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目录
诗中有画的毕加索诗作——代汉译本序
编者序
1935年10月28日
1935年10月31日
1935年11月3日
1935年11月4日[I] [II]
1935年11月5日
1935年11月7日
1935年11月8日
1935年11月12日
1935年11月20日[I][II]
1935年12月9日
1935年12月14日[II]
1935年12月15日
1935年12月16日[I]
1935年12月28日
1935年12月30日
1936年1月4日
1936年2月10到12日
1936年2月12日
1936年2月29日
1936年3月8日
1936年3月22日
1936年3月24日
1936年3月26日于胡安松树林
1936年3月29日于胡安松树林
1936年4月4日于胡安松树林[I]和[II]
1936年4月8日
1936年4月9日
1936年4月10日
1936年4月12日
1936年4月13日
1936年4月19日于胡安松树林
1936年4月21日
1936年4月24日
1936年4月28日
1936年4月29日
1936年5月3日
1936年5月4日
1936年5月5日
1936年5月8日
1936年5月10日
1936年5月11日
1936年5月16日
1936年5月18日
1936年5月20日
1936年5月23日 [II]
1936年6月7日
1936年6月15日
1936年[9月]
1936年10月3日
1936年10月10日
1936年10月11日
[1936年10月11——17日]
1936年11月11日
1936年11月12日[I] [II]
[1937年3月11——17日]
1937年[6月]
1937年7月2日
1937年7月5日
[1937年7月5——24日]
穆津的广阔前景旅馆1937年9月12日
1938年1月10日
[1938年2月2——7日]
1938年2月6日
1938年2月8日 [II]
[1938年2月12——19日]
1938年3月1日
1938年3月9日
1938年3月26日
1938年4月2日
1938年4月28日
1938年6月9日
1938年6月25日
1938年7月2日
1938年12月9日 [II]
1939年12月24日
1939年12月25日 [I]
1939年12月28日
1939年12月31日
1940年1月4日
1940年1月5日
1940年1月7日
1940年1月14日
1940年1月20日
1940年1月25日于巴黎
1940年3月1日
1940年3月4日
1940年5月20日
1940年6月7日
1940年7月26日
1940年9月18日
1940年9月19日
1940年11月5日星期二
1941年11月24日星期二
1942年12月24日
[1943年5月16——30日]
1944年11月8——9日
1947年7月27日。昂蒂布
1951年7月18日 瓦洛里斯
1951年7月20日 瓦洛里斯
1951年9月26——28日 瓦洛里斯
1952年3月31日 巴黎
1954年10月18日于瓦洛里斯 福尔纳斯工作坊
参考文献
插图说明
图书在版编目（CIP）数据

毕加索诗集/（西）毕加索著；余中先译.--南京：译林出版社，2016.2

ISBN 978-7-5447-5977-9

Ⅰ.①毕…Ⅱ.①毕…②余…Ⅲ.①诗集——西班牙——现代Ⅳ.①I551.25

中国版本图书馆CIP数据核字(2015)第272583号

Translation from the French language edition of：

POEMES, PICASSO, introduction Androula MICHAEL

Copyright © LE CHERCHE MIDI EDITEUR

Simplified Chinese edition copyright © 2016

by Phoenix-Power Cultural Development Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved.

著作权合同登记号图字：10-2015-562号

书 名 毕加索诗集

作 者 〔西班牙〕巴勃罗•毕加索

译 者 余中先

责任编辑 韩继坤

特约编辑 王正磊

原文出版 le cherche midi éditeur, 2005

出版发行 凤凰出版传媒股份有限公司
译林出版社

出版社地址 南京市湖南路1号A楼，邮编：210009

电子邮箱 yilin@yilin.com

出版社网址 http://www.yilin.com

经 销 凤凰出版传媒股份有限公司

印 刷 北京鑫海达印刷有限公司

开 本 787×1092毫米 1/32

印 张 8.375

字 数 50千字

版 次 2016年2月第1版 2016年2月第1次印刷

书 号 ISBN 978-7-5447-5977-9

定 价 45.00元

译林版图书若有印装错误可向承印厂调换
诗中有画的毕加索诗作——代汉译
本序
毕加索的画作我看过不少，巴黎有一家毕加索博物馆，法国南方的阿
尔勒小城也有一家，马德里的索菲亚王后艺术中心则常年展出他巨幅
名画《格尔尼卡》作为镇馆之作，我都去参观过。而那一年，记得在
上海的世博会会址中还有过毕加索作品的展览，我也去看了。不过，
巴塞罗那的毕加索美术馆我没有去看。

巴勃罗·毕加索（Pablo Picasso,1881——1973）作为画家尽人皆知，
而作为诗人却不太知名。其实，他也是写诗的，写作法语诗。我以前
确实听说过，但我从来没有读过。这次阅读与翻译毕诗的过程，让我
大开了眼界。

毕加索的诗歌创作活动十分频繁，从1935年到1936年几乎每天都写，
后来还断断续续地一直写到1959年，那是迄今为止人们所知的他诗歌
创作的最后日期。他留下的三百五十多首诗歌，构成了一种无法作任
何归类的文学作品。

诗人毕加索，恰如画家毕加索，向来就不局限于一种唯一的艺术创作
方式。最熟悉他的创作才华的母亲，曾这样说到她的儿子巴勃罗：“有
人告诉我说，你在写作。你嘛，我知道是什么都能做得出来的。假如
有一天有人对我说你在主持弥撒，我也会相信的。”要知道，当1935
年毕加索在法国开始写诗时，他已然年届五十有四。1989年，法国的
伽利马出版社出版了毕加索几乎全部的文字（还包括一篇关于诗人毕
加索的传记），普通读者这才惊讶地发现，这位大画家原来还从事
着“一种始终陌生却又持续了多年的文学活动”。

那么，他的诗有些什么特点呢，或者说，他的诗是不是与他的画有一
些内在的关联呢？中国人老爱说“诗情画意”，传统的中国文人更是“诗
画不分家”，而这一点，在毕加索的身上其实体现得很有些意思。
毕加索的诗歌创作或许没有他的绘画那样重要，但他的诗歌恰如他的
绘画，具有一种惊人的多样性和实验性。用这位诗人画家的话来
说，“总而言之，凡艺术必为相通；人们可以写出一幅词语的画来，恰
如人们可以在一首诗中画出种种的感觉”。

确实如此，读毕加索诗，译毕加索诗，让我大为惊讶，一惊再惊，也
让我大呼过瘾，欲罢不能。毕加索诗如毕加索画，也如诗人画家其
人，想象丰富，词语奇怪，形象诡异，逻辑混乱，很有立体意味。在
语言的线性流淌中，显然引入了平面乃至立体的物体意象。

他的不少诗一气呵成，没有反复，后来也没有作修改：那是一些“江河
奔流诗”，字词在诗行中拥挤，恰如“物体”在绘画中拥挤。这些诗歌，
如一股涌动不息的洪流，根本无法标点，让人阅读时不得不依照一种
随自然呼吸而生成的天生节奏。

另一些诗，则被写成具有多样性的语态，可以有多种不同的句断尝
试，构成不同的诗行和诗节，或是某种散文形式。从它们对音节结
构、音乐性，甚至还包括对押韵的考虑来看，能见出这是一种更为经
典的诗歌创作：“大蒜笑它枯叶星星的颜色//以它嘲讽的神态笑玫瑰由
其颜色深扎的匕首//呈枯叶的星星的大蒜//以它狡黠的神态笑玫瑰的匕
首正下落的星星的气味//呈枯叶的//翅膀的大蒜”。（1936年6月15
日）

我们应该记得，毕加索的画往往让浓墨重彩大红大绿的色块反复出
现，反复地撞击人的视网膜，给人留下深刻的印象。而他的诗也如他
的画一样，试图以碎片状的物品占据空间的各个部分、各个层面。他
的诗歌中有大量的颜色词汇，而色彩，除了光谱中最基本的七色赤橙
黄绿青蓝紫，还有种种细微的色调差别：红有苋红、玫瑰红、火红、
血红、砖红、胭脂红、大红、绛红，蓝有国王蓝、石油蓝、天蓝、钴
蓝、海蓝、蔚蓝、淡蓝、靛蓝、菘蓝、湛蓝，绿有杏仁绿、苹果绿、
青绿、祖母绿，等等。

例如以下几段（请注意，诗句中并无标点）：
“再现那个姑娘脑袋样子的绘画去除了所有线条周围飘飘荡荡地显现白
色的芳香阵阵打击落在天空的肩膀白色的骄傲奶酪大丽花白葡萄酒油
炸在白色吹短笛者的泥鸽射击场鞭子的黄色叫喊被一只燕子的飞翔反
射在紫色乳汁的眼睛上荨麻飞马在黄里带白的泡沫的尽头紫色长矛的
胸衣铅笔跳山羊的线条白色的星星紫里透黄躺在月亮的刀锋上紫色小
粒菜豆菜弓弦绷张在黄中透蓝的鸢尾花钴蓝靛蓝在留有透蓝白羽毛的
黄色石板瓦的紫色网中绳索套上带鸽子黄的浅紫脖子蓝色的奶子砍去
了脑袋还咬着泛黄的湖水紫色的手白色的嘴唇蓝色的假领老鼠啃吃紫
色黄色蓝色的麦穗紫色黄色蓝色蓝色蓝色蓝色线条缠绕它的螺旋大桥
拉长气喘吁吁地第一个到达靶子的中心”（1936年4月29日）

