The Legend of O-na-wut-a-qut-o

A long time ago there lived an aged Odjibwa and his wife on the shores of Lake Huron. They had an only son, a very beautiful boy, named O-na-wut-a-qut-o, or He that catches the clouds. The family were of the totem of the beaver. The parents were very proud of their son, and wished to make him a celebrated man; but when he reached the proper age he would not submit to the We-koon-de-win, or fast. When this time arrived they gave him charcoal instead of his breakfast, but he would not blacken his face. If they denied him food he sought bird's eggs along the shore, or picked up the heads of fish that had been cast away, and broiled them. One day they took away violently the food he had prepared, and cast him some coals in place of it. This act decided him. He took the coals and blackened his face and went out of the lodge. He did not return, but lay down without to sleep. As he lay, a very beautiful girl came down from the clouds and stood by his side.

ずっと昔、ヒューロン湖の岸に年老いたオジブワの男とその妻が住んでいた。二人にはひとり息子がいて、それはたいそう美しい少年で、オナウタクト、すなわち雲をつかむ者という名だった。一家はビーバーのトーテムに属していた。両親は息子をたいそう自慢にしていて、名高い男にしたいと願っていた。けれども息子はしかるべき年ごろになっても、ウェクーンデウィン、つまり断食に従おうとしなかった。その時が来ると両親は朝食の代わりに炭を与えたが、息子は顔を黒く塗ろうとしなかった。食べ物を与えないと、息子は岸で鳥の卵を探したり、捨てられた魚の頭を拾ったりして焼いて食べた。ある日、両親は息子がこしらえた食べ物を力ずくで取り上げ、代わりに炭を投げてよこした。この仕打ちが息子の心を決めさせた。息子は炭を取って顔を黒く塗り、小屋を出ていった。息子は戻らず、外で横になって眠った。横たわっていると、たいそう美しい娘が雲から降りてきて、そばに立った。

"O-na-wut-a-qut-o," she said, "I am come for you. Follow in my footsteps."

「オナウタクト」と娘は言った。「あなたを迎えに来ました。わたしの足跡についてきて。」

The young man rose and did as he was bid. Presently he found himself ascending above the tops of the trees, and gradually he mounted up step by step into the air, and through the clouds. At length his guide led him through an opening, and he found himself standing with her on a beautiful plain.

若者は起き上がって言われたとおりにした。まもなく若者は木々のてっぺんより上へ昇っていくのに気づき、一歩ずつ少しずつ宙へ昇って、雲を抜けていった。とうとう案内する娘は若者をある入口へ導き、気がつくと若者は娘と一緒に美しい平原に立っていた。

A path led to a splendid lodge, into which O-na-wut-a-qut-o followed his guide. It was large, and divided into two parts. At one end he saw bows and arrows, clubs and spears, and various warlike instruments tipped with silver. At the other end were things exclusively belonging to women. This was the house of his fair guide, and he saw that she had on a frame a broad rich belt of many colours that she was weaving.

小道が見事な小屋へ通じていて、オナウタクトは案内する娘について入った。小屋は大きく、二つに分かれていた。一方の端には、銀の先のついた弓矢や棍棒や槍やさまざまな武具があった。もう一方の端には女だけの持ち物があった。これが美しい案内の娘の家で、娘が枠の上で色とりどりの幅広い豪華な帯を織っているのが見えた。

"My brother is coming," she said, "and I must hide you."

「兄が来るわ」と娘は言った。「あなたを隠さなくては。」

Putting him in one corner she spread the belt over him, and presently the brother came in very richly dressed, and shining as if he had points of silver all over him. He took down from the wall a splendid pipe, and a bag in which was a-pa-ko-ze-gun, or smoking mixture. When he had finished smoking, he laid his pipe aside, and said to his sister--

娘は若者を片隅に置いて帯をかぶせた。まもなく兄が入ってきた。たいそう豪華に着飾って、体じゅうに銀の点があるかのように輝いていた。兄は壁から見事なきせると、アパコゼグン、つまり煙草の混ぜものの入った袋を取った。吸い終わるときせるをわきへ置いて妹に言った——

"Nemissa," (elder sister) "when will you quit these practices? Do you forget that the greatest of the spirits has commanded that you shall not take away the children from below? Perhaps you think you have concealed O-na-wut-a-qut-o, but do I not know of his coming? If you would not offend me, send him back at once."

「ネミッサ(姉よ)、いつになったらそういうことをやめるのだ。霊のなかでいちばん偉い方が、下から子どもたちを連れ去ってはならぬとお命じになったのを忘れたのか。オナウタクトを隠しおおせたと思っているのかもしれないが、あいつが来たことをわたしが知らないとでも思うのか。わたしを怒らせたくないなら、すぐにあいつを帰せ。」

These words did not, however, alter his sister's purpose. She would not send him back, and her brother, finding that she was determined, called O-na-wut-a-qut-o from his hiding-place.

