Aponibolinayen and the Sun

Tinguian

ティンギアン

One day Aponibolinayen and her sister-in-law went out to gather greens. They walked to the woods to the place where the siksiklat grew, for the tender leaves of this vine are very good to eat. Suddenly while searching about in the underbrush, Aponibolinayen cried out with joy, for she had found the vine, and she started to pick the leaves. Pull as hard as she would, however, the leaves did not come loose, and all at once the vine wound itself around her body and began carrying her upward. [1]

ある日、アポニボリナイエンと義理の姉は、青菜を摘みに出かけた。二人は森へ歩いていって、シクシクラトの生えている場所へ向かった。このつる草の若い葉はたいそう食べておいしいからである。不意に、下生えのなかを探しているうちに、アポニボリナイエンは喜びの声を上げた。あのつる草を見つけたので、葉を摘み始めたのである。ところがどれほど強く引いても葉は離れず、そして突然、つる草が彼女の体に巻き付いて、上へ運び上げ始めた。[1]

Far up through the air she went until she reached the sky, and there the vine set her down under a tree. Aponibolinayen was so surprised to find herself in the sky that for some time she just sat and looked around, and then, hearing a rooster crow, she arose to see if she could find it. Not far from where she had sat was a beautiful spring surrounded by tall betel-nut trees whose tops were pure gold. Rare beads were the sands of the spring, and the place where the women set their jars when they came to dip water was a large golden plate. As Aponibolinayen stood admiring the beauties of this spring, she beheld a small house nearby, and she was filled with fear lest the owner should find her there. She looked about for some means of escape and finally climbed to the top of a betel-nut tree and hid.

彼女は大気を通ってはるか上へ上がっていき、やがて天に着いた。そしてそこでつる草は彼女を一本の木の下に降ろした。アポニボリナイエンは自分が天にいるのに驚いて、しばらくはただ座ってあたりを見回していた。それから雄鶏の鳴く声を聞いて、それを見つけられるかどうか確かめに立ち上がった。座っていた場所からそう遠くないところに美しい泉があり、その周りには梢が純金になった高いビンロウの木が立っていた。泉の砂は珍しい玉であり、そして女たちが水を汲みに来て甕を置く場所は、大きな黄金の皿だった。アポニボリナイエンがこの泉の美しさに見入って立っていると、すぐ近くに小さな家が目に入った。そして持ち主に見つかりはしないかと恐ろしくなった。逃げる手立てを探し回り、そしてとうとうビンロウの木の梢まで登って隠れた。

Now the owner of this house was Ini-init, [2] the Sun, but he was never at home in the daylight, for it was his duty to shine in the sky and give light to all the world. At the close of the day when the Big Star took his place in the sky to shine through the night, Ini-init returned to his house, but early the next morning he was always off again.

さて、この家の持ち主はイニ・イニット、[2] すなわち日であった。けれども昼のあいだは決して家にいなかった。天に輝いて世のすべてに光を与えるのがその務めだったからである。一日の終わりに、大きな星が夜のあいだ輝くために天のその場所に着くと、イニ・イニットは家に帰った。けれども次の朝早くには、いつもまた出かけていった。

From her place in the top of the betel-nut tree, Aponibolinayen saw the Sun when he came home at evening time, and again the next morning she saw him leave. When she was sure that he was out of sight she climbed down and entered his dwelling, for she was very hungry. She cooked rice, and into a pot of boiling water she dropped a stick which immediately became fish, [3] so that she had all she wished to eat. When she was no longer hungry, she lay down on the bed to sleep.

