The Journey to the Island of Souls

Once upon a time there lived in the nation of the Chippeways a most beautiful maiden, the flower of the wilderness, the delight and wonder of all who saw her. She was called the Rock-rose, and was beloved by a youthful hunter, whose advances gained her affection. No one was like the brave Outalissa in her eyes: his deeds were the greatest, his skill was the most wonderful. It was not permitted them, however, to become the inhabitants of one lodge. Death came to the flower of the Chippeways. In the morning of her days she died, and her body was laid in the dust with the customary rites of burial. All mourned for her, but Outalissa was a changed man. No more did he find delight in the chase or on the war-path. He grew sad, shunned the society of his brethren. He stood motionless as a tree in the hour of calm, as the wave that is frozen up by the breath of the cold wind.

むかし、チッペウェイ族のなかに、この上なく美しい娘が住んでいた。荒野の花であり、見る者みなの喜びであり驚きだった。娘は岩のバラと呼ばれ、一人の若い狩人に愛されていて、その求愛が娘の心をとらえていた。娘の目には勇敢なウタリッサに並ぶ者はいなかった。その手柄はいちばん大きく、その腕前はいちばん見事だった。けれども二人が一つの小屋に住むことは許されなかった。死がチッペウェイの花に訪れたのである。人生の朝に娘は死に、その亡骸はしきたりどおりの葬いとともに土に横たえられた。みな娘を悼んだが、ウタリッサは人が変わってしまった。もう狩りにも戦いの道にも喜びを見出さなかった。悲しみに沈み、兄弟たちとの交わりを避けた。凪の時の木のように、冷たい風の息に凍りついた波のように、身じろぎもせず立っていた。

Joy came no more to him. He told his discontent in the ears of his people, and spoke of his determination to seek his beloved maiden. She had but removed, he said, as the birds fly away at the approach of winter, and it required but due diligence on his part to find her. Having prepared himself, as a hunter makes ready for a long journey, he armed himself with his war-spear and bow and arrow, and set out to the Land of Souls.

もう喜びはウタリッサに戻ってこなかった。ウタリッサは不満を一族の者たちの耳に語り、愛する娘を探しに行く決意を話した。娘は、冬が近づくと鳥が飛び去るように、ただ移っていっただけだ、自分がしかるべく骨を折りさえすれば娘を見つけられる、とウタリッサは言った。狩人が長い旅の支度をするように身支度を整えると、ウタリッサは戦の槍と弓矢で身を固め、魂の国へ向けて出発した。

Directed by the old tradition of his fathers, he travelled south to reach that region, leaving behind him the great star. As he moved onwards, he found a more pleasant region succeeding to that in which he had lived. Daily, hourly, he remarked the change. The ice grew thinner, the air warmer, the trees taller. Birds, such as he had never seen before, sang in the bushes, and fowl of many kinds were pluming themselves in the warm sun on the shores of the lake. The gay woodpecker was tapping the hollow beech, the swallow and the martin were skimming along the level of the green vales. He heard no more the cracking of branches beneath the weight of icicles and snow, he saw no more the spirits of departed men dancing wild dances on the skirts of the northern clouds, and the farther he travelled the milder grew the skies, the longer was the period of the sun's stay upon the earth, and the softer, though less brilliant, the light of the moon.

父祖の古い言い伝えに導かれて、ウタリッサはその地に着くために、大きな星をうしろにして南へ旅をした。進んでいくにつれて、住んでいたところのあとに、もっと心地よい土地が続いた。日ごとに、刻一刻と、ウタリッサは変化に気づいた。氷は薄くなり、空気は暖かくなり、木々は高くなった。見たこともない鳥が茂みで歌い、さまざまな水鳥が湖の岸の暖かい日なたで羽づくろいをしていた。陽気なキツツキはうつろなブナの木を叩き、ツバメやイワツバメは緑の谷の平地をかすめて飛んでいた。もうつららと雪の重みで枝が折れる音は聞こえず、北の雲のすそで死者の霊たちが荒々しい踊りを踊るのも見えなかった。そして遠くへ旅するほど空は穏やかになり、太陽が大地にとどまる時間は長くなり、月の光は輝きこそ弱いが柔らかくなった。

Noting these changes as he went with a joyful heart, for they were indications of his near approach to the land of joy and delight, he came at length to a cabin situated on the brow of a steep hill in the middle of a narrow road. At the door of this cabin stood a man of a most ancient and venerable appearance. He was bent nearly double with age. His locks were white as snow. His eyes were sunk very far into his head, and the flesh was wasted from his bones, till they were like trees from which the bark has been peeled. He was clothed in a robe of white goat's skin, and a long staff supported his tottering limbs whithersoever he walked.

これらの変化を、喜びと楽しみの国に近づいているしるしだと喜びながら心に留めて進んでいくと、ウタリッサはとうとう、細い道のなかほどの険しい丘の頂に立つ小屋に着いた。その小屋の戸口に、この上なく年老いた尊い姿の男が立っていた。男は年のせいで体がほとんど二つに折れ曲がっていた。髪は雪のように白かった。目は頭の奥深くに落ちくぼみ、肉は骨から落ちて、骨は皮をはがれた木のようだった。男は白い山羊の皮の衣をまとい、どこへ歩くにも長い杖がよろめく手足を支えていた。

The Chippeway began to tell him who he was, and why he had come thither, but the aged man stopped him, telling him he knew upon what errand he was bent.