けれどもこの言葉は妹の心を変えなかった。妹は若者を帰そうとせず、兄は妹の決心が固いと知ると、隠れ場所からオナウタクトを呼んだ。

"Come out of your concealment," said he, "and walk about and amuse yourself. You will grow hungry if you remain there."

「隠れているところから出てきて」と兄は言った。「歩きまわって楽しむがいい。そこにいたら腹が減るだろう。」

At these words O-na-wut-a-qut-o came forth from under the belt, and the brother presented a bow and arrows, with a pipe of red stone, richly ornamented, to him. In this way he gave his consent to O-na-wut-a-qut-o's marriage with his sister, and from that time the youth and the girl became husband and wife.

この言葉にオナウタクトは帯の下から出てきた。すると兄は弓矢と、豪華に飾った赤い石のきせるを若者に贈った。こうして兄はオナウタクトと妹の結婚を認め、そのときから若者と娘は夫婦になった。

O-na-wut-a-qut-o found everything exceedingly fair and beautiful around him, but he found no other people besides his wife and her brother. There were flowers on the plains, there were bright and sparkling streams, there were green valleys and pleasant trees, there were gay birds and beautiful animals, very different from those he had been accustomed to. There was also day and night as on the earth, but he observed that every morning the brother regularly left the lodge and remained absent all day, and every evening his sister departed, but generally for only a part of the night.

オナウタクトはまわりのあらゆるものがこの上なく麗しく美しいと思ったが、妻とその兄のほかには誰もいなかった。平原には花が咲き、明るくきらめく流れがあり、緑の谷と心地よい木々があり、見慣れたものとはまるで違う華やかな鳥や美しい獣がいた。地上と同じように昼も夜もあったが、若者は、毎朝兄がきまって小屋を出て一日じゅう留守にし、毎晩妹が出かけていくのに気づいた。もっとも妹はたいてい夜の一部だけ出かけていた。

O-na-wut-a-qut-o was curious to solve this mystery, and obtained the brother's consent to accompany him in one of his daily journeys. They travelled over a smooth plain which seemed to stretch to illimitable distances all around. At length O-na-wut-a-qut-o felt the gnawings of hunger and asked his companion if there was no game about.

オナウタクトはこの謎を解きたくなって、兄の日々の旅のひとつについていく許しを得た。二人はまわりじゅう果てしなく広がっているように見える滑らかな平原を旅した。とうとうオナウタクトは空腹にさいなまれ、連れにこのあたりに獲物はいないのかと尋ねた。

"Patience, my brother," replied he; "we shall soon reach the spot where I eat my dinner, and you will then see how I am provided."

「辛抱しろ、弟よ」と兄は答えた。「もうすぐわたしが食事をする場所に着く。そうしたら、わたしがどう食べ物を得ているかわかるだろう。」

After walking on a long time they came to a place where several fine mats were spread, and there they sat down to refresh themselves. At this place there was a hole in the sky and O-na-wut-a-qut-o, at his companion's request, looked through it down upon the earth. He saw below the great lakes and the villages of the Indians. In one place he saw a war-party stealing on the camp of their enemies. In another he saw feasting and dancing. On a green plain some young men were playing at ball, and along the banks of a stream were women employed in gathering the a-puk-wa for mats.

長いこと歩き続けて、立派な敷物がいくつも広げてある場所に着き、二人はそこに座って休んだ。その場所には空に穴があって、オナウタクトは連れに言われて、そこから大地を見下ろした。下には大きな湖とインディアンの村々が見えた。ある場所では、戦の一団が敵の野営地に忍び寄っていた。別の場所では宴と踊りが見えた。緑の平原では若者たちが球技をしていて、流れの岸では女たちが敷物にするアプクワを集めていた。

"Do you see," asked the brother, "that group of children playing beside a lodge? Observe that beautiful and active lad," said he, at the same time darting something from his hand. The child immediately fell on the ground, and was carried by his companions into the lodge.

「見えるか」と兄は尋ねた。「小屋のそばで遊んでいるあの子どもたちの群れが。あの美しく元気な男の子を見ろ」と言いながら、兄は同時に手から何かを放った。子どもはたちまち地面に倒れ、仲間たちに小屋へ運ばれていった。

O-na-wut-a-qut-o and his companion watched and saw the people below gathering about the lodge. They listened to the she-she-gwau of the meeta, to the song he sang asking that the child's life might be spared. To this request O-na-wut-a-qut-o's companion made answer--

オナウタクトと連れが見ていると、下の人々が小屋のまわりに集まるのが見えた。二人は、ミーター(まじない師)のシェシェグワウ(がらがら)の音と、子どもの命を助けてくれと願う歌に耳を傾けた。この願いにオナウタクトの連れは答えた——

"Send me up the sacrifice of a white dog."

「白い犬の生贄を送ってよこせ。」

A feast was immediately ordered by the parents of the child. The white dog was killed, his carcass was roasted, all the wise men and medicine-men of the village assembling to witness the ceremony.

