A Cure for a Husband’s Madness

kha yala yemmu myatela ina raba shapira yala viyyele. yemmu myatela, babu pyashele. a yala babu marele ana gari malpen katukh aten amset palkhet. kha nasha letlukh aten. labulule mennu kulle dukta shule maplukhule. pelkhanele, har anne shulet zruta, arra bekkarona, khette bedrayena, garvusena, bekhzadena, men danne mendyane.

A boy—his mother dies, but he has become a very handsome boy. His mother dies, his father remains alive. The father of this boy says ‘I must teach you so you can work. You do not have anybody.’ He takes him with him to every place, and so forth, and makes him work. He works (doing) farming jobs, they plough the land, they plant wheat and they grow and they harvest it—such things as these.

kha-yuma garvusele. babada myatele. a yala khachcha shvave etle. kha brata etlun shemmo Suriyya. anne ka-da yala khachcha hayyurena. kut dana kha-mendi bashli mayyi katu. mara katu aten lesha taresle ta-lakhkha ana bashlanne gu-tanuyra katukh. hayyurena ka-da-yala, b-noshule, shvavele.

One day he grows up. Also his father dies. This boy has some neighbours. They have a daughter whose name is Suriyya. They help this boy a little—every time they cook something, they bring it to him. They say ‘Make the dough, come here and I shall bake it in the oven for you’—they help this boy. He is alone, he is a neighbour.

kha-yuma ka-Suriyya bekhzayele. mara Suriyya beddayet ana raba b-nosheven. bayyen goren. mu bekhshavet? kha brata men-danne khaveryatakh shule kati makhziyyat? pah! mara dakh letlukh khater atkha khluyla pt-odakh katukh. Pkholase aten tani kha brata ana matpekkanna biyyukh men-danne khaveryati. mara tanennakh.

One day he sees Suriyya. He says ‘Suriyya, you know that I am very lonely. I want to marry. What do you think? Can you find for me a girl from among your friends?’ ‘Oh,’ she says ‘with pleasure. We shall arrange such a wedding for you. In short, you tell me which girl and I shall introduce her to you, from among my friends.’ He said ‘I shall tell you.’

kharta medre bekhzayula. bekhzayena uydale. shvavena gu-kha-alula. mara mu vila? masalet gvarukh mu vila? merre baba ana tukhmenni akhtun ka-diyyi raba huyyerretun. spay shvavetun. en at ka-diyyi gorat, ana raba p-khaden. ayya mara len bedda. mara la tani kati goratli yan la? mara ana la-amsan tanyan ka-diyyukh. at gari atet kha-yuma beta men-yemmi hamzemmet, men-babi hamzemmet. khazzan ani mu p-tani. ana la-amsan tayan ka-diyyukh hi yan-la. mara raba spay pt-aten.

Afterwards she sees him again. They see each other. They are neighbours in a road. She says ‘What has happened? What has happened with regard to your marriage?’ He said ‘Well I have thought, you have helped me a lot. You are good neighbours. If you marry me, I shall be very happy.’ She says ‘I do not know.’ He says ‘No, tell me, will you marry me or not?’ She says ‘I cannot tell you. You must come one day to the house and speak with my mother, speak with my father. Let me see what they say. I cannot tell you yes or no.’ He says ‘Very well, I shall come.’

kha-yuma berreshkhele ha dakhivet? Iliyyele shemmu Iliyya dakhivet? kepukh dakh mennukh? mara hammen tiyyen mennokhun hamzemmen khazzen b-kablitunli kha-riga aven katokhun. mara la aten dakh riga pt-avet?! aten ganukh jens shula etlukh. beta khayyuyta etlukh. mut riga! mara kablunli aven riga katokhun. ba anne nashe matal pyashena a muila masala. ina parmuyena kat masala muila. mara ana bratet diyyokhun maghghubon. anada b-nosheven. hech-nasha letli. bayyen gorenna. anda mara raba spay. akhnanda khachcha men-nashan gari hamzemmakh, men-khezmanan shule. b-yavvakhlukh khabra. yumet khoshiba atet lakhkha, tanakhlukh.

