The Sun, the Moon, and Great Paddy

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. There are also the children of those two persons, the elder brother and younger brother and elder sister. Well then, while these three persons were there, the man having died those children provided subsistence for the mother of the three.

ある国に女と男がいたという。その二人の子もいた。兄と弟と姉である。さてこの三人がいるあいだに男は死に、子どもたちが三人の母を養った。

One day the three persons went to join a party of friends in assisting a neighbour in his work. [9] That mother stayed at home. For that woman there was not a thing to eat. Should those persons bring food, she eats; if not, not.

ある日、三人は隣人の仕事を手伝う結いの仲間に加わりに行った。 [9] 母は家にいた。この女には食べるものが何もなかった。三人が食べ物を持って帰れば食べ、そうでなければ食べない。

When the three persons were eating the food provided for the working party, the elder sister and the elder brother having eaten silently, without even a [thought of the] matter of their mother, came away home. The younger brother thought, "Ane! We three persons having eaten here, on our going how about food for our mother? I must take some." Placing a similar quantity of cooked rice and a little vegetable curry under the corner of his finger nail, the three came back.

三人が結いのために用意された食べ物を食べていたとき、姉と兄は母のことなど思いもせず、黙って食べて家へ帰ってきた。弟は思った。「アネ! われら三人がここで食べて、帰ったら母さんの食べ物はどうなる。少し持っていかねば」。そして炊いた飯と野菜の汁物を少しばかり爪の先の下に入れて、三人は帰ってきた。

Then the mother asked at the hand of the elder sister, "Where, daughter, is cooked rice and vegetable curry for me?" She said, "I have not brought any. Having indeed eaten I came [empty-handed]."

すると母は姉に尋ねた。「娘や、わたしの炊いた飯と野菜の汁物はどこだい?」 姉は言った。「持ってきていません。食べて〔手ぶらで〕帰ってきました」

Then the mother said to the daughter, "Thou wilt be cooked in hell itself."

すると母は娘に言った。「おまえは地獄そのもので煮られるがいい」

Having called the elder son she asked, "Where, son, is the cooked rice and vegetable curry for me?"

兄を呼んで尋ねた。「息子や、わたしの炊いた飯と野菜の汁物はどこだい?」

The son said, "Mother, I have not brought it. Having indeed eaten, I came [empty-handed]."

息子は言った。「母さん、持ってきていません。食べて〔手ぶらで〕帰ってきました」

Then the mother said to the son, "Be off, very speedily."

すると母は息子に言った。「とっとと、たいそう速く去るがいい」

Having called the young younger brother she asked, "Where, son, is cooked rice and vegetable curry for me?"

幼い弟を呼んで尋ねた。「息子や、わたしの炊いた飯と野菜の汁物はどこだい?」

Then that son said, "Mother, hold a pot." After that, the mother brought it and held it. The son struck down his finger nail in it. Then the pot was filled and overflowed.

するとその息子は言った。「母さん、壺を持ってください」。そこで母は壺を持ってきて支えた。息子はその上で爪を打ち下ろした。すると壺は満ちてあふれた。

Afterwards the mother, having eaten the rice and curry, gave authority to those three persons, to the elder brother, to the younger brother, and to the sister older than both of them.

そのあと母は飯と汁物を食べてから、三人に、兄と弟と二人より年上の姉に、それぞれの定めを与えた。

Firstly, having called the elder sister she said, "Thou shalt be cooked even in hell." That elder sister herself now having become Great Paddy, [10] while in hell is cooked in mud.

まず姉を呼んで言った。「おまえは地獄でさえ煮られるがいい」。その姉こそ、いまや大稲 [10] となって、地獄にいながら泥のなかで煮られている。

She told the eldest son to go speedily. That elder brother himself having become the Sun, goes very speedily. For the Sun, in very truth (aettema), there is no rest. In the little time in which the eyelids fall, the Sun goes seven gawwas, [11] they say. At the time when the Great Paddy is ripening, the Sun goes across (harahin). [12] Because it is older than the Sun, [13] the Great Paddy represents the elder sister.

長男にはとっとと速く去れと言った。その兄こそ太陽となって、たいそう速く行く。太陽には、まことに(アエッテマ)休みがない。まぶたの落ちるわずかな間に、太陽は七ガッワ [11] 行くという。大稲が実るころ、太陽は横切って(ハラヒン)行く。 [12] 太陽より年上なので [13]、大稲は姉を表す。

Having called the younger son she said, "My son, go you in the very wind (pawanema) [14]." That one himself having become the Moon, now goes in the wind. For the Moon in very truth there is not a difficulty, by the authority given by the Mother.

末の息子を呼んで言った。「息子や、おまえは風そのもの(パワネマ)のなかを行け [14]」。その者こそ月となって、いまも風のなかを行く。月にはまことに、母の与えた定めによって、難儀がないのである。