The Spirits and the Lovers

At the distance of a woman's walk of a day from the mouth of the river, called by the pale-faces the Whitestone, in the country of the Sioux, in the middle of a large plain, stands a lofty hill or mound. Its wonderful roundness, together with the circumstance of its standing apart from all other hills, like a fir-tree in the midst of a wide prairie, or a man whose friends and kindred have all descended to the dust, has made it known to all the tribes of the West. Whether it was created by the Great Spirit or filled up by the sons of men, whether it was done in the morning of the world, ask not me, for I cannot tell you. Know it is called by all the tribes of the land the Hill of Little People, or the Mountain of Little Spirits. No gifts can induce an Indian to visit it; for why should he incur the anger of the Little People who dwell in it, and, sacrificed upon the fire of their wrath, behold his wife and children no more? In all the marches and counter-marches of the Indians, in all their goings and returnings, in all their wanderings by day or by night to and from lands which lie beyond it, their paths are so ordered that none approaches near enough to disturb the tiny inhabitants of the hill. The memory of the red-man of the forest has preserved but one instance when their privacy was violated, since it was known through the tribes that they wished for no intercourse with mortals. Before that time many Indians were missing each year. No one knew what became of them, but they were gone, and left no trace nor story behind. Valiant warriors filled their quivers with arrows, put new strings to their bows, new shod their moccasins, and sallied out to acquire glory in combat; but there was no wailing in the camp of our foes: their arrows were not felt, their shouts were not heard. Yet they fell not by the hands of our foes, but perished we know not how.

白い顔の人々がホワイトストーン川と呼ぶ川の河口から女の足で一日歩いたところ、スー族の国の広い平原のまんなかに、高い丘、すなわち塚が立っている。その不思議なほどの丸さと、広い草原のまんなかの一本のモミの木のように、あるいは友も身内もみな土に帰ってしまった男のように、ほかのどの丘からも離れて立っていることから、西のあらゆる部族に知られている。それが偉大な霊によって造られたのか、人の子らによって盛られたのか、世界の朝に造られたのかは、わたしに尋ねないでほしい。わたしには答えられないのだから。ただ、その国のあらゆる部族がそれを小さな人々の丘、あるいは小さな霊たちの山と呼んでいることを知っておいてほしい。どんな贈り物をもらっても、インディアンはそこを訪ねようとしない。なぜわざわざそこに住む小さな人々の怒りを買い、その怒りの火の生贄になって、二度と妻子の顔を見られなくならなければならないのか。インディアンが行軍しても引き返しても、行っても帰っても、その向こうの土地へ昼も夜もさまよい行き来しても、その道はいつも、丘の小さな住人たちを乱すほど誰も近づかないように定められている。小さな人々が人間とかかわりを持ちたがらないことが部族のあいだに知れわたってからというもの、森の赤い人の記憶には、その静けさが破られたことはただ一度しか残っていない。それより前は、毎年たくさんのインディアンが行方知れずになった。誰にもどうなったのかわからなかったが、その者たちはいなくなり、跡も話も残さなかった。勇敢な戦士たちが矢筒に矢を満たし、弓に新しい弦を張り、モカシンに新しい底を当てて、戦で誉れを得ようと打って出た。けれども敵の野営地には嘆きの声はあがらなかった。その矢は感じられず、その雄叫びは聞こえなかった。それでも戦士たちは敵の手で倒れたのではなく、わたしたちの知らないやり方で滅びたのである。

Many seasons ago there lived within the limits of the great council-fire of the Mahas a chief who was renowned for his valour and victories in the field, his wisdom in the council, his dexterity and success in the chase. His name was Mahtoree, or the White Crane. He was celebrated throughout the vast regions of the West, from the Mississippi to the Hills of the Serpent, from the Missouri to the Plains of Bitter Frost, for all those qualities which render an Indian warrior famous and feared.

何年も前、マハ族の大いなる会議の火の領分のなかに、戦場での勇猛と勝利、会議での知恵、狩りでの巧みさと成功で名高い首長が住んでいた。その名はマトリー、すなわち白い鶴といった。ミシシッピから大蛇の丘まで、ミズーリから厳しい霜の平原まで、西の広大な地方じゅうに、インディアンの戦士を名高く恐れられるものにするあらゆる資質で知られていた。

In one of the war expeditions of the Pawnee Mahas against the Burntwood Tetons, it was the good fortune of the former to overcome and to make many prisoners--men, women, and children. One of the captives, Sakeajah, or the Bird-Girl, a beautiful creature in the morning of life, after being adopted into one of the Mahas families, became the wife of the chief warrior of the nation. Great was the love which the White Crane had for his wife, and it grew yet stronger when she had brought him four sons and a daughter, Tatokah, or the Antelope. She was beautiful. Her skin was fair, her eyes were large and bright as those of the bison-ox, and her hair black, and braided with beads, brushed, as she walked, the dew from the flowers upon the prairies. Her temper was gentle and her voice sweet.

