Women are Stronger than Men

etva kha-dana-malka. etva kha-dana-malka u-yuvvelle khabra ka-vazzer. merre ana le-bayyen hech kha-shra oya gu-mata, gu-mdita. bayyen palten, bayyen palten khazzen atri muile, khazzen atri muile.

There was once a king. There was once a king. He gave an order to the vizier. He said ‘I do not want any lantern to be in the village, in the town. I want to go out, I want to go out and see how my land is, see how my land is.’

vazzer platele jar bedrayele, jar. e-danta telefone melefone letva. atkha jar bedrayele. hamzumele mara kat hech kha shra la-layya gu-betvate. malka byayele palet khader kut shra tape et-jarima.

The vizier goes out and makes an announcement, an announcement. At that time there were no telephones or the like. So, he makes an announcement. He speaks saying ‘No lantern should be lit in the houses. The king wants to go out and tour around. If anybody lights a lantern, there will be a fine.’

khabra yavele b-lele vazzer men-malka platena b-rikave berrekhshena bekhdarena khazze mu-et mu letten.

He gives an order and at night the vizier and the king go out, they go with horsemen, touring around, so he (the king) could see what is happening.

bekhzayele men-rekka ina kha-dana shra vela bellaya gu-kha-beta. mara vazzer ana katukh mirenva a-muila shra bella tamma? merre malka avet basima, ana miren ita ana len-bedda ayya muila balket lena shemye. azakh khazakh.

He sees from afar a lantern burning in a house. He (the king) says ‘Vizier, I told you, what is that lantern burning there?’ He said ‘King, be well, I have said (what you ordered me to say) and so I do not know what that is. Perhaps they have not heard. Let us go and see.’

berrekhshele varel tama gashshukele ina kha-dana bakhta men teryessar urze. hamzumena, tanuyena, gekhkena, bikhalena, beshtayena.

He goes and enters there. He sees a woman with twelve men. They are speaking, telling stories, laughing, eating, drinking.

bakurena, mara makhleta akhnan tilan gu-da atra karibayevakh lekh bedda hech mendi. khzilan akhchi kha-shra lakhkha bellayela. bayyakh yattakh akhnan ikevakh, ika k-amsakh khazzakh kha-ga machkhakhen. akhchi kha-shra bellayela.

They ask saying ‘Pardon, we have (just) come to this land. We are foreigners. We do not know anything. We saw only one lantern burning here. We want to know where we are, where we can find (somewhere to stay). Only one lantern is burning.’

kharta bakurena, betyavena tama chay beshta shule, bakurena kat gor da-bakhta ikele. mara gor da-bakhta kheshle karibuyta. mara bas-anne muina lakhkha, anne urze shule? mara anne khuyravatuna.

Then they ask—they sit and drink tea and so forth—they ask where the husband of the woman is. They say ‘The husband of this woman has gone to foreign lands.’ They say ‘But what are these here, these men and so forth?’ They say ‘These are his friends.’

malka raba narahat vayele. ka-vazzer marele ku-yarmakh. yarmakh, yane azakh. bekyamena bitayena. ka-vazzer marele, malka ka-vazzer marele matti alamat al-da-beta. kedamta jalde ana byayen a-bakhta khazenna. matti alamat.

The king becomes very upset. He says to the vizier ‘Let’s get up and be off,’ that is ‘Let’s go.’ They get up and come back. He says to the vizier, the king says to the vizier ‘Put a sign on this house. Early tomorrow morning I want to see this woman. Put a sign (on it).’

vazzer mattuyele alamat, nishanka. kedamta berrekhshel vazzer bar-da-bakhta. gashshukele ina kulle o-khiyavand o nishankele. ina lele bedda emneva.

The vizier puts a sign (on it). In the morning the vizier goes looking for the woman. He looks and sees that the whole street is (marked with) the same sign, but he does not know which one it (i.e. the house of the woman) was.

bitayele ka-malka marele malka muyyalukh? mara la malka t-avet basima. ana kheshli kedamta khzili ina kulle o-khiyavand o nishanket ana muttun avda vel-tamma. la-dili em-betele.

