An orthography for C. Urmi

ʾa masala tanənna k̭a-diyyux ʾatən ʾila xá-dana cačala ʾətva ɟu-xá mdita. ʾətva ⁺raba cačalə. k̭urbət ⁺ʾəsrá-danə cačálə-ʾətva. ʾətvalun suysət k̭esa xuté. ci-maxiva ⁺ʾallu, c-aviva ⁺bərxaṱa m-dá-riša ⁺ʾal-dó-riša, m-dá-riša ⁺ʾal-dó-riša, c-áviva vada nu búbəšk̭a! nu búbəšk̭a! ʾax꞊ət ⁺maṱrúyəna suysə. ʾina c-aziva ⁺malyat šak̭liva mən-našə, mən-duccananə ci-⁺jammiva ⁺malyat b-dó-məndi ci-xayyíva-ʾannə. ʾina ʾa ⁺ɟurət cačalə ⁺ɟurət cačalə ⁺yanə sar-dasteva ʾiva buš ⁺ʾullul mən dan-xinə. xəšlə cəs xá-dana ⁺tajər. ʾo-⁺tajər k̭a-dá cačala ⁺raba ci-⁺bayyiva. ⁺raba ci-⁺bayyiva ⁺tajər ⁺bəddayət mú꞊ilə-xina? ⁺raba ci-⁺bayyiva k̭a-dá cačala. xəšlə cəslu k̭at-šak̭əlvalə zuyzə. moriša-jáldə꞊da ci-k̭emiva, m-k̭am našə napliva ⁺ʾal-⁺šula, k̭at-zuyzé šak̭lívalə mənné, našə yavví-valun ⁺malyat. ci-šak̭liva zuyzə, c-aziva, xayyiva biyyé. ʾó-yuma ʾa cačala xəšlə cə́s ⁺tajər. mərrə k̭atu ⁺tajər mərrə k̭a-cačala k̭at-ʾana bərrə́xšəvən ⁺ʾal-Macca. Macca ⁺bəddayət mu꞊ila? ʾannə məššəlmanə c-azi Macca Madina. Macca ^Pziyɑ̄rát.^P mərrə ʾana bərrəxšən ⁺ʾal-Macca k̭a-tré yarxə ʾu-zuyzət tre-yarxə b-yavvən k̭atux buš-⁺raba. ʾina ⁺ʾaynux ʾoya ⁺ʾal-məndiyyi ⁺ʾal-xayyuyti. ʾiman tili ⁺dərri bət-yavvənnux ⁺raba. mərrə ⁺raba ⁺spay ʾu-švək̭lə b-šena. nšə́k̭lun ⁺ʾúydalə. cačala xəšlə ʾu-⁺tajər xəšlə beta. ⁺tajər ʾətval xa-baxta ⁺raba šap̭ərta. tuxmənnə k̭at-ʾa-baxta ʾica mattila k̭át ⁺xiyalu ʾavi ⁺rahat. tuxmənnə ⁺raba ⁺raba, mərrə k̭at-ʾətli xá-dana ⁺xora, ⁺hájilə. ⁺ʾáv꞊da xíšələ Macca, xíšələ Madina, xíšələ ⁺hār. ⁺raba mhumna nášələ. cúl-našə ⁺yaṱṱilə. lablən mattənna cəslu. bəšk̭álolə baxtu bərrə́xšələ cəs-⁺haji. márələ ⁺haji, ⁺xori, ʾana həč-ducta lá mučəxli k̭at-baxti mattənna hemanta. muyyon cəslux. ʾannə꞊da xa dunyə dávəna k̭atux k̭át ʾən xurəjlux k̭a-baxti, ʾən ⁺bsərrun ʾana pṱ-atən b-yavvənnun. ʾu-⁺haji márələ ʾo ⁺raba ⁺spay. ʾana baxtət diyyux ʾax-xa-xátila. ʾana ⁺raba ⁺spay bət-ʾavən muk̭á yyad mənno, həšyar. ʾaha mattúyolə baxtu ⁺tama ʾu ⁺tajər bərrə́xšələ Macca k̭á tré-yarxə ʾu cačala bərrə́xšələ betu ʾu-baxta mattúyona