|
在一个大村子头上的巴拉巴拉（当地人的房屋）里，生活着一位老奶奶和她的孙子—一只乌鸦。他们住得离其他村民很远，因为村民们不喜欢他们。男人们捕捞鳕鱼回来时，乌鸦会来乞讨食物，但他们从来不给他任何东西。所有人都离开沙滩后，乌鸦会来捡剩下的残渣，甚至臭鱼。乌鸦和他的祖母就靠这些为生。 有一个冬天非常寒冷，根本没法捕鱼狩猎，食物变得非常稀少，村庄面临饥荒。连酋长的食物也所剩无几。因此，酋长把所有人召集在一起，敦促大家尽一切努力弄到食物，不然的话，他们就会饿死了。 酋长随后宣布，他希望自己的儿子从村里的女孩中挑选一位新娘。所有的女孩都激动地回应这一重大事件，她们穿上最好的服装，戴上最漂亮的首饰。 人们暂时忘记了饥饿，因为女孩子们排着队争相表现，酋长用挑剥的眼光评判着，从美丽的女孩子中选出最美丽的来给儿子做新娘。他们的结婚典礼之后，村长举办了一场盛宴，但很快饥饿又再度来袭。 乌鸦栖歇在他巴拉巴拉门外的一根杆子上，聚精会神地观察并倾听着所发生的一切。宴会结束后，他飞回家里，对奶奶说，"我也想结婚。”奶奶没有回答。他便开始了工作，为他的小家积攒食物。他每天都飞到海滩寻找死鱼或死鸟，他找到的食物总是两个人都吃不完。他飞到村里，注意到饥荒好像更严重了。他问酋长：“如果我送给你食物，你给我什么呢？” 酋长看着他，非常惊讶，说道：“你可以娶我的大女儿做你的妻子。”没有什么比这更让乌鸦高兴的了，他愉快地飞走了，回家对奶奶说：“我们打扫一下巴拉巴拉，为我的新娘把一切都弄得干干净净的。我要给酋长一些食物，他已答应把大女儿嫁给我啦。” ‘‘啊，啊，啊呀！你要结婚啦？我们的巴拉巴拉太小太脏，把你妻子放哪儿呀？” "呱1呱！呱！没关系，就按我说的做吧。”他对奶奶尖叫道，啄着她让她快去准备。 第二天一大清早，乌鸦就飞走了。过了一会儿,他用爪子抓回一捆干鲑鱼。“奶奶，跟我到酋长家！”他叫道。乌鸦把鱼递给酋长，接受了酋长的大女儿做他的新娘。 奶奶带着他的新娘回家时，乌鸦已赶在她们前面先飞回了家。把家里的旧稻草和被褥都扔了出去。两位女士到达后，发现家中空空如也。奶奶开始责骂他说："你干什么？为什么要把东西都扔出去？” "我在大扫除，你、也看到啦。'’乌鸦敷衍了事地说。 夜晚来临时，乌鸦展开一只翅膀，让新娘躺在上面，然后用另一只翅膀盖住她。新娘那一晚过得糟糕透了，因为乌鸦身上的鱼臭味儿都要让她窒息了。于是她决定第二天早上离开。 但到了早晨，她决定留下来试着习惯他。白天她郁郁寡欢，闷闷不乐，乌鸦给她食物，她也不吃。第二天晚上，乌鸦让她躺在他的胸膛上，在他的臂弯里休息。乌鸦多次劝说，她才顺从了他的意思。第二个晚上对她来说没有半点儿好转。第三天一早，她就偷偷离开乌鸦回到父亲家中，告诉了父亲一切。 乌鸦醒来后发现妻子不见了，就问奶奶妻子的下落，奶奶向乌鸦保证她一无所知。“到酋长家去把她给我带回来！”乌鸦嚷道。奶奶很害怕他，便照他说的出发了。她来到酋长家，却被赶出了大门，回来后她立刻向孙子说了这件事。 温暖而又舒适的夏季过去了，又一个严冬和另一场饥荒接踵而至。就像上一个冬天一样，奶奶和乌鸦有足够的食物和木柴，而其他人却饱受食物匮乏的折磨。乌鸦又想到了结婚，这次是一个年轻漂亮的姑娘，她住在村子的另一头。他告诉奶奶自己想娶这个姑娘。他说道："奶奶，你去把姑娘带到这里，我要娶她。" “啊，啊，啊呀！你打算娶她？你第一个妻子不能与你一起生活，就因为你的体味太重了。女孩子不会愿意嫁给你的。” ‘'呱！呱！呱！你别管我身上的味啦！别管我身上的味！去；按我说的做。” 为了强化他的命令，确保奶奶能听话，他开始替奶奶啄羽毛，啄得她舒舒服服，高高兴兴地去了。奶奶离开后，乌鸦变得焦躁不安。在巴拉巴拉和附近的山丘间跳来跳去，瞪大眼睛竭力想看到他期待的新娘。 他慌乱地清理着巴拉巴拉，把旧稻草、被褥、篮子，所有的东西都扔掉了。奶奶一回来就责骂他，但他根本不理会。 与乌鸦的第一位妻子一样，这位年轻的新娘也被紧紧地裹在他的翅榜中，同样度过了一个悲惨的不眠之夜。但她决心尽可能地忍受他的气味，她觉得至少跟着他有充足的食物吃。第二晚同第一晚一样糟糕，但她留了下来，暗暗下决心要尽最大努力留到春天。 第三天，乌鸦看到妻子仍然跟他在一起，说道“奶奶，明天我就去弄一条大肥鲸。我不在的时候，给我妻子做一条腰带和一双拖巴纱（当地的鞋)。” “啊，啊，啊呀！你怎么能弄回大肥鲸呢？猎人们都杀不了一只，你如何能做到呢？" "呱！呱！呱！安静吧，就按我说的做，我去弄鲸鱼时你做一条腰带和一双鞋！”他生气地喊道，用他最有效的办法让奶奶闭上嘴。 第二天早上，还不等天亮，乌鸦就向大海飞去。他不在的时候，老奶奶忙着为年轻的新娘做那些东西，新娘在一边看着和她说着话。大约中午时分，他们看到乌鸦带着一条肥鲸鱼向岸边飞来。 奶奶生起火，年轻的妻子用她的新腰带把大衣束起来，穿上新的拖巴纱，磨快了石刀，到沙滩上去接丈夫。乌鸦走近了，冲奶奶喊道“奶奶，你去村里告诉所有的人，我弄回一条大肥鲸来。" 她以最快地速度跑去告诉大家这个好消息。饿得半死的人们突然活跃起来，有的磨刀，有的穿上他们最好的衣服。但大多数人既没有打扮也没有磨刀，立即跑到沙滩上来看鱼了。 乌鸦突然之间变得重要起来，他在鲸鱼背上跳上跳下，看着人们屠宰鲸鱼、大快朵颐的场面。 每隔一会儿，乌鸦就从他的包里拿出一块鹅卵石，想了一会儿又放了回去。当酋长和他的亲戚们走近时，乌鸦将他们赶走了。他们只能满足于看着别人享受盛宴，并把鮮鲸鱼肉带回家。后来，回到村里，人们还是把鲸鱼肉分给酋长吃了。 乌鸦的第一个妻子，就是酋长的女儿，生了乌鸦的儿子，一只小乌鸦。在沙 滩上她抱着小乌鸦，走在乌鸦的前面好让乌鸦注意到她。"这是你的孩子，看看它吧。”她说道。但乌鸦没理她。她叫了好几次，并不停地给他看孩子。最后乌鸦说，“走近点儿——再近点儿。”但是当她再也不能忍受他的气味时，她一言不发地离开了。 这场盛宴的结果是死亡。许多人当场吃了太多脂肪，很快就死了。其余的人吃了很多，又把他们的巴拉巴拉装得满满当当的，结果在当晚窒息而死。整个村庄只存活下三个人——乌鸦，他新婚的妻子，和他的奶奶。他们一直住在那里，后代繁衍至今。 In her barrabara (a native home) at the end of a large village, lived an old grandmother with her grandson, a raven. The two lived apart from the other villagers because they were disliked. When the men returned from fishing for cod, the raven would come and beg for food, but they would never give him any of their catch. But when all had left the beach, the raven would come and pick up any leftover refuse, even sick fish. On these, raven and his grandmother lived. One winter was extremely cold. Hunting was impossible; food became so scarce the villages neared starvation. Even their chief had but little left. So the chief called all his people together and urged them to use every effort to obtain food enough for all, or they would starve. The chief then announced that he wished for his son to take a bride and she would be selected from the girls of the village. All the girls responded to the excitement of the occasion and dressed in their very best costumes and jewelry. For a short time hunger was forgotten as the girls lined up for the contest and were judged by the