“在那里黑加仑的串串果实淹没了光线的酸涩滋味的词语的板壁它在赤
裸裸的屁股上打下回忆的长春花蓝色的肉体挂在钉子上钉在玫瑰色癞
蛤蟆的蹦跳的正中央穿越银板生生地活烤在竖琴的弦线上斗牛士弄湿
他斗篷的边沿在与木乃伊的胳膊脱节的手的掌心在关闭的希望之门前
乞讨法兰朵拉下雪在张开的扇子上把橙子切成小片鼓手的丧仪被咬在
暴烈如火焰的马儿的牙齿中鸡蛋跳舞在声音的水柱上在石板地随着浅
紫色年轻姑娘的游戏而跳动不已的花园中在她守夜人白色裙子的如此
柔嫩的青绿中包裹了短短的石板瓦片晚上的白鼬沿着棕榈树的十四行
诗的韵脚某种细沙海滩骷髅头挤满了搁浅的船被驯兽师咬破了肚子拔
走了时辰的爪牙由被黑夜所遗忘的晾在绳子上的内衣的潘神的笛声成
束地挂在大桅杆上欢乐之车用带香味之轮的清水做成众目睽睽之下充
满了歌唱与欢笑的彩虹的色彩之味”（1936年5月10日）

当然，如果我们要以挑剔的眼光细致认真地来分析，毕加索的诗歌应
该还不是最优秀的文学作品，在文学史上也不可能留下太重要的痕
迹，但他在诗歌这一书写形式上留下的种种尝试，让后人更加明白理
解到他的绘画艺术（造型艺术）的创造思路。如果我们的想象力能把
毕加索诗歌中隐藏在单一方向的线性文字背后的意象化为二维（甚至
三维）的图面，那么，线性的文字中种种色斑与线条的铺陈，就会让
我们不由得更多地联想到空间中的物件的碎片和多变的点彩的奇特分
布。这恐怕就是毕加索诗歌的艺术价值所在。
类似的意象，我们当然在立体主义绘画中见得多了，立体主义绘画往
往以多个角度来描写对象物，追求碎裂、分离、重新组合的形式，形
成的画面，把它们放置于同一个画面之中，来表达对象物更为完整的
形象。但是，在文学作品中，这样的尝试也并非只有作为名画家的诗
人毕加索这样做过。后来获得过诺贝尔文学奖的法国作家克洛德·西蒙
的作品同样也充满了类似的绘画意象，他的小说《弗兰德公路》《农
事诗》《植物园》中就不乏由文字直接产生的画面感（色彩的分布、
色调的对比、明暗的交替、亮点的闪耀）。

有时候，毕加索还故意不按照语法规则来写，而且还拒绝修改，他这
样说过：“假如我得按照那些跟我毫无关系的规则来修正你说到的错
误，那么，我所特有的音符就将消失在我并未领悟的语法中。我宁可
心血来潮自作主张地造它一种语法，也不愿让我的词语屈服于并不属
于我的规则。”毕加索诗歌中特有的错误句法以及标点缺失，大概就是
这样产生的。

另外，毕加索的某些诗歌写得如同一个字谜，例如“我的女士开心笑
沙”（1936年3月24日）读起来的发音（ma lady gai rit sable）与“可
治愈的病”（maladie guérissable）一模一样。在毕加索笔下，相似词
形、相同发音的字词常常在同一个诗句中同时出现，构成为或有趣、
或别扭、或艰涩、或转义的文字游戏。又例如，1936年3月8日写的诗
中，最后一句为“发现秘密的正脸滚成发臭的圆球扔到遗忘最深处鲜花
短笛带着末尾句号的气味”，而就在这段文字中，“正脸”（face）、“最
深处”（fin fond）、“鲜花”（fleur）、“短笛”（fifre）、“末
尾”（final）都是以字母“f”开头的词，用法语读起来，感觉真是太美妙
了，可惜，在汉语中，这一游戏痕迹荡然无存，可见诗歌的翻译会让
多少东西就此丢失！

作家米歇尔·莱里斯说过，他认为只见过一个作家，“可以当之无愧地
与毕加索比肩而立，试图将自己定位于字母的版图绘制术中”，“此人
就是詹姆斯·乔伊斯，他在《芬尼根守灵夜》中，证明了一种相似的能
力，能推进语言成为现实的东西（人们是这样说的），现实得可以被
人贪婪地吃掉喝掉，并被人令人眩晕地自由使用”。不知道该如何看待
这一评价，毕加索是否当得起。

毕加索对语言游戏的兴趣，还体现在大量的“变奏诗”中。所谓的“变奏
诗”，指同样的主题，同样的词汇，同样的意象，却以不同组合排列出
来的诗行，类似音乐中的“主题变奏”。毕加索很喜欢投身于字词和句
子的组合游戏，多次尝试以一种种不同的次序反复构成新组合，试图
为它们找到多种可能的排列，例如1936年4月9日写下的这样的诗
行：“这是杏仁绿的色调喝干大海的难事笑声桂竹香贝壳蚕豆玻璃黑人
寂静石板瓦后果欧楂小丑”（其一）；“这是大海笑声贝壳该喝空桂竹
香杏仁色调黑人蚕豆玻璃寂静石板瓦绿色小丑后果”（其二）；“玻璃
黑人寂静大海石板瓦绿色蚕豆好笑那是桂竹香贝壳小丑你的后果”（其
三）；“黑人蚕豆寂静绿色贝壳石板瓦你的杏仁大海桂竹香玻璃后果值
得一笑”（其四）；“后果那是你的笑声贝壳大海桂竹香石板瓦绿色黑
人寂静玻璃杏仁”（其五）。说起来，这一点也颇有些像他以不同形式
表现出来的同一主题的画作。不是吗，《阿尔及尔女人》有十五个版
本，他的“公牛”素描应该也有十多个版本吧？

毕加索诗歌的主题，如同他绘画中的主题，经常跟西班牙密不可分：
战争、斗牛、民间歌舞、烹调，等等。这一点不言自明，不必再费笔
墨了。

毕加索用西班牙语和法语写作，但是，他有时候会在同一首诗的内部
混淆这两种语言，从中不由自主地体现出各种语言所特有的不同感
觉。另外，他的诗歌基本上没有标点符号，只有极其个别的一两处有
逗号，还不知道是不是笔误。

说到版本中的“笔误”，我在翻译过程曾怀疑，法国寻南出版社的这一
本毕加索诗歌集对手稿书写的辨认，或者说对毕加索用词正误法的判
断还是有一点点问题的。例如，我们可以在诗人写于1944年11月8
——9日的诗句中读到“pendu corps et biens”这一用法（汉语得翻译
为“连人带钱一块挂”），疑心这是对法语中“perdu corps et
biens”（指“连人带钱一块输掉”）的误用，但又不能贸然判断它肯定就
是误用。因为在不久后的1947年7月27日写于昂蒂布的诗行中，我发
现了“perdu corps et biens”的用法，于是就得假定，毕加索在前一处
是搞了个小小的文字游戏。总之，怀疑归怀疑，翻译还得忠实于文
本，这是没办法的办法。

话又说回来，毕加索的诗还是值得人们一读的，哪怕有的人读后会觉
得莫名其妙。欣赏他的画，对观众来说不是懂不懂的问题，而是有没
有感觉的问题。读他的诗歌也是如此，谈不上什么懂不懂，问题在
于，你作为一个读者，有什么感觉？

余中先
2015年5月底草于厦门大学思明校区
2015年6月初改于北京蒲黄榆寓中
在此，我要热情地感谢克洛德·毕加索（Claude Picasso）和克里斯蒂
娜·皮诺（Christine Pinault），感谢他们对本书计划所给予的一向支
持，还要感谢我的出版人米海薏·保利尼（Mireille Paolini），全靠了
她的大力支持，这一出书计划才得以实现。另外，我要感谢的还有玛
丽–萝尔·贝尔纳达克（Marie-Laure Bernadac），是她帮我发现了毕
加索的手稿，还有法布丽丝·弗拉于台（Fabrice Flahutez），感谢她始
终如一的中肯意见，还有缪里埃尔·卡龙（Muriel Caron），感谢她认
真的校读，最后，我要感谢巴斯蒂安·叙厄尔（Bastien Sueur），谢谢
他随时随地给予的宝贵支持。