He comes to the king. The king says ‘Have you brought her?’ He says ‘No, king, be well. I went in the morning and saw that the same sign that I had placed was in the entire street. I did not know which was the house.’

malka raba narahat vayele. mara vazzer ana pt-azen ka-kha-yarkha. hal deren aten kok nekva la-shoket. koket nekva kulle doket, kamta bakhtet diyyi, kharta bakhtet diyyukh, taveryate, katunyate, kalbe, kul-mendit ette nekva p-shaklette m-pat arra.

The king becomes very upset. He says ‘Vizier, I shall go away for a month. Before I return and come back, do not leave female kind (alive). Seize all female kind, first my wife, then your wife, cows, cats, dogs, whatever has female kind you must take away from the face of the earth.’

vazzer mara malka t-avet basima a-dakh shulel?! a-dakh k-amsen ana-a-shula odenne?! mara ana kakh maren, en-la, kdalukh makhenne. akhchi gu-atret diyyi aha mendi ave ana le kablenne.

The vizier says ‘King, be well, what kind of task is that?! How can I perform this task?!’ (The king responds) ‘I am telling you, if not, I shall cut off your head. I will not permit this thing (i.e. womankind) to exist in my country!’

malka berrekhshele. ka-kha-yarkha berrekhshele. dastur yavel ka-vazzer kat … a-shula avedle. bitayel a-vazzer raba narahat, la bikhala la beshtaya.

The king goes away. He goes away for a month. He gives a command to the vizier to perform this task. The vizier comes back (home) very upset, he does not eat or drink.

a-vazzer etvale kha-dana baba. babet daha iva vazzer ka-babet malka kamta. ina ukhcha siveva muttuva gu-kha … kertala gu-ktana kat la-ajjezva paghru. raba siveva ina iva vazziret babet malka.

This vizier had a father. His father was formerly vizier to the father of the king. But he was so aged that they had placed him in a basket, in cotton, so that his body is not harmed. He was very old, but he used to be the vizier to the father of the king.

mara bruni mu-et khabra? kam kha-akhcha narahativet? let bikhala, let beshtaya, aslan dut shukhleppa. a muile viyya?

He says ‘My son, what news is there? Why are you so upset? You are not eating, you are not drinking, you have completely changed. What has happened?’

mara rappi babi la baker la baker. berrekhshel bitayele PbelakharaP mara akh bruni anada babukhven. a-kul dakh-t-oya ana khachcha bush-zoda mennukh khiyyen. tanili balket hayyerrennukh.

He says ‘Drop it, father, do not ask, do not ask.’ He goes and comes back, and in the end (his father) says ‘But my son, I am your father. Whatever the case may be, I have lived a little more than you. Tell me, perhaps I can help you.’

mara babi men-alaha lela tshita, mennukh mut tshitela? atkha vila kessat. malkada yuvvel dastur kat-kulle panennun bakhtet ganize, bakh-malkada kulle nekve men-pat arra shaklennun.

He says ‘Father, it is not hidden from God, how can it be hidden from you? This is what has happened. The king has given a command that I should eradicate everybody, even my own wife, also the wife of the king, that I should remove from the face of the earth all females.’

mara bruni hal de-danta raba danela. e-dan malka tile kati tani danu esra yumane m-kam dana kay-tani.

He says ‘My son, there is a lot of time until then. When the king has comes back, tell me when, tell me ten days beforehand.’

bitayela dana kat-malka bayye ate. mara babi adi dan tetula. mu-bayyet katelli? rishi paremle?

The time comes when the king intends to come home. He says ‘Father, now is the time of his coming home. Do you want him to kill me, to cut off my head?’

mara aten khabra hal-ka-kulle atra kat-kulle nekve ot-etle julle shapire shakellun ot-letleda zaven, taveryatu zabennun, kut-etle zabenne shakel akhchi julle shapire paletkam-malka.