cəs-⁺haji. bubəšk̭a! nu bubəšk̭a xa tre ⁺ṱla šabatə ⁺várəla. ʾayya baxta bərrə́xšəla ⁺hammam. ʾu ⁺háji꞊da bərrə́xšələ ⁺hammam. bəxzáyolə ʾayya baxta ⁺raba šapərta b-⁺paġro ʾu šavvútələ ⁺ʾallo. ⁺bayyə ʾazəl k̭urbo. baxta lela bəšvak̭a. ⁺ʾavva ⁺haji ⁺raba ⁺nərvə́s꞊lə ⁺byáyələ xela ʾavəd ⁺ʾallo. baxta č̭arč̭úrəla. č̭arč̭úrəla ʾu ⁺haji ʾə́tvalə xá-dana riɟa. ⁺raba ⁺spay꞊iva ʾo-riɟa. ⁺raba mhúmnəva k̭a-⁺haji. bərrəxšəl ⁺bərxaṱəl ɟaváy bəxzáyələ ʾina ⁺haji šulxaya ʾu baxta šulxeta. ⁺haji ⁺bəddáyələ k̭əssat mu꞊ila k̭a-riɟa márələ k̭át bəxzayət ʾa-baxta ⁺raba ⁺srə́xtəla, ⁺srəxta ⁺yanə ⁺hār vítəla ⁺yanə xərbəla. ʾatxa baxtatə ɟari peši ⁺k̭ṱilə. dúk̭ʾido ⁺surrun, lábəlla ɟú vaddar mən-mdita ɟu-meša, ⁺k̭ṱulla. riɟa májbur꞊ilə. májbur꞊ilə šak̭əlla baxta labəlla. ʾido ⁺bəsyarelə labúlolə k̭at-⁺k̭aṱəlla. ʾu-ʾayya baxta ⁺raba nonúyəla ⁺xáyəš vadən mənnux lá ⁺k̭ṱulli bəxya, ⁺raba bənpala ʾák̭lu bənšak̭é k̭at-lá ⁺k̭ṱulli. cúl-məndit ⁺bayyət yavvannux, ʾo-julli, cúl-məndit ⁺bayyət davi, ⁺raba davə ʾətli, k̭annəšyatət dava ɟardánband dava, ʾisák̭tət dava. cúl-məndit ⁺bayyət šk̭ullun. ʾaxči lá ⁺k̭ṱulli! lé-⁺bayyan metan. ʾu riɟa ləbbu bək̭yádələ. lelə ⁺bək̭ṱalo. bəšk̭alelə jullo šaluxelə ʾina ⁺haji mírəva k̭at-jullo dəmmanə mayyətlun k̭ati k̭a-riɟu. baxta márəla k̭át b-yavvannux ⁺raba zuyzə ʾu ʾa-zannatti, zannatti ⁺yanə davi labəl zabənnun. šk̭ullux xá-dana ʾərba, ⁺k̭ṱulla dəmmo máttilə ⁺ʾal-julli lábəlla k̭á marux. ʾa riɟa ʾá-məndi vádulə. baxta bəšvak̭o l šulxeta ⁺tama ɟu-meša ⁺bár m-mdita. bəšvak̭o l ⁺tama. riɟa bərrə́xšələ. bəšk̭ala xá-dana ⁺ṱera ⁺bək̭ṱálulə. dəmma mattúyulə ⁺ʾal-jullo, mayyelə k̭a-⁺haji. mara ⁺k̭ṱilali. ⁺haji ⁺ráhat꞊ilə. ʾayya baxta ⁺tammaxabúləla. ⁺várəla xút ɟəllalə k̭alpə ʾu... k̭at-lá xabla. nixa nixa nixa nixa k̭arbúnəla la-mdita. k̭urbət mdita ʾətva bət-⁺k̭uravatə. ⁺bəddayət bət-⁺k̭uraváy mu꞊ina? našə ⁺ṱamrilun ɟavé. bərrə́xšəla ⁺tama ɟano bək̭názola. cačala móriša jaldə k̭ímələ. nu bubúšk̭a ⁺maṱrúyələ b-dó k̭esu suysə. bəxzáyələ ⁺hala jáldəla. ⁺saʾat xámšəla. ʾica p̭ṱ-azəl ʾadiyya? mara ʾazən xač̭č̭a ⁺maxleta miyya ʾavəd