The Smart Lad, Who Bartered a Mouse for a Horse and a Beautiful Wife1
1.
kełu
pêr
qarï par mī-dro2.
kil-ô
pïr
qarï par-i-tï
come-CSIM one old
present-COP-EV
A long time ago, there happened to be an old [person].
2.
pêr
oğuł tuğïp-tro.
pïr
ogïl tog-ïptï
one son give.birth-PASTev
She had born a son.
3.
oğïl saqïs yasağanda
anasï
yołqap-tro 3.
ogïl saqïs yasa-ganta
ana-sï
yoqqha-ttï
son
eight be.aged-CTMP
mother-POS3 die-PASTev
When the son was eight years old, his mother died.
4.
andan ła
kesīnīŋgete
olurğan-dro.
an-tan-la
kïsï-nïŋ-kï-ti
olïr-gantï
that-ABL-PCL1
person-GEN-KI-LOC stay- PNARev
Thereupon he stayed at someone’s [house].
5.
andan ła
pêr
xon tīkenĵa ~ tīkkenja4 bop-tro.
an-tan-la
pïr
khün tihkin
çaw-ô-ptï
that-ABL-PCL1
one day thorny.bush
chop-AUX-PASTev
Thereupon, one day, he was chopping brushwood.
6.
tīkennīŋ
ałtïrïnda
pêr
šīğan
tihkin-nïŋ
ahltïr-ïn-ta
pïr
şïgan
thorny.bush-GEN underside-POS3-LOC one mouse
He caught a mouse underneath the brushwood.
7.
andan ła
šīğan
ĵītkeš6
maŋïp-tro.
an-tan-la
şïgan
yit-ki
maŋ-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
mouse
lead-CNAR walk-PASTev
Thereupon he set off leading the mouse along.
8.
maŋō
pêr
čázïga ~ ĵázïga6 yītïp-tro.
maŋô
pïr
ćazï-ga
iht-ïptï
walk-CSIM
one household-DAT arrive- PASTev
While walking, he arrived at a household.
9.
andan ła:
mïš war
mī yoq
an-tan-la
mïş par
mi yoq
that-ABL-PCL1
cat
present Q not.present
Thereupon he said: ‘Is there a cat or not?’
1
tutup 5 ałïp-tro.
tuht-ïwal-ïptï
catch-INC-PASTev
pī?
pi
Q
dep-tro.
ti-ptï
say-PASTev
Told by Anjaŋ Kserščap Serin (Mïsïr), 13 March 1910, and published in Malov, S. E. 1967. Jazyk zheltyx
ujgurov. Teksty i perevody. Moscow. 102-103, № 103. The first line represents a transliteration of Malov’s text,
the second is a contemporary reconstruction.
2
The construction nimi-tro ‘it is a thing, the thing is’ (in some texts mi-dro, and currently obsolete), in the
predicate occurs mostly at the introduction of tales. Possibly it serves as setting the stage for the narrative; it is
tentatively translated as ‘happened to’.
3
< yołqqap-tro < yoluk qap-tro < yölüp kapp-tro < ölüp qałïp-tro ‘died’ (die-CON fall- PASTev). Typo
corrected (original text qałŋp).
4
Unlikely tikenĵä bop-tro M119a ‘he became a collector of brushwood’.
5
Typo corrected (original text turup).
6
The grapheme ĵ represents an alveolo-palatal fricative ź here, allophone of y preceding high front vowels.
10.
andan ła
kīse:
mïş yoq-ur
dep-tro.
an-tan-la
kïsï
mïş yoq-i
ti-ptï
that-ABL-PCL1
person
cat
not-present- COP say-PASTev
Thereupon someone said: ‘There is no cat.’
11.
andan ła
mīš kelgeš
šīğannï
an-tan-la
mïş ki-gi
şïgan-nï
that-ABL-PCL1 cat
come-CNAR mous-ACC
Thereupon a cat came and ate up the mouse.