ポーニー・マハ族がバーントウッド・テトン族に向けて出した戦の遠征のひとつで、前者は運よく勝ち、男も女も子どももたくさん捕虜にした。捕虜の一人、サケアジャ、すなわち鳥の娘は、人生の朝にある美しい娘で、マハ族のある家に養女として迎えられたのち、その部族の戦士の頭の妻になった。白い鶴の妻への愛は大きく、妻が四人の息子と一人の娘タトカ、すなわちカモシカを産むと、いっそう強くなった。タトカは美しかった。肌は白く、目は野牛の目のように大きく輝き、玉を編み込んだ黒い髪は、歩くと草原の花の露を払った。気立ては優しく、声は甘かった。

It may not be doubted that the beautiful Tatokah had many lovers; but the heart of the maiden was touched by none of the noble youths who sought her. She bade them all depart as they came; she rejected them all. With the perverseness which is often seen among women, she had placed her affections upon a youth who had distinguished himself by no valiant deeds in war, nor by industry or dexterity in the chase. His name had never reached the surrounding nations. His own nation knew him not, unless as a weak and imbecile man. He was poor in everything which constitutes the riches of Indian life. Who had heard the twanging of Karkapaha's bow in the retreat of the bear, or who had beheld the war-paint on his cheek or brow? Where were the scalps or the prisoners that betokened his valour or daring? No song of valiant exploits had been heard from his lips, for he had none to boast of--if he had done aught becoming a man, he had done it when none was by. The beautiful Tatokah, who knew and lamented the deficiencies of her lover, strove long to conquer her passion without success. At length, since her father would not agree to her union with her lover, the two agreed to fly together. The night fixed came, and they left the village of the Mahas and the lodge of Mahtoree for the wilderness.

美しいタトカに恋する者が大勢いたことは疑いない。けれども娘の心は、求婚する気高い若者の誰にも動かされなかった。娘はみな来たとおりに帰らせ、みなはねつけた。女のあいだによく見られるひねくれた心から、娘は、戦で勇ましい手柄を立てたこともなく、狩りで勤勉さや巧みさを示したこともない若者に心を寄せていた。その若者の名は近隣の民に届いたことがなかった。自分の部族でさえ、弱くて頼りない男としてしか知らなかった。インディアンの暮らしの富となるあらゆるものに欠けていた。熊の隠れ家でカルカパハの弓が鳴るのを誰が聞いたか。その頬や額に戦の化粧を誰が見たか。その勇ましさや大胆さを示す頭皮や捕虜はどこにあったか。その唇から勇ましい手柄の歌が聞かれたことはなかった。誇るものが何もなかったからである——もし何か男らしいことをしたとしても、誰もいないときにしたのだった。美しいタトカは恋人の足りなさを知って嘆き、長いあいだ思いを断とうと努めたが、できなかった。とうとう父が恋人との結びつきを許さないので、二人は一緒に逃げようと決めた。決めた夜が来て、二人はマハ族の村とマトリーの小屋をあとにして荒野へ出た。

Their flight was not unmarked, and when the father was made acquainted with the disgrace which had befallen him, he called his young men around him, and bade them pursue the fugitives, promising his daughter to whomsoever should slay the Karkapaha. Immediately pursuit was made, and soon a hundred eager youths were on the track of the hapless pair. With that unerring skill and sagacity in discovering footprints which mark their race, their steps were tracked, and themselves soon discovered flying. What was the surprise of the pursuers when they found that the path taken by the hapless pair would carry them to the mountain of little spirits, and that they were sufficiently in advance to reach it before they could be overtaken. None of them durst venture within the supposed limits, and they halted till the White Crane should be informed of his daughter and her lover having placed themselves under the protection of the spirits.