miyya ⁺yanə ⁺jā́r xəšlə ⁺tama k̭at-⁺jā́r. xzilə ʾina xá-dana riša ⁺bəryámələ, bəcyápələ, ⁺bəryámələ bəcyápələ. xač̭č̭a buš-k̭urba xəšlə xzilə nášələ. ⁺xarta xač̭č̭a꞊da k̭amta xəšlə. mərra k̭atu k̭át ʾoyan ⁺xlapux, lá-ta k̭urba, šulxetən. bərrəxša ʾaxči ɟašúk̭ələ ⁺bəddáyolə ⁺bəddáyolə ʾaha k̭át bax-⁺tájər꞊ila. ʾaha ʾáy ⁺havā́r mara ʾa mú-titəla b-rišo? mara xati sp̭úr ⁺ʾalli dūn-bitá. bətyávələ ⁺ʾal-suysu k̭esa ⁺maṱrúyələ dūz-beta. k̭a-yəmmu márələ ʾicət ʾətlax jullə šapirə hallun k̭ati jaldə! ʾoyan ⁺xlapux k̭a-mu꞊ina? mara lá hamzəm ʾaxči hallun ʾe buš-šapərta lvəštax halla. mara xina-ʾa múthúcmələ? hucmət málcələ? mú꞊ilə? ⁺raba jullə šk̭íləvət ʾita ʾannə꞊da ⁺bayyət šak̭lətlun mənni? mara lá hamzəm ʾaxči hallun. bəšk̭alelə jullət yəmmu labulelə, ⁺rappuyḗl k̭ato. mara xati šk̭úl lvušlun, tá ⁺bari. baxta bəšk̭alela jullə bəlvašela. bitáyəla mara ⁺narahát lá-ʾoyat ʾaxunax lelə mita. ʾana xayən k̭a-diyyax tú ⁺ʾal-suysi lablənnax. ʾáy꞊da ʾák̭lo mattúyola l-á-pāt l-é-patət k̭esa ʾu-mxáyəna bərrə́xšələ beta, labulol beta. k̭a-yəmmu márələ yəmmi k̭u-jaldə vúd ⁺ṱamta k̭a-dá ⁺xanəm čuncət hə́č lela ⁺xəlta xati. ⁺ʾaxla. ʾən xa-naša ⁺buk̭ərrə mənnáx k̭at-ʾaha mánila, tanyat brátila. ʾən mərrax lela lišanax parmənnə. ʾu-cačála꞊da yəmmu ⁺yaṱṱava k̭at-xá-məndi tunilə ṱ-avədlə. k̭əmla zurəzla k̭ato ⁺ṱamta ʾu-jullo lvišela. cačala ⁺pləṱlə. supyalə b-yəmmu ⁺plə́ṱlə xəšlə ⁺bár ⁺šulu. xəšlə ⁺ʾal-dá duccana ⁺ʾal-dé duccana, ⁺ʾal-dé duccana. xá-ɟa ⁺vərra xa ⁺dana ⁺šmilə k̭át ⁺tajər tíyyələ. ⁺tajər bitáyələ ⁺ʾál mdita ⁺mṱáyələ. ʾu-⁺šadúrələ ʾannə mara xallattə k̭a-⁺haji. ⁺šadurul présent ⁺raba ⁺ṱimanta ⁺šadurol k̭a-⁺haji k̭at-baxtu ⁺maddərra. ⁺haji bəšk̭alelə présent ʾina k̭ala lə́t mən-baxta. ⁺tajər márələ balcət ʾana ɟani ʾazən lablənnə p̭-idi xa-məndi ʾu-šák̭lən baxti mayyənna, balcət ⁺k̭anunət dannə ʾátxələ. bəšk̭álələ mədrə xá-dunyə məndi šapira k̭at-múyyulə mən-Macca labulu k̭a-⁺haji. xardúyəna b-k̭dalət ⁺dúydalə, bənšák̭əna ⁺ʾuydalə. ʾu-bətyávəna xa-⁺čáy bəštáyəna, ʾe-pášcaš yavol k̭a-⁺haji. ⁺xarta márələ k̭át ʾé-⁺dana ⁺raba lé hamzəmmiva našə surə