He says ‘Give an order to all the land that all women—whoever has fine clothes should take them, whoever does not have any should buy them, should sell his cows, should sell everything he has, and take fine clothes and come out before the king.’

ay babi aven khlapukh a-mut shulele? malka gu-mtetu rish-diyyi makhile. merre aten a-shula vudle la-avilukh shula.

‘Oh father, with respect, what kind of task is that? When the king arrives he will cut off my head.’ He said ‘Do that task and you will have no problem.’

bitayena jar bedrayele vazzer kat-kulle bakhtate loshi lveshta shaperta. danet malkada karbunela. adiyya anne nekve kulle hazer vayena men-yal-sure nekve hal gure. platena kam-malka.

They come and the vizier makes an announcement that all women should wear fine clothing. The time of the (return of the) king is getting close. Now the women are all ready, from young girls to older women. They go out before the king.

malka mara o-bet-babukh shayyenne a-mu videle? la adiyya ka-diyyida katel? a dule kulle nekve khumye urze ktilele. ana mirenva katu bakhtate katellun a dul urze ktile u-adi gu-mteti kayda p-katel a-mut ketma deryel b-rishu.

The king says ‘I shall blot out the house of your father. What has he (the vizier) done? Will he now not kill also me? He has preserved all the women and killed the men. I had said to him that he should kill the women, but he has killed the men. Now, when I arrive, he will kill me also. What a shameful thing he has done!’

bitayele mara vazzer a-mut shula videvet? mara malka t-avet basima. ana etli kha-baba. raba b-shennele. viyyeva vazzer ka-bab-diyyukh. avun tlibel mennukh akhchi esra dakike mennukh hamzem. ita e-dan-makhet rishet kulle mkhile.

He comes and says ‘Vizier, what have you done?’ He says ‘King, be well, I have a father. He is very aged. He was vizier to your father. He has requested to speak with you just for ten minutes. Then cut off everybody’s head, if you want to do so.’

merre khush-mele kesli. beshkalena biyya b-do sala babet … vazzer labuluna kes-malka. mara mu-etlukh tanet kati? merre malka t-avet basima ana inva vazziret babet diyyukh. vazziret babet diyyukhinva. sepi makhenvala al-kipa chamberrenvale. ana atkha nashenva. ita udyu yuma ana-siven. etli tre khabre katukh tanen. ita kharta kamtet kulle rish-diyyi mkhile.

He said ‘Go and bring him to me.’ They take the father of the vizier together with that basket, they take him to the king. He says ‘What have you to tell me?’ He says ‘King, be well, I was the vizier of your father. I was the vizier of your father. I used to strike my sword on a stone and split it. I was such a man and now today I have become old. I have a couple of things to tell you. Then cut off my head before all others.’

mara raba spay hamzem! mara ana gu-beti tivenva e-dantet inva jvanka, tarri mkhilun. tarri mkhilun, tukteklun u-pletli, akhchi shmili mara ta-jalde etli PehtiyajP allukh. bayyen matet alli.

He says ‘Very well, speak!’ He says ‘I was sitting in my house, when I was young, and somebody banged on my door. Somebody banged on my door, somebody knocked, and I went out. I only heard somebody saying “Come quickly, I need you (to do something for me). I want you to come to me.”

halet kheshli baru mara tulekle. derri tili. o-yuma khina medre o-mendi vile. tuktekle tarra mara hal kemli medre tevli al-suysi julli lvisheli kheshle.

Before I got to him, he disappeared. I returned home. The next day the same thing happened. He knocked on the door. By the time I got up and sat on my horse and put on my clothes, he went.

yumet tla mara ana julli lvisheli, tevli al-suyse hazer, sepida p-idi. e-dana raba kribenva merri adi bet-katlenne. sabab a-sepet diyyi iket makhenva k-odenvale tre. letvali zduta men-hech nasha. mara tivenva hazer bar tarra.

