The Wise Young Daughter

etva letva kha nasha etva etvale tre bnune. a-nasha danet motu tile kulle mendiyyu pullile. mendiyyu bush-raba yuvvelle ka-bruna gura. ka-do-bruna sura akhchiyuvvelle kha-susta u-yuvvelle kha khakla kha-dukta surta katkhakla etvale, kat masiva zarriva.

There was, there was not, there was a man, who had two sons. This man, at the time of his death, came and divided all is property. He gave most of his property to the eldest son. To the younger son he gave only a mare and gave a field, a small place that had a field, so he could farm.

verrun shenne. a akhuna gura kat etle khaklane raba bitayele betlabele men-akhunu hayyarta kat-azel hayyer katu ka-khzatta ka-grashtet mendi, ka-kul kha mendi maplukheva. ham ka-akhunu maplukheva ham ka-bakhtet akhunu. a akhunaze etvale kha-brata surta, shavva shenne.

The years passed. The eldest brother who has many fields comes and asks his brother for help, to go to help him for harvesting, for transporting things. He employed him for everything. He employed both his brother and the wife of his brother. This brother, moreover, had a small daughter, seven years old.

sustet da-akhuna sura etla zaya gu-kiso. gu-kha men-dan lelavatet kat … mendi t-ina grishe b-sustet akhuna … yane akhuna tlibole sustu mudyennole kat-azel gareshle mendiyyu, viyyena shurshiyye dmikhe al tlanita. b-kedamta yane kulle yuma varele sustaze lela plakha. khina lele bitayele, bedmakhena. kedamta kat-bekyamena ina susta u-zayo, zayo deltola. iman deltola zaya gurgeshtola khut arabana. arabana ila et-akhuna gura.

The mare of this younger brother has a foal in her womb. One night, when they had transported things with the mare of the brother—that is the brother had requested the mare, had borrowed it so he could go and transport his goods— they have become tired and are asleep in the shade. In the morning … That is the whole day passes and the mare does not work. Night comes and they sleep. When they get up in the morning (they see) the mare and her foal, she has given birth to her foal. When she has given birth to her foal, she has dragged it under the cart. The cart is the eldest brother’s.

akhuna sura kulle t-ile plikha raba shurshiyyele, dmikhele ka-akhunu gura hayyurele. akhuna gura men-betu iman berrashele men-shenta, bitayele bekhzayele akhunu sura hala vel telya. ina bekhzayele khut arabana etten kha-dana zayet beryet … beryet suse yane kha-zayet suse. ka-akhunu sura bitayel marrushel mara ku akhuni arabani vela kha-susa delta, kha-zaya delta. akhuna sura berrashele ha susti della! khedya khedya berrekhshel. mara la o-zaya diyyile arabanet diyyi deltola. durasha vayele bile. berrekhshena kes-dayyana.

The younger brother, due to all he has worked, is very tired and asleep. He is helping his older brother. The elder brother, when he wakes from sleep, comes from home and sees that his younger brother is still asleep. He sees that under the cart there is a young animal, the offspring of a horse, that is a horse’s foal. He comes and wakes his younger brother and says ‘Get up my brother, my cart has given birth to a horse, has given birth to a foal.’ The younger brother wakes up ‘Oh, my horse has given birth!’ He very joyfully goes (to see). He (the elder brother) says ‘No, the foal is mine. My cart has given birth to it.’ An argument starts between them. They go to a judge.

dayyana men-bar beshmayele kat-kessattet danne mudila, beddayele kat-le-ames pareshlun. avva akhuna gurele vele bushayutet mendi, yane sama zoda mendi avva vele shkilu. akhuna sura katu raba mendi lele metya akhchi kha-susta u-kha-arra. anne m-udale bet-darshi en ana kemen … dyanta oden susa yavvenne zaya yavvenne ka … akhuna sura kat beddayenze et sustele. akhuna gura mumkun kharta ajjez ka-akhunu sura.