mən-našə ⁺ɟurə. masalan ʾíman꞊ət xa naša ⁺ɟura ⁺ʾavərva ɟari k̭emətva ⁺ʾal-ʾák̭lux k̭a-xəmyanux k̭a-xmatux k̭a-savunux. ʾáha꞊zə leva ⁺bašurə hamzəmva mən ⁺haji. mərrə ⁺haji ⁺raba ⁺maxleta ⁺bəṱlabən ⁺raba bənxapən k̭at-tanən hemanti tiyyən lablənna. hemantu báxtuva. mərrə ⁺šurilə ⁺haji ʾatxa bəxya ⁺šulə k̭át ʾa mú tanən k̭a-diyyux? baxtux lḗn-⁺bašurə tanən ʾina májbur꞊īn tanənnux k̭át hemantət diyyux mətla. ⁺tajər mxáyələ ɟu-rišu bəxya ⁺bək̭ṱalol ɟanu. dáx mətla!? mərrə mətla lá b-⁺xabrət diyyan xəšla ⁺ʾal-meša. ʾu-diva ⁺xílolə. bəxya bəxya bas-lətlux xa nišánk̭a? xa nišánk̭a k̭ati yavvət k̭át mujjur məttəla? mərrə lá hə́č məndi lətli-mənno. ʾaxči mətla ʾu-⁺ṱumrali. diva ⁺xilalə. ⁺ʾavva ⁺tajər majbur pyášələ bərrə́xšələ cəs-malca, cəs-malca. k̭a-malca márələ k̭əssat. ^Pdɑstɑ̄n-^Pu marol k̭a-malca k̭at-ʾana baxti múttonva cə́s ⁺haji. ʾadi tiyyən šak̭lənna, márələ mə́ttəla. ʾa-mújjur-ʾoya-⁺yanə? malca ⁺šadúrələ ⁺bár ⁺haji. ⁺bək̭ráyulə ⁺bak̭úrələ mənnu bút baxtət ⁺tajər. mara ʾavən ⁺xlapux ʾaha dúz꞊ila. baxtu múttova cəsli hemanta ʾana ʾax-xati xúmyonva ʾina lá-b-⁺xabrət diyyi xə́štəla ⁺ʾal-meša, diva ⁺xílolə. mújjurra yavvənna xina?! ⁺bar-mə́ttəla mə́ttəla. malca márələ ʾətlux sadə? mərrə hí ⁺k̭urban, ʾavən ⁺xlapux. mánina? mərrə ríɟilə. ʾu ⁺k̭azí k̭at-k̭a-cullə dá mdita c-avəd ⁺k̭azí, ⁺šulanə zarəzlun. ʾu-⁺mállələ ʾu xá-dana ⁺k̭ássab꞊ilə ⁺k̭assab rišət cuča ⁺ʾalula, ⁺ʾávun꞊ilə. cullə ⁺bəddáyəna k̭át mə́ttəla. malca márələ xúb mú-⁺bayyət mənnu xina? ⁺bar-mətta mə́ttəla duna cullə saduyta yávəna. ⁺k̭əryḗl cullə-ʾannə꞊da malca ⁺tama. mərrə hí məttəla. k̭a-yala k̭a-⁺tajər márəna xub-mə́ttəla mə́ttəla baxtux, mú-⁺bayyət mənnu? laxxa cačala cullə ʾannə ⁺bəšmayelə. brata ɟu-bétula. ʾina bəxzáyələ k̭at-⁺haji mú꞊ilə vada. bəxzáyələ ⁺ʾatra mújjurra ⁺bəxdárələ. bəxzáyələ malca mújjurra ⁺divan vádələ. ʾannə cullə bəxzayelə. cullə ⁺bəšmayelə. bərrə́xšələ ⁺raba ⁺pšima k̭a-dá məndi k̭at-ləttən xa məndi ɟā́v ⁺ʾatra k̭át xəžbuyna ʾodət ⁺ʾallu. bərrəxša k̭a-baxta márələ. mara ⁺raba ⁺bəpšáməvən xati ⁺ɟorax tíyyələ ʾina mírəna k̭at-ʾat-mə́ttəvat ʾu-málca꞊zə