Thunder and Anansi

There had been a long and severe famine in the land where Anansi lived. He had been quite unable to obtain food for his poor wife and family. One day, gazing desperately out to sea, he saw, rising from the midst of the water, a tiny island with a tall palm-tree upon it. He determined to reach this tree—if any means proved possible—and climb it, in the hope of finding a few nuts to reward him. How to get there was the difficulty.

アナンシの住む国に、長くひどい飢饉が続いていた。アナンシはかわいそうな妻と家族のために食べ物を手に入れることがまるでできなかった。ある日、途方に暮れて海を見つめていると、水のただなかから小さな島がそびえ、そこに高い椰子の木が一本立っているのが見えた。アナンシは——何か手立てがあるなら——この木までたどり着いて登り、骨折りの報いに実をいくつか見つけようと決めた。どうやってそこまで行くかが難題だった。

This, however, solved itself when he reached the beach, for there lay the means to his hand, in the shape of an old broken boat. It certainly did not look very strong, but Anansi decided to try it.

けれどもこれは、浜に着いてみるとおのずと片がついた。そこに手立てが、古い壊れた舟という形で転がっていたのである。たしかにあまり丈夫そうには見えなかったが、アナンシは試してみることにした。

His first six attempts were unsuccessful—a great wave dashed him back on the beach each time he tried to put off. He was persevering, however, and at the seventh trial was successful in getting away. He steered the battered old boat as best he could, and at length reached the palm-tree of his desire. Having tied the boat to the trunk of the tree—which grew almost straight out of the water—he climbed toward the nuts. Plucking all he could reach, he dropped them, one by one, down to the boat. To his dismay, every one missed the boat and fell, instead, into the water until only the last one remained. This he aimed even more carefully than the others, but it also fell into the water and disappeared from his hungry eyes. He had not tasted even one and now all were gone.

はじめの六度はうまくいかなかった——漕ぎ出そうとするたびに、大波がアナンシを浜へ打ち返したのである。けれどもアナンシは粘り強く、七度目にうまく漕ぎ出すことができた。ぼろぼろの古舟をできるかぎりうまく操って、とうとう望みの椰子の木にたどり着いた。ほとんど水からまっすぐ生えている木の幹に舟を結びつけると、実のほうへ登っていった。手の届くかぎりの実をもいで、一つずつ舟へ落とした。困ったことに、どれも舟をそれて水に落ち、とうとう最後の一つだけが残った。これはほかの実よりいっそう念入りに狙ったが、これもまた水に落ちて、飢えた目の前から消えてしまった。一つも味わわないうちに、みななくなってしまったのである。

He could not bear the thought of going home empty-handed, so, in his despair, he threw himself into the water, too. To his complete astonishment, instead of being drowned, he found himself standing on the sea-bottom in front of a pretty little cottage. From the latter came an old man, who asked Anansi what he wanted so badly that he had come to Thunder’s cottage to seek it. Anansi told his tale of woe, and Thunder showed himself most sympathetic.

手ぶらで家へ帰ると思うと耐えられず、途方に暮れたアナンシは、自分も水に身を投げた。すっかり驚いたことに、溺れるどころか、海の底で小さなかわいらしい小屋の前に立っていた。小屋から一人の年寄りが出てきて、雷の小屋まで探しに来るほどそんなに何が欲しいのかとアナンシに尋ねた。アナンシが悲しい身の上を話すと、雷はたいそう同情してくれた。

He went into the cottage and fetched a fine cooking-pot, which he presented to Anansi—telling him that he need never be hungry again. The pot would always supply enough food for himself and his family. Anansi was most grateful, and left Thunder with many thanks.

雷は小屋に入って立派な料理鍋を持ってきて、アナンシに贈り、もう二度と飢えることはないと言った。鍋はいつでも、アナンシとその家族に足りるだけの食べ物を出してくれるというのである。アナンシはたいそうありがたがって、何度も礼を言って雷のもとを去った。

Being anxious to test the pot at once, Anansi only waited till he was again seated in the old boat to say, “Pot, pot, what you used to do for your master do now for me.” Immediately good food of all sorts appeared. Anansi ate a hearty meal, which he very much enjoyed.

すぐにも鍋を試したくてたまらず、アナンシは古舟にまた腰を下ろすのを待つばかりで、こう言った。「鍋よ、鍋よ、お前が主人にしていたことを、今わしにしておくれ」たちまち、あらゆる種類のうまい食べ物が現れた。アナンシはたっぷり食事をして、たいそう楽しんだ。

On reaching land again, his first thought was to run home and give all his family a good meal from his wonderful pot. A selfish, greedy fear prevented him. “What if I should use up all the magic of the pot on them, and have nothing more left for myself! Better keep the pot a secret—then I can enjoy a meal when I want one.” So, his mind full of this thought, he hid the pot.

陸にまた着くと、まず思ったのは、家へ走っていって、不思議な鍋で家族みなにたっぷり食べさせてやろうということだった。けれども自分勝手で欲の深い恐れがそれを押しとどめた。「もし家族のために鍋の魔法をみな使い切ってしまって、わしの分が何も残らなかったらどうしよう! 鍋のことは秘密にしておいたほうがいい——そうすれば食べたいときにいつでも食べられる」そこで、そんな考えで頭をいっぱいにして、アナンシは鍋を隠した。

He reached home, pretending to be utterly worn out with fatigue and hunger. There was not a grain of food to be had anywhere. His wife and poor children were weak with want of it, but selfish Anansi took no notice of that. He congratulated himself at the thought of his magic pot, now safely hidden in his room. There he retired from time to time when he felt hungry, and enjoyed a good meal. His family got thinner and thinner, but he grew plumper and plumper. They began to suspect some secret, and determined to find it out. His eldest son, Kweku Tsin, had the power of changing himself into any shape he chose; so he took the form of a tiny fly, and accompanied his father everywhere. At last, Anansi, feeling hungry, entered his room and closed the door. Next he took the pot, and had a fine meal. Having replaced the pot in its hiding-place, he went out, on the pretence of looking for food.

