Of the Pretty Girl and the Seven Jealous Women

There was once a very beautiful girl called Akim. She was a native of Ibibio, and the name was given to her on account of her good looks, as she was born in the spring-time. She was an only daughter, and her parents were extremely fond of her. The people of the town, and more particularly the young girls, were so jealous of Akim's good looks and beautiful form--for she was perfectly made, very strong, and her carriage, bearing, and manners were most graceful--that her parents would not allow her to join the young girls' society in the town, as is customary for all young people to do, both boys and girls belonging to a company according to their age; a company consisting, as a rule, of all the boys or girls born in the same year.

むかし、アキムというたいそう美しい娘がいた。娘はイビビオの生まれで、春に生まれたので、その見目のよさにちなんでこの名をつけられた。ひとり娘で、両親はこのうえなく娘をかわいがっていた。町の人々、とりわけ若い娘たちは、アキムの見目のよさと美しい姿——完璧な体つきで、たいそう丈夫で、身のこなしも立ち居振る舞いも作法もこのうえなく優雅だった——をあまりに妬んだので、両親はアキムを町の若い娘の組に入れようとしなかった。若い者はみな組に入るのが習わしで、男の子も女の子も年に応じて組に属し、組はふつう同じ年に生まれた男の子か女の子みなでできていた。

Akim's parents were rather poor, but she was a good daughter, and gave them no trouble, so they had a happy home. One day as Akim was on her way to draw water from the spring she met the company of seven girls, to which in an ordinary way she would have belonged, if her parents had not forbidden her. These girls told her that they were going to hold a play in the town in three days' time, and asked her to join them. She said she was very sorry, but that her parents were poor, and only had herself to work for them, she therefore had no time to spare for dancing and plays. She then left them and went home.

アキムの両親はかなり貧しかったが、アキムはよい娘で両親を困らせることがなかったので、幸せな家庭だった。ある日、アキムが泉へ水を汲みに行く途中、七人の娘の組に出会った。両親に禁じられていなければ、ふつうならアキムも属していたはずの組である。娘たちは、三日後に町で踊りを催すから一緒に来ないかとアキムを誘った。アキムは、たいそう残念だけれど、両親は貧しくて自分しか働き手がいないので、踊りや遊びに割く暇はないと言った。それからアキムは娘たちと別れて家へ帰った。

In the evening the seven girls met together, and as they were very envious of Akim, they discussed how they should be revenged upon her for refusing to join their company, and they talked for a long time as to how they could get Akim into danger or punish her in some way.

夕方、七人の娘は集まった。アキムをたいそう妬んでいたので、組に入るのを断られた仕返しをどうしてやろうかと話し合い、どうすればアキムを危ない目にあわせるか、何かで罰してやれるかと長いこと話した。

At last one of the girls suggested that they should all go to Akim's house every day and help her with her work, so that when they had made friends with her they would be able to entice her away and take their revenge upon her for being more beautiful than themselves. Although they went every day and helped Akim and her parents with their work, the parents knew that they were jealous of their daughter, and repeatedly warned her not on any account to go with them, as they were not to be trusted.

とうとう娘の一人が、みなで毎日アキムの家へ行って仕事を手伝おう、そうして友だちになったら、アキムをおびき出して、自分たちより美しいことの仕返しができるだろうと持ちかけた。娘たちは毎日行ってアキムとその両親の仕事を手伝ったが、両親は娘たちが自分たちの娘を妬んでいることを知っていて、あの娘たちは信用できないから決して一緒に行ってはいけないと、何度も娘に言い聞かせた。

At the end of the year there was going to be a big play, called the new yam play, to which Akim's parents had been invited. The play was going to be held at a town about two hours' march from where they lived. Akim was very anxious to go and take part in the dance, but her parents gave her plenty of work to do before they started, thinking that this would surely prevent her going, as she was a very obedient daughter, and always did her work properly.

