Mark and the Witch of the Deep Forest/Part 1


 * -|English= Mark and the Witch of the Deep Forest - Part 1 by Shawn Arnham

Once upon a time in a certain farming village, there lived a boy named Mark. Mark's father was an adventurer, and whenever he came home, he would tell grand stories of the places he visited. Mark respected his father and retold the other children in the village his father's stories as well. For a child living in a remote village, adventure stories were very charming, and everyone took a liking to Mark's.

On one such occasion, Mark began recounting, 'Today, I want to tell you about the witch that my father met!' To the north of Mark's village lies a great forest, where a witch is said to dwell. His father told him that he had met this witch deep within the forest. The listening children imagined what the witch looked like and what magic she would use. They then began asking Mark questions. Mark faithfully answered each in turn, but one boy suddenly declared:

'It's obvious that this story is another lie!'

He was a boy named Ron who liked to pick fights. He always looked for faults in Mark's stories. Mark got angry when the credibility of his stories was disputed. 'There's no way my father would lie about this!'

'If that's so, then show us the witch. Bring her here!' Ron grinned. Mark grabbed hold of Ron. The two began to scuffle, bringing upon them the attention of the adults. While the physical fight was settled, Mark's anger was not.

That night, Mark mulled over his words and the reaction from that day, and he made up his mind. He would not stay quiet. He would show Ron! He would show that his beloved father was not a liar!

He fetched the torn cloak his father had left behind, put a loaf of bread in a backpack, and rushed out of the house.

'I'll find the witch, and bring it here! I'll stun him into silence!'

Relying only on the adventurous spirit he inherited from his father, Mark ran toward the forest in the dead of the night.

The night was eerie. Every tree rustled as the wind blew. Far in the distance, the sounds of howling monsters could be heard at times. Mark trembled as he continued.

As his father's story went, the witch would have a small hut somewhere deep in the forest. No matter how much Mark explored, he saw no signs of any huts. He started the journey bursting with energy, but his pace slowed as he became more tired. Eventually, he found himself lost.

'I wonder if the witch even really exists...' Mark's thoughts trailed off as he became more tired and lost.

'Is something wrong?'

Startled, Mark turned to face the sudden voice. There had been nothing there moments ago, but now there stood a black-robed girl. She appeared to be the same age as Mark, yet Mark did not know any kids from his village that looked like her.

'Wh-Who are you...?' Mark stammered. He thought it was very strange for a girl to be out here this late at night.

'I'm Anna. I'm a witch who lives in this forest.'
 * -|Japanese= 【マルクと深き森の魔女・上】ショーン・アルナム著

むかしむかしのこと……ある農村にマルクという少年が住んでいました. マルクの父親は冒険家で、村に帰ったときには旅先での色々な話をしてくれました. マルクもそんな父を尊敬しており、父の話を村にいるほかの子供たちにも話していました. 冒険の話は村に住む子にはとても魅力的で、みんな、マルクの話が大好きでした.

そんなある日、またマルクが話し始めます. 「今日は父さんが出会った『魔女』の話をしよう. 」マルクの村の北には大きな森が広がっており、そのどこかに『魔女』が住んでいると言われます. 父は以前、その魔女に会ったと話したのです. 話を聞いた子供たちは、どんな格好だろう、どんなすごい魔法を使えるんだろうと魔女の事について想像を膨らませます. そして、つぎつぎとマルクに質問を始めます. マルクが得意になって答えていると、少年の１人がそれを邪魔するかのように言い放ちます.

「お前のする話はどうせウソに決まってるぜ. 」それは乱暴者で有名なロンという少年でした. 彼はいつもマルクの話にケチをつけてくるのです. 尊敬する父の冒険をウソの一言で済まされ、マルクは腹を立てます. 「父さんがウソをつくわけがないだろ！」

「本当だってんなら、その魔女をつれてこいよ. 」にやりと笑うロンにマルクはつかみかかります. 周りの子供たちも騒いで、大ゲンカになる所で村の大人が割って入り、その場は収まりました. しかし、夕方になっても夜になっても、マルクの怒りは収まりません. その夜、マルクは今日話した魔女の話を思い出し、ある一つの決心をしました. 大好きな父をウソつきと呼ばれて、黙っているマルクではありません.

父が置いていった破れた外套をつけ、リュックに大きなパンを入れるやいなや、家を飛び出します.

「魔女に一緒に来てもらって、ロンの鼻を明かしてやるんだ！」

父親譲りの冒険心だけを頼りに、マルクは真夜中の森に向かって駆けて行くのでした. ──真夜中の森はとても不気味でした.

風が吹くと木々がざわざわと騒ぎ出します. ときどき、遠くから魔獣の遠吠えが聞こえ、マルクは思わず体を震わせました.

父の話では、魔女はこの森のどこかに小さな小屋を構えているとのことでしたが、どんなに歩いてもそれらしいものは見つけられません. 最初は元気いっぱいだったマルクも、やがて歩き疲れてとぼとぼとした足取りになってしまいます. そして、ついには道に迷ってしまったのでした. 「本当に魔女なんているのかな……」道に迷って心も体も弱ったマルクはついそんなことを考えてしまいます.

「……どうしたの？」突然かけられた声にマルクは驚きました. 慌てて声のしたほうを向くと、さっきまで何もなかった所に黒いローブを着た女の子がいたのです.

歳はマルクと同じくらいですが、どうやら村の子供ではないようでした.

「キ、キミは……？」

こんな真夜中に森の中を出歩いている彼女に、マルクはただならないものを感じて尋ねました.

「……私はアナ. この森に住んでる魔女よ. 」