二人の逃亡は見逃されなかった。父は自分にふりかかった恥辱を知ると、若者たちをまわりに呼び集めて逃げた二人を追えと命じ、カルカパハを殺した者には誰でも娘をやると約束した。すぐに追っ手が出て、まもなく百人のはやる若者たちが不運な二人の跡を追った。彼らの民の特徴である、足跡を見つけるあの誤りのない腕前と勘で、二人の足取りはたどられ、まもなく二人が逃げているのが見つかった。ところが追っ手たちは、不運な二人のとった道が小さな霊たちの山へ通じていて、二人は追いつかれる前にそこへ着けるほど先にいるとわかって、どれほど驚いたことか。追っ手の誰も境と思われるところより先へ踏み込む勇気がなく、娘とその恋人が霊たちの庇護に身を寄せたことを白い鶴に知らせるまで、そこで止まった。

In the meantime the lovers pursued their journey towards the fearful residence of the little people. Despair lent them courage to perform an act to which the stoutest Indian resolution had hitherto been unequal. They determined to tell their tale to the spirits and ask their protection. They were within a few feet of the hill when, on a sudden, its brow, on which no object had till now been visible, became covered with little people, the tallest of whom was not higher than the knee of the maiden, while many of them--but these were children--were of lower stature than the squirrel. Their voice was sharp and quick, like the barking of the prairie dog. A little wing came out at each shoulder; each had a single eye, which eye was to the right in the men, and to the left in the women, and their feet stood out at each side. They were armed like Indians, with tomahawks, spears, bows, and arrows. He who appeared to be the head chief--for he wore an air of command, and had the eagle feather--came up to the fugitives and said--

そのあいだに恋人たちは、小さな人々の恐ろしい住みかへ向かって旅を続けた。絶望が、どんなに気丈なインディアンの決意でもそれまでなしえなかった行いをする勇気を二人に与えた。二人は霊たちに身の上を話して庇護を願おうと決めた。二人が丘の数歩手前まで来たとき、突然、それまで何も見えなかった丘の頂が小さな人々で覆われた。いちばん背の高い者でも娘の膝ほどもなく、多くの者は——これは子どもたちだったが——リスより背が低かった。その声はプレーリードッグの鳴き声のように甲高く早口だった。どの者も両肩から小さな翼が出ていて、目がひとつしかなく、その目は男は右側に、女は左側にあり、足は両側に突き出していた。小さな人々はインディアンのように、トマホークや槍や弓矢で武装していた。いちばん上の首長らしい者——威厳をたたえ、鷲の羽根をつけていたので——が逃げてきた二人に近づいて言った——

"Why have you invaded the village of our race whose wrath has been so fatal to your people? How dare you venture within the limits of our residence? Know you not that your lives are forfeited?"

「なぜお前たちは、お前たちの民にあれほど災いとなった怒りを持つわれらの一族の村に踏み込んだのか。どうしてわれらの住まいの境のなかへ踏み込む勇気が出たのか。お前たちの命がもう失われたも同然だと知らないのか。」

Tatokah, for her lover had less than the heart of a doe and was speechless, related their story. She told them how they had loved, how wroth her father had been, how they had stolen away and been pursued, and concluded her tale of sorrow with a flood of tears. The little man who wore the eagle feather appeared moved by what she said, and calling around him a large number of men, who were doubtless the chiefs and counsellors of the nation, a long consultation took place. The result was a determination to favour and protect the lovers.

恋人は雌鹿ほどの心も持たずに口もきけなかったので、タトカが二人の身の上を語った。二人がどう愛し合い、父がどれほど怒り、どう逃げ出して追われてきたかを語り、悲しい話を涙の洪水で締めくくった。鷲の羽根をつけた小さな男は娘の話に心を動かされたようすで、まちがいなくその部族の首長や相談役である大勢の男たちをまわりに呼び集め、長い協議が行われた。その結果、恋人たちに味方して守ることに決まった。

At this moment Shongotongo, or the Big Horse, one of the braves whom Mahtoree had despatched in quest of his daughter, appeared in view in pursuit of the fugitives. It was not till Mahtoree had taxed his courage that Big Horse had ventured on the perilous quest. He approached with the strength of heart and singleness of purpose which accompany an Indian warrior who deems the eyes of his nation upon him. When first the brave was discovered thus wantonly, and with no other purpose but the shedding of blood, intruding on the dominions of the spirits, no words can tell the rage which appeared to possess their bosoms. Secure in the knowledge of their power to repel the attacks of every living thing, the intrepid Maha was permitted to advance within a few steps of Karkapaha. He had just raised his spear to strike the unmanly lover, when, all at once, he found himself riveted to the ground. His feet refused to move, his hands hung powerless at his side, his tongue refused to utter a word. The bow and arrow fell from his hand, and his spear lay powerless. A little child, not so high as the fourth leaf of the thistle, came and spat on him, and a company of the spirits danced around him singing a taunting song. When they had thus finished their task of preparatory torture, a thousand little spirits drew their bows, and a thousand arrows pierced his heart. In a moment innumerable mattocks were employed in preparing him a grave, and he was hidden from the eyes of the living ere Tatokah could have thrice counted over the fingers of her hand.

