The Funeral Fire

For several nights after the interment of a Chippewa a fire is kept burning upon the grave. This fire is lit in the evening, and carefully supplied with small sticks of dry wood, to keep up a bright but small fire. It is kept burning for several hours, generally until the usual hour of retiring to rest, and then suffered to go out. The fire is renewed for four nights, and sometimes for longer. The person who performs this pious office is generally a near relative of the deceased, or one who has been long intimate with him. The following tale is related as showing the origin of the custom.

チッペワ族の者が葬られると、そのあと幾晩か墓の上に火を燃やし続ける。この火は夕方にともされ、明るいが小さな火を保つよう、乾いた木の小枝を注意深くくべる。数時間、たいていはふつう休む時刻まで燃やし続け、それから消えるに任せる。火は四晩、ときにはもっと長くともし直される。この敬虔な務めを果たすのは、たいてい死者の近い身内か、長く親しくしていた者である。次の話は、このしきたりの起こりを示すものとして語られている。

A small war party of Chippewas encountered their enemies upon an open plain, where a severe battle was fought. Their leader was a brave and distinguished warrior, but he never acted with greater bravery, or more distinguished himself by personal prowess, than on this occasion. After turning the tide of battle against his enemies, while shouting for victory, he received an arrow in his breast, and fell upon the plain. No warrior thus killed is ever buried, and according to ancient custom, the chief was placed in a sitting posture upon the field, his back supported by a tree, and his face turned towards the direction in which his enemies had fled. His headdress and equipment were accurately adjusted as if he were living, and his bow leaned against his shoulder. In this posture his companions left him. That he was dead appeared evident to all, but a strange thing had happened. Although deprived of speech and motion, the chief heard distinctly all that was said by his friends. He heard them lament his death without having the power to contradict it, and he felt their touch as they adjusted his posture, without having the power to reciprocate it. His anguish, when he felt himself thus abandoned, was extreme, and his wish to follow his friends on their return home so completely filled his mind, as he saw them one after another take leave of him and depart, that with a terrible effort he arose and followed them. His form, however, was invisible to them, and this aroused in him surprise, disappointment, and rage, which by turns took possession of him. He followed their track, however, with great diligence. Wherever they went he went, when they walked he walked, when they ran he ran, when they encamped he stopped with them, when they slept he slept, when they awoke he awoke. In short, he mingled in all their labours and toils, but he was excluded from all their sources of refreshment, except that of sleeping, and from the pleasures of participating in their conversation, for all that he said received no notice.

チッペワ族の小さな戦の一団が、開けた平原で敵と出会い、激しい戦いが行われた。一団の頭は勇敢で名高い戦士だったが、このときほど勇ましくふるまい、腕前で名を上げたことはなかった。戦の流れを敵に不利に変え、勝利の雄叫びをあげているときに、頭は胸に矢を受けて平原に倒れた。こうして殺された戦士は決して葬られない。昔からのしきたりどおり、首長は戦場で木に背をもたせて座った姿勢にされ、顔は敵の逃げていった方角へ向けられた。頭飾りと装備は生きているかのようにきちんと整えられ、弓は肩に立てかけられた。この姿勢のまま、仲間たちは頭を置いていった。死んでいることは誰の目にも明らかに見えたが、奇妙なことが起こっていた。口もきけず身動きもできなかったが、首長には仲間たちの言うことがみなはっきり聞こえていたのである。仲間たちが自分の死を嘆くのが聞こえても打ち消す力はなく、姿勢を整えるために触れる手を感じても応える力はなかった。こうして見捨てられるのを感じて、首長の苦しみはこの上なかった。そして仲間たちが一人また一人と別れを告げて去っていくのを見ると、家へ帰る仲間たちについていきたいという願いが心をすっかり満たし、恐ろしい力をふりしぼって起き上がり、あとを追った。けれども仲間たちにはその姿が見えず、それが首長のなかに驚きと失望と怒りをかき立て、かわるがわる首長をとらえた。それでも首長は懸命に仲間たちの跡を追った。仲間たちの行くところには首長も行き、歩けば歩き、走れば走り、野営すれば一緒に止まり、眠れば眠り、目覚めれば目覚めた。つまり、仲間たちのあらゆる骨折りと苦労に加わったが、眠ること以外のあらゆる元気のもとからは締め出され、話に加わる楽しみからも締め出されていた。首長が何を言っても誰も気に留めなかったからである。

