Ai Kanaka: a Legend of Molokai

On the leeward side of the island of Molokai, a little to the east of Kaluaaha lies the beautiful valley of Mapulehu, at the mouth of which is located the heiau, or temple, of Iliiliopae, which was erected by direction of Ku-pa, the Moi, to look directly out upon the harbor of Ai-Kanaka, now known as Pukoo. At the time of its construction, centuries ago, Kupa was the Moi, or sovereign, of the district embracing the Ahupuaas, or land divisions, of Mapulehu and Kaluaaha, and he had his residence in this heiau which was built by him and famed as the largest throughout the whole Hawaiian group.,

モロカイ島の風下側、カルアアハの少し東に、美しいマプレフの谷が横たわっている。その谷口にあるのがイリイリオパエのヘイアウ、すなわち神殿で、モイであったクパの指図で、アイ・カナカ——今はプコオとして知られる——の入り江をまっすぐ見晴らすように建てられた。それが築かれた何百年も前、クパはマプレフとカルアアハのアフプアア、すなわち土地の区画を含む地方のモイ、すなわち君主であり、自ら建てたこのヘイアウに住まいを構えていた。このヘイアウはハワイの島々じゅうで最も大きいものとして名高かった。

Kupa had a priest named Kamalo, who resided at Kaluaaha. This priest had two boys, embodiments of mischief, who one day while the King was absent on a fishing expedition, took the opportunity to visit his house at the heiau. Finding there the pahu kaeke [8] belonging to the temple, they commenced drumming on it.

クパにはカマロという名の祭司がいて、カルアアハに住んでいた。この祭司にはいたずらの化身のような二人の男の子がいた。ある日、王が漁に出かけて留守なのをよいことに、二人はヘイアウにある王の家を訪ねた。そこで神殿のものであるパフ・カエケ[8]を見つけると、それを叩きはじめた。

Some evil-minded persons heard Kamalo's boys drumming on the Kaeke and immediately went and told Kupa that the priest's children were reviling him in the grossest manner on his own drum. This so enraged the King that he ordered his servants to put them to death. Forthwith they were seized and murdered; whereupon Kamalo, their father, set about to secure revenge on the King.

意地の悪い者たちがカマロの子らがカエケを叩いているのを聞きつけ、すぐにクパのところへ行って、祭司の子どもたちが王の太鼓で王をこのうえなく下品にののしっている、と告げた。王はこれに激怒し、家来たちに二人を殺せと命じた。ただちに二人は捕らえられて殺された。そこで父のカマロは、王への復讐を果たそうと動きはじめた。

Taking with him a black pig as a present, he started forth to enlist the sympathy and services of the celebrated seer, or wizard, Lanikaula, living some twelve miles distant at the eastern end of Molokai. On the way thither, at the village of Honouli, Kamalo met a man the lower half of whose body had been bitten off by a shark, and who promised to avenge him provided he would slay some man and bring him the lower half of his body to replace his own. But Kamalo, putting no credence in such an offer, pressed on to the sacred grove of Lanikaula. Upon arrival there Lanikaula listened to his grievances but could do nothing for him. He directed him, however, to another prophet, named Kaneakama, at the west end of the island, forty miles distant. Poor Kamalo picked up his pig and travelled back again, past his own home, down the coast to Palaau. Meeting with Kaneakama the prophet directed him to the heiau of Puukahi, at the foot of the pali, or precipice, of Kalaupapa, on the windward side of the island, where he would find the priest Kahiwakaapuu, who was a kahu, or steward, of Kauhuhu, the shark god. Once more the poor man shouldered his pig, wended his way up the long ascent of the hills of Kalae to the pali of Kalaupapa, descending which he presented himself before Kahiwakaapuu, and pleaded his cause. He was again directed to go still farther along the windward side of the island till he should come to the Ana puhi (eel's cave), a singular cavern at sea level in the bold cliffs between the valleys of Waikolu and Pelekunu, where Kauhuhu, the shark god, dwelt, and to him he must apply. Upon this away went Kamalo and his pig. Arriving at the cave, he found there Waka and Moo, two kahus of the shark god. "Keep off! Keep off!" they shouted. "This place is kapu. No man can enter here, on penalty of death."