12.
andan ła
pêr
yīgīt kīse
wuĵīn ĵotasïp-tro.
an-tan-la
pïr
yigït kïsï
ućin çotta-s-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
one lad
person
with argue-REC-PASTev
Thereupon the lad at once made a row with the person.
13.
andan ła
ĵotas-ïp pa
ĵotasma.
an-tan-la
çotta-s-ïp pa
çotta-s-ma
that-ABL-PCL1
argue-REC-CON-PCL3 argue-REC-NEG
Thereupon: ‘Don’t make such a row.
14.
men sağa
mīstă
men saga
mïş-tï
I
you/DAT cat-ACC
Let me give you the cat.
15.
sen
ĵītkeš6
par
dep-tro.
sen
yit-ki
par
ti-ptï
you lead-CNAR go
say-PASTev
Just you go leading it along,’ said he.
16.
andan ła
pêr
ĵazïnğa7
yītïp-tro.
an-tan-la
pïr
ćazïŋ-qa
iht-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
one household/POS3-DAT arrive-PASTev
Thereupon he arrived at a household.
17.
yītkeš:
senīŋ8
ešt
war
mī yoq
h
i t-ki
senïŋ
ïşt
par
mi yoq
arrive-CNAR you/GEN dog present Q not.present
As he arrived, he said: ‘Do you have a dog or not?’
18.
andaqsa < andağ qïłsa
ešt
yoq-ïr
dep-tro.
antasa
< an-tag qï-sa
ïşt
yoq-i
ti-ptï
so
< that- EQU do-COND dog not.present-COP say-PASTev
As he did thus, they said: ‘There is no dog.’
19.
andan ła
ešt
yitek
an-tan-ła
ïşt
iht-ïp
that-ABL-PCL1
dog arrive-CON
Thereupon a dog arrived, and
yīw-adïp-tro.
yi-wat-ïptï
eat-FIN -PASTev
werīn.
per-in
give-IMP1sg
pī dep-tro.
pi ti-ptï
Q say-PASTev
kegeš < kelgeš < kełgeš
ki-gi
come-CNAR
mištï
qapqaš
yulïrwátïp-tro.
mïş-tï
qhap-qa
yülïr-ïwat-ïptï
cat-ACC grab.with.the.mouth-CNAR kill-FIN-PASTev
grabbed the cat in its mouth and killed it.
7
8
Possibly haplology for ćazïsïŋqa.
The common cases to express possession are the dative and locative, the genitive is very uncommon.
20.
andan ła
yene ĵotasïp-tro.
an-tan-la
eni
çotta-s-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
again argue-REC-PASTev
Thereupon he again made a row.
21.
sen
ĵotas-ïp pa9
ĵotasma.
sen
çotta-s-ïp-pa
çotta-s-ma
you argue-REC-CON-PCL3 argue-REC-NEG
‘Don’t you make such a row.
22.
men sağa
eštï
men saga
ïşt-tï
I
you/DAT cat-ACC
Let me give you the dog.
23.
sen
yītkeš
par
dep-tro.
sen
yit-ki
par
ti-ptï
you lead-CNAR go
say-PASTev
Just you go leading it along,’ they said.
24.
andan ła
yītkeš
pêr
ĵüge6
an-tan-la
yit-ki
pïr
yü-gi
that-ABL-PCL1
lead-CNAR
one house-DAT
Thereupon he led it along and arrived at a house.
25.
sïkte
at
pağłuğan-dro.
sïk-ti
aht
phalg-ô-gantï
door-LOC horse tie-AUX-PNARev
They had tied a horse at the door.
26.
senīŋ
at
ešt
qaurğaq
mï qaurmas
senïŋ
aht
ïşt
qhawïr-gaq mi qhawïr-mas
you/GEN horse dog kick-HAB
Q kick-AORN
‘Does your horse kick dogs or not?’ he said.
