Previous instalments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
The Nishan Shaman rescues Sergudai Fiyanggo and they are on their way back from the Country of the Dead, but Monggoldai Nakcu chases them to strike a bargain.
gvwa juse sabufi gemu golofi sujume boode dosifi han ama de alame ehe oho sergudai ahvn be emu gasha jifi xoforome gamahabi serede
gvwa juse [other children]
sabufi [having seen]
gemu [all]
golofi [having become scared]
sujume [running]
boo-de [home]
dosifi [having entered]
han ama de [to khan-father]
alame [said]
ehe [bad, evil (thing)]
oho [happened]
sergudai ahvn be [Sergudai, elder brother]
emu gasha [a (large) bird]
jifi [having come]
xoforome [seizing]
gamahabi [took]
sere-de [when said]
Seeing this, all the other children became frightened and ran into their house. They told their father, the khan, “A bad thing happened! A big bird came and seized our big brother Sergudai, and took him away!”
ilmun han donjifi ambula fancafi hutu be takvrafi monggoldai nakcu be hvlame gajifi beceme hendume sini gajiha sergudai fiyanggo be emu amba gasha xoforome gamaha, erebe，bi bodoci gemu sini arga be boljoci ojorakv，si minde adarame icihiyambi sehede
ilmun han [Ilmun Han]
donjifi [having listened]
ambula [very]
fancafi [having got angry]
hutu be [ghost]
takvrafi [having sent]
monggoldai nakcu be [Monggoldai Nakcu]
hvlame [to call]
gajifi [having brought]
beceme [scolding]
hendume [said]
sini gajiha [brought by you]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
emu amba gasha [a large bird]
xoforome [seized and]
gamaha [took]
ere-be [this] here be is a topic marker
bi [I]
bodoci [if plan]
gemu sini arga be [all your idea, plan]
boljoci ojorakv [cannot agree]
si [you]
minde [to me]
adarame [how]
icihiyambi [(will) manage/handle]
sehe-de [when said]
Listening to this, Ilmun Han got very angry. He sent a ghost to bring Monggoldai Nakcu to him and scolded him, saying, “A large bird seized Sergudai Fiyanggo, whom you had brought, and took him away. If this was your plan, I cannot agree to it. How will you deal with this matter for me?”
monggoldai elhei gvnici gvwa waka, nixan saman dere seme
monggoldai [Monggoldai]
elhe-i [well]
gvnici [when thought]
gvwa waka [no other/ no one else]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
dere [most likely]
seme [said]
Monggoldai slowly considered this and then said, “It was likely none other than the Nishan Shaman.”
uthai hendume ejen ume jili banjire bi gvnici gvwa waka weihun gurun de uju tucike, amba gurun de algin algiha nixan saman jifi gamaha dere, bi te uthai amcame genefi tede baime tuwaki, tere saman gvwa de duibuleci ojorakv sefi uthai amcame genehe
uthai [then]
hendume [said]
ejen [Lord]
ume jili banjire [do not be angry]
bi [I]
gvnici [when thought]
gvwa waka [no one else]
weihun gurun de [in the Land of the Living]
uju [first]
tucike [coming from]
amba gurun de [in great country]
algin [fame]
algiha [became famous]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
jifi [having come]
gamaha [took]
dere [most likely]
bi [I]
te [now]
uthai [immediately]
amcame [to hurry]
genefi [having gone]
tede [there]
baime [to look for]
tuwaki [(will) look]
tere saman [that shaman]
gvwa de [to others]
duibuleci ojorakv [cannot compare]
sefi [said]
uthai [then]
amcame [to pursue]
genehe [went]
Then he said, “My Lord! Do not be angry! I think it could have been no one else but the famous Nishan Shaman who came from the Land of the Living to this country. I will immediately go to look for her. That shaman cannot be compared to any other.” Then he set off to pursue her.
tereci nixan saman sergudai fiyanggo be bahara jakade ambula urgunjeme gala be jafafi kutuleme amasi marifi
tereci [then]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
bahara jakade [when got]
ambula [very]
urgunjeme [was happy]
gala be [by hand]
jafafi [took]
kutuleme [leading]
amasi [backward]
marifi [having gone back]
When the Nishan Shaman received Sergudai, she rejoiced greatly. She took him by the hand and led him back.