ビンロウの木の梢の場所から、アポニボリナイエンは日が夕方に帰ってくるのを見た。そして次の朝また、その出かけていくのを見た。姿が見えなくなったのを確かめると、木を降りてその住まいに入った。たいそう腹が空いていたからである。彼女は米を炊き、そして煮え立つ湯の鍋に一本の棒を落とした。棒はたちまち魚になり、[3] それで食べたいだけ食べることができた。もう腹が空かなくなると、寝床に横になって眠った。

Now late in the afternoon Ini-init returned from his work and went to fish in the river near his house, and he caught a big fish. While he sat on the bank cleaning his catch, he happened to look up toward his house and was startled to see that it appeared to be on fire. [4] He hurried home, but when he reached the house he saw that it was not burning at all, and he entered. On his bed he beheld what looked like a flame of fire, but upon going closer he found that it was a beautiful woman fast asleep.

さてその日の午後遅く、イニ・イニットは仕事から帰ってきて、家の近くの川へ魚を釣りに行き、大きな魚を釣り上げた。岸に座って獲物をさばいているあいだ、ふと自分の家の方を見上げて、家が燃えているように見えるのに驚いた。[4] 彼は家へ急いだが、着いてみると家はまったく燃えてはおらず、そこで中に入った。寝床の上に、炎のように見えるものが見えた。けれども近づいていってみると、それは深く眠っている美しい女だった。

Ini-init stood for some time wondering what he should do, and then he decided to cook some food and invite this lovely creature to eat with him. He put rice over the fire to boil and cut into pieces the fish he had caught. The noise of this awakened Aponibolinayen, and she slipped out of the house and back to the top of the betel-nut tree. The Sun did not see her leave, and when the food was prepared he called her, but the bed was empty and he had to eat alone. That night Ini-init could not sleep well, for all the time he wondered who the beautiful woman could be. The next morning, however, he rose as usual and set forth to shine in the sky, for that was his work.

イニ・イニットはしばらく立って、どうしたものかと考えた。それから何か食べ物を作って、この愛らしい者を一緒に食べようと誘うことに決めた。火に米をかけて炊き、釣ってきた魚を切り分けた。この物音でアポニボリナイエンは目を覚まし、家からそっと抜け出してビンロウの木の梢へ戻った。日は彼女が出ていくのを見ていなかった。そして食べ物ができたので呼んだけれども、寝床は空で、ひとりで食べなければならなかった。その夜イニ・イニットはよく眠れなかった。あの美しい女は誰なのだろうと、ずっと考えていたからである。けれども次の朝はいつものように起きて、天に輝くために出かけていった。それが彼の仕事だったからである。

That day Aponibolinayen stole again to the house of the Sun and cooked food, and when she returned to the betel-nut tree she left rice and fish ready for the Sun when he came home. Late in the afternoon Ini-init went into his home, and when he found pots of hot rice and fish over the fire he was greatly troubled. After he had eaten he walked a long time in the fresh air. "Perhaps it is done by the lovely woman who looks like a flame of fire," he said. "If she comes again I will try to catch her."

その日もアポニボリナイエンはまた日の家に忍び込んで食べ物を作った。そしてビンロウの木へ戻るときには、日が帰ってきたときのために米と魚を用意して残しておいた。午後遅く、イニ・イニットは自分の家に入り、そして火の上に熱い米と魚の鍋があるのを見つけて、ひどく気にかかった。食べ終えたあと、彼は長いあいだ外の涼しい風のなかを歩いた。「もしかしたら、あの炎のように見える美しい女がしたことかもしれない」と彼は言った。「もう一度来たなら、捕まえてみよう。」

The next day the Sun shone in the sky as before, and when the afternoon grew late he called to the Big Star to hurry to take his place, for he was impatient to reach home. As he drew near the house he saw that it again looked as if it was on fire. He crept quietly up the ladder, and when he had reached the top he sprang in and shut the door behind him.

次の日、日は前のように天に輝いた。そして午後が遅くなると、大きな星に早く場所を代わってくれと呼びかけた。家に着くのが待ちきれなかったからである。家に近づくと、また燃えているように見えた。彼は静かに梯子を這い上がり、そして上に着くと跳び込んで、後ろの戸を閉めた。

Aponibolinayen, who was cooking rice over the fire, was surprised and angry that she had been caught; but the Sun gave her betel-nut [5] which was covered with gold, and they chewed together and told each other their names. Then Aponibolinayen took up the rice and fish, and as they ate they talked together and became acquainted.

