How Beasts and Serpents First Came Into the World

The famine had lasted nearly three years. Kweku Tsin, being very hungry, looked daily in the forest in the hope of finding food. One day he was fortunate enough to discover three palm-kernels lying on the ground. He picked up two stones with which to crack them. The first nut, however, slipped when he hit it, and fell into a hole behind him. The same thing happened to the second and to the third. Very much annoyed at his loss, Kweku determined to go down the hole to see if he could find his lost nuts.

飢饉は三年近く続いていた。クウェク・ツィンはひどく腹をすかせて、食べ物を見つけようと毎日森を探していた。ある日、運よく地面に椰子の実の核が三つ落ちているのを見つけた。それを割るために石を二つ拾った。ところが最初の実は叩いたときに滑って、後ろの穴に落ちてしまった。二つめも三つめも同じことになった。なくしたのがたいそう腹立たしくて、クウェクはなくした実が見つかるかどうか、穴へ降りてみようと決めた。

To his surprise, however, he discovered that this hole was really the entrance to a town, of which he had never before even heard. When he reached it he found absolute silence everywhere. He called out, “Is there nobody in this town?” and presently heard a voice in answer. He went in its direction and found an old woman sitting in one of the houses. She demanded the reason of his appearance—which he readily gave.

けれども驚いたことに、この穴は実はある町の入り口で、そんな町のことはそれまで聞いたこともなかった。町に着くと、どこもしんと静まり返っていた。クウェクが「この町にはだれもいないのか」と呼ぶと、まもなく答える声が聞こえた。その方へ行くと、ある家に年寄りの女が一人座っていた。女はクウェクが現れたわけを尋ね、クウェクはすすんでわけを話した。

The old woman was very kind and sympathetic, and promised to help him. “You must do exactly as I tell you,” said she. “Go into the garden and listen attentively. You will hear the yams speak. Pass by any yam that says, ‘Dig me out, dig me out!’ But take the one that says, ‘Do not dig me out!’ Then bring it to me.”

年寄りの女はたいそう親切で思いやりがあり、助けてやると約束した。「わたしの言うとおりにしなければいけないよ」と女は言った。「畑へ行って、よく耳を澄ましなさい。ヤムイモがしゃべるのが聞こえるだろう。『掘り出して、掘り出して!』と言うヤムイモは通り過ぎなさい。けれども『掘り出さないで!』と言うのを取りなさい。そしてそれをわたしのところへ持ってきなさい」

When he brought it, she directed him to remove the peel from the yam and throw the latter away. He was then to boil the rind, and, while boiling, it would become yam. It did actually do so, and they sat down to eat some of it. Before beginning their meal the old woman requested Kweku not to look at her while she ate. Being very polite and obedient, he did exactly as he was told.

クウェクが持ってくると、女はヤムイモの皮をむいて、中身のほうを捨てるよう言いつけた。それから皮を煮るのだが、煮ているうちに皮はヤムイモになるという。実際にそのとおりになり、二人は座ってそれを食べた。食事を始める前に、年寄りの女はクウェクに、自分が食べているあいだこちらを見ないでくれと頼んだ。クウェクはたいそう礼儀正しく素直だったので、言われたとおりにした。

In the evening the old woman sent him into the garden to choose one of the drums which stood there. She warned him: “If you come to a drum which says ‘Ding-ding’ on being touched—take it. But be very careful not to take one which sounds ‘Dong-dong.’” He obeyed her direction in every detail. When he showed her the drum, she looked pleased and told him, to his great delight, that he had only to beat it if at any time he were hungry. That would bring him food in plenty. He thanked the old woman very heartily and went home.

