The Adventures of Ashur

etva letva etva letva etva kha-malka. aha malka etvale tla bnune. shemmet do-brunu sura iva Ashur. aha malka etvale kha-bakhcha raba shaperta, gavo etvale kha-ilanet khabushe. shita kha-dana khabusha ki-tanva. kul-nashet m-do khabusha o khabusha akhelvale, en-aviva sava, ki-haviva jil, ki-darva medre al-khayyutet ulaymuta, jiluta.

There was, there was not, there was a king. This king had three sons. The name of the youngest son was Ashur. The king had a very beautiful garden, in which there was an apple tree. It used to bear one single apple a year. Whoever ate that apple, from that apple, if he was old, he became young. He would return again to the life of his youth, youth.

a-malka sevle. sevle akh-merri, etvale tla-bnune, ka-do brunu gura merre bruni, khush, o khabusha nturre halt-mate kat-ana akhlenne, aven jil. o-brunu hammasha k-ativada kha heyvan, men-hava k-ativa, o-khabusha k-akhelvale, k-azelva, le-shavekva payeshva. o-brunu gura kheshle, b-leleda k-ativa, brunu gura kheshle danet mtetet khabusha, muttile rishu tlile. o-heyvan tile, khabusha khelle, kheshle.

The king became old. He became old. As I said, he had three sons. To the older son he said ‘My son, go and guard that apple until it ripens so that I can eat it and become young.’ That son of his—an animal would always come, it would come from the air, eat the apple and go away; it would not allow it to remain. That older son of his went—(the animal) used to come at night—his elder son went—it used to come at night—his elder son went at the time that the apple became ripe, he lay down his head and slept. The animal came, ate the apple and went away.

khabusha khelle, kheshle. o brunu kemle tile beta raba pshima. ka-babu hukile, merre kat khob ana tlili. tiyyele o-heyvan b-lele, khabusha khilule u-khishele. kha-shita verra. m-bar kha-shita shuderre o-brunut d-tre. o-brunut d-tre kheshle avunze b-lele e-danet khabusha mtile muttile rishu. halbatta ana khachcha makruyen a, yarekhtela. ahaze betlayele, bitayele o-heyvan, khabusha bikhalule u-berrekhshele.

It ate the apple and went away. His son got up and went back home, very sad. He told his father, he said ‘Well I went to sleep. That animal came at night, it ate the apple and went away.’ A year passed. After a year he sent his second son. His second son went. He also at night, at the time that the apple matured, put down his head—I am shortening (the story) slightly, it is long. He also goes to sleep, the animal comes, it eats the apple and goes away.

e-shitet m-baro kat khabusha medre tineva kha-dana khabusha, brunu sura marele babi, Ashur, marele babi ana azen. marele ina akhunvatukh gure mennukh mu-vedlun? at mu-pt-odet? at kam-azet? merre babi shuk azen anada khina. merre khush. gira keshta etvale. giru keshtu shkilele, kheshle. kheshle, khabusha danet mtetu vila, aha tile kat-taliva, suppu primale, melkha drile allo. melkha drile, aha chulbila. narahat vile shule, khina, la tlile.

The year after, when an apple, it had again borne an apple, his youngest son says ‘Father,’ Ashur says ‘Father, I would like to go.’ He says ‘But what did your older brothers achieve? What will you achieve? Why should you go?’ He said ‘May I, let me also go.’ He said ‘Go.’ He had a bow and arrow. He took his bow and arrow and went off. He went. When it became the time of the ripening of the apple and he felt like sleeping, he cut his finger and put salt on it. He put salt on it and it smarted. He was uncomfortable and did not sleep.

b-lele, palget lele gushshekle kha-heyvan raba gura kuma tile, kat-yatev al-do khabusha, akhelle azel, b-gira keshta mkhile. mkhile, ina heyvan la npelle. ina demmu sharshure, sharshure kheshle. kheshle, aha kedamta tile, khabushada muyyuva ka-babu. ka-babu yuvvelle. ka-akhunvatuda merre o-heyvan ana mekhyuven.

At night, at midnight, he looked (and saw) a very large black animal come to sit on the apple, eat it and go, and he shot it with the bow and arrow. He shot it, though the animal did not fall, but, with its blood dripping and dripping, it went away. He came back in the morning, bringing back the apple for his father. He gave it to his father. He said to his brothers. I have shot that animal.

merrun ika mekhyuvet? merre hammen mekhyuven. tilun, gu-bakhcha gushsheklun. demma atkha etten shursherrele, khishel kha-darya. ita lishan-turket aha ki-tanile Azaz getti, uz getti, dere-tepete düz getti, .mtilun al-kha-kunya, kha-kipa raba gura allu, al-kha-kunya. demma tama khina beslayeva gu-kunya, prakeva tama. khina beddayeva kat gu-da-kunya selyele … o-heyvan.

They said ‘Where have you shot him?’ He said ‘Believe me I have shot him.’ They came and looked in the garden. There is a lot of blood that has dripped like this and gone away. Then in Turkish they narrate ‘They went a little. They went a long way. They went straight over vale and hill’ and arrived at a well, over which there was a very large stone, over a well. The blood was flowing there into the well and stopped there. So they knew that the animal had descended into the well.

kha-kipa raba gura etva allu. o-kipa beshkaluna. shadurena mavena kholeda raba yarikhe. o akhuna gura marele ka-diyyi shadrun. ina rishe atkha pashutuna gu-kunya, men-gu-kunya shkhunta platela. raba shakhineva kunya. o-bruna gura marele e-dan shuderrokhun ka-diyyi eltekh, har-merri kedli bshelli, paltunli. la-shokitun ana peshen tama.

