Barwar: A Tale of Two Kings

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Transcribed by	Source	Speakers
Geoffrey Khan	Khan, Geoffrey. The Neo-Aramaic Dialect of Barwar. 3 vols. Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2008, vol. 3	Yuwarəš Xošăba Kena

	Transcription	Translation
0:00	ʾíṯwa tré màlke,ˈ xonăwàṯa.ˈ xá gu-Bàbəl-wewa,ˈ xá gu-Nìnwe.ˈ ʾo-t-Bábəl muxə́na mən-xóne díye gu-Nìnwe.ˈ mə̀reˈ ṱ-ásqəx tápqəx b-xóni gu-Nìnwe.ˈ mə́ra mo-ʾìba!ˈ qyáma sàqɛla.ˈ malə̀kṯa,ˈ málka plíṭɛle mən-bɛ̀ṯa,ˈ wídla xa-ḥàfla.ˈ kúlla kpíše tàma.ˈ malə́kṯa mə̀raˈ kút-xa ṱ-íle rqáḏa mə̀nnaˈ dàməx mə́nna díya.ˈ ʾáwwa gáwṛa díya síqɛle l-Nìnwe,ˈ díṛa ʾə̀ṯyɛle.ˈ bár xačča-dàna,ˈ bár xákma šə̀nne,ˈ ʾo-t-Nínwe mə́re ṣálən ʾána tápqən b-xóni gu-Bàbəl.ˈ mára ṣə́lyɛle tfíqa bíye dìye.ˈ mə́re xòniˈ tə́mməl ṱ-ázəx ṣɛ̀da,ˈ xàmləx,ˈ ṭla-xmàla.ˈ xóne díye ʾo-t-Nìnweˈ mə́re xóni ʾána hon-kčìxa.ˈ là-mṣən ʾə́dyo pálṭən.ˈ hòla ʾáqli mráʾa,ˈ pɛ̀šən bɛ́ṯa.ˈ ʾánna xène,ˈ málka rhìwa xábra ṱ-ázi ṣɛ́da,ˈ qíme plíṭe zíle xḏàra,ˈ ṣɛ̀da.ˈ báxtət màlka,ˈ wídlaˈ ʾo-mə́ndi t-wáwa wíḏta ʾó-yoma xèna.ˈ wídla ḥàfla,ˈ mə́ra kút-xa ṱ-íle rqàḏa mə́nnaˈ dàməx mə́nna.ˈ xónət málka xzèle ʾáwwa mə́ndi.ˈ ʾánna lɛ̀wa xzáyəlle.ˈ tíwa xa-dùkṯa,ˈ ʾáwwa xzàyəlla,ˈ ʾánna lɛ̀wa xzáyəlle.ˈ xóne díye ṯèle,ˈ mə́re xòniˈ ʾána xašwə́nwa har-ʾàna hon-zlíma,ˈ ʾáti bìš-zlima mə́nni!ˈ mə́re mòdila xóni?ˈ mə́re hàtxɛla qə́ṣṣət.ˈ qyàmɛle,ˈ lɛ̀le mheymóne.ˈ yómə trèˈ mə́re xòniˈ lan-mhaymòne,ˈ ṭḷàṯaˈ mə́re xá-ga múr ʾána ṱ-ázən ṣɛ̀daˈ ʾu-b-ay-góta xéta gnù gánux.ˈ háyyo làxxa,ˈ b-áyya dúkṯa ṱ-ìn táwaˈ gu-d-áyya ṭàrma.ˈ xzí mo-bàre.ˈ yómə ṭḷàṯaˈ márɛle xóne díye xá-ga xéta ʾo-t-Bàbəlˈ yáwəlle xábra ṭla-náše dìyeˈ mára ṱ-ázəx ṣɛ̀da.ˈ ʾánna plàṭɛla,ˈ kúlla zála ṣɛ̀da,ˈ m-a-góta xéta málka gnàwəlla gān-dìye.ˈ ṯàyɛleˈ kə́s-xóne dìyeˈ ʾu-tíwɛle gu-xa-pàlkon,ˈ lɛ̀la xzáyəlle,ˈ ʾàp-xa lɛ́le-ḏiya bíye,ˈ sə̀rr-ile.ˈ mára malə́kṯa plìṭṭɛlaˈ xá-ga xéta nàfšə-šay.ˈ ʾàyˈ ʾu-xolamwàṯaˈ kúlla rqáḏa ġḏáḏe zmàra,ˈ mára xa-ʿăbī́d kòmaˈ dmáxɛla mə́nne díye ʾày.ˈ ʾáwwa xzàyəlla,ˈ mə́re xzélux xòni?ˈ t-là-ʾamrət ʾána wáḏənˈ be-baxtùṯa ʾə́llux.ˈ ʾáyya bàxtuxˈ xzi-mòdila wáḏa.ˈ mára gríšle sɛ̀pa,ˈ tràṯnaˈ kúlla-ʾani qəm-qaṭlìla.ˈ màlkaˈ ʾu-xóne dìyeˈ ʾan-ʿăbī́d ʾu-bàxtaˈ kùlla-ʾani qəm-qaṭlíla.ˈ mə́re xóni ṱ-ázəx dùnyeˈ xázəx ʾən-ʾìṯ náše biš-zlíme mə́nnən,ˈ dɛ̀ṛəx.ˈ ʾən-lìṯ biš-zlíme mə́nnən,ˈ har-ṱ-àzəx.ˈ m-táma ṣláyɛla l-Bàṣra.ˈ ṣláyɛla l-Bàṣra,ˈ táma manyóxela xo-xa-ʾilánət xùrme,ˈ ʿal-ʾasā́s ṱ-áṯya ḏa-bàxəraˈ xa-mə̀ndiˈ ṱ-átwi gáwe, ṱ-àzi.ˈ mára xá-bena xzéla gu-yàma,ˈ gu-yáma plíṭle xa-tə̀nnaˈ síqle gu-šmàyya.ˈ plíṭɛle ʾə̀ṯyɛleˈ xa-ʿafrī̀tˈ plíṭɛle gu-yàma,ˈ hóle xá-sanduqa dwíqa hátxa rəš-rúše dìye.