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Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (1) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (1)

" Please, oh please, Granny Maria. Tell us one story, no more than one, and we shall asleep, not moving my eyelash, until sky is red again. "

By the fire the slight body of Granny Maria stirred. Her bird-like fingers opened and closed upon the handle of her walking-stick.

She folded the shawl back from her head and spoke, hardly louder than the whispering of the wind.

" Once, long ago, the men knew less and the animals knew more. 
Everything that moved and breathed lived together as one family.

The ruler of the man tribe was the king. The ruler of the animals was the Padre Porko the Gentlemanly Pig.

But both the king and Padre Porko wanted all beings, from the biggest to the smallest, to feel like brothers toward one another. 
This was very long ago. "

" The Padre came to Spain with the Irish, hundreds of years before the Romans and the Arabs, and such quarrelsome people.

He loved our beautiful plains, the clear air of the hills, our swift rivers, our sunny valleys, our forests of oak and pine, the ocean that pounds on its shore.

And the good Padre has lived with us ever since, as the best friend of every Spaniard. "

(1/18)
これからのお話は、
文中にもありますように、
スペインにおける伝説民話のGentlemanly Pig, Padre Porko の1エピソードです。

《お知らせ》
こちらは、明日7月15日より掲載予定のものでしたので、明日はこのまま(1/18)で、(2/18)は明後日16日から再開いたします(予約の日付、間違えました)。
 


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (2) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (2)

" My great-grandmother knew an old man who, when a boy, saw the Padre, just for a moment, in an orchard of olive trees, by the light of a new moon.

He is all pink, like a baby that has been scrubbed in hot water. He wear a jacket with gold buttons  and green velvet pantaloons, a red beret on his head and red slippers on his feet. 

Somewhere in the far-away hills the Padre has the neat green house, in the center of vegetable garden.
In front of his door grows an umbrella pine, in the shade of which the Padre has a table and chair, where he sits in pleasant weather.

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An old lady hedge-hog keeps house for him. She sweeps up the ashes, cooks his porridge and his soup of carrots and turnips, and take care of his four hives of bees.
For you must know that while the Padre is the friend of everybody, what he really loves, with the appetite of a truly piggy person, is honey and stewed carrots."

But any Spanish boy or girl or animal, who really needs the Padre's help, can have it.

If you are in bad trouble all you need do is to go to a quite place, and wish for him terribly hard.
Say, inside your own heart, " Padre, Padre, I do not know what to do, and you must come. Please come, I am waiting. " 
He will be there, never fear.
 
Everything that lives will carry him your message: the wasps and the bees, the moles and the bats, the birds and the foxes.
They are all his friends, and when you call him they become your friends. "

(2/18) 


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (3) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (3)

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It was a misty-moisty evening.

The drops of rain fell from the tips of the leaves with a 'plop' into the puddles underneath.

The wind blew the branches of the umbrella pine against the windows of the Padre's house.

It was the sort of weather when no person or animal was willingly out-of-doors.

The honest creatures of the air, the forest and the earth had long been asleep.

The Widow Hedge-Hog had washed the supper dishes swept the hearth with her tail warmed the Padre's flannel pajamas, and gone home to her family under the apple tree.

Before his fire the Padre dozed.

(3/20) 


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (4) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (4)

He had eaten three plates of heavenly stewed carrots for his supper, and every now and then he rubbed his stomach gently, to help them digest.

The tapping of the branches on the window and falling of the rain made a soothing music.

Upon the shelf above the chimney stood a polished red apple.

The Padre was trying to decide whether he should eat the apple or smoke his pipe before crawling into bed for a good night's sleep.

" Rat-a-tat-tat-tat, " suddenly sounded the knocker on his door.

" My Goodness Gracious, " he exclaimed, pushing his feet into his red slippers.
" Who can be out on a night like this ? It must be someone in real trouble. "
 

(4/20)  


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (5) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (4)

" Who is there ? " he called, putting his sensitive nose to the keyhole.

He could learn more through his nose then many people can learn through their ears and eyes.

" It is Antonio, the stable-boy from the General's. "

" Come in, come in, " invited the Padre, seating himself again, and taking put his pipe.

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The door opened and a dripping figure stepped inside.
Very politely he waited on the door-mat, his cap in his hand.

" Your Honor will please to excuse me for coming so late, " he said.
" But it was only tonight that the General said he would send me away in disgrace. My grandmother told me that Your honor is the Godfather of all Spanish boys who do not have real fathers, so you will please to excuse my coming. "

(5/20)
訂正 しみません。 
※ It is Antonio, the stable-boy from the General's.
                                              rom  from タイプミスです。


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (6) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (5)

The Padre was reaching up the red apple.
" She told you the truth, Antonio. You sit here and  eat this apple, while I put tobacco in my pipe. "

With a skillful movement of his left hind foot the padre kicked dry branches upon the fire.