夕方、年寄りの女はクウェクを畑へやって、そこに立っている太鼓の一つを選ばせた。女はこう注意した。「触ると『ディン、ディン』と鳴る太鼓に行き当たったら——それを取りなさい。けれども『ドン、ドン』と鳴るのを取らないよう、よく気をつけなさい」クウェクは言いつけを細かいところまでみな守った。クウェクが太鼓を見せると、女は満足そうな顔をして、腹がすいたらいつでもそれを叩きさえすればよいと告げたので、クウェクは大喜びした。そうすれば食べ物がたっぷり出てくるというのである。クウェクは年寄りの女に心から礼を言って家へ帰った。

As soon as he reached his own hut, he gathered his household together, and then beat the drum. Immediately, food of every description appeared before them, and they all ate as much as they wished.

自分の小屋に着くとすぐ、クウェクは家の者たちを集めて、太鼓を叩いた。たちまち、あらゆる種類の食べ物が目の前に現れ、みな好きなだけ食べた。

The following day Kweku Tsin gathered all the people of the village together in the Assembly Place, and then beat the drum once more. In this way every family got sufficient food for their wants, and all thanked Kweku very much for thus providing for them.

次の日、クウェク・ツィンは村じゅうの人々を集会の場に集めて、もう一度太鼓を叩いた。こうしてどの家族も要るだけの食べ物を手に入れ、みなこうして養ってくれたクウェクに厚く礼を言った。

Kweku’s father, however, was not at all pleased to see his son thus able to feed the whole village. Anansi thought he, too, ought to have a drum. Then the people would be grateful to him instead of to Kweku Tsin. Accordingly, he asked the young man where the wonderful drum had come from. His son was most unwilling to tell him, but Anansi gave him no peace until he had heard the whole story. He then wasted no time, but set off at once toward the entrance hole. He had taken the precaution to carry with him an old nut which he pretended to crack. Then throwing it into the hole, he jumped in after it and hurried along to the silent village. Arrived at the first house, he shouted, “Is there no one in this town?” The old woman answered as before, and Anansi entered her house.

けれどもクウェクの父親は、息子がこうして村じゅうを養えるのを見て、少しもおもしろくなかった。アナンシは、自分も太鼓を持つべきだと思った。そうすれば人々はクウェク・ツィンではなく自分に感謝するだろう。そこでアナンシは若者に、その不思議な太鼓はどこから来たのかと尋ねた。息子はたいそう話したがらなかったが、アナンシは話をすっかり聞くまで息子に少しも休ませなかった。それから時をむだにせず、すぐに入り口の穴へ向かった。念のため古い実を一つ持っていって、割るふりをした。それからそれを穴に投げ込み、そのあとから飛び込んで、静まり返った村へ急いだ。最初の家に着くと、「この町にはだれもいないのか」と叫んだ。年寄りの女が前と同じように答え、アナンシは女の家に入った。

He did not trouble to be polite to her, but addressed her most rudely, saying, “Hurry up, old woman, and get me something to eat.” The woman quietly directed him to go into the garden and choose the yam which should say, “Do not dig me out.” Anansi laughed in her face and said, “You surely take me for a fool. If the yam does not want me to dig it out I will certainly not do so. I will take the one which wants to be gathered.” This he did.

アナンシは女に礼儀正しくしようともせず、ひどく無作法に話しかけて言った。「急げ、ばあさん、何か食べるものを出せ」女は静かに、畑へ行って「掘り出さないで」と言うヤムイモを選ぶよう言いつけた。アナンシは女の目の前で笑って言った。「わしをばかだと思っているにちがいない。ヤムイモが掘り出されたくないのなら、もちろん掘り出してなどやるものか。取ってほしがっているのを取ってやる」アナンシはそのとおりにした。

When he brought it to the old woman she told him, as she told his son, to throw away the inside and boil the rind. Again he refused to obey. “Who ever heard of such a silly thing as throwing away the yam? I will do nothing of the sort. I will throw away the peel and boil the inside.” He did so, and the yam turned into stones. He was then obliged to do as she first suggested, and boil the rind. The latter while boiling turned into yam. Anansi turned angrily to the old woman and said, “You are a witch.” She took no notice of his remark, but went on setting the table. She placed his dinner on a small table, lower than her own, saying, “You must not look at me while I eat.” He rudely replied, “Indeed, I will look at you if I choose. And I will have my dinner at your table, not at that small one.” Again she said nothing—but she left her dinner untouched. Anansi ate his own, then took hers and ate it also.

