Vernacular translation (Baide encyclopedia - Google Translation - Modified by sptt)
Wang Zifu is from Luodian, Ju County. His father died when he was young. He was very smart, and he was admitted as a scholar at the age of fourteen. His mother loved him very much, and usually did not allow him to play outdoor. He was engaged to a daughter of a Xiao family, and the girl died before he got married, so he hasn't married yet.
On the day of Shangyuan Festival (New Year's Season), his uncle's son Mr Wu invited him to go out for a tour. Just outside the village, a servant came to the uncle's house and called Mr Wu away. Wang Zifu saw that there were a lot of women playing around, so he took advantage of his interest to wander around alone. There was a girl with a maid, holding a plum blossom in her hand, with a peerless face and a full smile. Wang Zifu couldn't take his eyes off it, and even forgot the taboo between men and women. The
girl walked over a few steps, turned around and said to the maid, "This
young man's eyes are shining like a thief!" She threw the flower on the
ground, and walked away with a smile. When Wang Zifu picked up the flower, he was very disappointed, as if he had lost his soul, and walked back gloomily.
When
he got home, he hid the plum blossom under the pillow, lay down with
his head down, and fell asleep without speaking or eating. His
mother was very worried and asked people to offer sacrifices to the
gods to exorcise evil spirits, but his illness became heavier, and his
body quickly lost weight. The mother asked the doctor to treat him, let him take the medicine, but he became in a trance, as if he was fascinated by something. His mother asked with concern how he got sick, but he just kept silent and didn't answer. Just when Mr Wu came, the mother asked him to ask in private. When Mr Wu got to the bed, Wang Zifu burst into tears when he saw him. Mr Wu sat on the side of the bed to comfort and persuade him, and slowly asked the reason for his illness. Wang Zifu told him the truth and begged him to find a way. Mr Wu
said with a smile:
"You are too stupid, why is it difficult to
realize your wish? I will definitely check it out for you. Judging from the fact that she was walking in
the wild she is definitely not a daughter of a big family. If she hasn't
betrothed to someone else, this marriage will be a success;
otherwise, if you spend more betrothal gifts, I suppose that you
will agree. As long as you are cured, this matter will be covered by
me." After listening to this, Wang Zifu smiled unconsciously. Mr Wu came out and told his aunt to look for the woman's residence. " I have visited and checked everywhere, and there is no trace or clue. " The mother was very worried and couldn't think of anything to do. However, since Mr Wu left, Wang Zifu's face became brighter and he began to eat something. A few days later, Mr Wu came to visit again. Wang Zifu asked him how things were going. Mr Wu lied to him and said, "I have already found out. I thought it
belonged to whose family, it turned out to be my aunt's daughter, that
is, your aunt and cousin, who is not yet engaged. Although intermarriage
between cousins is a bit inappropriate, the truth is Tell them, it
won't be unsuccessful." Wang Zifu smiled happily and asked, "Where does
she live?" Mr Wu lied to him and said, "In the mountains in the
southwest, it is about thirty miles away from here." Wang Zifu asked
him again and again, Mr Wu firmly stated that he was responsible for
this matter, so he left.
Wang Zifu obeyed this diet gradually increased, also improved and recovered day by day. Looking under the pillow, although the flower has withered, but the petals have not fallen. Playing with it while thinking about it, it was like seeing that girl. Complaining about Mr Wu not coming, he wrote a letter to invite him. Mr Wu hesitated and refused to come. Wang Zifu was very angry and was unhappy all day. The mother was afraid that he would get sick again, and hurriedly asked someone to give him a kiss. As soon as the mother discussed it with him, he shook his head in disapproval. Just looking forward to Mr Wu every day. Wang Zifu had never heard from Mr Wu, and he became even more resentful. On second thought, " thirty miles is not a long way, so why do you have to rely on others? " So he put the plum blossom in his sleeve and went to look for it himself, but his family didn't know.
