DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0115
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA 99
1 0 cup-bearer Gabayahu! 2 You have never loved your life, never! 3 Red, supple as
a rod! 4 The Europeans have killed (lit. eaten) you, 0 Gabayahu! 5 Gabayahu, when he
fell, 6 “ My poor soldiers! ” (he said) 7 The soldiers went in the service of the Emperor.
8 Gabayahu, when he fell, 9 “My poor bride!” (he said). 10 His bride after one day has
married again! 11 Gabayahu, when he fell, 12 “My poor Mother!” 13 has said Gabayahu!
Notes. That is, only the grief of the mother cannot be consoled.
63
Since before the battle, there had been a contest between Ras Makonnen and Fita-
wrari Gabayahu about the order of the battle-array of their troops, after the death of
Gabayahu, a minstrel sang: , ,
utum barana otte
utum barana hafte
alga qittumdtt "inirmattdni
1 If you had lived this year, 2 if you had remained (living) this year, 3 you would
have divided the throne in two equal parts (i.e. you, Makonnen and Gabayahu, would
have become equal).
64
In the battle at Adowah, Grazmac Garasu Birratu also was killed (see song 57). After
an expedition of Ras Gobana, during the second war of Gobana against Libqa, he had
received the command to conquer D&nnb Bibra. (The domain of Danno was separate
from that of his son, Tucco.) He gained fame, also, through the aid of Daggac Moroda,
ancient enemy of the Warra Bibra. This was the only time that Garasu left Shoa. He
always remained in the Mibtta’s territory and had his residence near Addis Abeba. He was
called, therefore, “yd~Gdlld maskot” (Amharic), i.e. “ the window of the Galla,” because
he limited his activities to looking at the Galla from the window of his territory (Shoa).
Here is a song, in which a minstrel laments the death of Garasu:
mb ti mdlin faggani
nitisa Aydntu
yd Garasu Birratu
farddtu Daldcco
Garasu Bimeda
nigusitti Minilik
farddrra mirrieda
20 giftin Taytuda
5 abba banti Mdetta
lafd Mzettd qabd
yd Garasu Birratu
sanif Mzettd girti
harki laccufoni
sassabdn Birratu
dkka gbhAe qalli
Dannb Bzerd Ota
yo Garasu wamdni
25 guddi Nfalmd gede
10 nigufnNndubbdta
wdrqien gubbdn kae
bu ’i k'della cufi
Gdrdsun Birratu
qaweon Gullalhe
guto harkdsd kae
wdrqze safarsise
nigusdn gabbare
Diddiessa gamatti
30 mbti mdlin faggani
15 hiygssd badase
yd Garasu Birratu
riebdn Birre Gale
1 0 cup-bearer Gabayahu! 2 You have never loved your life, never! 3 Red, supple as
a rod! 4 The Europeans have killed (lit. eaten) you, 0 Gabayahu! 5 Gabayahu, when he
fell, 6 “ My poor soldiers! ” (he said) 7 The soldiers went in the service of the Emperor.
8 Gabayahu, when he fell, 9 “My poor bride!” (he said). 10 His bride after one day has
married again! 11 Gabayahu, when he fell, 12 “My poor Mother!” 13 has said Gabayahu!
Notes. That is, only the grief of the mother cannot be consoled.
63
Since before the battle, there had been a contest between Ras Makonnen and Fita-
wrari Gabayahu about the order of the battle-array of their troops, after the death of
Gabayahu, a minstrel sang: , ,
utum barana otte
utum barana hafte
alga qittumdtt "inirmattdni
1 If you had lived this year, 2 if you had remained (living) this year, 3 you would
have divided the throne in two equal parts (i.e. you, Makonnen and Gabayahu, would
have become equal).
64
In the battle at Adowah, Grazmac Garasu Birratu also was killed (see song 57). After
an expedition of Ras Gobana, during the second war of Gobana against Libqa, he had
received the command to conquer D&nnb Bibra. (The domain of Danno was separate
from that of his son, Tucco.) He gained fame, also, through the aid of Daggac Moroda,
ancient enemy of the Warra Bibra. This was the only time that Garasu left Shoa. He
always remained in the Mibtta’s territory and had his residence near Addis Abeba. He was
called, therefore, “yd~Gdlld maskot” (Amharic), i.e. “ the window of the Galla,” because
he limited his activities to looking at the Galla from the window of his territory (Shoa).
Here is a song, in which a minstrel laments the death of Garasu:
mb ti mdlin faggani
nitisa Aydntu
yd Garasu Birratu
farddtu Daldcco
Garasu Bimeda
nigusitti Minilik
farddrra mirrieda
20 giftin Taytuda
5 abba banti Mdetta
lafd Mzettd qabd
yd Garasu Birratu
sanif Mzettd girti
harki laccufoni
sassabdn Birratu
dkka gbhAe qalli
Dannb Bzerd Ota
yo Garasu wamdni
25 guddi Nfalmd gede
10 nigufnNndubbdta
wdrqien gubbdn kae
bu ’i k'della cufi
Gdrdsun Birratu
qaweon Gullalhe
guto harkdsd kae
wdrqze safarsise
nigusdn gabbare
Diddiessa gamatti
30 mbti mdlin faggani
15 hiygssd badase
yd Garasu Birratu
riebdn Birre Gale