The Cock who caused a Fight between two Towns

Ekpo and Etim were half-brothers, that is to say they had the same mother, but different fathers. Their mother first of all had married a chief of Duke Town, when Ekpo was born; but after a time she got tired of him and went to Old Town, where she married Ejuqua and gave birth to Etim.

エクポとエティムは異父兄弟だった。つまり母親は同じだが、父親はちがったのである。母親はまずデューク・タウンの首長と結婚して、エクポが生まれた。けれどもしばらくするとその夫に飽きてオールド・タウンへ行き、そこでエジュクアと結婚してエティムを産んだ。

Both of the boys grew up and became very rich. Ekpo had a cock, of which he was very fond, and every day when Ekpo sat down to meals the cock used to fly on to the table and feed also. Ama Ukwa, a native of Old Town, who was rather poor, was jealous of the two brothers, and made up his mind if possible to bring about a quarrel between them, although he pretended to be friends with both.

二人の男の子は大きくなって、たいそう豊かになった。エクポは雄鶏を飼っていて、たいそうかわいがっていた。エクポが食事の席につくたびに、雄鶏は食卓に飛び乗って一緒に食べるのだった。オールド・タウン生まれで、かなり貧しいアマ・ウクワは、この二人の兄弟を妬んで、できれば二人のあいだに仲たがいを起こしてやろうと心に決めた。けれども両方に友だちのふりをしていた。

One day Ekpo, the elder brother, gave a big dinner, to which Etim and many other people were invited. Ama Ukwa was also present. A very good dinner was laid for the guests, and plenty of palm wine was provided. When they had commenced to feed, the pet cock flew on to the table and began to feed off Etim's plate. Etim then told one of his servants to seize the cock and tie him up in the house until after the feast. So the servant carried the cock to Etim's house and tied him up for safety.

ある日、兄のエクポが大きな晩餐を催して、エティムやほかにもたくさんの人々を招いた。アマ・ウクワもそこにいた。客のためにたいそうよい食事が用意され、椰子酒もたっぷり出された。みなが食べはじめると、かわいがられている雄鶏が食卓に飛び乗って、エティムの皿から食べはじめた。そこでエティムは召使いの一人に、雄鶏をつかまえて宴が終わるまで家に縛っておくよう言いつけた。そこで召使いは雄鶏をエティムの家へ運んで、無事なように縛っておいた。

After much eating and drinking, Etim returned home late at night with his friend Ama Ukwa, and just before they went to bed, Ama Ukwa saw Ekpo's cock tied up. So early in the morning he went to Ekpo's house, who received him gladly.

たっぷり食べて飲んだあと、エティムは夜遅く友だちのアマ・ウクワと一緒に家へ帰った。そして床につく直前に、アマ・ウクワはエクポの雄鶏が縛られているのを見た。そこで朝早く、アマ・ウクワはエクポの家へ行き、エクポは喜んで迎えた。

About eight o'clock, when it was time for Ekpo to have his early morning meal, he noticed that his pet cock was missing. When he remarked upon its absence, Ama Ukwa told him that his brother had seized the cock the previous evening during the dinner, and was going to kill it, just to see what Ekpo would do. When Ekpo heard this, he was very vexed, and sent Ama Ukwa back to his brother to ask him to return the cock immediately. Instead of delivering the message as he had been instructed, Ama Ukwa told Etim that his elder brother was so angry with him for taking away his friend, the cock, that he would fight him, and had sent Ama Ukwa on purpose to declare war between the two towns.

八時ごろ、エクポが朝食をとる時分になって、エクポはかわいがっている雄鶏がいないのに気づいた。エクポがいないと言うと、アマ・ウクワは、弟が前の晩の食事の最中に雄鶏をつかまえて、エクポがどうするか見てやろうと殺すつもりなのだと告げた。エクポはこれを聞いてたいそう腹を立て、アマ・ウクワを弟のもとへやって、すぐに雄鶏を返すよう伝えさせた。けれどもアマ・ウクワは言いつけられた言伝を伝える代わりに、エティムに、兄さんは友だちの雄鶏を取られてひどく怒っていて、戦をしかけるつもりだ、アマ・ウクワは二つの町のあいだに戦を宣するためにわざわざ遣わされたのだ、と告げた。

Etim then told Ama Ukwa to return to Ekpo, and say he would be prepared for anything his brother could do. Ama Ukwa then advised Ekpo to call all his people in from their farms, as Etim would attack him, and on his return he advised Etim to do the same. He then arranged a day for the fight to take place between the two brothers and their people. Etim then marched his men to the other side of the creek, and waited for his brother; so Ama Ukwa went to Ekpo and told him that Etim had got all his people together and was waiting to fight. Ekpo then led his men against his brother, and there was a big battle, many men being killed on both sides. The fighting went on all day, until at last, towards evening, the other chiefs of Calabar met and determined to stop it; so they called the Egbo men together and sent them out with their drums, and eventually the fight stopped.

そこでエティムはアマ・ウクワに、エクポのところへ戻って、兄さんが何をしようと受けて立つ覚悟だと伝えろと言った。するとアマ・ウクワはエクポに、エティムが攻めてくるから畑から人をみな呼び集めるよう勧め、戻るとエティムにも同じことを勧めた。それから兄弟とその人々のあいだで戦いが行われる日を取り決めた。それからエティムは人々を率いて入り江の向こう側へ進み、兄を待った。そこでアマ・ウクワはエクポのところへ行き、エティムが人をみな集めて戦いを待っていると告げた。そこでエクポは人々を率いて弟に向かい、大きな戦いになって、双方でたくさんの者が死んだ。戦いは一日じゅう続き、とうとう夕方近くになって、カラバルのほかの首長たちが集まって戦いを止めることに決めた。そこで首長たちはエグボの者たちを呼び集め、太鼓を持たせて送り出し、とうとう戦いは止まった。

Three days later a big palaver was held, when each of the brothers was told to state his case. When they had done so, it was found that Ama Ukwa had caused the quarrel, and the chiefs ordered that he should be killed. His father, who was a rich man, offered to give the Egbos five thousand rods, five cows, and seven slaves to redeem his son, but they decided to refuse his offer.

三日後、大きな評議が開かれ、兄弟のそれぞれが言い分を述べるよう言われた。二人が述べ終わると、争いを引き起こしたのはアマ・ウクワだとわかり、首長たちはアマ・ウクワを殺すよう命じた。その父親は金持ちで、息子を請け出すためにエグボに五千ロッドと牛五頭と奴隷七人を差し出すと申し出たが、首長たちはその申し出を断ることに決めた。

The next day, after being severely flogged, he was left for twenty-four hours tied up to a tree, and the following day his head was cut off.

次の日、アマ・ウクワはひどく鞭打たれたあと、二十四時間木に縛りつけられたまま放置され、その翌日に首を切り落とされた。

Ekpo was then ordered to kill his pet cock, so that it should not cause any further trouble between himself and his brother, and a law was passed that for the future no one should keep a pet cock or any other tame animal.

それからエクポは、自分と弟のあいだにこれ以上争いが起こらないよう、かわいがっている雄鶏を殺すよう命じられた。そして、これから先は誰も雄鶏やそのほかの飼い慣らした獣をかわいがって飼ってはならないという法が定められたのである。