The Stupid Carpenter

men-malla bakurena mara men-ganukh ahmak nasha khezyet? ka-malla marena, mara men-shuk men-ganukh etten nasha medre ahmak nasha ave, khezyet? men-malla bakurena mara khezyet aten men-shuk-ganukh ave kha-nasha khina ahmak? at ahmakivet ina men-ganukh bush-ahmak khezyet?

People ask the mullah saying ‘Have you seen a man more stupid than yourself?’ They say to the mullah, saying ‘Apart from yourself, is there a person who is a yet more stupid man?’ They ask the mullah saying ‘Have you seen apart from yourself another stupid man? You are stupid, but have you seen a more stupid person than you?’

malla mara hi khezyen. mara ka-kha-dana najjar muyyili lakhkha gu-beti kat-tarra zarezva kati. u-bas santimetra leva muyya mennu. bas kheshle b-idatu shkelle kyula kyula b-idatu, har-o-jurrada.

The mullah said ‘Yes, I have.’ He says ‘I brought a carpenter here, into my house, in order for him to make a door for me. But he had not brought a tape measure with him. Nevertheless he went and took the measurement with his hands, the measurement, with his hands, the same method (as a tape measure).

kemle idatu ptikhe berrekhsha kat kyula la manshivale. kat-iva berrekhsha atkha atkha leva gashshuke kheshle pelle gu-kunya. bas shãns etvale kunya leva raba miyya melya. khachcheva. nashe tilun ka-do-nasha paltiva men-tamma. merrun idukh halla kat-paltakhlukh. merre la-amsen idi yavvenna. en-idi yavvenna, kyulet t-iven kilu tarra manshenne. av menni bush khmarele.

He got up and went with his hands open so that he would not forget the measurement. Because he was going like this and was not looking, he went and fell into a well. But he had luck, the well was not full of much water. There was little of it there. People came to get that man out from there. They said “Give (us) your hand so we can take you out.” He said “I cannot give my hand. If I give my hand, I shall forget the measurement, which I made for the door.” He is more foolish than me.’