One day he goes (to their home). ‘Ah, how are you?’—His name is Iliyya—‘Iliyya, how are you? How are things with you?’ He says ‘To be honest, I have come to speak with you to see whether you will accept me to be a servant for you.’ They say ‘No, how can you be a servant! You yourself have a good job. You have a house and livelihood. What do you mean “servant!”’ He says ‘Accept me to be a servant for you.’ The people are perplexed as to what the story is. But then they understand what the story is. He says ‘I love your daughter. I am on my own. I have nobody. I want to marry her.’ They say ‘Very well. We must talk a little with our family and relatives and so forth. We shall let you know. Come here on Sunday and we shall tell you.’

yumet khoshiba berreshkhele. anne kulle nashe jummena tiyyena tamma. razi vayena brata yavvila katu. khulasa khluyla vadena berreshkhena. a yala raba spay ka-da brata raba byayele, ayya bratada. aha men-shula bitayele miyya mayela ida patu khallella, aklu khallellun, kha khurrak hazerila. aha ki-davek nuyne mayye beta. e dana atkha mendyane k-akhliva. mayele a kha dana EbabyE vayele kha-bruna. a-yala bekhzayele a Suriyya khina makh kamta lela ka-daha. a har-vela o-yala shkeltu gu-khpako khina but-gora raba lela takhmune. ada bekrabele b-da-mendi. a-shula let vettu. avva ka-mu let vettu? men-dani mendyane.

On Sunday he goes. They have gathered all their family and they have come there. They agree that they can give the girl to him. In short, they hold a wedding and go. The young man is very good to the girl and loves her a lot, and the girl (loves him) too. When he comes back from work, she brings water for him to wash his hands and face and to wash his feet, and some food is ready. He catches fish and brings them home. At that time they used to eat such things. He brings them and, oh, they have a baby, a son. The young man notices that Suriyya is not (behaving) towards him as before. She is constantly carrying the child in her bosom and is no longer caring much for the husband. He becomes angry about this (saying) ‘You have not done this job. Why have you not done that?,’ things such as this.

aha muyyele nuyne mirele anne berashe bashlatlun, kudme anne bashlatlun, ana muyye. kedamta bekyamela aha bashulela. aha beshkala chamchumele anne mut nuynena busheltet?! anne le-avi khala. mkhayele kato. ajjuzole. a kala lela vada. o-yuma khina medre berreshkhele, tmanya dane nuyne muyyen. anne bashlatlun. atkha bashlatlun odatlun len-bedda tuyate mudi. ada beshkalela tre-dane gu-miyya bashulela mattuyela tamma. tre dane tuyate vadela. tre dane gu-meshkha kaluyela. tre daneda beshvakela naye. mara men-nagestan merre ana gani bashlennun ana tayan duna khina.

He has brought fish and has said ‘In the evening cook these and tomorrow cook these, I have brought them.’ In the morning she gets up and cooks them. He takes them and throws them away ‘What fish are these that you have cooked?! They are inedible.’ He beats her and hurts her. She does not complain. The next day he again goes (and says) ‘I have brought eight fish. Cook them. Cook them like this, make them, I don’t know what, grilled kebabs.’ She takes two of them and cooks them in water and puts them aside. She grills two of them. She fries two in oil. She leaves two raw. She says ‘(If) suddenly he says “I myself shall cook them,” I shall say “Well here they are.”’

kamta anet gu-miyya busheltela mayela yavela katu. chamchumele, mara anne nuyneda gu-miyya ki-bashlilun anne lena basime. ka-mu let anne tuyate vette? mayela mara anneda tuyate vetten. anida bikhala mara anne duna kidena. oyatva gu-meshkha kulite. an khine mayela mara anne gu-meshkha kuliten. khul men-danne. a aslan ka-mu anne bushlelakh aten? ana gani b-bashlenvalun, at let bashure bashlat. merra anneda nayena. bayyet ganukh bashletlun, ku-shkul bashellun.

