The Story of the Drummer and the Alligators

There was once a woman named Affiong Any who lived at 'Nsidung, a small town to the south of Calabar. She was married to a chief of Hensham Town called Etim Ekeng. They had lived together for several years, but had no children. The chief was very anxious to have a child during his lifetime, and made sacrifices to his Ju Ju, but they had no effect. So he went to a witch man, who told him that the reason he had no children was that he was too rich. The chief then asked the witch man how he should spend his money in order to get a child, and he was told to make friends with everybody, and give big feasts, so that he should get rid of some of his money and become poorer.

むかし、アフィオン・アニという名の女がいて、カラバルの南の小さな町ンシドゥンに住んでいた。女はヘンシャム・タウンのエティム・エケンという首長と結婚していた。二人は何年も一緒に暮らしていたが、子どもがなかった。首長は生きているうちに子どもを持ちたいとたいそう願って、自分のジュジュに生贄を捧げたが、何の効き目もなかった。そこで首長が魔術師のところへ行くと、魔術師は、子どもができないのは金持ちすぎるからだと告げた。そこで首長が、子どもを得るにはどう金を使えばよいかと尋ねると、みなと友だちになって大宴会を開け、そうして金をいくらか手放して貧しくなれ、と言われた。

The chief then went home and told his wife. The next day his wife called all her company together and gave them a big dinner, which cost a lot of money; much food was consumed, and large quantities of tombo were drunk. Then the chief entertained his company, which cost a lot more money. He also wasted a lot of money in the Egbo house. When half of his property was wasted, his wife told him that she had conceived. The chief, being very glad, called a big play for the next day.

そこで首長は家へ帰って妻に話した。次の日、妻は仲間をみな呼び集めて盛大な食事をふるまい、それにはたいそうな金がかかった。食べ物がたくさん食べられ、トンボ酒もどっさり飲まれた。それから首長が自分の仲間をもてなし、それにはさらにたくさんの金がかかった。首長はまたエグボの家でもたくさんの金を費やした。財産の半分が費やされたころ、妻が子を身ごもったと告げた。首長はたいそう喜んで、翌日に大きな祝いの踊りを催した。

In those days all the rich chiefs of the country belonged to the Alligator Company, and used to meet in the water. The reason they belonged to the company was, first of all, to protect their canoes when they went trading, and secondly, to destroy the canoes and property of the people who did not belong to their company, and to take their money and kill their slaves.

そのころ、国の金持ちの首長たちはみなワニの結社に属していて、水のなかで集まっていた。結社に入っているわけは、まず第一に商いに出かけるときに自分の丸木舟を守るため、第二に結社に入っていない人々の丸木舟や財産を壊し、その金を奪い、奴隷を殺すためだった。

Chief Etim Ekeng was a kind man, and would not join this society, although he was repeatedly urged to do so. After a time a son was born to the chief, and he called him Edet Etim. The chief then called the Egbo society together, and all the doors of the houses in the town were shut, the markets were stopped, and the women were not allowed to go outside their houses while the Egbo was playing. This was kept up for several days, and cost the chief a lot of money. Then he made up his mind that he would divide his property, and give his son half when he became old enough. Unfortunately after three months the chief died, leaving his sorrowing wife to look after their little child.

エティム・エケン首長は親切な男で、何度しつこく勧められてもこの結社に入ろうとしなかった。しばらくして首長に息子が生まれ、首長はその子をエデト・エティムと名づけた。それから首長はエグボ結社を呼び集めた。するとエグボが演じているあいだ、町の家々の戸はみな閉ざされ、市は止められ、女たちは家の外へ出ることを許されなかった。これが何日も続けられ、首長にはたいそうな金がかかった。それから首長は財産を分けて、息子が十分な年になったら半分を与えようと心に決めた。あいにく三か月たつと首長は死んでしまい、嘆き悲しむ妻に小さな子の世話が残された。