There was a very large stone over it. They take away the stone. They send for and bring very long ropes. The elder brother says ‘Send me (down there).’ But they stretch their heads like this into the well and heat comes out of the well. The well was very hot. The elder brother says ‘When you send me down, as soon as I say “I am burning, I am cooking”, take me out. Do not let me stay there.’

aha shaduruna. khachcha beslayele mara kedli bshelli, palutuna. o-khinada shaduruna, ot-d-tre. avze berrekhshele, kedli bshelli, avze palutuna. ot-d-tla, marele kmat tanen kedli bshelli, la paltitunli. har-shadrunli eltekh. Ashur shaduruna. berrekhshele, berrekhshele, mtayele al-eshtet kunya raba keshya.

They send him down. He descends a little and says ‘I am burning, I am cooking, take me out.’ They send the other down, the second one. He goes (and says) ‘I am burning, I am cooking,’ and they take him out. The third one says ‘However much I say “I am burning, I am cooking” do not take me out,’ send me further down. They send Ashur down. He goes and goes and hits the bottom of the well very hard.

sepuze vayela b-depnu sepu beshkalole atkha bed-vakole kam, kam kat-la rishu kat kha-duka shule. sepa atkha dvakole, biyya b-sepa atkha, bara-bar sepa berrekhshele. mtayele kha-duka bezrachele, vele kha-guyda mtayele, akh-guyda. b-sepu shule bezrachele, kha-kolay bara bekhzayele, tarra bekhzayele. tarra ptakhul, varel.

His sword is by his side. He takes his sword and holds it like this in front, in front so that his head does not bang somewhere. He holds his sword like this and goes along with his sword like that, after his sword. He reaches a place and scratches and look, he reaches a wall, (something) like a wall. He scratches with his sword and so forth, he sees a slight light and he sees a door. He opens the door and enters.

varele, bekhzayele ina kha-bakhchela ukhcha shaperta, roze l-a-pato, u-l-e-pato, urkhate gu-da-bakhcha men-da-giba, men-do-giba. ina kha urkha berrekhshele al-kha PapartmanP raba gurta shaperta. aha berrekhshele. berrekhshele mtayele al-tarret … e-PapartmanP, ptakhule. varele bekhzayele ina kha-dana huri pari khaa bakhta raba shaperta tevtela. ina kha-dana dev, men-danne deve, rishu muttule al-berko, kha-yakka dev.

He goes in and sees that there is a garden, which is so beautiful, with roses on this side and that side, with paths in the garden, from this side and that side. A path goes to a very beautiful apartment. He goes there. He goes and arrives at the door of the apartment and opens it. He goes in and sees that a nymph, a very beautiful woman, is sitting there. But a monster, one of those monsters, has put his head on her knee, a huge monster.

aha berrekhshele kamay, e-bakhta marela katu oyan khlapukh akhuni, la-kli lakhkha a-adi bet-kam bet-akhellukh. jalde m-iket tiyyevet dur. marele la, ana tiyyen gan-davun shaklenna, ana tiyyen avun katlenne. khulasa aha bazbuzule b-sepu, bendayele, dev vayele khina, bendayele gashukele o marele a kiki kiki mrayeva adi tilukh ana pt-akhlennukh, kiki bet-basem. marele hi ana tiyyen ganukh shaklenna.

He goes forward and the woman say to him ‘Please, my brother, do not stand here. He will right now get up and eat you. Quickly return to wherever you have come from.’ He says ‘No, I have come to take his life. I have come to kill him.’ In short he pierces him with his sword, he jumps. He is a monster. He jumps and looks, he says ‘Oh, this tooth of mine, my tooth was aching. Now that you have come I shall eat you and my tooth will heal.’ He said ‘Yes, I have come to take your life.’

aha bekyamele marele khelukh makhzi. ka da-yala ka-Ashur mara khelukh makhzi Ashur marele ana hammasha yaven persat ka dezhmenni, dezhmenni kamta khelu makhzile, kharta ana kheli makhzenne. a dezhmennu bitayele, beshkalele men-danne kipet erkhe gu-matvate etva e-dana erkhe … khette shule ki-takhnivalun biyye ka-kamkha kat nashe akhliva, khur-rak akhliva.

He gets up and says ‘Show your strength.’ To the lad, to Ashur he says ‘Show your strength.’ Ashur says ‘I always give the opportunity to my enemy, for my enemy first to show his strength, then I show my strength.’ His enemy comes and takes one of these millstones—at that time in the villages there were watermills, in which they used to grind wheat and so forth for flour, for people to eat, to eat food.

aha bekyamele tre dane besyarel kha-menne b-da telpu, kha-menne b-davva telpu. partulele gu-hava atkha, mkhayele, rappuvvele allu kat-payesh b-aralleghghe. bendayele gu-hava Ashur, beslayele eltekh. marele ha bar-nasha hala khayevet? marele hi khayeven. tiyyen ana lakhkha ganukh shaklenna. marele Pkheyli-khobP, at mkhi zarbukh. aha sepu marumul, kha-dana mkhayel duz m-akhkha b-aralleghghet rishu vadule tre same. aha m … hal eltekh beslayele sepu.

