The wife who lied

Navaránâpaluk, men say, came of a tribe of man-eaters, but when she grew up, she was taken to wife by one of a tribe that did not eat men.

人の話では、ナヴァラナーパルクは人食いの部族の生まれだったが、大きくなると、人を食べない部族の男の妻になった。

Once when she was going off on a visit to her own people, she put mittens on her feet instead of boots. And this she did in order to make it appear that her husband's people had dealt ill by her.

あるとき自分の身内を訪ねていくとき、ナヴァラナーパルクは長靴の代わりに手袋を足にはいた。そうしたのは、夫の身内にひどい仕打ちを受けたように見せかけるためだった。

It was midwinter, and her kinsfolk pitied her greatly when they saw her come to them thus. And they agreed to make war against the tribe to which her husband belonged.

真冬のことだったので、身内の者たちは女がそんな姿でやって来たのを見てたいそう哀れみ、夫の属する部族に戦を仕掛けることに決めた。

So they set out, and came to that village at a time when all the men were away, and only the women at home; these they took and slew, and only three escaped. One of them had covered herself with the skin which she was dressing when they came, the second had hidden herself in a box used for dog's meat, and the third had crept into a store shed.

そこで身内の者たちは出発し、男たちがみな出かけていて女たちだけが家にいるときにその村に着いた。彼らは女たちをつかまえて殺し、逃れたのは三人だけだった。一人は、彼らがやって来たときになめしていた皮を体にかぶり、二人目は犬の肉を入れる箱に隠れ、三人目は物置小屋に這い込んだ。

When the men came home, they found all their womenfolk killed, and at once they thought of Navaránâpaluk, who had fled away. And they were the more angered, that the slayers had hoisted the bodies of the women on long poles, with the points stuck through them.

男たちが家に帰ると、女たちがみな殺されていたので、すぐに逃げていったナヴァラナーパルクのことを思い当たった。しかも殺した者たちが、女たちの亡骸を先の尖った長い竿に突き刺して高く掲げていたので、男たちはいっそう怒った。

They fell to at once making ready for war against those enemies, and prepared arrows in great numbers. The three women who were left alive plaited sinew thread to fix the points of the arrows; and so eagerly did they work that at last no more flesh was left on their fingers, and the naked bone showed through.

男たちはすぐさまその敵との戦の支度にとりかかり、たくさんの矢をこしらえた。生き残った三人の女は、矢じりを留める腱の糸を編んだ。あまりに一心に働いたので、とうとう指に肉が残らなくなって、むき出しの骨が見えた。

When all things were ready, they set out, and coming up behind the houses of their enemies, they hid themselves among great rocks.

何もかも支度が整うと、男たちは出発し、敵の家々の裏手に来て、大きな岩のあいだに身を隠した。

The slayers had kept watch since their return, believing that the avengers would not fail to come, and the women took turns at the watching.

殺した者たちは、仇を討つ者がきっと来るだろうと思って、帰ってからずっと見張りを続けていて、女たちが交代で見張りをしていた。

And now it is said that one old woman among them had a strange dream. She dreamed that two creatures were fighting above her head. And when she told the others of this, they all agreed that the avengers must be near. They gathered together in one house to ask counsel of the spirits, and when the spirit calling had commenced, then suddenly a dog upon the roof of the house began to bark.

そして人の話では、その女たちのなかの一人の老婆が、ふしぎな夢を見た。二匹の生き物が頭の上で戦っている夢だった。老婆がこれをほかの者に話すと、みな仇を討つ者が近くにいるにちがいないと思った。みなは霊にお伺いを立てるために一軒の家に集まった。そして霊を呼ぶ儀式がはじまると、突然、家の屋根の上で犬が吠えはじめた。

The men dashed out, but their enemies had already surrounded the house, and now set about to take their full revenge, shooting down every man with arrows. At last, when there were no more left, they chose themselves wives from among the widows, and bore them off to their own place.

男たちは飛び出したが、敵はもう家を取り囲んでいて、存分に仇を討ちはじめ、男を一人残らず矢で射倒した。とうとう一人もいなくなると、彼らは未亡人たちのなかから自分の妻を選んで、自分たちの土地へ連れ帰った。

But two of them took Navaránâpaluk and hurried off with her.

けれども二人の男がナヴァラナーパルクをつかまえて、急いで連れていった。

And she, thinking that both wished to have her to wife, cried out:

そして女は、二人とも自分を妻にしたがっているのだと思って、叫んだ。

"Which is it to be? Which is it to be?"

「どっちなの。どっちなの。」

The men laughed, and made no answer, but ran on with her.

男たちは笑って何も答えず、女を連れて走り続けた。

Then suddenly they cut through both her arms with their knives. And soon she fell, and the blood went from her, and she died.

それから突然、二人は小刀で女の両腕を切り裂いた。女はまもなく倒れ、血が流れ出て死んだ。

This fate they meted out to her because she lied.

女が嘘をついたので、二人はこの定めを女に与えたのである。