After the judge hears what their story is, he realizes that cannot decide between them. That one is the elder brother and he has taken the majority of the property, that is most of the property. Not much property has reached the younger brother, only a mare and a field. (He thinks to himself) ‘They will argue together if I make a judgement to give the horse, give the foal, to the younger brother, although I know it is (the foal) of the mare. The elder brother may later hurt the younger brother.

bas b-yavven kha-kma sharte kate anne sharte azi mayyi javvebbilun al-do-yuma khina, kat oya b-urkhet raba kin oya, kin yane raba maseta oya raba duz, dyanti oya duz.

But I shall set some riddles for them (requiring) that they go and bring the answer to these riddles by the next day, so that it is by very just means, just, that is so that the scales would be correct, my judgement would be correct.’

marele ka-kudme pt-atitun kesli. anne sharte gari patkhitunlun, yane pallitun … machkhitunlun. mudile o-mendi bush khelana gu-dunye? mudile o-mendi bush tavana gu-dunye? u-mudile o-mendi bush rakikha gu-dunye? anne tla mendyane bayyen atitun kedamta ka-diyyi tanitunlun. e-dana ana p-tanennokhun kut muchkhele zaya et-davunile.

He says ‘Come to me by tomorrow. You must solve some riddles, that is discern them … find (the answer to) them. What is the strongest thing in the world? What is the fastest thing in the world? What is the softest thing in the world? I want you to come tomorrow and tell me these three things. Then I shall tell you. Whoever finds them out, the foal is his.’

akhuna gura bitayele kes-bakhtu marele dayyana atkha merre. mara mu pt-ave, ana etli lakhkha shvota adi anne ka-diyyukh … anne ketre p-sharyalun. mayona shvota bekrayona kat … dayyana mirele mudile o-mendi bush khelana gu-dunye? klila merra gori ile raba khelana. goret diyyi ile raba khelana hech-nasha le-ames biyyu. raba shulane gure k-aved.

The elder brother comes to his wife and says ‘The judge has said such-and-such.’ She says ‘No problem. I have a neighbour here. She will now solve these problems for you.’ They invite and bring the neighbour (saying) ‘The judge has said: What is the strongest thing in the world?’ She paused and said ‘My husband is very strong. My husband is very strong, nobody can beat him. He does many great things.’

u marele mudile o-mendi bush tavana? mara suyset gori. suyset gori ukhcha tavana k-azel gulla le matyale, pokha le matile. marele mudile o-mendi bush rakikha gu-dunye. mara akhnan etlan spadiyyate men parret terena. raba rakikhena. len bekhshava kha mendi gu-dunye ave bush rakikha men-spadiyyatet diyyan.

He says ‘What is the fastest thing?’ She says ‘the horse of my husband. The horse of my husband goes so fast that a bullet cannot catch it, the wind cannot catch it.’ He says ‘What is the softest thing in the world?’ She says ‘We have pillows that are made of birds’ feathers. They are very soft. I don’t think there is anything in the world softer than our pillows.’

akhuna suraze bitayele beta pshima kat zayu duna b-khela beshkalu m-idu. adi dayyana dule yuvva sharte kate yane yuvvel ketre kate kat-sharilun. may p-sharilun katu? ganu raba yulpana letle. bakhtu meskentele. letle shvave. narahatile raba, beta atkha pshima tivele. bratu surta kat shavva shennova babi, dadi ka-mu m-da-ybu m-do-ybu kam atkha pshimet? marele brati kha-zaya etvalan kat-ana bayyenva, khedyenva kat at talatva biyyu ina vena bayyi shaklile m-idan u-dayyana anni sharte muttel kat-mudile o-mendi bush khelana gu-dunye?