He gets up and ties two of them, one on this eyelash of his, one of them on that eyelash of his. He swings them round like this in the air, he strikes them, he throws them at him in order for him to be between them. Ashur jumps in the air and comes down. He says ‘Ah, man, are you still alive?’ He says ‘Yes, I am alive. I have come here to take your life.’ He says ‘Very well, you strike your blow.’ He raises his sword, he strikes a straight blow from here in the middle of his head and slices it into two parts. His sword descends from ??? to the bottom.

marele a bar-nasha a sepukh kma basimeva. kha-khta mkhi. en kha-khta makhiva, av bet-khayyiva. marele la kha le makhen. khachcha rkud men-bar rkedlukh, tilukh kha-khta bet-makhen. aha har bayye raked, palgu npalele l-a-giba palgu l-o-yba. myatele. ka-danneda ki-hakenvalun ka-yale suri. anne kulle ki-tayenvalun ana. aha benpalele, myatele. myatele, e huri pari e bakhta shaperta marela katu khina bassa. shkul, azakh. ina m-akhkha l-o-gibaze etten tre deve khineda. tre khatvatet diyyi shkilena. men-diyyida bush-shapirena. daveltada raba etlun. mara la pt-azen anida gari maten al-danida.

He says ‘Ah, human, how good your sword is. Strike again.’ If he were to strike again, he would live. He says ‘No, I shall not strike at once. Dance a little. After you have danced and come back, I shall strike again.’ As soon as he wants to dance, one half of him falls on one side and the other on the other side. He dies—I used to tell these (stories) to my children, I used to tell them all of them. He falls down and dies. He dies, the nymph, the beautiful woman, says ‘That is enough, no more. Come, let us go. But from here to the other side there are two other monsters. They have taken my two sisters. They are more beautiful even than me. They have also great riches.’ He says ‘No, I shall go, I must rescue them too.’

berrekhshele o-khinada bektalule ot-d-tlada bektalule. khina le bayyen raba maryekhkhenna, ha kulle anne mendiyye shule jammuyuna bitayena al-do-kunya kat aha selyeva khina. bedrayel kala ka-akhunvatu mara kholokhun shaderrun! shaduruna khola. kameta shadurole et metyeva allo kamta. ay e gurteva gu-bnate. ka-do-akhunu gura mara akhuni kholukh shaderre! kholu shadurule mara akhuni aha ka-diyyukh.

He goes and kills the other one and he kills also the third one. I do not want to prolong it (the story) too much—now they all gather up their belongings and so forth and come to the well where he had descended. He calls his brothers saying ‘Send your rope!’ They send him a rope. First he sends the one whom he had reached first. She was the eldest among the girls. He says to his elder brother ‘Brother, send your rope!’ He sends his rope saying ‘Brother, this is for you.’

ay marumole bekhzayele raba shaperta kha huri pari shule. bekhdayele raba khina lele bekhshava ant men-bar day bitayena bush shapirena men-dayen. mendi shuleda shadurule ka-akhun-treda marele akhuni kholukh shader. avze shadurule e huri pari khitada shadurole. et-d-tla mara shadrun. shaduruna, besyakela. aha bekhzayena baba a raba shapertela. aha men-dan khine raba shapertela. bekrabena mara ka-mu ka-diyyan e shaperta lele yuvvo, khumyole ka-ganu?

He raises her up and sees she is very beautiful, a nymph. He is very happy, but does not realise that those that are coming after her are more beautiful than her. He sends his belongings and says to the second brother ‘Brother, send your rope.’ He sends them and sends the other nymph. As for the third, he says ‘Send (the rope).’ They send it and she ascends. They see that indeed she is very beautiful. She is more beautiful that the others. They become angry saying ‘Why has he not given us the most beautiful one and kept her for himself?’

ay massukona. khola shaduruna kat-av-yasek, bekhzayena avile khola bektayuna npalele al-eshtet kunya. npalele al-eshtet kunya aha. khulasa berrekhshele b-khola b-de sepu medre gu-kheshka balbuyele shule lakhkha tamma. urkha beptakhela. berrekhshele varele. khina aha gu-chol benpalele. benpalele gu-chol shule mtayele kha-duka, mtayele kha-duka ina kha akh mata vayela mlita nashe, ina kulle bekhyena, nashe bekhyena.

They bring her up. They send down the rope for him to come up. They see it is him, they cut the rope and he falls to the bottom of the well. He falls to the bottom of the well. In short, he goes and searches with the rope and with his sword again in the dark, here and there. A way opens up. He goes and enters it. He ends up in a desert. He ends up in a desert and reaches a place, he reaches a place (and sees) something that is like a village, full of people, and everybody is weeping, the people are weeping.

bakurele ka-mu bekhyetun? kha-brata katu marela lakhkha akhnan etlan kha-dana tanina. kha tanina etten … kam nara ki-davekle. ham-masha miyyet nara kulle ki-shatilun ka-diyyan miyya le mati. akhnan gari azakh ku danet avun nara bedvakule kha tre yale sure rappakh al-marzet nara avun ki-paletkat ani akhellun ita miyya m-khutu k-ori k-ati, akhnan miyya shatakh. adiyya avva dvikul. atkhela.

He asks ‘Why are you weeping?’ A girl says to him ‘We have here a dragon. There is a dragon that blocks access to the river. It always drinks all the water of the river and the water does not reach us. Every time it blocks the river, we must go and throw one or two children onto the river bank. He comes out to eat them then the water flows and comes from beneath him and we drink the water. Now he has blocked it. It is like that.’

ikele o tanina? mara fellan duyta. aha bekyamele sepu shulu beshkalele berrekhshele. berrekhshele al-gan do-tanina. marele e-brata marele at ganakh ta-tuy tama ka-de-brata kat anne mendyane katu tanuyela. at tuy tama anada kalen depnakh. ay mattuyona tama. khuvve men-tama platele. kat-bitayele ka-daha akhel, aha bemkhayele b-sepa men-pummu m-akhkha khuvve bektalule.

