The tale of the doctor who defied Death - Iseult Gillespie

翻訳: Yasushi Aoki 校正: Tomoyuki Suzuki

In their ramshackle hut on the edge of the woods,

森のはずれの 今にも倒れそうな小屋に住む夫婦は

a husband and wife were in despair.

大変困っていました

The woman had just given birth to their thirteenth child,

13番目の子供が 生まれたばかりの大家族で

and the growing family was quickly running out of food and money.

食べ物もお金も 底をつきかけていたのです

The father walked into the woods to ponder their problem.

どうしたものか考えるため 父親は森の中を歩きました

After hours spent wandering through the trees,

木々の間を何時間も さまよっていると

he encountered two shadowy silhouettes.

２人の暗い人影に 出くわしました

The first figure appeared to be the man’s God,

１人目はどうやら神様らしく

while the second resembled the Devil.

もう１人は悪魔のようでした

Both figures offered to lighten the man’s burden,

どちらも男に対し

自分が一番下の子の名付け親になって 暮らしを楽にしてやろうと持ち掛けましたが

and act as Godfather to his most recent child.

But the man refused their offer—

男は断りました

he wouldn’t entrust his son to those who passed judgment on human life.

人の一生に審判をくだす者に 我が子をゆだねるわけにはいかなかったのです

He ventured deeper into the tangled thicket.

絡み合った茂みの中を さらに奥へと進みました

Here in the darkest part of the woods, the father made out a third figure.

森の中でも最も暗いところで 男は３人目の人影に出くわしました

Sunken eyes stared out of its gaunt face, which broke into a crooked smile.

痩せさらばえた顔の落ちくぼんだ目が ゆがんだ笑みを浮かべています

This was Death himself, come to offer his services as Godfather.

それは死神で 名付け親になることを申し出て

He promised to return when the child came of age,

子供が成人したときに 戻ってきて

to bring him happiness and prosperity.

幸せと豊かさを もたらそうと約束しました

The father— knowing that all people are equal in the eyes of Death—

死神の目には誰もが平等であることを 知っていた父親は

accepted his offer.

申し出を受けることにしました

Years later, when the child had grown into an ambitious young man,

月日がたって 子供は野心的な若者へと成長し

his skeletal Godfather came for his promised visit.

骸骨のような名付け親が 約束通りに現れました

In his gnarled hand he held a flask containing the cure

その節くれだった手には

万病に効く薬の瓶が 握られていました

for all human ailments.

Death had brought this flask for his Godson,

医者としての成功を 約束する薬を

promising to make him a successful doctor.

死神は名付け子に もたらしたのです

But the powerful potion came with very strict rules.

ただ その強力な薬を使うには 固い決まりがありました

If his Godson encountered a sick person

名付け子が病人を診た時

and Death was hovering at the top of their bed,

死神がその頭上に 漂っていたなら

the doctor could heal them with just a waft of the antidote’s fumes.

解毒薬の香りのひと吹きで 治してやることができます

But if Death lingered at the foot of the bed,

しかし 死神がベッドの足元に 居座っていたなら

he’d already claimed the patient as his own—

患者の命をもう 自分の物にしたということで

and the doctor could do nothing for them.

医者にできることはありません

In time, the doctor’s potent potion and uncanny instincts

やがて医者の強力な薬と 不思議な直感の噂は

became known throughout the land.

国中に知れわたり

He grew rich and famous, casting off the hardships of his early life.

富と名声を手にした医者は 子供の頃の苦難とは無縁になりました

When the king fell ill, he summoned the famous physician to treat him.

王様が病気になったとき この有名な医者が治療のために呼ばれ

The doctor swept into the palace, ready to show off his skills.

医者は自分の腕前を見せようと 宮殿に馳せ参じましたが

But when he entered the king’s chamber,

王様の部屋に入ると

he was dismayed to see Death settled at the foot of the bed.

ベッドの足元に死神が居座っているのを見て 落胆しました

The doctor desperately wanted the glory of saving the king—

医者は王の命を救う 栄光を望むあまり

even if it meant deceiving his Godfather.

名付け親を欺くことも 厭いませんでした

And so, he swiftly spun the bed around and reversed Death’s position,

医者は素早くベッドを回して 死神の位置を逆にすると

解毒薬を使いました

leaving the doctor free to administer the antidote.

Death was livid.

死神は激怒し

He warned his arrogant Godson that if he ever cheated Death again,

今度騙したりしたら 命で代償を払うことになるぞと

he would pay for it with his life.

思い上がった名付け子に 警告しました

Death and the doctor continued their travels.

死神と医者は旅を続けました

After some time, the king’s messengers came to collect the doctor yet again.

時がたち 王様の使いが再び 医者を連れにやってきました

王女の容態が大変悪く

The princess was gravely ill,

and the king had promised incredible riches to anyone who could cure her.

誰でも治した者には大きな富を与えると 王様は約束していました

The doctor approached the princesses’ chamber with gold in his eyes.

医者は金欲に目をギラギラさせて 王女の元へ行きましたが

But upon seeing the sleeping princess, his greed fell away.

眠る王女を一目見て 欲は消え失せました

He was so struck by her grace,

王女の優美さに すっかり打たれた医者は

that he failed to notice Death lurking by her feet.

死神が足元にいることにも 気が付きませんでした

He swiftly healed the princess,

医者は素早く王女の病を 癒しましたが

but before she could even utter her thanks,

王女が礼を言う暇もなく

Death had dragged his lovesick Godson away.

死神が恋煩いの名付け子を 連れ去りました

In an instant, the palace dissolved around them.

宮殿が消えたかと思うと

医者は揺らめくロウソクが並ぶ 巨大な洞窟の中にいました

The doctor found himself in an immense cave

lined with countless quivering candles, each representing the duration of a life.

ロウソクは命の長さを 表していました

As punishment for his Godson’s foolish attempt to master mortality,

死の定めを変えようという 名付け子の愚かな行為の罰として

Death whittled his candle down to its wick.

死神は彼のロウソクを 芯だけになるまで短くしました

Seeing his own dwindling light,

小さくなっていく 自分の命の火を見て

the doctor felt the fear he’d often glimpsed in his patients’ eyes.

これまで患者の目に度々見てきた 恐怖にとらわれた医者は

Desperately, he begged Death to transfer his dying light onto a new candle.

消えかかる自分の火を新しいロウソクに 移してくれるよう 死神に懇願しました

His Godfather considered the request— but the doctor’s betrayal was too great.

名付け親は頼みについて考えましたが 医者の裏切りは大きすぎました

He loosened his bony grip, and his Godson’s candle fell to the floor.

骨ばった指を緩めると 名付け子のロウソクは床に落ちました

Death stood motionless,

死神は身じろぎもせず

his inscrutable face fixed on the sputtering flame—

読み取り難い表情で パチパチ燃える炎を見つめていました

until all that was left of the doctor was a wisp of smoke.

医者の命が一筋の煙となって 消えるまで