[22] イラクの富樫ノ左衛門（下） TOGASHI IN IRAQ (Part 2)

<南山高等学校　１年　日英バイリンガル通信　NO. 22　January 28, 1991

　　イラクの富樫ノ左衛門（下）

　歌舞伎の「勧進帳」に似た話があります。
　時は１１８６年。義経主従は陸奥平泉に落ちのびる途中、加賀の安宅の関にやってくる。これは義経を捕えるために出来た新関である。一行はこの関で厳しい詮議に会うが、弁慶の巧みな答えに通過を許される。
　ところが通り過ぎる時に、番卒が関守の富樫に耳打ちをする。これを聞いた富樫は声高らかに「如何にそれなる強力、止まれとこそ」と叫ぶ。弁慶は驚いて「何ゆえ、この強力（実は義経）をお留めぞ」と尋ねる。富樫は「その強力が、ちと判官どのに似たりと申す者の候ほどに」と答える。弁慶は強力に腹を立て金剛杖でさんざんに打擲（ちょうちゃく）する。これを見ていた富樫は目を潤ませ、通過を許す。
　これもいい話ですね。富樫は強力が義経であることを知っていたのです。普通見て見ぬふりをするのは良くないですが、心を打つこともあります。
　ところで、君がこのイラクの工場長だったらどうしますか。

　　　　　TOGASHI IN IRAQU (Part 2)

　　　　A similar thing is written in a Kabuki play Kanjincho.
　　 It was in the year 1186. Yoshitsune and his men were fleeing to Hiraizumi in Iwate-ken. They came to Ataka Barrier in Ishikawa-ken, which had been newly made to arrest him. At the barrier they were asked some difficult questions, but Benkei, one of the men, answered them skillfully. So they are allowed to pass through.
　　 However, when they were passing, one of the guards whispered to Togashi, head of the barrier. Hearing the whisper, Togashi shouted, "Hei, the servant there! Stop!" Surprised, Benkei asked Togashi why he had stopped him (actually Yoshitsune). Togashi replied, "Because one of my men says that he looks like Yoshitsune." Benkei got so angry with the servant that he beat him hard with a stick many times. Looking at them, Togashi allowed them to pass through. He had tears in his eyes.
　　 This is also a good story, isn't it? Togashi pretended not to know that the servant was Yoshitsune. It is usually bad to pretend not to see, but sometimes it moves us.
　　 By the way, what would you have done if you had been the factory chief?