Dohok, Jewish: The middle of the world (folktale)

0:00

Transcribed by	Source	Speakers
Dorota Molin	Dorota Molin's fieldwork	Zvi Avraham

	Transcription	Translation
0:00	ʾǝθwa xa-ḥakòma,ˈ g-emǝr ta-wazire dide:ˈ ʾana g-ǝbǝn xa-ʾaθe ʾāmə̀rri ʾeke=la gu-palguθǝt dùnye. ʾǝθwa xa-ḥakòma,ˈ g-emǝr ta-wazire dide:ˈ ʾana g-ǝbǝn xa-ʾaθe ʾāmə̀rri ʾeke=la gu-palguθǝt dùnye.	There was a ruler, he says to his ministers: ‘I want someone to come tell me where is in… the middle of the world.
	u-b-yawǝnnoxun ṭḷà yomeˈ ʾaθe xa ʾāmǝrri ʾèke=laˈ palguθǝt dùnye.ˈ u-b-yawǝnnoxun ṭḷà yomeˈ ʾaθe xa ʾāmǝrri ʾèke=laˈ palguθǝt dùnye.ˈ	And I will give you three days, (so that) someone can come tell me where is the middle of the world.
	u-là ʾamrǝtú-liˈ baθǝr rešoxun mafyerə̀n-neˈ u-là ʾamrǝtú-liˈ baθǝr rešoxun mafyerə̀n-neˈ	And if you would not tell me, then your heads—I will make them fly.
	zǝllu naše mbaqore,ˈ mằni b-aθe b-àmǝrˈ ʾeke=la palgút dùnye..?ˈ zǝllu naše mbaqore,ˈ mằni b-aθe b-àmǝrˈ ʾeke=la palgút dùnye..?ˈ	(So) people went asking, who will go and say where the middle of the world is?
	maṭo b-yàʾeˈ ʾeke=la palgút-dùnye.. maṭo b-yàʾeˈ ʾeke=la palgút-dùnye..	How will he know where the middle of the world is?
	zǝllu naše mbaqore ʾaxxa u-ṭaṃàha,ˈ zǝllu naše mbaqore ʾaxxa u-ṭaṃàha,ˈ	People went asking here and there,
	g-meθe nàšeˈ u-čuxxa la k-ye ʾèke=la palgut dùnye, mǝn-ʾèka b-yaʾe?ˈ g-meθe nàšeˈ u-čuxxa la k-ye ʾèke=la palgut dùnye, mǝn-ʾèka b-yaʾe?ˈ	(one) brings people, (but) no one knows where the middle of the world is, where would one know from?
	hulle ṭalu ṭḷà yomeˈ ʾaθe ʾamrì-le, là, rešu màfǝr-reˈ hulle ṭalu ṭḷà yomeˈ ʾaθe ʾamrì-le, là, rešu màfǝr-reˈ	He gave them three days (so that) they would come tell him, (if) not, he would cut off their head.
	pə̀šlu…ˈ zǝllu l-batane dŏ̀hun,ˈ mjomaʿălu nàše,ˈ pə̀šlu…ˈ zǝllu l-batane dŏ̀hun,ˈ mjomaʿălu nàše,ˈ	They stayed… they went to their homes, they gathered people,
	b-xazax mà ʾoði,ˈ b-xazax mà ʾoði,ˈ	We will see what we shall do
	ʾaz hatxa xa ji g-ə̀mri-waˈ ʾǝθwa xa-huðaya go-šùqa,ˈ g-emər, nàblū-li,ˈ ʾàna b-amrǝn-ne ʾeke=la palgut dunye.ˈ ʾaz hatxa xa ji g-ə̀mri-waˈ ʾǝθwa xa-huðaya go-šùqa,ˈ g-emər, nàblū-li,ˈ ʾàna b-amrǝn-ne ʾeke=la palgut dunye.ˈ	So they used to say (that) there was a Jew in the market, he says, take me, I will tell him where the middle of the world is.
