Why the Moon and the Stars Receive Their Light from the Sun

Once upon a time there was great scarcity of food in the land. Father Anansi and his son, Kweku Tsin, being very hungry, set out one morning to hunt in the forest. In a short time Kweku Tsin was fortunate enough to kill a fine deer—which he carried to his father at their resting-place. Anansi was very glad to see such a supply of food, and requested his son to remain there on guard, while he went for a large basket in which to carry it home. An hour or so passed without his return, and Kweku Tsin became anxious. Fearing lest his father had lost his way, he called out loudly, “Father, father!” to guide him to the spot. To his joy he heard a voice reply, “Yes, my son,” and immediately he shouted again, thinking it was Anansi. Instead of the latter, however, a terrible dragon appeared. This monster breathed fire from his great nostrils, and was altogether a dreadful sight to behold. Kweku Tsin was terrified at his approach and speedily hid himself in a cave near by.

昔、国じゅうで食べ物がたいそう乏しくなったことがあった。アナンシ父さんと息子のクウェク・ツィンは、ひどく腹をすかせて、ある朝、森へ狩りに出かけた。まもなくクウェク・ツィンは運よく立派な鹿を一頭仕留め、休み場所にいる父親のところへ運んでいった。アナンシはこれだけの食べ物を見てたいそう喜び、自分が持って帰るための大きな籠を取りに行くあいだ、息子にそこに残って番をしているよう頼んだ。一時間かそこら過ぎても父親は戻らず、クウェク・ツィンは心配になった。父親が道に迷ったのではないかと恐れて、その場所へ導こうと大声で「父さん、父さん」と呼んだ。うれしいことに「おう、息子よ」と答える声が聞こえたので、アナンシだと思ってすぐにまた叫んだ。ところがアナンシではなく、恐ろしい竜が現れた。この怪物は大きな鼻の穴から火を吹き、見るもおぞましい姿だった。クウェク・ツィンは竜が近づいてくるのにおびえ、すぐに近くの洞穴に隠れた。

The dragon arrived at the resting-place, and was much annoyed to find only the deer’s body. He vented his anger in blows upon the latter and went away. Soon after, Father Anansi made his appearance. He was greatly interested in his son’s tale, and wished to see the dragon for himself. He soon had his desire, for the monster, smelling human flesh, hastily returned to the spot and seized them both. They were carried off by him to his castle, where they found many other unfortunate creatures also awaiting their fate. All were left in charge of the dragon’s servant—a fine, white cock—which always crowed to summon his master, if anything unusual happened in the latter’s absence. The dragon then went off in search of more prey.

竜は休み場所に着いて、鹿のなきがらしかないのを見てひどく腹を立てた。竜は鹿のなきがらを殴りつけて怒りを晴らし、去っていった。まもなく、アナンシ父さんが姿を見せた。アナンシは息子の話にたいそう興味をそそられ、自分でも竜を見てみたいと思った。その望みはすぐにかなった。怪物が人の肉のにおいをかぎつけて急いでその場所へ戻ってきて、二人ともつかまえてしまったのである。二人は竜の城へ運ばれていき、そこには自分の運命を待つほかの不運な生きものたちも大勢いた。みな竜の召使い——立派な白い雄鶏——に預けられた。雄鶏は、主人の留守に何か変わったことが起これば、いつも鬨をつくって主人を呼ぶのだった。それから竜は、また獲物を探しに出かけていった。

Kweku Tsin now summoned all his fellow-prisoners together, to arrange a way of escape. All feared to run away—because of the wonderful powers of the monster. His eyesight was so keen that he could detect a fly moving miles away. Not only that, but he could move over the ground so swiftly that none could outdistance him. Kweku Tsin, however, being exceedingly clever, soon thought of a plan.

クウェク・ツィンはそこで捕らわれ仲間をみな呼び集め、逃げ出す手立てを話し合った。みな逃げるのを恐れた——怪物の不思議な力のためである。竜の目はあまりに鋭くて、何マイルも離れたところで動く蠅を見分けられた。そればかりか、地面の上をあまりに速く動けるので、だれも振り切れなかった。けれどもクウェク・ツィンは、たいそう賢かったので、すぐに一つの計画を思いついた。

Knowing that the white cock would not crow as long as he had grains of rice to pick up, Kweku scattered on the ground the contents of forty bags of grain—which were stored in the great hall. While the cock was thus busily engaged, Kweku Tsin ordered the spinners to spin fine hempen ropes, to make a strong rope ladder. One end of this he intended to throw up to heaven, trusting that the gods would catch it and hold it fast, while he and his fellow-prisoners mounted.

