Previous instalments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
The Nishan Shaman reaches the city of Ilmun Han, and meets Sergudai Fiyanggo’s kidnapper, Monggoldai Nakcu.
jakade monggoldai nakcu injeme tucifi hendume nixan saman getuken i donji bi baldu bayan i haha jui sergudai fiyanggo be gajihangge yargiyan sinde ai dalji bi sini booi ai jaka be hvlhafi gajiha seme mini duka bade ilifi den wakalan jilgan i dangsimbi serede,
jakade [then]
monggoldai nakcu [Monggoldai Nakcu]
injeme [laughing]
tucifi [came out]
hendume [said]
nixan saman [Nishan Shaman]
getuken i [carefully] lit. lucidly
donji [listen]
bi [I]
baldu bayan i [Baldu Bayan’s]
haha jui [son]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
gajihangge [bringing]
yargiyan [(is) true]
sinde [for you]
ai dalji [of what connection (it is)?]
bi [I]
sini boo-i [of your house]
ai jaka be [what]
hvlhafi [having stolen]
gajiha seme [brought]
mini duka ba-de [to my gate]
ilifi [having come]
den wakalan jilgan i [in high, scolding voice]
dangsimbi [reprove]
sere-de [when said]
Then Monggoldai Nakcu came out laughing, and said, “Nishan Shaman, listen carefully! It is true that I have brought Baldu Bayan’s son, Sergudai Fiyanggo here. But what does that have to do with you? What things have I stolen from your house, that you come to my gate and reprove me in a high scolding voice?”
nixan saman hendume udu hacin i mini jaka be hvlhafi gajihakv bicibe weri sain banjire jalgan akv niyalma be, sui akv jui be gajici ombio，
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]
udu [although] connects with bicibe
hacin i [kinds]
mini jaka be [my things]
hvlhafi [having stolen]
gajihakv [did not bring]
bicibe [even though] concessive converb form of bimbi
weri sain banjire [other well-living]
jalgan akv niyalma be [person whose life-span/destiny was not finished]
sui akv be [innocent (one)] sui [sin, guilt]
gajici ombio [could bring?]
The Nishan Shaman said, “Although you haven’t stolen anything of mine, how could you take the good life of an innocent person whose destiny was not completed?”
monggoldai nakcu hendume meni ilmun han hese gajihangge，tere jui be gaijfi, cendeme den siltan de aisin jiha lakiyafi jiha sangga be gabtabure jakade ilan da gemu gvwaihabi, amala，geli cendeme lamun buku i baru jafanabure jakade buku be tuhebuhebi，
monggoldai nakcu [Monggoldai Nakcu]
hendume [said]
meni ilmun han [our Ilmun Han’s]
hese [will]
gajihangge [(was the act of) bringing]
tere jui be [that boy]
gajifi [having brought]
cendeme [to put (him) to test]
den siltan de [on a high mast]
aisin jiha [golden coin]
lakiyafi [having suspended]
jiha sangga be [at a little hole in the coin]
gabtabure jakade [when shot]
ilan da [three (arrows)] da – counter word for long objects
gemu [all]
gvwaihabi [struck (the target)] dict. form: goihabi
amala [after that]
geli [moreover]
cendeme [to put to test]
lamun buku i baru [with the Blue Wrestler]
jafanabure jakade [when ordered to wrestle] dict. form: jafunubure
buku be [wrestler]
tuhebuhebi [knocked down]
Monggoldai Nakcu said, “It was Ilmun Han’s will to bring him here. When I brought the boy here, he was put to test by suspending a golden coin on a high mast. When he shot at the little hole in the coin, all three arrows struck the target. After that, he was put to another test; when ordered him to wrestle with the Blue Wrestler, he knocked him down.”
geli arsulan buku i baru jafanabuci inu hamirakv meni ilmun han jui obufi jilame ujimbi kai, sinde amasi bure doro bio seme
geli [moreover]
arsulan buku i baru [with the Lion Wrestler] dict. form: arsalan
jafanabuci [when ordered to wrestle]
inu [also]
hamirakv [did not cope]
meni ilmun han [our Ilmun Han]
jui obufi [having fathered] lit. made become a son
jilame [pitying, loving]
ujimbi kai [support]
sinde [to you]
amasi bure [giving back]
doro [law]
bio [is there?]
seme [said]
“Still more, when ordered to wrestle with the Lion Wrestler, he, also, could not cope with him. Then our Ilmun Han made him a son and supports him with love. Is there such a law that he must give him back to you?”
