれて、とても悪知恵が働き、いたずら好きになった。

Tom never grew any larger than his father’s thumb, which was only of ordinary size; but as he got older he became very cunning and full of tricks.

男の子たちと遊べる年齢になり、自分の桜の種を全部なくしたとき、トムは遊び仲間の袋に忍び込み、ポケットをいっぱいに満たしては、気づかれないように抜け出して再びゲームに加わったものだった。

When he was old enough to play with the boys, and had lost all his own cherry-stones, he used to creep into the bags of his playfellows, fill his pockets, and, getting out without their noticing him, would again join in the game.