白い雄鶏は、ついばむ米粒があるかぎり鬨をつくらないと知っていたので、クウェクは大広間にしまってあった穀物袋四十袋の中身を地面にまいた。雄鶏がそれに夢中になっているあいだに、クウェク・ツィンは糸紡ぎたちに、細い麻の縄を紡いで丈夫な縄ばしごをこしらえるよう言いつけた。その一方の端を天へ投げ上げるつもりだった。神々がそれを受け止めてしっかり押さえてくれるだろうと当てにして、そのあいだに自分と捕らわれ仲間たちが登るのである。

While the ladder was being made, the men killed and ate all the cattle they needed—reserving all the bones for Kweku Tsin at his express desire. When all was ready the young man gathered the bones into a great sack. He also procured the dragon’s fiddle and placed it by his side.

はしごをこしらえているあいだに、男たちは要るだけの牛を殺して食べた——クウェク・ツィンのたっての望みで、骨はみな取っておいた。すっかり支度が整うと、若者は骨を大きな袋に集めた。竜のフィドルも手に入れて、そばに置いた。

Everything was now ready. Kweku Tsin threw one end of the ladder up to the sky. It was caught and held. The dragon’s victims began to mount, one after the other, Kweku remaining at the bottom.

これで何もかも支度ができた。クウェク・ツィンは、はしごの一方の端を空へ投げ上げた。それは受け止められ、押さえられた。竜のいけにえたちは次々に登りはじめ、クウェクはいちばん下に残った。

By this time, however, the monster’s powerful eyesight showed him that something unusual was happening at his abode. He hastened his return. On seeing his approach, Kweku Tsin also mounted the ladder—with the bag of bones on his back, and the fiddle under his arm. The dragon began to climb after him. Each time the monster came too near the young man threw him a bone, with which, being very hungry, he was obliged to descend to the ground to eat.

けれどもこのころには、怪物の鋭い目が、すみかで何か変わったことが起こっていると見て取っていた。竜は急いで戻ってきた。竜が近づいてくるのを見ると、クウェク・ツィンも骨の袋を背負い、フィドルを小脇に抱えて、はしごを登りはじめた。竜はそのあとから登りはじめた。怪物があまりに近づくたびに、若者は骨を一本投げてやった。竜はたいそう腹をすかせていたので、それを食べるために地面まで降りなければならなかった。

Kweku Tsin repeated this performance till all the bones were gone, by which time the people were safely up in the heavens. Then he mounted himself, as rapidly as possible, stopping every now and then to play a tune on the wonderful fiddle. Each time he did this, the dragon had to return to earth, to dance—as he could not resist the magic music. When Kweku was quite close to the top, the dragon had very nearly reached him again. The brave youth bent down and cut the ladder away below his own feet. The dragon was dashed to the ground—but Kweku was pulled up into safety by the gods.

クウェク・ツィンは骨がみななくなるまでこれを繰り返し、そのころには人々は無事に天へ登り着いていた。それからクウェクはできるだけ速く登り、ときどき立ち止まっては不思議なフィドルで一曲弾いた。そうするたびに、竜は地上へ戻って踊らなければならなかった——魔法の音楽に逆らえなかったのである。クウェクがてっぺんのすぐ近くまで来たとき、竜はまたもう少しで追いつくところだった。勇敢な若者は身をかがめて、自分の足の下ではしごを切り落とした。竜は地面に叩きつけられた——けれどもクウェクは神々に引き上げられて無事だった。

The latter were so pleased with his wisdom and bravery in giving freedom to his fellow-men, that they made him the sun—the source of all light and heat to the world. His father, Anansi, became the moon, and his friends the stars. Thereafter, it was Kweku Tsin’s privilege to supply all these with light, each being dull and powerless without him.

神々は、仲間の人々に自由を与えたクウェクの知恵と勇気をたいそう喜んで、クウェクを太陽にした——世界のあらゆる光と熱のもとである。父親のアナンシは月になり、友だちは星になった。それからというもの、これらみなに光を与えるのはクウェク・ツィンの務めとなり、クウェクがいなければ、どれも暗く力のないままなのである。