The Golden Kaekiri Fruit

In a certain city there are a man and his daughter, it is said. The man's wife being dead, the girl cooks food for the man. The man cuts jungle at a chena clearing. The girl every day having cooked, and placed the food ready for her father, goes to rock in a golden swing. [36] Then a Mahage [37] comes and says, "Daughter, give me a little fire." The girl sitting in the swing says, "Is it here with me? It is at the hearth; take it." The Mahage goes into the house, pulls out and takes the things which that girl has cooked and placed there, and having eaten, carries away the fire.

ある都に男とその娘がいたという。男の妻は死んでいて、娘が男のために食事をこしらえる。男は焼畑を開くために藪を切る。娘は毎日、煮炊きをして父のために食事を用意してから、黄金の鞦韆 [36] を揺らしに行く。するとマハゲ [37] が来て言う。「娘や、火を少しおくれ」。鞦韆に坐った娘は言う。「わたしのところにありますか。竈にありますから、お取りなさい」。マハゲは家に入って、娘がこしらえて置いておいたものを引き出して食べ、火を持っていってしまう。

So, after two or three days had passed in that manner, the man asked, "Who, daughter, while I am coming home has eaten the rice that you have cooked and placed for me?"

そうやって二、三日たったころ、男は尋ねた。「娘や、わしが帰るあいだに、おまえがこしらえて置いた飯を食べるのは誰だ」

Then the girl said, "I don't know, father. Every day when I have cooked the food and placed it ready for you, and gone to rock in the golden swing, a Mahage comes and begs fire from me. Then I say, 'Is it here with me? It is at the hearth; take it.' It will be the Mahage."

すると娘は言った。「わかりません、父さん。毎日、食事をこしらえてお父さんのために用意して、黄金の鞦韆を揺らしに行くと、マハゲが来て火をくれと乞うのです。それでわたしが『わたしのところにありますか。竈にありますから、お取りなさい』と言います。マハゲでしょう」

Then the man, having said, "Ha. Daughter, cook and arrange the food to-day also, and go to the golden swing," got onto the shelf, and stayed there.

そこで男は「よし。娘や、今日も食事をこしらえて用意して、黄金の鞦韆へ行け」と言って、棚の上に上がり、そこにいた。

Afterwards the girl, having cooked and placed the food exactly as on other days, went to the golden swing. Then the Mahage having come on that day also, begged, "Daughter, give me a little fire." The girl said, "Is it here with me? It is at the hearth; take it."

そのあと娘は、ほかの日とまったく同じように食事をこしらえて置き、黄金の鞦韆へ行った。するとその日もマハゲが来て乞うた。「娘や、火を少しおくれ」。娘は言った。「わたしのところにありますか。竈にありますから、お取りなさい」

Then the Mahage having gone into the house, and drawn out the pots, and eaten part of the rice, when she was about to rise after taking the fire, the man on the shelf asked, "What is that you have been doing?"

するとマハゲは家に入って鍋を引き出し、飯を少し食べ、火を取って立ち去ろうとしたとき、棚の上の男が尋ねた。「おまえは何をしていたのだ」

The Mahage said, "What indeed! Why don't you invite me [to be your wife]?"

マハゲは言った。「何をとは! なぜわたしを〔妻に〕迎えてくださらないのです」

The man said, "Ha. Stop here." So the woman stayed.

男は言った。「よし。ここにいろ」。そこで女はとどまった。

After a great many days had passed, the woman lay down. "What are you lying down for?" asked the man.

たいそう長い日がたってから、女は横になった。「なぜ横になっている」と男は尋ねた。

The woman said, "It is in my mind to eat your daughter's two eyes."

女は言った。「あなたの娘の両の目が食べたいのです」

Afterwards the man called the girl, and said, "Daughter, a yoke of cattle are missing; let us go and seek them." While he went with the girl, taking a cord, the dog also followed behind.

そのあと男は娘を呼んで言った。「娘や、牛のひとくびきがいなくなった。探しに行こう」。縄を持って娘と出かけると、犬もうしろからついてきた。

Having gone into a great forest, he said, "Daughter, come here in order that I may look at your head." [38] While he was looking and looking at it, the girl fell asleep. Then the man placed the girl against a tree, and tied her to it; and having cut out her two eyes, came home and placed one on the shelf and one in the salt pot. The dog that went with the man having come home, howled, rolling about in the open space in front of the house.

大きな森へ入ってから、男は言った。「娘や、こちらへ来い、おまえの頭を見てやろう」 [38]。見に見ているうちに娘は眠り込んだ。すると男は娘を木にもたせかけて縛り、両の目をえぐり取って家に帰り、一つを棚に、一つを塩の壺に入れた。男についていった犬は家に帰ると、家の前の開けた場所で転げまわって吠えた。

There was also a child. That little one having gone somewhere, on coming back bringing a mango, asked that Mahage, "Loku-Amma, give me a knife." The woman said, "Have I got one here? It is on the shelf; get it."

