Goonur, the Woman-doctor

Goonur was a clever old woman-doctor, who lived with her son, Goonur, and his two wives. The wives were Guddah the red lizard, and Beereeun the small, prickly lizard. One day the two wives had done something to anger Goonur, their husband, and he gave them both a great beating. After their beating they went away by themselves. They said to each other that they could stand their present life no longer, and yet there was no escape unless they killed their husband. They decided they would do that. But how? That was the question. It must be by cunning.

グーヌルは腕の立つ年老いた女の医者で、息子のグーヌルとその二人の妻とともに暮らしていた。妻は赤トカゲのガッダーと、小さな棘のあるトカゲのビリーウンだった。ある日、二人の妻は夫のグーヌルを怒らせることをして、二人ともこっぴどく打たれた。打たれたあと、二人は連れ立って離れて行った。そして互いに、いまの暮らしにはもう耐えられない、けれども夫を殺すほかに逃れる道は無い、と言い合った。二人はそうすることに決めた。けれどもどうやって? それが問いだった。策略によるほかない。

At last they decided on a plan. They dug a big hole in the sand near the creek, filled it with water, and covered the hole over with boughs, leaves, and grass.

とうとう二人は一つの手立てを決めた。小川の近くの砂地に大きな穴を掘り、水を満たし、その穴を枝と葉と草で覆った。

"Now we will go," they said, "and tell our husband that we have found a big bandicoot's nest."

「さあ行って」と二人は言った。「大きなバンディクートの巣を見つけたと夫に言おう。」

Back they went to the camp, and told Goonur that they had seen a big nest of bandicoots near the creek; that if he sneaked up he would be able to surprise them and get the lot.

二人は野営地へ戻り、グーヌルに、小川の近くでバンディクートの大きな巣を見た、忍び寄れば不意を打って一網打尽にできるはずだと告げた。

Off went Goonur in great haste. He sneaked up to within a couple of feet of the nest, then gave a spring on to the top of it. And only when he felt the bough top give in with him, and he sank down into water, did he realise that he had been tricked. Too late then to save himself, for he was drowning and could not escape. His wives had watched the success of their stratagem from a distance. When they were certain that they had effectually disposed of their hated husband, they went back to the camp. Goonur, the mother, soon missed her son, made inquiries of his wives, but gained no information from them. Two or three days passed, and yet Goonur, the son, returned not. Seriously alarmed at his long absence without having given her notice of his intention, the mother determined to follow his track. She took up his trail where she had last seen him leave the camp. This she followed until she reached the so-called bandicoot's nest. Here his tracks disappeared, and nowhere could she find a sign of his having returned from this place. She felt in the hole with her yarn stick, and soon felt that there was something large there in the water. She cut a forked stick and tried to raise the body and get it out, for she felt sure it must be her son. But she could not raise it; stick after stick broke in the effort. At last she cut a midjee stick and tried with that, and then she was successful. When she brought out the body she found it was indeed her son. She dragged the body to an ant bed, and watched intently to see if the stings of the ants brought any sign of returning life. Soon her hope was realised, and after a violent twitching of the muscles her son regained consciousness. As soon as he was able to do so, he told her of the trick his wives had played on him.

グーヌルは大急ぎで出かけた。巣から一、二フィートのところまで忍び寄り、それからその上へ跳びかかった。そして枝の覆いが自分もろとも落ち込み、水の中へ沈んでようやく、騙されたのだと悟った。そのときにはもう身を守るには遅すぎた。溺れかけていて、逃れられなかったのである。妻たちは離れたところから策の首尾を見ていた。憎い夫を確かに片づけたと分かると、野営地へ戻った。母親のグーヌルはまもなく息子がいないのに気づき、嫁たちに尋ねたが、何も聞き出せなかった。二日三日と過ぎても、息子のグーヌルは戻らなかった。行く先も告げずにこれほど長く留守にしていることに本気で不安を覚え、母は跡を追うことにした。野営地を出るのを最後に見た場所から、息子の足跡をたどり始めた。それをたどって、例のバンディクートの巣と称する場所に着いた。ここで息子の足跡は消え、この場所から戻った気配はどこにも見つからなかった。ヤム掘りの棒で穴の中を探ると、まもなく水の中に何か大きなものがあると分かった。又になった棒を切って、体を引き上げて取り出そうとした。きっと息子に違いないと感じていたからである。けれども引き上げられず、力を込めるたびに棒が次々と折れた。とうとうミジー(アカシアの一種)の棒を切ってそれで試すと、うまくいった。体を引き出してみると、やはり息子だった。母は体を蟻の巣まで引きずって行き、蟻に刺されて命の戻る気配が出ないかと、じっと見守った。まもなく望みはかなった。激しく筋肉が引きつったあと、息子は意識を取り戻した。口がきけるようになるとすぐ、息子は妻たちに仕掛けられた計略のことを話した。

