Modaina

THE TALE OF THE TWO DONKEY-OWNERS.
Two men met each other on the road; and each of them had a donkey. Then the men greeted each other: the donkeys,also, putting their mouths together sniffed at each other. And the one man asked his fellow saying: We have gtected each other. Why have the donkeys also put their heads together?" The other man answered him: 'Doest thou not know this? The donkeys have sent a strong donkey to the Lord to enter their plaint before him, that is to say, that the Lord should free them from under [the tyranny] of men. Now they ask each other saying: Has the messenger-donkey returned or not'?" And it is said that all donkeys ask each other about this matter putting their mouths together. By this tale it is seen that every creature longs for liberty.

THE TALE OF THE BOAR AND THE ELEPHANTS.
Once upon a time a boar, who had got into the middle of a herd of elephants, dug into the ground and ate. And there came to the elephants a hunter, and he pointed his gun at one [of the] male[s]. When he shot, the bullet missed the elephant, but struck the boar. And the elephants said to him: 'Art thou struck, boar!" He said: 'If it were not an accident why should, of all these, [the bulletl have struck me?" The herd fled, but the boar died on the spot. And men say as a proverb when they encounter something (evil) while in the midst of many Iconipanions]: "It is an accident, said the boar; in the midst of a herd of elephants he was struck."

THE TALE OF THE SCHOLAR AND THE I GUENON.
. A scholar was writing in a solitary place, and all the mistakes that he made, he scratched out with his knife. And while he was writing in this way, a guenon looked at him. And the scholar arose a little for some reason. But the guenon came down from his place and trying to write like the scholar, smeared what the scholar had written.
Thereupon when the scholar returned he found his book smeared, and he was very sad. But he said to the guenon: "All right, if thou doest the same that I do." And he took the knife and whetted it well. And when it had become sharp, he rubbed the blunt [back], while the guenon was looking, against his throat, put the knife into its place and went away as before. Thereupon came the guenon; and taking the knife and wishing to do the same as the scholar had done, he rubbed the sharp edge against his throat, cut his throat and died. In this way the guenon met [his] fate, wishing to do the same as the scholar. [This is what] they say. This is told by the people of Kabasa

THE TALE OF A HEN.
A family had a chicken. Now (once), when guests came to them, they wished to kill the chicken, that is to say, in ,order to give a meal to the guests. But they did not find the knife with which to kill it; then they set the chicken free. When the chicken was free, it scratched the ground with its feet, and uncarthed the knife. When its masters saw the knife, they killed the chicken with the knife which it had found itself, and they gave a meal to their guests. And they say,as a proverb: "The chicken scraped out the instrument that killed it."

THE TALE OF THE PURE-HEARTED ONE AND THE ONE WITH THE BLACK SOUL.
Two men, who, were called "light" and 'dark", were on the road together; and when it grew evening, they spent the night at the same place. The dark one thought in his heart: "If 'I sleep in a good place and the light one on the edge, [of the road], if then the lion comes, he will take him, but I shall be safe." And the dark one slept in a good,place, as he had planned; but the light one slept on the side next to the road. And when they were sleeping, the lion came to them: the lion took the dark one and killed him; then he ate [him]. But the light one woke up safe in the morning. And until the, present day the place is called 'the resting place of the light and the dark." And men say as a proverb: 'Be pure-hearted and sleep on the road!"
According to another version the place is called: "the resting place of the wise and the stupid" (labeb wa-geul)and the proverb: "God protects the stupid" ('egel agelul räbbi 'aqqebbo). The place is on the direct road from Gäläb to Asmara, between Comarat and Qeruh, a large bowlder of granit on the left of the road, as one travels southward (see fig. i).

THE TALE OF THE ELEPHANT AND THE LEOPARD AND HIS SON.
The leopard had left his son in a certain place. And to the son of the leopard there came the elephant: the trod on him with his foot, crushed him and killed him. And a lamenter informed the leopard saying: "Thy son is dead!" The leopard asked the lamenter saying: 'Who has killed my son?" He replied: 'The elephant has killed thy son." The leopard, however, said: 'The elephant has not killed my son, the goats have killed him.
" The messenger replied : 'No, the elephant has killed thy son." The leopard: No, no, no! It is nobody but the goats who killed my son. This is the deed of the goats" Then the leopard went and made a slaughter among the goats in order to avenge his son. Although, the leopard knew that the elephant had killed his son, he took:, - because he was not so strong as the elephant, - the goats as a pretext for his revenge and killed them.
And until the present day it is like this: if a man is wronged by some one.who is stronger than he, and,he finds no means to overpower him, he rises against him who is weaker than he. And they say as a proverb: 'The goats do this, said the,leopard."