カマロは黒い豚を贈り物に携え、モロカイの東の端、十二マイルほど離れたところに住む名高い予見者、すなわち呪術師のラニカウラの同情と助けを求めて出発した。その道すがら、ホノウリの村でカマロは、体の下半分を鮫に食いちぎられた男に出会った。その男は、誰か人を殺してその下半身を自分のものの代わりに持ってくるなら、仇を討ってやろうと言った。けれどもカマロはそんな申し出を信じず、ラニカウラの聖なる木立へ先を急いだ。着いてみると、ラニカウラは訴えを聞いてはくれたが、何もしてやれなかった。ただ、島の西の端、四十マイル離れたところにいるカネアカマという別の予言者を教えてくれた。哀れなカマロは豚を担ぎ上げてまた歩き、自分の家を通り過ぎ、海沿いを下ってパラアウへ向かった。会ってみると、予言者カネアカマは、島の風上側のカラウパパのパリ、すなわち断崖のふもとにあるプウカヒのヘイアウへ行けと教えた。そこには、鮫の神カウフフのカフ、すなわち世話役である祭司カヒワカアプウがいるという。哀れな男はふたたび豚を肩に担ぎ、カラエの丘の長い坂を上ってカラウパパのパリへ向かい、それを下ってカヒワカアプウの前に出て、事情を訴えた。するとまた、島の風上側をさらに進んで、アナ・プヒ(鰻の洞)まで行くようにと言われた。それはワイコルとペレクヌの谷のあいだの険しい崖にある、海面と同じ高さの奇妙な洞穴で、鮫の神カウフフが住んでいるという。その神に願わねばならない、と。そこでカマロは豚を連れて出かけた。洞穴に着くと、鮫の神の二人のカフ、ワカとモオがいた。「近寄るな! 近寄るな!」と二人は叫んだ。「ここはカプだ。人は誰も入れない、死をもって罰せられるぞ。」

"Death or life," answered he, "it is all the same to me if I can only gain my revenge for my poor boys who have been killed." He then related his story, and his wanderings, adding that he had come to make his appeal to Kauhuhu and cared not for his own life.

「死のうと生きようと」と男は答えた。「殺された哀れな子どもたちの仇さえ討てるなら、わたしには同じことだ。」そしてこれまでのいきさつとさまよい歩いた道のりを語り、カウフフに願いを申し上げに来たのであって、自分の命など惜しくはない、と付け加えた。

"Well," said they to him, "Kauhuhu is away now fishing, but if he finds you here when he returns, our lives as well as yours will pay the forfeit. However, we will see what we can do to help you. We must hide you hereabouts, somewhere, and when he returns trust to circumstances to accomplish your purpose."

「そうか」と二人は言った。「カウフフは今、漁に出ている。だが帰ってきておまえがここにいるのが見つかれば、おまえの命ばかりか我々の命も償いに取られる。それでも、何か力になれることがないか考えてみよう。このあたりのどこかにおまえを隠さねばならない。そして帰ってきたときには、なりゆきに任せて目当てを果たすのだ。」

But they could find no place to hide him where he would be secure from the search of the god, except the rubbish pile where the offal and scrapings of taro were thrown. They therefore thrust him and his pig into the rubbish heap and covered them over with the taro peelings, enjoining him to keep perfectly still, and watch till he should see eight heavy breakers roll in successively from the sea. He then would know that Kauhuhu was returning from his fishing expedition.

けれども二人には、神の探索から安全に隠せる場所が、タロいもの屑や削りかすを捨てるごみの山のほかに見つからなかった。そこで男と豚をごみの山に押し込み、タロいもの皮で覆い隠して、じっと静かにしていろ、そして海から重い大波が続けて八つ寄せてくるのを見張っていろ、と言い含めた。それが見えたら、カウフフが漁から帰ってくると分かるのである。

Accordingly, after waiting a while, the eight heavy rollers appeared, breaking successively against the rocks; and sure enough, as the eighth dissolved into foam, the great shark god came ashore. Immediately assuming human form, he began snuffing about the place, and addressing Waka and Moo, his kahus, said to them, "There is a man here." They strenuously denied the charge and protested against the possibility of their allowing such a desecration of the premises. But he was not satisfied. He insisted that there was a man somewhere about, saying, "I smell him, and if I find him you are dead men; if not, you escape." He examined the premises over and over again, never suspecting the rubbish heap, and was about giving up the search when, unfortunately, Kamalo's pig sent forth a squeal which revealed the poor fellow's hiding-place.

