DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0199
THE FOLK-LITERATURE OF THE GALLA
183
attitude of the Abyssinian populations toward the workmen who exercised these trades,
which are considered ignoble, and toward the peoples of lowT caste. While Menilek ruled,
the times improved, as the prophecy said. Menilek, however, did not rule for twenty-
seven years, as the Abba Raggi predicted, but for twenty years (1889-1909), if the date
of his actual death is put in 1909. On the other hand, his corpse really reigned three
years (1909-1911). After him reigned Ligg lyasu, who has behind the two upper and lower
incisors another tooth in each jaw (so says Loransiyos); he has six incisors, as the Galla
magician foresaw. The date of Menilek’s death being placed in 1909, lyasu would actually
have reigned seven years up to his present deposition (1916). Apart from the suspicion
that, as regards the more ancient events, the prophecy was made apres coup, the exactness
is striking in regard to this last circumstance relating to the duration of the reign of lyasu,
which was confirmed under my eyes and after I had gathered the text of the prophecy from
Loransiyos.
Giggo is the title of many famous magicians; for example, it is that also of Giggo Kura,
Giggo Galate, Giggo Gabata, etc. Barcu is the Galla name of the piece of bent iron used
as the monetary unit in the Sidama countries.1
8
Hiddi tokko kallo tokkitti barida ka ’e, Hindzeba Gacci gad. Gdfd Hindzeba Gacci gdu, nigusd Bokkahd
waggd torbd mbe lafdrra darbd du ’a. Gdfd hinni du ’u dagmdwi Bokkahd hinni dufd. Lamaffdn Bok-
kahd wdydda: yoi wagga torbd moe, yoi guyd torbd moe; boda kandtti imbdda Bokkahd, motumma Bok-
kahd imbdda. Gdfd motumma Bokkahd bddu, namni dimdn indufd. Namni dimdn kuni dufeti, lafa
GalldNqabd. Dimbi kan gfflu dufd. Mandara godeti gimbi ta ’a. Galldn itti gamtateti, nigusd dima
kdna sare gurrdcca gbgdsa itti ffaniti, fayd ^waldma. Gdfd hinni du ’a sandtti bdri Bar6 .tarkanfate, ’adin
suni^ndufd. Namni dimdn indufd. Gari ’adin gssuma durbi ta ’e, inmda wagga kudatorbd. Warra
ndmd Lzeqd ka ’eti indarbd. Lakin ilmbn Galla namicca kuni dukdsa^mbbse isa darbefi. Dubbi kdna
Isa accitti wdqd tokko bzeku. Nigufni ’adin kuni kdra Uta biftu bad; Uta biftuti baeti lamaffdn dufe
Gondaritti mdna "gar a. Afurtami afur mahabdra isldm godd, kudaldma gimbi kristydna ffdra. Nigufni
’adin tokko bad, biftutti bad. LitdtNan darbd! geda. Hinni Uta biftuti bae nigufni kuni, abbdnsa"mbz~e-
kdme ’adida. Sdnqilldn gabbard, sdn Lzeqd gabbard, torbd Gudurutti darbeti Gondaritti cea. Gdfd
hinni Guduruka’e, lafti innaqdnnaqamte; nigufni akkdna"ndufa! ndngqde. Gogcjdm billdda tasallafe.
Bodetti gdfd iggdn argu nigusd salfi sand, Galla Bisili bae, Sdnqilldn Commdna bae; nigusd kdna
qabde yo dufte dura billdda"nggde. Amma sangota fidd, ddmma kzenna Gondaritti naggaslsa. Nigufni
bdr bae kuni Bggutti''tti Ibid. Lakin Fpjgu gdfd gaNndabdta. Motumma waggd kudaldma mbeti sarde
Bokkahd qabe indu ’a. Lima Tiewodros kan g^ddmu dated. Fardi Tzewodros lafa kzessa bad, effon
Tzewodros Nnni"tti naggasu suni waqdda dufd. Gdfd Tzewodros dalate waggd torbd, nigusd Gonddr
yd-Gdlla negus geplame, Nahcusdr qabe. Namni"tti hinlblin; kankb guydtu dume! godeti, saldm gqde
ergate nigusd Bokkahdtti. Gdfd nigusd Gonddra ka ’u sand, andn sd ’a tokko yd qlme manddra tokko
inqufa; Gabarze afur kan qotte lafti biyd hundumd qufd. Nigufni gdri nurra "dz~eme! gqde boe. Igfollzen
Cf. Jules Borelli, fithiopie m<5ridionale, op. cit.
