Ohia and the Thieving Deer

There once lived upon the earth a poor man called Ohia, whose wife was named Awirehu. This unfortunate couple had suffered one trouble after another. No matter what they took in hand misfortune seemed to lie in wait for them. Nothing they did met with success. They became so poor that at last they could scarcely obtain a cloth with which to cover themselves.

昔、地上にオヒアという貧しい男が住んでいて、その妻はアウィレフといった。この不運な夫婦は、次から次へと苦労に見舞われていた。何に手をつけても、不運が待ち伏せしているようだった。することなすこと、何ひとつうまくいかなかった。二人はあまりに貧しくなって、とうとう身を覆う布一枚さえほとんど手に入らなくなった。

Finally, Ohia thought of a plan which many of his neighbours had tried and found successful. He went to a wealthy farmer who lived near, and offered to hew down several of his palm-trees. He would then collect their sap to make palm wine. When this should be ready for the market, his wife would carry it there and sell it. The proceeds would then be divided equally between the farmer, Ohia, and Awirehu.

とうとう、オヒアは一つの計画を思いついた。近所の者の多くが試してうまくいった計画だった。オヒアは近くに住む裕福な農夫のところへ行って、椰子の木を何本か切り倒させてほしいと申し出た。それから木の樹液を集めて椰子酒をこしらえる。それが市場に出せるようになったら、妻が市場へ運んでいって売る。その売り上げを、農夫とオヒアとアウィレフで等分に分けるというのである。

This proposal having been laid before the farmer, he proved quite willing to agree to it. Not only so, but he granted Ohia a supply of earthen pots in which to collect the sap, as the miserable man was far too poor to buy any.

この申し出を聞くと、農夫はすすんで承知した。そればかりか、みじめな男はあまりに貧しくて何も買えなかったので、樹液を集める土の壺もたくさん与えてくれた。

In great delight Ohia and his wife set to work. They cut down the trees and prepared them—setting the pots underneath to catch the sap. Before cock-crow on market-day, Ohia set off, with a lighted torch, to collect the wine and prepare it for his wife to take into the town. She was almost ready to follow.

オヒアと妻は大喜びで仕事にとりかかった。二人は木を切り倒して手を加え——樹液を受けるために壺をその下に据えた。市の日、一番鶏の鳴く前に、オヒアは火のついた松明を持って出かけた。酒を集めて、妻が町へ持っていけるよう支度するためである。妻もすぐあとから出かける支度をほとんど整えていた。

To his great distress, on arriving at the first tree, instead of finding his earthen pot filled with the sweet sap, he saw it lying in pieces on the ground—the wine all gone. He went on to the second and third trees—but there, and at all the others, too, the same thing had happened.

たいそう困ったことに、最初の木に着いてみると、土の壺が甘い樹液で満たされているどころか、地面に割れて転がっていて——酒はすっかりなくなっていた。オヒアは二本目、三本目の木へと行ってみたが——そこでも、ほかのどの木でも、同じことが起こっていた。

His wife, in high spirits and ready for market, joined him at this moment. She saw at once by his face that some misfortune had again befallen them. Sorrowfully, they examined the mischief, and agreed that some wicked person had stolen the wine and then broken the pots to hide the theft. Awirehu returned home in despair, but Ohia set to work once more. He fetched a second supply of pots and placed them all ready to catch the sap.

ちょうどそのとき、妻が意気揚々と市場へ行く支度をして夫のところへやって来た。妻は夫の顔を見て、また何か不運が降りかかったのだとすぐにわかった。二人は悲しげに被害を調べ、だれか悪い者が酒を盗み、盗みを隠すために壺を割ったのだと考えた。アウィレフは途方に暮れて家へ帰ったが、オヒアはもう一度仕事にとりかかった。二度目の壺を取ってきて、樹液を受けるようすっかり据えた。

On his return next morning, he found that the same behaviour had been repeated. All his wine was again stolen and his pots in fragments. He had no resource but to go to the farmer and tell him of these fresh misfortunes. The farmer proved to be very kind and generous and gave orders that Ohia might have as many pots as he should require.

次の朝戻ってみると、同じことが繰り返されていた。酒はまたみな盗まれ、壺は粉々になっていた。オヒアは農夫のところへ行って、この新たな不運を話すほかなかった。農夫はたいそう親切で気前がよく、オヒアに要るだけ壺をやるよう言いつけた。

Once more the poor fellow returned to the palm-trees, and set his pots ready. This third attempt, however, met with no better result than the two previous. Ohia went home in despair. His wife was of the opinion that they should give up trying to overcome their evil fortunes. It was quite evident that they could never attain success. The husband, however, determined that, at least, he would find and punish the culprit, if that were possible.

