昔々ある所に、貧乏な一人の爺が住んでいました．
毎日毎日働いてやっと暮らしを立てていました．
Once upon a time, there was a poor Old Man at a place.
He worked everday and scraped a living.
今日は卯月の八日だから、一日だけ家でゆっくりと休もうと思っていますと、また用が出来て外へ行かなければならぬことになりました．
折角買って置いた一升の酒を、徳利のままでぶら下げて、途中で飲もうと思って一人で出かけました．
Today is 8 April of the Buddha's birthday;
So, I'm going to take a rest all day at home.
The Old Man thoght so.
But he had to go out on an errand.
He had bought a bottle of wine especially.
He left home alone. And he was carrying the bottle in order to drink on the way.
晴れ晴れとした良い天気で、野にも山にも色々の花が、咲きほこっているのでありました．
広い野原にさしかかって、天気は好し疲れもしたので、この辺で一杯やろうと思って、よいくらいの石に腰を掛けますと、足もとに一つの骸骨が転がっていました．
これはこれは、どういう人の骨だか知らないが、ちょうどよい所だ．
俺は一人で飲むのはきらいだ．お前さんも一つ飲んで、この景色を見ながら一緒に楽しみましょうと言って、盃になみなみと一杯ついだ酒を、その骸骨に注ぎかけたそうです．
そうして面白く歌などを歌って、ややしばらく遊んでから、そこを立って出かけました．
It was very nice weather. And flowers were in full bloom at hills and fields.
The Old Man came to a field.
Then, he decided to drink because of the fine weather and tiredness.
And he sat on a stone of good size.
There was a skelton near his feet.
He said:
I don't know whose skelton you are;
But it's a good timing;
I dislike drinking alone;
You drink too!
Let's enjoy this landscape.
And he poured a full cup of wine over the skelton.
Singing songs joyfully, he took a rest for a while.
After that, he left.
ところがこの爺が用を済ませて、その日の黄昏時に同じ野を通って帰って来ると、後から爺様ちょっと待ってと呼ぶ声がしました．
振り返ってみると、十七八の美しい姉様であったそうです．
今日はお前さんのお蔭で、ほんとうに嬉しい思いをしました．
そのお礼を言いたい為に、帰って来られるのを待っていました．
私は三年前のこの月の二十八日に、この野原を通っていて急病で死んだ娘であります．
親たちは今に諸所方々を探していますが、縁が薄くてまだ見つけてくれず、昨日までは真に寂しく暮らしていました．
二十八日の法事の日には、何用を置いても是非もう一度ここへ来て、私と一緒に親の家へ行ってくださいと言ったそうです．
The Old Man finished the errand.
He came back to the same field in the twilight of the day.
"Mr. Old Man, please wait for a moment!" someone said behind him.
He turned back and saw a pretty girl of 17 or 18 years old.
She said:
Thanks to you, I could have a truly good time today;
To express my thanks, I was waiting for you to come back;
Three years ago, a girl was passing through this field on the 28th day of this month;
And she died by a sudden illness;
I am the Girl;
My parents have still searched me;
But they cannnot find out me due to our thin fate;
Till yesterday, I stayed here lonesomely;
My memorial Buddhist service will be performed on the 28th day of this month;
Would you please come here again and go to my parents' house together!
いよいよその二十八日になって、爺は約束だから朝のうちに野原に来て見ますと、美しい娘が出て待っていました．
それから連れだって野の隣の村に入って行きました．
娘の家と云うのは大きな構えの屋敷で、村の人が大勢今日の法事の為に寄り合っておりました．
俺にはとてもこの中へは入れないと爺が言うと、それなら私の着物に取り付いて入れば良いと言って、二人とも誰にも見つけられず、するすると家の中に入って・・・
The 28th day came.
The Old Man came to the field in the morning because of a promise.
The pretty Girl was waiting for him.
And then, they went into a village adjacent to the field.
The Girl's house was a luxurious mansion. And many village people gathered for the memorial service.
"I can't go into this huge house," the Old Man said.
"Well, no problem. You can go into this house if you cling to my clothes," the Girl said.
The both entered the house stealthily and secretly.
・・・仏壇の間に坐りました．
座敷には本膳が出てお吸い物も酒もありました．
好きな酒ですから娘が勧めるままに、爺様は酒を飲み好きな肴を色々と取って食べました．
座敷にいる坊様や親類の客人は、知らぬうちに自分の膳の物も酒もなくなるので、不思議だと話しあっておりました．
And they sat on the floor in the Buddhist altar room.
The main dishes had already been served with soup and wine.
The Old Man was a drinker by nature. And the Girl offered him drinks. So, he drank wine and ate side dishes.
There were a Buddhist priest and her relatives in the room.
And their dishes and wine disappeared without being noticed.
Then, they told with themselves about that.
"That's mysterious."
そのうちにお膳を下げる段になって、一人の小さな女中が皿を落として欠きました．
家の主は大事の皿を飛んでもない事をしたと、ひどく小言をいいました．
After a while, a young maid came for removing the empty dishes.
She dropped a dish and it broke.
The head of the family scolded the maid for breaking the important dish.
幽霊の娘はそれを見て、爺様に向かってささやきました．
私はああいう所を見るのがいやだから、もう帰りますと言いました．
爺はそんなら俺も行くと言うと、お前さんはまあいいからここにいて下さいと言って、独りで何処かへ行ってしまいました．
The ghost Girl saw the scene and whispered to the Old Man.
"I don't like seeing this scene. So, I'll go back."
"Me too!" the Old Man said.
But she said, "No. No. Please stay here!"
And she left alone somewhere.
娘が出て行ってしまうと、直ぐに爺様の姿が皆に見えて来ました．
お前は何者だ．どこから来たか、どうしてこの座敷へ来ていたかと尋ねられました．
もう隠すことは出来ないので、今までの事を残らず話して聞かせますと、親類一同の者はびっくりし、主人夫婦は泣きました．
それでは早速娘のいる野原へ、私たちを案内してください．拝む頼むと言われました．
After she went out, imeadately the Old Man appeared to the people.
They asked questions to him.
"Who are you?"
"Where are you from?"
"How did you enter this room?"
The Old Man couldn't hid the fact anymore. So, he told all to them.
The relatives were amazed at his talk. And the head of the family and his wife wept.
They said, "Please take us to the field where our daughter stays! Right away!"
それで爺が先に立ち、親たち一族寺の和尚までが打ち揃うて、骨を迎えに行って、もう一度葬式を営みました．
And then, the Old Man led her parents, her relatives and the Buddhist priest.
They went for the skelton and performed her funeral service again.
爺様も貧乏な手間仕事などを止めて、この家の人たちから情けをかけられ、一生安楽に暮らすことが出来たそうです．
（陸中上閉伊郡）
People say that the Old Man stopped the poor piecework and he could lead a pleasant life on the mercy of this family.
(Rikuchu province Kamiheigun county)
―― 奥付 ――
ＷＥＢ絵本「春の野路から」
絵・訳：茜町春彦
原作：柳田国男
A Picture Book : "A path through a field in spring"
Illustrated and translated by : Akanemachi Haruhiko
Original author : Yanagida Kunio
昔話を絵本にしました．
参考文献：
日本の昔話 2005年10月25日36刷 柳田国男著 新潮文庫
初出：
「リトルプレス小豆A4」 2013年10月13日発行
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