The Story of Kanag

Tinguian

ティンギアン

When the rice [60] had grown tall and it was near the time for it to ripen, Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen grew fearful lest the wild pigs should break in and destroy all their crop, so they sent their son, Kanag, to the field to guard the grain. Kanag willingly went to the place, but when he found that the fences were all strong so that the pigs could not get in, and he was left with nothing to do, life in the little watch-house [61] grew lonely, and the boy became very unhappy.

稲 [60] が高く育って実る時が近づくと、アポニトラウとアポニボリナイエンは、猪が入り込んで作物をすべて荒らすのではないかと恐れるようになった。そこで二人は息子のカナグを、穀を守るために畑へ送った。カナグは進んでその場所へ行った。けれども垣がみな丈夫で猪が入れないと分かり、そしてすることが何もなくなると、小さな見張り小屋 [61] での暮らしは寂しくなり、この子はたいそう不幸になった。

Each day Aponitolau carried cooked rice and meat to his son in the field, but Kanag could not eat and always bade his father hang it in the watch-house until he should want it Each time Aponitolau found the food of the day before still untouched, and he began to suspect that the boy was unhappy at having to guard the grain. But he said nothing of his fears to Aponibolinayen.

毎日アポニトラウは炊いた米と肉を畑の息子へ運んだ。けれどもカナグは食べられず、いつも、ほしくなるまで見張り小屋に掛けておいてくれと父に言った。そのたびにアポニトラウは前の日の食べ物がまだ手をつけられていないのを見つけ、そして息子が穀を守らなければならないのを不幸に思っているのではないかと疑い始めた。けれどもその恐れをアポニボリナイエンには何も言わなかった。

One day after his father had returned home, Kanag was so lonely that he used his magical power and became a little bird and flew up into the top of a tree. The next day when Aponitolau came to the field he looked everywhere for his son, and when he could not find him he called, and from the top of a bamboo tree a little bird answered him. Realizing what had happened, the father was very sad and begged his son to come back and be a boy again, but Kanag only answered:

ある日、父が家へ帰ったあと、カナグはあまりに寂しくて、不思議な力を使って小さな鳥になり、木の梢へ飛び上がった。次の日、アポニトラウが畑に来ると、彼はいたるところで息子を探した。そして見つけられないので呼ぶと、竹の木の梢から小さな鳥が答えた。何が起こったのかを知って、父はたいそう悲しみ、そして戻ってまた人の子になってくれと息子に願った。けれどもカナグはこう答えるだけだった。

"I would rather be a bird [62] and carry the messages of the spirits to the people."

「わたしは鳥でいて、[62] 霊たちの知らせを人々に運ぶほうがよいのです。」

At last the father went home alone, and he and the boy's mother were filled with grief that they had lost their son.

とうとう父はひとりで家へ帰った。そして彼とこの子の母は、息子を失った悲しみに満たされた。

Some time after this, Aponitolau prepared to go out to fight. He took his spear and shield and head-ax and started early one morning, but when he reached the gate of the town, Kanag flew over him, giving him a bad sign, so he turned back. The next morning he started again, and this time the little bird gave him a good sign, and knowing that nothing would injure him, he went on.

それからしばらくして、アポニトラウは戦いに出る支度をした。彼は槍と盾と首斬り斧を取ってある朝早く出かけた。けれども村の門に着くと、カナグが上を飛んで悪い兆しを与えたので、彼は引き返した。次の朝また出かけると、このときは小さな鳥がよい兆しを与えた。そして何も自分を傷つけないと分かって、彼は進んでいった。

After a long journey he reached a hostile town where the people said they were glad to see him, and added that because he was the first of his people who had dared to enter their town they intended to keep him there.

長い旅ののち、彼は敵の村に着いた。そこの人々は、あなたに会えて嬉しいと言い、そしてあなたはその民のうちでわれらの村へ入る勇気を持った初めての者だから、ここに留めておくつもりだと付け加えた。

"Oh," said Aponitolau, "if you say that I cannot return home, call all your people together and we will fight."

「ほう」とアポニトラウは言った。「わたしが家へ帰れないと言うなら、民をみな呼び集めよ。そして戦おう。」

"You are very brave," answered his enemies, "if you wish to fight us all."

「あなたはたいそう勇ましい」と敵は答えた。「われら全員と戦いたいと言うのなら。」

And when the people had gathered together they laughed at him and said, "Why, one of our fingers would fight you."

