Birtalan Ágnes: Kalmyk Folklore and Folk Culture in the Mid-19th Century: Philological Studies on the Basis of Gábor Bálint of Szentkatolna’s Kalmyk Texts.
FOLKLORE GENRES
- Ifi shall be dead, ye three guard me for three following nights one after the other. - Thus having spoken the old man died. His sons took him and buried him ; at night the two elder brothers sent their younger brother to guard. While the younger brother at night was sitting and watching the father appeared and said: - Take this hair of a yellow brown horse. If though wilt singe it, a yellow brown horse bridled, saddled together with a whole dress strapped to the saddle will to thee appear. - In the morning the son returned home. On the following day at night the two elder brothers prevailed upon their younger brother and sent again to keep watch. At night while he was sitting and watching, the father appeared, gave him the hair of a black brown horse and said: [Grammar 215] - Take this hair and when thou will singe it [69,] a black brown horse bridled, saddled together with a complete dress strapped to (the saddle) will to thee appear. - In the morning the boy returned home. Again at the night of the following day the two elder brothers forced their younger brother leaving to go to keep watch. At night while he was sitting and watching the father appeared and said: - Why do thy two elder brothers not come and watch? - They have - replied the boy - beaten me and sent to keep watch. - Well if it be so, take the hair of the blue grey horse when thou wilt singe this hair a blue grey horse bridled, saddled together with a complete dress strapped to the saddle will to the[e] appear. — The boy took that hair, returned home and remained there. While this happened the king would marry his three daughters. (For that purpose) he made a proclamation, that he will marry his three daughters to those men who (on horse back) will be able to take a token form the daughters sitting each with an apple, on a high tree. The two elder brothers of the boy went to the king's palace and the boy remained at home, Upon this the boy singed the hair of the black brown horse [Grammar 216] and the black brown horse bridled and saddled together with a complete dress strapped to the saddle has appeared. The boy put on the dress mounted the horse and went away. He arrived at the king's place and at the point of his arriving many people try to make leap their up horse, but they fail to reach to. [70] The boy coming on quietly, makes leap his horse comes near the three girls, takes the apple from one and went away. The boy returned home. Concealed the apple, put away the horse and lay down. In the meanwhile his brothers come home and spoke: - We must go tomorrow too. - I will also go. - Said the younger brother. - May rest thou at home. - Said the two elder brothers. Then in the morning of the following day the two elder brothers went away. The boy singed the hair of the yellow brown horse and the yellow brown horse appeared. The boy put on his dress and went away. The boy arriving made leap his horse and coming near the three girls took the apple from one and went away. [Grammar 217] The boy got home hid the (his) apple, got loose the (his) horse and lay home. While this being so his two elder brothers arrived at home. 6" On the following day the two elder brother[s] went away again. After that the boy singed the hair of the blue grey horse, and the blue grey horse was at hand. The boy put on the dress and went away. He made leap (his) horse again and coming near the three girls took the apple of one of them and went away. Arrived at home ha got loose the horse and lay down. In the mean time (as he was lying so) his two elder brothers arrived and were (prepare) speaking: - Tomorrow morning we must go to the wedding of the king's daughters and see those three bridegrooms. - Hereupon their younger brother said: - I was those three men you are speaking of. - Such a luck. - Replied his Zwo brothers. - Where could be for thee? -[71] Hereupon took out the boy the three apples and three rings and showed them to his brothers. [Gramamr 21 8] The boy then 6, 1 The next six sentences are missing form the Manuscript, the text further will be given in reconstructed Kalmyk transcription. Dakäd mangydr xoyr ax n ' bas yawülj odw. Tünäsn ' köwün kök bor mör nä n ' kilysn untx gäd okw. Kök bor mör n kiiräd irw. Köwün xuwcsän ümsäd yaräd yaww. Bas yärädüläd yurwn küknä ör oiifj] tusäd neg küknäni dl 'ml n ' awäd yaräd odw. Gertän ired mörän täw j okäd kewtw ( Grammar p. 217). 103
