AWAGUCHI ZENSUKE REFUSES THE TAIKO'S REQUEST
粟口善助太閤の下知を断る
Hideyoshi was always on the look-out for rare Tea-vessels, and one day he happened to ask Rikyu whether he had seen any interesting Tea-kettles or other things lately.
秀吉はいつも珍しい茶道具を探していて、ある時利休を呼び、最近何か面白い茶釜を見なかったかを尋ねました。
"Yes," replied Rikyu, "when I was passing by Awataguchi the other day I noticed a beggar using a kettle to boil water for his meal which I recognized as an extremely fine and rare specimen."
「はい」と利休は応え「私が先だって粟田口を通りました折、風変わりなごじんが釜で湯を沸かしいて、その釜がめっぽう素晴らしい出来映えの物でした。」
"Indeed," replied Hideyoshi, "then you had better go and get it ; you can give him whatever he asks, fief or money or anything."
「それでは」と秀吉が答え 、 「そちは早速行ってその釜を手に入れろ、領土なり金銭なり交渉の権限は与え任せる。」
So Rikyu went off to Awataguchi and said to the beggar, "His Excellency wishes to have that kettle of yours.
利休は早速粟田口の風変わりな 男 の所へ向かい、「太閤殿下がそなた様の持っている釜を是非譲ってほしいと申しています。
He will grant you whatever you like in return in fief or money, so please hand it over at once."
代わりにご希望の土地か金銭を支払うので一度考えて見て下さらぬか 。 」
But the beggar burst forth angrily, "I am poor and nothing at all to my name, and if I give this away how am I to boil my hot water for tea?
するとその風変わりな男は 突然怒り出し 、「ワシは貧乏で名もないが、もしこれを手放したらどうやって茶の湯を沸かすのじゃ？」
Just because I have a good kettle I am subjected to troublesome demands like this!"
「この様な良い釜を持っているから厄介に巻き込まれてしまった！」
And he took up the kettle and flung it down against a stone in the road and smashed it, and, while Rikyu stood stock still in amazement, he was off like the wind.
彼はその釜を手に取ると、道にある石に向かって投げつけ叩き割って、利休が唖然としてたちつくす中、風のようにいなくなってしまいました。
Rikyu then gathered up the two broken halves of the kettle and went back and reported his adventure to the Taiko, but Hideyoshi did not show any sign of anger.
利休は我に帰ると、その真っ二つに割れた釜を拾い太閤の所へ顛末を報告に向かいました。秀吉は怒るでもなく冷静に珍事を聞いています。
"I have no doubt he comes from a province whose Lord is my enemy, and whom I may have slain.
「彼は我が家臣の一人に違いないな、領主は成敗したかもしれん。」
That kettle may have belonged to a loyal subject."
「その釜は名品の一つであろう。」
So he had it mended and it was as good as ever, and he also ordered the kettle maker of Ashiya in Chikuzen to cast three more like it, one of which he kept himself and the other two he gave to Rikyu and Hosokawa Yusai.
そう言うと割れた釜をくっつけて満悦にしたり、筑前の芦屋の釜師に同じ形の物を三つ作る様に依頼、一つは自身で他は利休と細川幽斉へ与えました。
But when they made enquiries about this odd begger they found that he was no loyal subject smarting under an injury to his lord, but a certain Tanaka Hyobu-taiyu who had formerly been a member of the Imperial Bodyguard but who had retired to Awataguchi on the Eastern Hills (taking the name of Awataguchi Zensuke), and there made himself a little hut just big enough to sit in, and with only his Tea-kettle for company spent his old age in this carefree manner, perfectly happy in making tea and sharing it with any passer-by and amusing himself by chatting to all sundry.
それから例の 男 について調べて見ると、彼は戦いに倒れた領主に仕官していた者では無く、元公家の警備兵、田中兵部太夫と言い、職を辞し隠世、東山の粟田口に住み粟田口善助と名乗り小さな庵を建て勝手気ままな自流の茶の湯三昧、だれこれ別無く前を通る通行人に茶を振る舞って は おしゃべりをして楽しんでいるちょっと変て こな 人だったのです。
They were only grooms and palanquin bearers, it is true, but he found their company quite sufficient.
彼の相手はただの 夫婦 や駕篭かき、本当に、本人は十二分に満足していたのです。
He used this kettle to boil his hot water and also to cook his rice, and when he had no more to eat he used to go into the city and beg it.
湯を沸かしたり飯を炊いたり、何か ほしい 時には町へ出て乞食をしていました。
And all who knew him readily gave him what food and money and clothing he needed, for he never went out till he had finshed what he had.
彼を知らない者はおらず、食べ物やお金、服などを快く恵んで、そして、彼は徘徊しておりました。
And so he continued to live without any desire for wealth or position, passing by the affairs of the world unmoved, and was far too profound a devotee of the philosophy of Tea to do anything else but rush away in anger when offered money and rank in exchange for his matchless Tea-kettle.
富や地位には興味はなく、世の中の雑多からは逃げ回り。しかし、誰よりも深く茶の湯の精神を理解して、だから、彼の茶釜が違う事に使われるのをどんなに見返りを積まれても拒絶したのでした。