On the third day I put on my clothes, sat ready on the horse, my sword in my hand. At that time I was very angry and said “Now I shall kill him,” since wherever I struck my sword I cut (the victim) in two. I had no fear of anybody. I was sitting ready behind the door.

tak gu-vatta tarra ptekhli bar-daha. mara aha berrekhsha ana baru akh-tenna mara, amsenva matenvale. mara sepi greshli, ptelle ka-diyyi merre lela dan Pshukhi.P ta bari.

When there was a knock, I opened the door after him. He went off and I was behind him (as fast) as smoke, and I could have reached him. I drew my sword and he turned round to me and said “It is not a time for joking. Come after me.”

berrekhshekh kheshli mara khina paghri rgedle mara kheshli mtili khut kha-tuyra. kati merre at kli lakhkha khut-tuyra. en kal-gekhka shmilukh khush. khina letli PehtiyajP allukh. en kal-bekhya shmilukh, kli.

We go. I went.’ He says ‘My body trembled. I went and arrived under a mountain. He said to me “You stay here under the mountain. If you hear the sound of laughter, go. I do not have need of you. If you hear the sound of weeping, wait.”’

mara malka t-avet basima, ana klili tama. a sekle men-semmalta semmalta beddayet muila? semmalta he, semmalta. sekle ullul al-tuyra. mara khzili kalet bekhya tile sperri klili.

He says ‘King, be well, I waited there. He went up by a ladder—you know what a ladder is?— yes a ladder. He went up into the mountain.’ He says ‘I saw that the sound of weeping came, I waited.’

mara khzili slile tile tevle al-suyse kama kam-diyyi mtilan kha-dukta kati merre aten ka-diyyi bet-katlet. mara iman shkelle jullu shulkhele khzili nekvela.

He says ‘I saw that he came down and sat on the horse in front of me. We arrived at a place. He said to me “You will kill me.”’ He says ‘When he took off his clothes, I saw that it was a woman.’

malka t-avet basima, mara kulle paghri rgedle. kulle paghri rgedle. nekva shkeltuva rishet goro. haramiyye, haramiyye lubluva goro bayyiva katlivale kati betlabeva komak azenva allu ina ana derrang mtili. rishet goro gu-khpakova.

‘King, be well,’ he says ‘all my body trembled. All my body trembled. She was holding the head of her husband. Brigands had taken her husband and wanted to kill him. She had been seeking me in order to go and help him. But I arrived late.

kati merra gare katlet kati mattet lakhkha gu-kora kes-gori tamretli ita azet.

The head of her husband was in her arms. She said “You must kill me and put me here in the grave with my husband, bury me, then go.”’

mara merri ana la-msen a-shula odenne. la-msen a-shula odenne. mara malka t-avet basima, sepa muttila atkha gano mekhyala allu. kol shkella menni kat tamrenna. sepa muttila atkha gora shkella gu-sadro gano ruppala al-sepa u-prekla.

He says ‘I said “I cannot do this task. I cannot do this task.”’ He says ‘King, be well, she put the sword like this and thrust herself upon it. She made me promise that I would bury her. She took the sword like this, she held her husband to her breast and threw herself onto the sword, and met her end.

ana tumrali e-bakhta. u-sepi mkhili b-kulle kheli tama, kol yuvvelli kato kat nekva men-urza bush-khelantela. adiyya ana a-khabri kakh tanuyun adiyya kepukhla adi nekva parmetla urza parmetle mu bayyet odet.

I buried the woman. I struck my sword with all my might there and made a promise to her (to make known) that a woman is stronger than a man. Now I am telling you this. Now it is up to you if you want to slaughter women or slaughter men, whatever you want to do.’

kemle malka nshekle gu-kessu merre ana pukhlen kulle mendi. bettanen mentukh kat a-mendi kay tunilukh. basima raba kat atenda shemyalukh.

The king got up and kissed him on his forehead. He said ‘I have forgiven everything. I am grateful to you that you have told me this.’ Thank you for listening to this.