The wife then went into mourning for seven years for her husband, and after that time she became entitled to all his property, as the late chief had no brothers. She looked after the little boy very carefully until he grew up, when he became a very fine, healthy young man, and was much admired by all the pretty girls of the town; but his mother warned him strongly not to go with them, because they would make him become a bad man. Whenever the girls had a play they used to invite Edet Etim, and at last he went to the play, and they made him beat the drum for them to dance to. After much practice he became the best drummer in the town, and whenever the girls had a play they always called him to drum for them. Plenty of the young girls left their husbands, and went to Edet and asked him to marry them. This made all the young men of the town very jealous, and when they met together at night they considered what would be the best way to kill him. At last they decided that when Edet went to bathe they would induce the alligators to take him. So one night, when he was washing, one alligator seized him by the foot, and others came and seized him round the waist. He fought very hard, but at last they dragged him into the deep water, and took him to their home.

それから妻は夫のために七年のあいだ喪に服し、そのあと、亡き首長に兄弟がいなかったので、財産をすべて受け継ぐ資格を得た。妻は小さな男の子をたいそう大事に世話し、男の子はやがてたいそう立派で健やかな若者に育って、町じゅうのかわいい娘たちにたいそう慕われた。けれども母親は、娘たちと付き合ってはいけない、悪い男にされてしまうから、と強く言い聞かせた。娘たちは踊りを催すたびにエデト・エティムを招き、とうとうエデトはその踊りに出かけ、娘たちはエデトに踊りの太鼓を叩かせた。たくさん練習するうちに、エデトは町いちばんの太鼓打ちになり、娘たちは踊りを催すといつもエデトを呼んで太鼓を叩いてもらった。たくさんの若い娘たちが夫を捨ててエデトのところへ行き、結婚してくれと頼んだ。これに町の若者たちはみなたいそう妬み、夜に集まって、どうすればいちばんうまくエデトを殺せるか相談した。とうとう若者たちは、エデトが水浴びに行ったらワニにさらわせようと決めた。そこである夜、エデトが体を洗っていると、一匹のワニが足にかみつき、ほかのワニたちも来て腰にかみついた。エデトは懸命に戦ったが、とうとうワニたちはエデトを深い水のなかへ引きずり込み、自分たちのすみかへ連れていった。

When his mother heard this, she determined to do her best to recover her son, so she kept quite quiet until the morning.

母親はこれを聞くと、できるかぎりのことをして息子を取り戻そうと決め、朝までじっと黙っていた。

When the young men saw that Edet's mother remained quiet, and did not cry, they thought of the story of the hawk and the owl, and determined to keep Edet alive for a few months.

若者たちは、エデトの母親が黙っていて泣きもしないのを見ると、鷹とフクロウの話を思い出して、エデトを何か月か生かしておくことに決めた。

At cockcrow the mother raised a cry, and went to the grave of her dead husband in order to consult his spirit as to what she had better do to recover her lost son. After a time she went down to the beach with small young green branches in her hands, with which she beat the water, and called upon all the Ju Jus of the Calabar River to help her to recover her son. She then went home and got a load of rods, and took them to a Ju Ju man in the farm. His name was Ininen Okon; he was so called because he was very artful, and had plenty of strong Ju Jus.

一番鶏の刻に、母親は泣き声を上げて、亡き夫の墓へ行き、失った息子を取り戻すにはどうしたらよいか夫の霊に相談した。しばらくすると、母親は小さな若い緑の枝を手に持って浜へ降りていき、それで水を打って、カラバル川のすべてのジュジュに息子を取り戻す助けを乞うた。それから家へ帰ってロッドをひと荷用意し、畑にいるジュジュ使いのところへ持っていった。その名はイニネン・オコンといった。たいそう抜け目がなく、強いジュジュをたくさん持っていたので、そう呼ばれていたのである。