子どもの両親はすぐに宴を命じた。白い犬が殺されて丸焼きにされ、村の賢者とまじない師がみな儀式を見届けに集まった。

"There are many below," said O-na-wut-a-qut-o's companion, "whom you call great in medical skill. They are so, because their ears are open; and they are able to succeed, because when I call they hear my voice. When I have struck one with sickness they direct the people to look to me, and when they make me the offering I ask, I remove my hand from off the sick person and he becomes well."

「下には」とオナウタクトの連れは言った。「お前たちが医術に長けていると呼ぶ者がたくさんいる。そう呼ばれるのは耳が開いているからだ。そして彼らがうまくやれるのは、わたしが呼ぶとわたしの声が聞こえるからだ。わたしが誰かを病で打つと、彼らは人々にわたしを仰ぎ見るよう教え、人々がわたしの求める供え物をすると、わたしは病人から手をどけ、病人はよくなるのだ。」

While he was saying this, the feast below had been served. Then the master of the feast said--

兄がこう話しているあいだに、下では宴が整っていた。すると宴の主が言った——

"We send this to thee, Great Manito," and immediately the roasted animal came up. Thus O-na-wut-a-qut-o and his companion got their dinner, and after they had eaten they returned to the lodge by a different path.

「これをあなたに送ります、大いなるマニトウよ。」するとたちまち焼いた獣が昇ってきた。こうしてオナウタクトと連れは食事にありつき、食べ終わると別の道を通って小屋へ帰った。

In this manner they lived for some time, but at last the youth got weary of the life. He thought of his friends, and wished to go back to them. He could not forget his native village and his father's lodge, and he asked his wife's permission to return. After some persuasion she consented.

こうして二人はしばらく暮らしたが、とうとう若者はその暮らしに飽きてしまった。友だちのことを思い、そのもとへ帰りたくなった。生まれた村と父の小屋が忘れられず、若者は妻に帰る許しを求めた。いくらか説き伏せると妻は承知した。

"Since you are better pleased," she said, "with the cares and ills and poverty of the world, than with the peaceful delights of the sky and its boundless prairies, go. I give you my permission, and since I have brought you hither I will conduct you back. Remember, however, that you are still my husband. I hold a chain in my hand by which I can, whenever I will, draw you back to me. My power over you will be in no way diminished. Beware, therefore, how you venture to take a wife among the people below. Should you ever do so, you will feel what a grievous thing it is to arouse my anger."

「あなたは」と妻は言った。「空の穏やかな喜びと果てしない草原よりも、世の中の心配ごとや災いや貧しさのほうがいいというのね。それなら行きなさい。許してあげます。わたしがここへ連れてきたのだから、わたしが連れて帰ってあげましょう。でも覚えておいて、あなたは今もわたしの夫です。わたしは手に鎖を握っていて、いつでも好きなときにあなたをわたしのもとへ引き戻せるのよ。わたしのあなたへの力は少しも弱まりません。だから下の人々のなかから妻をめとったりしないよう気をつけなさい。もしそんなことをしたら、わたしの怒りをかき立てるのがどんなに恐ろしいことか思い知るでしょう。」

As she uttered these words her eyes sparkled, and she drew herself up with a majestic air. In the same moment O-na-wut-a-qut-o awoke. He found himself on the ground near his father's lodge, on the very spot where he had thrown himself down to sleep. Instead of the brighter beings of a higher world, he found around him his parents and their friends. His mother told him that he had been absent a year. For some time O-na-wut-a-qut-o remained gloomy and silent, but by degrees he recovered his spirits, and he began to doubt the reality of all he had seen and heard above. At last he even ventured to marry a beautiful girl of his own tribe. But within four days she died. Still he was forgetful of his first wife's command, and he married again. Then one night he left his lodge, to which he never returned. His wife, it is believed, recalled him to the sky, where he still dwells, walking the vast plains.

そう言いながら妻の目はきらめき、妻は堂々と身を起こした。その瞬間、オナウタクトは目を覚ました。気がつくと父の小屋の近くの地面の上、まさに眠ろうと身を投げ出したその場所にいた。上の世界の輝かしい者たちの代わりに、まわりには両親とその友人たちがいた。母は、お前は一年いなかったのだと言った。しばらくのあいだオナウタクトは沈んで黙りこんでいたが、少しずつ元気を取り戻し、上で見聞きしたことはみなほんとうだったのだろうかと疑いはじめた。とうとう若者は思い切って自分の部族の美しい娘をめとった。けれども四日のうちにその娘は死んだ。それでも若者は最初の妻の命令を忘れていて、また妻をめとった。するとある夜、若者は小屋を出ていき、二度と戻らなかった。人々の信じるところでは、妻が若者を空へ呼び戻したのであり、若者は今もそこに住んで、広大な平原を歩いているという。