子どももいた。その小さい子がどこかへ行っていて、マンゴーを持って帰ってきて、そのマハゲに尋ねた。「ロク・アンマ、小刀をちょうだい」。女は言った。「わたしのところにありますか。棚にありますから、お取りなさい」

Then the child, going into the house, and putting his hand on the shelf, caught hold of the eye placed there by the man, and said, "This is indeed our elder sister's eye. Loku-Amma, give me a piece of salt."

すると子は家に入って棚に手を置き、男がそこに置いた目をつかんで言った。「これは姉さんの目じゃないか。ロク・アンマ、塩をひとかけらちょうだい」

The woman said, "Have I got any here? Take it from the salt pot."

女は言った。「わたしのところにありますか。塩の壺から取りなさい」

When the child put his hand into the salt pot the other eye was there. He took it also. When he stepped down from the veranda of the house into the compound, the dog went in front, and the child followed after him.

子が塩の壺に手を入れると、もう一つの目がそこにあった。それも取った。家の縁側から庭へ下りると、犬が先に立ち、子はそのあとについていった。

Having gone on and on, the dog came to the place in the great forest where the girl was, and stopped there. When the child looked, his elder sister was tied to the tree. He saw that red ants were biting her from her eyes downward, and having quickly unfastened her he took her to a tank, and bathed her. Then taking both her eyes in his hand, he said, "If these are our elder sister's eyes, may they be created afresh," and threw them down. After that, they were created better than before.

行きに行って、犬は大きな森の、娘のいる場所に着いて、そこで止まった。子が見ると、姉が木に縛られていた。赤蟻が目から下へと噛んでいるのが見えたので、急いでほどいて溜池へ連れていき、水を浴びせた。そして両の目を手に取って言った。「これが姉さんの目なら、新しく造られますように」と言って、投げ下ろした。すると目は前よりよくなって造られた。

Afterwards the girl said, "Younger brother, we cannot go again to that house. Let us go away somewhere." So they went off. While they were going along the road, a King was coming on horseback, tossing and tossing up a golden Kaekiri fruit. The child, after looking at it, said, "Elder sister, ask for the golden Kaekiri."

そのあと娘は言った。「弟や、もうあの家へは戻れない。どこかへ行きましょう」。そこで二人は出かけた。道を歩いていると、王が馬に乗って、黄金のカエキリの実を放り上げ放り上げしながら来た。子はそれを見て言った。「姉さん、あの黄金のカエキリをもらってよ」

The girl replied, "Appa! Younger brother, he will kill both of us. Come on without speaking."

娘は答えた。「アッパ! 弟や、二人とも殺されてしまう。何も言わずにおいで」

Then the child another time said, "Elder sister, ask for it and give me it."

すると子はまた言った。「姉さん、もらってちょうだい」

The King having heard it, asked, "What, Bola, is that one saying?"

王はそれを聞いて尋ねた。「ボラ、あの者は何を言っているのだ」

The girl replied, "O Lord, nothing at all."

娘は答えた。「陛下、何でもございません」

"It was not nothing at all. Tell me," the King said a second time.

「何でもなくはあるまい。言ってみよ」と王は二度めに言った。

Then the girl replied, "O Lord, I am much afraid to say it. He is asking for that golden Kaekiri."

すると娘は答えた。「陛下、申し上げるのがたいそう恐ろしゅうございます。あの黄金のカエキリをほしがっているのです」

The King said, "I will give the golden Kaekiri if thou wilt give me thy elder sister."

王は言った。「そなたの姉をわしにくれるなら、黄金のカエキリをやろう」

The child said, "Elder sister and I, both of us, will come."

子は言った。「姉さんとぼく、二人とも行きます」

So the King, having placed the girl on horseback, went to his city with the child, and married the girl.

そこで王は娘を馬に乗せ、子とともに自分の都へ行って、娘を娶った。

After many days had passed, when the King was about to go to a war the girl was near her confinement. So the King said, "If it be a girl, shake an iron chain. If it be a boy, shake a silver chain." Afterwards the girl bore a boy, and shook a silver chain.

多くの日がたって、王が戦へ出かけようとするころ、娘は産み月が近かった。そこで王は言った。「女の子なら鉄の鎖を鳴らせ。男の子なら銀の鎖を鳴らせ」。そのあと娘は男の子を産み、銀の鎖を鳴らした。

Before the King came back, the girl's father and Loku-Amma (step-mother), having collected cobras' eggs, polangas' [39] eggs, and the like, the eggs of all kinds of snakes, and having cooked cakes made of them, came to the place where the girl was.

王が帰る前に、娘の父とロク・アンマ(継母)は、眼鏡蛇の卵やポランガ [39] の卵など、あらゆる蛇の卵を集め、それで餅をこしらえて、娘のいる場所へ来た。

The girl's Loku-Amma told her to eat some of the cakes. When she did not eat them, that woman, taking some in her hand, came to her and rubbed some on her mouth. At that very moment the girl became a female cobra, and dropped down into a hole in an ant-hill. Her father and Loku-Amma went home again. The infant was crying on the bed.

