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解説

付記

偉大なるギチ＝ククタイがミカドであった頃、廷臣の高官ジジジ・リを斬首に処した。 だが儀式の刻限を過ぎたそのとき、玉座に悠然と歩み寄ってきたのは――すでに十分钟前に死んでいるはずの男であった！ 「千七百の不可能なる竜ども！」と怒り狂った帝が叫ぶ。 「三時きっかりに広場で斬首せよと命じたのではないか！ 今は三時十分ではないか！」 「千の尊き神々の御子よ」と罪人は答える。 「陛下の御言葉はあまりに真実にして、真実が虚言に思えるほど。 だが、陽のごとく vital な陛下の御意志は無惨にも踏みにじられました。 私は喜んで広場に身をさらし、執行人は裸の曲刀を掲げ、空に誇示して振り回し、そして軽く私の首筋を叩いただけで去ってしまったのです。 群衆は怒り狂い、石を投げましたが、彼らは私を好んでいた。ゆえに私は今ここに来て、その不名誉にして反逆の首を討つ正義を請うのです。」 「その黒き腸を持つ下郎はどの隊の処刑人か？」と帝は問う。 「八千三百九十七部隊の勇士――名はサッコ＝サムシでございます。」 「ここへ連れてまいれ。」 やがて半時の後、罪人は帝の前に立たされた。 「三本足のせむしに親指のない外道の子よ！」と帝は咆哮する。 「なぜ首を斬らず、ただ軽く打っただけなのだ！」 「鶴と桜の主よ」と処刑人は動じぬまま答える。 「彼に指で鼻をかませてご覧ください。」 命じられたジジジ・リは、象のように鼻を鳴らした。 皆は首が吹き飛ぶのを期待したが、何事も起こらず、無事に終わった。 視線は処刑人に集まる。彼の顔は富士の雪のごとく蒼白となり、脚は震え、息は恐怖に荒れた。 「幾種類もの棘尾を持つ真鍮の獅子たちよ！」彼は叫ぶ。 「私は破滅し、辱められた剣士だ！ 剣を振りかざしたとき、誤って自らの首を貫いてしまったのだ！ 月の父よ、私は職を辞す！」 そう言うや、彼は自らの髷をつかみ、頭を外し、玉座に進み出て、謹んでそれを御前に捧げた。

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Original

A curved sword of exceeding keenness, in the conduct of which certain Orientals attain a surprising proficiency, as the incident here related will serve to show. The account is translated from the Japanese of Shusi Itama, a famous writer of the thirteenth century.

Additional notes

When the great Gichi-Kuktai was Mikado he condemned to decapitation Jijiji Ri, a high officer of the Court. Soon after the hour appointed for performance of the rite what was his Majesty's surprise to see calmly approaching the throne the man who should have been at that time ten minutes dead! Seventeen hundred impossible dragons! shouted the enraged monarch. "Did I not sentence you to stand in the market-place and have your head struck off by the public executioner at three o'clock? And is it not now 3:10?" Son of a thousand illustrious deities, answered the condemned minister, "all that you say is so true that the truth is a lie in comparison. But your heavenly Majesty's sunny and vitalizing wishes have been pestilently disregarded. With joy I ran and placed my unworthy body in the market-place. The executioner appeared with his bare scimitar, ostentatiously whirled it in air, and then, tapping me lightly upon the neck, strode away, pelted by the populace, with whom I was ever a favorite. I am come to pray for justice upon his own dishonorable and treasonous head." To what regiment of executioners does the black-boweled caitiff belong? asked the Mikado. To the gallant Ninety-eight Hundred and Thirty-seventh—I know the man. His name is Sakko-Samshi. Let him be brought before me, said the Mikado to an attendant, and a half-hour later the culprit stood in the Presence. Thou bastard son of a three-legged hunchback without thumbs! roared the sovereign—"why didst thou but lightly tap the neck that it should have been thy pleasure to sever?" Lord of Cranes and Cherry Blooms, replied the executioner, unmoved, "command him to blow his nose with his fingers." Being commanded, Jijiji Ri laid hold of his nose and trumpeted like an elephant, all expecting to see the severed head flung violently from him. Nothing occurred: the performance prospered peacefully to the close, without incident. All eyes were now turned on the executioner, who had grown as white as the snows on the summit of Fujiama. His legs trembled and his breath came in gasps of terror. Several kinds of spike-tailed brass lions! he cried; "I am a ruined and disgraced swordsman! I struck the villain feebly because in flourishing the scimitar I had accidentally passed it through my own neck! Father of the Moon, I resign my office." So saying, he gasped his top-knot, lifted off his head, and advancing to the throne laid it humbly at the Mikado's feet.