火の上で米を炊いていたアポニボリナイエンは驚き、捕まったことに腹を立てた。けれども日は、黄金で覆われたビンロウの実 [5] を彼女に差し出し、そして二人はともにそれを噛み、互いに名を告げ合った。それからアポニボリナイエンは米と魚を取り分け、そして二人は食べながら語り合って、親しくなった。

After some time Aponibolinayen and the Sun were married, and every morning the Sun went to shine in the sky, and upon his return at night he found his supper ready for him. He began to be troubled, however, to know where the food came from, for though he brought home a fine fish every night, Aponibolinayen always refused to cook it.

しばらくして、アポニボリナイエンと日は夫婦になった。そして毎朝、日は天に輝きに出かけ、夜に帰ってくると夕食が用意されていた。けれども彼は、その食べ物がどこから来るのかを知りたくて気にかかるようになった。毎晩見事な魚を持ち帰るのに、アポニボリナイエンはいつもそれを料理するのを断るのである。

One night he watched her prepare their meal, and he saw that, instead of using the nice fish he had brought, she only dropped a stick into the pot of boiling water.

ある夜、彼は妻が食事を作るのを見張っていた。すると妻は、彼が持ってきたよい魚を使わずに、ただ一本の棒を煮え立つ湯の鍋に落としただけだった。

"Why do you try to cook a stick?" asked Ini-init in surprise.

「なぜ棒を煮ようとするのだ」とイニ・イニットは驚いて尋ねた。

"So that we can have fish to eat," answered his wife.

「そうすれば食べる魚ができるからです」と妻は答えた。

"If you cook that stick for a month, it will not be soft," said Ini-init. "Take this fish that I caught in the net, for it will be good."

「その棒をひと月煮たとしても、やわらかくはならないだろう」とイニ・イニットは言った。「わたしが網で捕ったこの魚を使いなさい。うまいはずだ。」

But Aponibolinayen only laughed at him, and when they were ready to eat she took the cover off the pot and there was plenty of nice soft fish. The next night and the next, Aponibolinayen cooked the stick, and Ini-init became greatly troubled for he saw that though the stick always supplied them with fish, it never grew smaller.

けれどもアポニボリナイエンは笑うだけだった。そして食べる用意ができて鍋の蓋を取ると、そこにはよいやわらかな魚がたくさんあった。次の夜も、その次の夜も、アポニボリナイエンは棒を煮た。そしてイニ・イニットはひどく気にかかるようになった。棒はいつでも二人に魚を与えるのに、決して小さくならないのを見たからである。

Finally he asked Aponibolinayen again why it was that she cooked the stick instead of the fish he brought, and she said:

とうとう彼はアポニボリナイエンに、なぜ自分が持ってくる魚ではなく棒を煮るのかと、もう一度尋ねた。すると妻は言った。

"Do you not know of the woman on earth who has magical power and can change things?"

「地には不思議な力を持っていて、物を変えることができる女がいるのを、あなたはご存じないのですか。」

"Yes," answered the Sun, "and now I know that you have great power."

「知っている」と日は答えた。「そしていま、あなたが大きな力を持っているのだと分かった。」

"Well, then," said his wife, "do not ask again why I cook the stick."

「それなら」と妻は言った。「わたしがなぜ棒を煮るのか、もう尋ねないでください。」

And they ate their supper of rice and the fish which the stick made.

そして二人は、米と棒が作った魚の夕食を食べた。

One night not long after this Aponibolinayen told her husband that she wanted to go with him the next day when he made light in the sky.

それからほどなくのある夜、アポニボリナイエンは夫に、明日あなたが天を照らすときに一緒に行きたいと言った。

"Oh, no, you cannot," said the Sun, "for it is very hot up there, [6] and you cannot stand the heat."