そして人々が集まると、彼らは彼を笑って言った。「なんと、われらの指の一本がおまえと戦ってやろう。」

Nevertheless, Aponitolau prepared to fight, and when the bravest of the enemy threw his spear and head-ax at him he jumped and escaped. They noticed that he jumped very high, so they all ran at him, throwing their spears and trying to kill him.

それでもアポニトラウは戦う支度をした。そして敵のうち最も勇ましい者が槍と首斬り斧を彼に投げると、彼は跳んで逃れた。彼らは彼がたいそう高く跳ぶのに気づき、そこでみなが槍を投げて殺そうとしながら彼に走り寄った。

But Aponitolau caught all their weapons, and then while they were unarmed he threw his own spear, and it flew about among them until it had killed them all. Then he sent his head-ax, and it cut off all the heads of the enemy; and he used magical power so that these heads went to his home in Kadalayapan.

けれどもアポニトラウは彼らの武器をすべて受け止め、そしてそれから彼らが武器を持たないあいだに自分の槍を投げた。すると槍は彼らのあいだを飛び回って、みなを殺してしまった。それから彼は首斬り斧を送り、そして斧は敵の首をすべて切り落とした。そして彼は不思議な力を使い、それでこの首はカダラヤパンの自分の家へ行った。

After that Aponitolau sat down by the gate of the town to rest, and the little bird, flying over his head, called down:

そのあとアポニトラウは休むために村の門のかたわらに腰を下ろした。すると小さな鳥がその頭の上を飛んで、こう呼び下ろした。

"The sign that I gave you was good, Father, and you have killed all your enemies."

「わたしが与えた兆しはよかったでしょう、父上。そしてあなたは敵をみな殺しました。」

"Yes," said the man, and as he started on the home-ward journey the little bird always flew near him. When he reached home, he stuck the heads around the town, [63] and commanded the people to go out all over the world and invite everyone and especially the pretty girls to come to a party in celebration of his victory.

「そうだ」と彼は言った。そして家への帰り道に出ると、小さな鳥はいつも近くを飛んでいた。家に着くと、彼は首を村の周りに刺し、[63] そして人々に、世じゅうを回ってみなを、とりわけ美しい娘たちを、自分の勝ちを祝う宴に招くよう命じた。

The people came from all parts of the world, and while they played on the gongs and danced, Aponitolau called to Kanag and said:

人々は世のあらゆるところから来た。そして鑼を打って踊っているあいだ、アポニトラウはカナグに呼びかけて言った。

"Come down, my son; do not stay always in the tops of the trees. Come and see the pretty girls and see which one you want to marry. Get the golden cup and give them basi to drink."

「下りてきなさい、息子よ。いつまでも木の梢にいるな。来て美しい娘たちを見て、どの娘と夫婦になりたいか見なさい。黄金の杯を取って、娘たちにバシを飲ませなさい。」

But Kanag answered, "I would rather stay in the tops of the trees and give the signs when anyone goes to fight."

けれどもカナグは答えた。「わたしは木の梢にいて、誰かが戦いに行くときに兆しを与えるほうがよいのです。」

Then the father and mother pleaded with him to become a boy once more, begging his forgiveness and promising never again to send him to guard the rice. But he would not listen to them, and only flew away.

それから父と母はもう一度人の子になってくれと願い、許してくれと頼み、二度と稲を守りに送らないと約束した。けれども息子は二人の言うことを聞こうとせず、飛び去ってしまった。

Finding that they could not win him that way, Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen called the spirit servants, and commanded them to follow Kanag wherever he went, and to find a girl whom he would want to marry. So the spirit servants went after him, and wherever he went they followed.

そのやり方では息子を得られないと分かったので、アポニトラウとアポニボリナイエンは霊の召使たちを呼んで、カナグがどこへ行っても従い、そして夫婦になりたいと思う娘を見つけるよう命じた。そこで霊の召使たちは彼を追い、そしてどこへ行っても従った。

By and by they stopped near a well, and there the spirit servants used magic so that all the pretty girls nearby felt very hot; and in the early morning, they came to the well to bathe. One among them was so beautiful that she looked like a flame of fire [64] among the betel-nut blossoms, and when the servants saw her washing her hair they ran to Kanag and begged him to come and see her. At first he would not listen to them, but after a while he flew into the top of a betel-nut tree near by, and when he caught sight of her, he flew into the tree above her head.

