The Stones of Five Colors and the Empress Jokwa. an Old Chinese Story

Long, long ago there lived a great Chinese Empress who succeeded her brother the Emperor Fuki. It was the age of giants, and the Empress Jokwa, for that was her name, was twenty-five feet high, nearly as tall as her brother. She was a wonderful woman, and an able ruler. There is an interesting story of how she mended a part of the broken heavens and one of the terrestrial pillars which upheld the sky, both of which were damaged during a rebellion raised by one of King Fuki’s subjects.

むかしむかし、中国に、兄である伏羲(ふっき)帝のあとを継いだ偉大な女帝がいた。それは巨人の時代で、女媧(じょか)——それがその女帝の名である——は背丈が二十五フィートあり、兄にほとんど並ぶ高さであった。たいそう優れた女で、有能な君主であった。この女帝が、伏羲帝の臣下の一人が起こした反乱のさなかに損なわれた、天のひび割れと、空を支える地の柱の一本とを繕った話が、面白い話として伝わっている。

The rebel’s name was Kokai. He was twenty-six feet high. His body was entirely covered with hair, and his face was as black as iron. He was a wizard and a very terrible character indeed. When the Emperor Fuki died, Kokai was bitten with the ambition to be Emperor of China, but his plan failed, and Jokwa, the dead Emperor’s sister, mounted the throne. Kokai was so angry at being thwarted in his desire that he raised a revolt. His first act was to employ the Water Devil, who caused a great flood to rush over the country. This swamped the poor people out of their homes, and when the Empress Jokwa saw the plight of her subjects, and knew it was Kokai’s fault, she declared war against him.

その反乱者の名はコウカイといった。背丈は二十六フィート。体じゅうが毛に覆われ、顔は鉄のように黒かった。呪術者であり、まことに恐ろしい人物であった。伏羲帝が崩じると、コウカイは中国の帝になろうという野心にとりつかれたが、その企ては破れ、亡き帝の妹である女媧が位に即いた。コウカイは望みを阻まれたことにたいそう腹を立てて、反乱を起こした。まず水の魔を使い、国じゅうに大洪水を押し寄せさせた。これは貧しい人々を家から押し流した。女媧帝は民の苦境を見、それがコウカイのしわざだと知ると、彼に対して戦を宣した。

Now Jokwa, the Empress, had two young warriors called Hako and Eiko, and the former she made General of the front forces. Hako was delighted that the Empress’s choice should fall on him, and he prepared himself for battle. He took up the longest lance he could find and mounted a red horse, and was just about to set out when he heard some one galloping hard behind him and shouting:

さて女媧帝には、ハコとエイコウという二人の若い武将がいて、前者を前軍の将に任じた。ハコは帝の選びが自分に下ったことを喜び、戦の支度をした。見つけられるかぎり長い槍を取り、赤い馬にまたがって、まさに出発しようとしたとき、うしろから誰かが激しく馬を駆って叫ぶのが聞こえた。

“Hako! Stop! The general of the front forces must be I!”

「ハコ! 待て! 前軍の将はこのわたしでなければならぬ!」

He looked back and saw Eiko his comrade, riding on a white horse, in the act of unsheathing a large sword to draw upon him. Hako’s anger was kindled, and as he turned to face his rival he cried:

振り返ると、仲間のエイコウが白い馬に乗り、大きな剣を抜いて自分に斬りかからんとしていた。ハコの怒りに火がつき、この競い相手に向き直って叫んだ。

“Insolent wretch! I have been appointed by the Empress to lead the front forces to battle. Do you dare to stop me?”

「無礼者め! わたしは帝によって前軍を率いる将に任じられたのだ。それを阻むというのか。」

“Yes,” answered Eiko. “I ought to lead the army. It is you who should follow me.”

「そうだ」とエイコウは答えた。「軍を率いるべきはわたしだ。おまえこそわたしに従うべきだ。」

At this bold reply Hako’s anger burst from a spark into a flame.

この大胆な返答に、ハコの怒りは火花から炎へと燃え上がった。

“Dare you answer me thus? Take that,” and he lunged at him with his lance.

