DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0159
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA
143
of the vulture’s feathers, I have killed a big leopard 38 that was leaping on that bank
there! 39 A big leopard that resembles thee have I killed! 40 Sararard! . . . 41 O thou of
the vulture’s feathers, I have killed a panther 42 who is equal to fourteen men! 43 0
thou of the vulture’s feathers, a panther have I killed! 44 Sararard! ... 45 0 thou of the
vulture’s feathers, I have killed a lion! 46 I have killed a lion and I shall kill more! 47 A
lion that looks like me have I killed! 48 Sararard! . . . 49 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers,
I have killed a footsoldier, 50 a warrior who wore a lion’s skin, 51 a footsoldier who re-
sembled me have I killed! 52 Sararard! ... 53 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers, I have
killed a footsoldier, 54 a strong warrior who wore a leopard’s skin, 55 a footsoldier who
resembles me have I killed! 56 Sararara! ... 57 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers, I have
killed a horseman, 58 a valiant man, an obstacle that made people draw back, 59 a horse-
man who resembles me have I killed! 60 Sararard! ... 61 0 thou of the vulture’s
feathers, I have killed some of the Arussi, 62 two shepherds of the Arussi herds, 63 some
Arussi who resemble me have I killed! 64 Sararard! ... 65 0 thou of the vulture’s
feathers, I have killed some Amara! 66 I have made Waldie spend the day fasting! 67
I have kept the fold closed! 68 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers, the Amara of Waldie
have I killed!
Notes. The slayer, as one sees, begins by boasting of the easiest victories and by de-
grees enumerates the more difficult. He begins with the victories over animals which are
considered ignoble (monkeys, porcupines, wild cats, antelopes, buffaloes, leopards), and
after having mentioned the panther, an animal which stands between the noble and ignoble
prey, he passes to the lion and men. The ignoble animals are compared to the elder who
listens to the account, the noble animals to the victorious warrior who recites the song.
In verses 1-5, the warrior relates his first victory over a monkey. The latter is called
ironically “ the blacksmith ” (see song 65), as, in the same way, it is called “ the Mussul-
man,” because the Galla say that monkeys go without eating for several days (thence the
usual comparison with the fast of the Mussulman), and also, they utter cries only at
certain hours of the day (thence the comparison with the mueddin who calls believers to
prayer at certain hours). In verse 4 I have translated the Galla fuqurd by “ Mussulman
missionary” ; that is, that kind of Islamized magician who among the Galla reads the Koran,
and also foretells the future by the ancient rites, and makes amulets. The Somali call
these holy men wdddd.
In verses 15-18 and in verses 19-22, the hunter boasts of the killing of two wild cats of
different species, one called dug du, literally “ drinker,” and the other ama. In verses 27-
31, the hunter boasts of the killing of the buffalo, which from very ancient times has been
regarded as an ignoble animal by the Galla1 (see song 34). In verses 36-39, the hunter
boasts of the killing of a large species of leopard called in Galla amakzetd, and in Amharic
suLzcca. It is related that the amakieta is the one of the lesser felines most like the lion, be-
1 Cf. I. Guidi, ed., Historia gentis galla, op. cit., p. 206.
143
of the vulture’s feathers, I have killed a big leopard 38 that was leaping on that bank
there! 39 A big leopard that resembles thee have I killed! 40 Sararard! . . . 41 O thou of
the vulture’s feathers, I have killed a panther 42 who is equal to fourteen men! 43 0
thou of the vulture’s feathers, a panther have I killed! 44 Sararard! ... 45 0 thou of the
vulture’s feathers, I have killed a lion! 46 I have killed a lion and I shall kill more! 47 A
lion that looks like me have I killed! 48 Sararard! . . . 49 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers,
I have killed a footsoldier, 50 a warrior who wore a lion’s skin, 51 a footsoldier who re-
sembled me have I killed! 52 Sararard! ... 53 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers, I have
killed a footsoldier, 54 a strong warrior who wore a leopard’s skin, 55 a footsoldier who
resembles me have I killed! 56 Sararara! ... 57 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers, I have
killed a horseman, 58 a valiant man, an obstacle that made people draw back, 59 a horse-
man who resembles me have I killed! 60 Sararard! ... 61 0 thou of the vulture’s
feathers, I have killed some of the Arussi, 62 two shepherds of the Arussi herds, 63 some
Arussi who resemble me have I killed! 64 Sararard! ... 65 0 thou of the vulture’s
feathers, I have killed some Amara! 66 I have made Waldie spend the day fasting! 67
I have kept the fold closed! 68 0 thou of the vulture’s feathers, the Amara of Waldie
have I killed!
Notes. The slayer, as one sees, begins by boasting of the easiest victories and by de-
grees enumerates the more difficult. He begins with the victories over animals which are
considered ignoble (monkeys, porcupines, wild cats, antelopes, buffaloes, leopards), and
after having mentioned the panther, an animal which stands between the noble and ignoble
prey, he passes to the lion and men. The ignoble animals are compared to the elder who
listens to the account, the noble animals to the victorious warrior who recites the song.
In verses 1-5, the warrior relates his first victory over a monkey. The latter is called
ironically “ the blacksmith ” (see song 65), as, in the same way, it is called “ the Mussul-
man,” because the Galla say that monkeys go without eating for several days (thence the
usual comparison with the fast of the Mussulman), and also, they utter cries only at
certain hours of the day (thence the comparison with the mueddin who calls believers to
prayer at certain hours). In verse 4 I have translated the Galla fuqurd by “ Mussulman
missionary” ; that is, that kind of Islamized magician who among the Galla reads the Koran,
and also foretells the future by the ancient rites, and makes amulets. The Somali call
these holy men wdddd.
In verses 15-18 and in verses 19-22, the hunter boasts of the killing of two wild cats of
different species, one called dug du, literally “ drinker,” and the other ama. In verses 27-
31, the hunter boasts of the killing of the buffalo, which from very ancient times has been
regarded as an ignoble animal by the Galla1 (see song 34). In verses 36-39, the hunter
boasts of the killing of a large species of leopard called in Galla amakzetd, and in Amharic
suLzcca. It is related that the amakieta is the one of the lesser felines most like the lion, be-
1 Cf. I. Guidi, ed., Historia gentis galla, op. cit., p. 206.