安·米
编者序
献给阿黛乐和赫克托耳。

“有人告诉我说，你在写作。你嘛，我知道，是什么都能做得出来的。
假如有一天有人对我说你在主持弥撒，我也会相信的。” [1] 1935年，
年届五十四岁的毕加索开始了写作。他在他的造型艺术方面渡过了一
个危机阶段，摆脱了种种私人范畴的困难。他离开了他曾跟妻子奥尔
加一起分享的布尔乔亚圈子，同时也与妻子分了手，以开始一种新生
活。他画得很少，他不认为绘画很重要，他准备“丢下一切，油画、雕
塑、版画、诗歌，来全身心地投入于歌唱之中”，当时他这样对萨瓦特
斯说。 [2] 但写作还是占了上风。这一写作不是理论，不是小说，不
是自传，而是诗歌。毕加索的这一活动十分频繁，从1935年到1936年
几乎每天都写，后来还断断续续地坚持到了1959年，那是迄今为止我
们所知他最后的写作日期。那果真是他最后的写作吗？没什么能阻止
我们想象，将来有一天人们会发现，他还有别的写作。三百五十多首
诗歌，以及三部剧本，构成了一种摆脱了任何归类的创作。 [3] 其中
的一部分被私人收藏。因为它们的作者从不给自己强加任何界限、任
何预定的严格规则。他以多种方式试验他的新材料：他一边写，一边
就有所发现。

但是，我们如何来评价诗人毕加索？他的文字有他的绘画那样重要
吗？他的同时代人，无论是赞扬者还是挑剔者，都只接触到他很小一
部分的文字，须到1989年伽利马出版社出版他几乎全部的文字时，人
们方能公正地评价一种始终陌生却又持续了多年的文学活动。 [4] 人
们很难轻易依赖一种传记性的批评，来分析每一首诗的源起情境，而
应该以自发的方式来领悟它们。另外，还必须严肃地潜入其中。因
为，他的诗歌恰如他的绘画作品，具有一种惊人的多样性，面对一种
肤浅的阅读时，可能会显得神秘难解。

毕加索用西班牙语和法语写作，有时候会在同一首诗里头混淆这两种
语言，从中体会到每种语言所特有的不同感觉。如果说，很长的江河
诗篇常常会用西班牙语来写作，那么法语，在写作数量上稍稍占多
数，则成了他最佳的试验语言。他在好多首西班牙语的诗歌之后用法
语写的第一个文本，就构成为一种对翻译的思考：“假如我在一种语言
中思索并写下‘狗追着兔子跑在树林中’而我想把它翻译成另一种语言我
就应该说‘白木桌子把它的脚爪陷入在沙土中担心知道自己竟如此愚笨
而几乎吓死’”(1935年10月28日)。从一种语言到另一种语言的转换是
一种真正的再写作，假如人们想真正转换一下他们的回忆使命，那就
得连形式带内容从根本上彻底改变。收在这个集子中的用法语写的诗
歌，将有助于我们直接欣赏毕加索使用语言的艺术，还有他对词语的
多种涵义的兴趣。“‘Bleu’；‘bleu’一词要说的是什么？当我们喊出一
声‘Bleu’时，这个词包含了成千上万的感受。高卢女人牌烟盒的蓝
色……在这一情境下，人们可以说眼睛是一种高卢女人的蓝，或者相
反，如同人们在巴黎所做的那样，当人们想说一块牛排还带着红色
时，就可以说它是蓝的。这就是当我尝试着写诗时我所经常做的。”
[5]

诗人毕加索，恰如画家毕加索，并不局限于一种唯一的写作方式。不
少诗一气呵成，没有反复，没有后来的修改：这是一些江河诗，字词
在其中拥挤，恰如“物体”在绘画中拥挤：“我把我愿意放的一切都放进
我的画里了；活该那些物品倒霉，就让它们彼此间协调去好了。”这些
以一种非线性写作写成的诗歌，如一股永不止息的洪流，根本就无法
标点，会孕育出一种随呼吸节奏而成的阅读，还让从中摘取一种引语
变得很困难：“精确的再现刻写在空无的今天下午的雨滴的寂静的沙粒
上在铺展在一个蜡像的羽毛床上的内衣上模仿着在一条河边嬉戏的小
孩子他用一根李子树的枝条戏弄着两只坐在其阴影的洗碗槽上的土豆
皮上的蟑螂……”(1938年2月12日)

另一些诗歌被写成多种形态，可以有多种的句断尝试，构成诗行和诗
节，或是一种散文形式。从它们对结构和音质的考虑，甚至还有对押
韵的考虑来看，可以证明这是一种更为经典的诗歌创作：“夜//在泉池
中//梦扭弯角喙//叩击空气//挣脱颜色的肠衣……”(1935年12月30日)。
话语的旋律常常在意义之外占得领先地位：“大蒜笑它枯叶星星的颜
色//以它嘲讽的神态笑玫瑰由其颜色深扎的匕首//呈枯叶的星星的大
蒜//以它狡黠的神态笑玫瑰的匕首正下落的星星的气味//呈枯叶的//翅
膀的大蒜”。(1936年6月15日)

毕加索对一种语言所能提供的游戏的兴趣，体现在大量的诗歌中，人
们尽可以把那些诗形容为“变奏诗”。他投身于字词和句子的组合游
戏，多次以一种不同的次序反复构成新组合——恰如他在绘画中对形
状和颜色的组合所体验的那样——他尝试要为它们找到多种可能的排
列：“这是杏仁绿的色调喝干大海的难事笑声桂竹香贝壳蚕豆玻璃黑人
寂静石板瓦后果欧楂小丑”//“这是大海笑声贝壳该喝空桂竹香杏仁色
调黑人蚕豆玻璃寂静石板瓦绿色小丑后果……”(1936年4月9日)。瓦雷
里提到马拉美时说的话，同样也可以用到毕加索身上：“他(……)被古
老的诗意直觉引导，认定一个原则，即无论什么词语的组合都是可能
的”。 [6]

由于所有的置换排列皆有可能，他的某些文字也就按照一种造型聚合
的方式来结构。毕加索混杂了种种杂质的元素，字词、数字、音符，
彼此不同的词汇被召唤来共处于一种粘贴中，把一种诗意的视觉维度
赋予了文本，使大声的朗读变得颇有难度：“哆3来1咪0发2索8拉3西7
哆3//哆22西9拉12索5发30咪6来11½哆1//(……)手造成投影光线则由
它去并静静地填充数字//之和3——5——10——15——21——2——75
而飘扬的头巾被头发的//爪子带走它的翅膀伸展盘旋陶醉于自由在胸
衣之线的蓝色中在无限敞开的天空中”(1936年5月3日)。

累积是毕加索写作的另一面貌。他草草描绘出第一笔流线后，通过为
它带来种种增补而改变它，通过强调其特质来重写它，重复中又注入
新的添增物。每一次反复（对一首诗歌而言，这种反复可以达到十八
次之多 [7] ），他都要打破先前的秩序，移植到文本中的增添物会破
坏整个的语义学上的线性。由此产生出的一些诗歌属于一种添枝加叶
的写法，带有许多分叉的小径。但是毕加索全不以为然。他甚至吹嘘
起了一种糟糕的写作：“假如可以写得糟，那就好了！（……）而要写
得糟，还真需要一种完美的语义学知识。” [8] 语言就这样染上了“一
种谵妄，它让语言走出了本身特有的轨道”，并打破了由句法所决定的
和谐。假如这会造成一种满是错误的写作，那活该倒霉，反正毕加索
拒绝修改：“假如我得按照那些跟我毫无关系的规则来修正你说到的错
误，那么，我所特有的音符就将消失在我并未领悟的语法中。我宁可
心血来潮自作主张地造它一种语法，也不愿让我的词语屈服于并不属
于我的规则”。 [9] 人们可以在1937年7月5日的那首诗中看到，连续
的增添是如何改变了最初的文本，让它变得支离破碎，让它在某种程
度上“内部膨胀”。

“多么可爱的风流欲望的奶油泡芙……”

然后他增添：

“命令下达给城墙上的士兵不许可爱的奶油泡芙连祷文并脚跳大蒜跟洋
葱和番茄的气味在他那脖子周围编织了上千个疔疮的猴子带腐败气味
的祭披的满是屎的旗帜的缺了牙的嘴巴的羽箭眼睛中假如敌人露出鼻
子尖假如风流欲望的号角声……”

在最后一个写作阶段之后，终于成了下面这个样子：

“深更半夜里在手心上命令下达给站在城墙上的士兵不许开枪打中菜汤
中肥肉之眼交还肉体与财产给海盗可爱的奶油泡芙连祷文并脚跳油炸
大蒜的玫瑰跟洋葱和番茄的气味公鸡的鸣唱在羽箭眼睛中脖子周围密
密麻麻地编织了上千个疔疮的猴子带腐败气味的祭披的满是屎的旗帜
的缺了牙的嘴巴的假如敌人露出鼻子尖假如风流欲望的号角声……”