First she brings those that she has cooked in water and gives them to him. He throws them away. He says ‘Fish that one cooks in water are not tasty. Why have you not grilled them?’ She brings them and says ‘I have grilled these.’ He eats them and says ‘These are burnt! You should have fried them in oil.’ She brings the others saying ‘I have fried these in oil. Eat some of these.’ ‘Oh, why did you cook them at all? I myself would have cooked them. You are not able to cook.’ She said ‘These are raw. If you want yourself to cook them, here take them and cook them.’

mara at bayyet bashletlun, shkul bashellun. ka-mu klitet kha-akhcha bar kdali? a khulle, avva khulle. avva lele, avvele. balket ana le bayyenva nuyne akhlenva. bas mu bayyet akhlet? gu-da dana a-yala sura khachcha tama shekhta vadele. ahada kha sala makhpuyela allu. mara hala khazzakh a men-gori hala hamzumekh. kharta ani p-tammezzannun. mara balket ana bayyenva ekhre akhlenva. mara a raba spay. anneda shkul khul. e dana bekyamel ka-daha … raba mkhayole khachcha pyashela katella.

She says ‘If you want to cook them, take them and cook them.’ ‘Why are you nagging me so much? Eat this! Eat that! It is not this, it is that. Maybe I did not want to eat fish.’ ‘Then what do you want to eat?’ At this time the baby defecates a little. She covers it with a basket. She says ‘Well, now I am still speaking with my husband. I shall clean this later.’ He says ‘Perhaps I wanted to eat shit.’ She says ‘Oh, very well. Here it is, take and eat.’ At that point he gets up and beats her soundly and almost kills her.

aha mara katu atkha la vud. akhnan gvirekh. kha-danada bruna etlan. medre yal-sure pt-avilan. at raba spay nashetva hal-adiyya. adiyya mu vitela kat-atkha vadet? ku-mendit at tanet ana pt-odan. ina honana vi, yukhsa la khashvet adi ana kala len vada ku-mendit vadet. kha yuma b-daryannukh kat kulle alma ate tane a nasha shidanele. p-shaddennannukh. at ka-diyyi p-shaddennat? mkhayole medre mara khaile khob. kala le-odan ana. khulasa aha varela berashe marele kato ana berreshkhen damkhen raba shurshiyyen kha-mendida letva ana akhlenva. ka-mu letva? kha-akhcha nuyne ana bushelli, merrukh la let bashure hech mendi odat.

She says to him ‘Do not do this. We are married. We have a son. We shall have children again. You were a very good man until now. What has happened now that you are doing this? Whatever you say I shall do. But be sensible. Otherwise do not think that I will not speak out whatever you do. One day I shall show you up such that everybody comes and says “This man is mad.” I will drive you mad.’ ‘You will drive me mad?’ He beats her again. She says ‘Well, it is all the same. I shall keep quiet.’ In short, when evening comes, he says to her ‘I am going to sleep. I am very tired and moreover there was nothing to eat.’ ‘Why was there not? I cooked you so many fish, but you said “No, you are unable to do anything.”’

kedamta ana pt-azen al-shula. aten tamta kati mayyat tama. ana gu-deshta pt-akhlen tamta. mara al-ayni. ika bet-palkhet? tama e dana letva nomur al betvate al mulkane mattiva, nishanka nomur EaddressE letva. ki-taniva kar-met baba masalan men-babe kha-karma pishele avunile. ya karmet nanunta ya karmet bar marzet nara, karmet depnet len-bedda ika atkha shemma ki-yavvi. mara e arret marzet nara ana berreshkhen ayen kutan odenna, palkhen tama. mara mu-pt-ave, kedamta ana mayyan tamta katukh.

‘In the morning I shall go to work. Bring breakfast to me there. I shall eat breakfast in the field.’ She says ‘With pleasure. Where will you work?’ There at that time there were no numbers that they put on houses or properties, there was no sign, numbers, address. They would say ‘father’s vineyard,’ for example (when) a vineyard has remained from their father, it (its name) is that, or grandmother’s vineyard, or the vineyard behind the bank of the river, the vineyard by the side of I do not know where. They would give names in this way. He says ‘The field by the river bank, I am going to plough it and work there.’ She says ‘No problem. In the morning I shall bring breakfast to you.’

kedamta bekyamela bekhzayela aha jens dmikhel telyele. hi nuyneda muyyele merre anne nuyne la bashlatlun ana gani pt-aten bashlennun. hi, raba spay. berashe nuyne muyyele. ayya shkella nuyne, muttela gu-kha kalta. kedamta morisha kheshla e dukta. shkella kha-mendi kirala. tre-dane nuyne lakhkha muttila, tre-dane tamma tamma atkha. upra drila alle la mubyennun. a kheshle shula. kedamta ayenze kemla. tamta hazer vidala. jajek, karra muttila gava, gellale purziyyela shaperta, muttela gu-kha yalekhta. kheshla tama merra dun tamta muyyiton katukh yatvakh m-uydale akhlakh. khellun preklun.

