Meamei the Seven Sisters

Wurrunnah had had a long day's hunting, and he came back to the camp tired and hungry. He asked his old mother for durrie, but she said there was none left. Then he asked some of the other blacks to give him some doonburr seeds that he might make durrie for himself, But no one would give him anything. He flew into a rage and he said, "I will go to a far country and live with strangers; my own people would starve me." And while he was yet hot and angry, he went. Gathering up his weapons, he strode forth to find a new people in a new country. After he had gone some distance, he saw, a long way off, an old man chopping out bees' nests. The old man turned his face towards Wurrunnah, and watched him coming, but when Wurrunnah came close to him he saw that the old man had no eyes, though he had seemed to be watching him long before he could have heard him. It frightened Wurrunnah to see a stranger having no eyes, yet turning his face towards him as if seeing him all the time. But he determined not to show his fear, but go straight on towards him, which he did. When he came up to him, the stranger told him that his name was Mooroonumildah, and that his tribe were so-called because they had no eyes, but saw through their noses. Wurrunnah thought it very strange and still felt rather frightened, though Mooroonumildah seemed hospitable and kind, for, he gave Wurrunnah, whom he said looked hungry, a bark wirree filled with honey, told him where his camp was, and gave him leave to go there and stay with him. Wurrunnah took the honey and turned as if to go to the camp, but when he got out of sight he thought it wiser to turn in another direction. He journeyed on for some time, until he came to a large lagoon, where he decided to camp. He took a long drink of water, and then lay down to sleep. When he woke in the morning, he looked towards the lagoon, but saw only a big plain. He thought he must be dreaming; he rubbed his eyes and looked again.

ウルナーは長い一日を狩りに費やし、疲れて腹を空かせて野営地へ戻った。年老いた母にダリーをくれと言ったが、もう残っていないと言われた。そこでほかの人々に、自分でダリーを作るからドゥンバーの種を少し分けてくれと頼んだ。けれども誰も何もくれなかった。ウルナーは怒りに駆られて言った。「遠い国へ行って、よそ者たちと暮らそう。身内はおれを飢えさせるのだから。」そして腹立ちの冷めないうちに出て行った。武器をまとめ、新しい国で新しい人々を見つけようと大股に歩き出した。しばらく行くと、遠くの方で、老人が蜂の巣を切り出しているのが見えた。老人はウルナーの方へ顔を向け、近づいて来るのを見ていた。けれどもすぐそばまで来て、ウルナーは老人に目が無いことに気づいた。音が聞こえるはずもない遠くから、ずっとこちらを見ていたように見えたのに、である。目の無いよそ者が、それでも始終こちらを見ているかのように顔を向けているのを見て、ウルナーは怖くなった。それでも怖がる様子は見せまいと決め、まっすぐ老人の方へ進んだ。そばまで来ると、よそ者は自分の名はムールーヌミルダー、自分の一族は目が無く鼻で見るのでそう呼ばれているのだと告げた。ウルナーはたいそう奇妙に思い、やはり少し怖かったが、ムールーヌミルダーはもてなし深く親切に見えた。腹を空かせているようだと言って、蜜を満たした樹皮のウィリーをくれ、自分の野営地の場所を教えて、そこへ行って一緒にいてよいと言ったからである。ウルナーは蜜を受け取り、野営地へ行くふりをして向きを変えた。けれども見えないところまで来ると、別の方へ行く方が賢いと思った。しばらく旅を続け、とうとう大きな潟に着いたので、そこで野営することにした。水をたっぷり飲んでから横になって眠った。朝目を覚まして潟の方を見ると、大きな平原があるだけだった。夢でも見ているのかと思った。目をこすってもう一度見た。

"This is a strange country," he said. "First I meet a man who has no eyes and yet can see. Then at night I see a large lagoon full of water, I wake in the morning and see none. The water was surely there, for I drank some, and yet now there is no water." As he was wondering how the water could have disappeared so quickly, he saw a big storm coming up; he hurried to get into the thick bush for shelter. When he had gone a little way into the bush, he saw a quantity of cut bark lying on the ground.

「ここは奇妙な国だ」とウルナーは言った。「まず目が無いのに見える男に会った。それから夜には水をたたえた大きな潟を見た。朝起きてみると何も見えない。水はたしかにあった。飲んだのだから。それなのにいま水が無い。」どうしてあんなに早く水が消えたのかと不思議がっていると、大きな嵐が近づいて来るのが見えた。雨宿りをしようと、急いで深い藪へ入った。藪を少し入ったところで、切り出した樹皮がたくさん地面に置かれているのが見えた。

"Now I am right," he said. "I shall get some poles and with them and this bark make a dardurr in which to shelter myself from the storm I see coming."