When the young boys heard that Edet's mother had gone to Ininen Okon, they all trembled with fear, and wanted to return Edet, but they could not do so, as it was against the rules of their society. The Ju Ju man having discovered that Edet was still alive, and was being detained in the alligators' house, told the mother to be patient. After three days Ininen himself joined another alligators' society, and went to inspect the young alligators' house. He found a young man whom he knew, left on guard when all the alligators had gone to feed at the ebb of the tide, and came back and told the mother to wait, as he would make a Ju Ju which would cause them all to depart in seven days, and leave no one in the house. He made his Ju Ju, and the young alligators said that, as no one had come for Edet, they would all go at the ebb tide to feed, and leave no one in charge of the house. When they returned they found Edet still there, and everything as they had left it, as Ininen had not gone that day.

若者たちは、エデトの母親がイニネン・オコンのところへ行ったと聞くと、みな恐ろしさに震えて、エデトを返そうと思ったが、結社の掟に反するので返せなかった。ジュジュ使いは、エデトがまだ生きていてワニの家に閉じ込められていると突き止めると、母親に辛抱するよう言った。三日たって、イニネン自身が別のワニの結社に入り、若いワニたちの家を調べに行った。イニネンは、潮が引いてワニたちがみな餌を取りに出かけたときに、見張りに残されていた知り合いの若者を見つけ、戻って母親に待つよう告げた。七日のうちにワニたちをみな出ていかせて、家に誰も残らないようにするジュジュをこしらえるから、というのである。イニネンはジュジュをこしらえ、若いワニたちは、誰もエデトを取り戻しに来ないのだから、引き潮にはみなで餌を取りに行って、家には誰も見張りを残さないでおこうと言った。ワニたちが戻ってみると、エデトはまだそこにいて、何もかも出かけたときのままだった。イニネンはその日は行かなかったからである。

Three days afterwards they all went away again, and this time went a long way off, and did not return quickly. When Ininen saw that the tide was going down he changed himself into an alligator, and swam to the young alligators' home, where he found Edet chained to a post. He then found an axe and cut the post, releasing the boy. But Edet, having been in the water so long, was deaf and dumb. He then found several loin cloths which had been left behind by the young alligators, so he gathered them together and took them away to show to the king, and Ininen left the place, taking Edet with him.

三日後、ワニたちはまたみな出かけ、今度は遠くまで行って、すぐには戻らなかった。イニネンは潮が引いていくのを見ると、ワニに姿を変えて若いワニたちのすみかへ泳いでいき、そこでエデトが柱に鎖でつながれているのを見つけた。イニネンは斧を見つけて柱を切り、男の子を解き放った。けれどもエデトは長く水のなかにいたので、耳も聞こえず口もきけなくなっていた。それからイニネンは、若いワニたちが残していった腰布をいくつか見つけたので、それを集めて王に見せるために持ち去り、エデトを連れてその場を去った。

He then called the mother to see her son, but when she came the boy could only look at her, and could not speak. The mother embraced her boy, but he took no notice, as he did not seem capable of understanding anything, but sat down quietly. Then the Ju Ju man told Edet's mother that he would cure her son in a few days, so he made several Ju Jus, and gave her son medicine, and after a time the boy recovered his speech and became sensible again.

それからイニネンは母親を呼んで息子に会わせたが、母親が来ても、男の子はただ母親を見るばかりで口をきけなかった。母親は息子を抱きしめたが、息子は気にもとめず、何もわからないようで、じっと座っていた。するとジュジュ使いはエデトの母親に、数日のうちに息子を治してやると言った。そこでジュジュ使いはいくつもジュジュをこしらえて息子に薬を与え、しばらくすると男の子は口がきけるようになり、また正気を取り戻した。

Then Edet's mother put on a mourning cloth, and pretended that her son was dead, and did not tell the people he had come back to her. When the young alligators returned, they found that Edet was gone, and that some one had taken their loin cloths. They were therefore much afraid, and made inquiries if Edet had been seen, but they could hear nothing about him, as he was hidden in a farm, and the mother continued to wear her mourning cloth in order to deceive them.