そのとおり、しばらく待つと重い波が八つ現れ、次々と岩に砕けた。そして果たして、八つ目が泡になって消えると、偉大な鮫の神が岸に上がってきた。神はたちまち人の姿を取り、あたりの匂いを嗅ぎはじめて、カフであるワカとモオに向かって言った。「ここに人間がいる。」二人は激しく否んで、この場所をそのように汚させるなど思いもよらぬと申し立てた。けれども神は納得しなかった。どこかに人間がいるのだと言い張って、「匂うのだ。見つけたらおまえたちの命はない。見つからなければ助けてやる」と言った。神は何度も何度も場所を調べたが、ごみの山だけは疑いもせず、あきらめかけたそのとき、あいにくカマロの豚が鳴き声をあげて、哀れな男の隠れ場所を明かしてしまった。

Now came the dread moment. The enraged Kauhuhu seized Kamalo with both hands and, lifting him up with the intention of swallowing him, according to his shark instinct, had already inserted the victim's head and shoulders into his mouth before he could speak.

さあ恐ろしい時が来た。怒ったカウフフはカマロを両手でつかみ、鮫の性のままに呑み込もうと持ち上げて、すでにその頭と肩を口に入れてしまった。男が口をきく間もないほどだった。

"O Kauhuhu, before you eat me, hear my petition; then do as you like."

「おおカウフフよ、わたしを食う前に願いを聞いてください。そのあとは、お好きなように。」

"Well for you that you spoke as you did," answered Kauhuhu, setting him down again on the ground. "Now, what have you to say? Be quick about it."

「そう言ったのはおまえのためによかった」とカウフフは答え、男をまた地面に下ろした。「さあ、何が言いたい。手短にしろ。」

Kamalo then rehearsed his grievances and his travels in search for revenge, and presented his pig to the god.

そこでカマロは、受けた仕打ちと、復讐を求めてさまよった道のりを語り、豚を神に差し出した。

Compassion arose in the breast of Kauhuhu, and he said, "Had you come for any other purpose I would have eaten you, but as your cause is a sacred one I espouse it, and will revenge it on Kupa the King. You must, however, do all that I tell you. Return to the heiau of Puukahi, at the foot of the pali, and take the priest Kahiwakaapuu on your back, and carry him up the pali over to the other side of the island, all the way to your home at Kaluaaha. Erect a sacred fence all around your dwelling-place, and surround it with the sacred flags of white kapa. Collect black hogs by the lau (four hundred), red fish by the lau, white fowls by the lau, and bide my coming. Wait and watch till you see a small cloud the size of a man's hand arise, white as snow, over the island of Lanai. That cloud will enlarge as it makes its way across the channel against the wind until it rests on the mountain peaks of Molokai back of Mapulehu Valley. Then a rainbow will span the valley from side to side, whereby you will know that I am there, and that your time of revenge has come. Go now, and remember that you are the only man who ever ventured into the sacred precincts of the great Kauhuhu and returned alive."

