犬と笛 Inu to Fue, part 1: Three Mountain Gods Bring Gifts

いく子こさんに献けんずDedicated to Ikuko.

一いちI

昔むかし、大和やまとの国くに葛城山かつらぎやまの麓ふもとに、髪長彦かみながひこという若わかい木樵きこりが住すんでいました。Long ago, at the foot of Mount Katsuragi in the province of Yamato, there lived a young woodcutter called Kaminagahiko.

これは顔かおかたちが女おんなのようにやさしくって、その上うえ髪かみまでも女おんなのように長ながかったものですから、こういう名前なまえをつけられていたのです。He had been given this name because his face and features were as gentle as a woman's, and on top of that his hair was as long as a woman's too.

髪長彦かみながひこは、大たいそう笛ふえが上手じょうずでしたから、山やまへ木きを伐きりに行いく時ときでも、仕事しごとの合あい間ま合あい間まには、腰こしにさしている笛ふえを出だして、独ひとりでその音ねを楽たのしんでいました。Kaminagahiko was very good at playing the flute, so even when he went into the mountains to cut wood, he would take out the flute tucked into his belt whenever he paused from his work, and enjoy its sound all by himself.

するとまた不思議ふしぎなことには、どんな鳥獣とりけものや草木くさきでも、笛ふえの面白おもしろさはわかるのでしょう。And, strangely enough, it seems that every bird and beast, and every grass and tree, could understand the charm of the flute.

髪長彦かみながひこがそれを吹ふき出だすと、草くさはなびき、木きはそよぎ、鳥とりや獣けものはまわりへ来きて、じっとしまいまで聞きいていました。Whenever Kaminagahiko began to play, the grasses bowed, the trees rustled, and the birds and beasts gathered around him and listened quietly to the very end.

ところがある日ひのこと、髪長彦かみながひこはいつもの通とおり、とある大木たいぼくの根ねがたに腰こしを卸おろしながら、余念よねんもなく笛ふえを吹ふいていますと、たちまち自分じぶんの目めの前まえへ、青あおい勾玉まがたまを沢山たくさんぶらさげた、足あしの一本いっぽんしかない大男おおおとこが現あらわれて、But one day, Kaminagahiko sat down as usual at the foot of a great tree and played his flute, lost in his music. Suddenly a huge man with only one leg, hung all over with blue curved jewels, appeared right before his eyes,

「お前まえは仲々なかなか笛ふえがうまいな。己おれはずっと昔むかしから山奥やまおくの洞穴ほらあなで、神代かみよの夢ゆめばかり見みていたが、お前まえが木きを伐きりに来き始はじめてからは、その笛ふえの音おとに誘さそわれて、毎日まいにち面白おもしろい思おもいをしていた。そこで今日きょうはそのお礼れいに、ここまでわざわざ来きたのだから、何なんでも好すきなものを望のぞむが好いい。」と言いいました。and said: "You play the flute very well indeed. For ages and ages I have lain in a cave deep in the mountains, dreaming nothing but dreams of the Age of the Gods. But ever since you began coming here to cut wood, the sound of that flute has drawn me out, and every day has been a delight to me. So today I have come all this way to thank you for it. Ask for anything you like."

そこで木樵きこりは、しばらく考かんがえていましたが、At this the woodcutter thought for a while,

「私わたくしは犬いぬが好すきですから、どうか犬いぬを一匹いっぴき下ください。」と答こたえました。and then answered, "I am fond of dogs, so if you please, give me a dog."

すると、大男おおおとこは笑わらいながら、Then the huge man laughed and said,

「高たかが犬いぬを一匹いっぴきくれなどとは、お前まえも余よっ程ぽど欲よくのない男おとこだ。しかしその欲よくのないのも感心かんしんだから、ほかにはまたとないような不思議ふしぎな犬いぬをくれてやろう。こう言いう己おれは、葛城山かつらぎやまの足一あしひとつの神かみだ。」と言いって、一声ひとこえ高たかく口笛くちぶえを鳴ならしますと、森もりの奥おくから一いち匹ひきの白犬しろいぬが、落葉おちばを蹴立けたてて駈かけて来きました。"Asking for nothing more than a single dog! You are a man with very little greed. But that lack of greed is admirable, so I shall give you a marvellous dog, one like no other in the world. I who speak to you am the One-Legged God of Mount Katsuragi." Then he gave a single loud, high whistle, and a white dog came running out of the depths of the forest, kicking up the fallen leaves.

