A44 Two Wicked Daughters-in-law

Manya Givoyev of Guylasar, Armenia in Guylasar, Armenia

ʾətva lətva xa dana yəmma xa bruna ʾə́tvala. mara ʾa bruno c-azəlva na-primér c-azəlva hənna biznes šak̭əlva məndi ⁺šulə c-azəl b-dava ci-maxləpva. xa yarxa lé-ʾativa beta. mara ʾay yəmmi ganax jəns xamyatta ʾana bərrəššən xa yarxa lé-ʾatən. mara bruní ⁺bəddayət mu-ʾitən? cullə gvírəna. cullə ʾətlun navəggə mattúvvəna ⁺ʾal-bərcacé. ʾatən꞊da mara gur calu ʾavili. ⁺sebártəla. navəggə p̂ṱ-avili. hi b-xazyan xina b-xadyan. ṱ-atət cəlpət beta ʾitən. mara yəmmi ⁺bəzdayən. k̭a-mú bruni? mara ⁺bəzdayən jəns la xamyalax. mara la-⁺zdi k̭am xu-lela ⁺janavar xu-lé ⁺ʾaxlali. hi ʾaha yəmmi xuk̭ítola. ⁺mamət diyyi xuk̭ítola. ʾaha bə́ššələ bəgvárələ. mávələ xa dana šap̂ərta baxta. mattúvvolə cəslo mara yəmmi jəns xamyatta. ha bi-yəmmi, ʾálaha d-lá-ʾavəd, xá-məndi tpək̭la, p̂-⁺k̭aṱk̭əṱṱənnax, b-⁺rappənnax. mara hi ba mu-tar! ʾana yəmmux jəns b-xamyanna. ʾaha bəšk̭álələ hənnu mu-tar tanyana? ⁺carvanu xəšlə. xəšlə biznes vada xa yarxa lé-ʾatə. ʾaha bərrə́ššələ, ʾaha xa šabta xamúvvola. ⁺bar xa šabta mávəla xa dana sala ⁺gura. mláyəla biyyə, mattúvvola ⁺ʾal-biyyə. mara darəc ʾatən ⁺zayə ⁺palṱat. ʾa baxta pyášəla matal. cut ⁺ʾəsra yumanə xa ⁺palúṱola xa caparta marta yávola. ʾa baxta pyášəla ʾatxa. laxma꞊da lela yavo. ʾannə švavə lena bəxzayo, hə́č-məndi, ʾa mu꞊ila? bitáyəla xa xa ⁺ṱla ⁺ʾarp̂a yumanə pyášələ, mak̭k̭úmola, bəxyápola, msáyola, malvúšola, mattúvvola ⁺tamma. bitáyələ márələ ⁺mama? mara ʾa mu꞊ila? ʾa yəmmi ⁺xanəm yəmmí k̭am ʾatxa vítəla? ba lá-ʾavətva mara! ⁺mrítəva. pnili sk̭óraya pomaš mava. pnili duxtorə mava ʾatxa ⁺mrítəva. mən-švavə ⁺bak̭úrələ mara šṱo-ta mara xa məndi ʾitən. ʾa yəmmi mu꞊ila tpək̭ta biyyo? mara har lēx xəzyo. lēx xəzyo. yəmmi mara mu꞊ila vita k̭a-diyyax? tani xazzən? mara həč məndi. dax həč məndi ba xa-b-xa yəmmi k̭am ʾatxa vitət. laxxa xa məndi bəšk̭aləl ⁺ʾuxča mxáyolə, mxáyolə, xak̭úvvəla ʾatxa vədtən. vədtət? ⁺k̭aṱk̭uṱol, mattuvvol gu-meša. labúl ⁺rappuvvol. yəmmi mara bas hənna lá-ʾodat. k̭a-diyyi gvara litən. b-⁺k̭aṱlilax ʾannə. ʾaha xa šita, tre šənnə ṱla šənnə mara bruni lēn ⁺myasa. ʾayya ʾátxəva, ba ʾe-xita ʾatxa xu-lé-ʾoya. gur xina. ʾayya leva ⁺spay, ʾe-xita jəns p̂ṱ-oya. may yəmmi mara ⁺bəzdayən mənnax ⁺ʾaxər, ʾana ⁺bəzdayən. bitáyələ bəgvárələ. mara xzi xa mənné ⁺k̭uṱk̭əṱṱon. ʾálaha d-lá-ʾavəd, mšixa lá-catəv ⁺ʾal-yəmmi xa lacca xzili, parzənnax. vay ba-ʾatxa ⁺šula ci-tani. ʾaha šk̭əllə mədrə ⁺carvanu xəšlə. xəšlə. ʾaha