Walking alone, with nowhere to ask for directions, Wang Zifu just walked towards Nanshan. After walking for more than 30 miles, he saw mountains surrounded by mountains and very green to eyes. It was refreshing, quiet and invisible to pedestrians, and a steep trail that only birds was able pass. He saw from a distance at the bottom of the valley, and there was a small village in the shadow of flowers and trees. He
went down the mountain and entered the village, and saw that there were
not many houses. Although they were all thatched houses, they were clean and elegant. There was a house with the door facing north, weeping willows in front of the
door, peach and apricot blossoms in the wall were particularly
prosperous, and there were slender green bamboos in the middle, and wild
birds ware chirping inside. It looked like someone's garden, and he dared not enter it rashly. Looking back, he saw the gate opposite, there was a large smooth and clean stone, and he sat down and rested on it. After a while, he heard a woman inside the wall, calling out in an elongated voice: "Xiao Rong", her voice was very delicate. Just
standing there listening carefully, a girl came from east to west,
holding an apricot flower, bowed her head and put it on a bun. When she looked up and saw Wang Zifu, she stopped inserting it, and took the flower in with a smile on her face. Looking closely, it was the girl Wang Zifu met on the road on the New Year's Day. He
was instantly happy, but he thought that there was no reason to go in,
so he had to call his aunt, and I was worried that he had never contacted,
and he was afraid of making a mistake. There was no one inside the gate to ask questions. Sitting
for a while and lying down for a while, walking around restlessly, from
morning until after noon, staring so eagerly, that even hunger and
thirst were forgotten. From time to time, he saw the woman showing half of her face to peek, and she seemed surprised that the man didn't leave here.
Suddenly,
an old woman came out with a cane and said to Wang Zifu, "Where are you
from? I heard that you have been here since the morning and have been
staying until now. What are you going to do? Aren't you hungry?" Wang Zifu hurriedly got up and saluted her, and replied, "I'm here to
visit relatives." The old woman was deaf and could not hear clearly. Wang Zifu said it again loudly. She asked him, "What is your relative's last name?" Wang Zifu couldn't answer. The
old woman smiled and said, "It's really weird. You don't even know the
name, why are you visiting relatives? I think you are a nerd, young
man. Why don't you come with me, eat some coarse rice, and have a small
bed at home to sleep in. Wait until I’ll go back tomorrow morning, and
I’ll ask you the name, so it’s not too late to visit again.” Wang Zifu was hungry and wanted to eat, and he was very happy to think that he
could be close to the beautiful woman. When he followed the old woman in, he saw a white stone pavement in the door,
red flowers on both sides, and petals scattered on the stone steps; he walked to the west in twists and turns, and opened another door, and the
yard was full of bean sheds and flower stands. He
was politely invited into the room. The painted walls were as clean and
bright as a mirror. The begonias outside the window were full of
flowers. When they came into the room, the mattresses, tables, chairs,
and beds were clean and smooth. As soon as he sat down, someone peeked vaguely from the window. The old woman shouted: "Xiao Rong! Hurry up and cook." A maid outside agreed sharply. After sitting down, he explained his family background and family in detail. The
old woman asked: "Your grandfather's family name is Wu?" Wang Zifu
said: "Yes." The old woman said in surprise: "You are my nephew! Your
mother is my sister. In recent years because my family is poor and there
are no boys, I can't communicate. My nephew is so grown up, I don't
know him yet." Wang Zifu said, "I came here to see my aunt, and I
forgot her surname in a hurry." The old woman said: "My husband's family
name is Qin, and he has no children; he has only one daughter, which was
also born to the concubine. Her mother remarried and left it to me to
raise her. People are not slow, but she lacks education, and she laughs
without worrying. .Stay a while and let her come to pay homage to you."
Not long after, the maid prepared the meal and the tender chicken. The old woman diligently persuaded him to eat, and then the maid came to clear the dishes. The old woman said, "Go and call Ning Gu." The maid agreed and left. After a while, laughter could be heard from outside the door. The old woman shouted again: "Yingning, your cousin is here." There was a smirk outside the door. The maid pushed her into the room, covering her mouth and smiling uncontrollably. The
old woman glared at her and said, "There is a guest here, laughing and
joking, what does it look like?" The girl resisted her laughter and
stood there, and Wang Zifu gave her a bow. The
old woman said, "This is cousin Wang, your aunt's son. The family
doesn't know each other, which is a joke." Wang Zifu asked, "How old is
my cousin?" . The girl laughed so hard again. The
old woman said to Wang Zifu, "I'm talking about the lack of training,
so you can see it. She's already sixteen years old, and she's still like
a child." She one year younger than my nephew. My
nephew is already seventeen years old. Could it be that he was born in
the year of Gengwu and belongs to a horse?" Wang Zifu nodded. The
old woman asked again, "Which family is your nephew's daughter-in-law?"