「いや、それはできない」と日は言った。「あの上はたいそう暑いのだ。[6] あなたはその熱に耐えられない。」

"We will take many blankets and pillows," said the woman, "and when the heat becomes very great, I will hide under them."

「毛布と枕をたくさん持っていきましょう」と女は言った。「そして熱がとても強くなったら、その下に隠れます。」

Again and again Ini-init begged her not to go, but as often she insisted on accompanying him, and early in the morning they set out, carrying with them many blankets and pillows.

イニ・イニットは何度も何度も行かないでくれと頼んだ。けれども同じだけ何度も妻は同行すると言い張り、そして朝早く、二人は毛布と枕をたくさん携えて出かけた。

First, they went to the East, and as soon as they arrived the Sun began to shine, and Aponibolinayen was with him. They traveled toward the West, but when morning had passed into noontime and they had reached the middle of the sky Aponibolinayen was so hot that she melted and became oil. Then Ini-init put her into a bottle and wrapped her in the blankets and pillows and dropped her down to earth.

まず二人は東へ行き、着くとすぐに日は輝き始めた。そしてアポニボリナイエンも一緒だった。二人は西へ向かって進んだ。けれども朝が真昼へ移り、天の中ほどに着いたとき、アポニボリナイエンはあまりに熱くて溶けて油になってしまった。そこでイニ・イニットは妻を瓶に入れ、毛布と枕で包んで、地へ落とした。

Now one of the women of Aponibolinayen's town was at the spring dipping water when she heard something fall near her. Turning to look, she beheld a bundle of beautiful blankets and pillows which she began to unroll, and inside she found the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Frightened at her discovery, the woman ran as fast as she could to the town, where she called the people together and told them to come at once to the spring. They all hastened to the spot and there they found Aponibolinayen for whom they had been searching everywhere.

さて、アポニボリナイエンの村の女の一人が泉で水を汲んでいると、すぐ近くで何かが落ちる音を聞いた。振り向いて見ると、美しい毛布と枕の包みがあった。女はそれを解き始め、そして中にこれまで見たこともない最も美しい女を見つけた。自分が見つけたものに驚いて、女は村へ走れるだけ速く走り、そこで人々を呼び集めて、すぐに泉へ来てくれと言った。人々はみなその場所へ急ぎ、そしてそこで、どこを探しても見つからなかったアポニボリナイエンを見つけた。

"Where have you been?" asked her father; "we have searched all over the world and we could not find you.'

「どこにいたのだ」と父が尋ねた。「われらは世のすべてを探したが、見つけられなかった。」

"I have come from Pindayan," answered Aponibolinayen. "Enemies of our people kept me there till I made my escape while they were asleep at night"

「ピンダヤンから来ました」とアポニボリナイエンは答えた。「われらの民の敵がわたしをそこに留めていましたが、夜に敵が眠っているあいだに逃げてきたのです。」

All were filled with joy that the lost one had returned, and they decided that at the next moon [7] they would perform a ceremony for the spirits [8] and invite all the relatives who were mourning for Aponibolinayen.

失われた者が戻ったことに、みなが喜びに満たされた。そして次の月 [7] に霊たちのための儀礼 [8] を行い、アポニボリナイエンのために喪に服していた身内をみな招こうと決めた。

So they began to prepare for the ceremony, and while they were pounding rice, Aponibolinayen asked her mother to prick her little finger where it itched, and as she did so a beautiful baby boy popped out. The people were very much surprised at this, and they noticed that every time he was bathed the baby grew very fast so that, in a short time, he was able to walk. Then they were anxious to know who was the husband of Aponibolinayen, but she would not tell them, and they decided to invite everyone in the world to the ceremony that they might not overlook him.

