The Child of a God

There was a very beautiful woman, who was still without a husband. A man had already been fixed upon to become her husband, but he had not yet lain with her. Nevertheless the woman suddenly was with child. For this reason she was greatly surprised. As for other people, they thought thus: "She has probably become with child through lying with some other man." That was what other people said. The man who was to be her husband was very angry. But he could not know whence it was that she was with child.

まだ夫のいない、たいそう美しい女がいた。夫になる男はもう決まっていたが、まだ女と寝てはいなかった。それなのに女は突然身ごもった。そのために女はたいそう驚いた。ほかの人々はといえば、こう考えた。「きっとほかの男と寝て身ごもったのだろう」ほかの人々はそう言った。夫になるはずの男はたいそう怒った。けれども女がどこから身ごもったのかはわからなかった。

Then she was delivered. She bore a little snake. She was greatly ashamed. Her mother took the little snake, went out, and spoke thus, with tears: "What god has deigned to beget a child in my daughter? Though he should deign to beget one, it would at least be well if he had begotten a human child. But this little snake we human beings cannot keep. As it is the child of the god who begot it, he may as well keep it." So saying, she threw it away. Then the old woman went in.

それから女はお産をした。小さな蛇を産んだ。女はたいそう恥じ入った。女の母は小さな蛇を取って外へ出て、涙ながらにこう言った。「どの神さまが娘に子をお授けくださったのでしょう。お授けくださるにしても、せめて人間の子をお授けくださればよかったのに。けれどもこの小さな蛇は、わたしたち人間には育てられません。これを授けた神さまの子なのですから、神さまがお育てになればよいでしょう」そう言って、母はそれを捨てた。それから年老いた女はなかへ入った。

This being so, afterwards there was the noise of a baby crying. The old woman went out, and looked. It was a nice baby. Then the old woman carried it in. The woman who had given birth to the child rejoiced with tears. Then the baby was found to be a boy, and was kept. Gradually he grew big. After a time he became a man. Then, being a very fine man, he killed large numbers both of deer and of bears.

そうしていると、あとで赤ん坊の泣く声がした。年老いた女が外へ出て見ると、かわいい赤ん坊だった。そこで年老いた女はそれを抱いてなかへ入った。子を産んだ女は涙を流して喜んだ。それから赤ん坊は男の子だとわかり、育てられた。しだいに大きくなった。しばらくすると一人前の男になった。そして、たいそう立派な男だったので、鹿も熊もたくさん仕留めた。

The woman who had given birth to him was alone astonished. What had happened was that, while she slept, the light of the sun had shone upon her through the opening in the roof. Thus had she become with child. Then she dreamt a dream, which said: "I, being a god, have given you a child, because I love you. When you die, you shall truly become my wife. Your and my son, when he gets a wife, shall have plenty of children." The woman dreamt thus, and worshipped. Then that son of hers, when pursued by the bears, could not be caught. He was a great hunter, a very rich man.

その子を産んだ女だけが驚いていた。起こったことはこうだった。女が眠っているあいだに、屋根の穴から日の光が女に差し込んだのである。そうして女は身ごもったのだった。それから女は夢を見た。夢はこう告げた。「わしは神であり、お前を愛しているので、お前に子を授けた。お前が死んだら、まことにわしの妻となるだろう。お前とわしの息子は、妻をめとれば子どもがたくさんできるだろう」女はこう夢を見て、拝んだ。それからその息子は、熊に追われても捕まることがなかった。偉大な狩人で、たいそう金持ちの男だった。

Then the woman died, without having had a human husband. Afterwards her son, getting a wife, had children, and became rich. His descendants are living to this day.--(Translated literally. Told by Penri, 21st July, 1886.)

それから女は、人間の夫を持たないまま死んだ。そのあと息子は妻をめとって子どもをもうけ、金持ちになった。その子孫は今も生きている。——(逐語訳。語り手ペンリ、1886年7月21日)