"Is it possible," he cried, "that you do not see me, that you do not hear me, that you do not understand me? Will you suffer me to bleed to death without offering to stanch my wounds? Will you permit me to starve while you eat around me? Have those whom I have so often led to war so soon forgotten me? Is there no one who recollects me, or who will offer me a morsel of food in my distress?"

「まさか」と首長は叫んだ。「わたしが見えないのか、聞こえないのか、わからないのか。傷を手当てしようともせず、わたしが血を流して死ぬのを放っておくのか。まわりで食べているのに、わたしを飢えさせておくのか。わたしが何度も戦に導いた者たちが、もうわたしを忘れてしまったのか。わたしを覚えている者、苦しむわたしにひと口の食べ物を差し出してくれる者は誰もいないのか。」

Thus he continued to upbraid his friends at every stage of the journey, but no one seemed to hear his words. If his voice was heard at all, it was mistaken for the rustling of the leaves in the wind.

こうして首長は旅の道すがらずっと仲間たちを責め続けたが、誰にもその言葉は聞こえないようだった。たとえ声が聞こえたとしても、風にそよぐ木の葉の音と間違えられた。

At length the returning party reached their village, and their women and children came out, according to custom, to welcome their return and proclaim their praises.

とうとう帰りの一団は村に着き、女や子どもたちが、しきたりどおり一団の帰りを迎えてその手柄をたたえに出てきた。

"Kumaudjeewug! Kumaudjeewug! Kumaudjeewug! they have met, fought, and conquered!" was shouted by every mouth, and the words resounded through the most distant parts of the village. Those who had lost friends came eagerly to inquire their fate, and to know whether they had died like men. The aged father consoled himself for the loss of his son with the reflection that he had fallen manfully, and the widow half forgot her sorrow amid the praises that were uttered of the bravery of her husband. The hearts of the youths glowed with martial ardour as they heard these flattering praises, and the children joined in the shouts, of which they scarcely knew the meaning. Amidst all this uproar and bustle no one seemed conscious of the presence of the warrior-chief. He heard many inquiries made respecting his fate. He heard his companions tell how he had fought, conquered, and fallen, pierced by an arrow through his breast, and how he had been left behind among the slain on the field of battle.

「クマウジーウグ! クマウジーウグ! クマウジーウグ! 出会い、戦い、打ち勝った!」とどの口も叫び、その言葉は村のいちばん遠いところまで響きわたった。仲間を失った者たちは、その者がどうなったか、男らしく死んだかどうかを知ろうと熱心に尋ねに来た。年老いた父は、息子が男らしく倒れたと思うことで息子を失った悲しみを慰め、未亡人は夫の勇敢さをたたえる言葉のなかで悲しみをなかば忘れた。若者たちはこうした称賛を聞いて戦の熱に胸を燃やし、子どもたちもほとんど意味もわからないまま叫びに加わった。この騒ぎとざわめきのなかで、誰も戦士の首長がそこにいることに気づいていないようだった。首長は、自分がどうなったかについてたくさんの問いがなされるのを聞いた。仲間たちが、首長がどう戦い、打ち勝ち、胸を矢に貫かれて倒れたか、そして戦場で死者のなかに残されてきたかを語るのを聞いた。

"It is not true," declared the angry chief, "that I was killed and left upon the field! I am here. I live; I move; see me; touch me. I shall again raise my spear in battle, and take my place in the feast."

「嘘だ」と怒った首長は言い張った。「わたしが殺されて戦場に置き去りにされたなどと! わたしはここにいる。生きている。動いている。わたしを見ろ。触れてみろ。わたしはまた戦で槍を掲げ、宴で自分の席に着くのだ。」

Nobody, however, seemed conscious of his presence, and his voice was mistaken for the whispering of the wind.