そこで人々は儀礼の備えを始めた。そして米を搗いているあいだ、アポニボリナイエンは母に、小指がかゆいので刺してほしいと頼んだ。そして母がそうすると、美しい男の赤子が飛び出した。人々はこれにたいそう驚いた。そして赤子を水浴させるたびにたいそう速く育つので、ほどなく歩けるようになったのに気づいた。それから人々はアポニボリナイエンの夫が誰なのかを知りたくてたまらなくなった。けれども彼女は教えようとしなかった。そこで人々は、その夫を見落とさないように、世のすべての者を儀礼に招こうと決めた。

They sent for the betel-nuts that were covered with gold, [9] and when they had oiled them they commanded them to go to all the towns and compel the people to come to the ceremony.

人々は黄金で覆われたビンロウの実 [9] を取りに人をやり、そしてそれに油を塗ると、すべての村へ行って人々を儀礼に来させるよう命じた。

"If anyone refuses to come, grow on his knee," said the people, and the betel-nuts departed to do as they were bidden.

「もし来るのを断る者があれば、その膝に生えよ」と人々は言った。そしてビンロウの実は命じられたとおりにするために出かけていった。

As the guests began to arrive, the people watched carefully for one who might be the husband of Aponibolinayen, but none appeared and they were greatly troubled. Finally they went to the old woman, Alokotan, who was able to talk with the spirits, and begged her to find what town had not been visited by the betel-nuts which had been sent to invite the people. After she had consulted the spirits the old woman said:

客が着き始めると、人々はアポニボリナイエンの夫かもしれない者を注意深く見張った。けれども誰も現れず、ひどく気にかかった。とうとう人々は、霊たちと話すことができる老女アロコタンのところへ行き、招きに送ったビンロウの実がどの村を訪ねていないかを見つけてくれと頼んだ。霊たちに問うたあとで、老女は言った。

"You have invited all the people except Ini-init who lives up above. Now you must send a betel-nut to summon him. It may be that he is the husband of Aponibolinayen, for the siksiklat vine carried her up when she went to gather greens."

「あなたがたは、はるか上に住むイニ・イニットを除いてすべての者を招いた。いまその者を呼び出すためにビンロウの実を送らなければならない。もしかするとその者がアポニボリナイエンの夫かもしれない。彼女が青菜を摘みに行ったとき、シクシクラトのつる草が彼女を運び上げたのだから。」

So a betel-nut was called and bidden to summon Ini-init.

そこでビンロウの実が一つ呼ばれ、イニ・イニットを呼び出すよう命じられた。

The betel-nut went up to the Sun, who was in his house, and said:

ビンロウの実は日のもとへ上がっていき、家にいた日にこう言った。

"Good morning, Sun. I have come to summon you to a ceremony which the father and mother of Aponibolinayen are making for the spirits. If you do not want to go, I will grow on your head." [10]

「おはよう、日よ。アポニボリナイエンの父と母が霊たちのために行う儀礼へ、あなたを呼び出しに来た。行きたくないなら、わたしはあなたの頭に生えよう。」[10]

"Grow on my head," said the Sun. "I do not wish to go."

「わたしの頭に生えよ」と日は言った。「行きたくない。」

So the betel-nut jumped upon his head and grew until it became so tall that the Sun was not able to carry it, and he was in great pain.

そこでビンロウの実は日の頭に跳び上がって育ち、そしてとうとう日が支えられないほど高くなって、日はひどく苦しんだ。

"Oh, grow on my pig," begged the Sun. So the betel-nut jumped upon the pig's head and grew, but it was so heavy that the pig could not carry it and squealed all the time. At last the Sun saw that he would have to obey the summons, and he said to the betel-nut:

「ああ、わたしの豚に生えてくれ」と日は頼んだ。そこでビンロウの実は豚の頭に跳び移って育った。けれどもあまりに重いので豚は支えられず、ずっと鳴き続けた。とうとう日は、この呼び出しに従わなければならないと分かり、そしてビンロウの実に言った。

"Get off my pig and I will go."

