The King and the 'Nsiat Bird

When 'Ndarake was King of Idu, being young and rich, he was very fond of fine girls, and had plenty of slaves. The 'Nsiat bird was then living at Idu, and had a very pretty daughter, whom 'Ndarake wished to marry. When he spoke to the father about the matter, he replied that of course he had no objection personally, as it would be a great honour for his daughter to marry the king, but, unfortunately, when any of his family had children, they always gave birth to twins, which, as the king knew, was not allowed in the country; the native custom being to kill both the children and throw them into the bush, the mother being driven away and allowed to starve. The king, however, being greatly struck with Adit, the bird's daughter, insisted on marrying her, so the 'Nsiat bird had to agree. A large amount of dowry was paid by the king, and a big play and feast was held. One strong slave was told to carry Adit 'Nsiat during the whole play, and she sat on his shoulders with her legs around his neck; this was done to show what a rich and powerful man the king was.

ンダラケがイドゥの王だったころ、王は若く豊かで、美しい娘たちがたいそう好きで、奴隷をたくさん持っていた。そのころンシアト鳥がイドゥに住んでいて、たいそうかわいい娘がいた。ンダラケはその娘と結婚したがった。王がそのことを父親に話すと、父親は、自分としてはもちろん異存はない、娘が王と結婚するのはたいそうな誉れなのだから、と答えた。けれども、あいにく、自分の一族に子どもができるときには、いつも双子が生まれるのだという。王もご存じのとおり、それはこの国では許されていなかった。土地のしきたりでは、子どもは二人とも殺して藪に捨て、母親は追い出されて飢えるままにされるのである。けれども王は、鳥の娘アディトにすっかり心を奪われていたので、どうしても結婚すると言い張った。そこでンシアト鳥も承知するほかなかった。王からたっぷりの結納が払われ、大きな祝いの踊りと宴が催された。力の強い奴隷が一人、祝いのあいだじゅうアディト・ンシアトを担ぐよう言いつけられ、アディトは奴隷の肩に、両脚をその首に回して座っていた。これは、王がどれほど豊かで力のある人物かを示すために行われたのである。

After the marriage, in due course Adit gave birth to twins, as her mother had done before her. The king immediately became very fond of the two babies, but according to the native custom, which was too strong for any one to resist, he had to give them up to be killed. When the 'Nsiat bird heard this, he went to the king and reminded him that he had warned the king before he married what would happen if he married Adit, and rather than that the twins should be killed, he and the whole of his family would leave the earth and dwell in the air, taking the twins with them. As the king was so fond of Adit and the two children, and did not want them to be killed, he gladly consented, and the 'Nsiat bird took the whole of his family, as well as Adit and her two children, away, and left the earth to live and make their home in the trees; but as they had formerly lived in the town with all the people, they did not like to go into the forest, so they made their nests in the trees which grew in the town, and that is why you always see the 'Nsiat birds living and making their nests only in places where human beings are. The black birds are the cocks, and the golden-coloured ones are the hens. It was the beautiful colour of Adit which first attracted the attention of 'Ndarake and caused him to marry her.

結婚のあと、やがてアディトは、その母親がそうだったように双子を産んだ。王はたちまち二人の赤ん坊をたいそうかわいがったが、誰にも逆らえないほど強い土地のしきたりに従って、二人を殺すために引き渡さねばならなかった。ンシアト鳥はこれを聞くと王のところへ行き、アディトと結婚する前に、結婚すればどうなるかを王に警告しておいたはずだと言った。そして双子が殺されるくらいなら、自分と一族みなが地上を去って空に住み、双子も連れていこう、と言った。王はアディトと二人の子どもをたいそう愛していて、殺したくなかったので、喜んで承知した。そしてンシアト鳥は一族みなと、アディトとその二人の子どもを連れて去り、地上を離れて木の上に住まいをこしらえた。けれども以前は町で人々みなと一緒に暮らしていたので、森へ行くのは好まなかった。そこで町に生えている木に巣をかけた。だからンシアト鳥は、いつも人間のいる場所にだけ住んで巣をかけているのである。黒い鳥が雄で、黄金色の鳥が雌である。ンダラケの目をまず引いて結婚する気にさせたのは、アディトの美しい色だったのだ。