fe jugvn be jafame yaburede monggoldai amargici amcame hvlame saman gehe majige aliya, muse giyan be majige gisureki, ekisaka gamara doro bio, mini beye utala hvsun fayame arkan seme gajime baha sergudai fiyanggo be si yargiyan i saman de ertufi bai gamaki sembio aise,
fe jugvn be [old way]
jafame [taking]
yabure-de [when going]
monggoldai [Monggoldai]
amargici [from north]
amcame [chasing]
hvlame [shouting]
saman gehe [Shaman lady]
majige [a little]
aliya [wait]
muse [we]
giyan be [principles]
majige [a little]
gisureki [let us speak]
ekisaka [quietly]
gamara [taking]
doro [law, custom]
bio [is there?]
mini beye [I]
utala [so much]
hvsun [power]
fayame [wasting]
arkan seme [scarcely, barely]
gajime [to bring]
baha [got]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
si [you]
yargiyan i [truly]
saman de [on shaman]
ertufi [having depended]
bai [only]
gamaki sembio [want to take]
aise [probably]
When they were on the way, Monggoldai chased after her from north, shouting, “Shaman lady! Wait a minute, let us talk a little about principles! Is there a law that allows you to quietly take him? I wasted so much power just bringing him here, and you want to use your shaman powers only to take him away?”
meni ilmun han fancafi mimbe wakalahabi, te bi adarame jabumbi, saman gehe elhe i gvnime tuwafi, dade basan geli akv bai gamarangge, elei giyan de acanarakv gese sehede,
meni ilmun han [our Ilmun Han]
fancafi [having got angry]
mimbe [me]
wakalahabi [upbraided]
te [now]
bi [I]
adarame [how]
jabumbi [answer]
saman gehe [shaman lady]
elhe i [peacefully, well]
gvnime [thinking]
tuwafi [having looked]
dade [in the beginning, originally/ in addition]
basan [fee]
geli akv [nothing more]
bai [only]
gamarangge [taking]
elei [more]
giyan de acanarakv [unreasonable] lit. not meeting/fitting the reason
gese [like]
sehede [said]
“Our Ilmun Han got angry and blamed me. How will I answer him now? Shaman lady, consider it calmly. I’m only asking for a fee; is that unreasonable?”
nixan saman hendume monggoldai si ere gese sain angga baici hono sinde basan majige werimbi, si aika suweni han de ertufi etuhuxeme yabuci we sinde gelembio muse emu amba babe acafi, da dube tucibuki sefi
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]
monggoldai [Monggoldai]
si [you]
ere gese [like this]
angga [mouth]
baici [if beg]
hono [still]
sinde [to you]
basan [fee]
majige [a little]
werimbi [leave]
si [you]
aika [if]
suweni han de [on your khan]
ertufi [depend]
etuhuxeme [using force]
yabuci [if act]
we [who]
sinde [you]
gelembio [fears?]
muse [we]
emu amba ba-be [a big matter]
acafi [meet/ come to an agreement]
da dube [beginning and end] lit. root and tip
tucibuki [let’s make come out]
sefi [said]
The Nishan Shaman said, “Monggoldai, if you beg me like this, I shall leave you a little fee. But who is going to fear you if you rely on your khan to act? Let us come to an agreement and finish this matter.”
ilan dalhan misun, ilan sefere hooxan be buhe manggi monggoldai geli baime hendume sini bure basan jaci komso kai jai majige nonggime bureo sehe
ilan dalhan misun [three lumps of bean paste]
ilan sefere hooxan be [three strips of paper]
buhe [gave]
manggi [after]
monggoldai [Monggoldai]
geli [more]
baime [asking]
hendume [said]
sini bure basan [the fee you gave]
jaci komso [(is) very small]
kai [indeed]
majige [a little]
nonggime [adding]
bureo [give]
sehe [said]
She gave him three lumps of bean paste and three strips of paper, but Monggoldai asked for more, “The fee you gave is very small, indeed. Please, give me a little more.”
manggi nixan saman geli emu ubu nonggime buhe manggi, geli baime hendume
manggi [after]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
geli [more]
emu ubu [one portion]
nonggime [adding]
buhe [gave]
manggi [after]
geli [still more]
baime [asking]
hendume [said]
Then the Nishan Shaman gave him one more portion, but he kept on asking for more.