年の終わりに、新ヤムイモの踊りと呼ばれる大きな祝いが催されることになり、アキムの両親も招かれた。祝いは、両親の住む場所から二時間ほど歩いた町で催されることになっていた。アキムは行って踊りに加わりたくてたまらなかったが、両親は出かける前に娘に仕事をたっぷり言いつけておいた。アキムはたいそう従順な娘で、いつも仕事をきちんとするので、これでまちがいなく行けなくなるだろうと思ったのである。

On the morning of the play the jealous seven came to Akim and asked her to go with them, but she pointed to all the water-pots she had to fill, and showed them where her parents had told her to polish the walls with a stone and make the floor good; and after that was finished she had to pull up all the weeds round the house and clean up all round. She therefore said it was impossible for her to leave the house until all the work was finished. When the girls heard this they took up the water-pots, went to the spring, and quickly returned with them full; they placed them in a row, and then they got stones, and very soon had the walls polished and the floor made good; after that they did the weeding outside and the cleaning up, and when everything was completed they said to Akim, "Now then, come along; you have no excuse to remain behind, as all the work is done."

祝いの日の朝、妬み深い七人がアキムのところへ来て一緒に行こうと誘ったが、アキムは汲まなければならない水がめをみな指さし、両親に言いつけられた、壁を石で磨くことと床をきちんと整えることを見せた。そしてそれがすんだら、家のまわりの草をみな抜いて、あたりをすっかり掃除しなければならなかった。だから仕事がすっかり終わるまでは家を離れられないとアキムは言った。娘たちはこれを聞くと水がめを手に取って泉へ行き、すぐにいっぱいにして戻ってきて一列に並べ、それから石を手に取って、まもなく壁を磨き上げ床を整えた。そのあとで外の草むしりと掃除をして、何もかもすっかり終わると、アキムに言った。「さあ、行きましょう。仕事はみんなすんだのだから、残っている言い訳はないわ」

Akim really wanted to go to the play; so as all the work was done which her parents had told her to do, she finally consented to go. About half-way to the town, where the new yam play was being held, there was a small river, about five feet deep, which had to be crossed by wading, as there was no bridge. In this river there was a powerful Ju Ju, whose law was that whenever any one crossed the river and returned the same way on the return journey, whoever it was, had to give some food to the Ju Ju. If they did not make the proper sacrifice the Ju Ju dragged them down and took them to his home, and kept them there to work for him. The seven jealous girls knew all about this Ju Ju, having often crossed the river before, as they walked about all over the country, and had plenty of friends in the different towns. Akim, however, who was a good girl, and never went anywhere, knew nothing about this Ju Ju, which her companions had found out.

アキムはほんとうに祝いに行きたかったし、両親に言いつけられた仕事はみな終わっていたので、とうとう行くことを承知した。新ヤムイモの祝いが催される町までの道のりの半分ほどのところに、五フィートほどの深さの小さな川があって、橋がないので歩いて渡らねばならなかった。この川には力のあるジュジュがいて、その掟では、誰でも川を渡って帰り道に同じ道を戻る者は、それが誰であれ、ジュジュに食べ物を供えなければならなかった。もししかるべき生贄を捧げなければ、ジュジュはその者を引きずり込んで自分のすみかへ連れていき、そこに置いて自分のために働かせるのである。妬み深い七人の娘はこのジュジュのことをよく知っていた。国じゅうを歩きまわり、あちこちの町に友だちがたくさんいて、この川を何度も渡ったことがあったからである。けれどもよい娘でどこへも出かけたことのないアキムは、仲間たちが知っていたこのジュジュのことを何も知らなかった。

When the work was finished they all started off together, and crossed the river without any trouble. When they had gone a small distance on the other side they saw a small bird, perched on a high tree, who admired Akim very much, and sang in praise of her beauty, much to the annoyance of the seven girls; but they walked on without saying anything, and eventually arrived at the town where the play was being held. Akim had not taken the trouble to change her clothes, but when she arrived at the town, although her companions had on all their best beads and their finest clothes, the young men and people admired Akim far more than the other girls, and she was declared to be the finest and most beautiful woman at the dance. They gave her plenty of palm wine, foo-foo, and everything she wanted, so that the seven girls became more angry and jealous than before. The people danced and sang all that night, but Akim managed to keep out of the sight of her parents until the following morning, when they asked her how it was that she had disobeyed them and neglected her work; so Akim told them that the work had all been done by her friends, and they had enticed her to come to the play with them. Her mother then told her to return home at once, and that she was not to remain in the town any longer.

