Yoshitsune

[It has been generally believed, both by Japanese and Europeans who have written about the Ainos, that the latter worship Yoshitsune, a Japanese hero of the twelfth century, who is said,--not, indeed, by Japanese historians, but by Japanese tradition,--to have fled to Yezo when the star of his fortune had set. The following details concerning Yoshitsune bear so completely the stamp of the myth, that they may, perhaps, be allowed a place in this collection. It should be mentioned that Yoshitsune is known to the Ainos under the name of Hongai Sama. Sama is the Japanese for "Mr." or "Lord." Hongai is the form in which, according to a regular law of permutation affecting words adopted into Aino from Japanese, the word Hõgwan, which was Yoshitsune's official title, appears! The name of Hongai Sama is, however, used only in worship, not in the recounting of the myth. Mr. Batchelor, whose position as missionary to the Ainos must give his opinion great weight in such matters, thinks that the Ainos do not worship Yoshitsune. But I can only exactly record that which I was told myself.]

[アイヌについて書いた日本人も西洋人も、一般に、アイヌは義経を拝んでいると信じてきた。義経は十二世紀の日本の英雄で、——日本の史家によってではないが、日本の言い伝えによれば——運の星が沈んだとき蝦夷へ逃れたと言われている。義経についての次のような細部はあまりにも神話の刻印を帯びているので、この集に加えることも許されるだろう。義経はアイヌのあいだでホンガイ・サマという名で知られていることを言い添えておかねばならない。サマは日本語で「殿」あるいは「さま」である。ホンガイは、日本語からアイヌ語に取り入れられた語に及ぶ規則的な音の転換の法則によって、義経の官職名であったホウガン(判官)という語がとる形なのである。もっともホンガイ・サマという名は、拝むときにだけ使われ、神話を語るときには使われない。アイヌへの宣教師という立場からその意見がこうした事柄において大いに重んじられるはずのバチェラー氏は、アイヌは義経を拝んではいないと考えている。けれどもわたしは、自分が聞かされたことを正確に記録することしかできない。]

Okikurumi, accompanied by his younger sister Tureshi[hi], had taught the Ainos all arts, such as hunting with the bow and arrow, netting and spearing fish, and many more; and himself knew everything by means of two charms or treasures. One of these was a piece of writing, the other was an abacus; and they told him whence the wind would blow, how many birds there were in the forest, and all sorts of other things.

オキクルミは、妹のトゥレシ[ヒ]を伴って、アイヌに弓矢での狩り、網や銛での漁、そのほか多くのあらゆる技を教えた。そして自らは二つのお守り、つまり宝物によってあらゆることを知っていた。その一つは書き物で、もう一つはそろばんだった。それらは、風がどこから吹いてくるか、森に鳥が何羽いるか、そのほかあらゆることを教えてくれた。

One day there came,--none knew whence,--a man of divine appearance, whose name was unknown to all. He took up his abode with Okikurumi, and assisted the latter in all his labour with wonderful ability. He taught Okikurumi how to row with two oars instead of simply poling with one pole, as had been usual before in Aino-land. Okikurumi was delighted to obtain such a clever follower, and gave him his sister Tureshi[hi] in marriage, and treated him like his own son. For this reason the stranger got to know all about Okikurumi's affair, even the place where he kept his two treasures. The result of this was that one day when Okikurumi was out hunting in the mountains the stranger stole these treasures and all that Okikurumi possessed, and then fled with his wife Tureshi in a boat, of which they each pulled an oar. Okikurumi returned from the mountains to his home by the seaside, and pursued them alone in a boat; but could not come up to them, because he was only one against two. Then Tureshi excreted some large foeces in the middle of the sea, which became a large mountain in the sea, at whose base Okikurumi arrived. But so high was it that Okikurumi could not climb over it. Moreover, even had not the height prevented him, the fact of its being nothing but filthy foeces would have done so. As for going round either side of it, that would have taken him too much out of the way. So he went home again, feeling quite spiritless and vanquished, because robbed of his treasures.

ある日、どこからともなく、だれも名を知らない神々しい姿の男がやって来た。男はオキクルミのもとに住みつき、あらゆる仕事で驚くほど巧みにオキクルミを助けた。男はオキクルミに、それまでアイヌの国でふつうだったように竿一本で舟を押し進めるのではなく、二本の櫂で漕ぐやり方を教えた。オキクルミはこれほど賢い従者を得たのを喜び、妹のトゥレシ[ヒ]を嫁にやって、わが子のように扱った。そのためよそ者は、オキクルミの二つの宝物をしまってある場所まで、オキクルミのことを何から何まで知るようになった。その結果、ある日オキクルミが山へ狩りに出ているすきに、よそ者はこの宝物とオキクルミの持ち物をすべて盗み、妻のトゥレシと一緒に舟で逃げた。二人はめいめい櫂を一本ずつ漕いだ。オキクルミは山から海辺の家へ戻ってきて、一人で舟に乗って二人を追ったが、二人に一人では追いつけなかった。するとトゥレシが海の真ん中で大きな糞をひり出し、それが海のなかの大きな山になった。オキクルミはそのふもとに着いた。けれども山はあまりに高くて、オキクルミは越えられなかった。そのうえ、たとえ高さに妨げられなかったとしても、汚い糞にほかならないということが妨げになったことだろう。どちらかの側を回っていくのは、あまりに遠回りになった。そこでオキクルミは、宝物を奪われたので、すっかり気落ちして打ち負かされた思いで家へ帰った。

This is the reason why, ever since, we Ainos have not been able to read.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 25th November, 1886.)

わたしたちアイヌがそれ以来、字を読めないのは、このためである。——(記憶から書き留めた。語り手イシャナシテ、1886年11月25日)