How We Got the Name ‘spider Tales’

In the olden days all the stories which men told were stories of Nyankupon, the chief of the gods. Spider, who was very conceited, wanted the stories to be told about him.

昔、人々の語る話はみな、神々の長ニャンクポンの話だった。たいそううぬぼれの強い蜘蛛は、自分のことが語られるようにしたかった。

Accordingly, one day he went to Nyankupon and asked that, in future, all tales told by men might be Anansi stories, instead of Nyankupon stories. Nyankupon agreed, on one condition. He told Spider (or Anansi) that he must bring him three things: the first was a jar full of live bees, the second was a boa-constrictor, and the third a tiger. Spider gave his promise.

そこである日、蜘蛛はニャンクポンのところへ行って、これからは人々の語る話がみな、ニャンクポンの話ではなくアナンシの話になるようにしてほしいと頼んだ。ニャンクポンは一つの条件つきで承知した。ニャンクポンは蜘蛛(つまりアナンシ)に、三つのものを持ってこなければならないと言った。一つめは生きた蜂でいっぱいの壺、二つめは大蛇、三つめは虎だった。蜘蛛は約束した。

He took an earthen vessel and set out for a place where he knew were numbers of bees. When he came in sight of the bees he began saying to himself, “They will not be able to fill this jar”—“Yes, they will be able”—“No, they will not be able,” until the bees came up to him and said, “What are you talking about, Mr Anansi?” He thereupon explained to them that Nyankupon and he had had a great dispute. Nyankupon had said the bees could not fly into the jar—Anansi had said they could. The bees immediately declared that of course they could fly into the jar—which they at once did. As soon as they were safely inside, Anansi sealed up the jar and sent it off to Nyankupon.

蜘蛛は土の壺を持って、蜂がたくさんいるとわかっている場所へ出かけた。蜂の姿が見えるところまで来ると、蜘蛛は独りごとを言いはじめた。「あいつらにこの壺をいっぱいにはできないさ」——「いや、できる」——「いや、できないさ」そう言っていると、蜂たちがやって来て言った。「何の話をしているんだい、アナンシさん」そこで蜘蛛は、ニャンクポンと自分が大論争をしたのだと説明した。ニャンクポンは蜂が壺のなかへ飛び込めないと言い、アナンシは飛び込めると言ったのだ、と。蜂たちはすぐさま、もちろん壺のなかへ飛び込めると言い張り、すぐにそうしてみせた。蜂たちが無事になかに入るとすぐ、アナンシは壺に封をしてニャンクポンのもとへ送った。

Next day he took a long stick and set out in search of a boa-constrictor. When he arrived at the place where one lived he began speaking to himself again. “He will just be as long as this stick”—“No, he will not be so long as this”—“Yes, he will be as long as this.” These words he repeated several times, till the boa came out and asked him what was the matter. “Oh, we have been having a dispute in Nyankupon’s town about you. Nyankupon’s people say you are not as long as this stick. I say you are. Please let me measure you by it.” The boa innocently laid himself out straight, and Spider lost no time in tying him on to the stick from end to end. He then sent him to Nyankupon.

次の日、蜘蛛は長い棒を持って大蛇を探しに出かけた。大蛇の住む場所に着くと、また独りごとを言いはじめた。「あいつはちょうどこの棒くらいの長さだろう」——「いや、この棒ほど長くはない」——「いや、この棒くらいの長さだ」この言葉を何度か繰り返していると、大蛇が出てきて、どうしたのかと尋ねた。「ああ、ニャンクポンの町で、あんたのことで論争になってね。ニャンクポンの民は、あんたはこの棒ほど長くないと言う。わしは長いと言うんだ。どうかこの棒で測らせておくれ」大蛇は何も疑わずにまっすぐ体を伸ばし、蜘蛛はすかさず大蛇を棒の端から端まで縛りつけた。それから大蛇をニャンクポンのもとへ送った。

The third day he took a needle and thread and sewed up his eye. He then set out for a den where he knew a tiger lived. As he approached the place he began to shout and sing so loudly that the tiger came out to see what was the matter. “Can you not see?” said Spider. “My eye is sewn up and now I can see such wonderful things that I must sing about them.” “Sew up my eyes,” said the tiger, “then I too can see these surprising sights.” Spider immediately did so. Having thus made the tiger helpless, he led him straight to Nyankupon’s house. Nyankupon was amazed at Spider’s cleverness in fulfilling the three conditions. He immediately gave him permission for the future to call all the old tales Anansi tales.

三日目、蜘蛛は針と糸を持って自分の目を縫い閉じた。それから虎が住むとわかっているねぐらへ出かけた。そこへ近づくと、あまりに大きな声で叫んだり歌ったりしたので、虎がどうしたのかと見に出てきた。「見えないのかい」と蜘蛛は言った。「わしは目を縫い閉じたら、あんまりすばらしいものが見えるようになったので、歌わずにはいられないのさ」「わしの目も縫い閉じてくれ」と虎は言った。「そうすればわしにもその驚くべき光景が見えるだろう」蜘蛛はすぐにそうしてやった。こうして虎を何もできなくすると、まっすぐニャンクポンの家へ連れていった。ニャンクポンは、蜘蛛が三つの条件を果たした賢さに驚いた。そしてすぐに、これから先、昔話をみなアナンシの話と呼んでよいと許した。