A Dutiful Son

etva letva kha gura kha bakhta. etvalun tla bnune tla bnune etvalun. aha bitayela a bakhta mrayela. bakhta mrayela vay goro mara ana anne yale mu-tar b-khamen? bakhta lublale Rbalnitsa, kha yarkha peshla muyyale beta. muyyale beta, la-mesle khamivala. bakhta khina metla, supyale bi-duko.

Once upon a time there was a husband and wife. They had three sons. They had three sons. The wife becomes ill. The wife becomes ill ‘Oh’ the husband says ‘How can I look after these children?’ He took the woman to hospital. He stayed there and he brought her home. He brought her home, but he was not able to save her. The woman died and he put her in her grave.

yalu, a nashada honaneva, ka-brunu sura merre kachaleva, kachala beddayet muile? kosa letvale, ka-brunu merre at zad bashlet, julle maset, daray kanshet, ktayay b-yavvet, katunyay b-yavvet, suysavay, Rvobshem aten b-khazzay betevet. en tre bnunu ganu beshshena pelkhanena. hada kulle RparyadakR gu-bete.

As for his children, this man was clever, he said to his youngest son—he was bald, do you know what ‘bald’ is? He has no hair—he said to his son ‘You will cook the food, wash the clothes, sweep the yards, feed the chickens, feed the cats, the horses. In short, you are the overseer of the house.’ As for his two (other) sons, they go to work. Thus all is in order in their house.

aha msayele, bashulele, banuvvele, karkuzele, anne beshshena, baba, tre yale, tre akhunvay. a sura kachala betele. baba tile, plekhlun, plekhlun, baba tile mrile. baba tile mrile. lubellun medre Rbalnitsa, muyyilun. baba RuzheR merre temun vasyatti vadon katokhun.

He launders, cooks, does maintenance, tidies up, whereas they go off, the father and the two boys, the two brothers. The young bald child is at home. They worked and worked, and it happened that the father became ill. It happened that the father became ill. They took him to the hospital and they brought him back. The father already said ‘Come, I am making a will for you.

ana b-meten. ina tla yumane tla bnunitun. kut lele kha mennokhun t-atitun alli karavul. atitun al-bat-kuyri karavul kalitun. ba mara ba pt-atakh ba le-atakh? a lubellun tumerrun. a sura kachala raba atkha yattuvva yala. kala let, kalta let. marele akhunvay baba mu merre? baba la merre atitun karavul kalitun. man pt-azel? akhuna gura merre ana, ad-lele ana pt-azen.

I shall die, but for three days, you are three sons, every night one of you will come to guard over me. You will come to my grave and stand guard.’ They say ‘Well, we shall come. (Why) would we not come?’ They took him and buried him. The young bald man was a very clever lad. There is no sound or utterance. He says ‘Brothers, what did father say? Did not father say that you should go and stand guard. Who will go?’ The elder son said ‘Tonight I shall go.’

kheshle muttile rishu rekka m-akhkha al-bat-kuyra. muttile rishu, dmekhle, kherra kherru hal morisha. tile beta morisha. akhuna merre o sura kachala akhuni mu khzilukh? merre hech mendi len khezya. o lele khina ot arallegh akhuna beshshele karavul beklayel. merre akhun morisha tile mu khzilukh? merre hech mendi. di merre a-spar ad-lele nobet diyyile. ana pt-azen, akhuna sura.

He went and lay down his head—far be it from here—upon the grave. He put down his head and slept, snoring until morning. He came to the house in the morning. ‘Brother’ said the young bald lad, ‘Brother, what did you see?’ He said ‘I have not seen anything.’ The next night the middle brother goes and stands guard. He says ‘My brother,’ when he came back in the morning ‘What did you see?’ He said ‘Nothing.’ ‘Well’ he said ‘this time, tonight it is my turn. I shall go,’ the young brother (said).

kheshle akhuna sura a suppu surta primale, sirale kuya. lele myasa damekh. kha dana lele gushekle ina mu kha pokha tile, kha kha-dana atkha savanta pokha hava, kha-dana tla-dane mesyay ruppile. tla-dane mesyay ruppele merre shkul, kala tile, shkul label tashilun ka-kha nasha serrukh la tanile. anne ka-diyyukh lazemna. anne ka-diyyukh lazemna. ka-kha nasha la-tani, label tashilun.