ˈ ʾə̀ṯyɛle,ˈ ʾə́ṯyɛle l-d-ay-ʾilàna.ˈ ʾánna ríqela síqela rəš-d-ay-ʾilána m-zdùṯa.ˈ múttəlle ʾo-sandúqa m-áxxa l-tămàha.ˈ ʾáw hóla šawwà-qəfle bíye díye,ˈ b-d-ò-sanduqa.ˈ pṯíxa xá-w tré-w ṭḷáṯa-w ʾàrpa,ˈ xá-bena plíṭṭɛla xa-bràta.ˈ ʾína mù-brata!ˈ šúprə dúnye hóle ʾəlla-dìya.ˈ mára plìṭṭɛlaˈ mə́re de-zmùr-u rqúḏ,ˈ mára ʾáy-brata zmìrta,ˈ ʾo-ʿafrít mə́re tla-d-ày,ˈ píšla har-rqàḏa,ˈ zmára-w rqáḏa, zmàra.ˈ mára tíwtɛla márzət yàma.ˈ ʾaw-múttəlle réše-diye rəš-nɛ́ka dìya.ˈ ʾáyya xɛ́ra hátxa gu-ʾilàna,ˈ xzéla ʾan-tre-náše tàma.ˈ ʾáwwa ṭlìle ʾawwa-ʿafrī́t.ˈ šqílta réše mattóye mtútəlle l-ằra.ˈ mə́ra háyyo ṣlò!ˈ mə́ra là ṣalítu,ˈ hadíya măṛəšánne ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t qaṭə̀llɛxu.ˈ ʾáni-ži qímela ṣə̀lyela,ˈ mò-băyət?ˈ mə́ra hàlluliˈ ʾisəqyaṯɛ̀xu.ˈ mpúlṭəlla ʾisəqyáṯa dìya.ˈ mpuláṭṭɛla xa-zə̀njir.ˈ ʾarbá-mma-w xamšì ʾisəqyáṯa b-d-á zə́njir.ˈ ʾáp-ʾani drìṯəlla,ˈ mə́ra háyyo hàtxa wúḏu!ˈ kízla ʾáxxa l-tàmmaˈ mə́ra hóle b-ṯáya ʾaxə̀llɛxu.ˈ mə́ra xzò.ˈ ʾána ṭlíbtənwa l-brónət màmi.ˈ ʾó-yomət gorànwa,ˈ ʾə́ṯyɛle ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t gnìwəlli.ˈ ʾu-gu-d-àwwa sandúqaˈ ʾu-mən-d-áwwa ʿafrī̀tˈ ʾarbá-mma-w xámši náše hon-dmìxta mənnéy.ˈ ʾən-là,ˈ măṛəšánne ṱ-axə̀llɛxu.ˈ píšela màjbur,ˈ ʾàp-ʾani.ˈ zílela mə̀nna,ˈ dmíxe mənna-dìya.ˈ xàrṯa,ˈ ʾáy mŭṛáštəlle ʾaw-ʿafrī̀t.ˈ mə́re mò-băyət?ˈ mə́ra máprəxli gu-šmàyya.ˈ mára dwíqəlla hátxa gu-ʾíḏe dìyeˈ muprə́xəlla gu-šmàyya,ˈ prìxeˈ ʾu-zìle.ˈ mə́re xòniˈ lá har-ʾáxni zlìme,ˈ xá-mənna ṭla-d-o-xèna mára.ˈ mə́re lá har-ʾáxni zlìme.ˈ ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t biš-zlìmɛle mə́nnən.ˈ mə́ra ʾáwwa ʿafrī̀t,ˈ xzi-ʾàyya báxtaˈ gu-d-áwwa sandùqaˈ šawwá-qəfle bíya dìyaˈ ʾarba-mmà-naše hóla dmíxta mənnéy.ˈ ʾáwwa biš-zlìmɛle.ˈ háyyo dɛ́ṛəx l-ʿIrā̀q.ˈ qímla díṛṛa l-ʿIrā̀q.ˈ díṛṛa xá-ga xéta l-ʾaṯrày.ˈ ʾíṯwa tré màlke,ˈ xonăwàṯa.ˈ xá gu-Bàbəl-wewa,ˈ xá gu-Nìnwe.ˈ ʾo-t-Bábəl muxə́na mən-xóne díye gu-Nìnwe.ˈ mə̀reˈ ṱ-ásqəx tápqəx b-xóni gu-Nìnwe.ˈ mə́ra mo-ʾìba!ˈ qyáma sàqɛla.ˈ malə̀kṯa,ˈ málka plíṭɛle mən-bɛ̀ṯa,ˈ wídla xa-ḥàfla.ˈ kúlla kpíše tàma.ˈ malə́kṯa mə̀raˈ kút-xa ṱ-íle rqáḏa mə̀nnaˈ dàməx mə́nna díya.ˈ ʾáwwa gáwṛa díya síqɛle l-Nìnwe,ˈ díṛa ʾə̀ṯyɛle.ˈ bár xačča-dàna,ˈ bár xákma šə̀nne,ˈ ʾo-t-Nínwe mə́re ṣálən ʾána tápqən b-xóni gu-Bàbəl.ˈ mára ṣə́lyɛle tfíqa bíye dìye.ˈ mə́re xòniˈ tə́mməl ṱ-ázəx ṣɛ̀da,ˈ xàmləx,ˈ ṭla-xmàla.ˈ xóne díye ʾo-t-Nìnweˈ mə́re xóni ʾána hon-kčìxa.ˈ là-mṣən ʾə́dyo pálṭən.ˈ hòla ʾáqli mráʾa,ˈ pɛ̀šən bɛ́ṯa.ˈ ʾánna xène,ˈ málka rhìwa xábra ṱ-ázi ṣɛ́da,ˈ qíme plíṭe zíle xḏàra,ˈ ṣɛ̀da.ˈ báxtət màlka,ˈ wídlaˈ ʾo-mə́ndi t-wáwa wíḏta ʾó-yoma xèna.ˈ wídla ḥàfla,ˈ mə́ra kút-xa ṱ-íle rqàḏa mə́nnaˈ dàməx mə́nna.ˈ xónət málka xzèle ʾáwwa mə́ndi.