critical eye of their chief, who selected the fairest of the fair for his son’s bride. A feast was given by the chief following their marriage ceremony. But soon after hunger began again. The raven perched on a pole outside his barrabara, observing and listening attentively to all that had happened. After the feast, he flew home and said to his grandmother, ”1，too, want to marry.” She made no reply, so he went about his work, gathering what food he could for his little home. Each day he flew to the beach and found dead fish or birds. He always gathered more than enough for two people. While he was in the village, he noted that the famine seemed worse. So he asked the chief, “What will you give me, if I bring you food?” The chief looked at him in great surprise and said, “You shall have my oldest daughter for your wife.” Nothing could have pleased raven more. He flew away in a joyful mood and said to his grandmother, “Let’s clean out the barrabara. Make everything clean for my bride. I am going to give the chief some food, and he has promised to give me his oldest daughter.” “Ai, Ai, Y-a-h! You are going to marry? Our barrabara is too small and too dirty. Where will you put your wife?” “Caw! Caw! Caw! Never mind. Do as I say!” he screamed at his grandmother, and began pecking her to hurry. Early next morning raven flew away, and later in the day returned with a bundle of dried salmon in his talons1 . “Come with me to the chiefs house, grandmother.” he called to her. Raven handed the fish to the chief and received the chiefs oldest daughter for his bride. Raven preceded his grandmother as she brought the bride to their little home. He cleared out the barrabara of old straw and bedding. When the two women arrived, they found the little home empty, and the grandmother began to scold him and said, “What are you doing? Why are you throwing out everything.” “I am cleaning house，as you can see.” raven curtly said. When night came, raven spread wide one wing, and asked his bride to lie on it, and then covered her with the other wing. She spent a miserable night, as raven’s fish odour nearly smothered her. So she determined she would leave in the morning. But by morning, she decided to stay and try to become accustomed to him. During the day she was cheerless and worried. When raven offered her food, she would not eat it. On the second night, raven invited her to lay her head on his chest and seek rest in his arms. Only after much persuasion did she comply with his wish. The second night was no better for her, so early the next morning she stole away from him and went back to her father’s house, telling him everything. Upon waking and finding his wife gone, raven inquired of his grandmother what she knew of his wife’s whereabouts. She assured raven that she knew nothing. “Go then to the chief and bring her back to me.” called raven. Grandmother feared him and left to do his bidding. When she came to the chiefs house, she was pushed out of the door. This she promptly reported to her grandson. The summer passed warm and pleasant, but a hard winter and another famine followed. As in the previous winter, the grandmother and the raven had plenty of food and wood, while others suffered greatly from lack of food. Raven’s thoughts again turned to marriage. This time she was a young and beautiful girl who lived at the other end of the village. He told his grandmother about her and that he wanted to marry her. He asked, “Grandmother, will you go and bring the girl here，and I will marry her.” “Ai，Ai，Y-a-h! And you are going to marry her? Your first wife could not live with you because you smell