「わたしにそう答えるか。これでも食らえ」と言って、槍で突きかかった。

But Eiko moved quickly aside, and at the same time, raising his sword, he wounded the head of the General’s horse. Obliged to dismount, Hako was about to rush at his antagonist, when Eiko, as quick as lightning, tore from his breast the badge of commandership and galloped away. The action was so quick that Hako stood dazed, not knowing what to do.

けれどもエイコウはすばやく身をかわし、同時に剣を振り上げて、将の馬の頭に傷を負わせた。馬を降りざるをえなくなったハコが敵に突進しようとしたそのとき、エイコウは稲妻のような速さでその胸から将の印を奪い取り、馬を駆って走り去った。あまりに素早かったので、ハコはどうしてよいか分からず、呆然と立ちつくした。

The Empress had been a spectator of the scene, and she could not but admire the quickness of the ambitious Eiko, and in order to pacify the rivals she determined to appoint them both to the Generalship of the front army.

帝はこの場を見ていて、野心的なエイコウの素早さに感嘆せずにいられなかった。そして二人の競い合いを収めるために、両名ともに前軍の将に任じることに決めた。

So Hako was made commander of the left wing of the front army, and Eiko of the right. One hundred thousand soldiers followed them and marched to put down the rebel Kokai.

こうしてハコは前軍の左翼の将に、エイコウは右翼の将となった。十万の兵が二人に従い、反乱者コウカイを討つべく進軍した。

Within a short time the two Generals reached the castle where Kokai had fortified himself. When aware of their approach, the wizard said:

まもなく二人の将は、コウカイが立てこもる城に着いた。二人が近づいてくるのを知ると、呪術者は言った。

“I will blow these two poor children away with one breath.” (He little thought how hard he would find the fight.)

「あの哀れな小僧二人など、ひと息で吹き飛ばしてくれよう。」(この戦がどれほど手強いものになるか、彼は思いもしなかった。)

With these words Kokai seized an iron rod and mounted a black horse, and rushed forth like an angry tiger to meet his two foes.

そう言ってコウカイは鉄の棒をつかみ、黒い馬にまたがって、怒れる虎のように二人の敵を迎え撃ちに駆け出した。

As the two young warriors saw him tearing down upon them, they said to each other: “We must not let him escape alive,” and they attacked him from the right and from the left with sword and with lance. But the all-powerful Kokai was not to be easily beaten—he whirled his iron rod round like a great water-wheel, and for a long time they fought thus, neither side gaining nor losing. At last, to avoid the wizard’s iron rod, Hako turned his horse too quickly; the animal’s hoofs struck against a large stone, and in a fright the horse reared as straight on end as a screen, throwing his master to the ground.

二人の若い武将は、コウカイが自分たちに向かって突進してくるのを見て、互いに言った。「あれを生かして逃がしてはならぬ。」そして右から左から、剣と槍で攻めかかった。けれども万能のコウカイはたやすく打ち負かされはしなかった——鉄の棒を大きな水車のように振り回し、こうして長いあいだ戦って、どちらも勝ちも負けもしなかった。とうとう呪術者の鉄の棒を避けようとして、ハコが馬をあまりに急に返した。馬の蹄が大きな石に当たり、驚いた馬は屏風のようにまっすぐ棹立ちになって、主を地に投げ出した。

Thereupon Kokai drew his three-edged sword and was about to kill the prostrate Hako, but before the wizard could work his wicked will the brave Eiko had wheeled his horse in front of Kokai and dared him to try his strength with him, and not to kill a fallen man. But Kokai was tired, and he did not feel inclined to face this fresh and dauntless young soldier, so suddenly wheeling his horse round, he fled from the fray.

そこでコウカイは三稜の剣を抜き、倒れたハコを討ち取ろうとした。けれども呪術者が邪な望みを遂げる前に、勇敢なエイコウが馬をコウカイの前に回して、倒れた者を殺さず自分と力を競ってみよと挑んだ。けれどもコウカイは疲れていて、この元気で恐れを知らぬ若い兵と向き合う気になれず、突然馬を返して戦場から逃げ去った。

Hako, who had been only slightly stunned, had by this time got upon his feet, and he and his comrade rushed after the retreating enemy, the one on foot and the other on horseback.

