A38 The Wise Young Daughter

Yosep Bet-Yosep من Zumallan في Turlock, California

ʾətva lətva xa naša ʾətva ʾə́tvalə tre bnunə. ʾá-naša ⁺danət motu tilə cullə məndiyyu ⁺pullilə. məndiyyu buš-⁺raba yuvvəllə k̭a-bruna ⁺gura. k̭a-do-bruna sura ʾaxči yuvvəllə xa-susta ʾu-yuvvəllə xa xak̭la xa-ducta surta k̭at xak̭la ʾə́tvalə, k̭at ⁺masiva ⁺zarriva. ⁺vərrun šənnə. ʾa ʾaxuna ⁺gura k̭at ʾətlə xak̭lanə ⁺raba bitáyələ ⁺bəṱlábələ mən-ʾaxunu ⁺hayyarta k̭at-ʾazəl ⁺hayyər k̭atu k̭a-⁺xzatta k̭a-graštət məndi, k̭a-cúl xa məndi maplúxəva. ⁺ham k̭a-ʾaxunu maplúxəva ⁺ham k̭a-baxtət ʾaxunu. ʾa ʾaxuna꞊zə ʾə́tvalə xa-brata surṱa, ⁺šavvá šənnə. sustət da-ʾaxuna sura ʾətla ⁺zaya gu-ciso. gu-xá mən-dán lelavatət k̭at … məndi ṱ-ina grišə b-sustət ʾaxuna … ⁺yanə ʾaxuna ṱlíbolə sustu mudyə́nnolə k̭at-ʾazəl garəšlə məndiyyu, víyyəna šuršiyyə dmixə ⁺ʾal ⁺ṱlanita. b-k̭édamta ⁺yanə cullə yuma ⁺várələ susta꞊zə lela plaxa. xina lelə bitáyələ, bəd-máxəna. k̭édamta k̭at-bək̭yáməna ʾina susta ʾu-⁺zayo, ⁺zayo də́ltola. ʾiman də́ltola ⁺zaya gurgə́štola xut ⁺ʾarabana. ⁺ʾarabana ʾila ʾət-ʾaxuna ⁺gura. ʾaxuna sura cullə ṱ-ilə plixa ⁺raba šuršíyyələ, dmíxələ k̭a-ʾaxunu ⁺gura ⁺hayyúrələ. ʾaxuna ⁺gura mən-betu ʾiman ⁺bərrášələ mən-šənta, bitáyələ bəxzáyələ ʾaxunu sura ⁺hala vēl ⁺ṱəlya. ʾina bəxzáyələ xut ⁺ʾarabana ʾəttən xa-dana ⁺zayət bəryət … bəryət susə ⁺yanə xa-⁺zayət susə. k̭a-ʾaxunu sura bitayəl ⁺marrušəl mara k̭u ʾaxuni ⁺ʾarabani vela xa-susa dəlta, xa-⁺zaya dəlta. ʾaxuna sura ⁺bərrášələ ⁺ha susti dəlla! xədya xədya bərrəxšəl. mara la ʾo-⁺zaya díyyilə ⁺ʾarabanət diyyi də́ltola. ⁺duraša váyələ bilé. bərrə́xšəna cəs-dayyana. dáyyana mən-⁺bár ⁺bəšmáyələ k̭at-k̭əssattət dannə múdila, ⁺bəddáyələ k̭at-lé-⁺ʾaməs parəšlun. ⁺ʾavva ʾaxuna ⁺gúrələ velə bušayutət məndi, ⁺yanə sama zoda məndi ⁺ʾavva velə šk̭ilu. ʾaxuna sura k̭atu ⁺raba məndi lelə ⁺məṱya ʾaxči xa-susta ʾu-xa-⁺ʾarra. ʾannə m-⁺údalə bət-⁺darši ʾən ʾana k̭emən … dyanta ʾodən susa yavvənnə ⁺zaya yavvənnə k̭a … ʾaxuna sura k̭at ⁺bəddayən꞊zə ʾət sústələ. ʾaxuna ⁺gura ⁺mumcun ⁺xarta ⁺ʾajjəz k̭a-ʾaxunu sura. bas b-yavvən xa-cma šartə k̭até ʾannə šartə ʾazi mayyi javvəbbilun ⁺ʾal-dó-yuma xina, k̭at ʾoya b-ʾurxət ⁺raba cīn ʾoya, cīn ⁺yanə ⁺raba maseta ʾoya ⁺raba dūz, dyanti ʾoya dūz. márələ k̭a-k̭udmə p̂ṱ-atitun cəsli. ʾannə šartə gări patxítunlun, ⁺yanə ⁺pallitun … mačxítunlun. múdilə ʾo-məndi buš xelana gu-dunyə? múdilə ʾo-məndi buš ⁺tavana gu-dunyə? ʾu-múdilə ʾo-məndi buš racixa gu-dunyə? ʾannə ⁺ṱla məndyanə ⁺bayyən ʾatitun k̭édamta k̭a-diyyi tanítunlun. ʾé-⁺dana ʾana p-tanə́nnoxun cut mučxelə ⁺zaya ʾət-⁺davun꞊ilə. ʾaxuna ⁺gura bitáyələ cəs-baxtu márələ dayyana ʾatxa mərrə. mara mu p̂ṱ-avə, ʾana ʾətli laxxa švota ʾadi ʾannə k̭a-diyyux … ʾannə ⁺cətrə p-šaryalun. máyona švota ⁺bək̭ráyona k̭at … dayyana mírələ múdile ʾo-məndi buš xelana gu-dunyə? clila mərra ⁺gori ʾilə ⁺raba xelana. ⁺gorət diyyi ʾilə ⁺raba xelana hə́č-naša lé-⁺ʾaməs biyyu. ⁺raba ⁺šulanə ⁺gurə c-avəd. ʾu márələ múdilə ʾo-məndi buš ⁺tavana? mara suysət ⁺gori. suysət ⁺gori ⁺ʾuxča ⁺tavana c-azəl julla le ⁺maṱyalə, poxa le ⁺máṱilə. márələ múdilə ʾo-məndi buš racixa gu-dunyə. mara ʾaxnan ʾətlan spadiyyatə mən parrət ṱérəna. ⁺raba racíxəna. lēn bəxšava xa məndi gu-dunyə ʾavə buš racixa mən-spadiyyatət diyyan.