「これはありがたい」とウルナーは言った。「柱を何本か取って、この樹皮と合わせてダルルを作り、来る嵐をしのごう。」

He quickly cut the poles he wanted, stuck them up as a framework for his dardurr. Then he went to lift up the bark. As he lifted up a sheet of it he saw a strange-looking object of no tribe that he had ever seen before.

ウルナーは手早く要るだけの柱を切り、ダルルの骨組みとして立てた。それから樹皮を持ち上げに行った。一枚持ち上げると、これまで見たどの一族にも属さない、奇妙な姿のものが見えた。

This strange object cried out: "I am Bulgahnunnoo," in such a terrifying tone that Wurrunnah dropped the bark, picked up his weapons and ran away as hard as he could, quite forgetting the storm. His one idea was to get as far as he could from Bulgahnunnoo.

その奇妙なものは「わたしはブルガーヌヌーだ」と、ぞっとするような声で叫んだ。ウルナーは樹皮を落とし、武器を拾って、嵐のこともすっかり忘れて、力のかぎり逃げ出した。頭にあったのは、ブルガーヌヌーからできるだけ遠ざかることだけだった。

On he ran until he came to a big river, which hemmed him in on three sides. The river was too big to cross, so he had to turn back, yet he did not retrace his steps but turned in another direction. As he turned to leave the river he saw a flock of emus coming to water. The first half of the flock were covered with feathers, but the last half had the form of emus, but no feathers.

走りに走って、とうとう大きな川に出た。三方を川に囲まれてしまった。渡るには大きすぎるので引き返すほかなかったが、来た道をたどらず別の方へ向きを変えた。川を離れようと向きを変えると、エミューの群れが水を飲みに来るのが見えた。群れの前半は羽に覆われていたが、後半はエミューの形をしていながら羽が無かった。

Wurrunnah decided to spear one for food. For that purpose he climbed up a tree, so that they should not see him; he got his spear ready to kill one of the featherless birds. As they passed by, he picked out the one he meant to have, threw his spear and killed it, then climbed down to go and get it.

ウルナーは食べ物のために一羽仕留めようと決めた。見つからないように木に登り、羽の無い鳥の一羽を仕留めようと槍を構えた。通り過ぎるとき、狙いをつけた一羽に槍を投げて仕留め、それから取りに行こうと木を下りた。

As he was running up to the dead emu, he saw that they were not emus at all but black fellows of a strange tribe. They were all standing round their dead friend making savage signs, as to what they would do by way of vengeance. Wurrunnah saw that little would avail him the excuse that he had killed the black fellow in mistake for an emu; his only hope lay in flight. Once more he took to his heels, hardly daring to look round for fear he would see an enemy behind him. On he sped, until at last he reached a camp, which he was almost into before he saw it; he had only been thinking of danger behind him, unheeding what was before him.

死んだエミューのところへ駆け寄ると、それはエミューなどではなく、見知らぬ一族の人々だと分かった。みなが死んだ仲間のまわりに立ち、仕返しに何をしてやろうかと、荒々しい身振りをしていた。ウルナーは、エミューと間違えて殺したのだという言い訳などほとんど役に立たないと見て取った。望みは逃げることだけだった。またしても駆け出し、後ろに敵が見えるのが怖くて振り返る気にもなれなかった。走りに走って、とうとう一つの野営地に着いた。見る前にほとんど飛び込んでしまったほどだった。後ろの危険のことばかり考えて、前に何があるか気にしていなかったのである。

However, he had nothing to fear in the camp he reached so suddenly, for in it were only seven young girls. They did not look very terrifying, in fact, seemed more startled than he was. They were quite friendly towards him when they found that he was alone and hungry. They gave him food and allowed him to camp there that night. He asked them where the rest of their tribe were, and what their name was. They answered that their name was Meamei, and that their tribe were in a far country. They had only come to this country to see what it was like; they would stay for a while and thence return whence they had come.

けれども、不意に着いたその野営地に、恐れるものは何も無かった。そこにいたのは七人の若い娘だけだったからである。あまり恐ろしくも見えず、それどころかウルナーより驚いているようだった。一人きりで腹を空かせていると分かると、娘たちはたいそう親切にしてくれた。食べ物をくれ、その夜そこで野営してよいと言ってくれた。ウルナーは、一族のほかの者はどこにいるのか、何という名なのかと尋ねた。娘たちは、自分たちの名はメアメイで、一族は遠い国にいると答えた。この国がどんなところか見に来ただけで、しばらくいたらもと来たところへ帰るのだ、と。

The next day Wurrunnah made a fresh start, and left the camp of the Meamei, as if he were leaving for good. But he determined to hide near and watch what they did, and if he could get a chance he would steal a wife from amongst them. He was tired of travelling alone. He saw the seven sisters all start out with their yam sticks in hand. He followed at a distance, taking care not to be seen. He saw them stop by the nests of some flying ants. With their yam sticks they dug all round these ant holes. When they had successfully unearthed the ants they sat down, throwing their yam sticks on one side, to enjoy a feast, for these ants were esteemed by them a great delicacy.