仕事が終わると、みなで一緒に出発し、何の苦もなく川を渡った。向こう岸を少し行くと、高い木に小さな鳥がとまっていて、アキムをたいそうほめて、その美しさをたたえて歌った。これに七人の娘はたいそう腹を立てたが、何も言わずに歩き続け、とうとう祝いの催されている町に着いた。アキムはわざわざ着物を着替えてこなかったのに、町に着くと、仲間たちはいちばんよいビーズといちばん立派な着物を身につけていたにもかかわらず、若者たちや人々はほかの娘たちよりずっとアキムをほめそやし、アキムは踊りでいちばん見事で美しい女だと言われた。人々はアキムに椰子酒やフーフーなど欲しいものを何でもたっぷり与えたので、七人の娘は前よりいっそう怒り妬んだ。人々はひと晩じゅう踊り歌ったが、アキムは翌朝までなんとか両親に見つからないようにしていた。朝になると両親は、どうして言いつけに背いて仕事をほったらかしにしたのかと尋ねた。そこでアキムは、仕事は友だちがみなしてくれて、一緒に祝いに来ようと誘われたのだと話した。すると母親は、すぐに家へ帰るように、これ以上町にいてはならないと言った。

When Akim told her friends this they said, "Very well, we are just going to have some small meal, and then we will return with you." They all then sat down together and had their food, but each of the seven jealous girls hid a small quantity of foo-foo and fish in her clothes for the Water Ju Ju. However Akim, who knew nothing about this, as her parents had forgotten to tell her about the Ju Ju, never thinking for one moment that their daughter would cross the river, did not take any food as a sacrifice to the Ju Ju with her.

アキムが友だちにこれを伝えると、娘たちは言った。「いいわ、ちょっとした食事をしてから、一緒に帰りましょう」それからみなで座って食事をしたが、妬み深い七人の娘は、水のジュジュのために、それぞれ着物のなかにフーフーと魚を少しずつ隠した。けれどもアキムは、両親が娘が川を渡るなどとは夢にも思わず、ジュジュのことを話すのを忘れていたので、何も知らず、ジュジュへの生贄にする食べ物を持っていかなかった。

When they arrived at the river Akim saw the girls making their small sacrifices, and begged them to give her a small share so that she could do the same, but they refused, and all walked across the river safely. Then when it was Akim's turn to cross, when she arrived in the middle of the river, the Water Ju Ju caught hold of her and dragged her underneath the water, so that she immediately disappeared from sight. The seven girls had been watching for this, and when they saw that she had gone they went on their way, very pleased at the success of their scheme, and said to one another, "Now Akim is gone for ever, and we shall hear no more about her being better-looking than we are."

川に着くと、アキムは娘たちが小さな生贄を捧げるのを見て、自分も同じようにできるよう少し分けてくれと頼んだが、娘たちは断って、みな無事に川を渡った。それからアキムが渡る番になって川のまんなかまで来ると、水のジュジュがアキムをつかまえて水の下へ引きずり込み、アキムはたちまち見えなくなった。七人の娘はこれを待っていたので、アキムが消えたのを見ると、計略がうまくいったのにたいそう喜んで道を進み、互いに言い合った。「これでアキムは永久にいなくなったわ。あの子がわたしたちよりきれいだなんて話は、もう聞かなくてすむわね」

As there was no one to be seen at the time when Akim disappeared they naturally thought that their cruel action had escaped detection, so they went home rejoicing; but they never noticed the little bird high up in the tree who had sung of Akim's beauty when they were on their way to the play. The little bird was very sorry for Akim, and made up his mind that, when the proper time came, he would tell her parents what he had seen, so that perhaps they would be able to save her. The bird had heard Akim asking for a small portion of the food to make a sacrifice with, and had heard all the girls refusing to give her any.