A TALE OF ABUNAWAS.
Abunawas was very clever. And when the chief of his country heard of his cleverness, he sent messengers to him saying: 'Tell him: The chief speaks thus to thee: 'Come to me quickly [and] in a hurry. But do not come to me when the sun shines; nor come to me when there is shadow. Again do not come to me walking with thy feet; nor come to me riding on a beast. If thou comest to me in one of these ways, fear for thy life!" And the messengers brought this word to Abunawas. [Then] Abunawas took a large netbag, and he sat in it and tied it up. And he said: 'Fasten the net-bag, in which I am sitting tied up, loosely with a rope to the neck of a camel!" When they had fastened it he went to the chief swinging on the camel's neck. And the chief was
astonished at his cleverness. [This is what] they say.

THE TALE OF THE PARTING OF THE BROTHERS.
Two brothers were living together, and they had all their property in common. But all the time the brothers quarrelled with each other. Now the people of old did not know dividing and parting, so that they did not separate from each other.
Once upon a time, the one of them took his weapons in order to kill his brother and went to his brother. But he did not find him; and on his way back he saw a wild olive tree [that was] forked. After he had returned, he took his weapons another time in order to kill his brother. And he came to the place of the tree which he had scen before. Now looking closely at the tree he saw that each of the two branches, although separated from the other, was growing on its own side. The man thought: 'Instead of my killing my brother, it will be better, if we, I and he, part from each other like these two branches of the tree, and each one of us live on his side. Thereupon when he came to his brother, he said to him: 'Let us part, and divide all our property." So they divided their property, and each of them was living safely on his side. And they say that from that time on parting was know to them. And the two branches of the tree are growing and sprouting each on its side until the present day. And the place of the forked tree was called 'the parting of the brothers." (1)

A TALE [KNOWN TO] THE TIGRE AND TIGRINA [SPEAKING] PEOPLES, TO ALL THE LAND OF H RESEMBLING A RIDDLE IN FIGURES.
When way-farers are travelling and divert themselves at their resting-place, they form two parties and ask each other; that is to say, (it is) when they pass the night out of doors, (that) they divert theinselves in this way. In the village, however, the men do not tell the like. (2) Now one party asks the other about the explanation of this tale.'There was a man who had married three wives. And he went to the market-place in order to buy cloth for them.
And he had taken with him nine camels on which to load the cloth. And after he had bought the cloth he loaded the camels: on the first camel he put one load of cloth, on the second caniel two loads of cloth. Doing thus he put on cach one of them as many loads of cloth as his number [indicated]; and he returned with his camels to his village. Now then, if he wants to divide the nine camels with their loads, without unloading them, among his three wives in equal parts, what shall he do? And how much falls to the share of each wife? And all the loads, how many are they? "The interpreter explains in this way: 'His first wife receives the first camel with his one load, and the sixth with his six, and the eighth with his eight. And his second wife receives the second camel with his two loads, and the fourth with his four, and the ninth with his nine. And his third wife receives the third camel with his three loads, and the fifth with his five, and the seventh with his seven. And there falls to the share of every one of them: three camels each and fifteen loads each. And all the loads of cloth that were carried by them are fourty-five." And his companion says to him: 'Thou art right; thou hast guessed it."