The young brother went off. He cut his little finger and tied it up tightly, and so cannot sleep. At some time in the night he sees that a wind has come, a very bad wind, and it threw down three hairs. It threw down the three hairs and said ‘Take them,’ a voice came, ‘Take them away and hide them. Do not tell your secret to anybody. You will need these. You will need these. These are important for you. Do not tell anybody. Take them and hide them.’

tile Armsus-u-pus.Arm kemle anne mesyay muyyele kulle mekhyele, muyyele gu paga, gu-karita. muttele, tushyele. kha shabta, tre shabay, tilun akhunvay merrun ba at mu khezyet? kachala merre hech mendi. kha shabta, tre shabay, kha yarkha, tre yarkhe gushekle amman RabyavlyeniyeR muila mekhyena kes henna gu kentrum kat pellan malka bitayena allu men malkuyta khita bitayena tla bnate etle, bitayena palshi bnatu lablilun. o akhuna gura tile merre la-avakhva khelane, akhnan azakhva, makhakhva, katlakhva, odakhva, e malkuyta peshava ka-diyyan.

He came back very quietly. He brought the hairs and put them all in the stable, on a beam. He put them there and hid them. After a week, two weeks, the brothers came and said ‘Well, what have you seen?’ The bald lad said ‘Nothing.’ A week (went by), two weeks, a month, two months, he looked, but (look) what is the announcement, which they have put up in … the centre saying ‘People are coming against a certain king, they are coming from another kingdom, he has two daughters, they are coming to take his daughters.’ The elder brother came and said ‘If only we were strong, we would go and strike them and kill them, and ensure that the kingdom remains ours.’

ah merre ba mu odakh? letlan khela kachala mara letlan khela, le-azakh. merre de e-danta aten kachala push beta akhnan t-azakh. tre akhunvay kemlun susavate hudrelun. morisha jalde lakhme khellun, b-susavay tevlun, kheshlun. aha kemle, muryesle kneshle, zadu bushelle jalde jalde jalde kulle shulu vedle. verre gu-paga, slutu sulyale merre ya marya khaltana baba mu merre. baba balket kha mendi tunyele. kha mesta grishale. shkilale, tre shvikele.

‘Oh,’ he said ‘Well what should we do?’ ‘We do not have the strength’ the bald lad said ‘We do not have the strength, we shall not go.’ He said ‘Well then you, Baldy, stay at home. We shall go.’ The two brothers got up and prepared their horses. Early in the morning they ate their food, they sat on their horses and went off. He got up and sprinkled, swept, cooked food and did all his work very quickly. He went into the stable and he prayed his prayer saying ‘Oh mighty Lord. What did father say? Perhaps father has said something.’ He pulled out a hair. He took it and left the two others.

merre ya alah. sheppeshka mkhile allo gushekle kha suysa tile hremma hremmu kuma, sepu kumta, lebbas kumta, kusita kumta. suysa kelyel aghay mu bayyet? dunye talkhenna ya shokenna? merre brat-malka dezhmen bitayele makhe brat-malka e-gurta labulona. merre adiyya bussahat tuy. m-gu-hava suysa prekhle. allo, kha-dana sumurkush tanila, kumta, prakhele. gashukele men-ultukh akhunvatu ina tappa tappe b-suysa. mara khachcha kup.

He said ‘Oh God.’ He lit a match. He saw a horse come, neighing, black, with a black sword, black apparel and a black cover. The horse stood. ‘My master, what do you want? Should I destroy the world or save it?’ He said ‘An enemy is coming to attack a princess. They are taking away the elder princess.’ It said ‘Now, right now, mount.’ The horse flew through the air. He flies on it, they call it a sumur bird, a black one. He sees from above his brothers galloping on a horse. He says ‘Go down a little.’

bekyapele. kut-menne kha kamchi tapuvvele, kat hada mireva ka-diyyida lablun mireva at tuy kachala, at hech duka le-azet. kheshle sepuda gubbaz kumta sepa kumta, kheshle kulle purziyyele. verre kha-ga gu-bet-malka, mkhile, chukhchekhle, brat-malka e-gurta shkilale. muyyale, muttale gu-paga. parda greshle. merre kalakh la-ate anga kalakh tile, seppatakh parmennun. kheshle kha mana zad drile, muttile kamo. kha mana miyya muttile kamo. kalakh la-ate, parmennakh. la la, la le-odan. tile tevle.