She replied, "Not yet." "With a talent like you, how come you
haven't gotten married yet at the age of seventeen? Yingning doesn't
have an in-law yet. It's very good, but unfortunately there are cousins
who are jealous." Wang Zifu didn't say anything, just stared at Ying
Ning and didn't care about anything else. The
maid whispered to the girl: "His eyes are burning, and he has not
changed his appearance." Yingning laughed again, and said to the maid,
"Go and see if the peach blossoms are blooming?" She opened his mouth and
walked out with small steps. When she got to the door, she burst out laughing. The old woman also stood up and asked the maid to make the bedding and give Wang Zifu a place to rest. He
added, "It's not easy for my nephew to come here. You should stay here
for three or five days and send you back later. If you feel lonely and
dull, there is a small garden at the back of the house where you can go
to relax, and there are books you can read."
The
next day, when Wang Zifu came to the back of the house, there really was a
small garden half an acre, the delicate green grass was like a layer of
felt, and the tidbits of willows were scattered all over the path; there
were three thatched cottages, surrounded by flowers and trees. He was walking through the flowers, when he heard the rustling of the trees, looked up and saw that it was Yingning on it. When she saw the Wang Zifu's suit, she laughed wildly and almost fell off. Wang Zifu said, "Don't be like this, Your are about to fall." Yingning laughed as she got down, and she couldn't help it. Just as she was about to hit the ground, he dropped his hand and the laughter stopped. Wang Zifu supported her and pinched her wrist secretly. Yingning laughed again, leaning against the tree and unable to walk, and it took a long time to end. Wang Zifu waited for her laughter to stop, and then took out the plum blossoms in his sleeves to show her. Yingning
took the flower and said, "It's already withered. How can you keep it?"
Wang Zifu said, "It was thrown by my sister during the Shangyuan
Festival, so I kept it." Yingning asked, "What's the point of keeping
it?" What do you mean?" Wang Zifu said: "It is used to express love and
can't forget it. Since I met you on the Yuan Festival, I have been
thinking about you so much that I have become seriously ill, and I feel
that I can't live. I didn't expect to see you, and I hope you will show
me mercy. Yingning said, "It's a small matter. What can relatives be
reluctant to give up? When cousin, when you go back, the flowers in the
garden must be called by the old servant, who will fold a large bundle
and carry them to you." Wang Zifu said, "Is my sister stupid?" Yingning
said, "Why is she stupid?" Wang Zifu said, "I don't love flowers, but I
love to hold flowers." Yingning said, "There is love between relatives.
Is this love worth talking about?" Wang Zifu said, "The love I'm
talking about is not the love between relatives, but the love between
husband and wife." Yingning asked, "What's the difference?" Wang Zifu
said: "At night, we will share the same bed." Yingning lowered his head
and pondered for a long time, then said, "I'm not used to sleeping with a tranger." Before she could finish speaking, the maid came quietly, Wang
Zifu slipped away in panic.
After a while, they met in the old woman's room. The old woman asked, "Where did you go?" Yingning replied that she was talking in the garden. The
old woman said, "It's been a long time since the rice was cooked. If
you have any long words, you can't stop talking." Yingning said, "Cousin
wants to sleep with me." Wang Zifu was very embarrassed and hurriedly
stared at her. Yingning smiled and didn't say any more. Fortunately, the old woman didn't hear it, and continued to ramble on. Wang Zifu hurriedly used other words to cover up the past. Then he whispered to Yingning again. Yingning
asked, "Shouldn't I say that sentence just now?" Wang Zifu said, "This
is what someone else said." Yingning said, "How can you carry an old
mother behind your back? The place is also normal, what is there to
avoid?" Wang Zifu sighed at her stupidity, unable to make her
understand.
Just after dinner, the family led two donkeys to look for Wang Zifu. It
turned out to be like this: the mother waited for her son for a long
time and did not see him home, so she began to suspect; she searched
almost everywhere in the village, but there was still no trace. So I went to Mr Wu to ask. Mr Wu remembered what he had said before, and taught them to look for the southwest mountain. After looking for a few villages, I came here. Wang Zifu came to the door and happened to meet them, so he went in and
told the old woman, and asked to take Yingning back together. The
old woman said happily: "I have this wish, and it's not overnight. It's
just that this old bone can't go far. Fortunately, my nephew took my
sister there and let her know my aunt. It's really good." She called
Yingning. Yingning came with a smile. The
old woman said, "What's there to be happy about, laughing all the time?
If you can't laugh, you're a perfect person." Then she glared at her
angrily. Then
she said: "Big brother wants to take you with him, you can go and get
dressed up." After entertaining the Wang family's people, she sent them
out and said, "Auntie's family has a lot of land and property, and can
afford to eat leisurely meals. When you get there, don’t come back for
the time being, learn a little poetry and calligraphy etiquette, so that
you can serve your in-laws in the future. Just trouble my aunt to find a
good husband for you.” The two set off. When I walked to the col, and turned around, I vaguely saw the old woman leaning against the door and looking north.