Goonur, the mother, was furious. "No more shall they have you as husband. You shall live hidden in my dardurr. When we get near the camp you can get into this long, big comebee, and I will take you in. When you want to go hunting I will take you from the camp in this comebee, and when we are out of sight you can get out and hunt as of old."

母親のグーヌルは激怒した。「もう二度とあの女たちにおまえを夫として与えはしない。おまえはわたしのダルルに隠れて暮らすのだ。野営地に近づいたら、この長くて大きなコンビーに入りなさい。わたしが運んで入る。狩りに行きたいときは、わたしがこのコンビーに入れて野営地から連れ出す。見えないところまで来たら出て、前のように狩ればよい。」

And thus they managed for some time to keep his return a secret; and little the wives knew that their husband was alive and in his mother's camp. But as day after day Goonur, the mother, returned from hunting loaded with spoils, they began to think she must have help from some one; for surely, they said, no old woman could be so successful in hunting. There was a mystery they were sure, and they were determined to find it out.

こうして二人はしばらくのあいだ、息子が戻ったことを秘密にしておくことができた。妻たちは、夫が生きていて姑の野営地にいるとは露ほども知らなかった。けれども日ごとに母親のグーヌルが獲物を山と積んで狩りから帰るので、二人は、誰かの助けを得ているに違いないと思い始めた。まさか老女がこれほど狩りで首尾よくやれるはずがない、と。何か秘密がある、きっとそうだ、二人はそれを突き止めようと決めた。

"See," they said, "she goes out alone. She is old, and yet she brings home more than we two do together, and we are young. To-day she brought opossums, piggiebillahs, honey yams, quatha, and many things. We got little, yet we went far. We will watch her."

「ごらん」と二人は言った。「あの人は一人で出て行く。年寄りなのに、わたしたち二人分より多く持ち帰る。わたしたちは若いのに。今日はフクロネズミ、ハリモグラ、蜜、ヤムイモ、クァサ、いろいろ持って帰った。わたしたちは遠くまで行ったのに、ほとんど取れなかった。見張ろう。」

The next time old Goonur went out, carrying her big comebee, the wives watched her.

次に老いたグーヌルが大きなコンビーを担いで出かけたとき、妻たちは後をつけた。

"Look," they said, "how slowly she goes. She could not climb trees for opossums--she is too old and weak; look how she staggers."

「見て」と二人は言った。「なんてゆっくり歩くこと。あれではフクロネズミを取りに木に登れやしない——年を取って弱っているもの。ほら、よろめいている。」

They went cautiously after her, and saw when she was some distance from the camp that she put down her comebee. And out of it, to their amazement, stepped Goonur, their husband.

二人は用心深く後をつけ、野営地からかなり離れたところで、老女がコンビーを下ろすのを見た。すると驚いたことに、その中から夫のグーヌルが出て来た。

"Ah," they said, "this is her secret. She must have found him, and, as she is a great doctor, she was able to bring him to life again. We must wait until she leaves him, and then go to him, and beg to know where he has been, and pretend joy that he is back, or else surely now he is alive again he will sometime kill us."

「ああ」と二人は言った。「これがあの人の秘密だ。見つけ出して、腕の立つ医者だから生き返らせたに違いない。あの人が離れるのを待って、夫のところへ行って、どこにいたのか教えてくれと乞い、帰って来て嬉しいふりをしなければ。でないと、生き返ったからには、いつかきっとわたしたちを殺すだろう。」

Accordingly, when Goonur was alone the two wives ran to him, and said:

そこでグーヌルが一人になったとき、二人の妻は駆け寄って言った。

"Why, Goonur, our husband, did you leave us? Where have you been all the time that we, your wives, have mourned for you? Long has the time been without you, and we, your wives, have been sad that you came no more to our dardurr."