ere majige basan be meni han de burede yargiyan i banjinarakv dade mini weile adarame sume mutembi, bairengge saman gehe sini gajiha coko indahvn be minde werifi mini weile be sume ilmun han de benefi
ere majige basan be [this little repayment]
meni han de [to my khan]
bure-de [when giving]
yargiyan i [truly]
banjirakv [(will) not survive]
dade [in addition (to that)]
mini weile [my punishment]
adarame [how]
sume mutembi [can avoid]
bairengge [please] lit. (my) request
saman gehe [shaman lady]
sini gajiha coko indahvn be [the rooster and dog you brought]
minde [to me]
werifi [having left]
mini weile be [my punishment]
sume [to avoid]
ilmun han de [to Ilmun Han]
benefi [having given (as gift)]
“Truly I will not survive if I give my khan such a small repayment. How can I avoid a punishment then? Please, shaman lady, give me the rooster and the dog you brought with you. I shall give them to Ilmun Han to avoid punishment.”
ini abalara indahvn akv, dobori hvlara coko akv de meni han urgunjefi oci emude saman gehe i baita muyahvn ombi, jaide mini weile be sumbi serede
ini abalara indahvn akv [he has no hunting dog]
dobori hvlara coko akv de [(he) has no rooster crowing at night]
meni han [our khan]
urgunjefi [is glad]
oci [if becomes]
emunde [firstly]
saman gehe i [shaman lady’s]
baita [matter]
muyahvn [complete]
ombi [becomes/will be]
jai-de [secondly] from Chinese 再 zài
mini weile be [my punishment]
sumbi [(will) avoid]
serede [said]
“Since our Khan has neither a hunting dog nor a rooster that crows at night, he will be glad. If this happens, firstly, shaman lady, your matter will be complete, and secondly, I will avoid my punishment.”
nixan saman hendume tere inu juwe ergide tusa yohi ombi, damu sergudai de jalgan be nonggime buci ere indahvn coko be gemu werifi genembi sehede
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]
tere [that]
inu [truly]
juwe ergi-de [for two sides]
tusa [benefit]
yohi [complete]
ombi [will be]
damu [but]
sergudai de [to Sergudai]
jalgan be [life-span]
nonggime [adding]
buci [if give]
ere indahvn coko be [this dog and rooster]
gemu [both]
werifi [having left]
genembi [(will) go]
sehede [said]
The Nishan Shaman said, “That truly will be a benefit for both sides. But if you add to Sergudai’s life-span, then I will leave both this dog and rooster for you, and go.”
monggoldai hendume saman gehe si uttu gisureci sini derebe tuwame orin se jalgan nonggiha,
monggoldai [Monggoldai]
hendume [said]
saman gehe [shaman lady]
si [you]
uttu [so, like this]
gisureci [if speak]
sini dere-be [your face]*
tuwame [looking]
orin se jalgan [twenty years of life]
nonggiha [gave]
Monggoldai said, “Shaman lady, if you speak like this, then, looking at your face, I will give him twenty years of life more.”
*Other translators equate this to “looking you in the eye”.
saman hendume oforo niyaki olhoro unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,
saman [shaman]
hendume [said]
oforo niyaki [nose pus]
olhoro unde de [when not dried up yet]
gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]
The shaman said, “There is no benefit in taking him away, when his snot isn’t yet dried up.”
tuttu oci gvsin se jalgan nonggire,
tuttu oci [if so/in that case]
gvsin se jalgan [thirty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]
“In that case, then I will give him thirty more years of life.”
kemuni gvnin mujilen toktoro undede gamaha seme ai tusa,
kemuni [still]
gvnin [thought, mind]
mujilen [heart, mind]
toktoro unde-de [when not decided yet]
gamaha seme [taking]
ai tusa [what benefit]
“What is the benefit of taking him away, when his mind and heart are still not decided?”
tuttu oci dehi se jalgan nonggire,
tuttu oci [if so]
dehi se jalgan [forty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]
“Then I will add forty years of life.”
kemuni derengge wesihun alire unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,
kemuni [still]
derengge wesihun [noble and glorious]
alire unde de [when not yet received]
gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]
“There is no benefit in taking him away, when he has not yet received nobility and glory.”
tuttu oci susai se jalgan nonggire,
tuttu oci [if so]
susai se jalgan [fifty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]
“Then I will add fifty years of life.”
kemuni sure mergen ojoro unde gamaha seme ai tusa,
kemuni [still]
sure mergen [wise and bright]
ojoro unde [not became yet]
gamaha seme [taking]
ai tusa [what benefit]
“What is the benefit of taking him away, when he is not yet wise and bright?”
tuttu oci ninju se jalgan nonggire,
tuttu oci [if so]
ninju se jalgan [sixty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]
“Then I will give him sixty years more.”