He goes down. He whips each one, because he had said ‘Take me too,’ but they had said ‘You stay, Baldy. You are not going anywhere.’ He went, with his sword and shield, black sword, he went and cut them all to pieces. He entered at once into the house of the king. He attacked and battered them, and took the elder princess. He brought her back and put her in the stable. He drew the curtain. He said ‘Do not make a sound. If you make a sound, I shall cut your lips.’ He went and served out a plate of food and placed it before her. He placed a bowl of water before her. ‘Do not make a sound, I’ll cut you up.’ ‘No, no, no, I shall not.’ He sat down.

akhunvatu tilun berashe shiyye, shurshiyye, lishane dvika. akhunvati mu vedlokhun? a bet-babukh la kherba kha jvanka tiyyeva kulle purziyyele brata gurta lublale. a merre tuyun. tuyun. lakhmokhun khulun. alaha rakhmanel. al-morisha bekyamena, medre tappa tappe beshshena. khellun lakhme anne tre akhunvay. ArmgonaArm azakh mara et-arallegh mayyakh. merre khush. ka-diyyi le lablitun? la la la. betukh la-kherba kachala at ika atet? kullu shulu vedle kheshle e mestet arallegh grishale. slutu sulyale jens b-kayda. alahu tkherre sheppeshka mkhile, mesta shkilale. sheppeshka mkhile, kha suysa tile smuka lebbas smukta, sepa smukta, lebbas smukta, kusitu smukta, suysa smuka. aghay mu bayyet? p-parpessennun kulle. merre brat arallegh beshshekh dezhmen makhakhle shaklakh mayyakh.

His brothers came in the evening, exhausted, tired, their tongues sticking (with thirst). ‘My brothers, what did you do?’ ‘Oh, may your father’s house not be sealed, a youth came, cut them all to pieces and took away the elder daughter.’ He said ‘Sit down, sit down. Eat your food. God is merciful.’ In the morning they get up. They again go galloping off. They eat their food, the two brothers. They say ‘At least let us go and bring the middle girl.’ He said ‘God. Will you not take me?’ ‘No, no. May your house not be destroyed, Baldy, where would you go?’ He did all his work then went and pulled out the middle hair. He prayed his prayer, as it is proper. He remembered God, lit a match and took out the hair. He lit a match and a red horse came, with red apparel, a red sword, red apparel, a red hat, a red horse. ‘My Lord, what do you want? I will destroy them all.’ He said ‘We are going to attack the enemy, take a [the] middle daughter and bring her back.’

e-dan la vuuu m-gu-hava akh Rsamalyot e-dan la mkhile kheshle kulle kutkettele, purziyyele, shkilale brat arallegh, tile. akhunvatu taza beshsha mtayena. kut-menne kha kamchida tupyele merre anne gnayela. anne lena nata bedvaka. al-baba nata la dveklun. tile. tivele, merre ada khat arallegh kato merre khzi tuy kes khatakh. kalakh tile, seppa-takh parmennun. kpentet? hana a mana zad anneda miyya. khul. kalokhun la-ate. parda greshle. ada atkha.

When he set off into the air like an aeroplane, when he struck and went and cut them all to pieces, he chopped them to pieces, he took the middle daughter and came back. His brothers are only just arriving. He whipped each one of them with a whip. He said ‘It is their fault. They do not pay attention. They did not pay attention to father.’ He came back. He sat down and said, he said to the middle sister ‘Look, sit next to your sister. If you make a noise, I shall cut your lips. Are you hungry? Here is a plate of food and here is water, eat. You two do not make a sound.’ He drew the curtain. So that was that.

e dana tilun akhunvatu. tilun akhunvatu, medre shiyye, shurshiyye, atkha vay mara kachala dakh spay tivet la tuy tuy, tuy tuy. ka-diyyukh lela lazem. aha merre dmukhun alaha rakhmanele, alaha rakhmanele. anne har takhmunena mara spay mara aha-ga beshshekh brata surta ArmgonaArm ka-diyyukh mayyakhkha, kachala. mara khushun!

Then his brothers came back. His brothers came back, exhausted and tired, like this ‘Oh’ they said ‘Baldy, it is good you are sitting. No, sit, sit, sit, sit. You are not needed.’ He said ‘Sleep, God is merciful, God is merciful.’ They think and say ‘Fine,’ they say ‘At least we shall bring back the youngest daughter to you, Baldy.’ He said ‘Go!’

a kemle, medre zadu bushelle, ktayay yuvvele, kulle betu kneshle kurkezle, kheshle. e-dan la verre gu-paga, e-dan la e mesta shkilale, e-dan la mekhyale sheppeshka, kha suysa khvara tile, kha lebbas khvarta, kha sepa khvarta, men tuppurtu al-kerkeptu biyya bi-suysu kulle khvara, khanjal, ada depnu. mkhile m-gu-hava, puuuu, kheshle. kheshle, kulle mekhyele, chukhchekhkhele.