When they got home, the mother saw that the girl was so beautiful and asked who was she in amazement. Wang Zifu replied that it was her aunt's daughter. The mother said, "What Mr Wu told you before was a lie. I don't have a sister, so how can I have a niece." Asking the girl again, Yingning replied, "I was not born by this mother. My father's surname was Qin, and he died when I was in the swaddling clothes, I can't remember." The mother said, "I have a sister who married into Qin's house, which is absolutely true; but she has been dead for a long time, how can she still be alive?" She asked her what her face shape was and whether she had moles, all of which were completely in line. The mother said in surprise: "It looks like this. But it has been dead for many years, why is she still alive?" While she was wondering, Mr Wu came, and Yingning hid in the inner room. After Mr Wu asked the reason, he thought about it for a long time and suddenly asked, "Is this girl's name Yingning?" Wang Zifu said yes. Mr Wu even called it strange. When asked how he knew, Mr Wu said: "After the death of the Qin family's aunt, the uncle lived alone. He was fascinated by the fox and died of tuberculosis. The fox gave birth to a daughter named Yingning, who was wrapped in a swaddle and slept on the bed. The family had seen it on the bed. After my uncle died, the fox often came here. Later, I asked the celestial master to draw a talisman and put it on the wall, and the fox left with his daughter. Could it be this?" Everyone was guessing at each other. In a suspicious place, I only heard the sound of eating and eating from the inner room, all of which were Yingning's laughter. The mother said, "This girl is too stupid." Mr Wu asked to see her in person. The mother went into the inner room, and the girl was still laughing. After her mother urged her to come out, she tried her best to hold back her laughter, and faced the wall for a while before she walked out of the inner room. Just after a salute, she turned around and hurried into the room, bursting into laughter again. The women in the room were all laughed at by her.
Mr Wu proposed to come to the mountains to find out what was weird, and by the way, he could also be a matchmaker to propose marriage. When I found the location of the village, all the houses were gone, and there were only scattered mountain flowers. Mr Wu recalled the place where his aunt was buried, as if it was not far away; but the tomb had been obliterated and could not be identified, so he had to turn back with a sigh in surprise. The mother suspected that the girl was a ghost, so she went in and told her Mr Wu's words, but the girl was not afraid at all; she also pity and comforted her homeless, she didn't look sad, she just kept smiling. No one can guess this. The mother told her to live with her little daughter. As soon as it was dawn, she came over to say hello, and no one could compare to her in her delicate needlework. She just loved to laugh, and she couldn't help it; but she laughed very nicely, and her wild laughter didn't damage her coquettishness. People loved her. The neighbor's girl and daughter-in-law wre vying to be close to her. The mother chose an auspicious day to prepare for their wedding, but she was always afraid that she was a ghost, and secretly peeped at her in the sun, her figure and shadow were the same. When the day came, she was asked to put on a full dress for the ceremony of a newly married daughter-in-law. Yingning laughed so hard that she couldn't straighten her waist to salute, so she had to give up. Wang Zifu felt that she was too stupid and was afraid of revealing the secrets between the husband and wife; but Yingning was very tight-lipped and did not reveal a word. Whenever her mother was sad and angry, Ying Ning came to her and smiled to relieve her anger. When the servant girl made a small mistake and was afraid of being beaten, she often begged her to talk to her mother, and the servant girl who made a mistake went in and admitted her mistake, and she was often exempted from punishment. It's just that Yingning's love for flowers had become a hobby, so she searched for relatives and friends' homes, and secretly pawned jewelry and buys good varieties. A few months had passed, and there was no place where flowers ware not planted in front of the steps, by the fence, and by the toilet. There was a wood incense at the back of the courtyard, which was originally next to the neighbor's house to the west. Yingning often climbed up and took off flowers to wear and enjoy. Mother sometimes met, always reprimanded her. Yingning never changed.