もう一度、かわいそうな男は椰子の木のところへ戻って、壺を据えた。けれどもこの三度目の試みも、前の二度より少しもよい結果にならなかった。オヒアは途方に暮れて家へ帰った。妻は、自分たちの悪い運に打ち勝とうとするのはもうやめるべきだという考えだった。二人がうまくいくことは決してないのは明らかだった。けれども夫は、せめてできることなら犯人を見つけて懲らしめてやろうと決めた。

Accordingly, he bravely set his pots in order for the last time. When night came, he remained on guard among the trees. Midnight passed and nothing happened, but toward two o’clock in the morning a dark form glided past him to the nearest palm-tree. A moment after he heard the sound of a breaking pot. He stole up to the form. On approaching it he found that the thief was a bush-deer, carrying on its head a large jar, into which it was pouring the wine from Ohia’s pots. As it emptied them it threw them carelessly on the ground, breaking them in pieces.

そういうわけで、オヒアは勇ましく最後の壺を並べた。夜が来ると、木々のあいだに残って見張った。真夜中が過ぎても何も起こらなかったが、朝の二時ごろ、黒い影がすっと脇を通り過ぎて、いちばん近い椰子の木へ行った。一瞬ののち、壺の割れる音が聞こえた。オヒアはその影に忍び寄った。近づいてみると、泥棒は茂みの鹿で、頭に大きな甕を載せ、そこへオヒアの壺から酒を注いでいた。壺を空にすると、鹿はそれを無造作に地面に投げ捨てて粉々にしていた。

Ohia ventured a little nearer, intending to seize the culprit. The latter, however, was too quick for him and escaped, dropping his great pot on the ground as he ran. The deer was very fleet, but Ohia had fully determined to catch him—so followed. The chase continued over many miles until mid-day arrived, at which time they had reached the bottom of a high hill. The deer immediately began to climb, and Ohia—though almost tired out—still followed. Finally, the summit of the hill was reached, and there Ohia found himself in the midst of a great gathering of quadrupeds. The deer, panting, threw himself on the ground before King Tiger. [10] His Majesty commanded that Ohia should be brought before him to be punished for this intrusion into such a serious meeting.

オヒアは犯人をつかまえようと、思い切ってもう少し近寄った。けれども犯人のほうが素早くて、逃げながら大きな甕を地面に落として逃げ去った。鹿はたいそう足が速かったが、オヒアは必ずつかまえてやると心に決めていたので——あとを追った。追いかけっこは何マイルも続き、とうとう昼になって、二人は高い丘のふもとに来た。鹿はすぐに登りはじめ、オヒアも——ほとんど疲れ果てていたが——なおもあとを追った。とうとう丘のてっぺんに着くと、オヒアは四つ足の獣たちの大きな集まりのただなかにいた。鹿はあえぎながら、虎王の前の地面に身を投げ出した。陛下は、このように大事な集まりに押し入った罰を与えるため、オヒアを前へ連れてこいと命じた。

Ohia begged for a hearing before they condemned him. He wished to explain fully his presence there. King Tiger, after consulting with some of the other animals, agreed to listen to his tale. Thereupon Ohia began the story of his unfortunate life. He told how one trial after another had failed, and how, finally, he had thought of the palm wine. He described his feelings on discovering the first theft—after all his labour. He related his second, third, and fourth attempts, with the result of each. He then went on to tell of his chase after the thief, and thus explained his presence at their conference.

オヒアは、罪を言い渡す前に話を聞いてほしいと頼んだ。自分がここにいるわけをすっかり説明したかったのである。虎王はほかの獣たちの何匹かと相談したあと、オヒアの話を聞くことにした。そこでオヒアは不運な身の上話を始めた。次から次へと試みがうまくいかなかったこと、とうとう椰子酒を思いついたことを話した。あれほど骨を折ったあとで最初の盗みを見つけたときの気持ちを語った。二度目、三度目、四度目の試みと、それぞれの結果を話した。それから泥棒を追いかけたことを話し、こうして自分が集まりにいるわけを説明した。

The quadrupeds listened very attentively to the recital of Ohia’s troubles. At the conclusion they unanimously agreed that the deer was the culprit and the man blameless. The former was accordingly sentenced to punishment, while the latter received an apology in the name of the entire conference. King Tiger, it appeared, had each morning given Deer a large sum of money wherewith to purchase palm wine for the whole assembly. The deer had stolen the wine and kept the money.