The younger brother comes home sad that they are taking his foal from him by force. Now the judge has given them riddles, that is he has given them problems to solve. Who will solve them for him? He himself does not have much learning. His wife is poor. He does not have neighbours. He is very stressed and sits at home upset. His young daughter who was seven years old (says) ‘Father, daddy, why are you so deeply sad?’ He says ‘My daughter, we had a foal, which I had wanted, I would have been happy for you to play with, but they want to take it from us and the judge has presented those riddles (asking) what is the strongest thing in the world?’

merra babi ka-mu ka-mu narahativet? miyya anne ina o-mendi bush khelana. kam-miyya hech-mendi le-ames kale. kha-b-kha khzile kat bratu surta shavva shenne dula kha-kma hemezmane duz tanuye. merre brati kurba al-honela bas-mudile o-mendi bush tavana gu-dunye? merra takhmantet bar-nasha. at e-dan masalan maret shemsha, albal takhmantukh mtayela al-shemsha. e-dan maret Amerika, takhmantukh mtayela al-Amerika. yane ila raba raba jalde. bekhzayele ayze duzila. marele mudile o-mendi bush-rakikha gu-dunye? mara babi idet ganu bar-nasha, ida, kmat oya … rakekhta spaditukh, at medre idukh mattuyotkhut … khut-rishukh, e-dan bedmakhet idukh mattuyot, bas ayya ila bush rakekhta.

She said ‘Father, why are you so upset? Water is the strongest thing. Nothing can stand before water.’ Suddenly he realized that his young daughter of seven years is saying true words. He said ‘This is plausible, but what is the fastest thing in the world?’ She said ‘The thought of a man. When you say, for example, “sun,” immediately your thought goes to the sun. When you say “America,” your thought goes to America. That is, it is very very fast.’ He realizes that this also is true. He says ‘What is the softest thing in the world?’ She says ‘Father, a hand of man himself, a hand. However soft your pillow is, if you put your hand under … under your head, when you sleep you put your hand, then this is softer.’

kedamta bekyamena. kul-kha berrekhshena kes-dayyana. kul-kha tanuyul juvvabu. dayyana e-dan bekhzayele akhuna sura b-danne juvvabe bitayele, marele anne at ganukh let muchkhe. tani khazzen manile ka-diyyukh tunye. en-la tanetli, zaya b-yavvenne ka-davva ka-diyyukhze katlen. etvale hukmet ktalta.

In the morning they get up. Each one goes to the judge. Each one gives his answer. When the judge sees that the younger brother produces these answers, he says ‘You have not found these out yourself. Tell me so I can see who told these to you. If you do not tell me, I shall give the foal to him and will kill you.’ He had the (prerogative of the) death sentence.

mara dayyana gura kha-brata etli shavva shenne. ka-diyyi la ktul. ay tunyela ana letli kha-nasha. juvvabet dayen ani mayen ka-diyyukh. merre ha! bas adi e bratukh gari atya kesli. kudme kedamta bayyenna atya kesli ham oya shulkheta sab shavva shennona ham oya lveshta. ham oya rikota, rkevta al kha-mendi ham oya al aklo. yane e-dan bitayela, ham khazzenna urkha bitayela ina ham khazzenna oya tevta al kha-mendi. ham oya shulkheta ham oya lveshta. u-ka-diyyi kha dana pashkash mayya kat e pashkash al-idi la matya. yavvala kati, ina ana la-amsen dokenna. adi vilun bush kherba anne EpuzzlesE!

He says ‘Great judge, I have a seven-year-old daughter. Do not kill me. She told them, I have nobody. I am bringing her answers to you.’ He said ‘Ah! Well, now that daughter of yours must come to me. Tomorrow morning I want her to come to me. She must be both naked—because she is seven years old— and also must be dressed. She must both be mounted, riding on something, and also must be on her feet. That is, when she comes, I should both see her coming (on foot) on the road and I should also see her sitting on something. She should both be naked and also must be dressed. She should bring me a gift such that the gift cannot reach me. She should give it to me, but I should not be able hold it.’ Now these puzzles have got worse!

bitayele narahat. ka-bratu mara khzilakh mu-vedlakh b-rishan? at atkha merrakh, atkha merrakh, adi dayyana hala bush vele kriba. bayye ka-diyyize katel. kudme ka-diyyakhze labulele. gari at atkha b-da urkha azat keslu. ita en-la, ka-diyyakhze p-katel, zayaze p-shakelle, ka-diyyize p-katel. merra babi hech narahat la-avet.