ちょうどそのとき、マトリーが娘を探しに遣わした勇士の一人ションゴトンゴ、すなわち大きな馬が、逃げた二人を追って姿を現した。マトリーにその勇気を問われて、ようやく大きな馬はこの危ない探索に乗り出したのだった。大きな馬は、一族の目が自分に注がれていると思うインディアンの戦士の持つ剛胆さとひたむきさで近づいてきた。この勇士が、血を流すほかに何の目的もなく、こうしてみだりに霊たちの領地に踏み込んでくるのを最初に見つけたとき、霊たちの胸にどれほどの怒りがわき上がったかは言葉では言い表せない。あらゆる生き物の攻撃をはね返す力があると知って安心していた霊たちは、恐れを知らぬマハ族の男がカルカパハの数歩手前まで近づくのを許した。大きな馬が男らしくない恋人を打とうと槍を振り上げたそのとき、突然、自分が地面に釘づけになっているのに気づいた。足は動かず、手はだらりとわきに垂れて力が入らず、舌はひと言も発しなかった。弓矢は手から落ち、槍は力なく転がった。アザミの四枚目の葉ほどの背丈もない小さな子がやって来て大きな馬につばを吐きかけ、霊たちの一団がそのまわりを踊りながらあざけりの歌を歌った。こうして前置きの責め苦を終えると、千の小さな霊たちが弓を引き、千の矢が大きな馬の心臓を貫いた。たちまち数えきれないつるはしで墓がこしらえられ、タトカが片手の指を三度数えるまもなく、大きな馬は生きている者の目から隠された。

When this was done, the chief of the little spirits called Karkapaha before him, and said--

これがすむと、小さな霊たちの首長はカルカパハを前に呼んで言った——

"Maha, you have the heart of a doe. You would fly from a roused wren. We have not spared you because you deserve to be spared, but because the maiden loves you. It is for this purpose that we will give you the heart of a man, that you may return to the village of the Mahas, and find favour in the eyes of Mahtoree and the braves of the nation. We will take away your cowardly spirit, and will give you the spirit of the warrior whom we slew, whose heart was firm as a rock. Sleep, man of little soul, and wake to be better worthy the love of the beautiful Antelope."

「マハよ、お前は雌鹿の心を持っている。驚かされたミソサザイからでも逃げるだろう。われらがお前を生かしたのは、お前が生かされるに値するからではなく、娘がお前を愛しているからだ。そのためにわれらはお前に男の心を与えよう。お前がマハ族の村に帰り、マトリーと一族の勇士たちの目にかなうように。お前の臆病な魂を取り去り、われらが殺した、岩のように揺るがぬ心を持つ戦士の魂を与えよう。眠れ、小さな魂の男よ。そして美しいカモシカの愛にもっとふさわしい者となって目覚めよ。」

Then a deep sleep came over the Maha lover. How long he slept he knew not, but when he woke he felt at once that a change had taken place in his feelings and temper. The first thought that came to his mind was of a bow and arrow, the second was of the beautiful maiden who lay sleeping at his side. The little spirits had disappeared--not a solitary being of the many thousands who, but a few minutes before, had filled the air with their discordant cries was now to be seen or heard. At the feet of Karkapaha lay a tremendous bow, larger than any warrior ever yet used, a sheaf of arrows of proportionate size, and a spear of a weight which no Maha could wield. Karkapaha drew the bow as an Indian boy bends a willow twig, and the spear seemed in his hand but a reed or a feather. The shrill war-whoop burst unconsciously from his lips, and his nostrils seemed dilated with the fire and impatience of a newly-awakened courage. The heart of the fond Indian girl dissolved in tears when she saw these proofs of strength and these evidences of spirit which, she knew, if they were coupled with valour--and how could she doubt the completeness of the gift to effect the purposes of the giver?--would thaw the iced feelings of her father and tune his heart to the song of forgiveness. Yet it was not without many fears, tears, and misgivings on the part of the maiden that they began their journey to the Mahas village. The lover, now a stranger to fear, used his endeavours to quiet the beautiful Tatokah, and in some measure succeeded. Upon finding that his daughter and her lover had gone to the Hill of the Spirits, and that Shongotongo did not return from his perilous adventure, the chief of the Mahas had recalled his braves from the pursuit, and was listening to the history of the pair, as far as the returned warriors were acquainted with it, when his daughter and her lover made their appearance. With a bold and fearless step the once faint-hearted Karkapaha walked up to the offended father, and, folding his arms upon his breast, stood erect as a pine, and motionless as that tree when the winds of the earth are chained. It was the first time that Karkapaha had ever looked on angry men without trembling, and a demeanour so unusual in him excited universal surprise.