やがて彼らは井戸の近くで止まった。そしてそこで霊の召使たちは不思議な力を使い、すぐ近くの美しい娘たちがみなたいそう暑く感じるようにした。すると朝早く、娘たちは水浴びに井戸へ来た。そのうちの一人はあまりに美しくて、ビンロウの花のなかの炎のように見えた。[64] そして召使たちがその娘が髪を洗っているのを見ると、カナグのところへ走って、来て見てくれと願った。初め彼は聞こうとしなかった。けれどもしばらくして、すぐ近くのビンロウの木の梢へ飛んでいき、そして彼女を目にすると、その頭の上の木へ飛び移った。

"But," said he to the servants, "what can I do if I become a man now, for I have no clothes and no head-band?"

「けれども」と彼は召使たちに言った。「いま人になったとして、どうすればよいのだ。着物も鉢巻も持っていないのに。」

"Do not worry about that," said the spirit servants, "for we have everything here for you."

「それは心配しないでください」と霊の召使たちは言った。「あなたのためにここに何もかもそろえてあります。」

So Kanag became a man and put on the clothes and head-band, and he went to speak to the girl. He gave her betel-nut, and they chewed together, and he said:

そこでカナグは人になって着物と鉢巻を身につけ、そして娘に話しかけに行った。彼は娘にビンロウの実を渡し、そして二人はともにそれを噛んだ。そして彼は言った。

"My name is Kanag and I am the son of Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen."

「わたしの名はカナグ、そしてアポニトラウとアポニボリナイエンの息子です。」

Then the girl said: "My name is Dapilisan and I am the daughter of Bangan and Dalonagan."

それから娘は言った。「わたしの名はダピリサン、そしてバンガンとダロナガンの娘です。」

When Dapilisan went home Kanag followed her, and he told her parents his name and how he had changed into a little bird. And when he had finished he asked if he might marry their daughter. Bangan and his wife were greatly pleased that Kanag wanted Dapilisan for his wife, but they were afraid that his parents might object, so they sent a messenger to invite Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen to come to visit them.

ダピリサンが家へ帰るとカナグは従い、そしてその親に自分の名と、どうして小さな鳥に変わっていたのかを告げた。そして話し終えると、娘さんと夫婦になってもよいかと尋ねた。バンガンとその妻は、カナグがダピリサンを妻にほしいと言うのをたいそう喜んだ。けれども彼の親が嫌がるかもしれないと恐れたので、アポニトラウとアポニボリナイエンを訪ねに来るよう招く使いを送った。

As soon as Kanag's parents heard that their son had become a man they were very happy and started at once to go to him, carrying many fine presents. Before arrangements for the wedding could be made, it was necessary to decide on the price to be paid for the girl. A long discussion took place. Bangan and Dalonagan finally said that the spirit house must be filled nine times with different kinds of jars.

カナグの親は、息子が人になったと聞くとすぐにたいそう幸せになり、数多くの見事な贈り物を携えて、すぐに息子のもとへ出かけた。婚礼の取り決めができる前に、娘のために払う値を決める必要があった。長い話し合いが行われた。バンガンとダロナガンはとうとう、霊屋をさまざまな甕で九度満たさなければならないと言った。

When this was done Dalonagan raised her eyebrows, and half of the jars disappeared. Aponibolinayen used her magical power and the spirit house was filled again, and then Dalonagan said to her:

これが済むと、ダロナガンは眉を上げ、すると甕の半分が消えた。アポニボリナイエンは不思議な力を使って霊屋をまた満たし、そしてそれからダロナガンは彼女に言った。

"Now the web of the spider shall be put around the town and you must put gold beads on it. If it does not break, Kanag may marry Dapilisan."

「さて蜘蛛の糸を村の周りに張りましょう。そしてあなたはそれに黄金の玉を通さなければなりません。それが切れなければ、カナグはダピリサンと夫婦になってよいのです。」

When Aponibolinayen had put the gold beads on the thread, Dalonagan hung on it to see if it would hold. As it did not break, she declared that the sign was good; and Kanag and Dapilisan were married.

アポニボリナイエンが黄金の玉をその糸に通すと、ダロナガンは持ちこたえるかどうか見るためにそれに体を掛けた。切れなかったので、彼女は兆しがよいと言い渡した。そしてカナグとダピリサンは夫婦になった。

Then the people played on the copper gongs, danced, and made merry for a long time, and when they returned to their homes Kanag and his bride went with Aponitolau and Aponibolinayen.

それから人々は銅の鑼を打ち、踊り、そして長いあいだ楽しんだ。そして家へ帰るとき、カナグとその嫁はアポニトラウとアポニボリナイエンとともに行った。