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
- 1 have not taken any money from him. He lies [saying] "You took money from me." - Thereupon the khan countenanced his Kalmyk and did not countenance the Cherkes. That Cherkes told in each yurt he entered "The evil Kalmyk countenanced his evil Kalmyk." These words were heard by the old khan. The old khan called to him that Cherkes cut into eight and got [his body parts] carried in the eight directions by eight men. - Afterwards I will do the same to those who say "evil Kalmyk" - And sent [the eight men]. The Cherkes khan had a daughter. That girl was thirteen years old. Our lad went in that girl's yurt. He entered that girl's yurt and while he was talking with her about various things, the girl said: - We know that you married [113] the Killing Butcher Khan's daughter, the fifteen-year-old Aragn'i Dangn'i. -Thereafter the girl asked the lad: - Will you return home now? - Yes, I will return. - Said [the lad]. Thereafter the girl gave him a bag: - Please give this bag to your spouse, on behalf of me. - She gave a bag to the lad. Thereafter the lad left together with the [Kalmyk] man who reported [him about stealing the Rubbles]. While they were going, they arrived at a place where the lad slept and the Kalmyk prepared food. The lad was sleeping for a while and when he got up, he realised that the Kalmyk who followed him had taken his horse and left back to the Cherkeses' place. Thereafter the lad went on foot further. While he was going, he ran across a territory full of blood. While he was going, he met an old man who was pasturing sheep. The lad asked that old man: - What blood is this? - Thereupon that old man said: - There were once two brothers. The younger brother was captured by the Cherkeses. Then the elder brother looking for his younger brother went to fight with the Cherkeses. - Thereafter the lad went further. While he was going, he found [...] 8 4'' of his gre y horse he used to ride. Then he came to the skin and bones of the fox red horse his father used to ride and he could hardly go further. 85 0 The lad's friend arrived riding those two horses. The lad greeted him and said: - Brother, brother from where and to where are you riding, torturing these horses? - Thereupon that young man said: - Once my younger brother was caught by the Cherkeses. I was looking for my younger brother and defeated most 85 1 of the Cherkeses, but 1 did not find out anything. Now I am training these two horses and I am going to fight once again. - Thereafter they both recognised each other and went further. While they were going, they reached the lad's yurt. The lad arrived, he and his parents recognised each other and he and Aragn'i Dangn'i recognised each other and they made a seven days' feast. After feasting the lad summoned the five hundred khans' sons to come to him. When they arrived, he gave them milk brandy and said: - I was feasting with the two monsters, while you were feasting with my fifteen-year-old Aragn'i Dangn'i. - There was nobody to say a word. Thereafter the lad hit what was to be hit, killed what was to be killed. 85 2 Then the lad lived peacefully in joy. 84 9 Bálint ämisxäldun'i Kalm ämsxld n ' means supposedly "in breathing", but meaning of the syntagm is not clear, needs further investigation 85 0 Bálint küreksen ärä xataraji yabodik bolna, Kalm. kürsn ärä xatarj ywdg boln: the approximate meaning of this syntagm is indicated above, but the proper translation needs further research 83 1 Bálint Serkesigi ike zügin 7, Kalm. Serksin (genitive) ik zügin' lit. "the big hundreds of the Cherkeses". 85 2 Tale formula. 121
