柳田国男『矢村の弥助』
―― まえがき ――
ＷＥＢ絵本『矢村の弥助』
絵・訳：茜町春彦
原作：柳田国男
概要：昔話を絵本にしました．原作は日本の昔話（新潮文庫）の中の1編です．英語に翻訳しております．
A Japanese folk tale
Title: "Mr. Yamurano Yasuke"
Illustrated and translated by: Akanemachi Haruhiko.
Original author: Yanagida Kunio
―― ０１ ――
Once upon a time in Shinshu province, there lived a young sharecropper, who took a good care of his parent.
His name was Yamurano Yasuke.
He was an honest and hardworking man.
But, his family was in poverty.
むかし信州に矢村の弥助という親孝行の若い農民がありました．
正直で良く働いて、それでいて家は貧乏でありました．
―― ０２ ――
At the end of a certain year, he went shopping to the year-end market for the new year's preparation, having a bit of money.
ある年の暮れに、わずかな銭を持って正月支度の買い物に暮れの市へ・・・
―― ０３ ――
On the way to the market, he came across a pheasant at the roadside.
The pheasant was caught in a trap and was flapping
・・・出かける途で、道端のワナに一羽の山鳥がかかってパタパタとしているのを見かけました．
―― ０４ ――
He thought that he would save it.
He loosened the string of the trap and released the pheasant.
これは一つ助けてやろうと、罠の糸をゆるめて山鳥を逃がしましたが・・・
―― ０５ ――
He was sorry that he released the pheasant with nothing to the owner of the trap.
And so, instead of the pheasant, he put the rope of holed coins carried in his hand on the trap.
・・・ただ逃がしては罠の主に済まぬと思って、手に持っていた一さしの銭を、山鳥の代わりにその跡へ挟んで置いて・・・
―― ０６ ――
He retruned back empty-handed because he didn't need to go shopping anymore.
・・・もう買い物の用がなくなったから、手を空にして戻って来ました．
―― ０７ ――
His mother was also kindhearted and said "You did a right thing."
The mother and the son spent a new year holidays with nothing.
家の母親も心の優しい人で、それは好い事をして来たと言って、親子二人で何もない寂しい正月をしました．
―― ０８ ――
After that, a strange young woman visited them.
"I'm a traveler and I have trouble in snowing. Please let me stay here until next spring! I'll do any work."
she said.
そこへ見なれない若い娘が一人訪ねて来ます．
私は旅の者、雪に降られて難儀をします．何でもしますから春になるまで置いて下さいと言って・・・
―― ０９ ――
She did a lot of the household matters for the old woman. She was very obedient and pretty.
His mother had a talk with her.
"You seem to have no parents nor relatives. Would you live in this house and become my son's wife?"
Then, she delightedly agreed with this offer and became his wife.
・・・お婆さんの代わりに色々の家の用をしてくれました．至ってオトナシイきれいな娘でありました．
親も身寄りもない人ならば、イッソこの家にいて嫁になってくれぬかと、弥助の母親が相談をかけて見ましたら、喜んで承知をして嫁になりました．
―― １０ ――
After that, they lived together happily for several years.
それから何年か仲良く暮らしているうちに・・・
―― １１ ――
In those days, a demonic monster often appeared at Mt. Ariakeyama.
・・・有明山に悪い鬼が現れて・・・
―― １２ ――
The government commanded General Tamura to destroy the monster.
Mr. Yamurano Yasuke was an expert in using a bow.
So, he had to go with General Tamura for destroying the monster.
・・・田村将軍が朝廷の仰せを蒙り、それを退治に行くことになりました．
矢村の弥助は弓が上手だから、田村将軍のお供をして鬼征伐に出なければなりません．
―― １３ ――
Then, his wife secretly called him and told like this:
The monster of Mt. Ariakeyama is called Gysyky.
Nobody can shoot it to death with a normal bow and arrows.
You should fix pheasant's tail feathers having thirteen knots to an arrow. If you shoot the arrow, you can destroy the monster with only a single arrow.
Because of the greatest matter in your life, I'll give the feathers to you.
Several years ago, I was caught in a trap at the year-end. And I was saved by you. I'm the pheasant.
その時に弥助の女房がソット弥助を呼んで、こう言う事を申しました．
有明山の鬼は魏死鬼と云って、ただの弓矢ではトテモ射倒す事が出来ません．十三の節ある山鳥の尾羽根を矢に矧いで、その矢で射るならば一矢でも退治する事が出来ます．一世一代の男の大事だから、その羽根を私が上げましょう．私はズット昔の年の暮れに罠にかかって、あなたに命を助けられた山鳥ですと言って・・・
―― １４ ――
And she flew away somewhere with tears.
・・・泣きながら何処へか飛んで行きました．
―― １５ ――
Beautiful pheasant's tail feathers having thirteen knots were left.
後には十三節の見事な山鳥の尾羽根が残してありました．
―― １６ ――
So, the monster of Mt. Ariakeyama was destroyed.
それだから、有明山の鬼が退治せられて・・・
―― １７ ――
Then, the Japan Alps became a peaceful mountain. This was truly Yamurano Yasuke's achievement.
Yasuke was given plenty of rewards for the achievement.
And, his fame was remembered in the mountainous region of Shinshu province for a long time.
(Shinano province Minamiazumigun county)
・・・日本アルプスが明るい山になったのも、全く、この矢村の弥助の手柄であります．
弥助は、その手柄によって莫大な御褒美を頂き永く信州の山奥に其の名を留めました．
（信濃南安曇郡）
―― あとがき ――
この本はパブーで公開した電子書籍、英訳昔話「矢村の弥助」を加筆修正したものです．
参考文献：日本の昔話（柳田国男著 新潮文庫 2006年10月25日36刷）
