A24 The Angel of Death

Yulia Davudi of ⁺Hassar ⁺Baba-čanga in Sydney, Australia

xá-yuma ⁺malla ⁺mə́ryəva ⁺raba xərba. ⁺raba xərba ⁺mə́ryəva, bitáyəva k̭at-mātva. k̭a-baxtu márələ ayɑ̄l‑jɑ̄́n, ayɑ̄l‑jɑ̄́n ⁺yanə ⁺baxti ⁺xlita, ayɑ̄l‑jɑ̄́n, lišān-farsət. mara k̭u-xúš cullə ʾan-jullax šap̂irə lušlun ⁺matəc mxi, ʾu … ganax šáp̂rənna. k̭u-tá tuy xut-riši ʾana myatən. mara k̭a-mú꞊īt ʾatxa mara k̭at-našə masxərri biyyi? tani masalan ⁺pəllan-cas … ⁺goro myátələ ʾina vela xəšta gano šup̂rə́ntola. ⁺bayyət našə gaxci biyyi? ʾa-mút ⁺xábrələ? mara la ayɑ̄l jɑ̄́n xayyi! ʾana ʾatxa marən k̭at-ʾoyat šap̂ərta k̭at ʾé-⁺dantət ʾəsrɑ̄ʾī́l malaxa tilə, gani šak̭əlla xazə k̭a-diyyax ⁺raba šap̂ərtət k̭a-diyyax labəl mən-jīb-diyyi.

One day the mullah was very badly ill. He was very badly ill. He was approaching death. He says to his wife ‘Dear wife, dear wife,’ that means ‘sweet wife, ‘dear wife’ is Persian. He says ‘Go and put on all your beautiful clothes, put on lipstick, and make yourself beautiful. Come and sit by me, I am dying.’ She says ‘Why are you saying this, so that people will despise me? They will say, for example, so-and-so’s husband is dying but she has gone and beautified herself. Do you want people to laugh at me? What is this all about?’ He says ‘No, my dear wife, my life, I am saying this so that you will be beautiful, so that when Isrāyīl the angel comes to take my soul, he will see that you are very beautiful and will take you instead of me.’