ˈ ʾánna lɛ̀wa xzáyəlle.ˈ tíwa xa-dùkṯa,ˈ ʾáwwa xzàyəlla,ˈ ʾánna lɛ̀wa xzáyəlle.ˈ xóne díye ṯèle,ˈ mə́re xòniˈ ʾána xašwə́nwa har-ʾàna hon-zlíma,ˈ ʾáti bìš-zlima mə́nni!ˈ mə́re mòdila xóni?ˈ mə́re hàtxɛla qə́ṣṣət.ˈ qyàmɛle,ˈ lɛ̀le mheymóne.ˈ yómə trèˈ mə́re xòniˈ lan-mhaymòne,ˈ ṭḷàṯaˈ mə́re xá-ga múr ʾána ṱ-ázən ṣɛ̀daˈ ʾu-b-ay-góta xéta gnù gánux.ˈ háyyo làxxa,ˈ b-áyya dúkṯa ṱ-ìn táwaˈ gu-d-áyya ṭàrma.ˈ xzí mo-bàre.ˈ yómə ṭḷàṯaˈ márɛle xóne díye xá-ga xéta ʾo-t-Bàbəlˈ yáwəlle xábra ṭla-náše dìyeˈ mára ṱ-ázəx ṣɛ̀da.ˈ ʾánna plàṭɛla,ˈ kúlla zála ṣɛ̀da,ˈ m-a-góta xéta málka gnàwəlla gān-dìye.ˈ ṯàyɛleˈ kə́s-xóne dìyeˈ ʾu-tíwɛle gu-xa-pàlkon,ˈ lɛ̀la xzáyəlle,ˈ ʾàp-xa lɛ́le-ḏiya bíye,ˈ sə̀rr-ile.ˈ mára malə́kṯa plìṭṭɛlaˈ xá-ga xéta nàfšə-šay.ˈ ʾàyˈ ʾu-xolamwàṯaˈ kúlla rqáḏa ġḏáḏe zmàra,ˈ mára xa-ʿăbī́d kòmaˈ dmáxɛla mə́nne díye ʾày.ˈ ʾáwwa xzàyəlla,ˈ mə́re xzélux xòni?ˈ t-là-ʾamrət ʾána wáḏənˈ be-baxtùṯa ʾə́llux.ˈ ʾáyya bàxtuxˈ xzi-mòdila wáḏa.ˈ mára gríšle sɛ̀pa,ˈ tràṯnaˈ kúlla-ʾani qəm-qaṭlìla.ˈ màlkaˈ ʾu-xóne dìyeˈ ʾan-ʿăbī́d ʾu-bàxtaˈ kùlla-ʾani qəm-qaṭlíla.ˈ mə́re xóni ṱ-ázəx dùnyeˈ xázəx ʾən-ʾìṯ náše biš-zlíme mə́nnən,ˈ dɛ̀ṛəx.ˈ ʾən-lìṯ biš-zlíme mə́nnən,ˈ har-ṱ-àzəx.ˈ m-táma ṣláyɛla l-Bàṣra.ˈ ṣláyɛla l-Bàṣra,ˈ táma manyóxela xo-xa-ʾilánət xùrme,ˈ ʿal-ʾasā́s ṱ-áṯya ḏa-bàxəraˈ xa-mə̀ndiˈ ṱ-átwi gáwe, ṱ-àzi.ˈ mára xá-bena xzéla gu-yàma,ˈ gu-yáma plíṭle xa-tə̀nnaˈ síqle gu-šmàyya.ˈ plíṭɛle ʾə̀ṯyɛleˈ xa-ʿafrī̀tˈ plíṭɛle gu-yàma,ˈ hóle xá-sanduqa dwíqa hátxa rəš-rúše dìye.ˈ ʾə̀ṯyɛle,ˈ ʾə́ṯyɛle l-d-ay-ʾilàna.ˈ ʾánna ríqela síqela rəš-d-ay-ʾilána m-zdùṯa.ˈ múttəlle ʾo-sandúqa m-áxxa l-tămàha.ˈ ʾáw hóla šawwà-qəfle bíye díye,ˈ b-d-ò-sanduqa.ˈ pṯíxa xá-w tré-w ṭḷáṯa-w ʾàrpa,ˈ xá-bena plíṭṭɛla xa-bràta.ˈ ʾína mù-brata!ˈ šúprə dúnye hóle ʾəlla-dìya.ˈ mára plìṭṭɛlaˈ mə́re de-zmùr-u rqúḏ,ˈ mára ʾáy-brata zmìrta,ˈ ʾo-ʿafrít mə́re tla-d-ày,ˈ píšla har-rqàḏa,ˈ zmára-w rqáḏa, zmàra.ˈ mára tíwtɛla márzət yàma.ˈ ʾaw-múttəlle réše-diye rəš-nɛ́ka dìya.ˈ ʾáyya xɛ́ra hátxa gu-ʾilàna,ˈ xzéla ʾan-tre-náše tàma.ˈ ʾáwwa ṭlìle ʾawwa-ʿafrī́t.ˈ šqílta réše mattóye mtútəlle l-ằra.ˈ mə́ra háyyo ṣlò!ˈ mə́ra là ṣalítu,ˈ hadíya măṛəšánne ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t qaṭə̀llɛxu.ˈ ʾáni-ži qímela ṣə̀lyela,ˈ mò-băyət?ˈ mə́ra hàlluliˈ ʾisəqyaṯɛ̀xu.ˈ mpúlṭəlla ʾisəqyáṯa dìya.ˈ mpuláṭṭɛla xa-zə̀njir.ˈ ʾarbá-mma-w xamšì ʾisəqyáṯa b-d-á zə́njir.ˈ ʾáp-ʾani drìṯəlla,ˈ mə́ra háyyo hàtxa wúḏu!ˈ kízla ʾáxxa l-tàmmaˈ mə́ra hóle b-ṯáya ʾaxə̀llɛxu.ˈ mə́ra xzò.ˈ ʾána ṭlíbtənwa l-brónət màmi.ˈ ʾó-yomət gorànwa,ˈ ʾə́ṯyɛle ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t gnìwəlli.ˈ ʾu-gu-d-àwwa sandúqaˈ ʾu-mən-d-áwwa ʿafrī̀tˈ ʾarbá-mma-w xámši náše hon-dmìxta mənnéy.