DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0049
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA
33
17
Tucco went to the frontier of Guma and Tufa Roba fled to him, safe and sound. This
flight impressed the Galla deeply and was interpreted as a real victory for the Pagan League.
Therefore, Abba Gubir in revenge prepared an expedition against the pagans with the aid
of an army sent him by the king of Llmmu.
tita Onco
qalliccd Onco
Gawe Onco
bdr ganamd daqen ise fidd
5 yd laftitti barite.
Oromdn attdm qufte?
Oromtitti sd ofNndu’ u ndttu
kdn karrd qalte hinndttu.
bdr ganamd daqen ise fidd
10 adamirraNdaldnne
yo ~n isd fidu bade
bdr ganamd daqen ise fidd
1 The ruler Onco, 2 the sorcerer Onco, 3 Gawe (i.e. the python) Onco! 4 To-morrow
morning I, Onco, will go to bear him (Tufa) off, 5 when the day shall break (literally, when
the earth shall dawn). 6 How saucy the pagans grew! 7 The pagans eat dead cows (i.e.
dead from natural causes), 8 do not eat (cows) that the knife has slaughtered. 9 To-
morrow morning I, Onco, will go to bear him (Tufa) off. 10 I am not born of Adam’s
stock. 11 If I were, I should not be able to bear him off! 12 To-morrow morning I will go
to bear him (Tufa) off!
Notes. Abba Gubir, called also in this song by the names of his ancestors, Onco and
Gawe, accused the pagans of eating impure meat, i.e. cows which have not been slaughtered
with a sharpened knife, according to the ritual demanded by the Moslem law. Ofu Nidu
’u (v. 7) literally, “ dead by itself ” is the Galla translation of the Arabic word maytah,
meaning impure meat (literally, “ the corpse”). The pagan Galla used a spear to kill
cattle and after killing them, cut them in pieces.1 Verse 10 alludes to the descent of Abba
Gubir from Adam’s dynasty. Notice in verse 7 the feminine article -ti used in contempt
after the noun, Oromo (pagans); for a like motive, Tufa Roba is indicated in the verses
4, 9, and 12 by the feminine pronoun ise (literally, “ she,” 11 her ”).
18
Tufa, after returning to Hanna, continued to incite the minds of the pagans against
Guma. Then was formed a pagan league to oppose the Moslem league of Goggf. The
allies were: Libqa Billo with its chief, Garbf Gild (see song 2); Libqa Horda with its chief,
Tucco Dannb; the Nole Kabba tribe (see song 21); Hanna, and other secondary tribes.
The league took the name Arfa Oromota, i.e. “ the four pagans,” corresponding to the name
Arfa Naggadota, 11 the four Mussulmen ” of Goggf (see song 12). According to the Galla
custom, both armies, before the battle, sang their song of defiance. Here is the song of
the pagans.
Guidi, op. cit.
33
17
Tucco went to the frontier of Guma and Tufa Roba fled to him, safe and sound. This
flight impressed the Galla deeply and was interpreted as a real victory for the Pagan League.
Therefore, Abba Gubir in revenge prepared an expedition against the pagans with the aid
of an army sent him by the king of Llmmu.
tita Onco
qalliccd Onco
Gawe Onco
bdr ganamd daqen ise fidd
5 yd laftitti barite.
Oromdn attdm qufte?
Oromtitti sd ofNndu’ u ndttu
kdn karrd qalte hinndttu.
bdr ganamd daqen ise fidd
10 adamirraNdaldnne
yo ~n isd fidu bade
bdr ganamd daqen ise fidd
1 The ruler Onco, 2 the sorcerer Onco, 3 Gawe (i.e. the python) Onco! 4 To-morrow
morning I, Onco, will go to bear him (Tufa) off, 5 when the day shall break (literally, when
the earth shall dawn). 6 How saucy the pagans grew! 7 The pagans eat dead cows (i.e.
dead from natural causes), 8 do not eat (cows) that the knife has slaughtered. 9 To-
morrow morning I, Onco, will go to bear him (Tufa) off. 10 I am not born of Adam’s
stock. 11 If I were, I should not be able to bear him off! 12 To-morrow morning I will go
to bear him (Tufa) off!
Notes. Abba Gubir, called also in this song by the names of his ancestors, Onco and
Gawe, accused the pagans of eating impure meat, i.e. cows which have not been slaughtered
with a sharpened knife, according to the ritual demanded by the Moslem law. Ofu Nidu
’u (v. 7) literally, “ dead by itself ” is the Galla translation of the Arabic word maytah,
meaning impure meat (literally, “ the corpse”). The pagan Galla used a spear to kill
cattle and after killing them, cut them in pieces.1 Verse 10 alludes to the descent of Abba
Gubir from Adam’s dynasty. Notice in verse 7 the feminine article -ti used in contempt
after the noun, Oromo (pagans); for a like motive, Tufa Roba is indicated in the verses
4, 9, and 12 by the feminine pronoun ise (literally, “ she,” 11 her ”).
18
Tufa, after returning to Hanna, continued to incite the minds of the pagans against
Guma. Then was formed a pagan league to oppose the Moslem league of Goggf. The
allies were: Libqa Billo with its chief, Garbf Gild (see song 2); Libqa Horda with its chief,
Tucco Dannb; the Nole Kabba tribe (see song 21); Hanna, and other secondary tribes.
The league took the name Arfa Oromota, i.e. “ the four pagans,” corresponding to the name
Arfa Naggadota, 11 the four Mussulmen ” of Goggf (see song 12). According to the Galla
custom, both armies, before the battle, sang their song of defiance. Here is the song of
the pagans.
Guidi, op. cit.