「どうして、夫のグーヌルよ、わたしたちを置いて行ったのです? 妻であるわたしたちが嘆いていたあいだ、ずっとどこにいたのです? あなたのいない時は長く、妻であるわたしたちは、あなたがもうダルルに来ないことを悲しんでいました。」

Goonur, the husband, affected to believe their sorrow was genuine, and that they did not know when they directed him to the bandicoot's nest that it was a trap. Which trap, but for his mother, might have been his grave.

夫のグーヌルは、その嘆きが本物であり、バンディクートの巣へ向かわせたとき、それが罠だと知らなかったのだと信じたふりをした。母がいなければ自分の墓になっていたであろう、その罠を。

They all went hunting together, and when they had killed enough for food they returned to the camp. As they came near to the camp, Goonur, the mother, saw them coming, and cried out:

三人は一緒に狩りに出かけ、食べるに足るだけ仕留めると野営地へ戻った。野営地に近づくと、母親のグーヌルが来るのを見て叫んだ。

"Would you again be tricked by your wives? Did I save you from death only that you might again be killed? I spared them, but I would I had slain them, if again they are to have a chance of killing you, my son. Many are the wiles of women, and another time I might not be able to save you. Let them live if you will it so, my son, but not with you. They tried to lure you to death; you are no longer theirs, mine only now, for did I not bring you back from the dead?"

「また妻たちに騙されるつもりか? わたしはおまえをまた殺させるために死から救ったのか? わたしはあの女たちを助けたが、またおまえを殺す機会を与えるくらいなら、殺しておけばよかった、息子よ。女の計略は数知れず、次はわたしにも救えないかもしれない。おまえがそう望むなら生かしておくがよい、息子よ。だがおまえと一緒ではだめだ。あの女たちはおまえを死へ誘った。おまえはもうあの者たちのものではない。いまはわたしだけのものだ。わたしがおまえを死から連れ戻したのではないか?」

But Goonur the husband said, "In truth did you save me, my mother, and these my wives rejoice that you did. They too, as I was, were deceived by the bandicoot's nest, the work of an enemy yet to be found. See, my mother, do not the looks of love in their eyes, and words of love on their lips vouch for their truth? We will be as we have been, my mother, and live again in peace."

けれども夫のグーヌルは言った。「まことにあなたはわたしを救ってくださいました、母上。そしてこの妻たちも、あなたがそうしてくれたことを喜んでいます。この二人もわたしと同じく、あのバンディクートの巣に欺かれたのです。まだ見つかっていない敵の仕業に。ごらんください、母上、この二人の目に宿る愛のまなざしと、唇に上る愛の言葉が、その誠を証していませんか。これまでどおりに、また穏やかに暮らしましょう、母上。」

And thus craftily did Goonur the husband deceive his wives and make them believe he trusted them wholly, while in reality his mind was even then plotting vengeance. In a few days he had his plans ready. Having cut and pointed sharply two stakes, he stuck them firmly in the creek, then he placed two logs on the bank, in front of the sticks, which were underneath the water, and invisible. Having made his preparations, he invited his wives to come for a bathe. He said when they reached the creek:

こうして夫のグーヌルは巧みに妻たちを欺き、すっかり信じているものと思い込ませた。だが実のところ、その胸のうちではすでに仕返しの企みが巡っていた。数日のうちに支度は整った。二本の杭を切って鋭く尖らせ、小川にしっかりと突き立てた。それから岸の、水の中にあって見えない杭の手前に、丸太を二本置いた。支度が済むと、妻たちを水浴びに誘った。小川に着くと、こう言った。

"See those two logs on the bank, you jump in each from one and see which can dive the furthest. I will go first to see you as you come up." And in he jumped, carefully avoiding the pointed stakes. "Right," he called. "All is clear here, jump in."

「あの岸の二本の丸太を見ろ。おまえたち一人ずつあれから跳び込んで、どちらが遠くまで潜れるか見よう。わたしが先に行って、上がって来るのを見ていてやる。」そう言って跳び込み、尖った杭を用心深く避けた。「よし」と叫んだ。「こちらは何も無い、跳び込め。」

Then the two wives ran down the bank each to a log and jumped from it. Well had Goonur calculated the distance, for both jumped right on to the stakes placed in the water to catch them, and which stuck firmly into them, holding them under the water.

