The Slave Girl who tried to Kill her Mistress

A man called Akpan, who was a native of Oku, a town in the Ibibio country, admired a girl called Emme very much, who lived at Ibibio, and wished to marry her, as she was the finest girl in her company. It was the custom in those days for the parents to demand such a large amount for their daughters as dowry, that if after they were married they failed to get on with their husbands, as they could not redeem themselves, they were sold as slaves. Akpan paid a very large sum as dowry for Emme, and she was put in the fatting-house until the proper time arrived for her to marry.

イビビオの国のオクという町の生まれのアクパンという男が、イビビオに住むエンメという娘をたいそう見初めて、結婚したいと思った。エンメは仲間うちでいちばん見事な娘だったからである。そのころは、親が娘の結納にあまりに多額を求めるのが習わしで、そのために結婚したあと夫とうまくいかなくなっても、自分を請け出すことができず、奴隷として売られてしまうのだった。アクパンはエンメの結納としてたいそうな額を払い、エンメは結婚のしかるべき時が来るまで肥やし小屋に入れられた。

Akpan told the parents that when their daughter was ready they must send her over to him. This they promised to do. Emme's father was a rich man, and after seven years had elapsed, and it became time for her to go to her husband, he saw a very fine girl, who had also just come out of the fatting-house, and whom the parents wished to sell as a slave. Emme's father therefore bought her, and gave her to his daughter as her handmaiden.

アクパンはエンメの両親に、娘の支度ができたら自分のもとへ送ってくれと言った。両親はそうすると約束した。エンメの父親は金持ちで、七年たってエンメが夫のもとへ行く時になったころ、やはり肥やし小屋から出たばかりの、たいそう見事な娘を見かけた。その娘の両親は娘を奴隷として売りたがっていた。そこでエンメの父親はその娘を買って、侍女としてエンメに与えた。

The next day Emme's little sister, being very anxious to go with her, obtained the consent of her mother, and they started off together, the slave girl carrying a large bundle containing clothes and presents from Emme's father. Akpan's house was a long day's march from where they lived. When they arrived just outside the town they came to a spring, where the people used to get their drinking water from, but no one was allowed to bathe there. Emme, however, knew nothing about this. They took off their clothes to wash close to the spring, and where there was a deep hole which led to the Water Ju Ju's house. The slave girl knew of this Ju Ju, and thought if she could get her mistress to bathe, she would be taken by the Ju Ju, and she would then be able to take her place and marry Akpan. So they went down to bathe, and when they were close to the water the slave girl pushed her mistress in, and she at once disappeared. The little girl then began to cry, but the slave girl said, "If you cry any more I will kill you at once, and throw your body into the hole after your sister." And she told the child that she must never mention what had happened to any one, and particularly not to Akpan, as she was going to represent her sister and marry him, and that if she ever told any one what she had seen, she would be killed at once. She then made the little girl carry her load to Akpan's house.

次の日、エンメの幼い妹がどうしても一緒に行きたがって母親の許しを得たので、二人は一緒に出発し、奴隷の娘がエンメの父からの着物と贈り物の入った大きな包みを運んだ。アクパンの家は、二人の住む場所から丸一日の道のりだった。町のすぐ外まで来ると、人々が飲み水を汲む泉に着いたが、そこで水浴びをすることは誰にも許されていなかった。けれどもエンメはそんなことを何も知らなかった。三人は泉のそばで着物を脱いで体を洗った。そこには水のジュジュの家へ通じる深い穴があった。奴隷の娘はこのジュジュのことを知っていて、女主人を水浴びさせられれば、女主人はジュジュに連れ去られ、自分がその身代わりになってアクパンと結婚できると考えた。そこで三人は水浴びに降りていき、水のそばまで来ると、奴隷の娘が女主人を突き落とし、女主人はたちまち姿を消した。幼い妹は泣きはじめたが、奴隷の娘は言った。「これ以上泣いたら、すぐにお前を殺して、姉さんのあとから穴に投げ込んでやる」そして奴隷の娘は、起こったことを決して誰にも、とりわけアクパンには話してはならない、自分が姉さんのふりをしてアクパンと結婚するのだから、もし見たことを誰かに話したら、すぐに殺してやる、と幼い子に言い含めた。それから奴隷の娘は、幼い子に荷物を持たせてアクパンの家へ行かせた。

When they arrived, Akpan was very much disappointed at the slave girl's appearance, as she was not nearly as pretty and fine as he had expected her to be; but as he had not seen Emme for seven years, he had no suspicion that the girl was not really Emme, for whom he had paid such a large dowry. He then called all his company together to play and feast, and when they arrived they were much astonished, and said, "Is this the fine woman for whom you paid so much dowry, and whom you told us so much about?" And Akpan could not answer them.

