The tale of the boy who tricked the Devil - Iseult Gillespie

Prevoditelj: Sara Poturica Recezent: Sanda L

In the sun-dappled streets of a small town,

Na suncem obasjanim ulicama malenog gradića,

a proud mother showed off her newborn son.

ponosna majka predstavila je novorođenog sina.

Upon noticing his lucky birthmark,

Ugledavši njegov sretni madež,

townsfolk predicted he would marry a princess.

mještani mu predviđaše da će se oženiti princezom.

But soon, these rumors reached the ears of the wicked king.

No uskoro glasine stigoše do pakosnog kralja.

Enraged, the king stole the child away, and sent him hurtling down the river.

Razjaren, kralj ukrade dijete i baci ga niz rijeku.

But the infant’s luck proved greater than the king’s plan.

No djetetova je sreća bila veća od kraljevog plana.

Years later, the king was traveling his realm,

Godinama kasnije, kralj je putovao svojim kraljevstvom,

when he spotted a strapping young man with an uncanny birthmark.

kada je ugledao kršnog mladića s neobičnim madežom.

After confirming the child’s origins,

Nakon potvrde o njegovom porijeklu,

the sly king entrusted the boy with a letter for the queen.

podmukli kralj povjeri mladiću pismo za kraljicu.

The youth eagerly set out to deliver the message—

Mladić se revno zaputi dostaviti poruku —

not knowing he was carrying his own death sentence.

ne znajući da u poruci nosi svoju smrtnu kaznu.

That night, roaming bandits stumbled upon his camp.

Te noći, grupa lutajućih bandita naiđoše na njegov kamp.

Yet when they read the brutal letter, they were filled with pity.

No kada pročitaše okrutno pismo, obuze ih sažaljenje.

Deciding to make trouble for the king instead, they scribbled a new note.

Odlučiše zadati kralju muke te tako napisaše novu poruku.

As soon as the youth arrived at the palace,

Čim je mladić došao u palaču,

he locked eyes with the princess.

pogled mu se susreo s princezinim.

The two felt destined for each other.

Oboje osjetiše da su suđeni jedno drugome.

And when the queen read that the king approved this union,

A kada je kraljica pročitala da kralj odobrava njihov brak,

she joyfully organized a whirlwind wedding.

radosno organizira žurno vjenčanje.

When the king returned, he was furious.

Kada se kralj vratio, obuzeo ga je bijes.

But he couldn’t execute his daughter’s beloved without reason.

No nije mogao pogubiti kćerinog dragog bez razloga.

So he devised a diabolical trial.

Stoga je smislio opaki test.

He ordered the youth to travel to Hell itself,

Naredio je mladiću da otputuje do pakla

and return with three golden hairs freshly plucked from the Devil’s head.

i vrati se s tri zlatne dlake svježe otrgnute s Vražje glave.

Only upon succeeding could he return to his bride.

Jedino pod tim uvjetom može se vratiti svojoj nevjesti.

The youth searched across the land for the entrance to Hell,

Mladić je pretražio cijelu zemlju da pronađe ulaz u Pakao,

until he finally reached an eerie village.

dok napokon nije došao do sablasnog sela.

Here, he saw some villagers gathered around a well.

Tu je ugledao nekoliko seljaka okupljenih oko bunara.

They closed in on the youth, refusing to let him pass

Opkolili su mladića, ne dopuštajući mu da prođe

until he answered their question: why was the well dry?

dok im ne odgovori na pitanje: zašto je bunar presušio?

The youth replied, “I will answer when I return.”

Mladić uzvrati: "Odgovorit ću vam kad se vratim."

They directed him further into town,

Uputili su ga dalje u grad,

where he came across another set of villagers contemplating a gnarled tree.

gdje je ugledao druge seljake kako bulje u stablo puno kvrga.

They refused to let him pass until he answered their question:

Odbili su ga propustiti dok im ne odgovori na pitanje:

why was the tree barren?

zašto je drvo osušeno?

Again, the youth responded, “I will answer when I return."

Ponovno, mladić uzvrati: "Odgovorit ću vam kad se vratim."

These villagers guided him to the dock, where an elderly ferryman awaited.

Seljaci ga uputiše na pristanište, gdje ga je čekao stari čamdžija.

As he paddled through the black water, the ferryman rasped a third question:

Veslajući kroz crnu vodu, čamdžija mu uputi treće pitanje:

how can I escape my interminable task?

Kako da se spasim ove beskonačne dužnosti?

Once more, the youth promised, “I will answer when I return.”

Još jednom, mladić obeća: "Odgovorit ću ti kad se vratim."

At last, they reached a hut sinking into the swampy banks of Hell.

Napokon dođoše do kolibe utonule u močvarnu obalu Pakla.

Reluctantly, the youth knocked on the rotting door.

Nevoljko, mladić pokuca na trula vrata.

The devil’s grandmother answered his call.

Otvori mu Vražja baka.

She was known to help some visiting souls, and harm others.

Bila je poznata po tome što je nekima pomogla, a drugima naudila.

The youth had just finished his story when they heard the devil’s footsteps.

Tek što je mladić ispričao svoju priču, začuju se vražji koraci.

Without warning, the boy’s world appeared to shrink.

Bez upozorenja, mladićev svijet se smanjio.

The devil’s grandmother lifted him into the folds of her sleeve,

Vražja baka ga podigne, smjesti u nabor rukava

and welcomed her grandson.

te pozdravi svog unuka.

The old woman set to work, lavishing the devil with food and drink.

Starica se baci na posao, obasipajući Vraga hranom i pićem.

When he fell asleep, she deftly plucked three gleaming hairs from his head.

Kada je zaspao, vješto mu otkine tri sjajne dlake s glave.

With each plucked hair, the Devil briefly awoke and complained about his dreams,

Poslije svake počupane dlake, Vrag se nakratko probudio i gunđao o snovima,

full of nearby villagers and their problems.

u kojima se pojavljuju seljaci i njihovi problemi.

The next morning, the youth departed—

Sljedećeg jutra, mladić otputuje —

armed with three golden hairs, and three pieces of information.

opremljen s tri zlatne dlake i tri poruke.

He shared the devil’s first dream with the ferryman.

S čamdžijom je podijelio prvi vražji san.

If the boatman could hand his oars to a willing passenger,

Ako čamdžija preda vesla putniku dragovoljcu,

he would be free from his task.

bit će oslobođen svoje dužnosti.

Back at the village, the youth declared that there was a mouse

Pri povratku u selo, mladić obznani da miš

gnawing at the root of the tree, and an enormous toad blocking the well.

glođe korijen stabla te da ogromna krastača blokira bunar.

The villagers rewarded him handsomely for his help.

Seljaci ga bogato nagradiše za pomoć.

Back from his journey, the youth thrust the devil’s hairs at the king—

Vrativši se s putovanja, mladić baci vražje dlake kralju —

but his greedy father-in-law only had eyes for the gold.

no njegov pohlepni punac jedino je vidio zlato.

The sly youth told the king that even greater wealth awaited him

Lukavi mladić mu reče da ga još veće zlato čeka

across the river.

preko rijeke.

Immediately, the king hastened to the riverbank.

Istog trenutka, kralj žurno pođe do obale rijeke.

Eager to claim his riches,

Pohlepno se želeći domoći zlata,

he held out his hands impatiently to the grinning ferryman—

nestrpljivo ispruži ruke prema nasmijanom čamdžiji —

who happily handed over his oars.

koji mu radosno preda svoja vesla.