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.
ETHNOGRAPHICA CALMYCICA
it airtight). The thing called tsorgho (pipe) is made of a curve wooden piece cut in two halves hollowed out. [Manuscript 155] Then fitly joined, firmly bound with thread and inserted with horse gut washed cleanly, which all they dry well on the sun. The distilling pipe used to be two arshin long. 1 '/: span thick, in its outer circumference and I span wide in its inner circle. To the one and of the so made pipe they put a smaller kettle with a round lid, under this very kettle (the receiver) they place square through filled with cold water (the refrigeratory). [Grammar 207] That (round) lid (of the receiver) has a larger and smaller hole; to the larger one they adapt the distilling pipe and damb it; by means of the smaller hole it will be known whether the distillation of the spirit, when fried under the (larger) kettle, does procede or not. (As there is no wood for fire, the Khalmiks use for fuel the dried dung of cattle which is called arghasun [E. Mong. arghalj. They gather the dung of cattle, horse, sheep, camel and goat, unite these all knead and make keitesii pron kitse). If the distillation procedes (prop, the spirit goes) vapor is seen (known) go out by the small hole. Whether the spirit is right (prop, ripe) or not, it will be known by the taster. The tasting instrument (amsür) is made of the neck hair of camel (attached to a handle made of medlar and other kind of tree. [Manuscript 156] In tasting. In tasting (the spirit) they thrust in the kavied end of the taster by the smaller hole of the receiver when the vapor comonence to go out. They then pull out the taster and by pressing the dipped hair tuft upon a small cup they get a draught of spirit and know thereby whether the spirit is strong or mild. [Grammar 208] The properly distilled spirit is of milk taste, white, the unripely distilled one is of bitter taste. The spirit being ready, they taste off the lid of the receiver (prop, spirit) and get out the spirit. After that they used to sprinkle of the spirit firstly to the fire and then toward the sky whereas they pray: '(Ye) blue colored blue sky, though we have this year distilled spirit but in this quantity, let us distill in future (hereafter) the more! 1 Thus having prayed they sprinkle toward the domestic goods, (barän). This done they sprinkle toward the door. After that the husband (the lord of the home) speaking to his wife: 'Wife go and call the old men of the hamlet! ' sends her (his wife) out. [Manuscript 157] If they pour milk to the warm or hot bozo, the milk when mingled with the bozo becomes thick. [Grammar 209] They call the milk curdled by ming up with hot bozo, makhan idmek (flesh meat); and drink the cold bozo mingled with milk which they call khoirmak, (pron. khöirmik). They then get the bozo cooled, put it into a bag made by sewing of canvas (linen) and hang up on the top of the lattice wall of the tent. The watery part (prop, water) straining through (the bag) is called whey, and the remained thick part is called admak (pron. admik curd ?) of which they make (gripe) shiirmiik morsels of curd). When making the shiirmiik they firstly spread a white (piece of canvas or in w [...]! of such a one a trush-mat [?] and upon that they squeeze out the curd with the hand, and when this squeezed out curd is dried on the sun is called shiirmiik. They mix up dried curd morsels in the spring with fresh butter (cow yellow butter) and eat instead of bread. In the spring they prepare plenty of such curd put into bags of sheep skin the mouth of which will be sewn up and lay by in the chest of goods. [Manuscript 158] Then in the winter they add from it in the pap to make it (more) savory. MARE'S MILK (Manuscript, Grammar Günä üsün ; Kalm. günä üsn) u 4 9 [Manuscript 160; Grammar 210] If the Khalmiks will milk the mares, they firstly extend a rope (called zel) which they make by twisting of wool or horsehair. Both ones of his rope are provided with bow or knot to take up the [...] which they drive - while fast extending the rope - into the ground by beating with a wooden [...] so as not to be after pulled up. Then they attach to that (extended) rope short pieces of rope (called tshikta) which they twist of wool. To the end of the tshikta they attach (a small piece of) wood which will be put into the knot of the halter put on the head of the foal. The halter is made of wool in likeness of a briddle [sic!]. The mare is milked a day six times and the milk drawn too 114 9 Grammar p. 210-211. 157