そこで二人の妻は岸を駆け下り、それぞれ丸太のところへ行って、そこから跳んだ。グーヌルは距離をよく測っていた。二人とも、待ち受けるために水中に据えられた杭の上にまともに跳び込み、杭は深々と二人に突き刺さって、水の下に留めてしまった。

"Well am I avenged," said Goonur. "No more will my wives lay traps to catch me." And he walked off to the camp.

「見事に仇を討った」とグーヌルは言った。「もう妻たちがわたしを捕らえる罠を仕掛けることはない。」そして野営地へ歩いて行った。

His mother asked him where his wives were. "They left me," he said, "to get bees' nests."

母が妻たちはどこかと尋ねた。「蜂の巣を取りに行って、わたしと別れました」と息子は言った。

But as day by day passed and the wives returned not, the old woman began to suspect that her son knew more than he said. She asked him no more, but quietly watched her opportunity, when her son was away hunting, and then followed the tracks of the wives. She tracked them to the creek, and as she saw no tracks of their return, she went into the creek, felt about, and there found the two bodies fast on the stakes. She managed to get them off and out of the creek, then she determined to try and restore them to life, for she was angry that her son had not told her what he had done, but had deceived her as well as his wives. She rubbed the women with some of her medicines, dressed the wounds made by the stakes, and then dragged them both on to ants' nests and watched their bodies as the ants crawled over them, biting them. She had not long to wait; soon they began to move and come to life again.

けれども日が過ぎても妻たちが戻らないので、老女は、息子が言う以上のことを知っているのではないかと疑い始めた。それ以上は尋ねず、静かに機をうかがって、息子が狩りに出ているあいだに妻たちの跡をたどった。跡は小川まで続き、戻った跡が見えないので、小川に入って探り、二つの体が杭に刺さったままあるのを見つけた。どうにか杭から外して小川から引き上げ、それから命を戻してやろうと心を決めた。息子が自分のしたことを告げず、妻たちだけでなく自分まで欺いたことに腹を立てていたからである。老女は薬をいくつか女たちに擦り込み、杭の作った傷を手当てし、それから二人とも蟻の巣まで引きずって行って、蟻が体を這い回って噛むのを見守った。長くは待たずに済んだ。まもなく二人は動き始め、ふたたび命を取り戻した。

As soon as they were restored Goonur took them back to the camp and said to Goonur her son, "Now once did I use my knowledge to restore life to you, and again have I used it to restore life to your wives. You are all mine now, and I desire that you live in peace and never more deceive me, or never again shall I use my skill for you:"

生き返るとすぐ、グーヌルは二人を野営地へ連れ帰り、息子のグーヌルに言った。「さて、わたしは一度その知恵を使っておまえに命を戻し、もう一度使っておまえの妻たちに命を戻した。おまえたちはみなわたしのものだ。穏やかに暮らし、二度とわたしを欺かぬように。さもなければ、もう二度とおまえたちのために腕を振るいはしない。」

And they lived for a long while together, and when the Mother Doctor died there was a beautiful, dazzlingly bright falling star, followed by a sound as of a sharp clap of thunder, and all the tribes round when they saw and heard this said, "A great doctor must have died, for that is the sign." And when the wives died, they were taken up to the sky, where they are now known as Gwaibillah, the red star, so called from its bright red colour, owing, the legend says, to the red marks left by the stakes on the bodies of the two women, and which nothing could efface.

そして一同は長いあいだともに暮らした。そして母である医者が死んだとき、美しく目もくらむほど明るい流れ星が落ち、鋭い雷鳴のような音が続いた。それを見聞きしたまわりの一族はみな、こう言った。「偉大な医者が死んだに違いない。あれがそのしるしだ。」そして妻たちが死んだとき、二人は空へ上げられ、いまではグワイビラー、すなわち赤い星として知られている。その鮮やかな赤い色からそう呼ばれるのだが、言い伝えによれば、その色は二人の女の体に杭が残した赤い印によるもので、どうしても消えなかったのだという。