二人が着くと、アクパンは奴隷の娘の姿にたいそう落胆した。思っていたほどきれいでも見事でもなかったからである。けれども七年もエンメに会っていなかったので、この娘があれほどの結納を払ったエンメではないとは少しも疑わなかった。それからアクパンは仲間をみな呼び集めて演じ、宴を催したが、仲間たちは着いてたいそう驚いて言った。「これがお前があんなに結納を払って、あんなに自慢していた見事な女か」アクパンは答えられなかった。

The slave girl was then for some time very cruel to Emme's little sister, and wanted her to die, so that her position would be more secure with her husband. She beat the little girl every day, and always made her carry the largest water-pot to the spring; she also made the child place her finger in the fire to use as firewood. When the time came for food, the slave girl went to the fire and got a burning piece of wood and burned the child all over the body with it. When Akpan asked her why she treated the child so badly, she replied that she was a slave that her father had bought for her. When the little girl took the heavy water-pot to the river to fill it there was no one to lift it up for her, so that she could not get it on to her head; she therefore had to remain a long time at the spring, and at last began calling for her sister Emme to come and help her.

それから奴隷の娘は、しばらくのあいだエンメの幼い妹をたいそうむごく扱い、死んでしまえばいいと思った。そうすれば夫のもとでの自分の立場がいっそう固まるからである。奴隷の娘は毎日その子を打ち、いつもいちばん大きな水がめを泉へ持っていかせた。また、薪の代わりに使うといって、子どもの指を火に入れさせた。食事の時分になると、奴隷の娘は火から燃えさしを取ってきて、それで子どもの体じゅうをやけどさせた。アクパンが、どうしてその子をそんなにひどく扱うのかと尋ねると、奴隷の娘は、あれは父が自分のために買った奴隷だと答えた。幼い子が重い水がめを泉へ持っていっても、持ち上げてくれる者が誰もいないので、頭に載せることができなかった。そこで子どもは長いあいだ泉にとどまるほかなく、とうとう姉のエンメを呼んで泣きはじめた。

When Emme heard her little sister crying for her, she begged the Water Ju Ju to allow her to go and help her, so he told her she might go, but that she must return to him again immediately. When the little girl saw her sister she did not want to leave her, and asked to be allowed to go into the hole with her. She then told Emme how very badly she had been treated by the slave girl, and her elder sister told her to have patience and wait, that a day of vengeance would arrive sooner or later. The little girl went back to Akpan's house with a glad heart as she had seen her sister, but when she got to the house, the slave girl said, "Why have you been so long getting the water?" and then took another stick from the fire and burnt the little girl again very badly, and starved her for the rest of the day.

エンメは幼い妹が自分を呼んで泣いているのを聞くと、水のジュジュに、行って妹を助けさせてくださいと頼んだ。そこでジュジュは行ってよいが、すぐにまた戻ってこなければならないと言った。幼い子は姉を見ると離れたがらず、一緒に穴へ入れてくれと頼んだ。それから幼い子はエンメに、奴隷の娘にどんなにひどく扱われているかを話し、姉は、辛抱して待ちなさい、遅かれ早かれ復讐の日が来るのだから、と言った。幼い子は姉に会えたのでうれしい心でアクパンの家へ帰ったが、家に着くと奴隷の娘が言った。「どうして水を汲むのにこんなに手間取ったんだい」そしてまた火から燃えさしを取って、幼い子をたいそうひどくやけどさせ、その日は一日食べ物を与えなかった。

This went on for some time, until, one day, when the child went to the river for water, after all the people had gone, she cried out for her sister as usual, but she did not come for a long time, as there was a hunter from Akpan's town hidden near watching the hole, and the Water Ju Ju told Emme that she must not go; but, as the little girl went on crying bitterly, Emme at last persuaded the Ju Ju to let her go, promising to return quickly. When she emerged from the water, she looked very beautiful with the rays of the setting sun shining on her glistening body. She helped her little sister with her water-pot, and then disappeared into the hole again.