‘Where is that dragon?’ She says ‘In such-and-such a place.’ He gets up, takes his sword and so forth and goes. He goes against the dragon. He says (to) that girl, he says ‘You yourself come and sit there’—(he says) to the girl who is telling him these things—‘You sit there and I shall stand beside you.’ They put her there. The snake comes out of there. When he comes to eat her, he strikes the snake with the sword, from its mouth, from here and kills it.

khuvve bektalule beshkalel al-de brata. khina kha shabta aha katkutule gu-nara kha shabta vayele demma berrekhsha gu-nara ukhchet vayele gura a khuvve. khuvve m-bar bektalule, bitayena khina miyya. m-bar ktilule kette kette vadule miyya bitayena labuluna. anne nashe beshtayena miyya, bekhkhayena.

He kills the snake and takes the girl. He cuts it up for a week. For a week blood is flowing in the river, so big is the snake. After he kills the snake, water flows again. After he has killed it and chopped it into pieces, water flows and carries it away. The people drink water and live.

bitayele. kharta medre marele ana men-kha-dunye khita tiyyen. men dunyet ullul tiyyen. marena ku-mendit bayyet, bne-de mata, ku-mendit bayyet akhnan katukh t-odakh. marele hammen ana len peshanet lakhkha. akhchi kha bauta etli mennokhun en etten kha urkha masitun ka-diyyi madderritun al de-dunyet ullul. anne marena lakhkha akhnan a mendi la-amsakh odakhle. ina etten lakhkha kha simakhur. mara kha simakhur etten lakhkha. e simakhur kut shita ki-yadla kma dane biyye. bayya palta zaye kha khuvve k-ate en-zayo biyyo k-akhellun. e simakhurda adida khina vela shurita besyava men-kheshsho men-narahatuyto. raba narahat k-oya. lela msa kha zarrada garvessa.

He comes back. Afterwards he says ‘I have come from another world. I have come from the world above.’ They say ‘Whatever you want’—the inhabitants of the village (say)—‘whatever you want, we shall do for you.’ He says ‘Believe me, I do not intend to stay here. I have only one wish (to ask) from you (namely) that there is a way that you can return me to the world above.’ They say ‘We cannot do this thing here. But there is here a +simaxur bird.’ They say ‘There is a +simaxur bird here. The +simaxur every year lays some eggs. It wants to produce young, but a snake comes and eats its young, its eggs. The +simaxur bird has now begun to age from its sorrow and distress. It gets very distressed. It is not able to raise a single offspring.’

marele Pkheyli khubP lablunli kes de simakhur khaz-zen muila. berrekhshel tama. aha bedmakhel khut kennet simakhur. simakhur bekhshavela ahele o janavar yan o henna bar-nashet kat bitayele anne biyyo beshmatele, bikhalele. bayya b-gulpo marma kat makhyale. marele la la la mkhi. ana tiyyen parkennakh. khulasa aha lela mkhayu. lela mkhayu. aha beklayele marel tiyyen ana ka-diyyakh parken kat at a-shita avilakh zaye.

He says ‘Very well, take me to the +simaxur bird for me to see what it is.’ He goes there. He sleeps under the nest of the +simaxur bird. The +simaxur bird thinks he is the monster, or the thing, the man who is coming to break and eat her eggs. It wants to raise its wing to strike him. He says ‘No, no, do not strike. I have come to rescue you.’ In short, it does not strike him. It does not strike him. He stands and says ‘I have come to rescue you so that this year you will have young.’

khachcha betyavele khut de-kenno gashshukele ina bitayele medre kha-dana khuvve raba yarikha gura, atkha bayye azel m-al ilane yasek shule al kennet simakhur, kat medre biyyo akhellun. mkhayele, khuvve bektalule. khuvve bektalule aha simakhur zayo, vayole zaye, men-biyyo platena zaye. garvusena. bekhdayela raba marela mu bayyet adiyya? ana kat men-bar kma shenne kat vitevan challushe kat avili zaye, len msita avili zaye. adi mudit bayyet ana katukh t-odan. marele akhchi ana bayyen palten al-de dunyet ullul.

He sits for a little under her nest and sees that a snake is coming, very long and big, and it wants to move from off the trees and go up to the nest of the +simaxur bird to eat her eggs again. He strikes and kills the snake. He kills the snake. The +simaxur bird has young, young issue from her eggs. They grow up. It is very happy and says ‘What do you want now? I, who after so many years have been trying to have young, have not been able to have young. Now I shall do for you whatever you want.’ He says ‘I only want to go out into the world above.’

aha beklayela takhmunela mara ana dun raba sevta ina medre khub challeshshakh. marela ina ka-vattet da-shula garek aten azet shavva dane m-akhkha al-de-dunyet diyyokhun shavva manzile et. kut manzel gari khachcha kalakh manyekhkhakh al-de-khita, al-de-khita, hal-matakh al-de-dunyet diyyokhun. ina garek aten ka-danne shavva manzile kat-akhnan hal-matakh al-kul manzel ana kha-dana erba yavvet odila parmila bashlila kalila jens, kha lina gurada khamra kha jepnetda lakhma.

It stops and thinks, then says ‘I have grown very old, but still we shall try.’ It says ‘But to do this task you must go seven (stages)— from here to your world there are seven stages. At each stage we have to stop and rest a little, (going) to the next, to the next, until we reach your world. But before we reach these seven stages, each stage, I (suggest) you give a sheep for them to prepare, slaughter, cook and fry well, a large jar of wine and a kneading tray of bread.

ku-dan merri rappi at kamta rappet lakhma, kharta rappet kha-dana erba kat-kulyotun rappetta. men-bar dayda kheshla merri rappet kha lina khamra daret gu-kherkherri. p-khallennan ana bet-yaskan. aha shula vadule. berrekhshel ka-dan-nashet mata tanuyele marele atkha, PjarayanP atkhela lubellokhun ka-diyyi kes-de simakhur, e simakhurda adiyya zayo etla. viden kha-shula etla zaye. va-bayya paltali al-de-dunyet bara ina anne mendyane tlebtela.