「わたしの豚から降りてくれ。行くから。」

So Ini-init came to the ceremony, and as soon as Aponibolinayen and the baby saw him, they were very happy and ran to meet him. Then the people knew that this was the husband of Aponibolinayen, and they waited eagerly for him to come up to them. As he drew near, however, they saw that he did not walk, for he was round; and then they perceived that he was not a man but a large stone. All her relatives were very angry to find that Aponibolinayen had married a stone; and they compelled her to take off her beads [11] and her good clothes, for, they said, she must now dress in old clothes and go again to live with the stone.

そこでイニ・イニットは儀礼にやって来た。そしてアポニボリナイエンと赤子は彼を見るとすぐにたいそう喜んで、迎えに走った。それで人々はこれがアポニボリナイエンの夫だと知り、自分たちのところへ来るのを待ちかねた。けれども近づいてくると、人々は彼が歩いていないのを見た。丸いからである。そしてそれから人々は、彼が人ではなく大きな石だと見て取った。アポニボリナイエンが石と夫婦になったと知って、その身内はみなたいそう腹を立てた。そして彼女に玉 [11] と良い着物を外させた。これからは古い着物を着て、もう一度石と暮らしに行かなければならない、と言ったのである。

So Aponibolinayen put on the rags that they brought her and at once set out with the stone for his home. No sooner had they arrived there, however, than he became a handsome man, and they were very happy.

そこでアポニボリナイエンは持ってこられたぼろを身につけ、そしてすぐに石とともにその家へ出かけた。けれども着いたとたんに、石は見目のよい男になり、そして二人はたいそう幸せだった。

"In one moon," said the Sun, "we will make a ceremony for the spirits, and I will pay your father and mother the marriage price [12] for you."

「ひと月のうちに」と日は言った。「われらは霊たちのために儀礼を行おう。そしてわたしはあなたの父と母に、あなたのための婚資 [12] を払おう。」

This pleased Aponibolinayen very much, and they used magic so that they had many neighbors who came to pound rice [13] for them and to build a large spirit house. [14]

これはアポニボリナイエンをたいそう喜ばせた。そして二人は不思議な力を使って、米を搗いてくれる [13] 隣人と、大きな霊屋 [14] を建ててくれる隣人を大勢そろえた。

Then they sent oiled betel-nuts to summon their relatives to the ceremony. The father of Aponibolinayen did not want to go, but the betel-nut threatened to grow on his knee if he did not. So he commanded all the people in the town to wash their hair and their clothes, and when all was ready they set out.

それから二人は、身内を儀礼に呼び出すために油を塗ったビンロウの実を送った。アポニボリナイエンの父は行きたくなかったが、行かないならその膝に生えるとビンロウの実が脅した。そこで父は村のすべての人に髪と着物を洗うよう命じ、そして支度が整うと出かけた。

When they reached the town they were greatly surprised to find that the stone had become a man, and they chewed the magic betel-nuts to see who he might be. It was discovered that he was the son of a couple in Aponibolinayen's own town, and the people all rejoiced that this couple had found the son whom they had thought lost. They named him Aponitolau, and his parents paid the marriage price for his wife--the spirit house nine times full of valuable jars. [15]

村に着くと、人々は石が人になっているのを見てたいそう驚き、それが誰なのかを知るために不思議なビンロウの実を噛んだ。すると彼はアポニボリナイエン自身の村の夫婦の息子だと分かった。そして人々はみな、この夫婦が失ったと思っていた息子を見つけたことを喜んだ。人々は彼をアポニトラウと名づけ、そしてその両親は嫁のための婚資を払った——霊屋に九度満ちるほどの値打ちのある甕である。[15]

After that all danced and made merry for one moon, and when the people departed for their homes Ini-init and his wife went with them to live on the earth.

そのあと、みなはひと月のあいだ踊って楽しんだ。そして人々が家へ帰っていくとき、イニ・イニットとその妻も一緒に地に住むために下りていった。