gašúk̭əla ʾa calu gu-⁺tarra tíyyəna meymun zonanə, meymun zonanə. márani mān zabúnələ meymun? mara ʾana ʾətli. xmato zabúnola b-meymun, b-šōp meymun. šəmmət ʾálaha, yávola mara xuš k̭a-diyyi lēt ⁺lazəm. labúlona. lublalun ʾa naša bitáyələ bi ⁺carvanu. yarxa təmlə, bitáyələ. gašúk̭ələ gu-xá mata ⁺ʾuxča ⁺ʾalma ⁺jəmyəl ⁺ʾuxča ⁺ʾalma ⁺jəmyəl. yala mara ʾa mut ⁺ṱālta? xa-ʾazən xazzən. ⁺ʾavvó naša꞊da ⁺raba ʾatxa ⁺yaṱṱuvva naša, ⁺p̂armiyyana. bə́ššələ zabúnələ, vádələ, ⁺p̂armetu ⁺gurta, xazzən mu꞊ila. yala mara gašúk̭ələ xa dana baxta ⁺ʾuxča bgə́rtəla꞊da, ʾina har bəzmárəla. mxáyona b-⁺k̭amči bəzmárəla. zuyzə ⁺jamúvvəna. biznes꞊la xina. zuyzə ⁺jamúvvəla. ⁺ʾalma mxáyona. ʾa bəzmárəla, nata bədvák̭ələ. mara mədrə lišā́n ⁺hošárəla mara qabaxčán arvát … altı́mma jüje čıxadı́m. mara yumurtá qoydí jüje čıxadı́m, sṓra arvát meymún ēledí. meymun vədtila mara. ʾē꞊t-k̭amta mara biyyə muttila xuti, mara ⁺zayə꞊zə ⁺palṱat. ʾe xita mara tila meymun vidanna, zubnanna. har bəzmárəla ʾaha bəcláyələ ⁺tama꞊zə mara k̭orə mənni, yəmmət diyyi k̭amta ʾatxa və́dtəla b-rišo. ʾa xita c-oya meymun zubə́ntola yəmmi və́dtola? mara la ʾannə možeṱ biṱ mara b-xa dak̭ik̭a xámimunla mara ʾa ⁺zurnoxun xa-climun. yəmmu gu-⁺k̭əsso ʾətva ⁺šamma, ʾatxa ⁺šamma. bəšk̭álələ coso ⁺tamma gašúk̭ələ ⁺šammət yə́mmula. ⁺ʾahá. mara ʾa meymunoxun ʾana b-zonənna. mara mu yavvən b-da meymunoxun? yəmmu calu və́dtola meymun. mu yavvən b-da meymun? marani xa ʾax ⁺yuk̭ro davə gu-maseta mattaxla. mattúvvona gu-maseta bətk̭ala. xa ʾax yuk̭ro davə yávələ, yəmmu bəšk̭alol. mávolə, labúlolə hammam. xyápona. mə́syona, tamməz jullə mulvəššol laxumta. mavol ⁺ṱašuvvol yəmmu. bitáyələ ⁺várələ mara cela yəmmi? mara yəmmux bēt-babux lá-xərba, švavə tani. yəmmux ⁺ʾuxča ⁺mrila ⁺mrila, mətla. lubəlton ⁺ṱumərton. mú-ʾodan? mara lá-⁺məsli xamyánvala. bəcláyələ ʾatxa pacúrələ. ʾən ʾana ʾazən yəmmi mayyənná, ba ʾat mu b-tanyat? bēt-babux lá-xərba! baxt-ʾavə rišux! cela yəmmux? mə́ttəla yəmmux. cullə vena švavə xuš tani. nixa yəmmu bəšk̭alol, mávolə. mattuvvol, mara gaš yəmmi dula. ʾaha yəmmi bəxzayot? brázəla la k̭ala vádəla la꞊da vay. ʾay꞊da ⁺k̭aṱk̭uṱol, máyolə gu-meša, labulo ⁺rapuvvo. k̭a-yəmmu mara k̭a-diyyi gvara lət hal ʾat la metat, ⁺ṱamrənnax. k̭a-diyyax ⁺ṱamrən ⁺xarta ʾana gorən ʾana lipən yarxa xa-ga ʾazən ʾana hə́nnəvən, biznes vádələ, lábulə məndi ⁺šulə, zabunəl, dava ⁺šulə maxlúpələ. ureməs calu ⁺bək̭ṱálola ʾana mu? ʾayya ʾatxa꞊da. yəmmu xumyalə. la gvərrə. navəggə la xzilə. surṱa xuk̭yali ʾayya k̭a-diyyux.