One day, the son of the West Neighbor family saw her and stared straight at her, fascinated. Yingning did not evade but laughed. Xilin's son thought that Yingning was interested in him, and his heart became more and more lustful. Yingning pointed to the bottom of the wall and climbed down the tree with a smile. The son of the west neighbor thought it was the place to instruct the date, and was very happy. As soon as it got dark, he went to the foot of the wall, and Yingning was there. He jumped up and raped her, the lower part was pierced by an awl, it hurt to the point of his heart, and he fell to the ground screaming loudly. Upon closer inspection, it was not Yingning, but a dead tree lying beside the wall. The neighbor's father heard the screams and hurried out to inquire, but groaned but did not speak. The wife came and he told her the truth. I lit a lamp and lit the hole, she saw a big scorpion inside, like a small crab big. The father next door smashed the wood and caught the scorpion and killed it. He carried his son home but the son died in the middle of the night. The neighbor sued Wang Zifu, exposing Yingning's evil spirit. The county magistrate had always admired Wang Zifu's talent and learning, and knew that he was a loyal and honest scholar. Wang Zifu pleaded for forgiveness and released his neighbors to go home. The mother said to Yingning: "You are so foolish and frivolous, I have long known that excessive happiness hides sadness. Thanks to the magistrate's gods, I am not implicated; How can my son see his relatives and neighbors?" Yingning became serious and vowed not to laugh anymore. Mother said, "There is no one who doesn't laugh, it just depends on the time." But Yingning stopped laughing from then on. Even if she deliberately teased her, she never smiled; but she never had a sad face all day.
One night, Yingning shed tears at Wang Zifu. Wang Sheng felt very strange. Yingning choked up and said, "Because we spent a short time together in the past, I'm afraid I might surprise you. Now I can see that my mother-in-law and you love me very much and have no other thoughts. Maybe I won't hinder you by telling you the truth? Born by a fox. When my mother was about to leave, she entrusted me to the ghost mother, and I have lived with each other for more than ten years. I am today. I have no brothers, and only you can rely on. The corpse was buried with her father, and he was often saddened by this under the Jiuquan. If you are not afraid of trouble and money, and let the people in the ground