Whenever I say “Throw,” you must first throw the bread, then throw a sheep, which you have fried, throw it. After that goes and I say “Throw,” pour a jar of wine into my throat. I shall gain strength and go up.’ He does this task. He goes and tells the people of the village. He says ‘It is like this, the course (of events) is like this. You took me to the +simaxur bird. The +simaxur now has its young. I have done something and she has young. And she wants to take me out to the world of light, but has asked me for these things.’

merrun kheshsha la vud akhnan anne mendyane katukh kulle b-hadrakhlun. albal anne mendyane katu hudrelun. kheshle, lublelun kes simakhur. merre ana hazer. merra raba spay. me tanape shule anne kulle surun al-khasi. ganukhda tu b-aralleghghe. aha kul kul manzel kat mtayeva mareva rappi men-kut-menne kha-dana. aha rappuye. khulasa besyakeva hal mtila al-de … puletla al-bara.

They said ‘Do not worry. We shall prepare all these things for you.’ They immediately prepared these things. He went and they took them to the +simaxur. He said ‘I am ready.’ It said ‘Very good. Bring ropes and so forth, tie them all onto my back. You sit among them.’ At every stage that they reached, it said ‘Throw one of each of them.’ He throws them. In short, it ascends until it reached … it brought him into the light.

puletla al-dunyet bara aha tile kheshle mtile al betet babu. al-betet babu mtile gushekle ina betet babu kulle purpessele. hech kha nasha gu-betu let pyasha. akhchi verre gu-kha kunjita muchekhle kha men-akhunvatu. kha men-akhunvatu muchekhle merre kena en-khine? merre e khati, etvalan kha-dana khata, at betkharet? ki-karivalada akhla mditet babo. e khati merre kulle kheltela. kulle bne-da mdita, nasho, kenyano, susavato, janavaro, kulle kheltela. akhchi ana pishen. anada k-aven berraka m-kam ido. har-atya lakhkha k-azen tamma men-tamma. k-aven m-da duka al-de duka berraka men-kamay. merre ikela? merre ana kalen keslukh merre adi t-atya nigaran la vi, adi t-atya.

It brought him into the world of light. He went back and reached the house of his father. He reached the house of his father and looked (and saw) that the house of his father was completely broken up. There was nobody remaining in the house. But he went to a corner and found one of his brothers. He found one of his brothers and said ‘Where are the others?’ He said ‘That sister of mine,’ he said ‘We had a sister, do you remember? They used to call her “the eater of the town of her father.” That sister of mine,’ he said ‘has eaten them all. All the inhabitants of this town, its people, its cattle, its horses, its monsters, she has eaten them all. Only I am left. I am constantly running away from her clutches. As soon as she comes here, I go there, from there. I am running away from her from this place to that place.’ He said ‘Where is she?’ He said ‘I shall stand with you.’ He said ‘She will come now, do not worry, she will now come.’

ay bitayela. ahada b-suysa vayele tiyya khina suysu vayele mekhyu gu-paga. kut-dana bitayela keslu marela akhuni, suysukh tla-akle etvale e-dan tilukh? kha-aklu vayela khelto. kharta berrekhshela bitayela mara vena tre aklu pishe et-d-tlada bikhalola, et-arpada bikhalola. beddayele khina adi suysu t-akhlale t-atya al-ganu. bekyamele berrakele. berrakele. men-mdita platele, berrrakele. berrekhshele, berrekhshele raba. aha keslu vayule kha … kha janta gurta et magrayate kha janta gurta et melkha, kha janta gurtada et mikhe.

She comes. He has come on a horse and has put his horse in the stable. She comes to him, each time, and says ‘Brother, did your horse have three legs when you came?’ She has eaten one of its legs. Then she goes and comes back saying ‘Two of its legs are left.’ She eats also the third one, she eats also the fourth one. He knows that now she will eat his horse and attack him. He gets up and flees. He flees. He leaves the town and flees. He goes a long way. He has with him a big bag of razors, a big bag of salt and a big bag of nails.

aha berkhatele aha berkhatela baru. bitayela kat matyale mikhe rappuvvel. khachcha a-gu-aklo bettasena. a khachcha narahat vayela. a khachcha berrekhshele kamay ina berkhatela baru. berkhatela baru medre. aha magrayay rappuvvel. magrayate rappuvvele kulle chole vayena magrayay. aklo kulle parzuvvena ina medre berkhatela baru. melkhu rappuvvole, vayela yametmelkha. varela gu-yama aklo chalbuvvena, narahatvayela raba shule. ina medre men dayda platela, berkhatela baru. berkhatela baru, aha besyakele al-kha ilana gu-mesha. besyakele al ilana, aha bitayela. baru kat-yaska katlale, akhlale khina, men ullul mkhayele b-sepa men-gu-risho. khulasa bektalole.