He comes back stressed. He says to his daughter ‘Do you see what you have done to us?! You said this, you said this, now the judge is yet more angry. He also wants to kill me and tomorrow he is going to fetch you. You have to go to him in this way. So, if not, he will both kill you and also take the foal, and also kill me.’ She said ‘Father, do not be worried at all.’

khush dukli kha kervesh u-dukli kha tera sura, kha yona, kha kekvana. khina baba bekhzayele adi virel gu-nara jullu teryena berrekhshele bedvakole kha kervesh. bedvakel kha tera. al-do-yuma khina kedamta … ha kharta marela kha gechitaze meli. men shvave shule gechita shkulli.

Go and catch me a rabbit and catch me a small bird, a pigeon, a partridge. So the father sees (what she is saying) and has now gone into a river and his clothes are wet. He goes and catches her a rabbit. He catches a bird. The next day in the morning—ah, then she says ‘Fetch me a goat. Get me a goat from the neighbours or wherever.’

mayole kha gechita, mayol kha-tera u-mayol kha-kervesh. aha jullo shalukhela. kha gardet nuyne bedrayela allo. betyavela al-gechita aklo bemtayena al-arra. kervesh bedvakola khut-khacho teraze bedvakola b-ido. khina al-gechita tevtela. ham-urkha berrekhshela ham-gechita berrekhshela ham shulkhetela ham gardela allo, ham lveshtela. khut-khacho ile kervesh b-kha-idoze ila … tera.

He brings her a goat, he brings her a bird and he brings her a rabbit. She takes off her clothes. She puts a fishing net over her. She sits on the goat and her feet reach the ground. She holds the rabbit under her armpit and holds the bird in her hand. So, she is sitting on a goat. She is walking on the road and the goat is also walking. She is naked and also a net is on her, she is also dressed. Under her armpit there is a rabbit and in one of her hands there is a bird.

dayyana diyyele kat o nashet kat anne juvvabe juvvebbele ile honana, bas anneze bet-machekhlun. yane adi besparel kat-adi en tila, pt-atya b-dan juvvabe kat av besparele. bekhzayele m-rekhka b-durbine bekhzayele vela m-rekhka kha-mendi bita. kalbe etvale, kalbet seda rappuyele al-gano, sab beddayele en-ayya tila, p-karmala kessat u-bayye jarebla. beddayele kat ketret kalbeze p-sharyale ayya.

The judge has realized that the person who had answered those questions is smart, and so would solve these too. So now he waits (knowing) that if she comes, she would come with the answers he is expecting. He sees from afar, he sees with binoculars that she or something is coming. He had dogs, he releases his hunting dogs against her, because he knows that if she comes, she would win the case and he wants to test her. He knows that she will solve also the problem of the dogs.

kalbe berkhatena al-ganet da mendi sura t-ile bita gechita u-kha tlanita. e-dan kalbe karbunena, aha kervesh rappuyola. kervesh berrakela, kalbe berrekhshena baro u-ayen biyya b-gechita raba rahat bitayela. dayyana bekyamele kamayto, mara basma ganakh brati! mu muyyitivat?

The dogs run to attack the little thing that is coming, a goat and a shadow. When the dogs approach, she releases the rabbit. The rabbit runs away, the dogs run after it, and she together with the goat comes very calmly. The judge rises before her ‘Well done, my girl! What have you brought me?’

tera bayya yavvala katu ido ptakhola kat shakella, tera prakhele. khina e-dana dayyana mara basma ganakh. zayet susa yavole ka akhuna sura u-yavele raba … davelta, zuyze, dava, khaklane kat akhuna suraze ave makh akhuna gura, avile mendi. ayya ile e mettelta. ita gu-datkha dana men-shmayya benpalena tla khabushe, kha khabusha ka-de-brata, kha khabusha ka-diyyukh kat shmilukh, kha khabushaze ka-diyyi.

She wants to give him the bird, she opens her hand for him to take it, but the bird flies away. Again this time the judge says ‘Well done!’ He gives the foal of the horse to the younger brother and gives him a lot of wealth, money, gold, fields so that the younger brother would be like the older brother and would have property. This is the story. Then (as happens) at such a time as this, three apples fall from the sky, one apple for the girl, one apple for you who have listened, and one apple for me.