ほんの少し気を失っていただけのハコは、このときにはもう立ち上がっていて、二人は退く敵を追った。一人は徒歩で、一人は馬上でである。

Kokai, seeing that he was pursued, turned upon his nearest assailant, who was, of course, the mounted Eiko, and drawing forth an arrow from the quiver at his back, fitted it to his bow and drew upon Eiko.

コウカイは追われていると見ると、いちばん近い攻め手——もちろん馬上のエイコウである——に向き直り、背の箙から矢を取って弓につがえ、エイコウに引き絞った。

As quick as lightning the wary Eiko avoided the shaft, which only touched his helmet strings, and glancing off, fell harmless against Hako’s coat of armor.

用心深いエイコウは稲妻のような速さで矢をかわし、矢は兜の緒に触れただけで逸れ、ハコの鎧に当たって害もなく落ちた。

The wizard saw that both his enemies remained unscathed. He also knew that there was no time to pull a second arrow before they would be upon him, so to save himself he resorted to magic. He stretched forth his wand, and immediately a great flood arose, and Jokwa’s army and her brave young Generals were swept away like a falling of autumn leaves on a stream.

呪術者は、二人の敵がともに無傷であるのを見た。また、二の矢を引く間もなく二人が迫ってくるのを知って、身を守るために呪術に頼った。杖を差し伸べると、たちまち大洪水が起こり、女媧の軍とその勇敢な若い将たちは、流れに落ちる秋の葉のように押し流された。

Hako and Eiko found themselves struggling neck deep in water, and looking round they saw the ferocious Kokai making towards them through the water with his iron rod on high. They thought every moment that they would be cut down, but they bravely struck out to swim as far as they could from Kokai’s reach. All of a sudden they found themselves in front of what seemed to be an island rising straight out of the water. They looked up, and there stood an old man with hair as white as snow, smiling at them. They cried to him to help them. The old man nodded his head and came down to the edge of the water. As soon as his feet touched the flood it divided, and a good road appeared, to the amazement of the drowning men, who now found themselves safe.

ハコとエイコウは、首まで水につかってもがいている自分たちに気づいた。あたりを見回すと、獰猛なコウカイが鉄の棒を振り上げて、水のなかを自分たちのほうへ来るのが見えた。今にも斬り伏せられると思いながら、二人は勇敢に水をかいて、コウカイの届かぬところまで泳ごうとした。すると突然、水のなかからまっすぐに立ち上がる島のようなものが目の前に現れた。見上げると、そこには雪のように白い髪の老人が立って、二人に微笑みかけていた。二人は助けてくれと叫んだ。老人はうなずいて水際まで下りてきた。その足が洪水に触れるやいなや水は分かれ、よい道が現れた。溺れかけていた二人は驚き、こうして命拾いをした。

Kokai had by this time reached the island which had risen as if by a miracle out of the water, and seeing his enemies thus saved he was furious. He rushed through the water upon the old man, and it seemed as if he would surely be killed. But the old man appeared not in the least dismayed, and calmly awaited the wizard’s onslaught.

そのころコウカイは、水のなかから奇跡のように現れたその島にたどり着いていて、敵がこうして助かったのを見て激怒した。水を押し分けて老人に突進した。老人は間違いなく殺されると思われた。けれども老人は少しもうろたえた様子を見せず、落ち着いて呪術者の襲撃を待ち受けた。

As Kokai drew near, the old man laughed aloud merrily, and turning into a large and beautiful white crane, flapped his wings and flew upwards into the heavens.

コウカイが近づくと、老人は声をあげて楽しげに笑い、大きく美しい白い鶴に姿を変えて、翼を打ち鳴らして天へ飛び去った。

When Hako and Eiko saw this, they knew that their deliverer was no mere human being—was perhaps a god in disguise—and they hoped later on to find out who the venerable old man was.

ハコとエイコウはこれを見て、自分たちを救ってくれたのがただの人間ではない——おそらくは姿を変えた神なのだと知り、のちにこの尊い老人が誰であったかを突きとめたいと願った。

In the meantime they had retreated, and it being now the close of day, for the sun was setting, both Kokai and the young warriors gave up the idea of fighting more that day.

