オオカミと七匹の子ヤギ

昔々、年老いたヤギがいた。彼女には七匹の小さな子ヤギがいて、母親が子どもを愛するように、あふれんばかりの愛情をそそいでいた。ある日、彼女は森へ行って食べ物を取ってこようと思った。

There was once upon a time an old goat who had seven little kids, and loved them with all the love of a mother for her children. One day she wanted to go into the forest and fetch some food.

そこで七匹をみんな呼び寄せて言った。「かわいい子どもたち、お母さんは森に行かなければなりません。オオカミにはよく気をつけるのですよ。もしあいつが入ってきたら、皮も毛も何もかも、お前たちを丸ごと食べてしまいます。

So she called all seven to her and said: ‘Dear children, I have to go into the forest, be on your guard against the wolf; if he comes in, he will devour you all—skin, hair, and everything.

あの悪者はよく姿を変えますが、しわがれ声と黒い足ですぐに分かりますよ」子ヤギたちは言った。「お母さん、私たちはちゃんと気をつけるから、心配しないで出かけていいよ」

The wretch often disguises himself, but you will know him at once by his rough voice and his black feet.’ The kids said: ‘Dear mother, we will take good care of ourselves; you may go away without any anxiety.’

そして年老いたヤギはメエと鳴き、安心した気持ちで出かけていった。

Then the old one bleated, and went on her way with an easy mind.

それから間もなく、誰かが家の戸を叩いて呼んだ。「戸を開けておくれ、かわいい子どもたち。お母さんが戻ったよ。みんなに一つずつお土産を持ってきているんだよ」しかし、小さな子ヤギたちは、そのしわがれ声でオオカミだと分かった。

It was not long before someone knocked at the house-door and called: ‘Open the door, dear children; your mother is here, and has brought something back with her for each of you.’ But the little kids knew that it was the wolf, by the rough voice.

「戸は開けないよ」子ヤギたちは叫んだ。「お前はお母さんじゃない。お母さんの声はやさしくて心地いいけれど、お前の声はガラガラだ。お前はオオカミだ！」

‘We will not open the door,’ cried they, ‘you are not our mother. She has a soft, pleasant voice, but your voice is rough; you are the wolf!’

そこでオオカミは店へ行き、大きな白墨のかたまりを買い、それを食べて声を柔らかくした。

Then the wolf went away to a shopkeeper and bought himself a great lump of chalk, ate this and made his voice soft with it.

それから戻ってきて、家の戸を叩いて呼んだ。「戸を開けておくれ、かわいい子どもたち。お母さんが戻ったよ。みんなに一つずつお土産を持ってきているんだよ」

Then he came back, knocked at the door of the house, and called: ‘Open the door, dear children, your mother is here and has brought something back with her for each of you.’

だが、オオカミは黒い前足を窓に乗せていた。子どもたちはそれを見て叫んだ。「戸は開けないよ。お母さんの足はお前みたいに黒くない。お前はオオカミだ！」

But the wolf had laid his black paws against the window, and the children saw them and cried: ‘We will not open the door, our mother has not black feet like you: you are the wolf!’

そこでオオカミはパン屋へ走っていき、言った。「足を痛めたんだ。パンの生地を足に塗っておくれ」パン屋が生地を塗ると、オオカミは粉屋へ走っていって言った。「白い粉を足に振りかけておくれ」

Then the wolf ran to a baker and said: ‘I have hurt my feet, rub some dough over them for me.’ And when the baker had rubbed his feet over, he ran to the miller and said: ‘Strew some white meal over my feet for me.’

粉屋は心の中で「オオカミは誰かをだまそうとしているのだ」と思い、断った。しかしオオカミは言った。「やってくれないなら、お前を食べてしまうぞ」粉屋は恐ろしくなり、足を白くしてやった。まったく、人間とはこういうものだ。

The miller thought to himself: ‘The wolf wants to deceive someone,’ and refused; but the wolf said: ‘If you will not do it, I will devour you.’ Then the miller was afraid, and made his paws white for him. Truly, this is the way of mankind.

そこでこの悪者は、三度目に家の戸へ行き、戸を叩いて言った。「戸を開けておくれ、子どもたち。かわいいお母さんが帰ってきたよ。森からみんなにお土産を持って帰ったんだよ」

So now the wretch went for the third time to the house-door, knocked at it and said: ‘Open the door for me, children, your dear little mother has come home, and has brought every one of you something back from the forest with her.’

子ヤギたちは叫んだ。「まず足を見せてよ。本当にかわいいお母さんか確かめるから」オオカミは窓から足を入れた。子ヤギたちはそれが白いのを見て、言ったことが本当だと信じ、戸を開けてしまった。

The little kids cried: ‘First show us your paws that we may know if you are our dear little mother.’ Then he put his paws in through the window and when the kids saw that they were white, they believed that all he said was true, and opened the door.

だが、入ってきたのはなんとオオカミだった！ 子ヤギたちは恐ろしくなり、隠れようとした。

But who should come in but the wolf! They were terrified and wanted to hide themselves.