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
pursued it on his horse and caught it without letting it fall down to the ground. Thereafter the lad laughed chuckling 64 , and said: - My parents' land seems to be huge. - And he left. He went, went for a long [time], then climbed on a hill and stopped there. While he was standing there, a big dust was gathering from the direction of the sunrise. He also galloped towards it. Thereafter two horses came face to face and [the lad] stopped. The other [rider] said: From where and to where are you going, little lad, You, who has become the suns[hine] that reaches into the head of the yurt-wall, 644 Who has become the light of the lotus candle, Who has become the sun[shine] entering through the lintel? 6' 5 Thereupon the lad said: - And you yourself, from where to where are you going? - Thereupon that [man] said: - I am going to kill the sixteen-year-old hero called Zul-shar Arslng, the son of the eight thousandyear-old man Namjil-tsagaan living in the western direction, and to drive away his dependants. - Right thereafter they dismounted, hobbled their horses [and started to] wrestle [with each other]. [The other man] caught Zul-shar Arslng, hit him and put him down. - Have you [other] tricks? I will kill you! - Thereupon Zul-shar Arslng said: - Catch me firmly! 64 6 [58] There are still three good rounds. 6 4 - Go on with the [next] round. - Said [the other]. He threw him down so many times as there are stars in the sky, But he was still in good condition and did not lose his balance. 648 He threw him down so many times as there are blades of grass on the ground, But he was still in good condition and did not lose his energy. He threw him down so many times as there are fish youngs in the waters, So he lost his consciousness. 649 Thereafter Zul-shar Arslng stood up, caught that lad and beat him. While beating he knocked him into the ground one span [deep]. - Have you [other] tricks? I will kill you! - Thereupon Zul-shar Arslng said: - Catch me firmly! There are still three good rounds. - Go on with the [next] round. - Said [the other]. He threw him down so many times as there are stars in the sky, But he was still in good condition and did not lose his balance. He threw him down so many times as there are blades of grass on the ground, But he was still in good condition and did not lose his energy, He threw him down so many times as there are fish youngs in the waters, But he did not lose his consciousness. - Well, have you got any more tricks? - Said [Zul-shar Arslng], - No, I do not have any [more] tricks. - Said [the other], [Zul-shar Arslng] killed him immediately, put the horse on two spits and planned to sleep for seven days. He slept for long, and as he got up, the [horse]meat was ready." 5 0 He ate the meat and left. Thereafter 64 3 Bálint angyar angyar iniägäd. Kalm. angyr angyr inägäd. Onomatopoetic expression Kalm. angyar = angyarxä, a. a. in eyäd "mit offenem Mund lachend" (R. 11), angyyr "otkrityj, raskrytyj" (Mun. 45), cf. Khal angar, angar "opening and shutting" (Bawden 20). 64 4 Bálint bakcar, Kalm. bagc + -är (instrumental), cf. Khal. xanin tolgoi. "Phis expression refers to the "yurt-clock": the nomads count the passing time according to the angle of incidence of the sunshine through the roof ring. In details, cf. Jurtaóra [Yurt clock]. In: Material Culture (DVD) [Yurt-clock], 64 5 Bálint totxar, Kalm. totx + -är (instrumental). 64, 1 Bálint Batelji bärijt bä! Cf. Kalm. Batlj bäh! "Greife kräftig an!" (R. 36). M 7 Bálint tulilyan, cf. Kalm tüixa: köwüd tül'jnadj-én "die Kinder spielen und suchen einander zu Boden zu werfen" (R. 413). w* Bálint teges säindän, this expression is somewhat obscure, Kalm tegs means "straight, plain, even". The suggested interpretation is "the hero still was able to stand and fight without falling down". 64 9 A hyperbolic description, a typical formula of heroes' fighting. 97