そのあいだに二人は退いていた。そして日が沈んで一日が終わろうとしていたので、コウカイも若い武将たちも、その日はこれ以上戦う気を捨てた。

That night Hako and Eiko decided that it was useless to fight against the wizard Kokai, for he had supernatural powers, while they were only human. So they presented themselves before the Empress Jokwa. After a long consultation, the Empress decided to ask the Fire King, Shikuyu, to help her against the rebel wizard and to lead her army against him.

その夜、ハコとエイコウは、呪術者コウカイと戦ってもむだだと結論した。相手は人ならぬ力を持ち、自分たちはただの人間なのである。そこで二人は女媧帝の前に進み出た。長く相談したのち、帝は火の王である祝融(しゅくゆう)に助けを求め、反乱の呪術者に対して軍を率いてもらおうと決めた。

Now Shikuyu, the Fire King, lived at the South Pole. It was the only safe place for him to be in, for he burnt up everything around him anywhere else, but it was impossible to burn up ice and snow. To look at he was a giant, and stood thirty feet high. His face was just like marble, and his hair and beard long and as white as snow. His strength was stupendous, and he was master of all fire just as Kokai was of water.

さて、火の王祝融は南の果てに住んでいた。そこだけが彼にとって安全な場所だったからである。ほかのどこにいても、まわりのものをみな焼き尽くしてしまうのだが、氷と雪だけは焼くことができない。見た目は巨人で、背丈は三十フィートあった。顔はまるで大理石のようで、髪と髭は長く、雪のように白かった。その力は途方もなく、コウカイが水を司るように、彼は火のすべてを司っていた。

“Surely,” thought the Empress, “Shikuyu can conquer Kokai.” So she sent Eiko to the South Pole to beg Shikuyu to take the war against Kokai into his own hands and conquer him once for all.

「祝融ならきっとコウカイを打ち負かせよう」と帝は考えた。そこでエイコウを南の果てへ遣わし、コウカイとの戦を引き受けて、彼をきっぱり打ち負かしてくださいと祝融に願わせた。

The Fire King, on hearing the Empress’s request, smiled and said:

火の王は帝の願いを聞くと微笑んで言った。

“That is an easy matter, to be sure! It was none other than I who came to your rescue when you and your companion were drowning in the flood raised by Kokai!”

「それはたやすいことだとも! おまえと連れがコウカイの起こした洪水で溺れかけたとき、助けに来たのはほかならぬこのわたしなのだ!」

Eiko was surprised at learning this. He thanked the Fire King for coming to the rescue in their dire need, and then besought him to return with him and lead the war and defeat the wicked Kokai.

エイコウはこれを知って驚いた。窮地に助けに来てくださった礼を述べ、それから、ともに戻って戦を率い、邪なコウカイを討ってくださいと願った。

Shikuyu did as he was asked, and returned with Eiko to the Empress. She welcomed the Fire King cordially, and at once told him why she had sent for him—to ask him to be the Generalissimo of her army. His reply was very reassuring:

祝融は乞われたとおりにして、エイコウとともに帝のもとへ戻った。帝は火の王を心から歓迎し、なぜ呼びにやったのか——軍の総大将になっていただきたいのだということ——をすぐに告げた。その答えはたいそう心強いものであった。

“Do not have any anxiety. I will certainly kill Kokai.”

「何も案ずることはない。わたしが必ずコウカイを討ち取ろう。」

Shikuyu then placed himself at the head of thirty thousand soldiers, and with Hako and Eiko showing him the way, marched to the enemy’s castle. The Fire King knew the secret of Kokai’s power, and he now told all the soldiers to gather a certain kind of shrub. This they burned in large quantities, and each soldier was then ordered to fill a bag full of the ashes thus obtained.

それから祝融は三万の兵の先頭に立ち、ハコとエイコウに道を示させて、敵の城へ進軍した。火の王はコウカイの力の秘密を知っていて、兵たちみなに、ある種の灌木を集めよと命じた。それを大量に燃やし、それから兵一人ひとりに、こうして得た灰を袋いっぱいに詰めよと命じた。

Kokai, on the other hand, in his own conceit, thought that Shikuyu was of inferior power to himself, and he murmured angrily:

一方コウカイは、うぬぼれから、祝融は自分より力が劣ると思い込んでいて、怒ってつぶやいた。

“Even though you are the Fire King, I can soon extinguish you.”