するとマハ族の恋人に深い眠りが訪れた。どれほど眠ったのか男にはわからなかったが、目覚めると、すぐに自分の気持ちと気性に変化が起こったのを感じた。まず心に浮かんだのは弓矢のことで、次に浮かんだのはそばで眠っている美しい娘のことだった。小さな霊たちは姿を消していた——ほんの数分前まで不協和な叫びで空を満たしていた何千という者のうち、一人の姿も見えず声も聞こえなかった。カルカパハの足もとには、どんな戦士もまだ使ったことのないほど大きな、とてつもない弓と、それに見合った大きさの矢の束と、どのマハ族の者にも振るえないほど重い槍が置いてあった。カルカパハはインディアンの男の子が柳の小枝を曲げるように弓を引き、槍は手のなかで葦か羽根のように思えた。甲高い雄叫びが思わず唇からほとばしり、鼻の穴は目覚めたばかりの勇気の炎とはやる心にふくらんだように見えた。一途なインディアンの娘の心は、こうした力の証しと魂の表れを見て涙に溶けた。これに勇猛さが伴えば——そして与えた者の目的を果たすのに贈り物が欠けているなどと、どうして疑えよう——父の凍りついた気持ちを溶かし、父の心を許しの歌に合わせるだろうと娘は知っていたのである。それでも娘の側には多くの恐れと涙と不安がないわけではなく、二人はマハ族の村へ旅をはじめた。恋人は、今では恐れを知らぬ者になっていて、美しいタトカを落ち着かせようと努め、いくらかはうまくいった。マハ族の首長は、娘とその恋人が霊の丘へ行き、ションゴトンゴが危ない冒険から戻らないと知ると、勇士たちを追跡から呼び戻していた。そして戻った戦士たちが知るかぎりの二人のいきさつを聞いていたところへ、娘とその恋人が姿を現した。かつて気の弱かったカルカパハは大胆で恐れを知らぬ足取りで怒った父のもとへ歩み寄り、胸の前で腕を組んで、松のようにまっすぐに、大地の風が鎖でつながれたときのその木のように身じろぎもせずに立った。カルカパハが震えずに怒った男たちを見たのはこれが初めてで、そのいつにないふるまいはみなを驚かせた。

"Karkapaha is a thief," said the White Crane.

「カルカパハは盗人だ」と白い鶴は言った。

"It is the father of Tatokah that says it," answered the lover, "else would Karkapaha say it was the song of a bird that has flown over."

「そう言うのがタトカの父だからよいが」と恋人は答えた。「さもなければ、カルカパハは、それは飛び過ぎていった鳥の歌だと言うところだ。」

"My warriors say it."

「わしの戦士たちがそう言っている。」

"Your warriors are singing-birds; they are wrens. Karkapaha says they do not speak the truth. Karkapaha has a brave heart and the strength of a bear. Let the braves try him. He has thrown away the woman's heart, and become a man."

「あなたの戦士たちは歌う鳥だ。ミソサザイだ。カルカパハは、彼らは本当のことを言っていないと言う。カルカパハには勇敢な心と熊の力がある。勇士たちに試させるがよい。カルカパハは女の心を捨てて、男になったのだ。」

"Karkapaha is changed," said the chief thoughtfully, "but how and when?"

「カルカパハは変わった」と首長は考え深げに言った。「だが、どうやって、いつ。」

"The Little Spirits of the mountain have given him a new soul. Bid your braves draw this bow. Bid them poise this spear. Their eyes say they can do neither. Then is Karkapaha the strong man of his tribe?" As he said this he flourished the ponderous spear over his head as a man would poise a reed, and drew the bow as a child would bend a twig.

「山の小さな霊たちが新しい魂を与えてくれたのだ。勇士たちにこの弓を引かせてみよ。この槍を構えさせてみよ。どちらもできぬとその目が言っている。それならカルカパハこそ部族の強い男ではないか。」そう言いながら、カルカパハは人が葦を構えるように重い槍を頭上で振りまわし、子どもが小枝を曲げるように弓を引いた。

"Karkapaha is the husband of Tatokah," said Mahtoree, springing to his feet, and he gave the maiden to her lover.

「カルカパハはタトカの夫だ」とマトリーは飛び上がって言い、娘を恋人に与えた。

The traditionary lore of the Mahas is full of the exploits, both in war and in the chase, of Karkapaha, who was made a man by the Spirits of the Mountain.

マハ族の言い伝えは、山の霊たちによって男にされたカルカパハの、戦と狩りの手柄で満ちている。