DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0134
118
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
114
dalldsa^bbd Ofd
10 dug da dubni mukd
fuldurl bubbukd
dirikl gal adiernd
dug da dubni du ’d
fuldurl dulluma
15 firditti an adzemd
kandf an bubbutd
Riebuf abbdn Riebu
gafdrsd ''gqsdni
nurl wal samdni
sargdmaRkka Gacco
5 qalluRcka Dagdgo G. S. B.: qalu
kandfd daksisu
daksisdni ndtu
turl wdllaldni
(v. 1) was the name of the horse of Say 6 Garba; thus Abba Riebu (lord of Riebu) was the
war-name of the warrior. In the second part of the song (v. 5-10), the minstrel praises his
beautiful sweetheart. Perhaps the wordfula (v. 6), “front,” “forehead” should be more
exactly translated “ aspect.”
1 Riebu and Abba Riebu 2 have killed a buffalo, 3 have contended on account of the
nurl. 4 Swift as the (torrent) Gacco, 5 a sorcerer like Dagagd. 6 These order to grind,
7 order to grind and eat; 8 they do not know impurity. 9 The enclosure of Abba Ofa,
10 the foremost part is wood, 11 the back is incense. 12 A dwarf serves him (Abba Ofa).
13 Behind us there is death; 14 before us there is old age. 15 I will come to a decision:
16 therefore, I will win (her).
Notes. Verses 1-3 refer to Abba Riebu (see song 113). Nuri (v. 3) is the trophy of
the Galla buffalo hunters, made from the skin of the buffalo’s head, and its horns. Verses
4-5 praise the sweetheart of the singer. The Gacco (v. 4) is a torrent in Gabba. Abba
Dagago is a sorcerer of the Dorannf. Verses 6-8 concern a family of girls, so rich they
eat only bread made with meal ground by slaves (cf. song 15, v. 67-69). This is a sign
of great wealth among the Galla because usually the women of the family grind the corn.
Verses 9-16 contain a graceful comparison. The Galla sorcerers used to build the front
of their compound of aromatic shrubs. The singer says that as the front of Abba Ofa’s
(sorcerer of the Gabba Hu) enclosure is aromatic wood, while the rest is of wood with-
out perfume, so the life of the two lovers is beautiful at present, but afterwards it vail
have as its foremost part, old age, and as an end, death. He has therefore resolved to
make the most of his youth and win his beloved. Loransiyos translates the word bubbutd
(v. 11) with the Amharic word ltdn, meaning “ incense.” However, perhaps the true
sense of the word is some aromatic plant. Verse 12 alludes to the custom of the rich
Galla (the sorcerers are the richest men in these regions) of having dwarfed slaves who
usually are the buffoons of these little courts. Also at the court of Menilek II, there were
dwarfed buffoons called yd-negus accdwdc (“ Emperor’s jester,” in Amharic). Among the
Galla the court dwarfs are called, according to Chiarini, sattd moti, “king’s whip” (see
song 21, v. 10, note^).
HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
114
dalldsa^bbd Ofd
10 dug da dubni mukd
fuldurl bubbukd
dirikl gal adiernd
dug da dubni du ’d
fuldurl dulluma
15 firditti an adzemd
kandf an bubbutd
Riebuf abbdn Riebu
gafdrsd ''gqsdni
nurl wal samdni
sargdmaRkka Gacco
5 qalluRcka Dagdgo G. S. B.: qalu
kandfd daksisu
daksisdni ndtu
turl wdllaldni
(v. 1) was the name of the horse of Say 6 Garba; thus Abba Riebu (lord of Riebu) was the
war-name of the warrior. In the second part of the song (v. 5-10), the minstrel praises his
beautiful sweetheart. Perhaps the wordfula (v. 6), “front,” “forehead” should be more
exactly translated “ aspect.”
1 Riebu and Abba Riebu 2 have killed a buffalo, 3 have contended on account of the
nurl. 4 Swift as the (torrent) Gacco, 5 a sorcerer like Dagagd. 6 These order to grind,
7 order to grind and eat; 8 they do not know impurity. 9 The enclosure of Abba Ofa,
10 the foremost part is wood, 11 the back is incense. 12 A dwarf serves him (Abba Ofa).
13 Behind us there is death; 14 before us there is old age. 15 I will come to a decision:
16 therefore, I will win (her).
Notes. Verses 1-3 refer to Abba Riebu (see song 113). Nuri (v. 3) is the trophy of
the Galla buffalo hunters, made from the skin of the buffalo’s head, and its horns. Verses
4-5 praise the sweetheart of the singer. The Gacco (v. 4) is a torrent in Gabba. Abba
Dagago is a sorcerer of the Dorannf. Verses 6-8 concern a family of girls, so rich they
eat only bread made with meal ground by slaves (cf. song 15, v. 67-69). This is a sign
of great wealth among the Galla because usually the women of the family grind the corn.
Verses 9-16 contain a graceful comparison. The Galla sorcerers used to build the front
of their compound of aromatic shrubs. The singer says that as the front of Abba Ofa’s
(sorcerer of the Gabba Hu) enclosure is aromatic wood, while the rest is of wood with-
out perfume, so the life of the two lovers is beautiful at present, but afterwards it vail
have as its foremost part, old age, and as an end, death. He has therefore resolved to
make the most of his youth and win his beloved. Loransiyos translates the word bubbutd
(v. 11) with the Amharic word ltdn, meaning “ incense.” However, perhaps the true
sense of the word is some aromatic plant. Verse 12 alludes to the custom of the rich
Galla (the sorcerers are the richest men in these regions) of having dwarfed slaves who
usually are the buffoons of these little courts. Also at the court of Menilek II, there were
dwarfed buffoons called yd-negus accdwdc (“ Emperor’s jester,” in Amharic). Among the
Galla the court dwarfs are called, according to Chiarini, sattd moti, “king’s whip” (see
song 21, v. 10, note^).