それからエデトの母親は喪の布をまとって、息子が死んだふりをし、息子が戻ってきたことを人々に言わなかった。若いワニたちは戻ってきて、エデトがいなくなり、誰かが自分たちの腰布を持ち去ったのを知った。そこでワニたちはたいそう恐れて、エデトを見かけた者はいないか尋ねまわったが、何も聞き出せなかった。エデトは畑に隠されていて、母親はワニたちを欺くために喪の布をまとい続けていたからである。

Nothing happened for six months, and they had quite forgotten all about the matter. Affiong, the mother, then went to the chiefs of the town, and asked them to hold a large meeting of all the people, both young and old, at the palaver house, so that her late husband's property might be divided up in accordance with the native custom, as her son had been killed by the alligators.

六か月のあいだ何も起こらず、若者たちはこのことをすっかり忘れてしまった。そこで母親のアフィオンは町の首長たちのところへ行って、息子がワニに殺されたのだから、土地のしきたりに従って亡き夫の財産を分けられるよう、若い者も年寄りもみな評議の家に集めて大きな集まりを開いてほしいと頼んだ。

The next day the chiefs called all the people together, but the mother in the early morning took her son to a small room at the back of the palaver house, and left him there with the seven loin cloths which the Ju Ju man had taken from the alligators' home. When the chiefs and all the people were seated, Affiong stood up and addressed them, saying--

次の日、首長たちは人々をみな呼び集めたが、母親は朝早く息子を評議の家の裏の小部屋へ連れていき、ジュジュ使いがワニのすみかから持ってきた七枚の腰布と一緒にそこに残しておいた。首長たちと人々がみな座ると、アフィオンは立ち上がって、みなに語りかけて言った——

"Chiefs and young men of my town, eight years ago my husband was a fine young man. He married me, and we lived together for many years without having any children. At last I had a son, but my husband died a few months afterwards. I brought my boy up carefully, but as he was a good drummer and dancer the young men were jealous, and had him caught by the alligators. Is there any one present who can tell me what my son would have become if he had lived?" She then asked them what they thought of the alligator society, which had killed so many young men.

「わが町の首長方、若者たちよ、八年前、わたしの夫は立派な若者でした。夫はわたしと結婚し、わたしたちは何年も子どもがないまま一緒に暮らしました。とうとうわたしは息子を産みましたが、夫はその数か月後に死んでしまいました。わたしは息子を大事に育てましたが、息子は太鼓も踊りも上手だったので、若者たちが妬んで、息子をワニにさらわせたのです。息子が生きていたらどんな男になっていたか、ここにいる誰か言えるでしょうか」それから母親は、これほど多くの若者を殺してきたワニの結社をどう思うかと、みなに尋ねた。

The chiefs, who had lost a lot of slaves, told her that if she could produce evidence against any members of the society they would destroy it at once. She then called upon Ininen to appear with her son Edet. He came out from the room leading Edet by the hand, and placed the bundle of loin cloths before the chiefs.

たくさんの奴隷を失っていた首長たちは、結社の誰かに不利な証拠を出せるなら、すぐに結社を滅ぼそうと言った。すると母親はイニネンに、息子エデトを連れて出てくるよう呼びかけた。イニネンはエデトの手を引いて部屋から出てきて、腰布の包みを首長たちの前に置いた。

The young men were very much surprised when they saw Edet, and wanted to leave the palaver house; but when they stood up to go the chiefs told them to sit down at once, or they would receive three hundred lashes. They then sat down, and the Ju Ju man explained how he had gone to the alligators' home, and had brought Edet back to his mother. He also said that he had found the seven loin cloths in the house, but he did not wish to say anything about them, as the owners of some of the cloths were sons of the chiefs.