カウフフの胸に憐れみが起こって、神は言った。「ほかの用で来たのなら食ってしまったところだ。だがおまえの訴えは聖なるものだから、わたしが引き受けて、王クパに仕返しをしてやろう。ただし、わたしの言うことをすべてやり遂げねばならない。パリのふもとのプウカヒのヘイアウへ帰り、祭司カヒワカアプウを背負って、パリを越え島の反対側まで、カルアアハのおまえの家まで運ぶのだ。住まいのまわりに聖なる垣をめぐらし、白いカパの聖なる旗で囲め。黒い豚をラウ(四百)の単位で、赤い魚をラウの単位で、白い鶏をラウの単位で集めて、わたしが来るのを待て。ラナイ島の上に、人の手ほどの大きさの、雪のように白い小さな雲が立つのを見るまで待って見張るのだ。その雲は風に逆らって海峡を渡るうちに大きくなり、やがてマプレフ谷の奥のモロカイの峰々にかかって止まる。そのとき谷の端から端に虹が架かる。それでわたしがそこにいること、おまえの復讐の時が来たことが分かる。さあ行け。そして覚えておけ、偉大なカウフフの聖なる領域に踏み込んで生きて帰った人間は、おまえただ一人なのだ。」

Kamalo returned with a joyful heart and performed all that had been commanded him. He built the sacred fence around his dwelling; surrounded the inclosure with sacred flags of white kapa; gathered together black hogs, red fish, and white fowls, each by the lau, as directed, with other articles sacred to the gods, such as cocoanuts and white kapas, and then sat himself down to watch for the promised signs of his revenge. Day after day passed until they multiplied into weeks, and the weeks began to run into months.

カマロは喜びに満ちて帰り、命じられたことをすべてやり遂げた。住まいのまわりに聖なる垣を築き、囲いを白いカパの聖なる旗でめぐらし、言われたとおり黒い豚と赤い魚と白い鶏をそれぞれラウの単位で集め、そのほか椰子の実や白いカパなど神々に捧げる品も集めて、そして腰を下ろし、約束された復讐のしるしを待った。日は次々と過ぎて幾週にもなり、週は幾月にもなろうとしていた。

Finally, one day, the promised sign appeared. The snow white speck of cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, arose over the mountains of Lanai and made its way across the stormy channel in the face of the opposing gale, increasing as it came, until it settled in a majestic mass on the mountains at the head of Mapulehu Valley. Then appeared a splendid rainbow, proudly overarching the valley, its ends resting on the high lands on either side. The wind began to blow; the rain began to pour, and shortly a furious storm came down the doomed valley, filling its bed from side to side with a mad rushing torrent, which, sweeping everything before it, spread out upon the belt of lowlands at the mouth of the valley, overwhelming Kupa and all his people in one common ruin, and washing them all into the sea, where they were devoured by the sharks. All were destroyed except Kamalo and his family, who were safe within their sacred inclosure, which the flood dared not touch, though it spread terror and ruin on every side of them. Wherefore the harbor of Pukoo, where this terrible event occurred, was long known as Ai Kanaka (man eater), and it has passed into a proverb among the inhabitants of that region that "when the rainbow spans Mapulehu Valley, then look out for the Waiakoloa,"--a furious storm of rain and wind which sometimes comes suddenly down that valley.

そしてとうとうある日、約束のしるしが現れた。人の手ほどの大きさの雪のように白い雲の切れはしがラナイの山々の上に立ち、逆らう強風の中を荒れた海峡を渡ってきた。雲は進むにつれて大きくなり、ついにマプレフ谷の奥の山々に堂々たるひとかたまりとなって落ち着いた。それから見事な虹が現れ、誇らしげに谷を架け渡して、その両端は両側の高地に置かれた。風が吹きはじめ、雨が降りはじめ、まもなく激しい嵐が滅びゆく谷を下ってきた。谷底は端から端まで荒れ狂う奔流で満たされ、それは行く手のものをことごとく押し流して谷口の低地の帯に広がり、クパとその民をひとつの滅びのうちに呑み込んで、みな海へ洗い流してしまった。海では鮫が彼らを食らった。滅びなかったのはカマロとその家族だけで、聖なる囲いのなかは無事だった。まわりのすべてに恐れと滅びが広がっても、洪水はそこに触れようとしなかったのである。それゆえ、この恐ろしい出来事の起こったプコオの入り江は、長いあいだアイ・カナカ(人を食う者)として知られた。そしてこの地方の人々のあいだでは、「虹がマプレフ谷を架け渡したら、ワイアコロアに気をつけよ」——ときおりあの谷を突然下ってくる、雨と風の荒れ狂う嵐のこと——という諺になっている。