另一些诗歌写得如同一个字谜（“我的女士开心笑沙”/“可治愈的
病”[1936年3月24日])。另一些在视觉上有特殊的形式，例如1936年4
月29日的那首，诗中，他以指称颜色的字词的重复使用为游戏。毕加
索不受任何局限的制约。他带着自发性写作，但并不以自动的方式。
他意识到自己正在玩的游戏，注意到正在自我生成的写作行为，并给
予自己一种拿捏语言的极大自由。他创造了一种如此特殊的作品，根
本无需签署“毕加索”之名，一望而便知是出于他的手。米歇尔·莱里斯
说自己恐怕只见过一个作家，可以“当之无愧地与他比肩而立，试图将
自己定位于字母的版图绘制术中（……）此人就是詹姆斯·乔伊斯，他
在《芬尼根守灵夜》中，证明了一种相似的能力，能推进语言成为现
实的东西（人们是这样说的），现实得可以被人贪婪地吃掉喝掉，并
被人令人眩晕地自由使用”。 [10]

毕加索拒绝艺术中有任何阻隔，他总是从总体上来考量艺术。他不无
喜悦地说，“总而言之，凡艺术必为相通；人们可以写出一幅词语的画
来，恰如人们可以在一首诗中画出种种的感觉”。 [11] 对于毕加索，
创作中决没有什么条条框框的阻隔。由此，他对自己的作家身份有一
些很矛盾的情感。他很自豪能在伽利马出版社出书，他常常以嘲弄的
口吻谈到自己诗人身份的确认。“但最有趣的是，人们很拿我当真，就
仿佛我是个真正的作者。（……）但愿人们最终能相信，我真的就跟
其他人一样，是一个作家。” [12] 毕加索同样位于简单的画家范畴之
外：“我远不止我的表面样子，但人们并不很拿我当真。他们只是拿作
为画家的我当真。活该他们倒霉。” [13]

画家毕加索显然存在于诗作的字里行间，不仅靠着他书写的可塑性，
他对版面结构的把握，也靠着他所使用的材质和载体。如果说，为匆
匆记录下一个句子或草就一首诗歌，他会使用触手可及的任何载体，
一张报纸，一个信封，一片飞舞的叶子，最经常地，他用中国墨把内
容复写到一张更高贵的纸上，比如他平时用来画素描的阿诗纸（le
papier d’Arches）。同时书写和描画在他的诗作中是一种十分罕见的
实践，尽管人们还能找到一些很有意思的例子，见识到同一个“编
织”动作写下和草草画下一幅素描。从作家涂涂抹抹的真正草稿，到一
种几乎很认真完成的线性书写，或者正相反，到一种小径分叉的迷宫
式书写，无论是用中国墨写的，还是用彩色铅笔写的， [14] 他的手稿
都既是供人阅读的，也是供人观看的。从马拉美的作品以来，他就对
书写的空间性十分敏感，注意从视觉上来刻意安排书写的版面。它们
的线性转达大大改变了人们对它们的阅读，对这一游戏，他兴致盎然
地倾心投入。

同样，也是在主题层面上，隐藏在诗人背后的画家露出了本相，与绘
画紧密相连的词汇无处不在：调色板、画笔、木刻、投影、光线，但
首先是各种颜色：“黄色的味道的芳香也不再落到绿色的声音上魅力叹
息着碰触到玫瑰哈哈大笑香气的目光从空洞模特的蓝色中消散”(1936
年5月16日)。在毕加索的笔下，所有的几何图形最终都归结为绘画的
方块：“绘画是一些疯女人//心儿被刺//光灿灿的泡泡//被眼睛捏紧喉
咙//连珠炮的鞭挞//拍打翅膀//在其欲望的方块周围”(1936年1月4
日)。关涉到绘画，液体状、油状、奶油状是毕加索诗歌中物体的优先
状态：“夜的奶油”(1940年8月10日)，“包着糖浆的铁床”(1940年11月7
日)，“星星的汁液”(1940年7月21日)。

他文本的主题，如同经常出现在他绘画中的，跟西班牙密不可分：斗
牛、民间歌舞、食物与烹调、战争。可怖的佛朗哥独裁通过不能吃进
嘴的食物得到了间接表达：“钉子汤”“带汁煮的钢铁蔬菜”“鳕鱼冰
糕”……童年的回忆，经历过的感觉，有时候与写作同时而来，现实的
物体，出自他的想象或者他的画家世界，爱情、生命、衰老、死亡是
他笔下不断回归的主题。逝去的时光构成毕加索笔下的一个中心主
题，可以这么说吧，他能在诗歌中把它表达得更好。所有的诗歌都很
细致地带有一个日期，充当题目，而且常常还在文本中重复，甚至还
有书写的精确时分：“今年五月五日星期二这天晚上的七点差五
分”(1936年5月5日)。至于那些前后一连写了好几天的诗歌，每一天的
日期都标示了出来。我们由此有可能跟随一部作品的创作的所有各阶
段，而作品则可被看作如同时光中的一种试验。 [15] 毕加索锚定在最
当下的现实中，让现在时成为他写作中的凯旋时间。现在的一瞬间伸
展开来，包含了所有的时间维度，毁掉了日历时间，变得永恒。“时刻
坠落到地面后在撞击中爆裂”（1936年5月8日），“一滴一滴地”融
化，“落到井里永远沉睡”（1935年8月9日）。

对毕加索来说，写作不是一种见机而行的投机行为，也不是一把安格
尔的小提琴， [16] 而是他满怀激情地投入的一种活动。他的写作贯通
在他的所有作品中，而不应该分开来单独看待。要想恰如其分地欣赏
它们，就不能玩弄比较的游戏，期待阅读处在绘画阴影下的诗歌，或
者假装忘记它们的作者，那样都是没有用的。毕加索在六十年代向他
的朋友罗贝尔多·奥特罗承认说：“说到底，我是一个写得不好的诗
人。你不认为吗？” [17]

安德露拉·米夏艾尔
[1] 这是毕加索母亲的话。此为原注。本书注释不做特殊说明者，皆
为原注。

[2] 海梅·萨瓦特斯（Jaime Sabartès），毕加索的朋友和私人秘书。

是他把毕加索的手写稿打字成稿的。

[3] 毕加索的大多数手稿都藏于巴黎的毕加索博物馆的档案室。

[4] 毕加索，《作品》，由玛丽–萝尔·贝尔纳达克（Marie-Laure
Bernadac）和克里斯蒂娜·皮奥（Christine Piot）整理的版本，伽利马
出版社，巴黎，1989。这一版本包括了对写在不同载体上的不同文本
状态的一种描绘，以及一篇关于诗人毕加索的传记。

[5] 罗兰·彭罗斯（Roland Penrose），《毕加索》，弗拉马里翁出版

社，巴黎，1982，第488页。

[6] 保尔·瓦雷里（Paul Valéry），《论斯蒂芬·马拉美》载《杂记1894

——1914》卷II，全文本，伽利马出版社，“NRF”丛书，巴黎，
1988，第278页。

[7] 这里指的是一首西班牙语诗，写于1935年11月24——28日，12月
5，6及24日。

[8] 毕加索，《关于艺术的话》，玛丽–萝尔·贝尔纳达克和安德露拉·
米夏艾的版本，伽利马出版社，巴黎，1998，第130页。

[9] 海梅·萨瓦特斯，《毕加索，肖像与回忆》，路易·卡雷（Louis
Carré）和马克西米连·沃克斯（Maximilien Vox）出版，巴黎，1946，
第127页。毕加索式的句法以及标点的缺失在这一版本中得到了尊
重。

[10] 米歇尔·莱里斯（Michel Leiris），“作为作家的毕加索，或怒不可

遏的诗歌”，毕加索Écrits 一书的序言，版本同前。

[11] 由罗兰·彭罗斯转引的话，载《毕加索》，版本同前。
[12] 罗贝尔多·奥特罗（Roberto Otero），《远离西班牙，与毕加索
的相遇及谈话》，Dopesa版，巴塞罗那，1975，第181——182页，
由克里斯蒂娜·德·蒙克罗（Christiane de Montclos）译自西班牙语，
关于该版本，见毕加索，《关于艺术的话》，版本同前，第147页。

[13] 罗贝尔多·奥特罗（Roberto Otero），《远离西班牙，与毕加索

的相遇及谈话》，Dopesa版，巴塞罗那，1975，第181——182页，
由克里斯蒂娜·德·蒙克罗（Christiane de Montclos）译自西班牙语，
关于该版本，见毕加索，《关于艺术的话》，版本同前，第198页，
载毕加索，《关于艺术的话》，版本同前，第145页。

