Page:Folklore1919.djvu/551

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Cairene and Upper Egyptian Folk-Lore.
185

fountain of water. While he lay there the donkey drank its fill. When it left off drinking he said: ‘Drink again to the health of my wife.’ But the donkey would not do so. ‘Drink to my son-in-law!’ But the donkey still refused. Finally he cried: ‘My donkey is a cleverer fellow than I am?’”[1]

XIII.[2]

“There was an agriculturist; he had one boy; when the boy became big a serpent bit him and he died. When he was dead his father had no other (son). As he had

  1. Told me by Takla Bey.
  2. Kan fî wâhid râgil mezâri‘; kan ‘andû wâhid weled ; el-weled lamma gi kebîr akalû ta’abân umât; lamma mât, abû ma‘ndûsh rhêro; ‘alashân ma‘ndûsh rhêro ‘auz yemauwwit et-ta‘bân; ’amillo wâhid tûba min ḥadîd; umishi fil gebel; kullima yilqa wâhid ta’ban yemawwitu; wehûwa mashi laqa wâhid shêkh. Qallo es-shêkh: “raḥ fên?’ qallo: “mashi amawwit kul et-ta’bîn”; qallo: “‘alashanê?” qallo: “‘alashan mawwat ibni”; qallo: “enta meskîn” qallo: “ta‘âla wayai.” Mishu wayâ ba’d lamma wassalu ‘andĕ wâhid marhâra. Lamma wassalu ’m-marhâra, es-shêkh nadah ‘al’ et-ta‘bân. Lamma gi (e)t-ta‘bân, qallo: “enta shiribt em-moya min el-baḥr?” Qallo: “aiwa, shiribt etnên noba.” Qallo: “ erga‘ matrak.” Et-ta‘bân riga‘ fîl-matraḥ betâ‘o. Fatu em-marhâra umishu leḥad wâhid marhâra tâni. Es-shêkh nadah ’ala et-ta‘bân ellî fîm-marhâra. Et-ta‘bân gih. Es-shêkh qallo: “enta shiribt em-moya min el-baḥr?’ Qallo: “aiwa, ana shiribt wahida marra.” Qallo: “erga‘ fîl-matraḥ betâ‘tak.” Lamma et-ta‘bân riga‘ fîm-matraḥ beta‘o, fatu umishu leḥad marhâra talt; lamma wassalu ‘and em-marhâra es-shêkh nadah ‘ala wâhid ta‘bân; yîgi wâhid ta‘bân kebîr biziyada. Es-shêkh sa‘al et-ta‘bân; qallo: “enta shiribt em-moya beta‘ el-baḥr?” Et-ta‘ban qallo: “fîh baḥr? fî moya?” Qallo: “aiwa, fî baḥr, fî moya.” Qallo: “ana ma‘raftish fî baḥr, fî moya.” Es-shêkh qal le-râgil: “iqla‘ el-hudûm min el-ḥadîd”; qallo: “hatto fîl-ar‘d, huma wel-’asâya.” Er-râgil qala‘ el-hudûm min (el)-ḥadîd wehattuhum fîl-ard. Es-shêkh qallo: “dilwaqti teshûf.” Es-shêkh qal let-ta‘bân: “‘azantak tunfukh fîl-ḥadîd.” Lamma et-ta‘bân nefakh fil-ḥadîd, el-ḥadîd baqa nar ḥamra. Istanna lamma yîgi berd; misiku ’l-ḥadîd, laqû‘ torôb. Es-shêkh qallo: “ya meskîn, terûh fên bil-ḥadîd beta‘k? shûf, wâhid ta‘ban khalaq el-ḥadîd kullo torôb; izakan kunt enta waya el-ḥadîd, kunt tibqa torôb; aḥsan terawwaḥ bêtak.”