emu fiyelen gisun de nixan saman donjifi, ambula jili banjifi monggoldai nakcu i baru hendume tuttu oci sinde heni dalji akv dere， si emu sain niyalma biheni
emu fiyelen gisun de [to (one chapter of) words]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
donjifi [having listened]
ambula [very]
jili banjifi [having got angry]
monggoldai nakcu i baru [to Monggoldai Nakcu]
hendume [said]
tuttu oci [if it is so]
sinde [to you]
heni [at all]
dalji akv [(there is) no relation]
dere [probably, most likely]
si [you]
emu sain niyalma [a good man]
bihe-ni [are] ni exclamation of wonder
Having listened to these words, the Nishan Shaman flew into rage and said, “If it is so, you likely have nothing to do with it. You are a good man!”*
*This sarcastic remark seems to be intended as a profound insult.
mini ecehen i ilmun han be baihanafi sergudai fiyanggo be bahara baharakv，ujude mini erdemu amba oci, uthai gajimbi, erdemu cingiyan oci uthai wajiha, sinde heni dalji akv sefi
mini ecehen i [with my ability] dict. form: encehen
ilmun han be [Ilmun Han]
baihanafi [after having gone to search for]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
bahara [find]
baharakv [do no’t find]
ujude [first]
mini erdemu [my capabilities]
amba oci [if are great]
uthai [then]
gajimbi [(will) bring]
erdemu [capabilities]
cingiyan oci [if are insufficient]
uthai [then]
wajiha [finished]
sinde [to you]
heni [at all]
dalji akv [(there is) no relation]
sefi [having said]
“With my capabilities, will I find Sergudai Fiyanggo when I go look for Ilmun Han? If my powers are sufficient, then I will bring him back. If they are not, then it will be over. It has nothing at all to do with you!”
han i hoton be baime geneme goidaha akv isinafi tuwaci duka be akdulame yaksihabi，nixan saman dosime muterakv xurdeme tuwafi hoton weilehe ningge akdun beki ofi ambula fancafi yayame deribuhe
han i [(Ilmun) Han’s]
hoton be [city]
baime [to look for]
geneme [going]
goidaha akv [before long]
isinafi [having arrived]
tuwaci [if looked]
duka be [gate]
akdulame [to fortify]
yaksihabi [closed]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
dosime muterakv [could not enter]
xurdeme [around]
tuwafi [having looked]
hoton [city]
weilehe ningge [walls] lit. what was built
akdun beki ofi [were firm, strong]
ambula [very]
fancafi [having got angry]
yayame [incantating]
deribuhe [begun]
She went to look for the city of Ilmun Han and reached it in no time, but the gate was closed for protection. The Nishan Shaman could not enter. When she looked around, she saw that the city walls were firm and strong. She got very angry and began an incantation.
kerani kerani dergi alin de
kerani kerani tomoho
kerani kerani dekdere gasha
kerani kerani cangling alin de
kerani kerani cakvra moo canggisa
kerani kerani mangkan alin de
kerani kerani tomoho mangmoo manggisa
kerani kerani uyun da meihe
kerani kerani
dergi alin de [in east mountains]
tomoho [nesting]
dekdere gasha [soaring bird]
cangling alin de [on Changling mountain]
cakvra moo [sandalwood] dict. form: cakvran, moo from Chinese 木 mù
canggisa [kingfisher] dict. form: cunggai [spotted/crested kingfisher (Ceryle lugubris)]
mangkan alin de [in sand hill (mountain)]
tomoho [nest]
mangmoo [oakwood] dict. form: mangga moo
manggisa [badger] dict. form: manggisu
uyun da meihe* [nine fathom long snake]
“Kerani kerani, in the eastern mountains,
kerani kerani, nesting,
kerani kerani, the soaring bird!
Kerani kerani, On Changling Mountain,
kerani kerani, the sandalwood kingfisher!
Kerani kerani, nesting in the sand hills,
kerani kerani, the oakwood badger!
Kerani kerani, the nine fathom long snake!
kerani kerani jakvn da jabjan
kerani kerani wehe ukdun
kerani kerani sele guwan de
kerani kerani tomoho
kerani kerani taran tasha
kerani kerani onioko lefu
kerani kerani alin be xurdere
kerani kerani aisin inggali
jakvn da jabjan** [eight fathom long python]
wehe ukdun [stone cave]
sele guwan de [in iron shelter] from Chinese 館 guǎn
tomoho [nesting]
taran tasha [(small) tiger] dict. form: targan
onioko [wolverine] dict. form: ongnika
lefu [bear]
alin be xurdere [encirling the mountains]
aisin inggali [golden wagtail]
“Kerani kerani, the eight fathom long python!
Kerani kerani, in a stone cave,
kerani kerani, in an iron shelter,
kerani kerani, nesting,
kerani kerani, the tiger!
Kerani kerani, the wolverine and the bear!