ˈ ʾən-là,ˈ măṛəšánne ṱ-axə̀llɛxu.ˈ píšela màjbur,ˈ ʾàp-ʾani.ˈ zílela mə̀nna,ˈ dmíxe mənna-dìya.ˈ xàrṯa,ˈ ʾáy mŭṛáštəlle ʾaw-ʿafrī̀t.ˈ mə́re mò-băyət?ˈ mə́ra máprəxli gu-šmàyya.ˈ mára dwíqəlla hátxa gu-ʾíḏe dìyeˈ muprə́xəlla gu-šmàyya,ˈ prìxeˈ ʾu-zìle.ˈ mə́re xòniˈ lá har-ʾáxni zlìme,ˈ xá-mənna ṭla-d-o-xèna mára.ˈ mə́re lá har-ʾáxni zlìme.ˈ ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t biš-zlìmɛle mə́nnən.ˈ mə́ra ʾáwwa ʿafrī̀t,ˈ xzi-ʾàyya báxtaˈ gu-d-áwwa sandùqaˈ šawwá-qəfle bíya dìyaˈ ʾarba-mmà-naše hóla dmíxta mənnéy.ˈ ʾáwwa biš-zlìmɛle.ˈ háyyo dɛ́ṛəx l-ʿIrā̀q.ˈ qímla díṛṛa l-ʿIrā̀q.ˈ díṛṛa xá-ga xéta l-ʾaṯrày.ˈ	There were once two kings, brothers. One was in Babylon and one in Nineveh. The one in Babylon missed his brother in Nineveh. He said ‘Let’s go up and meet my brother in Nineveh’. They said ‘That’s fine’. They went off. The queen, when the king left the house, held a party. Everybody gathered there. The queen said that whoever danced with her would sleep with her. Her husband went up to Nineveh, then returned home. After some time, after a few years, the king of Nineveh said ‘I shall go down and meet my brother in Babylon’. So, he went down and met him. He said ‘Brother, tomorrow let’s go hunting and have a good time, for fun’. His brother from Nineveh said ‘Brother, I am tired. I cannot go out today. My leg hurts. I shall stay at home.’ As for the others, the king announced that they would go hunting, so they went off around (the countryside) on a hunt. The wife of the king did what she had done the day before. She held a party. She said that whoever danced with her would sleep with her. The brother of the king saw this, but they did not see him. He was sitting in a place where he saw them but they did not see him. His brother came back and he said ‘Brother, I thought that only I was wronged, but you are more wronged than me’. He said ‘What is it brother?’ He said ‘The situation is like this’. He stood up in disbelief. The next day he said ‘Brother, I do not believe it’. On the third day he said ‘Say again “I am going hunting” and hide yourself elsewhere. Come here, in the place where I am sitting, in the porch. Watch what happens’. On the third day his brother, the one from Babylon, again made an announcement to the people saying ‘Let’s go hunting’. They went out, they all went hunting, but the king hid somewhere else. He came to his brother and sat on a balcony, where they did not see him. Nobody knew about him, it was a secret. Now, the queen came out and again the same thing (happened). She and her servants all danced and sang together. She slept with a black slave. He saw her and said ‘Have you seen, brother? Don’t