チッペウェイの男は自分が何者で、どうしてここへ来たのかを話しはじめたが、老人はそれを止めて、お前がどんな用向きで来たのか知っていると言った。

"A short while before," said he, "there passed the soul of a tender and lovely maiden, well-known to the son of the Red Elk, on her way to the beautiful island. She was fatigued with her long journey, and rested a while in this cabin. She told me the story of your love, and was persuaded that you would attempt to follow her to the Lake of Spirits."

「少し前に」と老人は言った。「赤いヘラジカの息子のよく知る、優しく愛らしい娘の魂が、美しい島へ向かって通っていった。娘は長い旅に疲れて、しばらくこの小屋で休んだ。娘はわしに、お前たちの恋の話をして、お前がきっと霊の湖まで自分を追ってこようとするだろうと信じておった。」

The old man, further, told Outalissa that if he made speed he might hope to overtake the maiden on the way. Before, however, he resumed his journey he must leave behind him his body, his spear, bow, and arrows, which the old man promised to keep for him should he return. The Chippeway left his body and arms behind him, and under the direction of the old man entered upon the road to the Blissful Island. He had travelled but a couple of bowshots when it met his view, even more beautiful than his fathers had painted it.

老人はさらにウタリッサに、急げば途中で娘に追いつけるかもしれないと言った。けれども旅を続ける前に、体と槍と弓矢をここに置いていかなければならない、戻ってきたときのために預かっておいてやろう、と老人は約束した。チッペウェイの男は体と武器を置いて、老人の指図に従って至福の島への道に入った。弓の射程を二度ほど行っただけで、島が目に入った。それは父祖たちが語ったよりもさらに美しかった。

He stood upon the brow of a hill which sloped gently down to the water of a lake which stretched as far as eye could see. Upon its banks were groves of beautiful trees of all kinds, and many canoes were to be seen gliding over its water. Afar, in the centre of the lake, lay the beautiful island appointed for the residence of the good. He walked down to the shore and entered a canoe which stood ready for him, made of a shining white stone. Seizing the paddle, he pushed off from the shore and commenced to make his way to the island. As he did so, he came to a canoe like his own, in which he found her whom he was in pursuit of. She recognised him, and the two canoes glided side by side over the water. Then Outalissa knew that he was on the Water of Judgment, the great water over which every soul must pass to reach the beautiful island, or in which it must sink to meet the punishment of the wicked. The two lovers glided on in fear, for the water seemed at times ready to swallow them, and around them they could see many canoes, which held those whose lives had been wicked, going down. The Master of Life had, however, decreed that they should pass in safety, and they reached the shores of the beautiful island, on which they landed full of joy.

ウタリッサは、目の届くかぎり広がる湖の水へゆるやかに下る丘の頂に立っていた。湖の岸にはあらゆる種類の美しい木々の林があり、たくさんのカヌーが水の上をすべっていくのが見えた。遠く湖のまんなかに、善き者たちの住まいと定められた美しい島があった。ウタリッサは岸へ下りていき、自分のために用意された、光る白い石でできたカヌーに乗った。櫂をつかんで岸から漕ぎ出し、島へ向かいはじめた。すると自分のと同じようなカヌーに行き合い、そのなかに追い求めていた娘がいた。娘はウタリッサに気づき、二艘のカヌーは並んで水の上をすべっていった。そのときウタリッサは、自分が裁きの水の上にいるのだと知った。あらゆる魂が美しい島へ着くために渡らなければならず、さもなければ悪しき者の罰を受けるために沈まなければならない大いなる水である。二人の恋人は恐れながらすべっていった。水はときに二人を呑み込もうとしているように見え、まわりには、悪しき生を送った者たちを乗せたたくさんのカヌーが沈んでいくのが見えた。けれども命の主は二人が無事に渡ることを定めていたので、二人は美しい島の岸に着き、喜びに満ちて上陸した。

It is impossible to tell the delights with which they found it filled. Mild and soft winds, clear and sweet waters, cool and refreshing shades, perpetual verdure, inexhaustible fertility, met them on all sides. Gladly would the son of the Red Elk have remained for ever with his beloved in the happy island, but the words of the Master of Life came to him in the pauses of the breeze, saying--

二人がそこに満ちているのを見た喜びは、とても語り尽くせない。穏やかで柔らかな風、澄んで甘い水、涼しくすがすがしい木陰、絶えることのない緑、尽きることのない実り——それがあらゆるところで二人を迎えた。赤いヘラジカの息子は、愛する娘とともにこの幸せな島にいつまでもとどまりたかった。けれども命の主の言葉が、そよ風の途切れ目にウタリッサに届いて言った——

"Go back to thy own land, hunter. Your time has not yet come. You have not yet performed the work I have for you to do, nor can you yet enjoy those pleasures which belong to them who have performed their allotted task on earth. Go back, then. In time thou shalt rejoin her, the love of whom has brought thee hither."

「お前の国へ帰れ、狩人よ。お前の時はまだ来ていない。お前はまだ、わたしがお前に与えた仕事を果たしておらず、地上で割り当てられた務めを果たした者たちのものである喜びを、まだ味わうことはできない。だから帰れ。やがてお前は、その愛ゆえにここへ来た娘とふたたび一緒になるだろう。」