The Secret · American Version

The Mystery of the Buried Jewels

The Litany of the Jewels Page 20

inlaid dagger hilts, coronets and combs-the Fair Peo- ple can be jealous, greedy, vain, quarrelsome, posses- sive, treacherous-almost, in a word, human. When the Thirteen Nations of the Fair People came to the New Found Land, twelve tribes brought with them their chief pride and treasure: a gem from the Old World, a remembrance of their history and tradi- tion. The Eivish folk of Scandia provided the uncanny casques in which the jewels were kept. Every Fairy, even the stupidest Goblin among them, knew by heart the Litany of the Jewels:

What are the treasures the Fair Folk bring? Easily named, and lovingly told: Fairies of England proudly bear Garnet, crown-jewel of their Queen. Brilliant as eyes of Celtic folk, Cold morning green, their Emerald. The Hadas of Iberia: Sapphire, shy as a wild field flower. Turquoise the Fays of France keep: stone Rare as a blue midsummer’s day.

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Japanese edition page: The Mystery of the Buried Jewels — 日本語版 · Japanese edition

日本語版の本文

The Japanese text with an English back-translation.

Japanese text

らされてしまう。しかも、目がさめたときには財宝のかわりに枯葉がポケットに入っているというぐあいなのだ。妖精たちはまた、銀にも愛着をもっている。月明かりや太陽の光に輝くつららを想いださせるからだ。しかし、宝石の場合は、宝石そのものに価値を認めている。たぶん、妖精自身のように宝石が地球上で生まれたものであり、めずらしくて美しいものであるからだろう。妖精たちは、また偉大な宝石職人でもある。指輪、ペンダント、プレスレット、ネックレス、ブローチ、剣のつか、王冠、くし。妖精がつくりだす作品はみごとなまでの巧妙さで宝石の魅力を倍加させていると感じざるをえないのだ。しかし、こと宝石のこととなると、妖精たちも人間と同じように嫉妬深く、貪欲で、虚栄心に満ち、気短かになり、所有欲が強く、33不誠実になったりする。これが妖精たちが埋蔵した宝のすべてだ。13の国々から新発見の地へやってきたとき12の国の妖精たちは、それぞれ自慢の宝石をもってきたのだった。旧世界の宝石、彼らの歴史と伝統の形見をだ。そして、残った1国スカンディナビアの妖精たちは、宝石をしまうための神秘的で巧みに細工をほどこされた宝箱を用意していた。たく妖精は、どんなまのぬけたいたずら妖精でさえ、宝石にまつわる話は暗唱していた。妖精がたずさえてきた財宝は何か?すぐにでも心をこめて名前をあげられるイギリスの妖精たちは誇らしげに女王陛下のガーネットがはめこまれた王冠を見せてくれるアイルランドの妖精は、その輝きに満ちた眼の色を想わせ

English back-translation

…and when they wake, instead of treasure they find nothing but dead leaves in their pockets. The fairies also have a deep affection for silver — because it calls to mind moonlight and icicles glittering in sunlight. But with precious stones, they recognize value in the stones themselves. Probably because, like the fairies themselves, jewels are born of the earth — rare and beautiful things. The fairies are also great jewel craftsmen. Rings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, sword hilts, crowns, combs — the works they create magnify the allure of precious stones with breathtaking skill. However, when it comes to jewels, fairies become just as jealous, greedy, vain, short-tempered, possessive… 33…and dishonest. This is the full extent of the treasure buried by the fairies. When they came from thirteen nations to the newly discovered land, the fairies of twelve nations each brought their most prized jewel — keepsakes of the Old World, mementos of their history and tradition. And the remaining one nation — the Scandinavian fairies — had prepared the mysterious and intricately crafted treasure casques in which to store the jewels. Even the most bumbling mischievous fairy could recite the stories of the jewels by heart. What treasures did the fairies bring with them? Ask and heartfelt answers come immediately — The fairies of England proudly show Her Majesty’s crown set with Garnet The Irish fairy, evoking the color of their sparkling eyes…

The Mystery of the Buried Jewels

Two editions, one page

日本語版の本文

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