四つ足の獣たちはオヒアの苦労話にたいそう熱心に耳を傾けた。話が終わると、獣たちは声をそろえて、鹿が犯人で男に罪はないと決めた。そういうわけで鹿は罰を言い渡され、男は集まり全体の名において詫びを受けた。聞けば、虎王は毎朝鹿に大金を渡して、集まり全体のために椰子酒を買わせていたのだった。鹿は酒を盗み、金を着服していたのである。

To make up to Ohia for his losses, King Tiger offered him, as a gift, the power of understanding the conversation of all animals. This, said he, would speedily make Ohia a rich man. But he attached one condition to the gift. Ohia must never—on pain of instant death—tell any one about his wonderful power.

オヒアの損を埋め合わせるため、虎王は贈り物として、あらゆる獣の話がわかる力をオヒアに授けようと申し出た。これがあればオヒアはすぐに金持ちになれるだろう、と王は言った。けれども王はこの贈り物に一つの条件をつけた。オヒアはこの不思議な力のことを決して——その場で死ぬのを覚悟でなければ——だれにも話してはならないというのである。

The poor man, much delighted, set off for home. When it was reached, he lost no time in setting to work at his palm-trees again. From that day his troubles seemed over. His wine was never interfered with and he and Awirehu became more and more prosperous and happy.

かわいそうな男は大喜びで家へ向かった。家に着くと、時をむだにせず、また椰子の木の仕事にとりかかった。その日から苦労は終わったようだった。酒に手を出されることは二度となく、オヒアとアウィレフはますます豊かに幸せになっていった。

One morning, while he was bathing in a pool quite close to his house, he heard a hen and her chickens talking together in his garden. He listened, and distinctly heard a chicken tell Mother Hen about three jars of gold buried in Ohia’s garden. The hen bade the chicken be careful, lest her master should see her scraping near the gold, and so discover it.

ある朝、家のすぐ近くの池で水浴びをしていると、雌鶏とひよこたちが庭で話し合っているのが聞こえた。耳を澄ますと、ひよこが母さん鶏に、オヒアの庭に埋めてある金の甕三つのことを話しているのがはっきり聞こえた。雌鶏はひよこに、金のそばを引っかいているところを主人に見られて、金を見つけられたりしないよう気をつけなさいと言った。

Ohia pretended to take no notice of what they were saying, and went away. Presently, when Mother Hen and her brood had gone, he came back and commenced digging in that part of the garden. To his great joy, he soon found three large jars of gold. They contained enough money to keep him in comfort all his life. He was careful, however, not to mention his treasure to any one but his wife. He hid it safely inside his house.

オヒアは二羽の話に気づかないふりをして立ち去った。やがて、母さん鶏とひよこたちが行ってしまうと、オヒアは戻ってきて庭のその辺りを掘りはじめた。大喜びしたことに、まもなく大きな金の甕が三つ見つかった。一生安楽に暮らせるだけの金が入っていた。けれどもオヒアは、妻のほかにはだれにも宝のことを話さないよう気をつけた。オヒアはそれを家のなかに無事に隠した。

Soon he and Awirehu had become one of the richest couples in the neighbourhood, and owned quite a large amount of property. Ohia thought he could afford now to keep a second wife, so he married again. Unfortunately, the new wife did not at all resemble Awirehu. The latter had always been a good, kind, honest woman. The new wife was of a very jealous and selfish disposition. In addition to this she was lame, and continually imagined that people were making fun of her defect. She took the idea into her head that Ohia and Awirehu—when together—were in the habit of laughing at her. Nothing was further from their thoughts, but she refused to believe so. Whenever she saw them together she would stand and listen outside the door to hear what they were saying. Of course, she never succeeded in hearing anything about herself.