アナンシがそれを年寄りの女のところへ持ってくると、女は息子に言ったのと同じように、中身を捨てて皮を煮るよう言った。またしてもアナンシは従うのを断った。「ヤムイモを捨てるなんて、そんなばかな話を聞いたことがあるものか。そんなことは決してせんぞ。皮を捨てて中身を煮るのだ」アナンシがそうすると、ヤムイモは石に変わった。そこでアナンシは、女がはじめに言ったとおりにして、皮を煮るほかなかった。皮は煮ているうちにヤムイモに変わった。アナンシは腹立たしげに年寄りの女に向かって言った。「お前は魔女だな」女はその言葉を気にもとめず、食卓の支度を続けた。女はアナンシの夕食を、自分の食卓より低い小さな卓に置いて言った。「わたしが食べているあいだ、わたしを見てはいけないよ」アナンシは無作法に答えた。「いや、見たければ見るぞ。それにわしはお前の食卓で夕食を食べる。そんな小さい卓でなく」またしても女は何も言わなかった——けれども自分の夕食には手をつけなかった。アナンシは自分の分を食べ、それから女の分も取って食べてしまった。

When he had finished she said, “Now go into the garden and choose a drum. Do not take one which sounds ‘Dong-dong’; only take one which says ‘Ding-ding.’” Anansi retorted, “Do you think I will take your advice, you witch? No, I will choose the drum which says ‘Dong-dong.’ You are just trying to play a trick on me.”

アナンシが食べ終わると、女は言った。「さあ、畑へ行って太鼓を選びなさい。『ドン、ドン』と鳴るのを取ってはいけない。『ディン、ディン』と言うのだけを取りなさい」アナンシは言い返した。「わしがお前の言うことを聞くと思うか、この魔女め。いや、わしは『ドン、ドン』と言う太鼓を選ぶ。お前はわしをだまそうとしているだけだ」

He did as he wished. Having secured the drum he marched off without so much as a “Thank you” to the old woman.

アナンシは思いどおりにした。太鼓を手に入れると、年寄りの女に「ありがとう」のひとこともなしに、さっさと出ていった。

No sooner had he reached home, than he longed to show off his new power to the villagers. He called all to the Assembly Place, telling them to bring dishes and trays, as he was going to provide them with food. The people in great delight hurried to the spot. Anansi, proudly taking his position in the midst of them, began to beat his drum. To his horror and dismay, instead of the multitude of food-stuffs which Kweku had summoned, Anansi saw, rushing toward him, beasts and serpents of all kinds. Such creatures had never been seen on the earth before.

家に着くやいなや、アナンシは村人たちに新しい力を見せびらかしたくてたまらなくなった。みなを集会の場に呼び、食べ物を出してやるから皿や盆を持ってこいと言った。人々は大喜びでその場へ急いだ。アナンシは得意げにみなのまんなかに陣取って、太鼓を叩きはじめた。恐ろしいことに、うろたえたことに、クウェクが呼び出したおびただしい食べ物の代わりに、あらゆる種類の獣や蛇が自分のほうへ押し寄せてくるのがアナンシの目に入った。そんな生きものは、それまで地上で見られたことがなかった。

The people fled in every direction—all except Anansi, who was too terrified to move. He speedily received fitting punishment for his disobedience. Fortunately, Kweku, with his mother and sisters, had been at the outer edge of the crowd, so easily escaped into shelter. The animals presently scattered in every direction, and ever since they have roamed wild in the great forests.

人々は四方へ逃げた——アナンシを除いてみな。アナンシはあまりにおびえて動けなかった。アナンシはたちまち、言いつけに背いた報いにふさわしい罰を受けた。運よく、クウェクは母親や姉妹たちと一緒に人だかりの外れにいたので、たやすく物陰に逃げ込めた。獣たちはやがて四方へ散っていき、それ以来ずっと大きな森を荒々しくさまよっているのである。