In the morning she gets up and sees that he is sound asleep, in a slumber. Oh yes, he brought fish. He said ‘Do not cook these fish, I myself will come and cook them.’ ‘Yes, very good.’ In the evening he brought the fish. She took the fish and put them in a basket. Early in the morning she went to that place. She took something and dug (the place). She put two fish here, two there and there, like that. She put soil on them and they could not be seen. He went to work. In the morning she got up and prepared the breakfast. She put jajəc and butter in it, she chopped the herbs beautifully and put them in a kerchief. She went there and said ‘Here I have brought the breakfast for you. Let’s sit and eat together.’ They ate and finished.

merre beddayet muila ana e-dan a dukta kutan mkhayonva kma nuyne pletlun m-akhkha. aslan ana gu-khayyi lenva khezya nuyne men-arra palti. ayya mara ka-mu? kam let khezya? ana babi alaha munyekhkhet babi e-danet len-bedda savuni e-danet k-azelva ptana k-avedva, nuyne gu-arra ki-paltiva, ki-mayyiva beta. mejjet maret? mara hi hammen mara ina ana lenva shemya kha-akhcha mendi, len-khezya. khob let khezya, ana khziten.

He said ‘Do you know what, when I was ploughing this place, some fish came out from here. I had never in my life seen fish come out of the ground.’ She says ‘Why? Why have you not seen this? My father, my father, God grant him rest, when—I don’t know—my grandfather, when he used to go and plough, fish used to come out of the ground and he would bring them home.’ ‘Are you serious?’ She says ‘Yes, believe me.’ He says ‘But I had not heard of such a thing, I have not seen it.’ ‘Well (if) you have not seen it, I have seen it.’

merre shkul anne nuyne label bashellun. bashlattun hal-ana aten. ba-at merrukh ana gani b-bashlen. khob udyu bashellun ganakh. raba spay. shkella anne nuyne shkella lublela ruppela gu-shakita kheshlun ani. adi gora tile. merre kena an-nuyne? mut nuyne? ant ana men-gu-arra pultenva. em arra? arret marzet nara. ina at merrakh e-dan sel bitayela anne nuyne sure sel mayela miyya mayena al-marza. ita anne berreshkhena gu-upra gu-tina garvusena, vayena nuyne. at ganakh merrakh an-nuyne adiyya gurvesseva ana muyyeli. mara kha-akhcha mendi ana len merta lenda khzita nuyne. kha-akhcha mendi letten. a mkhayol. besyakela al-gare havar vadela. mara temun. gori shuddennele.

He said ‘Take these fish, take them and cook them. You should cook them before I come back.’ ‘But you said “I myself shall cook them.”’ ‘Well, today you cook them.’ ‘Very well.’ She took the fish, she took them and threw them into the stream and they went away. Now the husband came back. He said ‘Where are the fish?’ ‘What fish?’ ‘The ones I had taken out of the field.’ ‘Which field?’ ‘The field by the bank of the river. But you said that when there is a flood, the flood brings the small fish, the water brings them to the bank. Then they go into the soil, they grow up in the mud and become fish. You said yourself. The fish had now grown up and I brought them.’ ‘I have not said such a thing. Nor have I seen fish. Such a thing does not exist.’ He beats her. She goes onto the roof and shouts ‘Help!’ She says ‘Come. My husband has gone mad.’

nashe shvave bejmayena, men-mata bitayena. mara ka-mu mkhayot a brata? mu byayet menno? mara atkha vila. ana kheshli ptana odenvala. arra bar marzet nara kha-arra etli, ayen ptana vadonva, men-gu-arra pletlun kma-dane esra-dane nuyne. ana muyyeli beta merri ka-da kat-kudme bashlatlun. aha merra aha mara lela bushelte. ani nashe merrun men-gu-arra nuyne plitena? hi. merrun m-gu-arra nuyne le palti. aten … honukh men-ida yuvvut. la! ayya gano merra savunida e-dan azelva arra khapervala, nuyne ki-paltiva m-gavo. merra ana len merta. ana len merta.