say that I am being deceitful to you. Look what your wife is doing’. He drew his sword and both of them killed all those (present). The king and his brother killed all the slaves and the wife. He said ‘Brother, let’s go out into the world. If we find that there are people more wronged than us, we shall return. If there are none more wronged than us, we shall continue on our way. From there they went down to Baṣra. They went down to Baṣra and rested there under a date palm tree, waiting for a boat to come, in which they could board and continue on their journey. Then, they saw in the sea, they saw a plume of smoke come out of the sea and go up into the sky. A demon came out, came out of the sea, holding a box like this on his shoulders. He came to that tree. They ran and climbed the tree out of fear. He put the box on one side. There were seven locks on that box. He opened, one, two, three, four, then a girl came out, but what a girl! She was of a unique beauty. She came out and he said ‘Sing and dance’, then the girl sang—the demon said to her—she started dancing and singing, dancing and singing. Then she sat on the shore of the sea. He put his head on her thigh. She looked thus into the tree and saw those two men there. The demon was asleep. She took his head and put it on the ground. She said ‘Come down!’ She said ‘If you don’t come down, I shall wake this demon and he will kill you’. So, they came down (and said) ‘What do you want?’ She said ‘Give me your rings’. They took off their rings. She took out a chain. There were four hundred and fifty rings on that chain. She put also these (on it). She said ‘Come and do (as I say)’. They tried (to remonstrate) in this way and that, but she said ‘He will come and eat you’. She said ‘Look, I was engaged to my cousin. The day I would have got married, this demon came and stole me away. (Travelling) in this box together with this demon, I have slept with four hundred and fifty men. If (you) do not (sleep with me), I shall wake him and he will eat you’. They were forced (to submit). They also went with her and slept with her. Then she woke the demon. He said ‘What do you want?’ She said ‘Make me fly up into the sky’. He held her like this with his hand and made her fly into the sky and they flew off. He said ‘Brother, we are not the only ones that are wronged’, said one of them to the other. ‘We are not the only ones that are wronged. This demon is more wronged than us’. They said ‘This demon—look this woman in the box with seven locks has slept with four hundred men. He is more wronged (than us). Come, let us return to Iraq. They got up and returned to Iraq. They returned again to their land.