アキムが消えたときには誰の姿も見えなかったので、娘たちは当然、自分たちのむごい行いは見つからずにすんだと思って、喜んで家へ帰った。けれども娘たちは、祝いへ行く途中でアキムの美しさを歌った、木の高いところの小さな鳥に気づかなかった。小さな鳥はアキムをたいそう気の毒に思って、しかるべき時が来たら、見たことをアキムの両親に話そう、そうすれば両親はアキムを救えるかもしれないと心に決めた。鳥は、アキムが生贄にする食べ物を少し分けてくれと頼んでいるのも、娘たちがみな断っているのも聞いていた。

The following morning, when Akim's parents returned home, they were much surprised to find that the door was fastened, and that there was no sign of their daughter anywhere about the place, so they inquired of their neighbours, but no one was able to give them any information about her. They then went to the seven girls, and asked them what had become of Akim. They replied that they did not know what had become of her, but that she had reached their town safely with them, and then said she was going home. The father then went to his Ju Ju man, who, by casting lots, discovered what had happened, and told him that on her way back from the play Akim had crossed the river without making the customary sacrifice to the Water Ju Ju, and that, as the Ju Ju was angry, he had seized Akim and taken her to his home. He therefore told Akim's father to take one goat, one basketful of eggs, and one piece of white cloth to the river in the morning, and to offer them as a sacrifice to the Water Ju Ju; then Akim would be thrown out of the water seven times, but that if her father failed to catch her on the seventh time, she would disappear for ever.

次の朝、アキムの両親は家に帰ってきて、戸が閉まっていて、娘の姿がどこにも見えないのにたいそう驚いた。そこで隣人たちに尋ねたが、誰も娘のことを何も教えてくれなかった。それから両親は七人の娘のところへ行って、アキムがどうなったのか尋ねた。娘たちは、アキムがどうなったかは知らないが、自分たちと一緒に無事に町に着いて、それから家へ帰ると言っていた、と答えた。それから父親が自分のジュジュ使いのところへ行くと、ジュジュ使いは籤を投げて何が起こったかを突き止め、アキムは祝いからの帰りに、水のジュジュにいつもの生贄を捧げずに川を渡った、それでジュジュが怒ってアキムをつかまえ、自分のすみかへ連れていったのだと告げた。そこでジュジュ使いはアキムの父親に、朝、山羊一頭と卵ひと籠と白い布一枚を川へ持っていって、水のジュジュに生贄として捧げるよう言った。そうすればアキムは水から七度投げ上げられるが、もし父親が七度目に娘をつかまえ損ねたら、娘は永久に消えてしまうだろう、というのである。

Akim's father then returned home, and, when he arrived there, the little bird who had seen Akim taken by the Water Ju Ju, told him everything that had happened, confirming the Ju Ju's words. He also said that it was entirely the fault of the seven girls, who had refused to give Akim any food to make the sacrifice with.

それからアキムの父親が家に帰ると、アキムが水のジュジュに連れ去られるのを見ていた小さな鳥が、起こったことをすっかり話して、ジュジュの言葉を裏づけた。鳥はまた、アキムに生贄にする食べ物を少しも分けてやらなかった七人の娘こそ、何もかも悪いのだと言った。

Early the following morning the parents went to the river, and made the sacrifice as advised by the Ju Ju. Immediately they had done so, the Water Ju Ju threw Akim up from the middle of the river. Her father caught her at once, and returned home very thankfully.

次の朝早く、両親は川へ行って、ジュジュ使いに勧められたとおり生贄を捧げた。そうするやいなや、水のジュジュは川のまんなかからアキムを投げ上げた。父親はすぐに娘をつかまえて、たいそう感謝しながら家へ帰った。

He never told any one, however, that he had recovered his daughter, but made up his mind to punish the seven jealous girls, so he dug a deep pit in the middle of his house, and placed dried palm leaves and sharp stakes in the bottom of the pit. He then covered the top of the pit with new mats, and sent out word for all people to come and hold a play to rejoice with him, as he had recovered his daughter from the spirit land. Many people came, and danced and sang all the day and night, but the seven jealous girls did not appear, as they were frightened. However, as they were told that everything had gone well on the previous day, and that there had been no trouble, they went to the house the following morning and mixed with the dancers; but they were ashamed to look Akim in the face, who was sitting down in the middle of the dancing ring.