People, neighbours gather, they come from the village. They say ‘Why are you beating this girl? What do you want from her?’ He says ‘This is what happened. I went to plough. I have a field behind the bank of the river, I was ploughing it, out of the ground came some ten fish. I brought them home and said to her to cook them tomorrow. She said, she says that she has not cooked them.’ The people said ‘Did fish come out of the ground?’ ‘Yes.’ They said ‘Fish do not come out of the ground. You have lost your mind.’ ‘No. She herself said “When my grandfather used to go to dig the field, fish used to come out of it.”’ She said ‘I did not say this. I did not say this.’

at merrakh la ana len merta. bekhzayetun shuddennele. anne dveklun ida aklu sirelun. gu-beta k-ave stuyna. betet setva kat tanuyrele, lakhkha kha kesa kha-akhcha khlima atkha ki-mattile kat anne kese la napli, gari ave. serrun ka-daha al-stuyna. merrun m-akhkha la jojet. kedamta b-lablakhlukh al-umra aten. kha-dana nedra parmakh tama. aten b-basmet. ana len shuddenna. gano har-atkha mertela kati. merre mu-pt-ave. ka-danne khineda nashe merrun kudme kullokhun atitun puletlun kha dana … sharkha. merrun ayya rasmet diyyan ila. ki-labli kha dana … kenyana ki-parmile kam-tarret umra. devkha k-odile. merrun ayya pt-odakhla. atenda kha-lele gari damkhet gu-do-umra, b-basmet.

‘You said it.’ ‘No, I have not said it. You can see he has gone mad.’ They seized him and tied his hands. In a house there is a pillar. The winter house, where the oven is, they place there a piece of wood, thick like this, so that (other) pieces of wood do not fall and the roof holds. They tied him to the pillar. They said ‘Do not move from here. In the morning we shall take you to church. We shall slaughter an offering there and you will be healed.’ ‘I have not gone mad. She herself has said this to me.’ He said ‘So be it.’ They said to the other people ‘Tomorrow all of you come.’ They took out a calf. They said ‘This is our custom. One takes a head of cattle and slaughters it before the door of the church. They make it a sacrifice.’ They said ‘We shall do this. You must sleep one night in the church and you will be cured.’

anne nashe burbezlun kheshlun. merra khzilukh mu merri? honukh jammile b-rishukh aten anne shulane la vudlun. ana a yala sura aten gu-da beta gari khayyakh b-khubba. la atkha shulane odet. bekhzayet ida aklukh sire kedamtada b-kemi b-lablilukh kha-leleda gu … umra, gari gu-do kheshka b-noshukh damkhet aten, chun at … shemmet shidanuyta muttiten allukh. merri katukh al-kha yuma b-daryannukh kat aten shaddennet. merre ana khina kalat viden. ana khina shukhleppen. nunile purpelle biyyo akhchi ida-akli shrilun ana khina men-danne shulane letli. ana har o nashet kamteven. merra raba spay. aklu sheryela, idatu sheryela, dmekhle. kedamta anne nashe tilun. merra hammen, ad-lele ana hal-kedamta tevli sluta sulili. gori dule bsima. honana viyyele.

The people dispersed and went away. She said ‘You see what I said? Come to your senses. Do not do these things. I, the small child and you must live in this house with love. Do not do such things. You see how your hands and legs are tied. Moreover tomorrow they will take you and (to spend) a night in the church … you must sleep alone in the darkness because I have placed on you the reputation of being a madman. I said to you that I shall bring you to a day in which you go mad.’ He said ‘Well I have made a mistake. I have now changed.’ He begged and pleaded with her ‘Just release my hands and feet. I have finished with this behaviour. I am the man of former times.’ She said ‘Very good.’ She releasedhis feet, she releasedhis handsandhe slept.Inthe morning thepeople came. She said ‘Believe me, this night I sat until the morning and prayed. My husband has been cured. He has come to his senses.’