There was once upon a time a mother, who had a son. They say this son of hers used to go, for example, he used to go for business. He would take things and exchange them for gold. He would not come back home for a month. He says ‘Oh mother, take good care of yourself, I am going away and shall not come back for a month.’ She says ‘My son, do you know what? Everybody is married. Everybody has grandchildren whom they put on their knees. You also’ she says ‘Get married so I can have a daughter-in-law. It would be companionship. I would have grandchildren. Yes, I would see them and be happy. You would come back and there would be a family at home.’ He says ‘Mother, I am afraid.’ ‘Why my son?’ He says ‘I am afraid that she would not look after you well.’ She says ‘Do not be afraid. Why, she is surely not a beast, she would surely not eat me.’—Yes, my mother told this (story). My uncle told it.—He goes and gets married. He brings back a beautiful wife. He settles her with her (the mother). He says ‘Take good care of my mother. If anything happens to my mother, God forbid, I shall cut you to pieces, I shall throw you out.’ She says ‘Well, of course! I shall take good care of your mother.’ He takes his …, how shall I say? His caravan set off. He went to carry out his business and would not return for a month. He goes off and she looks after her for a week. After a week she brings a large basket. She fills it with eggs and puts her (the mother) on the eggs. She says ‘You must produce chickens.’ The woman is dumbfounded. Every ten days she brings out some crockery and so forth and gives it to her. The woman becomes (thin) like this. She is not even giving her food. The neighbours do not see her, nothing. What is the matter? She comes when some three or four days remain (before the son’s return) and gets her up, washes her, launders her (clothes), dresses her, and puts her there. He comes back and says ‘Mother’ he says ‘What is the matter? This mother of mine, the lady my mother, why has she become like this?’ ‘Well, if only you had not asked! She was ill. I was exhausted bringing ambulances. I was exhausted bringing doctors, she was so ill.’ He asks the neighbours saying ‘Something’ he says ‘There is something (wrong). What has happened to this mother of mine?’ They say ‘We have not seen her at all.’ ‘Mother’ he says ‘What has happened to you? Tell me so I can know.’ She says ‘Nothing.’ ‘What do you mean “nothing”? But why have you suddenly become like this?’ Here he takes hold of something and beats her so much, he beats her and she speaks ‘This is what I have done.’ ‘You have done this?’ He cuts her to pieces and puts her in the forest. He takes her and throws her away. ‘Mother’ he says ‘Do not … There is no marriage. It is not for me. They will kill you.’ After one year, two years, three years she says ‘My son, I cannot (go on like this). That (wife) was like that, but another one will surely not be the same. Marry again. She was not good, another will be good.’ ‘Oh, mother’ he says ‘but I am afraid for you, I am afraid.’ He comes and marries. He says ‘Look, I have cut one to pieces. May God forfend, may he Messiah not decree, but if I see a mark on my mother, I will tear you apart.’ Well, they say such things. He again took his caravan and went away. He went away. She, the bride, sees that monkey-buyers have come to the door, monkey-buyers. They say ‘Who is selling a monkey?’ She says ‘I have one.’ She sells her mother-in-law as a monkey, instead of a monkey. Oh dear, she gives her and says ‘Go, I have no need of you.’ They take her away. They took her away and the man returns with his caravan. The month has come to an end and he comes back. He sees in a village a great many people gathered together, a great many people gathered together. The young man says ‘What game is this? Let me go and see.’ That man was a very knowledgeable and astute man. He travels and sells, he carries out (business), with great knowledge. ‘Let me see what it is.’ The young man sees a woman who has become very skinny, but she is nevertheless singing. They hit her with a whip and she sings. They collect money. Well, it is business. They collect money. The people hit her. She sings and he listens. She says, again in the Muslim language, she says: ‘The first time the woman …. under myself I produced a chick.’ She says ‘She put an egg, I produced a chick. Afterwards the woman made me a monkey. She has made me a monkey. The first woman’ she says ‘put eggs under me and says “Produce chicks.” The other one came and made me into a monkey and sold me.’ She goes on singing and he stands there and says ‘Oh dear me, the first one did such-and-such to my mother. Is it possible that the other has made my mother into a monkey and sold her?’ He says ‘Such things are not possible.’ He says ‘Hold your flute for a minute, stop.’ His mother had a mole on her forehead, a mole like this. He moves aside her hair and sees that the mole of his mother is there. He says ‘I shall buy this monkey of yours.’ He says ‘What should I give for this monkey of yours?’ The daughter-in-law has turned his mother into a monkey. ‘What should I give for this monkey?’ They say ‘Gold in accordance with her weight. Let us put her onto the scales. They put her on the scales and weigh her. He pays gold in accordance with her weight and takes his mother. He brings her back and takes her to the bathroom. They wash her. Having laundered her (clothes) and dressed her in clean clothes, she is beautiful. He brings his mother and hides her. He comes and enters. He says ‘Where is my mother?’ She says ‘Your mother—may your father’s house not be ruined—the neighbours will tell you, your mother became so ill, became so ill and died. I have taken her away and buried her. What should I do? I was not able to keep her (alive).’ He stands and looks like this. ‘If I were to go and bring my mother, what would you say?’ ‘May your father’s house not be sealed! May you have good fortune! Where is your mother? Your mother is dead. All the neighbours are there, let them tell.’ Slowly he takes his mother and brings her. He sits her down and says ‘Look, here is my mother. Do you see this mother of mine?’ She dries up. She does not utter a sound or an ‘alas.’ He cuts her too into pieces and brings her to the woods. He takes her and throws her away. He says to his mother ‘Marriage is not for me until you die and I bury you. I shall bury you and then I shall get married. I have the custom of going away once a month.’ He carries out business, he takes things and sells them, exchanges them for gold and so forth. So, he kills the daughter-in-law. What can I do? She was like this’ He looked after his mother. He did not get married. He did not see any grandchildren. I have told you this in a short version.