けれども誰も首長がそこにいることに気づかないようで、その声は風のささやきと間違えられた。

He now walked to his own lodge, and there he found his wife tearing her hair and lamenting over his fate. He endeavoured to undeceive her, but she, like the others, appeared to be insensible of his presence, and not to hear his voice. She sat in a despairing manner, with her head reclining on her hands. The chief asked her to bind up his wounds, but she made no reply. He placed his mouth close to her ear and shouted--

首長は今度は自分の小屋へ歩いていった。そこでは妻が髪をかきむしって、夫の運命を嘆いていた。首長は妻の思い違いを正そうとしたが、妻もほかの者と同じように首長がいることに気づかず、その声も聞こえないようだった。妻は絶望したようすで、頭を両手にもたせて座っていた。首長は傷を縛ってくれと頼んだが、妻は何も答えなかった。首長は口を妻の耳にすぐ近づけて叫んだ——

"I am hungry, give me some food!"

「腹が減った、何か食べ物をくれ!」

The wife thought she heard a buzzing in her ear, and remarked it to one who sat by. The enraged husband now summoning all his strength, struck her a blow on the forehead. His wife raised her hand to her head, and said to her friend--

妻は耳のなかでぶんぶんいう音がしたように思って、そばに座っていた者にそう言った。怒った夫はありったけの力をふりしぼって、妻の額を一撃した。妻は手を頭に上げて友に言った——

"I feel a slight shooting pain in my head."

「頭にちょっとずきんと痛みがするわ。」

Foiled thus in every attempt to make himself known, the warrior-chief began to reflect upon what he had heard in his youth, to the effect that the spirit was sometimes permitted to leave the body and wander about. He concluded that possibly his body might have remained upon the field of battle, while his spirit only accompanied his returning friends. He determined to return to the field, although it was four days' journey away. He accordingly set out upon his way. For three days he pursued his way without meeting anything uncommon; but on the fourth, towards evening, as he came to the skirts of the battlefield, he saw a fire in the path before him. He walked to one side to avoid stepping into it, but the fire also changed its position, and was still before him. He then went in another direction, but the mysterious fire still crossed his path, and seemed to bar his entrance to the scene of the conflict. In short, whichever way he took, the fire was still before him,--no expedient seemed to avail him.

こうして自分を知らせようとする試みがことごとくくじかれると、戦士の首長は、若いころに聞いた、魂はときに体を離れてさまよい歩くことを許されるという話を思い返しはじめた。そして首長は、ひょっとすると自分の体は戦場に残っていて、魂だけが帰る仲間たちについてきたのかもしれないと思い当たった。四日の道のりだったが、首長は戦場へ戻ろうと決めた。そこで首長は帰り道についた。三日のあいだ何も変わったことに出会わずに進んだが、四日目の夕方近く、戦場のへりに来ると、行く手の道に火が見えた。首長は踏み込まないようにわきへよけたが、火も場所を変えて、やはり前にあった。それから別の方向へ行ったが、不思議な火はやはり行く手を横切り、戦いの場所へ入るのをはばんでいるようだった。要するに、どの道をとっても火はやはり前にあり、どんな手立ても役に立たないようだった。

"Thou demon!" he exclaimed at length, "why dost thou bar my approach to the field of battle? Knowest thou not that I am a spirit also, and that I seek again to enter my body? Dost thou presume that I shall return without effecting my object? Know that I have never been defeated by the enemies of my nation, and will not be defeated by thee!"

「悪霊め!」ととうとう首長は叫んだ。「なぜわたしが戦場へ近づくのをはばむのだ。わたしも霊で、もう一度自分の体に入ろうとしているのがわからないのか。目的も果たさずにわたしが引き返すと思っているのか。いいか、わたしは一族の敵に負けたことは一度もない。お前にも負けはしないぞ!」

So saying, he made a sudden effort and jumped through the flame. No sooner had he done so than he found himself sitting on the ground, with his back supported by a tree, his bow leaning against his shoulder, all his warlike dress and arms upon his body, just as they had been left by his friends on the day of battle. Looking up he beheld a large canicu, or war eagle, sitting in the tree above his head. He immediately recognised this bird to be the same as he had once dreamt of in his youth--the one he had chosen as his guardian spirit, or personal manito. This eagle had carefully watched his body and prevented other ravenous birds from touching it.