アナンシは疲れと飢えですっかり参ったふりをして家に帰り着いた。どこにも食べ物はひと粒もなかった。妻とかわいそうな子どもたちは食べ物がなくて弱っていたが、自分勝手なアナンシは気にもとめなかった。今は自分の部屋に無事に隠してある魔法の鍋を思って、一人ほくそえんだ。腹がすくと、ときどきそこへ引っ込んで、たっぷり食事を楽しんだ。家族はますますやせていったが、アナンシはますますふっくらしていった。家族は何か秘密があるのではないかと疑いはじめ、それを突き止めようと決めた。長男のクウェク・ツィンは、どんな姿にでも好きなように変われる力を持っていた。そこで小さな蠅の姿になって、父親の行くところにどこへでもついていった。とうとうアナンシは腹がすいて、自分の部屋に入り戸を閉めた。それから鍋を取り出して、たっぷり食事をした。鍋を隠し場所に戻すと、食べ物を探しに行くふりをして出ていった。

As soon as he was safely out of sight, Kweku Tsin fetched out the pot and called all his hungry family to come at once. They had as good a meal as their father had had. When they had finished, Mrs. Anansi—to punish her husband—said she would take the pot down to the village and give everybody a meal. This she did—but alas! in working to prepare so much food at one time, the pot grew too hot and melted away. What was to be done now? Anansi would be so angry! His wife forbade every one to mention the pot.

父親が無事に見えなくなるとすぐ、クウェク・ツィンは鍋を持ち出し、飢えた家族をみなすぐに呼び集めた。家族は父親と同じくらいたっぷり食事をした。食べ終わると、アナンシのおかみさんは——夫を懲らしめるために——鍋を村へ持っていって、みんなに食事をさせてやると言った。おかみさんはそのとおりにした——けれども、ああ! 一度にあまりにたくさんの食べ物をこしらえようと働いたので、鍋は熱くなりすぎて溶けてしまった。さあ、どうしたらいいだろう。アナンシはさぞ怒るだろう! おかみさんはみなに鍋のことを口にするのを禁じた。

Anansi returned, ready for his supper, and, as usual, went into his room, carefully shutting the door. He went to the hiding-place—it was empty! He looked around in consternation. No pot was to be seen anywhere. Some one must have discovered it. His family must be the culprits; he would find a means to punish them.

アナンシは夕食を楽しみに帰ってきて、いつものように自分の部屋に入り、念入りに戸を閉めた。隠し場所へ行ってみると——空っぽだった! アナンシはうろたえてあたりを見まわした。鍋はどこにも見えなかった。だれかが見つけたにちがいない。家族が犯人にちがいない。懲らしめる手立てを見つけてやろう、とアナンシは思った。

Saying nothing to any one about the matter, he waited till morning. As soon as it was light he started off towards the shore, where the old boat lay. Getting into the boat, it started of its own accord and glided swiftly over the water—straight for the palm-tree. Arrived there, Anansi attached the boat as before and climbed the tree. This time, unlike the last, the nuts almost fell into his hands. When he aimed them at the boat they fell easily into it—not one, as before, dropping into the water. He deliberately took them and threw them overboard, immediately jumping after them. As before, he found himself in front of Thunder’s cottage, with Thunder waiting to hear his tale. This he told, the old man showing the same sympathy as he had previously done.

このことはだれにも何も言わずに、アナンシは朝まで待った。明るくなるとすぐ、古舟のある浜へ向かった。舟に乗り込むと、舟はひとりでに動き出し、水の上をすべるように速く進んで——まっすぐ椰子の木へ向かった。そこに着くと、アナンシは前のように舟を結びつけて木に登った。今度は前とちがって、実はほとんど手のなかに落ちてくるほどだった。舟を狙って落とすと、実はたやすく舟に落ちた——前のように水に落ちるものは一つもなかった。アナンシはわざとそれを取って舟から投げ捨て、すぐにそのあとから飛び込んだ。前のように、アナンシは雷の小屋の前にいて、雷がアナンシの話を聞こうと待っていた。アナンシが話をすると、年寄りは前と同じように同情してくれた。

This time, however, he presented Anansi with a fine stick and bade him good-bye. Anansi could scarcely wait till he got into the boat—so anxious was he to try the magic properties of his new gift. “Stick, stick,” he said, “what you used to do for your master do for me also.” The stick began to beat him so severely that, in a few minutes, he was obliged to jump into the water and swim ashore, leaving boat and stick to drift away where they pleased. Then he returned sorrowfully homeward, bemoaning his many bruises and wishing he had acted more wisely from the beginning.

けれども今度は、雷はアナンシに立派な杖を贈って、別れを告げた。アナンシは舟に乗り込むのが待ちきれなかった——新しい贈り物の魔法の力を試したくてたまらなかったのである。「杖よ、杖よ」とアナンシは言った。「お前が主人にしていたことを、わしにもしておくれ」杖はあまりにひどくアナンシを打ちはじめたので、アナンシはほんの数分で水に飛び込んで岸まで泳がねばならず、舟も杖も好きなところへ流れていくに任せた。それからアナンシは悲しげに家路につき、あちこちの打ち身を嘆きながら、はじめからもっと賢くふるまっていればよかったと思った。