まもなくオヒアとアウィレフは近所でいちばんの金持ち夫婦の一組になり、かなりの財産を持つようになった。オヒアは、今なら二人目の妻を養う余裕があると思って、もう一人妻をめとった。あいにく、新しい妻は少しもアウィレフに似ていなかった。アウィレフはいつもよい、親切な、正直な女だった。新しい妻はたいそう嫉妬深く自分勝手な性分だった。そのうえ脚が不自由で、人々が自分の脚のことをからかっているとしじゅう思い込んでいた。女は、オヒアとアウィレフが二人でいるときに自分を笑うのが癖になっていると思い込んだ。二人にはそんな考えは少しもなかったが、女はそう信じようとしなかった。二人が一緒にいるのを見るたびに、女は戸の外に立って、二人が何を話しているのか耳を澄ました。もちろん、自分についての話が聞こえたためしはなかった。

At last, one evening, Ohia and Awirehu had gone to bed. The latter was fast asleep when Ohia heard a conversation which amused him very much. A couple of mice in one corner of the room were arranging to go to the larder to get some food, as soon as their master—who was watching them—was asleep. Ohia, thinking this was a good joke, laughed outright. His lame wife heard him, and rushed into the room. She thereupon accused him of making fun of her again to Awirehu. The astonished husband, of course, denied this, but to no purpose. The jealous woman insisted that, if he were laughing at an innocent joke, he would at once tell it to her. This Ohia could not do, without breaking his promise to King Tiger. His refusal fully confirmed the lame woman’s suspicions and she did not rest till she had laid the whole matter before the chief. He, being an intimate friend of Ohia, tried to persuade him to reveal the joke and set the matter at rest. Ohia naturally was most unwilling to do anything of the sort. The persistent woman gave the chief no peace till he summoned her husband to answer her charge before the assembly.

とうとう、ある晩、オヒアとアウィレフは床についていた。アウィレフがぐっすり眠っているとき、オヒアはたいそうおかしな話し声を聞いた。部屋の隅にいる二匹の鼠が、見張っている主人が眠ったらすぐに食料部屋へ食べ物を取りに行こうと相談していたのである。オヒアはこれをおもしろい冗談だと思って、声を上げて笑った。脚の不自由な妻がそれを聞きつけて、部屋に駆け込んできた。そして、またアウィレフに自分のことをからかっていたのだと夫をなじった。驚いた夫はもちろんそれを否定したが、無駄だった。嫉妬深い女は、罪のない冗談で笑っていたのなら、すぐにそれを自分に話せるはずだと言い張った。オヒアは、虎王との約束を破らずにはそれができなかった。夫が断ったので、脚の不自由な女の疑いはすっかり確かなものになり、女は事の次第をすっかり首長に訴えるまで休まなかった。首長はオヒアの親しい友だったので、冗談を明かして事を収めるようオヒアを説き伏せようとした。オヒアはもちろん、そんなことはまったくしたくなかった。しつこい女は、首長が夫を呼び出して集会の前で女の訴えに答えさせるまで、首長に少しも休ませなかった。

Finding no way of escape from the difficulty, Ohia prepared for death. He first called all his friends and relatives to a great feast, and bade them farewell. Then he put his affairs in order—bequeathed all his gold to the faithful Awirehu, and his property to his son and servants. When he had finished, he went to the Assembly Place where the people of the neighbourhood were gathered together.

この難儀から逃れる道が見つからず、オヒアは死ぬ支度をした。まず友人や親類をみな大宴会に招いて、別れを告げた。それから身辺を片づけた——金はみな忠実なアウィレフに、財産は息子と召使いたちに遺した。それがすむと、近所の人々が集まっている集会の場へ行った。

He first took leave of the chief, and then commenced his tale. He related the story of his many misfortunes—of his adventure with the deer, and of his promise to King Tiger. Finally, he explained the cause of his laughter which had annoyed his wife. In so speaking he fell dead, as the Tiger had warned him.

オヒアはまず首長に別れを告げ、それから話を始めた。数々の不運の話を——鹿との出来事を、虎王との約束を語った。とうとう、妻を怒らせた笑いのわけを説き明かした。そう話したとたん、虎が警告したとおり、オヒアは倒れて死んだ。

He was buried amid great mourning, for every one had liked and respected him. The jealous woman who had caused her husband’s death was seized and burnt as a witch. Her ashes were then scattered to the four winds of heaven, and it is owing to this unfortunate fact that jealousy and selfishness are so widespread through the world, where before they scarcely existed.

オヒアは大きな嘆きのうちに葬られた。だれもがオヒアを好み、敬っていたからである。夫の死を招いた嫉妬深い女はつかまえられて、魔女として焼かれた。その灰は天の四方の風にまき散らされた。この不幸な出来事のために、それまでほとんどなかった嫉妬と自分勝手が、今では世界じゅうにこれほど広まっているのである。