"And don't be in any hurry, Antonio. Take all the time you need. Tell me the very worst. Whatever the trouble, we can put it right. "

" It is about the white horse, " Antonio began, " the fat, white one, that the General rides in parades, at the head of his soldiers. He can't walk. It is his left front hoof. "
The boy gulped it out in a single breath.

(6/20) 

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (7) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (7)

" They say that it is my fault, that I made him fall when I rode him for exercise. But it's not true. I always go slowly, and turn corners at a walk. "

" Let's go and see, " said the Padre, going to the closet for his rubber coat.
" And here's a cape for you to put around your shoulders. "

Once, at a General's, the Padre and Antonio hung their wet things in the harness-room and unhooked the door of the box stall where the white horse lived.

He was a superb animal, but he stood with one front foot off the floor.

" Excuse me, Your Excellency, but can you tell me the cause of Your Excellency's lameness ? "

(7/20) 
 


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (8) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (8)

The great beast pricked up his ears.
" The cause of it ! " he snorted.
" Why a three-day-old colt would known that much, and yet these stupid doctors and professors have been pestering me for two weeks. A wire nail has gone into the tender center of my foot. It has no head. You cannot see it. The idiots, and they pretend to know so much. "

" I thought as much, " murmured the Padre, sympathetically.
" And will Your Excellency co-operate with us, if we try to get the nail out. "

" Won't I, though ! "
The horse snorted again.
" Why, I haven't been able to touch this foot to the ground for sixteen days. "

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" This is a case for the Rat Family, and for no one else, " said the Padre to himself.

(8/20)   

タグ:Padre Porko

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (9) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (9)

He trotted over to a hole in the stable-floor.

His voice, as he learned over the opening, was a soft whine through his nose.
" Is the lady of the house at home ? "

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A grey muzzle appeared.
" I am only a poor widow, Don Porko ; my husband was caught in a trap last harvest time. But if my children and a poor soul like me can be of any help to you, you are more than welcome to our best. "

" Indeed you can, Mrs Furrynose, " said the Padre with enthusiasm.
" We animals are going to do what none of the veterinary professors knew how to do. Listen carefully. Of all the rats in this town which one has the strongest teeth ? "

Other heads had joined mother Furrynose at the opening, and now they all answered in a single unanimous squeak, " Uncle Israel, down at the flour-mill. "

(9/20)


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (10) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (10)

" Good, " said the Padre.
" And now, Mrs Furrynose, I want you to listen once more. Will you send your oldest boy for Uncle Israel right away ? Tell him that Padre Porko needs all the husky boy and girl rats in this town at the General's stable in half-an-hour. "

Before the Padre had finished his request, a sleek rat was out of the hole and running toward the door.
" You can cunt on us, Chief, " he called.

Hardly ten minutes had passed when a peculiar noise was heard outside the stable.
It was a rustling, a bustling, a scratching, a scraping , a marching of countless feet.

(10/20)


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (11) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (11)

Uncle Israel entered at the head of his tribe.

He was an old-fashioned Quaker rat, gray and gaunt, and the size of a half-grown kitten.

Hen he smiled he showed his remarkable teeth, sharp as razors and the color of ivory.

He motioned to his brown-coated army and they lined up in rows around the wall, watching him and the Padre with shoe-button eyes.

" I'm not so strong as I used to be, " apologized Uncle Israel, " except for my teeth. I don't want to boast, but none of these young rats can hold on to things as hard as I can. As soon as I got your message I brought my relatives. We will do anything you say, Padre. "

The rows of heads nodded in agreement.

" Thank you for coming, Uncle Israel, "  said the Padre.

(11/20) 

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (12) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (12)

" In a minute I'll explain what our work is going to be. First we must tell the general's horse our plan. "

He stood by the shoulder of the white horse and spoke in his most persuasive way.
" Your Excellency, we are ready for the operation that will cure your foot. But we must be sure of your co-operation. It may hurt, I'm afraid, especially at first. "

" It can't hurt more than my hoof aches right now. Go ahead, " said the horse.

" We must uncover the end of the nail so that Uncle Israel can grip it in his beautiful teeth. Please bend back your foot. "

(12/20)


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (13) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (13)

The General's horse rested his foot on the straw, with the under side showing, and Uncle Israel, placing one paw on either edge of the tender V, began to gnaw, his teeth cutting in like a machine.