けれども父親は、娘を取り戻したことを誰にも言わず、妬み深い七人の娘を罰してやろうと心に決めた。そこで家のまんなかに深い穴を掘って、底に枯れた椰子の葉と鋭い杭を置いた。それから穴の上を新しい筵で覆って、娘を霊の国から取り戻したのだから、みなで来て一緒に喜ぶ踊りを催してほしいとお触れを出した。大勢の人々がやって来て一日じゅうひと晩じゅう踊り歌ったが、妬み深い七人の娘は怖がって姿を見せなかった。けれども前の日は万事うまくいって何の面倒もなかったと聞かされたので、次の朝その家へ行って踊り手たちに交じった。けれども娘たちは、踊りの輪のまんなかに座っているアキムの顔をまともに見るのが恥ずかしかった。

When Akim's father saw the seven girls he pretended to welcome them as his daughter's friends, and presented each of them with a brass rod, which he placed round their necks. He also gave them tombo to drink.

アキムの父親は七人の娘を見ると、娘の友だちとして歓迎するふりをして、一人ひとりに真鍮の棒を贈って首にかけてやった。またトンボ酒も飲ませた。

He then picked them out, and told them to go and sit on mats on the other side of the pit he had prepared for them. When they walked over the mats which hid the pit they all fell in, and Akim's father immediately got some red-hot ashes from the fire and threw them in on top of the screaming girls, who were in great pain. At once the dried palm leaves caught fire, killing all the girls at once.

それから父親は娘たちを呼び出して、用意しておいた穴の向こう側の筵に座るよう言った。娘たちが穴を隠している筵の上を歩くと、みな穴に落ちた。アキムの父親はすぐに火から真っ赤に焼けた灰を取ってきて、悲鳴を上げる娘たちの上に投げ込んだ。娘たちはひどく苦しんだ。たちまち枯れた椰子の葉に火がつき、娘たちはみな一度に死んだ。

When the people heard the cries and saw the smoke, they all ran back to the town.

人々はその叫び声を聞き、煙を見ると、みな町へ逃げ帰った。

The next day the parents of the dead girls went to the head chief, and complained that Akim's father had killed their daughters, so the chief called him before him, and asked him for an explanation.

次の日、死んだ娘たちの両親は首長の頭のところへ行って、アキムの父親に娘たちを殺されたと訴えた。そこで首長はアキムの父親を呼び寄せて、申し開きを求めた。

Akim's father went at once to the chief, taking the Ju Ju man, whom everybody relied upon, and the small bird, as his witnesses.

アキムの父親はすぐに首長のもとへ行き、誰もが信頼を寄せているジュジュ使いと、小さな鳥を証人として連れていった。

When the chief had heard the whole case, he told Akim's father that he should only have killed one girl to avenge his daughter, and not seven. So he told the father to bring Akim before him.

首長は事の次第をすっかり聞くと、アキムの父親に、娘の仕返しには一人の娘だけを殺すべきで、七人も殺すべきではなかったと言った。そこで首長は父親に、アキムを前に連れてくるよう言った。

When she arrived, the head chief, seeing how beautiful she was, said that her father was justified in killing all the seven girls on her behalf, so he dismissed the case, and told the parents of the dead girls to go away and mourn for their daughters, who had been wicked and jealous women, and had been properly punished for their cruel behaviour to Akim.

アキムがやって来ると、首長の頭はアキムがどんなに美しいかを見て、父親がこの娘のために七人の娘をみな殺したのはもっともだと言った。そこで首長は訴えを退け、死んだ娘たちの両親に、帰って娘たちのために喪に服すがよい、娘たちは悪い妬み深い女で、アキムへのむごい仕打ちの報いを当然受けたのだから、と言い渡した。

MORAL.--Never kill a man or a woman because you are envious of their beauty, as if you do, you will surely be punished.

教訓——人の美しさを妬んで、男であれ女であれ殺してはならない。そうすれば、必ず罰を受けるのだから。