He runs and she runs after him. She comes close to reaching him and he throws down the nails. Some stick into her feet. She is rather uncomfortable. He goes forward a little, but she runs after him. She runs after him again. He throws down the razors. He throws down the razors and all the fields become (covered with) razors. They slice up all her feet, but she again runs after him. He throws down the salt, and it turns into a sea of salt. She enters the sea, her feet sting and she becomes uncomfortable. But again she also comes out of that and runs after him. She runs after him and he climbs up a tree in the forest. He climbs up a tree and she comes. Just as she climbs after him to kill him, to eat him, he strikes with his sword from above onto her head. In short, he kills her.

beslayele eltekh kiso pratol. gashukele ina kha tuvvultela gu kiso. a tuvvultela kulle anne mendyane bikhalela ukhcha gurtela. ayda bektalole. bektalole. vayele khina raba rekhka m-kes akhunu m-kes babu khina. kha duka bekhzayele ina kha-dana beta al-kha kunjita. vele berrekhsha. berrekhshel al-do beta. gashukele gu-do-beta ina kha bakhta … sotela la raba, ina kha sota tevtela tama gu-do beta. mara bruni ay kam-tilukh gu-da-beta? adi, kura khambasha t-ate t-akhellukh. kura khambasha gorole khina. avda kha-devile. kura kham-basha t-ate t-akhellukh.

He comes down and rips open her stomach. He looks (and sees) that there is a worm in her stomach. It is this worm that is eating all these things, it is so huge. He kills that also. He kills it. He is very far from his brother’s home, from his father’s home. In one place he sees a house on a corner. He goes. He goes to the house. He looks in the house (and sees) that there is woman who is old, (though) not very (old), an old woman is sitting there in the house. She says ‘My son, why have you come to this house? Now the blind giant will come and eat you.’ The blind giant is her husband. He is a monster. ‘The blind giant will come and eat you.

pt-ate t-akhellukh. mara la ana p-tanen brunuven. merra la baba pt-akhellukh av li-yatte atkha mendi. merre mu-pt-ave. ana tanen brunuven. PbelakharaP b-zarzakhle a mendi. aha berashe kura khambasha bitayele ho ho ho ho aha vayele khisha erbe marruvve. erbe vayule. raba erbu shulu mayele mavvurele gu-henna. bitayele har tarra ptakhul varel gavay ka-bakhtu marele bakhta rikhet bar-nasha bitayele. marela ka-mu letva bedda akhnan bruna etlan? marele la ana bruna letvali. marela dakh etvalan bruna. marele en-ana etvali bruna, raba spay. adi b-yasken al-gare b-jeren b-rishu. m-al-gare b-jeren b-rishu. en-la psherre brunile. en-psherre, lele bruni. besyakele bejyarele. lele pshara. bitayele marele brunile raba bekhdayele.

He will come and eat you.’ He says ‘No, I shall say that I am his son.’ She said ‘No, alas, he will eat you. He does not know such a thing.’ He says ‘It does not matter. I shall say I am his son. In the end we shall fix this thing.’ The blind giant comes back in the evening, ‘ho, ho, ho, ho.’ He has gone to graze sheep. He has sheep. He brings back his many sheep and so forth and puts them in the thing. He comes. As soon as he opens the door and comes inside, he says to his wife ‘Wife there is a smell of a human.’ She says ‘Why, did you not know that we have a son?’ He says ‘No, I did not have a son.’ She says ‘But yes, we did have a son.’ He says ‘If I had a son, very good. Now I shall go up upon the roof and urinate on him. I shall urinate upon him from the roof. If he does not melt, he is my son. If he melts, he is not my son.’ He goes up and urinates. He does not melt. He comes back and says ‘He is my son.’ He is very happy.

adi brunu bitayele katu marele papa aten khub adiyya khina ana brunukhven atenda babivet. at kha-nasha savevet. kurevada, kura, kura khambasha khina. anne mujjurra anne erbe? kha-atkha narahatvet. adi talkida at khu-li-yattet. ana t-azen marrennun. marele raba spay t-azet marrettun. ina avvo tuyra etten tammoha l-a-giba khachcha rameleda rabada ilane etten allu al-davva tuyra la-azet. tamma etten kha-dana shedda bololo. ayen aynet diyyi kure vettela. tama la-azet. ay raba janavar hennela mazdiyyanta.

Now his son comes to him and says ‘Daddy, well I am your son and you are my father. You are an old man.’ He was also blind, blind, the blind monster. ‘How do you deal with these sheep? You are so stressed. Even if they get lost now, you would indeed not know. I shall go and graze them.’ He says ‘Very good, you go and graze them. But there is that mountain over there, on this side, it is rather high, and many trees are on it—do not go to that mountain. There is a demon monster. She blinded my eyes. Do not go there. She is a very … monster, frightening.’

mara bas raba spay le-azen. aha berrekhshele marruvvele, kma yumane erbe marruvvele, maddurele bitayele. kharta marele baba kha azen yasken al-davva tuyra khazzen tamma mu-et baba, mu marela. berrekhshele al-tuyra mtayele. vayele erbu shulu marruvve tama vayele tiva. men-bar khachcha nagestan gashukele kha bakhta koso bulmella, e shedda bololola khina, koso bulmella savanta dula tila.

He says ‘Very well, I shall not go (there).’ He goes and grazes them, for a few days he grazes the sheep, then brings them back and comes back. Then he says ‘Well, let me go and climb onto that mountain and see what on earth there is there, and what she says.’ He goes and arrives at the mountain. He is grazing his sheep there and is sitting. After a while, suddenly he notices that a woman with tangled hair, the demon monster, her hair tangled, ugly, has come.

e bruni b-shena tiyyet al-da tuyret diyyan. a tuyra ka-diyyukh len-bedda mudi. marele b-shenet avilakh yemma kepakh dakhila? raba shapertet, raba lakhumtet. janavar vayela khina, ina av bekhkarole kat khaze mu t-oda. bitayela betyavela depnu. risho mattuvvula al-berku, bedmakhela. mattuvvula risho al-depnu m-bar khachcha etvale charikhe. charikhe beddayet muina khina? charikhe etvale. nikha nikha gashukele ina a charikhu dula shalukhe kat sharya bikhalu. har bi de sepet kat etvale mkhayele gu-risho. a khachcha gazhzhunela. aha berrashela. berrashela, marela talakh kuymar. en at ka-diyyi kremlukh, kma erbe etlukh palget dani ana erbe b-yavvannukh. en ana kremli, palget erbukh b-yavvetle ka-diyyi. mara raba spay.