183
attitude of the Abyssinian populations toward the workmen who exercised these trades,
which are considered ignoble, and toward the peoples of lowT caste. While Menilek ruled,
the times improved, as the prophecy said. Menilek, however, did not rule for twenty-
seven years, as the Abba Raggi predicted, but for twenty years (1889-1909), if the date
of his actual death is put in 1909. On the other hand, his corpse really reigned three
years (1909-1911). After him reigned Ligg lyasu, who has behind the two upper and lower
incisors another tooth in each jaw (so says Loransiyos); he has six incisors, as the Galla
magician foresaw. The date of Menilek’s death being placed in 1909, lyasu would actually
have reigned seven years up to his present deposition (1916). Apart from the suspicion
that, as regards the more ancient events, the prophecy was made apres coup, the exactness
is striking in regard to this last circumstance relating to the duration of the reign of lyasu,
which was confirmed under my eyes and after I had gathered the text of the prophecy from
Loransiyos.
Giggo is the title of many famous magicians; for example, it is that also of Giggo Kura,
Giggo Galate, Giggo Gabata, etc. Barcu is the Galla name of the piece of bent iron used
as the monetary unit in the Sidama countries.1
8
Hiddi tokko kallo tokkitti barida ka ’e, Hindzeba Gacci gad. Gdfd Hindzeba Gacci gdu, nigusd Bokkahd
waggd torbd mbe lafdrra darbd du ’a. Gdfd hinni du ’u dagmdwi Bokkahd hinni dufd. Lamaffdn Bok-
kahd wdydda: yoi wagga torbd moe, yoi guyd torbd moe; boda kandtti imbdda Bokkahd, motumma Bok-
kahd imbdda. Gdfd motumma Bokkahd bddu, namni dimdn indufd. Namni dimdn kuni dufeti, lafa
GalldNqabd. Dimbi kan gfflu dufd. Mandara godeti gimbi ta ’a. Galldn itti gamtateti, nigusd dima
kdna sare gurrdcca gbgdsa itti ffaniti, fayd ^waldma. Gdfd hinni du ’a sandtti bdri Bar6 .tarkanfate, ’adin
suni^ndufd. Namni dimdn indufd. Gari ’adin gssuma durbi ta ’e, inmda wagga kudatorbd. Warra
ndmd Lzeqd ka ’eti indarbd. Lakin ilmbn Galla namicca kuni dukdsa^mbbse isa darbefi. Dubbi kdna
Isa accitti wdqd tokko bzeku. Nigufni ’adin kuni kdra Uta biftu bad; Uta biftuti baeti lamaffdn dufe
Gondaritti mdna "gar a. Afurtami afur mahabdra isldm godd, kudaldma gimbi kristydna ffdra. Nigufni
’adin tokko bad, biftutti bad. LitdtNan darbd! geda. Hinni Uta biftuti bae nigufni kuni, abbdnsa"mbz~e-
kdme ’adida. Sdnqilldn gabbard, sdn Lzeqd gabbard, torbd Gudurutti darbeti Gondaritti cea. Gdfd
hinni Guduruka’e, lafti innaqdnnaqamte; nigufni akkdna"ndufa! ndngqde. Gogcjdm billdda tasallafe.
Bodetti gdfd iggdn argu nigusd salfi sand, Galla Bisili bae, Sdnqilldn Commdna bae; nigusd kdna
qabde yo dufte dura billdda"nggde. Amma sangota fidd, ddmma kzenna Gondaritti naggaslsa. Nigufni
bdr bae kuni Bggutti''tti Ibid. Lakin Fpjgu gdfd gaNndabdta. Motumma waggd kudaldma mbeti sarde
Bokkahd qabe indu ’a. Lima Tiewodros kan g^ddmu dated. Fardi Tzewodros lafa kzessa bad, effon
Tzewodros Nnni"tti naggasu suni waqdda dufd. Gdfd Tzewodros dalate waggd torbd, nigusd Gonddr
yd-Gdlla negus geplame, Nahcusdr qabe. Namni"tti hinlblin; kankb guydtu dume! godeti, saldm gqde
ergate nigusd Bokkahdtti. Gdfd nigusd Gonddra ka ’u sand, andn sd ’a tokko yd qlme manddra tokko
inqufa; Gabarze afur kan qotte lafti biyd hundumd qufd. Nigufni gdri nurra "dz~eme! gqde boe. Igfollzen
Cf. Jules Borelli, fithiopie m<5ridionale, op. cit.