これがしばらく続いたが、ある日、幼い子が人々がみな行ってしまったあとで水を汲みに川へ行き、いつものように姉を呼んだ。けれども姉は長いあいだ来なかった。アクパンの町の狩人が近くに隠れて穴を見張っていたので、水のジュジュがエンメに行ってはならないと言ったからである。けれども幼い子が激しく泣き続けたので、エンメはとうとうジュジュを説き伏せて、すぐ戻ると約束して行かせてもらった。水から現れると、エンメは沈む夕日の光にきらめく体で、たいそう美しく見えた。エンメは幼い妹の水がめを助けてやり、それからまた穴のなかへ消えていった。

The hunter was amazed at what he had seen, and when he returned, he told Akpan what a beautiful woman had come out of the water and had helped the little girl with her water-pot. He also told Akpan that he was convinced that the girl he had seen at the spring was his proper wife, Emme, and that the Water Ju Ju must have taken her.

狩人は見たものに驚いて、戻るとアクパンに、たいそう美しい女が水から出てきて幼い子の水がめを助けてやったと話した。狩人はまたアクパンに、泉で見た娘こそあなたのほんとうの妻エンメにちがいない、水のジュジュがさらったにちがいないと思う、と告げた。

Akpan then made up his mind to go out and watch and see what happened, so, in the early morning the hunter came for him, and they both went down to the river, and hid in the forest near the water-hole.

そこでアクパンは、自分で出かけて何が起こるか見ようと心に決めた。そして朝早く狩人が迎えに来て、二人は川へ降りていって、水の穴の近くの森に隠れた。

When Akpan saw Emme come out of the water, he recognised her at once, and went home and considered how he should get her out of the power of the Water Ju Ju. He was advised by some of his friends to go to an old woman, who frequently made sacrifices to the Water Ju Ju, and consult her as to what was the best thing to do.

アクパンはエンメが水から出てくるのを見るとすぐにそれとわかり、家へ帰って、どうすれば水のジュジュの力からエンメを取り戻せるかを考えた。友だちの何人かに、たびたび水のジュジュに生贄を捧げている年老いた女のところへ行って、どうするのがいちばんよいか相談するよう勧められた。

When he went to her, she told him to bring her one white slave, one white goat, one piece of white cloth, one white chicken, and a basket of eggs. Then, when the great Ju Ju day arrived, she would take them to the Water Ju Ju, and make a sacrifice of them on his behalf. The day after the sacrifice was made, the Water Ju Ju would return the girl to her, and she would bring her to Akpan.

アクパンが訪ねると、年老いた女は、白い奴隷を一人、白い山羊を一頭、白い布を一枚、白い鶏を一羽、それに卵をひと籠持ってこいと言った。そうすれば、大きなジュジュの日が来たときに、それをみな水のジュジュのもとへ持っていって、アクパンのために生贄として捧げよう。生贄を捧げた翌日、水のジュジュは娘を自分に返してくれるだろうから、それをアクパンのもとへ連れていこう、というのである。

Akpan then bought the slave, and took all the other things to the old woman, and, when the day of the sacrifice arrived, he went with his friend the hunter and witnessed the old woman make the sacrifice. The slave was bound up and led to the hole, then the old woman called to the Water Ju Ju and cut the slave's throat with a sharp knife and pushed him into the hole. She then did the same to the goat and chicken, and also threw the eggs and cloth in on top of them.

そこでアクパンは奴隷を買い、そのほかのものをみな年老いた女のところへ持っていった。そして生贄の日が来ると、友だちの狩人と一緒に行って、年老いた女が生贄を捧げるのを見届けた。奴隷は縛られて穴のところへ連れていかれ、それから年老いた女が水のジュジュを呼び、鋭い刃で奴隷ののどを切って穴に突き落とした。それから山羊と鶏にも同じことをして、卵と布もその上から投げ込んだ。

After this had been done, they all returned to their homes. The next morning at dawn the old woman went to the hole, and found Emme standing at the side of the spring, so she told her that she was her friend, and was going to take her to her husband. She then took Emme back to her own home, and hid her in her room, and sent word to Akpan to come to her house, and to take great care that the slave woman knew nothing about the matter.

それがすむと、みなは家へ帰った。次の朝、夜明けに年老いた女が穴へ行ってみると、エンメが泉のそばに立っていた。そこで女はエンメに、自分は味方で、夫のもとへ連れていくところだと告げた。それから女はエンメを自分の家へ連れ帰って自分の部屋に隠し、アクパンに、奴隷の女には決して知られないよう気をつけて自分の家へ来るようにと伝えた。

So Akpan left the house secretly by the back door, and arrived at the old woman's house without meeting anybody.