Kerani kerani, encircling the mountains,
kerani kerani, the golden wagtail!
** uyun da meihe, jakvn da jabjan – nine fathom long snake, eight fathom long python. As mentioned in the previous installment, other translators interpret these words as “nine snakes” and “eight pythons”.
kerani kerani mukden be xurdere
kerani kerani menggun inggali
kerani kerani deyere giyahvn
kerani kerani dalaha daimin
kerani kerani alaha daimin
kerani kerani nai jule se
kerani kerani uyun uri
kerani kerani juwan juwe faidan
kerani kerani geren julese
mukden be xurdere [encircling the heights]***
menggun inggali [silver wagtail]
deyere giyahvn [flying hawk]
dalaha daimin [leading eagle] dict. form: damin
alaha daimin [many-coloured eagle] dict. form: alha damin
na-i [of earth]
jule se [vultures] dict. form: yolo
uyun uri [nine columns]****
juwan juwe faidan [twelve rows]
geren julese [a flock of vultures]
“Kerani kerani, encircling the heights,
kerani kerani, the silver wagtail!
Kerani kerani, the flying hawk!
Kerani kerani, the head eagle!
Kerani kerani, the many-colored eagle!
Kerani kerani, the vultures of the earth!
Kerani kerani, nine columns,
kerani kerani, twelve rows,
Kerani kerani, a flock of vultures!
***mukden – Durrant translates this word as sea, Kawachi interprets it as a form of the word mukderhun – desert, and Volkova connects it with the verb mukdembi – rise, go upwards, soar upwards, and translates it as flying high. Of the three possibilities the third one seems the most reasonable.
****There is no suitable explanation for uri, a round straw container for storing grain. Kawachi interprets it by association with faidan, row, and for lack of a better explanation, we do the same.
kerani kerani hvdun hahi
kerani kerani deyeme hoton de
kerani kerani dosifi gajireo
kerani kerani waxiha ci
kerani kerani waxihalame
kerani kerani xoforo ci
kerani kerani xoforome gajireo
hvdun hahi [quickly]
deyeme [flying]
hoton de [to city]
dosifi [having entered]
gajireo [bring]
waxiha ci [in claws] dict. form: wasiha
waxihalame [grasping] dict. form: wasihalame
xoforo ci [in talons] lit. in pinch
xoforome [seizing]
gajireo [bring]
“Kerani kerani, quickly,
kerani kerani, to the city flying,
kerani kerani, enter and bring him!
Kerani kerani, in your claws,
kerani kerani, grasp him!
Kerani kerani, in your talons
kerani kerani, seize and bring him!”
kerani kerani aisin hiyanglu de
kerani kerani alamime tebufi gaju
kerani kerani menggun hiyanglu de
kerani kerani ungkufi gaju
kerani kerani meiren i hvsun de
kerani kerani meihereme gajireo
kerani kerani
aisin hiyanglu de [in a golden incense burner] from Chinese 香炉 xiānglú
alamime [carrying on back]
tebufi [having placed]
gaju [bring]
menggun hiyanglu de [in silver incense burner]
ungkufi [having turned over] dict. form: ungkefi
gaju [bring]
meiren i [shoulders’]
hvsun de [strength, power]
meihereme [carrying on back]
gajireo [bring]
“Kerani kerani, in a golden censer,
kerani kerani, put him, and bring him on your back!
Kerani kerani, in a silver censer,
kerani kerani, turn him over and bring him!
Kerani kerani, with the strength of your shoulders,
kerani kerani, bring him on your back!
Kerani kerani!”
sehe manggi geren weceku se deyeme mukdefi tugi talman gese, sergudai fiyanggo geren juse i emgi aisin menggun gaxiha maktame efime bisire namxan emu amba gasha uthai wasime genefi xoforome jafafi den mukdefi gamaha
sehe [said]
manggi [after]
geren weceku se [all the spirits]
deyeme [flying]
mukdefi [having rose]
tugi talman gese [like clouds and mist]
sergudai fiyanggo [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
geren juse i emgi [with other boys]
aisin menggun gaxiha [golden and silver dice] dict. form: gacuha*****
maktame [throwing]
efime [playing]
bisire namxan [when was] can be spelled namaxan
emu amba gasha [a large bird]
uthai [then]
wasime [descending]
genefi [having come]
xoforome [seizing]
jafafi [having caught]
den [high]
mukdefi [having soared (upward)]
gamaha [took]
When the shaman finished her incantation, all the spirits flew, rising like clouds and mist. Sergudai Fiyanggo was playing with other boys, throwing golden and silver dice, when suddenly a large bird descended. It seized him and, soaring upward, took him away.
*****A more modern spelling is galaha. In Mongolian it is known as shagai.