Anansi and Nothing

Near Anansi’s miserable little hut there was a fine palace where lived a very rich man called Nothing. Nothing and Anansi proposed, one day, to go to the neighbouring town to get some wives. Accordingly, they set off together.

アナンシのみすぼらしい小さな小屋の近くに立派な宮殿があって、ナンデモナイという名のたいそうな金持ちが住んでいた。ある日、ナンデモナイとアナンシは、妻をもらいに隣の町へ行こうと相談した。そこで二人は連れ立って出かけた。

Nothing, being a rich man, wore a very fine velvet cloth, while Anansi had a ragged cotton one. While they were on their way Anansi persuaded Nothing to change clothes for a little while, promising to give back the fine velvet before they reached the town. He delayed doing this, however, first on one pretext, then on another—till they arrived at their destination.

ナンデモナイは金持ちなので、たいそう上等なビロードの布をまとっていたが、アナンシはぼろぼろの木綿の布をまとっていた。道々、アナンシはナンデモナイに、しばらく着物を取り替えようと説き伏せ、町に着く前に上等なビロードは返すと約束した。けれどもアナンシは、ああだこうだと口実をつけて返すのを延ばし、とうとう行き先に着いてしまった。

Anansi, being dressed in such a fine garment, found no difficulty in getting as many wives as he wished. Poor Nothing, with his ragged and miserable cloth, was treated with great contempt. At first he could not get even one wife. At last, however, a woman took pity on him and gave him her daughter. The poor girl was laughed at very heartily by Anansi’s wives for choosing such a beggar as Nothing appeared to be. She wisely took no notice of their scorn.

アナンシはそんな上等な着物を着ていたので、望むだけの妻をたやすくもらえた。かわいそうなナンデモナイは、ぼろぼろのみすぼらしい布をまとっていたので、ひどくさげすまれた。はじめは妻を一人ももらえなかった。けれどもとうとう一人の女が気の毒に思って、娘をくれた。かわいそうな娘は、ナンデモナイのような物乞いに見える男を選んだといって、アナンシの妻たちにさんざん笑われた。娘は賢くも、そのあざけりを気にしなかった。

The party set off for home. When they reached the cross-roads leading to their respective houses the women were astonished. The road leading to Anansi’s house was only half cleared. The one which led to Nothing’s palace was, of course, wide and well made. Not only so, but his servants had strewn it with beautiful skins and carpets, in preparation for his return. Servants were there, awaiting him, with fine clothes for himself and his wife. No one was waiting for Anansi.

一行は家路についた。それぞれの家へ通じる分かれ道に着くと、女たちは驚いた。アナンシの家へ通じる道は半分しか切り開かれていなかった。ナンデモナイの宮殿へ通じる道は、もちろん広くよく整っていた。そればかりか、召使いたちが主人の帰りに備えて、美しい毛皮や敷物を敷きつめていた。召使いたちが、主人と妻のための上等な着物を持って待っていた。アナンシを待っている者はだれもいなかった。

Nothing’s wife was queen over the whole district and had everything her heart could desire. Anansi’s wives could not even get proper food; they had to live on unripe bananas with peppers. The wife of Nothing heard of her friends’ miserable state and invited them to a great feast in her palace. They came, and were so pleased with all they saw that they agreed to stay there. Accordingly, they refused to come back to Anansi’s hut.

ナンデモナイの妻はその地方全体の女王になり、心に望むものは何でも手に入れた。アナンシの妻たちはまともな食べ物さえ手に入らず、青いバナナに唐辛子を添えて暮らさねばならなかった。ナンデモナイの妻は、仲間たちのみじめな有様を聞いて、宮殿の大宴会に招いた。女たちはやって来て、見るものすべてにたいそう満足したので、そこにとどまることにした。そういうわけで、女たちはアナンシの小屋へ帰るのを断った。

He was very angry, and tried in many ways to kill Nothing, but without success. Finally, however, he persuaded some rat friends to dig a deep tunnel in front of Nothing’s door. When the hole was finished Anansi lined it with knives and broken bottles. He then smeared the steps of the palace with okro to make them very slippery, and withdrew to a little distance.

アナンシはたいそう怒り、いろいろな手でナンデモナイを殺そうとしたが、うまくいかなかった。けれどもとうとう、仲間の鼠たちを説き伏せて、ナンデモナイの戸口の前に深い穴を掘らせた。穴ができ上がると、アナンシはその内側に刃物や割れた瓶を並べた。それから宮殿の階段にオクラを塗りつけてたいそう滑りやすくし、少し離れたところへ引き下がった。

When he thought Nothing’s household was safely in bed and asleep, he called to Nothing to come out to the courtyard and see something. Nothing’s wife, however, dissuaded him from going. Anansi tried again and again, and each time she bade her husband not to listen. At last Nothing determined to go and see this thing. As he placed his foot on the first step, of course he slipped, and down he fell into the hole. The noise alarmed the household. Lights were fetched and Nothing was found in the ditch, so much wounded by the knives that he soon died. His wife was terribly grieved at his untimely death. She boiled many yams, mashed them, and took a great dishful of them round the district. To every child she met she gave some, so that the child might help her to cry for her husband. This is why, if you find a child crying and ask the cause, you will often be told he is “crying for nothing.”

ナンデモナイの家の者たちがすっかり寝床に入って眠ったころだと思うと、アナンシはナンデモナイに、中庭へ出てきて見てほしいものがあると呼びかけた。けれどもナンデモナイの妻が、行かないようにと引き止めた。アナンシは何度も何度も呼び、そのたびに妻は夫に耳を貸さないよう言った。とうとうナンデモナイは、そのものを見に行こうと決めた。最初の段に足を載せると、もちろん滑って、穴のなかへ落ちてしまった。その音に家の者たちは驚いた。明かりが運ばれてくると、ナンデモナイが溝のなかで見つかった。刃物でひどく傷ついていて、まもなく死んでしまった。妻は夫の早すぎる死をひどく嘆いた。妻はヤムイモをたくさん煮てつぶし、大きな皿いっぱいに持ってその地方を回った。出会う子どもにはみな分けてやって、夫のために一緒に泣いてもらった。泣いている子どもにわけを尋ねると、「ナンデモナイのために泣いているの」——つまり「なんでもないのに泣いているの」——と答えが返ってくることがよくあるのは、このためである。