DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0041
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA 25
distinguish it from the pagan league. (See song 18.) Arfa Naggadota means “ the four
Mussulmen ” (literally, “ the four merchants ”), because Islam was introduced by the
Arabic merchants. Therefore naggddie means both merchant and Mussulman.
After confederating with the other Mohammedan states, Abba Gubir took up arms
again. Then, to weaken the hostile army, he tried to detach from Abba Bdra the warrior
Tufa Roba, chief of Hanna Gakka Gadi (se<
Gubir were repulsed by Tufa Roba. Then
dappo matd ydfta
yd lima Roba Wane
as gdl gepindn didde
nad male haftd
5 fdrda kan obbokd
qallu lamdSnglrtu
tokkicca Onco Gawe
moti lamd^ngirtu
i songs 15-17). The first propositions of Abba
a ministrel sang:
fdrda obbonko bitd
10 tokkiccd Onco Gawe
malli Onco Gawe
nitisa gdfatd
qallun Onco Gawe
bdkka Goggi gala
15 gardn Onco Gawe
matdNrattl bald
1 0 red sorghum with a sharp head! 2 0 son of Roba Warib, 3 we said to you,
“Come! ” and you refused. 4 You shall remain without soldiers! 5 0 horse of my Lord!
6 Two sorcerers are not there. 7 Onco Gawe is alone. 8 Two kings are not there. 9 My lord
will buy a horse (for me). 10 Onco Gawe is alone. 11 Of the skill of Onco Gawe, 12 ask
his wife! 13 The sorcerer Onco Gawe 14 enters the wood of Goggi. 15 The mind of
Onco Gawe 16 rises over his head!
Notes. The singer says: There is not in these countries such a generous king, such a
foresighted sorcerer as our king, Abba Gubir (called Onco Gawe). In many Galla and
Sidama states, there is a general belief in the magical powers of the king; therefore Abba
Gubir is called “ the sorcerer.” Verse 14 alludes to the meeting at Goggi. Verses 15-16
mean: The mind of Onco Gawe1 is open. His thoughts rise up from the belly to his head,
and therefore are manifest. He does not keep them in his belly!
13
Verses 11-12 of the preceding song allude to a tale well known in Guma. It is one of
the numerous tales of the cruelty of the Galla kings. They say that Abba Gubir once saw
some artisans covering the roof of a hut in the royal residency.2 Calling his wife Bisa, he
sang:
Bisa! Bisa "bbd Dangie arragzessd "fiese bzekta
Bisa kan nd gode biekta arragzessd muka "rrdtt Grilse
1 Bisa, 0 Bisa (daughter) of Abba Dangib. 2 Bisa, you will know what I did! 3 You
will know that I killed a crow! 4 I killed a crow on the tree!
1 Literally, “ the belly of Onco Gawe.” The Galla, like the Amara, believe the belly to be the seat of reasoning.
2 Cf. Guidi, ‘ Strofe e piccoli testi Amarici,’ (Mitteilungen d.Seminars f. Orientalis Sprachen zu Berlin, vol. 2,
pt. 2, p. 17), and Cecchi, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 541.
distinguish it from the pagan league. (See song 18.) Arfa Naggadota means “ the four
Mussulmen ” (literally, “ the four merchants ”), because Islam was introduced by the
Arabic merchants. Therefore naggddie means both merchant and Mussulman.
After confederating with the other Mohammedan states, Abba Gubir took up arms
again. Then, to weaken the hostile army, he tried to detach from Abba Bdra the warrior
Tufa Roba, chief of Hanna Gakka Gadi (se<
Gubir were repulsed by Tufa Roba. Then
dappo matd ydfta
yd lima Roba Wane
as gdl gepindn didde
nad male haftd
5 fdrda kan obbokd
qallu lamdSnglrtu
tokkicca Onco Gawe
moti lamd^ngirtu
i songs 15-17). The first propositions of Abba
a ministrel sang:
fdrda obbonko bitd
10 tokkiccd Onco Gawe
malli Onco Gawe
nitisa gdfatd
qallun Onco Gawe
bdkka Goggi gala
15 gardn Onco Gawe
matdNrattl bald
1 0 red sorghum with a sharp head! 2 0 son of Roba Warib, 3 we said to you,
“Come! ” and you refused. 4 You shall remain without soldiers! 5 0 horse of my Lord!
6 Two sorcerers are not there. 7 Onco Gawe is alone. 8 Two kings are not there. 9 My lord
will buy a horse (for me). 10 Onco Gawe is alone. 11 Of the skill of Onco Gawe, 12 ask
his wife! 13 The sorcerer Onco Gawe 14 enters the wood of Goggi. 15 The mind of
Onco Gawe 16 rises over his head!
Notes. The singer says: There is not in these countries such a generous king, such a
foresighted sorcerer as our king, Abba Gubir (called Onco Gawe). In many Galla and
Sidama states, there is a general belief in the magical powers of the king; therefore Abba
Gubir is called “ the sorcerer.” Verse 14 alludes to the meeting at Goggi. Verses 15-16
mean: The mind of Onco Gawe1 is open. His thoughts rise up from the belly to his head,
and therefore are manifest. He does not keep them in his belly!
13
Verses 11-12 of the preceding song allude to a tale well known in Guma. It is one of
the numerous tales of the cruelty of the Galla kings. They say that Abba Gubir once saw
some artisans covering the roof of a hut in the royal residency.2 Calling his wife Bisa, he
sang:
Bisa! Bisa "bbd Dangie arragzessd "fiese bzekta
Bisa kan nd gode biekta arragzessd muka "rrdtt Grilse
1 Bisa, 0 Bisa (daughter) of Abba Dangib. 2 Bisa, you will know what I did! 3 You
will know that I killed a crow! 4 I killed a crow on the tree!
1 Literally, “ the belly of Onco Gawe.” The Galla, like the Amara, believe the belly to be the seat of reasoning.
2 Cf. Guidi, ‘ Strofe e piccoli testi Amarici,’ (Mitteilungen d.Seminars f. Orientalis Sprachen zu Berlin, vol. 2,
pt. 2, p. 17), and Cecchi, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 541.