「火の王といえども、すぐに消してくれよう。」

Then he repeated an incantation, and the water-floods rose and welled as high as mountains. Shikuyu, not in the least frightened, ordered his soldiers to scatter the ashes which he had caused them to make. Every man did as he was bid, and such was the power of the plant that they had burned, that as soon as the ashes mingled with the water a stiff mud was formed, and they were all safe from drowning.

そして呪文を唱えると、大水が湧き上がって山のように高くなった。祝融は少しも臆さず、兵たちに、作らせておいた灰をまき散らせと命じた。誰もが言われたとおりにすると、燃やした草の力は大変なもので、灰が水に混ざるやいなや固い泥ができて、みな溺れずにすんだ。

Now Kokai the wizard was dismayed when he saw that the Fire King was superior in wisdom to himself, and his anger was so great that he rushed headlong towards the enemy.

さて呪術者コウカイは、火の王が知恵において自分にまさるのを見てうろたえ、その怒りのあまり、まっしぐらに敵へ突進した。

Eiko rode to meet him, and the two fought together for some time. They were well matched in a hand-to-hand combat. Hako, who was carefully watching the fray, saw that Eiko began to tire, and fearing that his companion would be killed, he took his place.

エイコウが迎え撃ちに馬を進め、二人はしばらく戦った。一対一の勝負では互角であった。戦いを注意深く見守っていたハコは、エイコウが疲れはじめたのを見て取り、仲間が討たれることを恐れてその代わりに出た。

But Kokai had tired as well, and feeling him self unable to hold out against Hako, he said artfully:

けれどもコウカイもまた疲れていて、ハコに抗しきれぬと感じ、狡くこう言った。

“You are too magnanimous, thus to fight for your friend and run the risk of being killed. I will not hurt such a good man.”

「おまえは寛大にすぎる。そうして友のために戦い、討たれる危うきを冒すとは。そんなよい男を傷つけはすまい。」

And he pretended to retreat, turning away the head of his horse. His intention was to throw Hako off his guard and then to wheel round and take him by surprise.

そして馬の頭を返して退くふりをした。ハコの油断を誘い、それから馬を返して不意を突くつもりだったのである。

But Shikuyu understood the wily wizard, and he spoke at once:

けれども祝融はこの狡い呪術者を見抜いていて、すぐさま声をあげた。

“You are a coward! You cannot deceive me!”

「臆病者め! わたしは欺かれぬぞ!」

Saying this, the Fire King made a sign to the unwary Hako to attack him. Kokai now turned upon Shikuyu furiously, but he was tired and unable to fight well, and he soon received a wound in his shoulder. He now broke from the fray and tried to escape in earnest.

そう言って火の王は、油断していたハコに、攻めかかれと合図を送った。コウカイは猛然と祝融に向き直ったが、疲れていてうまく戦えず、まもなく肩に傷を負った。そこで戦いを離れ、本気で逃げようとした。

While the fight between their leaders had been going on the two armies had stood waiting for the issue. Shikuyu now turned and bade Jokwa’s soldiers charge the enemy’s forces. This they did, and routed them with great slaughter, and the wizard barely escaped with his life.

将たちの戦いのあいだ、二つの軍はその決着を待って立っていた。祝融は振り向いて、女媧の兵たちに敵軍へ突撃せよと命じた。兵たちはそのとおりにして、大いに討ち取って敵を敗走させ、呪術者はかろうじて命だけ逃れた。

It was in vain that Kokai called upon the Water Devil to help him, for Shikuyu knew the counter-charm. The wizard found that the battle was against him. Mad with pain, for his wound began to trouble him, and frenzied with disappointment and fear, he dashed his head against the rocks of Mount Shu and died on the spot.

コウカイが水の魔を呼んで助けを求めてもむだであった。祝融がそれを打ち消す呪を知っていたからである。呪術者は、戦が自分に不利であると悟った。傷が痛みはじめて痛みに狂い、落胆と恐れに我を失って、彼はシュウ山の岩に頭を叩きつけ、その場で死んだ。

There was an end of the wicked Kokai, but not of trouble in the Empress Jokwa’s Kingdom, as you shall see. The force with which the wizard fell against the rocks was so great that the mountain burst, and fire rushed out from the earth, and one of the pillars upholding the Heavens was broken so that one corner of the sky dropped till it touched the earth.