あくる日、ウルナーはあらためて出立し、もう戻らないかのようにメアメイの野営地を離れた。けれども近くに隠れて娘たちの様子をうかがい、隙があればその中から一人妻を盗もうと決めていた。一人旅に飽きていたのである。七人の姉妹がみなヤム掘りの棒を手に出かけるのが見えた。見つからないよう気をつけながら、離れて後をつけた。娘たちは飛ぶ蟻の巣のそばで足を止めた。ヤム掘りの棒で、その蟻の穴のまわりをすっかり掘り返した。うまく蟻を掘り出すと、棒を脇に放り出して腰を下ろし、ご馳走にありついた。この蟻は娘たちにとって大変な珍味だったのである。

While the sisters were busy at their feast, Wurrunnah sneaked up to their yam sticks and stole two of them; then, taking the sticks with him, sneaked back to his hiding-place. When at length the Meamei had satisfied their appetites, they picked up their sticks and turned towards their camp again. But only five could find their sticks; so those five started off, leaving the other two to find theirs, supposing they must be somewhere near, and, finding them, they would soon catch them up. The two girls hunted all round the ants' nests, but could find no sticks. At last, when their backs were turned towards him, Wurrunnah crept out and stuck the lost yam sticks near together in the ground; then he slipt back into his hiding-place. When the two girls turned round, there in front of them they saw their sticks. With a cry of joyful surprise they ran to them and caught hold of them to pull them out of the ground, in which they were firmly stuck. As they were doing so, out from his hiding-place jumped Wurrunnah. He seized both girls round their waists, holding them tightly. They struggled and screamed, but to no purpose. There were none near to hear them, and the more they struggled the tighter Wurrunnah held them. Finding their screams and struggles in vain they quietened at length, and then Wurrunnah told them not to be afraid, he would take care of them. He was lonely, he said, and wanted two wives. They must come quietly with him, and he would be good to them. But they must do as he told them. If they were not quiet, he would swiftly quieten them with his moorillah. But if they would come quietly with him he would be good to them. Seeing that resistance was useless, the two young girls complied with his wish, and travelled quietly on with him. They told him that some day their tribe would come and steal them back again; to avoid which he travelled quickly on and on still further, hoping to elude all pursuit. Some weeks passed, and, outwardly, the two Meamei seemed settled down to their new life, and quite content in it, though when they were alone together they often talked of their sisters, and wondered what they had done when they realised their loss. They wondered if the five were still hunting for them, or whether they had gone back to their tribe to get assistance. That they might be in time forgotten and left with Wurrunnali for ever, they never once for a moment thought. One day when they were camped Wurrunnah said: "This fire will not burn well. Go you two and get some bark from those two pine trees over there."

姉妹がご馳走に夢中になっているあいだに、ウルナーは棒のところへ忍び寄って二本盗み、それを持って隠れ場所へ戻った。とうとうメアメイたちは腹を満たすと、棒を拾い上げてまた野営地へ向かった。ところが五人しか自分の棒を見つけられなかった。そこで五人は出発し、残る二人には棒を探させることにした。どうせ近くにあるだろうし、見つければすぐ追いついて来るだろうと思ったのである。二人の娘は蟻の巣のまわりをすっかり探したが、棒は見つからなかった。とうとう二人がこちらに背を向けたとき、ウルナーは忍び出て、無くなった棒を近くに並べて地面に突き立て、また隠れ場所へ滑り込んだ。二人の娘が振り返ると、目の前に自分たちの棒があった。喜びの驚きの声を上げて駆け寄り、しっかり刺さった地面から抜こうと掴んだ。そうしているところへ、ウルナーが隠れ場所から跳び出した。二人の娘の腰を両腕で抱え、きつく押さえた。娘たちはもがき、叫んだが、無駄だった。近くに聞く者はなく、もがけばもがくほどウルナーは強く押さえた。叫んでももがいても無駄と知って、娘たちはとうとうおとなしくなった。そこでウルナーは、怖がることはない、面倒を見てやると告げた。自分は寂しいのだ、二人の妻がほしいのだと言った。おとなしくついて来れば大事にしてやる。だが言うとおりにしなければならない。静かにしないならモリラで手早く黙らせるぞ。だがおとなしくついて来るなら大事にしてやる、と。逆らっても無駄だと見て取って、二人の若い娘はその望みに従い、黙ってついて行った。娘たちは、いつか一族が来て自分たちを取り戻すと告げた。それを避けようと、ウルナーは追っ手を振り切ろうと足早にどこまでも進んだ。何週間かが過ぎ、二人のメアメイは、表向きは新しい暮らしに落ち着き、すっかり満足しているように見えた。けれども二人きりになると、よく姉妹たちのことを話し、いなくなったと気づいたとき何をしただろうと語り合った。五人はまだ探しているだろうか、それとも一族のところへ助けを求めに帰っただろうか、と。やがて忘れられ、ずっとウルナーのもとに残されるかもしれないとは、一瞬も思わなかった。ある日、野営しているときにウルナーが言った。「この火はよく燃えない。おまえたち二人、あそこの松の木から樹皮を取って来い。」

