DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0135
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA
119
115
cocope ruda ’e gadddkie rura ’e
robe bu ’u gae boe du ’u gae
1 It falls; it clouds (the sky); 2 the rain is about to fall. 3 Because of your pain, I dote;
4 I weep, I am about to die.
Note. Loransiyos explains that “ your pain ” (v. 3) means “the pain for you,” “the
pain which you cause me.”
116
daldcco dalera 5 warra^gartu callie
qarmitNan gadNfd warrd gatuNdabne
iggdn si qabera rabbitNan gad''odd
namdf si dabera rabbNttam nd gbtd
1 The white cow has brought forth; 2 I have led it down to the stubble field. 3 I have
caught you with my eyes; 4 I have lost you on account of the people. 5 The apples of her
eyes are jet. 6 There have not been lacking people to drive (me) out. 7 I have recourse
to the Lord. 8 0 Lord, what will you do for me ?
Notes. The singer complains that he has lost the love of his sweetheart because of the
malignity of others. Notice in verse 5, wdrraNgartu, “the fellow of the eye-apple” = “the
two eye-apples fellows.” Loransiyos thus explains the words, and denies that they mean
“ the fellow,” “ he who looks.” This construction would be similar to the Amharic phrase,
yayn mdmmitto. The song was composed by a Mussulman; for God is called Rabbi in
verses 7-8 (see song 96, v. 30 notes).
117
The Galla Spelling Book places the following love-song among the pastoral songs.
naggadze naggaduma garato murto dabe
kdn tullu Bure girtu 5 kdn tullu mure gigsu
iggdto qottd dabe
1 0 merchant of the merchandise 2 who is at the mount Bure! 3 The eyes have no
axe; 4 the mind has no sickle 5 to cut and throw down mountains!
Notes. This is the lament of a woman separated from her lover. Bure (v. 2) is perhaps
the capital of Gabba Hu.
IV. NUPTIAL SONGS
When the date of the wedding ceremony has been fixed (if the wedding is to be cele-
brated according to the rite of the rdko), the bridegroom, accompanied by an elder of his
tribe called gdrsa dura, by four godfathers called mingie by the Shoan Galla and marri by
the Macca, by his father, and the train of his fellows armed with wooden spears, goes to
the girl’s house, driving before him the sheep and the oxen to pay the price to the girl’s
119
115
cocope ruda ’e gadddkie rura ’e
robe bu ’u gae boe du ’u gae
1 It falls; it clouds (the sky); 2 the rain is about to fall. 3 Because of your pain, I dote;
4 I weep, I am about to die.
Note. Loransiyos explains that “ your pain ” (v. 3) means “the pain for you,” “the
pain which you cause me.”
116
daldcco dalera 5 warra^gartu callie
qarmitNan gadNfd warrd gatuNdabne
iggdn si qabera rabbitNan gad''odd
namdf si dabera rabbNttam nd gbtd
1 The white cow has brought forth; 2 I have led it down to the stubble field. 3 I have
caught you with my eyes; 4 I have lost you on account of the people. 5 The apples of her
eyes are jet. 6 There have not been lacking people to drive (me) out. 7 I have recourse
to the Lord. 8 0 Lord, what will you do for me ?
Notes. The singer complains that he has lost the love of his sweetheart because of the
malignity of others. Notice in verse 5, wdrraNgartu, “the fellow of the eye-apple” = “the
two eye-apples fellows.” Loransiyos thus explains the words, and denies that they mean
“ the fellow,” “ he who looks.” This construction would be similar to the Amharic phrase,
yayn mdmmitto. The song was composed by a Mussulman; for God is called Rabbi in
verses 7-8 (see song 96, v. 30 notes).
117
The Galla Spelling Book places the following love-song among the pastoral songs.
naggadze naggaduma garato murto dabe
kdn tullu Bure girtu 5 kdn tullu mure gigsu
iggdto qottd dabe
1 0 merchant of the merchandise 2 who is at the mount Bure! 3 The eyes have no
axe; 4 the mind has no sickle 5 to cut and throw down mountains!
Notes. This is the lament of a woman separated from her lover. Bure (v. 2) is perhaps
the capital of Gabba Hu.
IV. NUPTIAL SONGS
When the date of the wedding ceremony has been fixed (if the wedding is to be cele-
brated according to the rite of the rdko), the bridegroom, accompanied by an elder of his
tribe called gdrsa dura, by four godfathers called mingie by the Shoan Galla and marri by
the Macca, by his father, and the train of his fellows armed with wooden spears, goes to
the girl’s house, driving before him the sheep and the oxen to pay the price to the girl’s