邪なコウカイはこれで終わったが、女媧帝の国の災いは終わらなかった。これから見るとおりである。呪術者が岩に倒れかかった力があまりに大きかったので、山は裂け、地から火が噴き出し、天を支える柱の一本が折れて、空の一隅が地に触れるまで垂れ下がってしまった。

Shikuyu, the Fire King, took up the body of the wizard and carried it to the Empress Jokwa, who rejoiced greatly that her enemy was vanquished, and her generals victorious. She showered all manner of gifts and honors upon Shikuyu.

火の王祝融は呪術者の亡骸を抱え上げて女媧帝のもとへ運んだ。帝は敵が打ち負かされ、自分の将たちが勝利したことを大いに喜び、ありとあらゆる贈り物と誉れを祝融に与えた。

But all this time fire was bursting from the mountain broken by the fall of Kokai. Whole villages were destroyed, rice-fields burnt up, river beds filled with the burning lava, and the homeless people were in great distress. So the Empress left the capital as soon as she had rewarded the victor Shikuyu, and journeyed with all speed to the scene of disaster. She found that both Heaven and earth had sustained damage, and the place was so dark that she had to light her lamp to find out the extent of the havoc that had been wrought.

けれどもそのあいだじゅう、コウカイが倒れかかって裂けた山からは火が噴き出していた。村という村が壊され、田は焼かれ、川床は燃える溶岩で埋まり、家を失った人々は大いに苦しんだ。そこで帝は、勝者祝融に褒美を与えるとすぐに都を発ち、急いで災いの地へ向かった。行ってみると、天も地も損なわれていて、あたりはたいそう暗かったので、どれほどの荒廃がもたらされたかを知るのに灯りをともさねばならなかった。

Having ascertained this, she set to work at repairs. To this end she ordered her subjects to collect stones of five colors—blue, yellow, red, white and black. When she had obtained these, she boiled them with a kind of porcelain in a large caldron, and the mixture became a beautiful paste, and with this she knew that she could mend the sky. Now all was ready.

それを確かめると、帝は繕いの仕事にかかった。そのために臣民に、青、黄、赤、白、黒の五色の石を集めよと命じた。それが手に入ると、帝は大きな釜で、ある種の陶土とともにそれを煮た。すると混ざったものは美しい練り物になり、これで空を繕えると帝は悟った。これで支度はすべて整った。

Summoning the clouds that were sailing ever so high above her head, she mounted them, and rode heavenwards, carrying in her hands the vase containing the paste made from the stones of five colors. She soon reached the corner of the sky that was broken, and applied the paste and mended it. Having done this, she turned her attention to the broken pillar, and with the legs of a very large tortoise she mended it. When this was finished she mounted the clouds and descended to the earth, hoping to find that all was now right, but to her dismay she found that it was still quite dark. Neither the sun shone by day nor the moon by night.

帝は頭上はるか高くを渡る雲を呼び寄せてそれに乗り、五色の石から作った練り物を入れた壺を手に、天へと昇っていった。まもなく破れた空の一隅にたどり着き、練り物を塗って繕った。それが済むと、折れた柱に目を向け、たいそう大きな亀の脚でそれを繕った。これを終えると雲に乗って地へ降り、もうすべてよくなっているだろうと思ったが、うろたえたことに、あたりはまだまったく暗いままであった。昼は日が照らず、夜は月も照らなかった。

Greatly perplexed, she at last called a meeting of all the wise men of the Kingdom, and asked their advice as to what she should do in this dilemma.

たいそう困り果てて、帝はとうとう国じゅうの賢者をみな集め、この難儀にどうすればよいか意見を求めた。

Two of the wisest said:

賢者のうち最も知恵ある二人が言った。

“The roads of Heaven have been damaged by the late accident, and the Sun and Moon have been obliged to stay at home. Neither the Sun could make his daily journey nor the Moon her nightly one because of the bad roads. The Sun and Moon do not yet know that your Majesty has mended all that was damaged, so we will go and inform them that since you have repaired them the roads are safe.”