"No," they said, "we must not cut pine bark. If we did, you would never more see us."

「いやです」と二人は言った。「松の樹皮を切ってはなりません。切れば、もう二度とわたしたちに会えなくなります。」

"Go! I tell you, cut pine bark. I want it. See you not the fire burns but slowly?"

「行け! 松の樹皮を切れと言っているのだ。要るのだ。火の燃えが悪いのが見えぬか?」

"If we go, Wurrunnah, we shall never return. You will see us no more in this country. We know it."

「行けば、ウルナー、わたしたちは戻りません。この国であなたがわたしたちを見ることは二度とないのです。分かっているのです。」

"Go, women, stay not to talk. Did ye ever see talk make a fire burn? Then why stand ye there talking? Go; do as I bid you. Talk not so foolishly; if you ran away soon should I catch you, and, catching you, would beat you hard. Go I talk no more."

「行け、女たち、立ち止まって口をきくな。話が火を燃やすのを見たことがあるか? ならなぜそこに立って話している? 行け、言いつけどおりにしろ。馬鹿なことを言うな。逃げたところですぐに捕まえるし、捕まえたらきつく打つぞ。行け、もう口をきくな。」

The Meamei went, taking with them their combos with which to cut the bark. They went each to a different tree, and each, with a strong hit, drove her combo into the bark. As she did so, each felt the tree that her combo had struck rising higher out of the ground and bearing her upward with it. Higher and higher grew the pine trees, and still on them, higher and higher from the earth, went the two girls. Hearing no chopping after the first hits, Wurrunnah came towards the pines to see what was keeping the girls so long. As he came near them he saw that the pine trees were growing taller even as he looked at them, and clinging to the trunks of the trees high in the air he saw his two wives. He called to them to come down, but they made no answer. Time after time he called to them as higher and higher they went, but still they made no answer. Steadily taller grew the two pines, until at last their tops touched the sky. As they did so, from the sky the five Meamei looked out, called to their two sisters on the pine trees, bidding them not to be afraid but to come to them. Quickly the two girls climbed up when they heard the voices of their sisters. When they reached the tops of the pines the five sisters in the sky stretched forth their hands, and drew them in to live with them there in the sky for ever.

メアメイたちは、樹皮を切るコンボを持って行った。二人はそれぞれ別の木へ行き、それぞれ力いっぱい、コンボを樹皮に打ち込んだ。そうしたとたん、二人とも、コンボを打ち込んだ木が地面からせり上がり、自分をも上へ運んでいくのを感じた。松の木はいよいよ高くなり、二人の娘はなおもそれにつかまったまま、地面からいよいよ高く昇っていった。最初のひと打ちのあと斧の音がしないので、ウルナーは娘たちが何をこんなに手間取っているのかと松の方へ来た。近づいてみると、見ているそばから松の木が高くなっていき、宙高くその幹にしがみついている二人の妻が見えた。下りて来いと呼んだが、二人は答えなかった。二人がいよいよ高く昇っていくあいだ、何度も何度も呼んだが、やはり答えなかった。二本の松はぐんぐん伸び続け、とうとうその梢が空に届いた。すると空から五人のメアメイが顔を出し、松の木の二人の姉妹に呼びかけて、怖がらずに自分たちのところへ来るように言った。姉妹の声を聞くと、二人の娘は素早く登った。松の梢に着くと、空の五人の姉妹が手を伸ばし、二人を引き入れて、そこで永遠にともに暮らすことになった。

And there, if you look, you may see the seven sisters together. You perhaps know them as the Pleiades, but the black fellows call them the Meamei.

そして見上げれば、そこに七人の姉妹が一緒にいるのが見えるだろう。あなたはそれをプレアデスとして知っているかもしれないが、その土地の人々はメアメイと呼ぶのである。