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Transcription:

ʾíṯwa tré màlke,ˈ xonăwàṯa.ˈ xá gu-Bàbəl-wewa,ˈ xá gu-Nìnwe.ˈ ʾo-t-Bábəl muxə́na mən-xóne díye gu-Nìnwe.ˈ mə̀reˈ ṱ-ásqəx tápqəx b-xóni gu-Nìnwe.ˈ mə́ra mo-ʾìba!ˈ qyáma sàqɛla.ˈ malə̀kṯa,ˈ málka plíṭɛle mən-bɛ̀ṯa,ˈ wídla xa-ḥàfla.ˈ kúlla kpíše tàma.ˈ malə́kṯa mə̀raˈ kút-xa ṱ-íle rqáḏa mə̀nnaˈ dàməx mə́nna díya.ˈ ʾáwwa gáwṛa díya síqɛle l-Nìnwe,ˈ díṛa ʾə̀ṯyɛle.ˈ bár xačča-dàna,ˈ bár xákma šə̀nne,ˈ ʾo-t-Nínwe mə́re ṣálən ʾána tápqən b-xóni gu-Bàbəl.ˈ mára ṣə́lyɛle tfíqa bíye dìye.ˈ mə́re xòniˈ tə́mməl ṱ-ázəx ṣɛ̀da,ˈ xàmləx,ˈ ṭla-xmàla.ˈ xóne díye ʾo-t-Nìnweˈ mə́re xóni ʾána hon-kčìxa.ˈ là-mṣən ʾə́dyo pálṭən.ˈ hòla ʾáqli mráʾa,ˈ pɛ̀šən bɛ́ṯa.ˈ ʾánna xène,ˈ málka rhìwa xábra ṱ-ázi ṣɛ́da,ˈ qíme plíṭe zíle xḏàra,ˈ ṣɛ̀da.ˈ báxtət màlka,ˈ wídlaˈ ʾo-mə́ndi t-wáwa wíḏta ʾó-yoma xèna.ˈ wídla ḥàfla,ˈ mə́ra kút-xa ṱ-íle rqàḏa mə́nnaˈ dàməx mə́nna.ˈ xónət málka xzèle ʾáwwa mə́ndi.ˈ ʾánna lɛ̀wa xzáyəlle.ˈ tíwa xa-dùkṯa,ˈ ʾáwwa xzàyəlla,ˈ ʾánna lɛ̀wa xzáyəlle.ˈ xóne díye ṯèle,ˈ mə́re xòniˈ ʾána xašwə́nwa har-ʾàna hon-zlíma,ˈ ʾáti bìš-zlima mə́nni!ˈ mə́re mòdila xóni?ˈ mə́re hàtxɛla qə́ṣṣət.ˈ qyàmɛle,ˈ lɛ̀le mheymóne.ˈ yómə trèˈ mə́re xòniˈ lan-mhaymòne,ˈ ṭḷàṯaˈ mə́re xá-ga múr ʾána ṱ-ázən ṣɛ̀daˈ ʾu-b-ay-góta xéta gnù gánux.ˈ háyyo làxxa,ˈ b-áyya dúkṯa ṱ-ìn táwaˈ gu-d-áyya ṭàrma.ˈ xzí mo-bàre.ˈ yómə ṭḷàṯaˈ márɛle xóne díye xá-ga xéta ʾo-t-Bàbəlˈ yáwəlle xábra ṭla-náše dìyeˈ mára ṱ-ázəx ṣɛ̀da.ˈ ʾánna plàṭɛla,ˈ kúlla zála ṣɛ̀da,ˈ m-a-góta xéta málka gnàwəlla gān-dìye.ˈ ṯàyɛleˈ kə́s-xóne dìyeˈ ʾu-tíwɛle gu-xa-pàlkon,ˈ lɛ̀la xzáyəlle,ˈ ʾàp-xa lɛ́le-ḏiya bíye,ˈ sə̀rr-ile.ˈ mára malə́kṯa plìṭṭɛlaˈ xá-ga xéta nàfšə-šay.ˈ ʾàyˈ ʾu-xolamwàṯaˈ kúlla rqáḏa ġḏáḏe zmàra,ˈ mára xa-ʿăbī́d kòmaˈ dmáxɛla mə́nne díye ʾày.ˈ ʾáwwa xzàyəlla,ˈ mə́re xzélux xòni?ˈ t-là-ʾamrət ʾána wáḏənˈ be-baxtùṯa ʾə́llux.ˈ ʾáyya bàxtuxˈ xzi-mòdila wáḏa.ˈ mára gríšle sɛ̀pa,ˈ tràṯnaˈ kúlla-ʾani qəm-qaṭlìla.ˈ màlkaˈ ʾu-xóne dìyeˈ ʾan-ʿăbī́d ʾu-bàxtaˈ kùlla-ʾani qəm-qaṭlíla.ˈ mə́re xóni ṱ-ázəx dùnyeˈ xázəx ʾən-ʾìṯ náše biš-zlíme mə́nnən,ˈ dɛ̀ṛəx.ˈ ʾən-lìṯ biš-zlíme mə́nnən,ˈ har-ṱ-àzəx.ˈ

m-táma ṣláyɛla l-Bàṣra.ˈ ṣláyɛla l-Bàṣra,ˈ táma manyóxela xo-xa-ʾilánət xùrme,ˈ ʿal-ʾasā́s ṱ-áṯya ḏa-bàxəraˈ xa-mə̀ndiˈ ṱ-átwi gáwe, ṱ-àzi.ˈ mára xá-bena xzéla gu-yàma,ˈ gu-yáma plíṭle xa-tə̀nnaˈ síqle gu-šmàyya.ˈ plíṭɛle ʾə̀ṯyɛleˈ xa-ʿafrī̀tˈ plíṭɛle gu-yàma,ˈ hóle xá-sanduqa dwíqa hátxa rəš-rúše dìye.ˈ ʾə̀ṯyɛle,ˈ ʾə́ṯyɛle l-d-ay-ʾilàna.ˈ ʾánna ríqela síqela rəš-d-ay-ʾilána m-zdùṯa.ˈ múttəlle ʾo-sandúqa m-áxxa l-tămàha.ˈ ʾáw hóla šawwà-qəfle bíye díye,ˈ b-d-ò-sanduqa.ˈ pṯíxa xá-w tré-w ṭḷáṯa-w ʾàrpa,ˈ xá-bena plíṭṭɛla xa-bràta.ˈ ʾína mù-brata!ˈ šúprə dúnye hóle ʾəlla-dìya.ˈ mára plìṭṭɛlaˈ mə́re de-zmùr-u rqúḏ,ˈ mára ʾáy-brata zmìrta,ˈ ʾo-ʿafrít mə́re tla-d-ày,ˈ píšla har-rqàḏa,ˈ zmára-w rqáḏa, zmàra.ˈ mára tíwtɛla márzət yàma.ˈ ʾaw-múttəlle réše-diye rəš-nɛ́ka dìya.ˈ ʾáyya xɛ́ra hátxa gu-ʾilàna,ˈ xzéla ʾan-tre-náše tàma.ˈ ʾáwwa ṭlìle ʾawwa-ʿafrī́t.