eliminate this sadness and sorrow, maybe the person who raised the daughter will no longer have the heart to drown or discard it. ." Wang Zifu agreed, but was worried that the tomb would be lost in the grass. Yingning just said don't worry. According to the agreed date, the couple went with the car carrying the coffin. In the cluttered bushes in the wilderness, Ying Ning pointed out the location of the grave, and sure enough, the old woman's body was dug up, and her skin was still intact. Yingning caressed and cried bitterly. It was carried into the coffin and brought back, and found Qin's tomb and buried it together. That night, Wang Zufu dreamed that the old woman came to thank him, and when he woke up, he told Yingning. Yingning said, "I saw her at night, and I told you not to disturb you." Wang Zifu complained of not keeping the old woman. Yingning said, "She is a ghost. In a place with many living people, the yang energy is strong, how can she live for a long time?" Wang Zifu asked Xiaorong again, and Yingning said: "It is also a fox, the smartest and cunning, the mother fox stays She came to take care of me and often brought food to feed me, so I am very grateful that I have been thinking about her. I asked my mother last night and said that she is already married." Since then, every year on the Hanshi Festival, the couple will go to Qin's cemetery, Worshiping and sweeping the tombs continue every year. Yingning gave birth to a son a year later. In his arms, this child is not afraid of strangers, laughs when he sees people, and has the demeanor of a mother.
嬰寧
田中貢太郎訳
そのうちに
一人の
「この人の眼は、ぎょろぎょろしてて、
といって、花を地べたに打っちゃり、笑いながらいってしまった。王はその花を拾ったが悲しくて泣きたいような気になって立っていた。そして魂のぬけた人のようになって
母親は心配して
「お前、どうしたの。お母さんには遠慮がいらないから、いってごらんよ。お前の良いようにしてあげるから。」
といって優しく
「君は何か苦しいことがあるようだが、僕にだけいってくれたまえ。力になるよ。」
といって訊いた。王はそこで、
「君と散歩に出た日にね。」
というようなことを前おきにして、
「どうか心配してくれたまえ。」
といった。呉は笑って、
「君も馬鹿だなあ、そんなことはなんでもないじゃないか。僕が代って探してみよう。野を歩いている女だから、きっと家柄の女じゃないよ。もし、まだ
といった。王はこれを聞くと口を開けて笑った。
呉はそこで王の室を出て母親に知らせた。母親は呉と相談して女の居所を探したが、名もわからなければ家もわからないので、その年恰好の容色の佳い女のいそうな家を聞きあわして、それからそれと
そして王の方は、呉が帰ってから顔色が晴ばれとして来て、食事もやっとできるようになった。
二、三日して呉が再び来た。王は待ちかねていたのですぐ問うた。
「君、あの事はどうだったかね。」
呉はほんとうの事がいえないので、でたらめをいった。
「よかったよ。僕はまただれかと思ったら、僕の
王は喜びを顔にあらわして訊いた。
「家はどこだろう。」
呉はまた口から出まかせにいった。
「西南の山の中だよ。ここから三十里あまりだ。」
王はまたそこで呉に幾度も幾度も頼んだ。
「ほんとに頼むよ。いいかね。」
「いいとも。僕が引き受けた。」
呉はそういって帰っていった。王はそれから食事が次第に多くなって、日に日に
王は呉の返事を待っていたが呉が来ないので、ふしんに思って手紙を出した。呉は用事にかこつけて来なかった。王は怒って悶えていた。母親はまた病気になられては大変だと思ったので、急に他から嫁をもらうことにして、それをちょっと相談したが、王は首を振って振りむかなかった。そして、ただ毎日呉の来るのを待っていたが、どうしても呉が来ないので、王はたちまち怒って呉を怨んだが、ふと思いなおして、三十里はたいした道でもない、他人に頼む必要がないといって、彼の梅の花を袖に入れて、気を張って出かけていった。家の人はそれを知らなかった。