[14] 戏剧《四个小姑娘》完全是用红色铅笔写的，只有很少一部分用
蓝笔涂改。

[15] 他说到他绘画时的话同样也可以用于他的诗歌：“我从来就不像
做一件艺术作品那样做一幅画。一切都是研究。我不断地研究，而在
这整个的研究中，有一连串的逻辑在。正是为此，我给它们编号。这
是一种时间中的试验。我为它们编号，我写上日期。”亚历山大·里贝
尔曼（Alexander Liberman），《毕加索》，载Vogue ，纽约，1956
年11月1日，第133页。

[16] 据说，画家安格尔（Ingres）为了减轻家庭负担，在图卢兹剧院
乐队充当第二小提琴手。法语中，“安格尔的小提琴”（Le Violon
d'Ingres）特指那些除本职工作以外对某种职业有狂热偏好、不务正
业的发烧友。1924年美国达达主义艺术家曼·雷曾创作有著名的摄影
作品《安格尔的小提琴》。——译注

[17] 罗贝尔多·奥特罗，作品同前，第181——182页，载毕加索，
《关于艺术的话》，版本同前，第147页。
1935年10月28日
假如我在一种语言中思索并写下“狗追着兔子跑在树林中”而我想把它
翻译成另一种语言我就应该说“白木桌子把它的脚爪陷入在沙土中担心
知道自己竟如此愚笨而几乎吓死”
1935年10月31日
在小心整理好的洞房中0在窗台上在蔬菜篮漂白水瓶和欧芹枝条中间
有手在撕每一片面包一滴泪在燃烧嘴唇在画笔的火中抹除了挂在物品
上的颜色夜以牙的每一记啃咬杀死它并在来自厨房各个角落的喊叫与
吠叫声中间继续行路那地方不愿被人认出来尽管每天晚上都在为影子
带来欲望尽管橙子的观点在脱衣的同时显露了思想的内涵只须看她扭
动臀部翻卷嘴唇固定住斗牛海报的四角用她的两手发掘2加2等于真希
望什么都不再说了洗碗盏杯碟做下雪的老鼠油炸睡梦中脱口而出的话
紧身的束缚衣巴黎煤气照明公司所重视的鸟巢等等坐在白木桌子的一
角穿着她蓝色的衣服鲑鱼把它的意愿强加给石竹她红色独裁者的脚敲
打着毫不思索地晃动并没有报告要给任何人尽管她腼腆的神态用手挡
住了脖子在她那么有名的紫丁香色中在她胸脯的边缘十分鲜艳她衬衣
的白色遮盖了她手指头遮在了一连串的物品中几个月来它们在太阳光
下筑巢而对面院子窗户的方框子反映在那里 [1] 彬彬有礼但无论如何
假如大葱的气味给我快乐而很少的菜花拖曳在她裙子的褶子中而在椅
子的脚爪下难道不是更应该让她那抚慰人的目光受痛苦而不是慢慢地
送上脆弱的脚手架那么多笔直如棍而又浸湿眼泪的小面包整个文学沿
着一路铺展的线漫步走过让一首笛子之歌从遥远的源泉一路向上用它
的每一个洞来浇灌一句生活活泼却又熟睡的歌词躺在桌上没有丝毫声
响没有空气溢出杯子她的命令和她的措施单单一个词就能唤醒它们但
是在门后被它的誓言留住她把它接上雄鸡高唱它的翅膀它的大腿它的
臀部它美人儿的爱而无论如何这个故事并不那么忧伤我反倒觉得很滑
稽眼下唯一让我忧伤的事便是不能跟她在一起不能对她说让我们出去
像今天早上那样在花园里散步让我们去买奶酪和面包让我们坐在大树
对面的那把长椅上尽情地享食

[1] 手稿中，动词“反映”（reètentt）使用的是单数形式。
1935年11月3日
星期日践踏一切他的勇气疯狂地咬着桌布尖并对着变热的耳朵说悄悄
话——还在楼梯尽头留给他的那一点点阳光——在奔跑着逃逸——无法
叫喊——也无法哭泣笑声太多——也无法剪下充斥了房间的气味的侧
影——不是折叠成四十六块——希望并不离开他——跳舞唱歌——赤裸
裸游动在太阳下——正午——做成一匹胖大的飞马一种千百雷霆之声
——然而安坐——在他的小本子上写——胳膊肘左右都稍稍超出桌子的
沿线——左手拿住已经写好的纸页右手放在纸张上——铅笔尖在这里
——我用力摁——虱子叮咬惹恼了花彩垂饰——为我指明流逝的时光
——让人假装阅读——不想别的事——只想着在他们中间游戏并自我嬉
戏——我是一层薄纱——今晚上五点差十分——小心翼翼地放在所有家
具上——从一把椅子来到另一把椅子拥抱他们擦去他们的泪水跟他们
说些温柔宽慰的话把爪子垂放在桌上舔着矮柜——但是他的骄傲惹恼
灯按照闹钟的指示发出声响——只有当那时针——还能忍耐上一点点
时光——并在窗户上方转动——并安放在我的肩膀上——才在爱中融化
——因为如此骑士派头的方式——展示他的躯体——不追求任何的光照
效果——再也受不了长期的调查——作出其侧面形象的投影——他专横
欲望的赎罪牺牲品——为了改变姿势——圆周所经的——角度——淤泥
浆水中所看到——其中晚香玉的花朵 [1] 枯萎—— [2] 的枝条上的叶子
干枯了——它们的小拳头紧握——如此地不幸——还有紫罗兰我们就别
去说它们了因为这些可怜虫奉献了一切却留在悲惨中——而气味——
骑着马从厨房而来——只能增加它们的苦痛——像是要遮盖它们裙袍
的破洞——何况还是那般褴褛——但眼下人们还有什么不应该说——为
了掩盖——我胸膛中真正的吊桥——整个今天下午像一面旗帜那样挥
动——好让风暴——把它撕裂——能够来一局纸牌游戏——其中的每一
个打击都将致命——却还不清账——也无法对任何人说出秘密——这不
是个——受欢迎的人——我知道这一切不是任何人的事——但你又能如
何——我——我嬉戏——我率真地玩遭禁的游戏——直到跟死神并万分
高兴地跟你在一起对你有用——我是那么地爱着你——我的女友
[1] 应为“tubéreuses”，但手稿中写成“touvereuses”。

[2] 手稿中这里为空格。
1935年11月4日[I] [II]
[I]

我看到今晚上
从加弗大厅
的音乐会
走出来
最后的
那个人
然后我走到同一条街的稍远处去杂货铺买火柴

[II]

在你软木框中的镜子——扔在汪洋中央的波浪中——你并非只看到闪
电——天空——和云彩——你张开的嘴准备——吞噬太阳——但是鸟儿
经过——在你的目光中活了一瞬间——它就此失去了双眼——落入水中
——目盲——于是好一通笑——恰在那一时刻——波浪将不会兴起
读累了记得休息一会哦~

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1935年11月5日
但盐酸溶液不把它在扁桃背上的伤口算上它笑对人群愤怒的目光而维
持她一连串理由只为在她的镜子前更好地嘲笑银钱口袋在她手里成了
找给敌人的零钱而她的长途旅行围绕着鲤鱼翻身黄油在锅中鼓掌你认
识前往被截掉一段还覆盖了海报的高塔的道路不属于任何情况既无叫
喊也无哭泣但始终如此温存如此甘美在嘴唇上每说一个词只为了抚摩
它把它紧紧贴在心口只是躺在床上才瞧天空随着被雨滴粉碎的歌声晃
动她的胳膊为了追随苍蝇的逃逸在世界上只有她一个不知道自己的名
字也不知道自己的罪孽忧心忡忡发出一声大喊拉起帷幕蒙上钟点而断
了脊梁骨的楼梯将数学性地摧毁它只要它极端危险的位置不会改变地
点她的手在窗台上印下了木头的气味如此的受伤和垂死他今天晚上来
到将永远不会改变温柔这时候敲打着百叶窗回家后坐在一旁从肩膀的
上方读着一段举世无双的爱的真正而具体的故事清新得如同玫瑰树上
一朵冲向太阳微笑的玫瑰
1935年11月7日
只要椅子不来如同以往如此熟悉地打在我的肩膀上并且厨房的桌子不
蜷缩在我的怀抱中而且开水壶不来亲我的嘴不凑在我耳朵边微笑着并
大笑着低声轻说我勉强才懂的千万东西并且毛巾和抹布不开始鼓掌不
拿自己的脑袋去撞那条分割了不多阳光的线阳光从窗户照进室内而大
理石皱眉噘嘴尽管有千百条不同颜色的绸带装饰着它 [1] 只为见它们
熟睡在一个角落的盘子上舞蹈小小豌豆很开心因为斗牛士与马的对话
尽管显然很有戏剧性以一千种不同的方式表演和排练而我必须前去吸
引每一个观众的深深目光用我那最细微的针然而我更喜欢让它们自由
自在地嬉戏直到跑动的最后才割断连线而只有等它们死去并被骡子拖
走任由鲜血满地流淌才来唤醒它们给别人而不拍我的肖像照准备好底
板用一百种充满魔力的油膏把我彻底裹上而我体内深深中心内部的仪
器准备好对付所有最别扭的惊喜并能让你们带着最大的幸福笑死因为
在斗牛士的眼中一切由数字来解释在公牛湖的水底一切都不清楚只有
伤口所歌唱的气味能数学式地说出利剑蛇行一般走过的道路以更为忧
伤的打击看到炎热破裂为叹息躲藏在裙裾下只看到用大写字母印下痛
苦在竞技场周围闻到一滴一滴地逃逸尽管空间与持续时间的现成想法
而包裹住每一个意愿在没有孩子的花园中有一些在玩铁环另一些是小
姑娘在玩跳房子散发出破碎肚肠的气味臭气和可恶在满是鲜血的谋杀
的手中溢出马的肚子赛马的弥撒开始了而每一声叫喊都把它的扣眼
[2] 钉住在花盆中每一张嘴都在歌唱被切为四块且搭成十字形的两块
双面镜子分割开由一根绳子系住其一端由三万男女的燃烧的心拉住只
构成一面始终保持弹痕累累的旗帜而精确的时刻以其连在火热柄上的
拳头锻造它由热爱整个人民的团体的欲望拿定在脏腑中挖掘用手寻找
着心脏它带着斗牛士的生命逸出马儿踢着蹄子闭上眼睛哭泣并以它所
有的眼泪接受施舍为今天傍晚它已经碰触到了预定年龄的界限跨坐在
它的翅膀上—— [3] 腾跃在外粉碎百叶窗在他耳边敲响所有的钟为在
他白色盔甲底下开花的丁香带来面纱的颜色在地上撕碎斗牛士的兽毛
火枪的洞而那不勒斯夹心冰淇淋早已经由竞技场散发出一种苦涩的寒
冷早已经在他胸膛中看到并留住音乐以其寂静激怒它雨燕的叫声加剧
它撕破华盖烤沙丁鱼的气味不至于让他的幻觉彻底消失也没有物质时
间坐到谎言旁边他靠着手相突然就解释了真相用数字给它们编号并把
它们扔进了垃圾堆各人自有各自命

