Asalôq

Asalôq, men say, had a foster-brother. Once when he had come home after having been out in his kayak, his foster-brother had disappeared. He sought for him everywhere, but being unable to find him, he built a big umiak, and when it was built, he covered it with three layers of skins.

人の話では、アサロークには乳兄弟がいた。あるときアサロークがカヤックで出かけて帰ってくると、乳兄弟がいなくなっていた。アサロークはあちこち探しまわったが見つからないので、大きなウミアクをこしらえ、できあがると皮を三重に張った。

Then he rowed off southwards with his wife. And while they were rowing, they saw a black ripple on the sea ahead. When they came to the place, they saw that it was the sea-lice. And the outermost layer of skins on the boat was eaten away before they got through them.

それからアサロークは妻と一緒に南へ漕ぎ出した。漕いでいくと、行く手の海に黒いさざなみが見えた。そこまで来てみると、それは海のシラミだった。そして抜けるまでに、舟のいちばん外側の皮が食い尽くされてしまった。

Now they rowed onwards again, and saw once more a black ripple ahead. When they came to the place, they saw that it was the sea-serpents. And once again they slipped through with the loss of one layer of skins.

さて二人はまた漕ぎ進んで、ふたたび行く手に黒いさざなみを見た。そこまで来てみると、それは海の大蛇たちだった。そしてまた皮を一重失って、なんとかすり抜けた。

Having now but one layer of skins left, they went in great fear of what they might chance to meet next. But without seeing anything strange, they rounded a point, and came in sight of a place with many houses. Hardly had they come into land when the strangers caught hold of their boat, and hauled it up, so that Asalôq had no need to help.

もう皮が一重しか残っていないので、二人は次に何に出くわすかとたいそう恐れながら進んだ。けれども何もふしぎなものを見ずに岬をまわると、家のたくさんある土地が見えてきた。二人が陸に着くか着かないうちに、よそ者たちが舟をつかまえて引き上げてしまったので、アサロークは手を貸す必要もなかった。

And now it was learned that these were folk who had a strong man in their midst. Asalôq had been but a short time in one of the houses, when they heard the sound of one coming from outside and in through the passage way; it was the strong man's talebearer boy, and to make matters worse, a boy with a squint.

そしてそこで、この人々のなかに力の強い男が一人いることがわかった。アサロークがある家に入ってまもなく、外から誰かが来て通路を通ってなかへ入ってくる音が聞こえた。それは力の強い男の告げ口屋の男の子で、しかも困ったことに、やぶにらみの男の子だった。

And now the people of the house said:

そして家の人々が言った。

"Now that wretched boy will most certainly tell him you are here." And indeed, the boy was just about to run out again, when they caught hold of him and set him up behind the lamp. But hardly had they turned their backs on him for a moment, when he slipped out before any could move, and they heard the sound of his running footsteps in the snow without. And after a while, the window grew red with a constant filling of faces looking in to say:

「あのいまいましい子が、きっとあなたがここにいるとあの男に言いつけるよ。」実際、男の子はすぐにまた駆け出していこうとしたが、人々はつかまえてランプのうしろに座らせた。ところが人々がほんの一瞬背を向けたとたん、男の子は誰も動く間もなくするりと抜け出して、外の雪の上を駆けていく足音が聞こえた。そしてしばらくすると、窓がのぞき込む顔でひっきりなしにいっぱいになって赤くなり、みなが言った。

"We are sent to bid the stranger come."

「よそ者を呼んでこいと言いつかってきた。」

And since there was no help for it, Asalôq went up there with them. When he came into the house, it was full of people, and he looked round and saw the strong man far in on the big bench. And at the moment Asalôq caught sight of him, the strong man said in a deep voice:

どうしようもないので、アサロークはその人々と一緒に上っていった。その家に入ると、なかは人でいっぱいで、見まわすと、力の強い男が大きな寝台の奥に座っていた。そしてアサロークがその男を目にしたとたん、力の強い男が太い声で言った。

"Let us have a wrestling match."

「力比べをしよう。」

And as he spoke, the others drew out a skin from under the bench, and spread it on the floor. And after the skin had been spread out, food was brought in. And Asalôq ate till there was no more left. But as he rose, all that he had eaten fell out of his stomach. And then they began pulling arms.

男がそう言うと、ほかの者たちが寝台の下から皮を引き出して床に広げた。そして皮が広げられると、食べ物が運ばれてきた。アサロークはなくなるまで食べた。けれども立ち上がると、食べたものがみな腹から落ちた。それから二人は腕の引き合いをはじめた。

And now Asalôq began mightily pulling the arms of all the men there, until the skin was worn from his arm, leaving the flesh almost bare.

そしてアサロークは、そこにいる男たちみなの腕を力いっぱい引きはじめ、とうとう自分の腕の皮がすり切れて、肉がほとんどむき出しになった。

And when he had straightened out all their arms, he went out of that house the strongest of all, and went out to his umiak and rowed away southwards with his wife. And when they had rowed a little way, they came to a little island, and pitched their tent on the sunny side. And when Asalôq then went up on the hillside to look out, he saw many umiaks coming from the northward, and they camped on the shady side. Then he heard them say:

そしてみなの腕をまっすぐに伸ばしてしまうと、アサロークはいちばんの強者としてその家を出て、ウミアクのところへ行き、妻と一緒に南へ漕ぎ去った。少し漕いでいくと小さな島に来たので、日の当たる側に天幕を張った。それからアサロークが見わたそうと丘の斜面を登っていくと、北から大勢のウミアクがやって来て、日陰の側に野営するのが見えた。そして人々が言うのが聞こえた。

"Now search carefully about." And others said:

「さあ、よくよく探せ。」するとほかの者たちが言った。

"He can hardly be on such a little island."

「こんな小さな島にいるとは思えないがな。」

And now Asalôq sang magic songs over them from the top of the hill, and at last he heard them say:

そこでアサロークは丘のてっぺんから人々に向けて魔法の歌を歌った。するととうとう人々がこう言うのが聞こえた。

"We may as well go home again."

「家に帰ったほうがよさそうだ。」

Now Asalôq stood and watched them row away, and not until they were out of sight did he set off again to the southward. At last they reached Aluk, and there their bones still rest.

それからアサロークは立って人々が漕ぎ去るのを見送り、姿が見えなくなってから、ようやくまた南へ出発した。とうとう二人はアルクに着き、今もそこに二人の骨が眠っている。

Here ends this story.

この話はこれでおしまい。