王は独り自分の影を
王は山をおりてその村へといった。わずかしかない人家は皆
王はどこかの
「
と呼ぶのが聞えた。それはなまめかしい細い声であった。王はそのままその声を聞いていると、一人の女が庭を東から西の方へゆきながら、杏の花の小枝を
「どこの若旦那だね。朝から来ていなさるそうだが、何をしておりなさる。ひもじいことはないかね。」
王は急いで
「私は親類を見舞おうと思って、来ているのです。」
といったが、老婆は耳が遠いので聞えなかった。そこで王はまた大きな声でいった。それはやっと聞こえたと見えて、
「親類は何という苗字だね。」
といったが、王は苗字を知らないので返事ができなかった。老婆は笑っていった。
「苗字を知らずに、どうして親類が見舞われるのだよ。お前さんは
王はその時空腹を感じて物を
門の内は白い石を石だたみにして、
王が腰をおろすと、窓の外へだれかが来て窺くのがちらちら見える。老婆が、
「小栄、早く御飯をこしらえるのだよ。」
というと、外から女がかんだかい声で、
「へい。」
と返辞をした。そこで二人の坐が定まったので、王が精しく自分の家柄を話した。すると老婆が、
「お前さんの母方のお
といった。そこで王が、
「そうです。」
というと、老婆は驚いた。
「では、お前さんは、私の
王はいった。
「私がここへ来たのは、
老婆はいった。
「私の苗字は
間もなく婢が飯を持って来た。肥った鶏の雛などをつけてあった。老婆は王に、
「何もないがおあがりよ。」
といって勧めた。王がいうままに膳について食べてしまうと、婢が来て跡始末をした。老婆はその婢にいった。
「寧子を呼んでお出で。」
「はい。」
婢が出ていってからやや暫くして、
「
といった。戸外では一層笑いだした。それは婢が女を
「お客さんがあるじゃないかね。これ、これ、それはなんということだよ。」
といった。女はやっと笑いをこらえて立った。王はそれにお辞儀をした。老婆は女に向っていった。
「これは王さんといって、お前の姨さんの子供だよ。一家の人も知らずにいて、人さまを笑うということがありますか。」
王は老婆に、
「この方はおいくつです。」
と女の年を問うた。老婆にはそれが解らなかったので、王はまた繰りかえした。すると女がまた笑いだして顔をあげることができなかった。老婆は王に向っていった。
「私の躾がたりないといったのは、それだよ。年はもう十六だのに、まるで、
王はいった。
「私より一つ妹ですね。」
老婆はいった。
「おお、お前さんは、もう十七か。お歳になるのだね。」
王はうなずいた。
「そうですよ。」
老婆が訊いた。
「お前さんのお嫁さんは、何という人だね。」
「まだありませんよ。」
「お前さんのような
王は何もいわずに嬰寧をじっと見ていて、他へ眼をやる暇がなかった。婢は女に向って小声で
「眼がきょろきょろしていますから、まだ
女はまた笑いながら娘を見かえって、
「花桃が咲いたか咲かないか、見て来ようよ。」
といって、急いで起ち、袖を口に当てながら、刻み足で歩いていった。そして門の外へ出たかと思うと崩れるように大声を出して笑った。老婆も体を起して、婢を呼んで王のために夜具の仕度をさしながら王にいった。
「お前さん、ここへ来るのは容易でないから、来たからにゃ、三日や五日は
翌日になって王は家の後へ歩いていった。果して半畝位の庭があって、細かな草が
王は小刻みに歩いてその花の下をいった。頭の上の樹の
「およしよ、おっこちるよ。」
嬰寧は木からおりはじめた。おりながらとめどもなしに笑って
王は嬰寧の笑いやむのを待って、袖の中から彼の
「これを知ってるの。」
といった。嬰寧は受け取っていった。
「枯れてるじゃないの。なぜ、こんな物を持ってるの。」
「これは上元の日に、あんたがすてたものじゃないか。だから持っているのだよ。」
「持っててどうするの。」
「あんたを愛するためだよ。上元の日にあんたに逢ってから、思いこんで病気になって、もう死ぬるかと思ったのだよ。それがこうして逢えたから、気の毒だと思っておくれよ。」
嬰寧はいった。
「そんなことなんでもないわ。親類の間柄ですもの、兄さんがお帰りの時、
王はいった。
「馬鹿だなあ。」
嬰寧はいった。
「なぜ、馬鹿なの。」
王はいった。
「私は花が好きじゃないよ、花を持っていた人が好きなのだよ。」
嬰寧はいった。
「親類じゃないの、愛するのはあたりまえだわ。」
王はいった。
「私が愛というのは、親類の愛じゃないよ、つまり夫婦の愛だよ。」
嬰寧はいった。
「親類の愛だっておんなじじゃないの。」
「夫婦になったら一緒にいるのだよ。」
嬰寧は
「私、知らない人と一緒にいたことないわ。」
その言葉のまだ終らない時に、婢がそっとやって来たので、王はあわてて逃げた。
暫くして王と女は、老婆の所で逢った。老婆は嬰寧に訊いた。
「どこへいってたね。」
嬰寧はいった。
「庭で話していたわよ。」
老婆はいった。
「とうに御飯ができてるのに、何の話をしていたのだよ。またお喋りをしていたのだろう。」
嬰寧はいった。
「兄さんが私と一緒に……。」
王はひどく困って急に嬰寧に目くばせした。嬰寧はにっと笑ってよした。しかし幸にしてそれは老婆に聞えなかったが、そのかわり老婆はくどくどと嬰寧の長く帰らなかった理由を訊いた。そこで王は他のことをいって打ち消し、そのうえで小声で嬰寧を責めた。
「あんな馬鹿なことをいうものじゃないよ。」
すると嬰寧がいった。
「あんなことをいってはいけないの。」
王はいった。
「そんなことをいうのは、人に
嬰寧はいった。
「他人に背いても、お
王は嬰寧に
食事がちょうど終った時、王の家の者が二
「私がそう思っていたのは、久しい間のことだよ。ただ私は、遠くへいけないから、お前さんが伴れて、
そこで老婆は、
「寧子や。」
といって嬰寧を呼んだ。嬰寧は笑いながらやって来た。老婆は、