	ʾaval ʾani mə̀r-ru…ˈ mǝrre malǝk ṭàluˈ băle huðàyaˈ là mǝθetu huðaya,ˈ huðaye k-ìʾe kulle mǝndi.ˈ ʾaval ʾani mə̀r-ru…ˈ mǝrre malǝk ṭàluˈ băle huðàyaˈ là mǝθetu huðaya,ˈ huðaye k-ìʾe kulle mǝndi.ˈ	But they said… the king (had) said
	tṑv.ˈ pǝšlu mằjbur,ˈ zǝllu baθre do huðaya,ˈ g-emǝr ṭalu huðàya,ˈ g-emər, ʾana maxalṣə́n-nu b-amrǝn-ne ʾàna ʾeke=la palgut dunye. tṑv.ˈ pǝšlu mằjbur,ˈ zǝllu baθre do huðaya,ˈ g-emǝr ṭalu huðàya,ˈ g-emər, ʾana maxalṣə́n-nu b-amrǝn-ne ʾàna ʾeke=la palgut dunye.	Good. They became forced, They went to (lit. after) him, to that Jew, (who) said (them), he says, I will save them, I will tell him where the middle of the world is.
	màṭo? g-emǝr nàblū-li màṭo? g-emǝr nàblū-li	How? He says, take me.
	qam-šaqli-le huðàya,ˈ qam-maluší-le badla xàθaˈ u-zunnu ṭale ʾĭxàlaˈ u-zunnu ṭale kulle mə̀ndiˈ u-qam-nablì-le.ˈ qam-šaqli-le huðàya,ˈ qam-maluší-le badla xàθaˈ u-zunnu ṭale ʾĭxàlaˈ u-zunnu ṭale kulle mə̀ndiˈ u-qam-nablì-le.ˈ	They took the Jews, they dressed him in new clothes, they bought him food and they bought him everything (else) and they took him (with them).
	zǝlle kǝs-ḥakòma,ˈ ḥmə̀lle,ˈ g-emǝr ʾana b-amrǝn-nox ʾèke=la palgut dùnye.ˈ zǝlle kǝs-ḥakòma,ˈ ḥmə̀lle,ˈ g-emǝr ʾana b-amrǝn-nox ʾèke=la palgut dùnye.ˈ	They went to the king, waited, (then) he says, I will tell you where the middle of the world is.
	g-əmri ʾèke=la palgut dunye?ˈ g-əmri ʾèke=la palgut dunye?ˈ	They say, where is the middle of the world?
	g-èmǝr kursi dìdoxˈ palgut dùnyeˈ g-èmǝr kursi dìdoxˈ palgut dùnyeˈ	He says you chair is the middle of the world.
	g-èmǝrˈ màṭo? g-èmǝrˈ màṭo?	He says, how?
	g-èmǝr,ˈ là gǝ-mhenǝnǝt?ˈ kul-la! si miθi naše keli d-a-palgut dunye g-èmǝr,ˈ là gǝ-mhenǝnǝt?ˈ kul-la! si miθi naše keli d-a-palgut dunye	He says, you don’t believe? Measure it (then)! Go, bring people that would measure that this (is) the middle of the world.
	ʾēn là mbaqri kursi didox palgut dunye,ˈ reši màfǝr-re. ʾēn là mbaqri kursi didox palgut dunye,ˈ reši màfǝr-re.	If they don’t find (lit. ‘ask) (that) your chair is the middle of the world, may my head be cut off.
	mằni b-aθe kàyǝl-la,ˈ dùnye?ˈ mǝn kullu ʾalàle?ˈ mằni b-aθe kàyǝl-la,ˈ dùnye?ˈ mǝn kullu ʾalàle?ˈ	(But) who will come to measure it, the world, From all the sides?
	g-emǝr ṭròsa wǝtˈ kursi didi palgut dùnye.ˈ g-emǝr ṭròsa wǝtˈ kursi didi palgut dùnye.ˈ	He says, you are right. My chair is the middle of the world.

