DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0057
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA
41
Worthy of notice in this song is the formula for stating and for solving riddles; Kdna
bzeka, “Divine (literally, “know”) this” (v. 10), and Kdna sif nan bieke, “This I have
divined (literally, “known”) for you”( v. 20). These formulae may be compared to Min
awgilliS? “What shall I divine (literally, “know”) for you?” used by the Amara in their
riddles.
Sinicco (v. 5, 18) is a very hot variety of pepper. In some parts of Shoa on the Galla
frontier, the Amara also call it siniso. Donacco (v. 11, 12) was the title of the kings of the
Galla state beyond the Gibie, used only when addressing the king as the Amharic ganhoy
(cf. the Kaffa word, donb, “ lord ”; Gonga, dongo, donga, “ lord ”).
23
The new war between the pagans and the Mussulmen was occasioned by the arrogance
of Abba Digga. He had resolved that instead of the usual tribute, the population of Dapo
should give him the whole crop of maize for that year. The chiefs of two clans in Dapo,
Ebiyo and Dukkulla, were obliged to vouch for the preservation and consignment of all
the crops. On one occasion the crops were found damaged, and both guardians laid the
blame to monkeys that had visited the fields by night. But Abba Digga, finding in their
houses a large part of the stolen maize, condemned them and their families to slavery and
ordered that they should be brought to Guma and sold in the market place. Ebiyo was able
to escape and reach the pagan army commanded by Tokko "ndarse, who had pitched his
camp near Dapo. Tokko Tidarse was easily persuaded that the guardians were innocent
and unjustly condemned; he sent many soldiers to cut down all the maize of Abba Digga
as a sign of the declaration of war. Then he besieged Dapo with his army. Abba Digga,
as soon as the war began, was aided by the army of Guma which went to deliver him from
the siege of the pagans. After three days of battle, the Mussulmen were defeated for the
third time. The army of Guma was pursued as far as Ebfcca Ruya at the frontier of the
kingdom, and only the resistance of Nagarf Ganna, a chief of Dapo, converted to Islam
and therefore fighting together with the Mussulmen, was able to prevent the invasion of
the Moslem kingdom. Here is the triumphal song of the victors:
dignt fibdn Suite
boqqollo "bbd duld
durbi fifid Suite
doline namdtti
5 nu Guma mitt
dur ingurgurdmne
dkka tombore
sani naggadveda
hatikie Wdrfidze
10 abbankve naggadie
yd Surdmu Gawe
katiso garbiccd
yd and namiccd
hindanqd sosoqqd
15 qale mdra "ngzessa
mdrd gzessKmbieku
lafd gar a Gumd
tokko "ndicca "nbdsd
namni harra dabde
20 Guma fird'nargitu
41
Worthy of notice in this song is the formula for stating and for solving riddles; Kdna
bzeka, “Divine (literally, “know”) this” (v. 10), and Kdna sif nan bieke, “This I have
divined (literally, “known”) for you”( v. 20). These formulae may be compared to Min
awgilliS? “What shall I divine (literally, “know”) for you?” used by the Amara in their
riddles.
Sinicco (v. 5, 18) is a very hot variety of pepper. In some parts of Shoa on the Galla
frontier, the Amara also call it siniso. Donacco (v. 11, 12) was the title of the kings of the
Galla state beyond the Gibie, used only when addressing the king as the Amharic ganhoy
(cf. the Kaffa word, donb, “ lord ”; Gonga, dongo, donga, “ lord ”).
23
The new war between the pagans and the Mussulmen was occasioned by the arrogance
of Abba Digga. He had resolved that instead of the usual tribute, the population of Dapo
should give him the whole crop of maize for that year. The chiefs of two clans in Dapo,
Ebiyo and Dukkulla, were obliged to vouch for the preservation and consignment of all
the crops. On one occasion the crops were found damaged, and both guardians laid the
blame to monkeys that had visited the fields by night. But Abba Digga, finding in their
houses a large part of the stolen maize, condemned them and their families to slavery and
ordered that they should be brought to Guma and sold in the market place. Ebiyo was able
to escape and reach the pagan army commanded by Tokko "ndarse, who had pitched his
camp near Dapo. Tokko Tidarse was easily persuaded that the guardians were innocent
and unjustly condemned; he sent many soldiers to cut down all the maize of Abba Digga
as a sign of the declaration of war. Then he besieged Dapo with his army. Abba Digga,
as soon as the war began, was aided by the army of Guma which went to deliver him from
the siege of the pagans. After three days of battle, the Mussulmen were defeated for the
third time. The army of Guma was pursued as far as Ebfcca Ruya at the frontier of the
kingdom, and only the resistance of Nagarf Ganna, a chief of Dapo, converted to Islam
and therefore fighting together with the Mussulmen, was able to prevent the invasion of
the Moslem kingdom. Here is the triumphal song of the victors:
dignt fibdn Suite
boqqollo "bbd duld
durbi fifid Suite
doline namdtti
5 nu Guma mitt
dur ingurgurdmne
dkka tombore
sani naggadveda
hatikie Wdrfidze
10 abbankve naggadie
yd Surdmu Gawe
katiso garbiccd
yd and namiccd
hindanqd sosoqqd
15 qale mdra "ngzessa
mdrd gzessKmbieku
lafd gar a Gumd
tokko "ndicca "nbdsd
namni harra dabde
20 Guma fird'nargitu