strong. The girls do not wish to marry you.” “Caw! Caw! Caw! Never mind my smell! Never mind my smell! Go — do as I say.” To impress his commands and secure her obedience, he started pecking at her until she was glad to go. While his grandmother was gone, raven became restless and anxious. He hopped about the barrabara and nearby hillocks, straining his eyes for a sight of his expected bride. Hurriedly he began cleaning out the barrabara, throwing out old straw, bedding, baskets, and all. The grandmother upon her return scolded raven, but he paid no attention to her. The young bride, like her predecessor, was enfolded tightly in his wings, and likewise she had a wretched and sleepless night. But she was determined to endure his odour if possible. She thought at least with him she would have plenty of food to eat. The second night was as bad as the first, but she stayed on and secretly concluded she would do her best to stay until spring. On the third day the raven, seeing that his wife was still with him, said, “Grandmother, tomorrow I will go and get a big, fat whale. While I am gone, make a belt and a pair of torbarsars (native shoes) for my wife.” “Ai，Ai, Y-a-h! How will you bring a big, fat whale? The hunters cannot kill one, how will you do it?” “Caw! Caw! Caw! Be quiet and do what I tell you: make the belt and torbarsars while I go and get the whale.” he angrily exclaimed, using his most effective method of silencing her. Before dawn next morning the raven flew away to sea. In his absence the old woman was busily engaged making the things for the young bride, who watched and talked to her. About midday, they saw raven flying toward shore, carrying a whale. The grandmother started a big fire, and the young woman tucked up her parka (native dress), belted it with her new belt, put on the new torbarsars, sharpened the stone knife, and went to the beach to meet her husband. As he drew near he called, “Grandmother, go into the village and tell all the people that I have brought home a big, fat whale.” She ran as hard as she could and told the joyfiil news. The half- dead people suddenly became alive. Some sharpened their knives, others dressed in their best clothes. But most of them just ran as they were and with such knives as they had with them to the beach to see the whale. His sudden importance was not lost on the raven, who hopped up and down the whale’s back, viewing the scene of carnage, as the people gorged themselves on the whale. Every few moments raven would take a pebble out of his bag, then after some thought put it back. When the chief and his relatives came near, raven drove them away. They had to be content just watching the people enjoy their feasting, and carrying off blubber to their homes. Later, in the village, the people did share with the chief. The raven’s first wife, the chiefs daughter, had a son by him, a little raven. She had it in her arms at the beach and walked in front of raven, where he could notice her. “Here is your child, look at it.” she called. But he ignored her. She called to him several times and continued to show him the baby. At last he said, “Come closer~nearer still.” But when she could not stand his odour any longer, she left him without a word. Death occurred as a result of the feast. Many of the people ate so much fat on the spot that they died soon after. The rest of the people had eaten so much and filled their barrabaras so full, that during the night they all suffocated. Of the entire village, only three were left~the raven, his new wife, and the grandmother. There they lived on as their descendants do to this day. |