Presently he sat up, squeaking excitedly.
" I have it. It's right there. it's like a piece of wire. But I can get a good hold on it. What next, padre ?  "  

" Antonio, " ordered the padre,
" bring the halters that hang in the harness room, and tie the ropes one to the other.
And you, Uncle Israel, slip your head through this loop in the leather. We will run the long rope out across the stable floor so that everyone can find a hold.
Take your time, Uncle Israel, everything depends upon your teeth. When you are ready for us to pull, wiggle your tail. "

Things worked like clock-work, Uncle Israel held on.
Three hundred young rats strained and pulled on the rope.

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※この画像は、本文の理解を容易にするための、参考資料です。
  複写はしないでください。24時間以内に消えます。

(13/20)


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (14) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (14)

The General's  horse winced with the pain.

The Padre walked up and down like a captain in a battle.

But the nail in the foot of the white horse did not budge.

Padre Porko had an idea.
" Widow Furrynose, what would give you the most pleasure in the world ? "

The lady replied quickly, " To bury that deceitful black cat up at the miller's. "

Everybody sat up and clapped his paw.

" Well, young people, " said the Padre, " think that you are pulling the hearse to the graveyard, and that the miller's black cat is in it. Wouldn't you manage to get that hearse to the graveyard ? Pull like that. "

The floor of the barn seemed alive.
It was ripping, gray-brown carpet of straining small bodies.

The teeth od Uncle Israel were locked in a death grip.

Padre Porko walked back and forth, singing, " Horrible cat, get her buried, haul the hearse, "

And inch by inch, a long, thin, villainous nail came out of the horse's foot.

(14/20)


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (15) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (15)

Then what a racket !

Everyone was squirming, and squeaking, and jumping and rolling over, and tickling and nipping tails, and telling how strong he was.

The white horse and Antonio admired Uncle Israel's teeth.

And all of his nephews and nieces and grandchildren were so proud of him that they kissed him on both whiskers.

Padre Porko kept repeating, " I'm proud of you, great work ! I always say that we animals can do anything, if we will work together. "


(15/20)  
 


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (16) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (16)

But it was the General's horse who brought the evening to its perfect close.

He whinnied into the Padre's ear,
" Please translate to Antonio that if he will unlock the oat box I'm sure our friends would enjoy a light lunch. The General himself would be the first to propose it. He will be very thankful when he visits the stable tomorrow and finds me trotting on four legs. "

Mrs Furrynose and Uncle Israel had the young people sit in circle of ten, while Antonio passed the refreshments, pouring a little pile of oats in the center of each circle.

(16/20)


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (17) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (17)

Over three hundred guests were served but their table manners were excellent.
No one snatched or grabbed, or gobbled his food.

Everyone said, " If you please, " and " thank you, " and " Excuse me for  talking when my mouth is full. "

When the crunching was at its height, Uncle Israel made a speech,
" Padre porko, Your excellency, and friends, relatives and neighbors, this is a proud and happy night for me.
In all my life my teeth never did such good work before.
They helped this noble white horse, and they enabled us rats to aid the Padre in one of his kind act.  "

(17/20)

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (18) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (18)

" They helped this noble white horse, and they enabled us rats to aid the padre in one of his kind acts.
But also, tonight, my teeth brought me to the attention of a lovely lady. Madame Furrynose, and I am delighted to say that she will not be a widow much longer.
One and all, you are invited to the wedding, which will be held next Sunday afternoon in the flour-mill, while the miller is at church.
And the Padre Porko has promised to send word to all dogs and cats of town that none of our guests are to be caught while going, coming or at the party. "

A hurricane of cheers and clapping followed the speech.

(18/20)


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (19) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (19)

The pink nose of the white horse pushed through the window of the stall, and the merrymakers looked up.

" May I, too, offer a wedding present to these worthy friends ? Every night  I will leave a handful of grain in the corner of my manger. they will find it there for their midnight lunch. A wedding pair with such polite manners can be trusted not to disturb the repose of hard-working old horse. "

The morning sun crept along the stable wall until it shone directly upon the sleeping Antonio.
He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

(19/20) 


Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (20 完) [Padre Porko]

Padre Porko, the gentlemanly Pig and the General's Horse (20 完)

How did it happen that he was not in his bed, but in the box stall of the General's horse ?

And the horse was stamping with the foo that had been lame.

Queerer still, the grain box was open and half the oats were gone.

And what was the meaning of the four halter ropes tied together ?

These are questions which Antonio never could answer.

But when he told his story to his children, he was no longer a stable boy.
He was the head trainer of all the General's racing horses.

(20/20 完)  


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