そこでアクパンはこっそり裏口から家を出て、誰にも会わずに年老いた女の家に着いた。

When Emme saw Akpan, she asked for her little sister, so he sent his friend, the hunter, for her to the spring, and he met her carrying her water-pot to get the morning supply of water for the house, and brought her to the old woman's house with him.

エンメはアクパンを見ると、幼い妹はどこかと尋ねた。そこでアクパンは友だちの狩人を泉へやったが、狩人は、家の朝の水を汲もうと水がめを運んでいる幼い子に出会って、一緒に年老いた女の家へ連れてきた。

When Emme had embraced her sister, she told her to return to the house and do something to annoy the slave woman, and then she was to run as fast as she could back to the old woman's house, where, no doubt, the slave girl would follow her, and would meet them all inside the house, and see Emme, who she believed she had killed.

エンメは妹を抱きしめると、家へ戻って奴隷の女を怒らせることを何かして、それからできるだけ速く年老いた女の家へ走って帰るよう言った。そうすればきっと奴隷の娘が追いかけてきて、家のなかでみなと顔を合わせ、自分が殺したと思っているエンメを見ることになるから、というのである。

The little girl did as she was told, and, directly she got into the house, she called out to the slave woman: "Do you know that you are a wicked woman, and have treated me very badly? I know you are only my sister's slave, and you will be properly punished." She then ran as hard as she could to the old woman's house. Directly the slave woman heard what the little girl said, she was quite mad with rage, and seized a burning stick from the fire, and ran after the child; but the little one got to the house first, and ran inside, the slave woman following close upon her heels with the burning stick in her hand.

幼い子は言われたとおりにして、家に入るやいなや奴隷の女に呼びかけた。「あんたは悪い女で、わたしをひどく扱ったんだってことを知ってるのよ。あんたはわたしの姉さんの奴隷にすぎないってこともね。ちゃんと罰を受けるんだから」それから幼い子は、できるかぎりの速さで年老いた女の家へ走った。奴隷の女は幼い子の言ったことを聞くと、怒りで気が狂わんばかりになり、火から燃えさしをつかんで子どものあとを追いかけた。けれども幼い子のほうが先に家に着いてなかへ駆け込み、奴隷の女は燃えさしを手にすぐあとから追って入った。

Then Emme came out and confronted the slave woman, and she at once recognised her mistress, whom she thought she had killed, so she stood quite still.

するとエンメが出てきて奴隷の女と向かい合った。奴隷の女は、自分が殺したと思っていた女主人だとすぐにわかって、その場に立ちすくんだ。

Then they all went back to Akpan's house, and when they arrived there, Akpan asked the slave woman what she meant by pretending that she was Emme, and why she had tried to kill her. But, seeing she was found out, the slave woman had nothing to say.

それからみなでアクパンの家へ戻り、着くとアクパンは奴隷の女に、どういうつもりでエンメのふりをして、エンメを殺そうとしたのかと問い詰めた。けれども見破られたので、奴隷の女には何も言うことがなかった。

Many people were then called to a play to celebrate the recovery of Akpan's wife, and when they had all come, he told them what the slave woman had done.

それからアクパンの妻が戻ったことを祝う踊りに大勢の人々が呼ばれ、みなが集まると、アクパンは奴隷の女がしたことを話した。

After this, Emme treated the slave girl in the same way as she had treated her little sister. She made her put her fingers in the fire, and burnt her with sticks. She also made her beat foo-foo with her head in a hollowed-out tree, and after a time she was tied up to a tree and starved to death.

そのあと、エンメは奴隷の娘を、その娘が幼い妹を扱ったのと同じように扱った。指を火に入れさせ、燃えさしでやけどさせた。また、うがった木の臼に頭を入れてフーフーをつかせ、しばらくして木に縛りつけて飢え死にさせた。

Ever since that time, when a man marries a girl, he is always present when she comes out of the fatting-house and takes her home himself, so that such evil things as happened to Emme and her sister may not occur again.

そのとき以来、男が娘と結婚するときには、娘が肥やし小屋から出てくるときに必ず立ち会って、自分で家へ連れて帰る。エンメとその妹に起こったような悪いことが、二度と起こらないようにするためである。