厚かましい

解説

付記

昔、イスパハンに一人の男がいた。 頭の形は“頭蓋学者”によれば見世物にすべきもの。 殊に「謙遜のコブ」は異様なほど大きく、 髪の森を突き抜け、山頂のように聳えていた。 人々は言った。 「イスパハン随一の謙遜家だ」と。 だがそのコブは空へと突き出し、 やがて“尖塔を持つ男”と呼ばれた。 彼は絶えずその美しいコブを自慢し続けた。 怒ったシャーは使者を遣わした。 袋と弓縄を携え――処刑の贈り物として。 その男はため息をつき、こう言った。 「もし生き延びられたなら、 私の“謙遜”は永遠の名声を得たのに！」 ―― サッカー・ウフロ

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Original

Having a strong sense of one's own merit, coupled with a feeble conception of worth in others.

Additional notes

There was once a man in Ispahan Ever and ever so long ago, And he had a head, the phrenologists said, That fitted him for a show. For his modesty's bump was so large a lump (Nature, they said, had taken a freak) That its summit stood far above the wood Of his hair, like a mountain peak. So modest a man in all Ispahan, Over and over again they swore— So humble and meek, you would vainly seek; None ever was found before. Meantime the hump of that awful bump Into the heavens contrived to get To so great a height that they called the wight The man with the minaret. There wasn't a man in all Ispahan Prouder, or louder in praise of his chump: With a tireless tongue and a brazen lung He bragged of that beautiful bump Till the Shah in a rage sent a trusty page Bearing a sack and a bow-string too, And that gentle child explained as he smiled: A little present for you. The saddest man in all Ispahan, Sniffed at the gift, yet accepted the same. If I'd lived, said he, "my humility Had given me deathless fame!" Sukker Uffro