若者たちはエデトを見てたいそう驚いて、評議の家を出ていこうとした。けれども立ち上がって出ていこうとすると、首長たちが、すぐに座れ、さもないと三百回鞭打つと言った。そこで若者たちは座った。そしてジュジュ使いは、自分がどうやってワニのすみかへ行き、エデトを母親のもとへ連れ帰ったかを説き明かした。ジュジュ使いはまた、その家で七枚の腰布を見つけたが、布の持ち主の何人かは首長たちの息子なので、そのことについては何も言いたくないと言った。

The chiefs, who were anxious to stop the bad society, told him, however, to speak at once and tell them everything. Then he undid the bundle and took the cloths out one by one, at the same time calling upon the owners to come and take them. When they came to take their cloths, they were told to remain where they were; and they were then told to name their company. The seven young men then gave the names of all the members of their society, thirty-two in all. These men were all placed in a line, and the chiefs then passed sentence, which was that they should all be killed the next morning on the beach. So they were then all tied together to posts, and seven men were placed as a guard over them. They made fires and beat drums all the night.

けれども悪い結社をやめさせたい首長たちは、すぐに話してすべてを告げるよう言った。そこでジュジュ使いは包みを解いて布を一枚ずつ取り出し、そのたびに持ち主に取りに来るよう呼びかけた。持ち主たちが布を取りに来ると、その場にとどまるよう言われた。それから結社の名を言うよう言われた。すると七人の若者は、結社の仲間の名をすべて挙げ、それは全部で三十二人だった。この男たちはみな一列に並ばされ、首長たちは判決を下した。それは、みな翌朝浜で殺されるというものだった。そこで男たちはみな柱に縛りつけられ、七人の男が見張りにつけられた。見張りたちは火を焚き、ひと晩じゅう太鼓を叩いた。

Early in the morning, at about 4 A.M., the big wooden drum was placed on the roof of the palaver house, and beaten to celebrate the death of the evildoers, which was the custom in those days.

朝早く、午前4時ごろ、大きな木の太鼓が評議の家の屋根に据えられて、悪人たちの死を祝って打ち鳴らされた。それがそのころのしきたりだったのである。

The boys were then unfastened from the posts, and had their hands tied behind their backs, and were marched down to the beach. When they arrived there, the head chief stood up and addressed the people. "This is a small town of which I am chief, and I am determined to stop this bad custom, as so many men have been killed." He then told a man who had a sharp matchet to cut off one man's head. He then told another man who had a sharp knife to skin another young man alive. A third man who had a heavy stick was ordered to beat another to death, and so the chief went on and killed all the thirty-two young men in the most horrible ways he could think of. Some of them were tied to posts in the river, and left there until the tide came up and drowned them. Others were flogged to death.

それから若者たちは柱から解かれ、後ろ手に縛られて浜へ連れていかれた。浜に着くと、首長の頭が立ち上がって人々に語りかけた。「ここはわしが首長をつとめる小さな町だが、これほど多くの者が殺されてきたのだから、この悪いしきたりをやめさせると決めた」それから首長は、鋭い山刀を持った男に一人の首を切り落とすよう命じた。それから鋭い刃物を持った別の男に、もう一人の若者の皮を生きたままはぐよう命じた。重い棍棒を持った三人目の男には、別の者を打ち殺すよう命じた。こうして首長は、思いつくかぎりいちばん恐ろしいやり方で三十二人の若者をみな殺していった。川のなかの柱に縛りつけられて、潮が満ちてきて溺れるまで放っておかれた者もいれば、鞭打たれて死んだ者もいた。

After they had all been killed, for many years no one was killed by alligators, but some little time afterwards on the road between the beach and the town the land fell in, making a very large and deep hole, which was said to be the home of the alligators, and the people have ever since tried to fill it up, but have never yet been able to do so.

みなが殺されたあと、何年ものあいだ誰もワニに殺されなかった。けれどもしばらくして、浜と町のあいだの道で地面が陥没して、たいそう大きく深い穴ができた。それはワニのすみかだと言われ、人々はそれ以来ずっと埋めようとしてきたが、いまだに埋められたことがないのである。