[1] 手稿中用的是西班牙语的“adornent”而不是法语
的“ornent”（adornar: orner）。

[2] “扣眼”的原文是“œillet”，也可解释为“石竹花”。——译注

[3] 此处有一短横“—”。——译注
1935年11月8日
没有谎言双手举起再不需要说别的什么在这辉煌而又喜剧性的确切时
刻当桌子站立起来哈哈大笑地向战败的敌人亮出它被乱戳一气的胸脯
用它的血惊人地冰镇劣质啤酒这芜菁与胡萝卜的冰冷的好血高兴地面
对刀子的百般危险它们脱手而出连考虑都不考虑却对它虎视眈眈让人
切洋葱时流着温柔的眼泪转过身去既不哀求也不恳请整整一大堆道理
它们将碰破鼻子被已然那般疲倦的一点阳光晃了眼煮菜汤时光亮的台
布散发出它的黄颜色迈步行走标志出盘子的蓝色而扎入到鹿角的绿色
之中也只是为了跟钟表匠也跟狗儿开一些玩笑而狗儿用它的刀口舔锋
利的伤口此时它已在火中如同一个形象出现两种丁香色的鸽子翅膀把
锅掀起在空中发现言语前来手中喝清凉的水它流动并落下还伸展开在
浪脊上写下它的故事
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
I asked the chief to tell about other birds and their songs. He replied:

“We called the yellow-breast (Western meadow-lark) ‘big-rump-bird,’

because he is so broad across the back. He is one of the first birds
to come in the spring. We are always glad to see him; when he
comes we know that summer is near. He has different songs: ‘Good
whistler (his wife) is a selfish woman’; also, ‘Your sister has a black
skin.’

“The black breast (horned lark) sings in the air: ‘Spread out your
blanket and I will light upon it.’

“Summer bringers (white-throats) sing: ‘The leaves are budding and

summer is coming.’

“We call the bird that chatters among the bushes, when women are
gathering berries, ‘stingy-with-their-berries’ (kingbird). A bird with
long legs and black breast (spotted sandpiper) we call ‘shadow-in-
the-water,’ because it stands in shallow water and looks at its own
shadow.

“My father taught me how to read the future, by watching the flights
of birds and the habits of wild animals. Of all the birds, we look upon
the raven as the wisest. When I see one soaring over our camp, I
know a messenger is coming from a distance. If two ravens sit near
a trail with their heads close together, it is a sign an enemy is near.
On a hunt, if I see a flock of ravens playing together, I go in that
direction and am sure to find game.

“My father told me how to read the signs in the sky—if the sun paints
his face (sun dogs), a big storm is coming; when the ‘fires of the
northmen’ (aurora) show in the sky, a heavy wind is coming; a
‘feeding star’ (comet), is a sign of famine and sickness; and if the
sun hides his face (eclipse), a great chief is about to die. The
rainbow is the ‘lariat’; it is the Thunder roping the rain; and the storm
will slow up.” [228]

Calendar of Moons

“The first moon of winter (November) is the ‘wind-moon,’ or ‘time of the

first big snow.’

“Last of December and early January, ‘moon of the first warm wind’
(chinook).

“January, ‘moon when the jack rabbit whistles at night.’

“February, ‘moon of heavy snows,’ or ‘when buffalo calves are black.’

“March, ‘moon of sore eyes,’ or ‘moon when the geese fly north.’

“April, ‘moon when ice breaks up in the rivers.’

“The spring moon has different names—‘time when the trees are budding,’
‘when buffalo calves are yellow,’ ‘when the buffalo plant is in flower,’ ‘when
the grass begins to grow.’

“May, ‘moon when the leaves come out.’

“June, ‘moon of high water.’

“Late June and July, ‘moon of flowers,’ ‘when strawberries get ripe.’

“We call August, ‘home days.’

“September, ‘moon when the leaves turn yellow.’

“October, ‘moon when the leaves fall.’

“Last of October and early November, ‘moon when the geese fly south.’

“My father used to sit by the lodge-fire on long winter evenings and tell us
stories and the wonderful things that happened in his life. He told about
the Stars and the Sun and the Moon, saying:
The Bunched Stars

“There is a family of small stars in the sky; we call them Bunched Stars.
They are some children that got lost from an Indian camp on the plains
long ago.

“This happened in the spring, the moon when the buffalo [229]calves are
yellow. Some hunters were driving buffalo over a cliff. When they went
back to camp, they gave the little yellow skins of the buffalo calves to their
children, who wore them in playing.

“There was a poor family in the camp, whose children did not get any of
the calfskins; and the others made fun of them.

“Then the poor children were ashamed, because they were not dressed
like the others. They ran away from the camp and got lost on the plains.
They had no place to go, so they went up to the sky. We know they are the
Bunched Stars (Pleiades), because they never show themselves in the
spring—the time buffalo calves are yellow. But, in the fall, when the calves
are brown, you can see the Bunched Stars in the sky every night.”

The Seven Stars (Ursa Major)

“There is a constellation in the north sky we call the Seven Stars. They
belonged to a family of nine children, two girls and seven boys. The oldest
girl had many suitors, but she would not marry. She went every day into
the forest to gather wood.

“One day her little sister followed; and when they were in the forest
together, the older girl left her and went off alone. She stayed a long while
and came back with her clothes covered with earth and leaves. The
younger girl said to herself: ‘There is something my sister does when she
goes alone; and now I shall find out.’ Next day she followed secretly; she
saw her sister having a good time with a big grizzly bear; and came home
and told her father.

“Then the father was angry. He said to his oldest daughter: ‘Now I know
why you do not marry any of our young men; you have a grizzly bear for
your lover.’
“He went through the camp and called to the people: ‘I have a grizzly bear
for a son-in-law; he waits near by in the [230]forest; let us all go forth and
kill him.’ So they went out and killed him.

“Then the girl stood by the body of her bear lover and mourned. His spirit
came to her in a dream and bestowed his supernatural power upon her.
After that she wore a piece of his skin for a charm and could do wonderful
things.

“One day she suddenly changed herself into a big grizzly bear. She went
through the camp and killed all the people; she spared only her little
brother and sister. And the three of them lived together. But all this time
the six older brothers were away on the warpath.

“One day the little sister went to the river with her water pails and met the
brothers coming home from war. She told them about Bear-Skin-Woman
—how she had killed all the people and would surely kill them too.

“Then the brothers planned to save their little brother and sister. They
gathered prickly pears and scattered them in the dark, leaving only a
narrow path from the tepee. That night the two children ran away in the
dark and joined their waiting brothers by the river.

“As soon as Bear-Skin-Woman knew they had gone, she turned herself
into a grizzly bear and followed them. But the prickly pears got into her
feet and she had to stop to pull them out.

“It turned out that the little brother, whose name was Body Chief, was a
medicine man with great power. He carried a bow with magical arrows and
wore an eagle feather in his hair. When he heard their bear sister coming,
he took his feather and made a lake between them and the bear; again he
made a thicket to hold her back; and another time they all climbed into a
tree.