ʾaxuna sura꞊zə bitáyələ beta ⁺pšima k̭at ⁺zayu duna b-xela bəšk̭alu m-idu. ʾadi dayyana dulə yuvva šartə k̭até ⁺yanə yuvvəl ⁺cətrə k̭até k̭at-šarilun. may p-šarilun k̭atu? ganu ⁺raba yulpana lətlə. baxtu məscə́ntələ. lətlə švavə. ⁺narahat꞊ilə ⁺raba, beta ʾatxa ⁺pšima tívələ. bratu surṱa k̭at ⁺šavvá šə́nnova babi, dadi k̭a-mu m-da-ybu m-do-ybu k̭am ʾatxa ⁺pšimət? márələ brati xa-⁺zaya ʾə́tvalan k̭at-ʾana ⁺bayyənva, xə́dyənva k̭at ʾat ṱalatva biyyu ʾina vena ⁺bayyi šak̭lilə m-idan ʾu-dayyana ʾanní šartə muttḗl k̭at-múdilə ʾo-məndi buš xelana gu-dunyə? mərra babi k̭a-mú k̭a-mú ⁺narahat꞊ivət? miyya ʾannə ʾina ʾo-məndi buš xelana. k̭am-miyya hə́č-məndi lé-⁺ʾaməs calə. xa-b-xá xzilə k̭at bratu surṱa ⁺šavvá šənnə dula xa-cma heməzmanə dūz tanuyə. mərrə brati k̭urba ⁺ʾal-hónəla bas-múdilə ʾo-məndi buš ⁺tavana gu-dunyə? mərra taxmantət ⁺bar-naša. ʾat ʾe-⁺dān másalan marət šəmša, ʾalbál taxmantux mṱáyəla ⁺ʾal-šəmša. ʾe-⁺dān marət América, taxmantux ⁺mṱáyəla ⁺ʾal-América. ⁺yanə ʾila ⁺raba raba jaldə. bəxzáyələ ʾay꞊zə dūz꞊ila. márələ múdilə ʾo-məndi buš-racixa gu-dunyə? mara babi ʾidət ganu ⁺bar-naša, ʾida, cma꞊t ʾoya … racəxta spaditux, ʾat mədrə ʾidux mattuyot xut … xut-rišux, ʾe-⁺dān bədmaxət ʾidux mattuyot, bas ʾayya ʾila buš racəxta. k̭édamta bək̭yáməna. cul-xa bərrə́xšəna cəs-dayyana. cul-xa tanuyul ⁺juvvabu. dayyana ʾe-⁺dān bəxzáyələ ʾaxuna sura b-dannə ⁺juvvabə bitáyələ, márələ ʾannə ʾat ganux lēt mučxé. tani xazzən mánilə k̭a-diyyux tunyé. ʾən-lá tanətli, ⁺zaya b-yavvənnə k̭a-⁺davva k̭a-diyyux꞊zə k̭aṱlən. ʾə́tvalə hucmət ⁺k̭talta. mara dayyana ⁺gura xa-brata ʾətli šavvá šənnə. k̭a-diyyi la k̭ṱul. ʾay tunyela ʾana lətli xa-naša. ⁺juvvabət dayən ʾani mayḗn k̭a-diyyux. mərrə ⁺ha! bas ʾadi ʾe bratux gări ʾatya cəsli. k̭udmə k̭édamta ⁺bayyənna ʾatya cəsli ⁺ham ʾoya šulxeta sab ⁺šavvá šə́nnona ⁺ham ʾoya lvəšta. ⁺ham ʾoya ricota, rcəvta ⁺ʾal xa-məndi ⁺ham ʾoya ⁺ʾal ʾak̭lo. ⁺yanə ʾe-⁺dān bitáyəla, ⁺ham xazzənna ʾurxa bitáyəla ʾina ⁺ham xazzənna ʾoya təvta ⁺ʾal xa-məndi. ⁺ham ʾoya šulxeta ⁺ham ʾoya lvəšta. ʾu-k̭a-diyyi xa dana pašcaš mayya k̭at ʾe pašcaš ⁺ʾal-ʾidi la ⁺maṱya. yavvala k̭ati, ʾina ʾana lá-⁺ʾamsən dok̭ənna. ʾadi vilun buš xərba ʾannə puzzles! bitáyələ ⁺narahat. k̭a-bratu mara xzilax mu-vədlax b-rišan? ʾat ʾatxa mərrax, ʾatxa mərrax, ʾadi dayyana ⁺hala buš velə criba. ⁺bayyə k̭a-diyyi꞊zə ⁺k̭aṱəl. k̭udmə k̭a-diyyax꞊zə labúlələ. gări ʾat ʾatxa b-da ʾurxa ʾazat cəslu. ʾita ʾən-lá, k̭a-diyyax꞊zə p̂-k̭aṱəl, ⁺zaya꞊zə p-šak̭əllə, k̭a-diyyi꞊zə p̂-k̭atəl. mərra babi həč ⁺narahat