k̭úblolə. ʾu-⁺haji cullə k̭ublalun k̭at-ʾat-məttət. baxta bə́xyəla mara ʾoyan ⁺xlapux lábəlli cəs-⁺ɟori. mara xati mujjur lablənnax cəs-⁺ɟorax? cullə ⁺bəddáyəna ʾat-məttət. ʾən ʾadi ⁺yáṱṱi k̭at-ʾatən cəsli bəxxayət ʾu-k̭atax k̭ati k̭a-⁺ɟorax bət-k̭áṱli k̭at-⁺xabré lá-⁺paləṱ duɟla. bas-sp̭úr xazzən mú-⁺ʾamsən ʾodən. ʾa bəsp̭árələ ⁺raba taxmúnələ. b-lelə b-yuma lelə bədmaxa. ^Pbəlɑxará^P ⁺bək̭rayelə ʾan-cačalə xinə. cačalə xinə cullə ⁺bək̭rayelə. k̭əssat da-⁺haji ʾu-⁺tajər, baxtu hak̭uyol k̭até. ʾannə cullə márəna ʾaxnan p-⁺hayyərraxlux, cačalə mara p-⁺hayyərraxlux. mu-ʾodax, mu-le-ʾodax? mara k̭umun ⁺ṱalax ⁺ṱālta. cačala váyələ malca cačala, ʾo-cačalət brata múyyolə váyələ malca, šopət malca. xa mən-cačalə vádulə vazzər. xa vádulə ⁺tajər. xa vádulə ⁺k̭azí. xa vádulə ⁺malla. xa vádulə ⁺k̭assab. xa vadul brata. xa vádulə ⁺tajər k̭aṱ-ilə baxtu tlə́k̭ta. ʾannə cullə šəmmané mat-tuyelə vadelə. šəmmət vazzíru꞊da mattúyulə ʾAlla-Vardi ⁺Xā́n čuncət vazzirət malca ʾaslí ʾilə ʾAlla-Vardi ⁺Xā́n. málca꞊da málcələ. ʾadi ʾannə ⁺ṱávuləna ṱālta k̭át mú ɟari ʾodi. ⁺bəddáyona ʾadi-cullə ʾa-⁺ṱālta mu꞊ila. šəmmané꞊da cullə mattuyelə. k̭á cačalə márələ vimun həšyar xzimun malca cút xa-⁺dana cút-cma xa-⁺dana cút tré-yarxə cút ⁺ṱlá-yarxə xa ci-⁺páləṱ, c-azəl ⁺xdara, saxbər ɟáššək̭ ⁺ʾal-⁺ʾatru k̭at-⁺xadər mən-vazziru. ^Pbəlɑxará^P bitáyəna cačalə, ʾina ʾax-jasusə, ɟaššúk̭əna, bitáyəna k̭á cačala ⁺ɟura márəna k̭át ʾá-šabta malca ⁺pəllan yuma, ⁺pəllan ⁺dana, ⁺pəllan ⁺saʾat ⁺pláṱələ ⁺ʾal-dá ʾurxa. mara ⁺raba ⁺spay. culloxun lípotun darsoxun? mara hí. cúllə꞊da ⁺bəd-dáyəna mu-ʾodi, cullə. ʾannə k̭at-malca bərrə́xšələ, ʾannə꞊da bərrə́xšəna. ⁺tama ʾətva xa-dana beta, ʾina xriva lé-ʾoya našə ɟavu xayyiva. bəxzayət ⁺ʾal-vaddar ɟu-čṓl, ɟu-⁺biyaban ʾəttən bətvatə tlixə. ʾannə cačalə cullə bərrə́xšəna ⁺tama, bətyávəna. bəspárəna k̭at-malca ʾatə. ʾətlə ⁺tama mədrə tre cačalə jasusuyta vádəna k̭at-malca ʾəm-⁺dana ʾadi ʾák̭lu mattila ⁺ʾal-ɟarə. malca ʾaslí mən-vazziru bəxzáyəna m-rə́k̭k̭a ɟu-⁺davva beta tlixa ʾəttən ⁺šrayatə bəlláyəna. malca márələ mánilə bəxxá