show raw texts

Transcription:

(1 0:00)ʾǝθwa xa-ḥakòma,ˈ g-emǝr ta-wazire dide:ˈ ʾana g-ǝbǝn xa-ʾaθe ʾāmə̀rri ʾeke=la gu-palguθǝt dùnye.(2)u-b-yawǝnnoxun ṭḷà yomeˈ ʾaθe xa ʾāmǝrri ʾèke=laˈ palguθǝt dùnye.ˈ(3)u-là ʾamrǝtú-liˈ baθǝr rešoxun mafyerə̀n-neˈ(4)zǝllu naše mbaqore,ˈ mằni b-aθe b-àmǝrˈ ʾeke=la palgút dùnye..?ˈ(5)maṭo b-yàʾeˈ ʾeke=la palgút-dùnye..(6)zǝllu naše mbaqore ʾaxxa u-ṭaṃàha,ˈ(7)g-meθe nàšeˈ u-čuxxa la k-ye ʾèke=la palgut dùnye, mǝn-ʾèka b-yaʾe?ˈ(8)hulle ṭalu ṭḷà yomeˈ ʾaθe ʾamrì-le, là, rešu màfǝr-reˈ(9)pə̀šlu…ˈ zǝllu l-batane dŏ̀hun,ˈ mjomaʿălu nàše,ˈ(10)b-xazax mà ʾoði,ˈ(11)ʾaz hatxa xa ji g-ə̀mri-waˈ ʾǝθwa xa-huðaya go-šùqa,ˈ g-emər, nàblū-li,ˈ ʾàna  b-amrǝn-ne ʾeke=la palgut dunye.ˈ(12)ʾaval ʾani mə̀r-ru…ˈ mǝrre malǝk ṭàluˈ băle huðàyaˈ là mǝθetu huðaya,ˈ huðaye k-ìʾe kulle mǝndi.ˈ(13)tṑv.ˈ pǝšlu mằjbur,ˈ zǝllu baθre do huðaya,ˈ g-emǝr ṭalu huðàya,ˈ g-emər, ʾana maxalṣə́n-nu b-amrǝn-ne ʾàna ʾeke=la palgut dunye.(14)màṭo? g-emǝr nàblū-li(15)qam-šaqli-le huðàya,ˈ qam-maluší-le badla xàθaˈ u-zunnu ṭale ʾĭxàlaˈ u-zunnu ṭale kulle mə̀ndiˈ u-qam-nablì-le.ˈ(16)zǝlle kǝs-ḥakòma,ˈ ḥmə̀lle,ˈ g-emǝr ʾana b-amrǝn-nox ʾèke=la palgut dùnye.ˈ(17)g-əmri ʾèke=la palgut dunye?ˈ(18)g-èmǝr kursi dìdoxˈ palgut dùnyeˈ(19)g-èmǝrˈ màṭo?(20)g-èmǝr,ˈ là gǝ-mhenǝnǝt?ˈ kul-la! si miθi naše keli d-a-palgut dunye(21)ʾēn là mbaqri kursi didox palgut dunye,ˈ reši màfǝr-re.(22)mằni b-aθe kàyǝl-la,ˈ dùnye?ˈ mǝn kullu ʾalàle?ˈ(23)g-emǝr ṭròsa wǝtˈ kursi didi palgut dùnye.ˈ

Translation:

(1 0:00)There was a ruler, he says to his ministers: ‘I want someone to come tell me where is in… the middle of the world.(2)And I will give you three days, (so that) someone can come tell me where is the middle of the world.(3)And if you would not tell me, then your heads—I will make them fly.(4)(So) people went asking, who will go and say where the middle of the world is?(5)How will he know where the middle of the world is?(6)People went asking here and there,(7)(one) brings people, (but) no one knows where the middle of the world is, where would one know from?(8)He gave them three days (so that) they would come tell him, (if) not, he would cut off their head.(9)They stayed… they went to their homes, they gathered people,(10)We will see what we shall do(11)So they used to say (that) there was a Jew in the market, he says, take me, I will tell him where the middle of the world is.(12)But they said… the king (had) said(13)Good. They became forced, They went to (lit. after) him, to that Jew, (who) said (them), he says, I will save them, I will tell him where the middle of the world is.(14)How? He says, take me.(15)They took the Jews, they dressed him in new clothes, they bought him food and they bought him everything (else) and they took him (with them).(16)They went to the king, waited, (then) he says, I will tell you where the middle of the world is.(17)They say, where is the middle of the world?(18)He says you chair is the middle of the world.(19)He says, how?(20)He says, you don’t believe? Measure it (then)! Go, bring people that would measure  that this (is) the middle of the world.(21)If they don’t find (lit. ‘ask) (that) your chair is the middle of the world, may my head be cut off.(22)(But) who will come to measure it, the world, From all the sides?(23)He says, you are right. My chair is the middle of the world.