DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0113
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA
97
58
After a year of war, the Oborra yielded. But Menilek, according to his established policy,
did not take vengeance on the Oborra. He simply imposed a tribute and replaced Daggac
Wubie, chief of the Oborra, with Ligg Gatane. Wubie, instead of being punished, was
appointed governor of the Nonnb. (JPromoveatur ut amoveatur!}
gafars'Nndalu yd Mietta kan gdrsa Darra baddfte
gabanni "ngalu bzekta 5 gdrsa mdtd mukd Nri
kdn gard tdlba facdfte
1 The buffalo does not generate sons, 0 Mietta! 2 You know that time does not return!
3 You have sown flax for the belly! 4 You have sent us the old man of the Darra, 5 the
old man with a head, like the tree, harril
Notes. The Oborra, speaking to their allies, Mietta, complain because Menilek has
given them as chief, an old man, Ligg Gatane. Darra (v. 4) was the native country of Gatane.
The flax (v. 3) is used by the Galla as medicine for colic. The tree, karri (v. 5), called in
Amharic yd-gdmma incat, i.e. “ the tree of the mane ” has instead of leaves a kind of
thorn of a whitish color, very similar to the hair of an old man.
59
The Emperor Menilek, having completed the conquest of Lieqa, assembled the princi-
pal chiefs of the subdued Galla regions among whom were the Warra Biera and the family
of Moroda. Ligdf, son of Bakarie and brother of Moroda, was on this occasion appointed
chief of the king’s guards, after defeating the candidate who was opposed to him by the
Warra Biera, the famous Rumicco Biera (see song 28). Ligdf was always loyal to the
Emperor, but he did not discard the spear, the weapon of the Galla nobles, and always
refused to arm himself with a gun, the weapon of the Europeans.
Bakane Goddnb
wd gamdnd tdni
dkka goUze ^bbd Ddno
dkka golliNbd Dargze
5 gamdtt^agqfatdni
mirgdtti hakkdurre
yd gotlze gdra^mard
dadddba Miard miti
kdnMtisi bufte miti
10 gangonni kdn ditte miti
irrd dibd'bbd fardd
ndmd lafo dibbiesse
farddb dibba gute
fida na qitte fardd
15 yd goitre Ddrgie guddd
yd gollze Kumsd Mori
hir ’dtu ill Mn gutd
gutuf irrd Mdirbdba
fida na qitte fardd
1 (The son) of Bakarie (son) of Godano 2 remaining on this bank, 3 like the sons of the
lord of (the horse) Danaw, 4 like the sons of lord Dargie, 5 kills those of other bank! 6 I
will reckon the spoils. 7 0 sons of those Amara, 8 they (i.e. my spoils) are not (spoils) of the
97
58
After a year of war, the Oborra yielded. But Menilek, according to his established policy,
did not take vengeance on the Oborra. He simply imposed a tribute and replaced Daggac
Wubie, chief of the Oborra, with Ligg Gatane. Wubie, instead of being punished, was
appointed governor of the Nonnb. (JPromoveatur ut amoveatur!}
gafars'Nndalu yd Mietta kan gdrsa Darra baddfte
gabanni "ngalu bzekta 5 gdrsa mdtd mukd Nri
kdn gard tdlba facdfte
1 The buffalo does not generate sons, 0 Mietta! 2 You know that time does not return!
3 You have sown flax for the belly! 4 You have sent us the old man of the Darra, 5 the
old man with a head, like the tree, harril
Notes. The Oborra, speaking to their allies, Mietta, complain because Menilek has
given them as chief, an old man, Ligg Gatane. Darra (v. 4) was the native country of Gatane.
The flax (v. 3) is used by the Galla as medicine for colic. The tree, karri (v. 5), called in
Amharic yd-gdmma incat, i.e. “ the tree of the mane ” has instead of leaves a kind of
thorn of a whitish color, very similar to the hair of an old man.
59
The Emperor Menilek, having completed the conquest of Lieqa, assembled the princi-
pal chiefs of the subdued Galla regions among whom were the Warra Biera and the family
of Moroda. Ligdf, son of Bakarie and brother of Moroda, was on this occasion appointed
chief of the king’s guards, after defeating the candidate who was opposed to him by the
Warra Biera, the famous Rumicco Biera (see song 28). Ligdf was always loyal to the
Emperor, but he did not discard the spear, the weapon of the Galla nobles, and always
refused to arm himself with a gun, the weapon of the Europeans.
Bakane Goddnb
wd gamdnd tdni
dkka goUze ^bbd Ddno
dkka golliNbd Dargze
5 gamdtt^agqfatdni
mirgdtti hakkdurre
yd gotlze gdra^mard
dadddba Miard miti
kdnMtisi bufte miti
10 gangonni kdn ditte miti
irrd dibd'bbd fardd
ndmd lafo dibbiesse
farddb dibba gute
fida na qitte fardd
15 yd goitre Ddrgie guddd
yd gollze Kumsd Mori
hir ’dtu ill Mn gutd
gutuf irrd Mdirbdba
fida na qitte fardd
1 (The son) of Bakarie (son) of Godano 2 remaining on this bank, 3 like the sons of the
lord of (the horse) Danaw, 4 like the sons of lord Dargie, 5 kills those of other bank! 6 I
will reckon the spoils. 7 0 sons of those Amara, 8 they (i.e. my spoils) are not (spoils) of the