娘のロク・アンマは、その餅を食べろと言った。娘が食べないので、その女は手に取って近寄り、娘の口に塗りつけた。まさにその瞬間、娘は雌の眼鏡蛇になって、蟻塚の穴に落ちていった。父とロク・アンマはまた家へ帰った。赤子は寝床で泣いていた。

Afterwards, when the girl's younger brother was saying to the golden Kaekiri:--

そのあと、娘の弟が黄金のカエキリに向かってこう唱えると——

They'll me myself to kill devise; In bed the gold-hued nephew cries; As a lady, gold-hued sister rise," [40]

わたしを殺そうと謀る者あり。寝床で金の色の甥が泣く。婦人の姿で、金の色の姉よ起きよ」 [40]

the cobra returned [in her woman's form], and having suckled and bathed the infant, and sent it to sleep, again [becoming a snake] goes back to the ant-hill.

眼鏡蛇は〔女の姿で〕戻ってきて、赤子に乳をやり湯を使わせ、寝かしつけてから、また〔蛇になって〕蟻塚へ戻っていく。

Then the King having returned, asked the younger brother, "Where, Bola, is thy elder sister?"

そこへ王が帰ってきて、弟に尋ねた。「ボラ、そなたの姉はどこだ」

The child said, "Our father and Loku-Amma having cooked a sort of cakes came and gave us them, and Loku-Amma told elder sister to eat. Afterwards, as she did not eat, Loku-Amma, taking some, rubbed them on elder sister's mouth. At that very moment elder sister became a female cobra, and dropped down into an ant-hill."

子は言った。「わたしたちの父とロク・アンマが、ある餅をこしらえて来て渡し、ロク・アンマが姉さんに食べろと言いました。そのあと姉さんが食べないので、ロク・アンマが手に取って姉さんの口に塗りつけました。まさにその瞬間、姉さんは雌の眼鏡蛇になって、蟻塚に落ちていきました」

Then the King asked, "Did she not return again, after she had dropped down into the ant-hill?"

すると王は尋ねた。「蟻塚に落ちてから、二度と戻ってこなかったのか」

The child replied, "While I was calling her she came back once."

子は答えた。「わたしが呼んでいたら、一度戻ってきました」

The King said, "Call her again in that very way."

王は言った。「まさにそのとおりにもう一度呼べ」

So the boy said to the golden Kaekiri,

そこで子は黄金のカエキリに向かって唱えた。

They'll me myself to kill devise; In bed the gold-hued nephew cries; As a lady, gold-hued sister rise."

わたしを殺そうと謀る者あり。寝床で金の色の甥が泣く。婦人の姿で、金の色の姉よ起きよ」

Afterwards, the cobra came [in her woman's form], and having suckled and bathed the child, and sent it to sleep, cooked for the King, and apportioned the food for him.

そのあと眼鏡蛇は〔女の姿で〕来て、子に乳をやり湯を使わせ、寝かしつけ、王のために煮炊きをして、食事を取り分けた。

Then when she tried to go away [in her cobra form], the King cut the cobra in two with his sword. One piece dropped down into the ant-hill; the other piece became the Queen, and remained there.

そして〔蛇の姿で〕去ろうとしたとき、王は剣で眼鏡蛇を二つに斬った。一方は蟻塚に落ち、もう一方は后となって、そこに留まった。

After that, the King collected cobras, polangas, all kinds of snakes, and having, with the Queen, put them into two corn measures, they took the two boxes, and went to the house where the Queen's father and Loku-Amma were. There they gave them the two boxes, and said, "We have brought presents for you. Go into the house, and having shut the door, and lowered the bolt, open the mouths of the two boxes. Otherwise, do not open the mouths in the light." The King and Queen remained outside.

そのあと王は眼鏡蛇やポランガ、あらゆる蛇を集め、后とともにそれを二つの穀物升に入れ、二つの箱を持って、后の父とロク・アンマのいる家へ行った。そこで二つの箱を渡して言った。「贈り物を持ってきました。家に入って、戸を閉め、閂を下ろしてから、二つの箱の口を開けてください。そうでなければ、明るいところで口を開けてはなりません」。王と后は外にいた。

The Queen's father and Loku-Amma, taking the two boxes, went into the house, and having shut the door and bolted it, opened the mouths of the two boxes. At that moment, the snakes that were in them came out, and bit both of them, and both of them died.

后の父とロク・アンマは二つの箱を持って家に入り、戸を閉めて閂をかけ、二つの箱の口を開けた。その瞬間、なかにいた蛇が出てきて二人に噛みつき、二人とも死んだ。

Afterwards, the King and Queen came to the city, and stayed there.

そのあと王と后は都へ来て、そこで暮らした。