“When the bear came to the tree, she said: ‘Now where can you go? I am
going to kill all of you.’

“She climbed into the tree and knocked six of the brothers [231]down; only
Body Chief and his little sister were left. Then a little bird lighted in the tree
near Body Chief and sang:
 “ ‘Shoot her in the top-knot.
Shoot her in the top-knot.
You must shoot the top of her head.’

“By this time the bear was near Body Chief, so he took one of his magical
arrows and shot her. She fell dead, and Body Chief came down from the
tree.

“Now six of the brothers were dead. But Body Chief shot six of his arrows
into the air. Each time he brought a brother back to life, until they were all
alive again.

“Then Body Chief said: ‘Now what shall we do? Our relatives and friends
are all dead and we have no place to go.’

“The oldest brother said: ‘Let us go to the sky and become seven stars in
the north. Then people will always know that the morning comes from us.’

“So Body Chief took one of his eagle feathers. He waved it over his head,
and the brothers went up to the sky one after the other. They took the
same places they had in the tree, with the four oldest at the bottom. Body
Chief, the medicine man, is the end star in the constellation, and their little
sister the small star at one side. Every night you can see the brothers
move around the sky, until their heads are up in the morning. And that is
how the Seven Stars (Ursa Major) came to be.”

Then Brings-Down-the-Sun arose and pointing to the bright

constellation in the north, said: “Behold! The last brother is pointing
down towards the prairie and the light of day will soon come.” [232]
[Contents]
CHAPTER XXXIII
 LEGENDS OF STAR BOY AND SCARFACE

Our last evening in the North Piegan camp many Indians came to
visit. So we gathered logs and built up the fire, until the flames
lighted up our white tepees and the surrounding woods.

Brings-Down-the-Sun took his customary seat on a log by our fire

and silently smoked his redstone pipe. The fire burned low and there
came a silence. I heard the last birds chirping in the thickets and
frogs croaking in a near-by swamp. Finally I asked the old chief to
tell about two bright stars (Venus and Jupiter) then in conjunction;
they rose in the early morning before the sun. He knocked the ashes
from his pipe, and for a moment gazed meditatively into the fire.
Then he said:

“The things I am going to tell you happened long ago, long before we
had the Sun Dance; when our people used stone weapons and had
dogs instead of horses for beasts of burden.

Star Boy

“It was a night in early summer. The sky was clear and a warm wind blew
over the prairies. Two sisters were sleeping on the grass outside their
father’s lodge. The youngest, whose name was Feather Woman, wakened
before daybreak and saw Morning Star rising from the prairie. For a while
she watched this wonderful star; and she talked to him as if he were her
lover. At last she woke her sister and said: ‘See Morning Star! He is
beautiful and must be very wise. I want him for my husband.’

“This happened in the spring. In the ‘moon when leaves [233]were turning
yellow,’ the sister who loved the star found herself with child. The people
learned her secret and taunted her until she wanted to die.
“One day, at the time when geese were flying south, Feather Woman went
alone to the river for water. On her way back to camp, a young man met
her in the trail. He stood in her way and she said:

“ ‘Why do you want to head me off? None of the young men have ever
bothered me before.’

“And he answered: ‘I am Morning Star. One night in spring you took me for
your husband. Now I have come from the sky to take you to the lodge of
my father and mother, the Sun and Moon. We shall be together and you
will have no more trouble.’

“Then the girl remembered that night in the early summer and knew
Morning Star was the father of her child. He wore a yellow plume in his
hair and held a juniper branch with a spider-web hanging from one end.
He was tall and straight and his hair was long and shining. His beautiful
clothes were of soft-tanned skins; and had a fragrance of pine and sweet
grass.

“She wanted to tell her father and mother; but Morning Star allowed her to
speak to no one. He fastened his plume in her hair and told her to close
her eyes. He gave her the branch with the spider-web to hold; and thus
she was drawn up to the sky. When she opened her eyes, she was
standing with Morning Star before a large lodge. He said: ‘This is the
home of my father and mother, the Sun and Moon.’

“It was daytime and the Sun was away on his long journey, but the Moon
was at home. Morning Star said to his mother: ‘I saw this girl asleep on the
prairie; I loved her and she is now my wife.’

“Then the Moon was glad and took the girl into their lodge. She gave her a
dress of soft-tanned deerskin, trimmed [234]with elk teeth, wristlets of elk
teeth, and an elkskin robe, and said: ‘I give you these because you
married our son.’

“So Feather Woman lived with Morning Star in the home of the Sun. She
was happy and learned many wonderful things. When her child was born,
they called him Star Boy; then the Moon gave her a sacred root-digger,
saying:
“ ‘It is used only by good women; with it you can dig all kinds of roots; but
do not dig up the big turnip that grows near the home of the Spider Man.’

“Everywhere Feather Woman went, she carried the root-digger and Star
Boy. She often looked at the big turnip, but was afraid to touch it. But one
day she felt curious to see what was underneath; she thought how strange
was the warning of her mother-in-law, the Moon.

“She laid Star Boy on the ground and started to dig; but the root-digger
stuck fast. Two large cranes came flying from the east; and she called on
them for help. The man-crane stood on one side, his wife on the other. He
took the turnip in his long bill and moved it slowly backwards and
forwards. They chanted four songs in the four directions. Then they pulled
up the turnip; and Feather Woman saw a hole in the sky.

“She looked down to the earth, and saw the prairies and rivers, the
meadows and lodges of her people. For a long time she sat watching the
familiar scenes; women tanning skins and making lodges, gathering
berries on the hills and crossing the meadows to and fro for water. It made
her unhappy and she began to cry. She felt lonely and wanted to go back
to her own people on the prairies.

“Then Feather Woman returned to the lodge of the Sun. As soon as she
entered, Morning Star saw she was unhappy and said:

“ ‘Alas! You have dug up the sacred turnip.’ And, when [235]she made no
reply, the Moon said: ‘I warned you, because I did not want to lose Star
Boy.’

“Nothing more was said, because the Sun Chief was still away on his long
journey through the sky. In the evening when he came home, he said:

“ ‘What is the matter with my daughter-in-law? She looks unhappy and

must be in trouble.’

“Feather Woman answered: ‘Yes, I looked down to the earth and feel
homesick for my people.’

“Then the Sun God was angry and said to Morning Star: ‘She has
disobeyed and must go back to the earth. She can no longer be happy
with us.’
“After that Morning Star took Feather Woman to the home of the Spider
Man, whose long web had drawn her up to the sky. He laid Star Boy on
her breast and wrapped them both in the elkskin robe; he bade them
farewell and let them down to the earth.

“This happened in midsummer, the time ‘when berries were ripe.’ In the
Blackfoot camp many people were outside their lodges, watching a crowd
of young men play a game of rolling the wheel. Suddenly they beheld
something coming down from the sky. And when they came to the place
where the bundle lay, they saw the woman and her baby.

“They took her to her father’s lodge and she lived there. But after that she
was not happy. She used to go alone to the summit of a hill and mourn for
her husband. One night she slept on the hill; and, at daybreak, when
Morning Star rose over the prairies, she begged him to take her back.

“Before Feather Woman died, she told all these things to her father and
mother. Then the grandparents of Star Boy died, and he was left alone in
the camp. He was so poor he had no clothes, not even moccasins to wear.
He did not play with other children; they made fun of him and stoned him.
Whenever the tribe moved camp, he had to walk barefoot [236]behind the
rest of the people. He had a ridge-scar on his face; and they called him
Scarface.

Scarface

“Now when Scarface became a young man he loved the daughter of a

chief. She had many suitors, but refused all of them. Scarface asked her
to marry him. But the chief’s daughter ridiculed Scarface and said: ‘I shall
not marry you until your scar can be seen no more.’

“Then Scarface was ashamed and went away from the camp. He
wandered alone; he fasted, and prayed to the birds and wild animals for
power. Finally an eagle took him to the home of a wise old woman. She
asked him why he traveled so far, and he replied: ‘Because of this, my
scar.’

“Then the old woman said: ‘Ah, yes, I know, I understand. You must go to
the place where the sun sets, beyond the mountains and down the other
side, to the big water. There you must wait, for you will be near the home
of the Sun. In the evening he comes home to his lodge; and before dawn
his only son, the Morning Star, comes out. He will tell you how to live.’

“The old medicine woman pitied Scarface and gave him food to eat, and
moccasins to wear, for his feet were torn and bleeding. Then he left her
and traveled again, across the mountains and down the other side, until
he came at last to the shore of the big water. There it was so hot he knew
he was near the lodge of the Sun. So he lay down and waited.