‘Heh, my son, welcome to this mountain of ours. This mountain is yours,’ and I don’t know what. He says ‘Thank you, ma’am. How are you? You are very beautiful, you are very comely.’ She is a monster, but he praises her in order to see what she would do. She comes and sits by his side. She puts her head on his knee and goes to sleep. She puts her head on his side. After a while—he had sandals. You know what ‘sandals’ are? He had sandals. He notices that she is gradually taking his sandals off in order to begin to eat him. With the same sword that he had he strikes on her head and she becomes rather faint. She wakes up. She wakes up and she says ‘Let’s gamble. If you win against me, however many sheep you have, I shall give you half as many sheep. If I win, you will give me half of your sheep.’ He says ‘Very well.’

anne tavulena kuymar aha bekramele. bekramele palget erbu. khshu emma dane etvale khamshi dane bekramele. bekhvatele gu-erbu beslayele. bitayele mtayele. kam beta kura khambasha platele. kura khambasha platele marele erbi khazhbennennun khu-let mubserra menne. aha marele a diyyi, a diyyi, a la-diyyi. palgena khina. a diyyi, a diyyi, a la-diyyi. a diyyi, a diyyi, a la-diyyi. gashukel khamshi dane zodena gu-erbu.

They gamble and he wins. He wins half his sheep. Consider he had one hundred, he wins fifty. He mixes them with his sheep and goes down. He comes back and arrives. The blind giant comes out in front of the house. The blind giant comes out and says ‘Let me count my sheep lest you have lost any of them.’ He says ‘This one is mine, this one is mine, this one is not mine.’ Well, half of them. ‘This one is mine, this one is mine, this one is not mine. This one is mine, this one is mine, this one is not mine.’ He notices that there are fifty extra among the sheep.

marele len mira ka-diyyukh al-do-tuyra la yasket? ka-mu siket? ayen … anne oyne palutela, kharta kura t-odalukh, t-akhlalukh. marele la babi khina le-azen. medre o-yuma khina medre betrayele berrekhshel tama. medre marela al-khamshi dane medre talakh. tavulena, anida bekramele. adi kha-akh-erbu erbe krimele men-da khina. berashe bitayele. kura khambasha medre marel khazhbennun marele a diyyi, a la-diyyi. a diyyi, a la-diyyi. a diyyi, a la-diyyi. khina akh-uydalena khina.

He says ‘Have I not told you not to go up to that mountain? Why have you gone up there? She comes up with these games, but in the end she will make you blind and she will eat you.’ He says ‘All right, father, I shall not go again.’ Again, the next day he again drives (the sheep) and goes there. Again she says ‘Let us play for fifty.’ They play and he wins also those. Now he has won from her as many sheep as (the original number of) his sheep. In the evening he comes back. The blind giant again says ‘I shall count them.’ He says ‘This is mine, this is not mine. This is mine, this is not mine. This is mine, this is not mine.’ They are equivalent (in number).

adi medre bruni nonuvven biyyukh, parpulen biyyukh khtitukhla la-khush atkha t-oda. medre berrekhshele. berrekhshele o-yuma khina. marela medre kha-akh palget erbukh talakh. yane emma dane khine khina. aha tavulele, medre bekramele. berashe bitayele. kura khambasha khazhbunele, marele a diyyi, a la-diyyi, a la-diyyi. a diyyi, a la-diyyi, a la-diyyi. yane tre PbarabarP krimele khina. marele la-khush bruni! la-khush! o-yuma khina berrekhshel. berrekhshele marele a sapar gari ana aynet babi men-dayya shaklennun.

‘Now, again, my son, I beg you, I implore you, It is a shame for you (to be in danger), do not go there, she will do this (to you).’ He goes again. He goes the next day. She says again ‘Let us play for half of your sheep,’ that is a hundred more. He plays and again wins them. In the evening he comes back. The blind giant counts them and says ‘This is mine, this is not mine, this is not mine. This is mine, this is not mine, this is not mine.’ That is he has won them twofold. He says ‘Do not go my son! Do not go!’ The next day he goes. He goes and says ‘This time I shall take my father’s eyes from her.’

berrekhshele, mtayele tama, menno tavulele, bekramele. aha berrakela. berrakela, berkhatel baro. berkhatele baro, aha mtayole, bektalole. bektalole ina beto bekhzayule. berrekhshele gashukele ina tla dane bnate etla akh gano. kulle shedda balolona shule khina. la makhleta, lele bektalo. tla bnato bekhzayele. anne marele bnatakh bet-katlennun, en aynet babi la yavvattun. tulvunte bnatakh bet-katlennun en-aynet babi la yavvattun.