kemuni niru beri be urebume tacire unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,
kemuni [still]
niru beri be [arrows and bow]
urebume [been made familiar]
tacire unde de [when not learnt yet]
gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]
“There is no benefit in taking him away, when he still has not gotten used to bow and arrows.”
tuttu oci nadanju se jalgan nonggire,
tuttu oci [if so]
nadanju se jalgan [seventy years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]
“Then I will give him seventy years more.”
kemuni narhvn weile be tacire unde de gamaha seme ai tusa,
kemuni [still]
narhvn weile be [delicate/secret work]
tacire unde de [when not learn yet]
gamaha seme [taking]
ai tusa [what benefit]
“What is the benefit of taking him away, when he has still not learned delicate works?”
tuttu oci jakvnju se jalgan nonggire,
tuttu oci [if so]
jakvnju se jalgan [eighty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]
“Then I will give him eighty years more.”
kemuni jalan baita be ulhire unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,
kemuni [still]
jalan baita be [affairs of the world]
ulhire unde de [when not understood yet]
gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]
“There is no benefit in taking him away, when he does not yet understand the affairs of the world.”
tuttu oci, uyunju se jalgan be nonggiha, jai nonggici banjinarakv oho,
tuttu oci [if so]
uyunju se jalgan be [ninety years of life]
nonggiha [add]
jai [more]
nonggici banjirakv oho [cannot add]
“Then I will add ninety years of life. I cannot add more.”
sergudai ereci amasi ninju aniya nimeku akv, tanggv aniya targa akv,
sergudai [Sergudai]
ereci amasi [from now on]
ninju aniya [sixty years]
nimeku akv [without sickness/pain]
tanggv aniya [hundred years]
targa akv [not thin/ in affluence] dict. form: turga
“From now on, Sergudai will live sixty years without sickness, and a hundred years in affluence.”
ura xurdeme uyun juse ujikini, jalan axxame jakvn jui sabukini,
ura xurdeme [around his buttocks]
uyun juse [nine children]
ujikini [may be born] -kini is another imperative suffix expressing wish or order directed to the third person
jalan [generation, age]
axxame [moving, shaking]
jakvn jui [eight children]
sabukini [may see]
“Encircling his buttocks, may he raise nine children! The world shaking, may he see eight sons!”
uju funiyehe xartala, angga weihe sortolo, dara musutele, yasa ilhanara tala, bethe bekterere teile, umuhu de siteme, guweye de hamtame banjikini sehede
uju funiyehe [hair (of head)]
xartala [until become white] terminal converb (-tala~tele~tolo suffix, most probably of Mongolian origin) describes an action limiting another action
angga [mouth’s]
weihe [teeth]
sortolo [until become yellow]
dara [waist, lower back]
musetele [until bend]
yasa [eyes]
ilhanara tala [until grow dim]
bethe [legs]
bekterere teile [until are frozen in their tracks]
umuhu de [upper surface of the foot] dict. form: umuhun
siteme [urinating]
guweye de [heel (of the foot)] dict. form: guye
hamtame [defecating]
banjikini [may live]
sehede [said]
“May he live until the hair of his head becomes white, until the teeth of his mouth become yellow, until his back bends, until his eyes grow dim, until his legs are frozen in their tracks, and he is urinating on his feet and defecating on his heels!”
Paweł, fantastic reading as always.
Out of curiosity, why did you decide against “looking in the eye” for “sini derebe tuwame”?
Thanks
Randy is as much responsible for the translation as I am.
We decided to translate that phrase literally because we didn’t have enough evidence that it really corresponds to the English expression, we didn’t find it in our dictionaries and in any other text.
I had a similar problem with the next sentence: “There is no benefit in taking him away, when his snot isn’t yet dried up.” My first interpretation was “…when he is still wet behind his ears”, but we agreed that it’s a little bit too far-fetched.
Unfortunately, there’s no dictionary of this kind of idiomatic expressions, so we have to be careful not to overinterpret things.
“sini derebe tuwame” is the equivalent of the Chinese expression, “看在你的面子上”, meaning “to show respect to you”.
In the next sentence, “oforo niyaki olhoro unde” means a child (usually a boy) is too young to wipe his own running nose.
Manjuniyalma,
both your interpretations seem plausible (the latter quite close to my way of thinking), but could you show us any resource to prove it? I mean a dictionary entry or a piece of original text. I looked through all the dictionaries and Manchu texts I’ve got, but I couldn’t find it.