lá-ʾavət. xuš duk̭li xa cərvəš ʾu-duk̭li xa ⁺ṱera sura, xa yona, xa k̭ək̭vana. xina baba bəxzáyələ ʾadi ⁺virəl gu-nara jullu tə́ryəna bərrə́xšələ bədvák̭olə xa cərvəš. bədvak̭əl xa ⁺ṱera. ⁺ʾal-dó-yuma xina k̭édamta … ⁺ha ⁺xarta márəla xa gečita꞊zə meli. mən švavə ⁺šulə gečita šk̭ulli. máyolə xa gečita, mayol xa-⁺ṱera ʾu-mayol xa-cərvəš. ʾaha jullo šaluxela. xa gardət nuynə bədráyələ ⁺ʾallo. bətyávəla ⁺ʾal-gečita ʾak̭lo ⁺bəmṱáyəna ⁺ʾal-⁺ʾarra. cərvəš bədvák̭ola xut-xačo ṱera꞊zə bədvák̭ola b-ʾido. xina ⁺ʾal-gečita tə́vtəla. ⁺ham-ʾurxa bərrə́xšəla ⁺ham-gečita bərrə́xšəla ⁺ham šulxétəla ⁺ham gárdəla ⁺ʾallo, ⁺ham lvə́štəla. xut-xačo ʾilə cərvəš b-xá-ʾido꞊zə ʾila … ṱera. dayyana ⁺díyyələ k̭at ʾo našət k̭at ʾannə ⁺juvvabə juvvəbbelə ʾilə honana, bas ʾannə꞊zə bət-mačəxlun. ⁺yanə ʾadi bəsp̂arəl k̭at-ʾadi ʾən tila, p̂ṱ-atya b-dan ⁺juvvabə k̭at ⁺ʾav bəsp̂árələ. bəxzáyələ m-rəxk̭a b-durbinə bəxzáyələ vela m-rəxk̭a xa-məndi bitá. calbə ʾə́tvalə, calbət ⁺seda ⁺rappuyelə ⁺ʾal-gano, sab ⁺bəddáyələ ʾən-ʾayya tila, p̂-⁺k̭armala k̭əssat ʾu-⁺bayyə ⁺jarəbla. ⁺bəddáyələ k̭at ⁺cətrət calbə꞊zə p-šaryalə ʾayya. calbə ⁺bərxáṱəna ⁺ʾal-ganət da məndi sura ṱ-ilə bitá gečita ʾu-xá ⁺ṱlanita. ʾe-⁺dān calbə k̭arbúnəna, ʾaha cərvəš ⁺rappúyola. cərvəš bərrák̭əla, calbə bərrə́xšəna ⁺baro ʾu-ʾayən biyya b-gečita ⁺raba ⁺rahat bitáyəla. dayyana bək̭yámələ k̭amayto, mara basma ganax brati! mu muyyítivat? ⁺ṱera ⁺bayya yavvala k̭atu ʾido ptáxola k̭at šak̭əlla, ṱera práxələ. xina ʾé-⁺dana dayyana mara basma ganax. ⁺zayət susa yávolə k̭a ʾaxuna sura ʾu-yávələ ⁺raba … davəlta, zuyzə, dava, xak̭lanə k̭at ʾaxuna sura꞊zə ʾavə max ʾaxuna gura, ʾavilə məndi. ʾayya ʾilə ʾe məttəlta. ʾita gu-datxa ⁺dana mən-šmayya bənpáləna ⁺ṱla xabušə, xa xabuša k̭a-de-brata, xa xabuša k̭a-diyyux k̭at ⁺šmilux, xa xabuša꞊zə k̭a-diyyi.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’

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?’ 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 you pillow is, if you put your hand under … under your head, when you sleep you put your hand, then this is softer.’ 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. 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! 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.’ 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.’ 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. 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. 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?’ 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.