He goes, he arrives there, plays with her and wins. She flees. She flees and he runs after her. He runs after her, he catches her and kills her. He goes and notices that she has three daughters like herself. They are all demon monsters. No, excuse me, he does not kill her. He sees her three daughters. He says ‘I shall kill these daughters of yours if you do not give me the eyes of my father. I shall kill the three daughters of yours if you do not give me the eyes of my father.’

marela aynet babukh ana len khzite. babukh dagulele aha lena kesli baba aynet babukh. marele la, keslakhna. gari tanyat. marela la, kesli lena. marele khzi anne tulvunte anne bnatakh bet-mattennun gu-tiyane p-shalkennun gu-miyya shakhine. kepakhla. at la tani bnato beddayena ikena en-aynet do kura khambasha. a gano lela bedda. muyyitela yuvveltela ka-danne. anne lublena muttena gu-henna.

She says ‘I have not seen the eyes of your father. Your father is lying. Your father’s eyes are not with me.’ He says ‘No, they are with you. You must speak.’ She says ‘No, they are not with me.’ He says ‘Look, I shall put these three daughters of yours in cauldrons and boil them in hot water. It is up to you.’ Well, her daughters know where the eyes of the blind giant are. She herself does not know. She has brought them and given them to them. They have taken them and put them in a thing.

ita aha mavel lela beyyave khina aynu lena beyyave mavele miyya mardukhele. kha men-danne mattuvvole gu-miyya. aha datada muttuvvele gu-pummo. aha khina beshlakela datada vayela gu-pummo, anne khine mara akhnanda data bayyakh. mara akhtunda tuyun tamma. anida mattuvvele, tulvunte shalukhele, ani bashulele. adi marele aten gari tanyat ka-diyyi aynet babi ikena. aha marela aynet babukh vena fellan duka. aynet babu mavela beyyavela katu. ka-ganoda bektalele. beshkalele, beslayele, bitayele. ka-babu marele babi ta lakhkha. babu bitayele. kurbu bitayele. aynu mattuvvele kha atkha mkhayele alle aynu varena shope. babu bekhzayele. marele bruni avet raba basima. at marel preklukh. adi gari deren akhuni akhunida parkenne. ay havar!

Then he brings—she does not give them, they do not give his eyes. He brings water and boils it. He puts one of them in the water. He puts gum in her mouth. (While) she is boiling and gum is in her mouth, the others say ‘We too want gum.’ He says ‘You too sit there.’ He puts them (there), he strips the three of them and cooks them. ‘Now,’ he says ‘you must tell me where the eyes of my father are.’ She says ‘The eyes of your father are in such-and-such a place.’ She brings the eyes of his father and gives them to him. He kills her also. He takes them, goes down and comes back (home). He says to his father ‘Father, come here.’ His father comes. His father comes near him. He puts his eyes (into their sockets), gives them a knock, and his eyes go into their place. His father sees. He says ‘My son, thank you very much.’ He says ‘You have finished.’ ‘I now have to return to save my brother also.’ ‘Oh woe!’

berrekhshele al akhunu, mtayele kes akhunu ina en akhunvatu khineda mchikhena. bitayena marena aha aha kat e brata kat shaperta muila kat henna men-gu henna pultova kat ka-ganuva ina vadena khluyla kat kha men-dani gaverra. mtayele marele khub berrekhshele. har kurba mtayele akhunvatu beddayuna. vayeleda yale malkena khina koshun vayele. mara ka-koshune npulun baru! avva ktulunle. avva dezhmennanle.

He goes to his brother. He reaches his brother but the other brothers are present. They come and say ‘This (is the one) who took the girl who was beautiful out of the thing—what is it?—who was (intended) for himself.’ They are making a wedding in order for one of them to marry her. He arrives and says ‘Oh well’ and goes. As soon as he gets close, his brothers recognize him. They are the sons of the king and have an army. They say to their army ‘Follow him and kill him! He is our enemy.’

aha benpalena baru. aha berrekhshele kes kha zargar gu-kha betet kha zargar varel. varele tama, hakyat kulle katu tanuvvole kat mula Pjarayan kat ana brun-malkeven anne akhunvatina. anne atkhela. ayya bratada kat bayyi gorila tlebtet diyyila. mu odakh? marele ana kut yum kut berashe b-kha suyse bet-palten. kha rang suyse kut berashe bet-palten. kulle men-danne koshuynu ant bitayena kat ka-diyyi masalan katli kha same bet-katlenne. bet-arken bet-palten m-mdita b-lele. bet-deren keslukh pt-aten. b-lele akhchi jammakh goze mayyet raba goze, shamtakh, kat tani zargar har pelkhanele khina. taktekkakh, taktekkakh kat ani zargar pelkhanel. akhnan goze t-akhlakh b-lele. kut-lele aha shula vadule. lelet tla khulasa khdertet kha-dana akhunu bedvakole marele khub akhtun beddayetun ana fellan kasven. le bayyen ka-diyyokhun katlen. kam a shula vadutun? khulasa anne e brata katu beyyavona. khluyla vadele shavva yumane, shavva lelavate.

They follow him. He goes to a goldsmith. He enters a goldsmith’s house. He enters there and tells him the whole story saying what had happened saying ‘I am the son of a king. These are my brothers. (The story of) them is like this. That girl that they want to marry is my betrothed.’ ‘What should we do?’ He says ‘Every day and every evening I shall go out with a different horse. I shall go out with a different colour horse. I shall kill a part of the troops, who are coming to kill me. I shall flee and leave the town at night. I shall return to you and come back. But at night we should gather walnuts, you should bring many walnuts and we should break them, so that they will say that the goldsmith is working. We shall bang and bang so that they (would say) that the goldsmith is working. We shall eat walnuts at night.’ He does this every night. In short on the third night he holds the shirt front of one of his brothers and says ‘Well, you know that I am so-and-so. I do not want to kill you. Why are you doing this?’ In the end, they give the girl to him. He holds a wedding for seven days and seven nights.