27.
qaurmas
dep-tro.
qhawïr-mas ti-ptï
kick-AORN say-PASTev
‘It does not kick [dogs],’ they said.
28.
andan
at
eštï < ešttï
qaurğaš
yulïrwádïp-tro.
an-tan
aht
ïşt-tï
qhawïr-ga
yülïr-ïwat-ïptï
that-ABL horse dog-ACC
kick-CNAR kill-FIN-PASTev
Thereupon the horse kicked the dog to death.
29.
andan ła
yene ĵotasïp-tro.
an-tan-la
eni
çotta-s-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
again argue-REC-PASTev
Thereupon he again made a row.
30.
andan ła
ĵotás-ïp pa
ĵotasma
an-tan-la
çotta-s-ïp-pa
çotta-s-ma
that-ABL-PCL1
argue-REC-CON-PCL3 argue-REC-NEG
Thereupon: ‘Don’t you make such a row,’ they said.
9
perīn.
per-in
give-IMP1sg
Typo corrected (original text na).
yītīp-tro.
iht-ïptï
arrive- PASTev
mï dep-tro.
mi ti-ptï
Q say-PASTev
dep-tro.
ti-ptï
say-PASTev
31.
men sağa
at
werīn 10
dep-tro
h
men saga
at
per-in
ti-ptï
I
you/DAT horse give-IMP1sg say-PASTev
‘Let me give you the horse,’ they said.
32.
andan ła
pu
yīgīt attï
mīŋgeš
maŋïp-tro.
an-tan-la
pu
yigït aht-tï
mïŋ-ki
maŋ-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
this lad
horse-ACC
mount-CNAR walk-PASTev
Thereupon this lad mounted the horse and set off.
33.
maŋū
pêr
qomuške < qum īške
maŋ-ô
pïr
qhom
ïş-ki
walk-CSIM
one sand
inside-DAT
While walking, he arrived in a sand [desert].
34.
yitkeš
pêr
yïğaš īšte
pêr
anīqanï
ĵonnağaš
kemuw-adïp-tro.
iht-ki
pïr
yigaş ïş-ti
pïr
anika-nï
çuŋna-gaş
khöm-ïwat-ïptï
arrive-CNAR one wood inside-LOC one old.woman-ACC put.in.a.coffin-CNAR bury-FIN-PASTev
As he arrived, they had put an old woman in a wooden coffin and buried her.
35.
pêr
yułgen < ölgen kíse-nï
pïr
yül-gin
kïsïnï
one die-PP
person-ACC
They had burried a deceased person.
36.
andan ła
pêr
öndürgeš
maŋïp-tro.
an-tan-la
pïr
untïr-gi
maŋ-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
one take.out-CNAR walk-PASTev
Thereupon he deterred her at once and set off.
37.
atqa
šuktīgeš
maŋïp-tro.
aht-qa
şukti-gi
maŋ-ïptï
horse-DAT
load-CNAR walk-PASTev
He loaded [the corpse] on his horse and set off.
38.
andan ła
kełū
pêr
ĵazïnğa7
yītīp-tro.
an-tan-la
kil-ô
pïr
ćazïŋ-qa
iht-ïp-tï
that-ABL-PCL1
come-CSIM one household/POS3-DAT arrive- PASTev
Thereupon, after a long time, he arrived at a household.
39.
yītse
sïkïnde
pêr
taŋğïna qïz
örlep-tro.
iht-si
sïk-ïn-ti
pïr
taŋqïna qïz
örli-ptï
arrive-COND door-POS3-LOC one beautiful girl stand-PASTev
As he arrived, a beautiful girl was standing at her door.
40.
sen
ałtam bar.
sen
altam par
you quick go
‘Just you go quickly.
41.
men < menīŋ anaŋ
meŋ < menïŋ ana-ŋ
my/GEN
mother-POS1/2
My mother is sleeping.
