『ウィッティントンとネコ』

有名なエドワード３世の時代に、ディック・ウィッティントンという名の幼い少年がいた。彼が幼いころに父も母も亡くなった。

In the reign of the famous King Edward III. there was a little boy called Dick Whittington, whose father and mother died when he was very young.

かわいそうなディックは、まだ働ける歳ではなかったので、ひどく貧しい暮らしをしていた。昼ご飯はほんの少ししかもらえず、朝ご飯をまったく食べられないこともあった。村の人々はとても貧しく、ジャガイモの皮や、たまの固いパンの耳くらいしか分けてやれなかったからだ。

As poor Dick was not old enough to work, he was very badly off; he got but little for his dinner, and sometimes nothing at all for his breakfast; for the people who lived in the village were very poor indeed, and could not spare him much more than the parings of potatoes, and now and then a hard crust of bread.

ディックはロンドンという大都市について、とても不思議な話をたくさん聞いていた。当時の村人たちは、ロンドンの人々は皆立派な紳士や貴婦人で、一日中歌や音楽があふれ、道はすべて金で敷きつめられていると思っていたのだ。

Now Dick had heard a great many very strange things about the great city called London; for the country people at that time thought that folks in London were all fine gentlemen and ladies; and that there was singing and music there all day long; and that the streets were all paved with gold.

ある日、８頭の馬に引かれた大きな荷車が村を通った。馬たちの頭にはみな鈴がついていた。そのときディックは道標のそばに立っていた。

One day a large waggon and eight horses, all with bells at their heads, drove through the village while Dick was standing by the sign-post.

彼は、この荷車はきっとあの素晴らしいロンドンの町へ行くにちがいないと考えた。そこで勇気を出して、荷車の横を一緒に歩かせてほしいと御者に頼んだ。

He thought that this waggon must be going to the fine town of London; so he took courage, and asked the waggoner to let him walk with him by the side of the waggon.

かわいそうなディックに両親がいないと知り、ボロボロの服を見てこれ以上悪くはならないだろうと察した御者は、ついて来てもいいと言った。こうして２人は一緒に出発した。

As soon as the waggoner heard that poor Dick had no father or mother, and saw by his ragged clothes that he could not be worse off than he was, he told him he might go if he would, so off they set together.

こうしてディックは無事にロンドンに着いた。一面に金が敷きつめられた素晴らしい通りを見たくてたまらなかった彼は、親切な御者にお礼を言うのも待たなかった。そして金で舗装された道に出ることを期待しながら、走れるかぎりの速さで多くの通りを駆け抜けた。ディックは自分の小さな村でギニー金貨を３度見たことがあり、それでおつりがたくさんもらえるのを覚えていた。だから道路のかけらを少し拾い集めさえすれば、望むだけのお金が手に入ると思ったのだ。

So Dick got safe to London, and was in such a hurry to see the fine streets paved all over with gold, that he did not even stay to thank the kind waggoner; but ran off as fast as his legs would carry him, through many of the streets, thinking every moment to come to those that were paved with gold; for Dick had seen a guinea three times in his own little village, and remembered what a deal of money it brought in change; so he thought he had nothing to do but to take up some little bits of the pavement, and should then have as much money as he could wish for.

かわいそうなディックは疲れるまで走った。そして親切な御者の友人のことなどすっかり忘れていた。しかし辺りは暗くなり、どこを向いても金ではなく泥ばかりだった。とうとう彼は暗い物陰に座り込み、泣きながら眠ってしまった。

Poor Dick ran till he was tired, and had quite forgot his friend the waggoner; but at last, finding it grow dark, and that every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead of gold, he, sat down in a dark corner and cried himself to sleep.

小さなディックは一晩中通りにいた。翌朝、ひどくお腹が空いたので起き上がって歩き回り、飢えをしのぐために半ペニーをくれないかと道行く人々に頼んだ。だが誰も立ち止まって返事をしてくれず、半ペニーをくれたのはほんの２、３人だけだった。そのため、このかわいそうな少年は食べ物がないせいで、たちまち気を失いそうになるほど衰弱してしまった。

Little Dick was all night in the streets; and next morning, being very hungry, he got up and walked about, and asked everybody he met to give him a halfpenny to keep him from starving; but nobody stayed to answer him, and only two or three gave him a halfpenny; so that the poor boy was soon quite weak and faint for the want of victuals.

困り果てた彼は何人かの人々に施しを求めた。するとある男が怒って言った。「働け、怠け者のろくでなしめ」「働きます」とディックは言った。「雇ってくださるなら、お仕事に行きます」だが男はディックをののしっただけで、そのまま立ち去った。

In this distress he asked charity of several people, and one of them said crossly: “Go to work, for an idle rogue.” “That I will,” says Dick, “I will to go work for you, if you will let me.” But the man only cursed at him and went on.

やがて、人の良さそうな紳士が、彼の空腹そうな様子に気づいた。「なぜ働きに行かないんだい、坊や」と紳士は尋ねた。「行きたいのですが、仕事の見つけ方が分からないのです」とディックは答えた。

At last a good-natured looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked. “Why don’t you go to work my lad?” said he to Dick. “That I would, but I do not know how to get any,” answered Dick.

「やる気があるなら、ついておいで」と紳士は言い、ディックを干し草畑へ連れて行った。そこでディックは元気に働き、干し草ができるまで楽しく暮らした。

“If you are willing, come along with me,” said the gentleman, and took him to a hay-field, where Dick worked briskly, and lived merrily till the hay was made.

この仕事が終わると、彼はまた前と同じように貧しい境遇に戻ってしまった。再び飢え死にしそうになった彼は、フィッツウォーレンという裕福な商人の家の戸口に倒れ込んだ。

After this he found himself as badly off as before; and being almost starved again, he laid himself down at the door of Mr. Fitzwarren, a rich merchant.

ここで彼はすぐに女の料理番に見つかった。彼女は意地悪な女で、ちょうど主人夫妻の昼ご飯の支度で大忙しだった。そこで彼女はかわいそうなディックに向かってどなった。「何の用だい、この怠け者のろくでなし！

Here he was soon seen by the cook-maid, who was an ill-tempered creature, and happened just then to be very busy dressing dinner for her master and mistress; so she called out to poor Dick: “What business have you there, you lazy rogue?