ˈ šqílta réše mattóye mtútəlle l-ằra.ˈ mə́ra háyyo ṣlò!ˈ mə́ra là ṣalítu,ˈ hadíya măṛəšánne ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t qaṭə̀llɛxu.ˈ ʾáni-ži qímela ṣə̀lyela,ˈ mò-băyət?ˈ mə́ra hàlluliˈ ʾisəqyaṯɛ̀xu.ˈ mpúlṭəlla ʾisəqyáṯa dìya.ˈ mpuláṭṭɛla xa-zə̀njir.ˈ ʾarbá-mma-w xamšì ʾisəqyáṯa b-d-á zə́njir.ˈ ʾáp-ʾani drìṯəlla,ˈ mə́ra háyyo hàtxa wúḏu!ˈ kízla ʾáxxa l-tàmmaˈ mə́ra hóle b-ṯáya ʾaxə̀llɛxu.ˈ mə́ra xzò.ˈ ʾána ṭlíbtənwa l-brónət màmi.ˈ ʾó-yomət gorànwa,ˈ ʾə́ṯyɛle ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t gnìwəlli.ˈ ʾu-gu-d-àwwa sandúqaˈ ʾu-mən-d-áwwa ʿafrī̀tˈ ʾarbá-mma-w xámši náše hon-dmìxta mənnéy.ˈ ʾən-là,ˈ măṛəšánne ṱ-axə̀llɛxu.ˈ píšela màjbur,ˈ ʾàp-ʾani.ˈ zílela mə̀nna,ˈ dmíxe mənna-dìya.ˈ xàrṯa,ˈ ʾáy mŭṛáštəlle ʾaw-ʿafrī̀t.ˈ mə́re mò-băyət?ˈ mə́ra máprəxli gu-šmàyya.ˈ mára dwíqəlla hátxa gu-ʾíḏe dìyeˈ muprə́xəlla gu-šmàyya,ˈ prìxeˈ ʾu-zìle.ˈ mə́re xòniˈ lá har-ʾáxni zlìme,ˈ xá-mənna ṭla-d-o-xèna mára.ˈ mə́re lá har-ʾáxni zlìme.ˈ ʾáwwa ʿafrī́t biš-zlìmɛle mə́nnən.ˈ mə́ra ʾáwwa ʿafrī̀t,ˈ xzi-ʾàyya báxtaˈ gu-d-áwwa sandùqaˈ šawwá-qəfle bíya dìyaˈ ʾarba-mmà-naše hóla dmíxta mənnéy.ˈ ʾáwwa biš-zlìmɛle.ˈ háyyo dɛ́ṛəx l-ʿIrā̀q.ˈ qímla díṛṛa l-ʿIrā̀q.ˈ díṛṛa xá-ga xéta l-ʾaṯrày.ˈ

Translation:

There were once two kings, brothers. One was in Babylon and one in Nineveh. The one in Babylon missed his brother in Nineveh. He said ‘Let’s go up and meet my brother in Nineveh’. They said ‘That’s fine’. They went off. The queen, when the king left the house, held a party. Everybody gathered there. The queen said that whoever danced with her would sleep with her. Her husband went up to Nineveh, then returned home. After some time, after a few years, the king of Nineveh said ‘I shall go down and meet my brother in Babylon’. So, he went down and met him. He said ‘Brother, tomorrow let’s go hunting and have a good time, for fun’. His brother from Nineveh said ‘Brother, I am tired. I cannot go out today. My leg hurts. I shall stay at home.’ As for the others, the king announced that they would go hunting, so they went off around (the countryside) on a hunt. The wife of the king did what she had done the day before. She held a party. She said that whoever danced with her would sleep with her. The brother of the king saw this, but they did not see him. He was sitting in a place where he saw them but they did not see him. His brother came back and he said ‘Brother, I thought that only I was wronged, but you are more wronged than me’. He said ‘What is it brother?’ He said ‘The situation is like this’. He stood up in disbelief. The next day he said ‘Brother, I do not believe it’. On the third day he said ‘Say again “I am going hunting” and hide yourself elsewhere. Come here, in the place where I am sitting, in the porch. Watch what happens’. On the third day his brother, the one from Babylon, again made an announcement to the people saying ‘Let’s go hunting’. They went out, they all went hunting, but the king hid somewhere