ＷＥＢ絵本「牛方と山姥」

第１回配信

昔々ある一人の牛方が、沢山の塩鯖を牛の背に積んで山の在所へ売りに行く途中・・・

Long long ago, an Ox Driver was going to a countryside beyond hills for selling a lot of salted mackerel.
The mackerel had been packed on his ox.

・・・高い大きな峠を越えようとする時に、運悪く山姥に行き逢いました．

On the way, the Ox Driver was about to cross a high mountain pass.
Then, he unfortunately encountered an Ogress.

牛方牛方、鯖を一尾くれと言います．

仕方がないから荷の中から鯖を一つ抜いて、投げて遣って急いで通りましたが、牛が遅いのですぐその鯖を食べてしまって、また後から追いついてねだりました．

"Hey, Ox Driver! Give me mackerel," the Ogress said.
As there was no choice, the Ox Driver drew out one of mackerel from the load and threw it to her.
He passed by her in a hurry.
As his ox was slow, she finished eating the fish instantly.
The Ogress came up with him and importuned for another.

こうして一尾ずつ抜き出しては投げて遣っているうち、とうとう牛に付けていた沢山の塩鯖は残らず山姥に食べられてしまいました．

Like this, the Ox Driver drew and threw one after another.
The Ogress ate up all of mackerel packed on the ox in the end.

鯖がなくなるとその次には牛を食わせろ、食わせないとお前を食うぞと言いました．

No mackerel was left.
"Give me the ox, or I will eat you," the Ogress said.

恐ろしくてたまらぬから、牛をそこに置いて急いで逃げて来ますと、それも瞬くうちにめりめりと食べてしまって又追っかけて来て、今度は貴様を取って食うと言いました．

これだけは承知をするわけにはいきません．

The Ox Driver could not withstand the fearfulness.
So, he left the ox there and ran away in a hurry.
The Ogress crunched it in an instant.
And she came up with him again and said "I eat you next."
This is never acceptable.

一生懸命に走って逃げて、大きな池の堤まで来ました．

堤の上には大きな木がありました．

急いでその木に登って隠れようとしましたが、あいにく下の方には葉がないので、牛方の影が沼の水に映りました．

山姥は息を切って飛んできましたが・・・

The Ox Driver ran away for his life and came to the bank of a big pond.
There was a big tree on the bank.
He climbed the tree in a hurry and tried to hide himself.
But the tree had no leaves at the lower part.
So, his shadow was reflected in the water surface of the pond.
The Ogress came running breathlessly.

・・・あわてて沼の中の影を牛方かと思って水に入って方々を捜しまわりました．

その暇に漸くのことで木から降りて来て、牛方は又走って逃げました．

The Ogress took the shadow in the pond to be the Ox Driver.
And she went into the water hastily and searched him around.
For this chance, the Ox Driver climbed down from the tree and ran away again.

そうすると山の下に一軒の家があるので、急いで中に入ると、それがまた今の山姥の住み家でありました．

There was a house at the foot of the hill.
The Ox Driver went into the house in a hurry.
It was the residence of the Ogress.

そっと天井に上って梁の間に隠れておりますと・・・

The Ox Driver stealthly went up to the ceiling and hid himself among beams.
（つづく）