A TALE RESEMBLING A RIDDLE.
Another one asks his companion in this way: 'There was a man with a boat, who had a leopard, a goat and a leaf. And he wanted to ferry them over from the shore where he was to the other shore. But his boat was small, and it carried, at one crossing, (only) him and one of the three [things] that he had. And he could not ferry them over singly: for if the leopard stayed with the goat, he would kill and eat it (away from him); and if he left the goat with the leaf, the goat would eat the leaf (away from him). Now then, how doest thou think that he was able to cross with them ?"The other one explains in this way: 'The owner of the boat crosses first taking the goat. Then he returns, takes the leopard and crosses again; and he leaves him there. But with the goat he returns and leaves it on the shore. Now he takes the leaf and goes over to the other shore. Thereupon he leaves the leaf with the leopard. [Finally] he goes back, takes the
goat and crosses. In this way he ferries all ,of them over."
And his companion says to him: 'Well, thou hast guessed it."
The first one asks the other about the explanation of this [tale]:'There were on a shore three men With their three wives. And they wanted to cross fro m the shore where they were to the
other shore.They had one boat, and it carried only two [persons]. And the men did not trust each other that they would not commit adultery with each other's wives. And each one of them could not cross with his wife [and stay]: for there was nobody to return the boat to his companions. And none of them wished to leave his wife with his conipanion. Now then, how doest thou think that they were able to cross?" The other one explains in this way: 'First two women cross in the boat; and one of them remains on the other shore, whereas one returns in the boat. The latter
takes the third woman with her and crosses. And one of the three women returns in the boat to the men. Now two of the men, those whose wives have crossed before, cross in the boat to their wives. Thereupon one of them returns with his wife in the boat to their companions who have stayed behind. And when they have crossed back, the two women stay there. And the man crosses with his companion who has stayed behind. After that the woman who is with the men returns in the boat and ferries the two women over, one by one. And in this way no one of them leaves his wife with another man, [yet] they all cross in safety."And his companion says to him: 'Thou art right. In no other way but this would they have been able to cross."

THE STORY OF THE AD TAKLES. Their branches:
The branch of 'Ad Geme' wad Galaydos (formerly they kept the chieftainship.)
The branch of 'Ad Nauraddin wad Galaydos.
'Ad Derar wad Galaydyos.
'Ad Hakin wad Galaydos.
'Ad Temaryam.wad Galaydos.
'Ad Kantubay Naseh.
'Ad Elos wad Galaydos.
'Ad Nasraddin wad Galaydos.
These seven branches are the sons of Galaydos. But the cighth branch is that of 'Ad Kantubay Nasheh; and the branch of Kantubay Naseh is connected with these branches by common ancestors, and they are brothers. Although the branches of the 'Ad Takles are brothers in this way, they always split into parties and warred against each other; they used to be divided into two sides and quarrel and destroy each other. And sometimes again they united and robbed other
tribes and became their enemies. But most of all they lived in enmity and war with the Habab. And although the 'Ad Takles are the smallest in number of the "Three Maflas" (3) they are brave and warlike. Few as they are, they excel all of them in war.

THE STORY OF THE FIGHT AT BALQAT.
Once the 'Ad Takles were enemies with the Habab. The head of the Habab party was Kantebay Gaweg wad Fekak; and the head of the 'Ad Takles party was Fekak wad Nauraddin. At first, the 'Ad Takles had killed a man of the Habab. And the Habab, mourning for their man, had ceased to shave(4) until they should destroy each other. Now the armour-bearer of Fekak wad Nauraddin was in the country of the Habab; and Kantubay Gaweg was asking him every day about the
ways of Fekak wad Nauraddin. And the armour-bearer of Fekak said: 'The ways of the son of Nauraddin are hard, who can resist him ? When he fights he is valiant; when he jumps, he is a falcon." And Kantebay Gaweg said to him: "How doest thou think that he can be reached?" The armour-bearer of Fekak replied: "There is no way to reach him, unless he be reached in one single way: He has two wives, and they sometimes quarrel with [the words]: Make thou his maal for him.'
Now he's an obstinate man, and then refuses the meal and does not take it for three days. At that time when he, after having fasted, jumps, the strap of his sandal being long may make him stumble. " When Fekak wad Nauraddin was playing fersit (5) at Balqat near the frontier of the 'Ad Takles country, the Habab party invaded it. And one of the players seeing the army of the Habab said to Fekak: We are robbed! An army has come." But Fekak said: 'It is they who are robbed; what are they but an army of men with pubes!" Then he planted his staff in the midst of the pebbles of the
game, so that they should not be mixed up with each other; for he said when he had driven the army back, he was to continue the game. He swung his sword high up so that its scabbard flew off; and a hawk thinking the scabbard was a piece of meat, plunged down upon it. And Fekak struck three men of the Habab army, and when he jumped up intending to strike [others], the strap of his sandal made him stumble because he had been fasting, and he fell. The Habab army
killed him; and at this place the 'Ad Takles and the Habab destroyed each other. And until the present day their tombs are seen there; and the place has been called "the fight of Balqat."