「先の災いで天の道が損なわれ、日と月は家にとどまるほかなくなったのでございます。道が悪いために、日は日ごとの旅を、月は夜ごとの旅を行えません。日と月は、陛下が損なわれたものをすべて繕われたことをまだ知らないのです。ですからわれらが参って、陛下が繕われたので道はもう安全だと申し伝えましょう。」

The Empress approved of what the wise men suggested, and ordered them to set out on their mission. But this was not easy, for the Palace of the Sun and Moon was many, many hundreds of thousands of miles distant into the East. If they traveled on foot they might never reach the place, they would die of old age on the road. But Jokwa had recourse to magic. She gave her two ambassadors wonderful chariots which could whirl through the air by magic power a thousand miles per minute. They set out in good spirits, riding above the clouds, and after many days they reached the country where the Sun and the Moon were living happily together.

帝は賢者たちの申し出を認め、その使いに出るよう命じた。けれどもこれは容易ではなかった。日と月の宮殿は、東へ何百、何千万マイルも離れていたからである。徒歩で行けばたどり着くことはあるまい、道半ばで老いて死んでしまうだろう。そこで女媧は呪術に頼った。二人の使者に、呪の力で一分に千マイル空を駆けることのできる不思議な車を与えたのである。二人は意気揚々と出発し、雲の上を進んで、幾日ののちに、日と月がむつまじく暮らす国に着いた。

The two ambassadors were granted an interview with their Majesties of Light and asked them why they had for so many days secluded themselves from the Universe? Did they not know that by doing so they plunged the world and all its people into uttermost darkness both day and night?

二人の使者は光の御両所への拝謁を許され、なぜこれほど幾日も宇宙から身を隠しておられるのかと尋ねた。そうすることで世とそのすべての民を、昼も夜も深い闇に突き落としているのをご存じないのですか、と。

Replied the Sun and the Moon:

日と月は答えた。

“Surely you know that Mount Shu has suddenly burst forth with fire, and the roads of Heaven have been greatly damaged! I, the Sun, found it impossible to make my daily journey along such rough roads—and certainly the Moon could not issue forth at night! so we both retired into private life for a time.”

「シュウ山が突然火を噴き出して、天の道がひどく損なわれたことは、そなたらも知っておろう! わたし、日は、あのような荒れた道を日ごとの旅に行くことができぬと知った——そして月もまた、夜に出ていくことはとうていできなかった! それゆえ二人ともしばらく身を退いていたのだ。」

Then the two wise men bowed themselves to the ground and said:

すると二人の賢者は地に伏して言った。

“Our Empress Jokwa has already repaired the roads with the wonderful stones of five colors, so we beg to assure your Majesties that the roads are just as they were before the eruption took place.”

「われらが女媧帝は、不思議な五色の石をもってすでに道を繕われました。ですからどうかご安心ください、道は噴火の前とまったく同じでございます。」

But the Sun and the Moon still hesitated, saying that they had heard that one of the pillars of Heaven had been broken as well, and they feared that, even if the roads had been remade, it would still be dangerous for them to sally forth on their usual journeys.

けれども日と月はなお躊躇して、天の柱の一本もまた折れたと聞いている、たとえ道が作り直されたとしても、いつもの旅に出るのは危ういのではないかと恐れる、と言った。

“You need have no anxiety about the broken pillar,” said the two ambassadors. “Our Empress restored it with the legs of a great tortoise, and it is as firm as ever it was.”

「折れた柱については何も案じられることはありません」と二人の使者は言った。「われらが帝は大きな亀の脚でそれを繕われ、以前と変わらぬほど堅固でございます。」

Then the Sun and Moon appeared satisfied, and they both set out to try the roads. They found that what the Empress’s deputies had told them was correct.

すると日と月は納得したようで、二人とも道を試しに出かけていった。そして帝の使者が語ったとおりであることを知った。

After the examination of the heavenly roads, the Sun and Moon again gave light to the earth. All the people rejoiced greatly, and peace and prosperity were secured in China for a long time under the reign of the wise Empress Jokwa.

天の道を確かめてのち、日と月はふたたび地に光を与えた。人々はみな大いに喜び、賢き女媧帝の治世のもと、中国には長く平和と繁栄が保たれたのである。