He got up and again cooked the food, gave (food) to the chickens, he swept and put in order all his house and went off. When he entered the stable, when he took the hair, when he lit the match, a white horse came, with white apparel, a white sword, everything on the horse was white from his toenails to his skull, a dagger too on its side. He set off into the air, puuu, he went off. He attacked them all and battered them.

brata surta shkilale. sepu shvikal tama. mekhyale gu-guyda, shvikale. shvikal, brata muyyal, merre tuy kes khatvatakh. hamzamta seppatakh parmennun. kalokhun la-ate. kpinetun khulun. lakhma shule yuvvele, tile. hada lebbu rahatile kachala, hada jensile. ganu ka-ganu herra herrula. tilun. khase shmita, pate kumta. tilun tevlun. mara ka-diyyukhda la meslanbratamayyakhva. Rvsyo preklakhina, akhnanpeshlanatkha. dakhpt-avakh. mara alaha rakhmanele. dmukhun, dmukhun. kha-kma yuman verra, e dana RabyavlyeniyeR medre mkhilun.

He took the youngest daughter. He left his sword there. He put it into the wall and left it. He left it and brought the girl back. He said ‘Sit next to your sisters. One word and I’ll cut your lips. Do not make a sound. If you are hungry, eat.’ He gave them food and so forth and went back. The bald lad is so content, he feels good. He giggles to himself. They came back, their backs broken (with fatigue), their faces black. They came back and sat down. They said ‘We could not bring any girl back to you. Enough! It is all over, we are in such a state. What will become of us?’ He said ‘God is merciful. Sleep, sleep.’ Several days passed. Then they put up an announcement.

kut bnat-malka lublele, malka, kut bnat-malka, mara bnati lublele, khush ate sepa shakella beti, malkuyti, kulle katu. kulle beti, malkuytize … kulle katu. ku-met etle letle. e dana beshshele, marele akhun, bitayele akhuna gura mara tve al-dot aha videle. tve allu. gu-kulle khayyu la … kheshsha aved.

‘Whoever took the daughters of the king, the king, whoever took the daughters of the king’—he said—‘my daughters, let him come and take the sword, then my house, my kingdom is all his. All my house and kingdom, it is all his’— whatever he has. Then he goes, he says ‘My brother,’ the elder brother comes and says ‘How fortunate for him who has done this. How fortunate for him. In his whole life he will not experience sorrow.’

mara en azen bnat-malka mayyennun, mu p-tanitun? bakhtavar rishan mara m-ika bnat-malka? nikhunta beshshel tullunte m-uydale mavele. mara temun khzimun. anne man muyyele? ba maren baba mu merre? baba la merre kalitun karavul? kheshlokhun muttilokhun rishokhun dmekhlokhun. ba karavul mu-tar k-ave? khu-le-azel damekh. karavul darek kale al-RpostR-u khazze mu et mu let. ki-matte rishu, ki-talle? bekhzayetun suppi gashkun, ktitela, suppi letli.

He says ‘If I go and fetch the daughters of the king, what would you say?’ ‘How fortunate we would be!’ they say ‘From where (will you fetch) the daughters of the king?’ He slowly goes and brings the three of them together. He says ‘Come and see.’ ‘Who has brought them?’ ‘Well, I say what did father say? Did not father say that you should stand guard? You went, put your head down and slept. Well, how should a watchman behave? Surely he should not go and sleep! A guard should stand at his post and see what is happening. Does he put down his head and sleep? Do you see, look, my finger is cut off, I do not have my finger.’

a sapar tla akhunvay berreshshena tama kes malka. kulle davelta yavvona kate. kha-menne vazzer vadule. kha-menne vakkel vadule. bnate gane jens kul davelta kate, al-RpostR kulle mattuvvena. khayye jens khayye bekhkhayena. magvurena, khluyle, share. jens khayye bekhkhayena. ani alaha yavvellun alahada ka-diyyan yavvel basimuyta. ka-diyyukhda alaha yavvel basimuyta.

Then the three brothers go there, to the king. They give them all great wealth. He makes one vizier. He makes one the overseer. The daughters themselves (give) them all wealth and install them in posts. They live a good life. They marry them (to the daughters) and their marriage celebrations (take place). May God give them and may God give us good fortune. May God give you also good fortune.