“In the early morning a young man with a beautiful face came forth. It was
Morning Star. He saw Scarface and said:

“ ‘Brother, I shall hide you. Soon my father, the Sun, will appear and would
kill you. In the morning he comes from his lodge and starts on his long
journey through the sky.’ [237]

“So Morning Star hid Scarface. And after the Sun had gone, he took him
to his mother, the Moon, and said:

“ ‘I want this fellow for my comrade. He has come a long way and I ask you
to pity him.’

“The Moon answered: ‘Wait until your father comes home to-night; I am
afraid he won’t allow the young man to stay.’

“That evening, as soon as the Sun entered the lodge, he said to his wife:
‘Whew! Old woman, I smell a human here.’

“And the Moon replied: ‘Yes, your son has a chum hidden yonder.’

“Then the Sun would have killed Scarface, but the Moon interceded and
saved his life. Morning Star burned juniper and sweet grass. He put
Scarface in the sweet-smelling smoke; and after that the Sun allowed him
to stay in the lodge.

“Thus Scarface became the comrade of Morning Star; and the two young
men went everywhere together. On one of their trips, some huge birds
with sharp bills attacked Morning Star. They would have killed him, but
Scarface cut off all their heads and saved his life. Four of the heads he
gave to the Sun and three to the Moon. Then the Sun praised Scarface.
He said he was a chief and gave him a war shirt, which was trimmed with
scalps and ermine and with leggings to match. On each legging the Sun
made seven black lines to represent the seven enemies he had killed.
Because of this our warriors have always painted their leggings with the
number of enemies they kill in battle.

“The Sun asked Scarface why he traveled so far, and he replied:

“ ‘A girl said she would not marry me until my scar was healed.’

“Then the Sun doctored Scarface in four sweat-lodges, until he and

Morning Star looked alike in every way. Even the Moon could not tell them
apart. When the Sun asked [238]his wife which of the two was Morning
Star, she pointed to Scarface. For this reason the Indians sometimes call
him Morning-Star-by-Mistake.

“When it was time for Scarface to leave the sky and return to the earth, the
Sun gave him power to heal the sick. He told him about the Sun Dance
and taught him the songs and prayers, saying: ‘It must be given in
midsummer, when my power is greatest. If a virtuous woman makes a vow
to the Sun and gives this ceremony sacred to me, the sick will be restored
to health.’

“At parting, Morning Star showed Scarface the Wolf Trail (Milky Way), the
short path across the sky to the earth. He gave him a magic flute and a
song with which to charm the girl he loved. So Scarface left the home of
the Sun and returned to the earth. He brought the Sun Dance to the
Indians and power to heal the sick. Then he was taken back to the sky
and became another Morning Star, just like his father.”

Thus spake Brings-Down-the-Sun. And after a short silence he continued,

saying:

“I remember another time years ago, when these two stars rose close
together in the early morning before the sun; also when I was a boy, I
remember my father waking me one morning when we were going on a
journey, saying: ‘Get up, my son! Morning Star and Star Boy are rising
over the prairie. Day will soon dawn and it is time we were off.’

“Sometimes these two stars separate and travel alone through the sky. I
have also seen them together in the evening sky, going down after the
sun. Now they are together in the morning. You can see them before
 dawn. Scarface comes up first, his father soon after, and then his
grandfather, the Sun.”

When the old chief ended his talk, no one spoke for a while, because of
the magic of his words and the spell of the [239]night. Suddenly a bright
meteor flashed across the heavens and burst into a shower of sparks near
the horizon. Some of the Indians thought it an evil omen. But Brings-
Down-the-Sun said:

“That falling star is a sign a great chief has just died—a man who had a
good heart and lived a straight life. The Sun God is all-powerful; he sees
everything and watches over every one.

“And now our story-telling is ended, for the dogs have separated, having
had their evening meal.”

After Brings-Down-the-Sun and his followers had gone and our

Indians were asleep in their tepees, I lay on my blanket-bed under
the cottonwoods, thinking of Star Boy and Scarface, and watching
the moon, very broad and big, mount slowly into a cloudless heaven,
higher and higher, until the great trees were bathed in its silvery light.
I heard the night wind in the trees, the murmuring of the river, and
once the mournful cry of some night bird. In the peace and quiet of
that wilderness camp, my home in civilization seemed like another
world.

At dawn I wakened and saw our women making a fire to cook

breakfast. After a plunge in the cold river, I went to find our horses,
along the wooded trail in the valley, past the silent white lodges of
the North Piegans. Out on the open prairie a gentle breeze was
blowing, bearing the sweet fragrance of woods and meadows.

In the east were the two bright morning stars in conjunction, Star Boy
and his father, the planets Jupiter and Venus. Star Boy (Jupiter)
came up first, and was followed by Morning Star.
The first birds were chirping in the thickets and from the hills came
the wailing cries of bands of coyotes. Soon a rosy glow spread over
the Rocky Mountains, over the snow-capped [240]peaks and the
forests of the lower slopes. By the time I found our horses, the sun
itself came up and flooded the prairies with light.

When our lodges were down and wagons packed, Brings-Down-the-

Sun came to say farewell, leading his favorite horse, Soks-kinne
(Loud Voice).

Soks-kinne was a handsome stallion with silvery mane and tail, the
fastest race horse of the North Piegans. What a chest he had! Long
legs and brightest of eyes. The old chief cared for him as for an old
and faithful friend. But he led his horse forth and gave him to us.

When we refused to take him, Brings-Down-the-Sun handed me his

favorite pipe of redstone, and said:

“My son, I give you my ‘everyday’ pipe—the one I have smoked for
many years. Keep it as a remembrance of your Indian father. My
heart feels heavy because you are going; and I shall be lonely every
time I see your deserted camp-ground. Never have I gone into
another camp to talk day after day as I have with you.”

Then he shook hands; and, as I turned to go, the old chief gazed
towards the rising sun and prayed:

“Father, the Sun!

May he go safely while traveling afar!
May we live long and continue to be friends!
May we both meet and be happy again!”

As we left the valley for the open plains, I turned in the saddle for a
last look, and saw Brings-Down-the-Sun with bowed head, going
along the trail to his lodge, leading his horse and followed by his old
dog, Kops-ksisse. [241]
[Contents]
CHAPTER XXXIV
 BEGINNING OF THE SUN DANCE

The Blackfoot Indians did not have a personal God. They looked to
the Sun as the source of all power, believing he was everywhere—in
the mountains, lakes and rivers, birds and wild animals. They
believed that Sun Power could be transferred to man. Any one might
be the favored person; an individual was powerless to gain it, but he
could put himself in the way of receiving the gift.

If an Indian wanted a religious experience, or to gain supernatural

power, he went alone to a remote place to fast and pray, sometimes
for many days. The gift came generally through the medium of some
wild animal, bird, or supernatural being, whose compassion was
aroused by his fasting and by his exhausted condition; often through
one of the more powerful animals—the buffalo, grizzly bear, beaver,
wolf, eagle, Thunder, or the Maker of Storms and Blizzards. If the
grizzly bear bestowed his power, the man who received it was
believed to attain the great strength and vitality of the bear.

The tribe had many sacred bundles containing supernatural power;

all had songs for their rituals, and all the songs were different. The
medicine men who led the ceremonies had to know the songs of the
different bundles. This required many years of patient study and was
an important part in the preparation of a medicine man.

In the ceremonies of these bundles, the objects they contained were

of minor importance; the songs were the means of contact with
religious power. Some of the ceremonies were believed to have
power to heal the sick, others to promote the welfare of the people,
or to bring success in war. But [242]each bundle was owned by an
individual who, in turn, could transfer it to another.
The Sun Dance was the only ceremony in which all the people
participated. It was a great tribal festival held every year at
midsummer when the grass was long and food plentiful. It always
had its origin in a woman’s vow to the Sun generally in behalf of a
relative who was dying. Some attended to fast and pray, others to
fulfill vows; but most of the people came for social enjoyment, and to
see the ceremonies and social dances.

Mad Wolf, my Indian father, and his wife were the givers of a Sun
Dance. One day in the early summer, I rode Kutenai, my saddle
horse, across the prairie to attend their opening ceremony. When I
came to a long ridge-like summit that led down to his camp, I
dismounted to rest and view the landscape.

In the wide and grassy valleys were herds of fat horses and cattle.
Sharp against the western horizon stood the snowy peak of Divide
Mountain, where two continental divides meet, and the rocky summit
of a mountain called “Chief” by the Indians, because it stands apart
and is higher than the other peaks. It was evening and the hills and
mountains were bathed in the rosy light of sunset. On all sides I
heard the sweet sounds of prairie birds—the Western meadowlark
and lark sparrow and the serene and exalted song of the willow
thrush.

But the dogs of Mad Wolf’s camp soon broke the spell; they got wind
of the approaching white man and began an incessant barking. So I
leaped into the saddle and rode down to his camp.

When I entered the lodge, the chief and his wife Gives-to-the-Sun
were seated together at the back, their heads bowed in prayer. He
looked at me with his keen glance, then shook hands and, directing
me to a seat on a couch, said: [243]