The Black Bull of Norway (1)

The Black Bull of Norway (1)

Long long ago in Norway, there lived a woman who had three daughters.

One day the eldest daughter told her mother that she had decided to seek her fortune.

She went to see the witch-washerwoman who could foretell people's futures.

The old witch-washerwoman said to her, " Stand by my back door and see what you can see. "

The first day, the girl could see nothing unusual, and nothing came on the second day.

(1/9)
設定ミスにより明日用のものが出てしまい、失礼しました。

The Black Bull of Norway (2)

The Black Bull of Norway (2)

But on the third day, a fine coach pulled by six horses appeared.

The girl told the witch-washerwoman what she had seen,

" That's for you, " she said to the girl, who got into the coach and road away.

Soon the second daughter decided she too should seek her fortune, and also went to the witch-washerwoman's house.

The first day, the girl could see nothing unusual, and nothing came on the second day.

But on the third day, a fine coach appeared.

" That coach is for you, " said the witch-washerwoman, and the second daughter rode off.

(2/9)

The Black Bull of Norway (3)

The Black Bull of Norway (3)

Then the youngest daughter also decided to visit the witch-washerwoman, who said " Stand by my back door and see what you can see. "

She could see nothing on the first day and the second day.

But on the third day, a great black bull appeared, bellowing as it walked.

" That's for you, " said the witch-washerwoman.

The girl was fearful of the creature, but climbed on to the beast's back, and they galloped away together.

The bull was kind, and when the girl felt hungry and asked for food, the bull said, " Eat from my right ear, and take drink from my left. "

The girl did so, and felt wonderfully refreshed.

By and by the bull slowed down at the gate of a fine castle.

" Here lives my eldest brother, " said the bull, and the two rested for the night at the castle.

(3/9)

The Black Bull of Norway (4)

The Black Bull of Norway (4)

In the morning, the lord of the castle gave the girl an apple and said, " Do not break into this apple until you are in great need. Then it will help you. "

They rode on for many miles, until they arrived at a second castle, bigger and fairer than the first.

" Here lives my second brother, " said the bull, and the two rested there for the night.

In the morning, the lord of  castle gave the girl a pear. And he spoke to her rather as the first lord had done.
" Do not break into this pear until you are in great need. Then it will help you. "

(4/9)

The Black Bull of Norway (5)

The Black Bull of Norway (5)

Again the two traveled on, until they came to a third castle, even finer than the others.

" Here lives my youngest brother, " said the bull, and the lord of the castle gave them lodgings for the night.

In the morning, the lord of the castle gave the girl a plum.
" Do not break into this fruit until you are in great need. Then it will help you. "

Off they went again, and after another long ride, the bull came to a halt in a dark and lonely glen.
” You must get down, ” the bull said.
" For the time has come when I must go to fight the devil. "

(5/9) 

The Black Bull of Norway (6)

The Black Bull of Norway (6)

" Sit down on that stone and do not move from here, for if you move I shall not find you. Look around you, and if everything turns blue, I shall have won; but if all turns red that will mean I have lost. "

After a while everything in the glen turned blue, and the girl's heart was filled with joy.
She was so pleased that she moved one foot and crossed it over the other, quite forgetting her instruction to stay absolutely still.

So no matter how long she sat the bull could not find her again.

When the black bull did not return, the girl saw why ad knew that she must complete her journey alone.

(6/9)

The Black Bull of Norway (7)

The Black Bull of Norway (7)

Off she went until  she came to a great hill made of glass.

She walked around it, but could not climb the glassy surface of the hill.

Then she found a smith, who made her some metal shoes so that she could cross the hill in safety.

The girl climbed the glassy hill, and made her way carefully down the other side, and what should she but the house of the old witch-washerman ー she had traveled full circle.

The washerwoman and her daughter told her of a handsome knight who had brought blood-stained shirts to be washed.
He had promised to marry the woman who could wash way the stains, but neither of them could do this.

The girl washed the shirts, and both the other woman were envious when they saw the stains disappearing.

(7/10) 
1回伸びて全10回になる見込みです。 

The Black Bull of Norway (8)

The Black Bull of Norway (8)

But when the knight returned for his shirts, the washerwoman told him that it was her daughter who had washed them.

And so it happened that the knight and the washerwoman's daughter prepared to get married.

The girl wondered what to do, since she wanted the truth to be known.

She decided to open the apple from the first castle and found a heap of gold and jewels.
" Delay your marriage for one day, " she said to the daughter, " and these jewels are yours. "

The bride-to-be agreed, and the girl planned to explain all to the night.

But the washerwoman realized and gave the knight a sleeping portion.

(8/10)  

The Black Bull of Norway (9)

The Black Bull of Norway (9)

Through her tears, the girl sang a snatch of song:
 The bloody shirt I washed for thee.
 Will you not waken and turn to me ?

Next day, the girl broke open her pear.

Out came jewels even more precious than those that had come out of the apple.

" Delay your marriage for one day, " said the girl to the washerwoman's daughter, " and you shall have them all. "

The washerwoman's daughter agreed, and the girl was ready to go to the knight.

But the washerwoman gave him a sleeping-portion.
And again the girl sang through her tears of sadness:
 The bloody shirt I washed for thee.
 Will you not waken and turn to me ?

The nest day one of the knight's men said to him, " What was that singing and moaning last night outside your chamber ? "

(9/10)  

The Black Bull of Norway (10 完)

The Black Bull of Norway (10 完)

The knight decided that nothing should make him sleep the next night.

Meanwhile, the girl opened the plum and still richer jewels fell out.

She offered them to the daughter, who again accepted them.

But this time, the knight only pretended to drink the portion.

And so the knight came to hear the truth.

The girl who had ridden the black bull, climbed the glass hill, and washed the blood-stained shirt finally married her knight.

And the washerwoman's daughter was content with her jewels.

(10/10 完)
今ひとつすっきりしないのですが、こういうお話で。
次作準備中ですが、明後日からになると思います。