足あし一ひとつの神かみはその犬いぬを指さして、The One-Legged God pointed at the dog and said,

「これは名なを嗅かげと言いって、どんな遠とおい所ところの事ことでも嗅かぎ出だして来くる利口りこうな犬いぬだ。では、一生いっしょう己おれの代かわりに、大事だいじに飼かってやってくれ。」と言ゆうかと思おもうと、その姿すがたは霧きりのように消きえて、見みえなくなってしまいました。"This one is called Kage. He is a clever dog who will sniff out anything, however far away it may be. Now, take good care of him all your life, in my place." No sooner had he said this than his form melted away like mist, and he could be seen no more.

髪長彦かみながひこは大喜おおよろこびで、この白犬しろいぬと一いっしょに里さとへ帰かえって来きましたが、あくる日ひまた、山やまへ行いって、何気なにげなく笛ふえを鳴ならしていると、今度こんどは黒くろい勾玉まがたまを首くびへかけた、手ての一本いっぽんしかない大男おおおとこが、どこからか形かたちを現あらわして、Kaminagahiko was overjoyed and went home to his village with the white dog. The next day he went to the mountains again, and as he was idly playing his flute, this time a huge man with only one arm, a black curved jewel hung around his neck, took shape out of nowhere

「きのう己おれの兄あにきの足あし一ひとつの神かみが、お前まえに犬いぬをやったそうだから、己おのれも今日きょうは礼れいをしようと思おもってやって来きた。何なんか欲ほしいものがあるのなら、遠慮えんりょなく言ゆうが好よい。己おのれは葛城かつらぎ山やまの手一てひとつの神かみだ。」と言いいました。and said: "I hear that my elder brother, the One-Legged God, gave you a dog yesterday, so I too have come today to thank you. If there is anything you want, say it without holding back. I am the One-Armed God of Mount Katsuragi."

そうして髪長彦かみながひこが、また「嗅かげにも負まけないような犬いぬが欲ほしい。」と答こたえますと、大男おおおとこはすぐに口笛くちぶえを吹ふいて、一匹いっぴきの黒犬くろいぬを呼よび出だしながら、When Kaminagahiko answered once more, "I would like a dog that is every bit as good as Kage," the huge man at once blew a whistle and called forth a black dog, saying,

「この犬いぬの名なは飛とべと言いって、誰だれでも背中せなかへ乗のってさえすれば百里ひゃくりでも千里せんりでも、空そらを飛とんで行いくことが出来できる。明日あしたはまた己おれの弟おとうとが、何なんかお前まえに礼れいをするだろう。」と言いって、前まえのようにどこかへ消きえ失うせてしまいました。"This dog is called Tobe. Anyone at all who simply climbs onto his back can fly through the sky, whether it is a hundred leagues or a thousand. Tomorrow my younger brother will no doubt thank you in some way too." With that he vanished away somewhere, just as his brother had done.

するとあくる日ひは、まだ、笛ふえを吹ふくか吹ふかないのに、赤あかい勾玉まがたまを飾かざりにした、目めの一ひとつしかない大男おおおとこが、風かぜのように空そらから舞まい下くだって、The next day, before Kaminagahiko had even begun to play his flute, a huge man with only one eye, adorned with red curved jewels, came swooping down from the sky like the wind

「己おれは葛城山かつらぎやまの目一めひとつの神かみだ、兄あにきたちがお前まえに礼れいをしたそうだから、己おのれも嗅かげや飛とべに劣おとらないような、立派りっぱな犬いぬをくれてやろう。」と言いったと思おもうと、もう口笛くちぶえの声こえが森中もりじゅうにひびき渡わたって、一匹いっぴきの斑犬ぶちいぬが牙きばをむき出だしながら、駈かけて来きました。and said: "I am the One-Eyed God of Mount Katsuragi. I hear my brothers have thanked you, so I too will give you a fine dog, one no less splendid than Kage or Tobe." No sooner had he spoken than the sound of his whistle rang out through the whole forest, and a spotted dog came running up, baring its fangs.