A TALE OF ABUNAWAS. (6)
Abunawas had a well and also a young goat. And around his well he had stuck goat's horns in the ground; but the points of the horns were above ground. Now there was a man travelling who was leading a loaded camel, and he turned aside to the well of Abunawas to drink water. When Abunawas saw the man coming to him with his camel, he put the goat in the well. And when the camel-driver arrived, he and Abunawas greeted each other. Thereupon said the stranger to Abunawas: 'Let me drink!" Abunawas said: 'Very well," and went down into the well to draw water. And first he pulled up the goat and brought it out; after that he let the stranger drink. When the stranger had drunk, he asked Abunawas: 'This goat which thou hast brought out of the well, where hast thou found it?" Abunawas replied: 'These horns which thou seest around the well, are goats all of them. And every day, if I pull out two of them, a goat comes out of this well." And the man was very much astonished, and he entreated Abunawas saying: 'Give me this thy well, and thou take this my camel with his load." Abunawas answered him:
'This is my place which is of great profit to me; but for thy sake, - what shall I do? Take it then!" And the man said to Abunawas: 'What is thy name?" And Abunawas answered: 'My name is Nargusfen (7) Thereupon said Abunawas to the man: 'Now then, of these horns pull out two every day, and at once a goat will come out to thee. To-day, however, do not pull out any of them; [for] I have pulled out [two] of them before and brought out this goat." And the man said: 'All right." Abunawas taking the loaded camel went to his village. And the next morning
the man pulled out two of the horns, but the horns came out (to him) by themselves. Nor looking into the well did he find anything. And saying: 'What is this?" he pondered a great deal. And every day he said: "To-day, even to-day I shall find [it],"' and he pulled out all the horns. Thereupon he thought in his heart: 'Nargusfén has cheated me. And now it would be better to go and seek him." So he set out to seek Nargus-fén., And when he came to a village he asked [the people]: "Do you know Nargus-fén (where we shall dance)?" And the people of the village replied: 'Dance here!" And gathering around,him they clapped their hands for him. But the man was very much afraid and terrified, because they made fun of him. And again, when he went into another village and inquired, these other people also did the same to him as the first; and the man was about to go crazy. But afterwards the chief of the village asked him by himself saying: 'What kind of a man art thou? And
what doest thou wish to say?" And the man told him of all that had happened to him. The chief sent word and asked: ' 'Who is it that cheated this man?" But all, the people said: 'We do not know." Thereupon the chief took an oath saying: 'I shall give some money to him who has done thus, if he says to me : 'It is, l'." And Abunawas said to him: 'It is I who have done thus! So the chief gave him money, but the camel with his load he turned over from him to his owner. And all the people were astonished at the doings of Abunawas. (This Is whatl they say)





(1)This tree is found on the road from Gäläb to Asmara
(2) In the village only women and children amuse themselves with riddles.
(3) I. e. Habab, 'Ad Takles and 'Ad Temaryam, the descendants of Maflas wad Asgade
(4) i.e. upper lip and pubes.
(5) Fersit is a gambling game. It is played in the following way: Each player has a die of bone; the side where the marrow ('enge'o) has been, and which is dark, is called gas (gash) 'front"; the other, white side is called gera "back." Besides this a larger die is needed, which also has front and back; the larger, common die is called 'em "Mother", the smaller are called welad "children." Each player knows his die by its somewhat different shape. If the stake is money or prqperty, pebbles (hashes- Hatses) are used while playing; in the play they are called qelat. If the stake is grain the piles of grain are taken and won during the play. Thus, each player has an equal number of pebbles or a pile of grain before him.. The stakes are put up, and some one takes all the dice in his hand and shakes them a little; then he drops them on the ground. If the "mother" die falls on its back, all the other dice that fall in the same way, have lost (matau "are dead"); those which fall the other way, have won, and vice versa. Those who have won receive a stake each. If all the dice fall differently from the "mother" die, nobody wins (dahan-tu "all is safe").
The first stage of the game lasts until all stakes are won; those who have won nothing are out of the game. 'The rest play on; each one puts about five pebbles up as a stake. When there are only two winners left, they play for the whole. He who has all the pebbles wins what is played for; the others pay in equal parts. - I was told that now the Mänsa do not gamble so much as they used to do. Formerly they are said to have gambled a great deal and often to have lost their
houses, their cattle and much other property,
(6) I. e. the Arabic Abu Nuwas. He was a famous poet in the second half of the 8th century A. D. In later Arabic popular literature he plays the role of a je
ster and buffoon.
(7) The words are Arabie and mean: Where shall we dance?. This meaning is also given in Tigre in the text.