そう言うと、首長はいきなり力をこめて炎のなかを跳び越えた。そうするやいなや、首長は木に背をもたせて地面に座っていた。弓は肩に立てかけられ、戦の衣装と武器はみな身につけていて、戦いの日に仲間たちが残していったとおりだった。見上げると、頭の上の木に大きなカニクー、つまり戦の鷲がとまっていた。首長はすぐに、この鳥が若いころに夢に見た鳥——自分の守護の霊、つまり自分のマニトウに選んだ鳥だとわかった。この鷲が首長の体を注意深く見張って、ほかの貪欲な鳥たちが触れないようにしていたのである。

The chief got up and stood upon his feet, but he felt himself weak and much exhausted. The blood upon his wound had stanched itself, and he now bound it up. He possessed a knowledge of such roots as have healing properties, and these he carefully sought in the woods. Having found some, he pounded some of them between stones and applied them externally. Others he chewed and swallowed. In a short time he found himself so much recovered as to be able to commence his journey, but he suffered greatly from hunger, not seeing any large animals that he might kill. However, he succeeded in killing some small birds with his bow and arrow, and these he roasted before a fire at night.

首長は起き上がって足で立ったが、体が弱ってひどく疲れているのを感じた。傷の血はひとりでに止まっていたので、首長は傷を縛った。首長は癒す力のある草の根を知っていたので、森でそれを注意深く探した。いくらか見つけると、ある根は石のあいだでつぶして傷に当てた。ほかの根は噛んで呑み込んだ。まもなく首長は旅をはじめられるほど回復したが、仕留められる大きな獣が見当たらず、ひどく飢えに苦しんだ。それでも弓矢で小鳥をいくらか仕留めることができ、それを夜に火で焼いて食べた。

In this way he sustained himself until he came to a river that separated his wife and friends from him. He stood upon the bank and gave that peculiar whoop which is a signal of the return of a friend. The sound was immediately heard, and a canoe was despatched to bring him over, and in a short time, amidst the shouts of his friends and relations, who thronged from every side to see the arrival, the warrior-chief was landed.

こうして首長は命をつないで、妻や仲間たちのいるところと自分をへだてる川まで来た。首長は岸に立って、仲間が帰ってきたしるしのあの独特の雄叫びをあげた。その声はすぐに聞こえて、首長を渡すためにカヌーが遣わされた。まもなく、帰還を見ようと四方から押し寄せた仲間や身内の歓声のなかで、戦士の首長は岸に上がった。

When the first wild bursts of wonder and joy had subsided, and some degree of quiet had been restored to the village, he related to his people the account of his adventures. He concluded his narrative by telling them that it is pleasing to the spirit of a deceased person to have a fire built upon the grave for four nights after his burial; that it is four days' journey to the land appointed for the residence of the spirits; that in its journey thither the spirit stands in need of a fire every night at the place of its encampment; and that if the friends kindle this fire upon the spot where the body is laid, the spirit has the benefit of its light and warmth on its path, while if the friends neglect to do this, the spirit is subjected to the irksome task of making its own fire each night.

驚きと喜びの最初の激しい高まりがおさまって、村にいくらか静けさが戻ると、首長は人々に自分の身に起こったことを語った。首長は話の締めくくりに、こう告げた。死者の魂は、葬られてから四晩、墓の上に火を焚いてもらうと喜ぶ。霊の住まいと定められた国までは四日の道のりである。そこへ旅するあいだ、魂は毎晩野営する場所で火を必要とする。仲間が体の横たわる場所でこの火をともせば、魂は道中その明かりと暖かさの恵みを受けるが、仲間がこれを怠れば、魂は毎晩自分で火をおこす煩わしい仕事をしなければならないのだ、と。