「何の喜しいことがあって、いつもそんなに笑うのだよ。笑わないと一人前の人なのだが。」
といって、目に怒りを見せていった。
「兄さんがお前を伴れていってくれるというから、仕度をなさいよ。」
老婆はまた使の者に酒や飯を出してから、一行を送りだしたが、その時嬰寧にいった。
「
二人は出発して山の凹みにいって振りかえった。ぼんやりではあるが老婆が門に
「これはどなた。」
王は、
「それは姨さんの家の子供ですよ。」
といった。母親は、
「姨って、いつか呉さんのいったことは、うそですよ。私には姉なんかありませんよ、どうして
といって、嬰寧の方を向いていった。
「ほんとに私の
嬰寧はいった。
「私、お母さんの子じゃないの。お父様は秦という苗字なの。お父様の
王親はいった。
「そういえば、私の一人の姉が、
そこで顔の恰好や
「そりゃ合ってるがね。しかし没くなって、もう久しくなる。どうしてまた生きているものかね。」
判断がつきかねている時、呉が来た。嬰寧は避けて室の中へ入った。呉は理由を聞いて暫くぼんやりしていたが、
「女は嬰寧といいやしないかい。」
「そうだよ。」
と王がいった。呉は、
「いや、そいつは、怪しいよ。」
といった。王は呉が女の名を知っていることを先ず聞きたかった。
「君はどうしてその名を知っているね。」
「秦の
皆で疑っている時、室の中からくつくつと笑う声が聞えて来た。それは嬰寧の笑う声であった。母親はいった。
「ほんとに
呉が女に逢ってみようといいだした。そこで母親が室の中へ呼びにいった。嬰寧はまだ大笑いに笑っていてこっちを向かなかった。
「ちょっとおいでなさいよ。逢わせる人があるから。」
嬰寧は始めて力を入れて笑いをこらえたが、また壁の方に向ってこみあげて来る笑いをこじらしているようにしていて、時を移してからやっと出たが、わずかに一度お辞儀をしたのみで、もうひらりと身をかえして室の中へ入って、大声を出して笑いだした。それがために家中の
呉はその不思議を見きわめて、異状がなければ
母親は呉の報告を聞いて、嬰寧を幽霊ではないかと疑って、その室へ入っていって、
「お前さんの家は、ないというじゃないか、どうしたの。」
といったが、嬰寧はべつにあわてもしなかった。
「お気の毒ねえ、家がなくなって。」
ともいったが、べつに悲しみもせずに笑うばかりであった。
嬰寧は何につけても笑うばかりであるから、だれもその本姓を見きわめることはできなかった。母親は夜、嬰寧と同じ室に寝ていた。嬰寧は朝早く起きて朝のあいさつをした。裁縫をさしていると手がうまかった。ただ善く笑うだけは止めても止まらなかった。しかし、その笑いはにこにこしていて、狂人のように笑っても
母親は吉日を
母親が心配したり腹を立てたりする時に、嬰寧が傍へいって一度笑うと、それでなおってしまった。
嬰寧は花を愛するのが癖になっていた。そっと金の
ある日、西隣の男がこれを見つけて、じっと見とれたが、嬰寧は逃げもせずに男の方を見て笑った。西隣の男は女が自分に気があると思ったので、心がますますとろけた。と、女は
「おい、どうした、どうした。」
といったが悴は
西隣では王を
王の母親は嬰寧にいった。
「馬鹿なことをするから、こんなことになるのだよ。もう笑うことはよして、悲しいことも知るがいいよ。村役人は幸にわかった方だから、よかったものの、これがわからない役人だったら、きっとお前を役所で調べたのだよ。もしこんなことがあったら、あれが親類へ顔向けができますか。」
嬰寧は顔色を正していった。
「もう、これからは、決して笑いません。」
母親はいった。
「人は笑わないものはないから、笑ってもいいが、ただ時と場合を考えなくちゃ。」
嬰寧はこれからはまたと笑わなかった。昔の知人に逢ってもついに笑わなかった。しかし、終日
ある夜、嬰寧は王といる時に、涙を流した。王は不思議に思って
「どうした。」
すると嬰寧はむせび泣きをしていった。
「これまでは日が浅いから、こんなことをいったら、怪しまれるだろうと思って黙っていましたが、今ではお母さんもあなたも、皆さんが私を可愛がってくださって、へだてをしてくださらないからありのままに申しますが、私はもと狐から生まれたものです。母が他へゆくことになって、私を没くなっているお母さんに頼んだものですから、私は十年あまりもお母さんの世話になってて、今日のようなことになりました。私には他に兄弟もありませんし、
王はうなずいた。
「いいとも、だがどこにあるだろう。」
嬰寧はいった。
「すぐ
日を期して二人は
そこで二人はその尸をに入れて帰り、秦氏の墓を尋ねて合葬した。その夜、王の夢に老婆が来て礼をいって帰った。王は
「私は、ゆうべ逢ったのですよ。あなたをびっくりさしてはいけないというものですから。」
王はいった。
「なぜ
嬰寧はいった。
「あの人はあの世の人ですから、生きた人の多い、陽気の勝った所にはいられないのです。」
そこで王は訊いた。
「小栄はどうしたのだろう。」
嬰寧がいった。
「あれは狐ですよ。あれは気が利いてたから、母が私の世話をさしたものです。しょっちゅう木の実を取って来てくれました。だから私は有難いと思ってるのですが、母に訊きますと、もうお嫁にいったのですって。」
その歳から
底本：「聊斎志異」明徳出版社
1997（平成9）年4月30日初版発行
底本の親本：「支那文学大観 第十二巻（聊斎志異）」支那文学大観刊行会
1926（大正15）年3月発行
入力：門田裕志
校正：松永正敏
2007年8月12日作成
青空文庫作成ファイル：
このファイルは、インターネットの図書館、青空文庫（http://www.aozora.gr.jp/）で作られました。入力、校正、制作にあたったのは、ボランティアの皆さんです。
- このファイルは W3C 勧告 XHTML1.1 にそった形式で作成されています。
- 「くの字点」をのぞくJIS X 0213にある文字は、画像化して埋め込みました。
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