DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0116
100
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
1 What has burned the king? 2 0 Garasu Birratu! 3 Garasu (son) of Birratu 4 on
his horse whirled. 5 0 chief of the Mietta, 6 0 Garasu Birratu, 7 your two hands were
(full) of meat, 8 like the son of a butcher. 9 If they called (into another land) Garasu,
10 the Emperor spoke: 11 “ Descend and close the gate!” 12 For the fusileers of the Gul-
lallie, 13 he has caused the gold to be measured out 14 on the other bank of the Diddiessa.
15 The poor man has grown rich. 16 The hero (son) of Birratu (son) of Gole; 17 his wife
was Ayantu, 18 his horse was Dalacco, 19 his emperor Menilek, 20 his empress Taytu.
21 He owned the land of the Mietta. 22 His stock was Mibtta. 23 “With the men of Bir-
ratu, 24 Dannb Biera Ota, 25 we will have a great dispute.” 26 He placed his gold in the
pot for corn. 27 Garasu (son) of Birratu 28 has placed his hand in the pot, 29 has paid
tribute to the Emperor. 30 What has burned the king? 31 O Garasu Birratu!
Notes. Garasu is called in the song mbti (v. 1), “ king,” and abba banti (v. 5), a title
which in the Galla kingdoms corresponded to the Amara title, rds. Verses 7-8 allude to the
severed genitals, war-spoils of the Galla. Verses 9-11 relate that the Emperor ordered that
the gate be closed to keep Garasu from leaving his residency. The verses 23-29 celebrate
the expedition of Garasu against Dannb Biera.
II. WAR AND HUNTING SONGS
Here are a few songs of the kind which the Galla call gzerdrsd.
hdrkd giru tzessuma cufa^mbanu
waddello bdsa base
mdtd giru tzessumd bolld ''ngalu
kdrkdrro bdsa base
5 gagniNluttu
qzerrdnsd bdsa base
65
lugni Nkoru
galdzessa bdsa base
tumtun kolfdn Nadzemtu
10 qamale bdsa base
naggadze mukd ''yyabdu
wdnnitu bdsa base
1 He who has a hand, does not open the door with his back; 2 the bachelor has been
shameful! 3 He who has a head, does not go into a hole with his back; 4 the wild boar has
been shameful! 5 The valiant does not sneak; 6 the leopard has been shameful! 7 A coward
does not become pi;oud; 8 the ape has been shameful! 9 The smith does not go on laugh-
ing; 10 the little monkey has been shameful! 11 The Mussulman does not climb a tree;
12 the baboon has been shameful!
Notes. The song enumerates the qualities of cowards; shameful behavior (v. 1-4),
sneaking (v. 5-6), boasting (v. 7-8), lack of dignity (v. 9-12). Each defect is common
to an ignoble wild-beast: the wild boar (v. 4), the leopard (v. 6), the monkey (v. 8, 10, 12).
The bachelor is reckoned among the wild-beasts! Among the Galla, great contempt for
unmarried men is universal. Then follow examples of dignity; the smith, on account of
the belief in the magic powers of the worker of iron (v. 9), and the Mussulman. Here is
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
1 What has burned the king? 2 0 Garasu Birratu! 3 Garasu (son) of Birratu 4 on
his horse whirled. 5 0 chief of the Mietta, 6 0 Garasu Birratu, 7 your two hands were
(full) of meat, 8 like the son of a butcher. 9 If they called (into another land) Garasu,
10 the Emperor spoke: 11 “ Descend and close the gate!” 12 For the fusileers of the Gul-
lallie, 13 he has caused the gold to be measured out 14 on the other bank of the Diddiessa.
15 The poor man has grown rich. 16 The hero (son) of Birratu (son) of Gole; 17 his wife
was Ayantu, 18 his horse was Dalacco, 19 his emperor Menilek, 20 his empress Taytu.
21 He owned the land of the Mietta. 22 His stock was Mibtta. 23 “With the men of Bir-
ratu, 24 Dannb Biera Ota, 25 we will have a great dispute.” 26 He placed his gold in the
pot for corn. 27 Garasu (son) of Birratu 28 has placed his hand in the pot, 29 has paid
tribute to the Emperor. 30 What has burned the king? 31 O Garasu Birratu!
Notes. Garasu is called in the song mbti (v. 1), “ king,” and abba banti (v. 5), a title
which in the Galla kingdoms corresponded to the Amara title, rds. Verses 7-8 allude to the
severed genitals, war-spoils of the Galla. Verses 9-11 relate that the Emperor ordered that
the gate be closed to keep Garasu from leaving his residency. The verses 23-29 celebrate
the expedition of Garasu against Dannb Biera.
II. WAR AND HUNTING SONGS
Here are a few songs of the kind which the Galla call gzerdrsd.
hdrkd giru tzessuma cufa^mbanu
waddello bdsa base
mdtd giru tzessumd bolld ''ngalu
kdrkdrro bdsa base
5 gagniNluttu
qzerrdnsd bdsa base
65
lugni Nkoru
galdzessa bdsa base
tumtun kolfdn Nadzemtu
10 qamale bdsa base
naggadze mukd ''yyabdu
wdnnitu bdsa base
1 He who has a hand, does not open the door with his back; 2 the bachelor has been
shameful! 3 He who has a head, does not go into a hole with his back; 4 the wild boar has
been shameful! 5 The valiant does not sneak; 6 the leopard has been shameful! 7 A coward
does not become pi;oud; 8 the ape has been shameful! 9 The smith does not go on laugh-
ing; 10 the little monkey has been shameful! 11 The Mussulman does not climb a tree;
12 the baboon has been shameful!
Notes. The song enumerates the qualities of cowards; shameful behavior (v. 1-4),
sneaking (v. 5-6), boasting (v. 7-8), lack of dignity (v. 9-12). Each defect is common
to an ignoble wild-beast: the wild boar (v. 4), the leopard (v. 6), the monkey (v. 8, 10, 12).
The bachelor is reckoned among the wild-beasts! Among the Galla, great contempt for
unmarried men is universal. Then follow examples of dignity; the smith, on account of
the belief in the magic powers of the worker of iron (v. 9), and the Mussulman. Here is