The Fountain of Youth
『若返りの泉』
（Wakagaeri no izumi）
著者：ラフカディオ・ハーン（Lafcadio Hearn）
昔々、山に樵<きこり>の老夫婦が住んでいました。ある日木を切っていると、爺は山奥で泉を見つけ、喉が渇いていたのでその水を飲みました。すると水面に若者の顔が映りました。それは確かに爺自身でしたが髪は黒く、皺は伸び、身体には力が漲<みなぎ>っていました。若返った爺は嬉々として家に帰り、初めは信じなかった婆を納得させて飲むよう勧めます。爺を残し1人で泉へ行った婆がなかなか戻らないので、爺が探しに行くと、泉の傍に婆の着物と赤ん坊を見つけました。婆は水を飲みすぎて、幼子に戻っていたのです。爺は赤ん坊になった婆を抱え、肩を落として家に帰っていきました。
Once upon a time, there lived an old woodcutter and his wife in the forest. One day, when he was out chopping wood deep in the forest, the man found a spring and drank from it to quench his thirst. After taking a drink, he saw the face of a young man reflected on the surface of the water. It was definitely his face, but without gray hair or wrinkles. Moreover, he felt strong and vigorous. He went back to the cottage and gleefully told his wife about the spring. Although she did not believe him at first, he finally persuaded her to go and take a drink from it herself. Since she did not return, he went in search of her, and came upon a pile of old woman's clothes and a baby beside the spring. His wife had drunk too deeply of the water and reverted to infancy. The old man held the baby in his arms and went back to the cottage, crestfallen.