10
kemuw-ádïp-tro.
khöm-ïwat-ïptï
bury-FIN-PASTev
uzup-tro.
uzï-ptï
sleep-PASTev
Typo corrected (original text werīŋ).
yītïp-tro.
iht-ïptï
arrive- PASTev
42.
sen
mağa
sutan
pêr
ger
kegīr dep-tro.
sen
maga
su-tan
pïr
ker
khegïr ti-ptï
you me/DAT water-ABL
one bowl bring say-PASTev
Just you bring me a bowl of water,’ he said.
43.
andan ła
kegīrīp-tro.
an-tan-la
khegïr-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
bring-PASTev
Thereupon she brought it.
44.
čañ
attïŋ
qatqa
yitikep-tro.
ćaŋ
aht-tïŋ
qaht-qa iht-ik
ki-ptï
just.as horse-GEN
side-DAT arrive- PASTev come-PASTev
Just as she arrived near the horse,
45.
pu
yułïğ anasïn
išitqaš11
pu
yülïg ana-sïn
ïşt-it-qa
this dead mother-POS3ACC push-QUI-CNAR
He pushed his dead mother and made her fall.
46.
toquradustergeš
sen
menīŋ
anaŋnï
toqïra-t-uhtïr-ga
sen
menïŋ
ana-ŋ-nï
fall-CAUS-COM-PASTev you me/GEN mother-POS1/2-ACC
After he had made her fall: ‘You have killed my mother!
47.
nağïlğïr < ne qïłgu er dep-tro.
nagïl-gô
ti-ptï
what.do-AOR
say-PASTev
What shall I do?’ he said
48.
andan ła
yene ĵotasïp-tro.
an-tan-la
eni
çotta-s-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1
again argue-REC-PASTev
Thereupon he again made a row.
49.
ĵotasu
ĵotasqaš
sen
ĵotasïp pa
ĵotasma.
çotta-s-ô
çotta-s-qa
sen
çotta-s-ïp-pa
çotta-s-ma
argue-REC-CSIM argue-REC-CNAR you argue-REC-CON-PCL3 argue-REC-NEG
He argued and argued: ‘Don’t you make such a row.
50.
menīŋ
qïzdï
sağa
kełïn beréin
menïŋ
qïz-tï
saga
kheln per-in
my/GEN girl-ACC you/DAT wife give-IMP1sg
Let me give you my daughter as a wife,’ they said.
51.
andan ła
qïzdï
ezertkeš
maŋïp-tro.
an-tan-la
qïz-tï
ezert-ki
maŋ-ïptï
that-ABL-PCL1 girl-ACC lead-CNAR
walk-PASTev
Thereupon he set off, taking the girl with him.
52.
atqa12
šuktīgeš
yüsünge
yītīk
aht-qa
şukti-gi
yü-sïŋ-ki
iht-ïk
horse-DAT load-CNAR
house-POS3-DAT arrive-CON
He loaded her on the horse, and arrived back home.
11
12
For either ïştqaş or ïştitqaş.
Typo corrected (original text atqo).
toquradustïp-tro.
toqïra-t-uht-ïptï
fall-CAUS-COM-PASTev
yułurwadï
< ölürüw attï.
yülïr-ïwat-ïptï
kill-FIN-PASTev
dep-tro.
ti-ptï
say-PASTev
kep-tro.
ki-ptï
come-PASTev
53.
kełïn andaq
qalğanda kełïn ma
ap-tro,
pêr
at pa
kheln an-tag
qïl-ganta kheln-ma
a-ptï
pïr
aht-pa
wife that-EQU do-CTMP wife-PCL3
take-PASTev one horse-PCL3
A wife, then, he had taken a wife, and had earned a horse too.
54.
andan ma
yoq
bop-tro.
an-tan -ma
yoq
po-ptï
that-ABL-PCL3
not.present become-PASTev
Thereupon there is nothing more.
čïnnap-tro.
çïŋna-ptï
earn-PASTev