else. He came to his brother and sat on a balcony, where they did not see him. Nobody knew about him, it was a secret. Now, the queen came out and again the same thing (happened). She and her servants all danced and sang together. She slept with a black slave. He saw her and said ‘Have you seen, brother? Don’t say that I am being deceitful to you. Look what your wife is doing’. He drew his sword and both of them killed all those (present). The king and his brother killed all the slaves and the wife. He said ‘Brother, let’s go out into the world. If we find that there are people more wronged than us, we shall return. If there are none more wronged than us, we shall continue on our way.

From there they went down to Baṣra. They went down to Baṣra and rested there under a date palm tree, waiting for a boat to come, in which they could board and continue on their journey. Then, they saw in the sea, they saw a plume of smoke come out of the sea and go up into the sky. A demon came out, came out of the sea, holding a box like this on his shoulders. He came to that tree. They ran and climbed the tree out of fear. He put the box on one side. There were seven locks on that box. He opened, one, two, three, four, then a girl came out, but what a girl! She was of a unique beauty. She came out and he said ‘Sing and dance’, then the girl sang—the demon said to her—she started dancing and singing, dancing and singing. Then she sat on the shore of the sea. He put his head on her thigh. She looked thus into the tree and saw those two men there. The demon was asleep. She took his head and put it on the ground. She said ‘Come down!’ She said ‘If you don’t come down, I shall wake this demon and he will kill you’. So, they came down (and said) ‘What do you want?’ She said ‘Give me your rings’. They took off their rings. She took out a chain. There were four hundred and fifty rings on that chain. She put also these (on it). She said ‘Come and do (as I say)’. They tried (to remonstrate) in this way and that, but she said ‘He will come and eat you’. She said ‘Look, I was engaged to my cousin. The day I would have got married, this demon came and stole me away. (Travelling) in this box together with this demon, I have slept with four hundred and fifty men. If (you) do not (sleep with me), I shall wake him and he will eat you’. They were forced (to submit). They also went with her and slept with her. Then she woke the demon. He said ‘What do you want?’ She said ‘Make me fly up into the sky’. He held her like this with his hand and made her fly into the sky and they flew off. He said ‘Brother, we are not the only ones that are wronged’, said one of them to the other. ‘We are not the only ones that are wronged. This demon is more wronged than us’. They said ‘This demon—look this woman in the box with seven locks has slept with four hundred men. He is more wronged (than us). Come, let us return to Iraq. They got up and returned to Iraq. They returned again to their land.