ɟu-⁺davvó beta? ⁺ʾavva tlixa hə́č-məndi lət-ɟavu. ʾazax xazax mú꞊ilə. bərrə́xšəna ⁺mṱáyəna ⁺ʾallu. ʾannə laxxa cullə ɟané ⁺húdrona. ʾə́t xa cavə, ⁺ʾullul. malca bitáyələ ʾák̭lu mattúyolə hal-⁺tama k̭at-ɟáššək̭, ʾannə ⁺šarúyəna. cačala ʾaslí málcələ. k̭a-xa-vazziru šəmmu múttuyələ ʾAlla-Vardi-⁺Xā́n. ʾu-ʾa-vazzirət k̭aṱ-ilə cəs-malca šə́mmu꞊da ʾAlla-Vardi-⁺Xā́n꞊ilə. cačala xa-b-xá-ɟa mərrə ʾAlla-Vardi-⁺Xā́n, ʾAlla-Vardi-⁺Xā́n! mərrə ^Pbále^P ⁺k̭urban ʾavən ⁺xlapux. ʾo vázzər꞊ət ⁺ʾullul ⁺byayəva taniva malca pummu dvək̭lə. mərrə lá-vud k̭ala! betu ⁺šiyya! ⁺byayət ⁺k̭aṱlilan laxxa? xzí ʾa mút masáləla? maɟar ʾəttən malca xina ɟu-da-⁺ʾatrət diyyi ʾana lēn-⁺bəddá? ɟáššək̭ mú꞊ilə vaya mú k̭a vvúmələ. ʾannə m-⁺tama ɟaššúk̭əna ʾina ʾannə cullə ⁺bəddáyənamálca⁺ʾúllul꞊ilə. cačálak̭aṱ-ilə malca, ⁺bəddáyətxina prəšlux mu꞊ila masala, cačala ʾaslí ʾo-⁺ɟura víyyələ malca ʾadiyya, bədráyələ k̭alə k̭a-xá mən-cačalu ʾilə vazzər bədráyələ k̭alə ʾAlla-Vardi-⁺Xā́n! ʾAlla-Vardi-⁺Xā́n! cačala bitáyələ k̭atu k̭amaytu mara hí ʾavən ⁺xlapux mú ⁺byayət? mərrə bətxarət xa-k̭əssat ʾətva xa-⁺tajər ʾətva. baxtu múttova cəs-⁺haji. xá-ʾaxča məndi ʾətva. tilun cəsli. mərrun baxtu mə́ttəla, ʾina ʾana malca, malcət da-⁺ʾatra cmá xmárənva! cmá xmárənva! lá ⁺buk̭ərri k̭at-ʾa baxta b-mút mota mə́ttəla, daxi məttəla. ʾana ⁺byayən ʾá-k̭əssat taza patxənna. ʾana ⁺bayyən ⁺yáṱṱən. mara hí ʾavən ⁺xlapux xá-ʾaxča-məndi ʾətva, ʾina mara ^Pbále^P ⁺k̭urban ʾiva. cačala ⁺šadúrələ mara xúš ⁺bár ⁺tajər. xa mən-cačalə ʾilə ⁺tajər. ⁺dilux k̭amta mərri. cullə ⁺táməna. xa cačala máyyulə šəmmu ⁺tajər. mara bruni ⁺máxlili. ʾana ⁺raba ⁺rəpyuta vədli ʾát xá-ʾaxča k̭v alta ʾə́tvalux mən-⁺haji k̭at-baxtux litən, məttəla. ⁺raba ⁺máxlili, ⁺páxəlli, ʾana ⁺byayən ʾadiyya šarənna masala. múdiva k̭əssat? ⁺tajər mədrə hak̭úyolə k̭a-malca. mara xúš túy ⁺tamma. ⁺dilux mujjur huk̭y alə xina k̭at-baxtu mə́ttəla. ⁺tajər mat-túyulə ⁺tamma cačala. mara ⁺šadrun ⁺bar ⁺malla. ⁺haji, ⁺malla, ⁺k̭assab cullə mayḗl ⁺tama. mara ⁺haji, ⁺tajər baxtu múttova cəslux. mujjur mətla? mərrə ʾavən ⁺xlapux mətla. diva ⁺xilalə mətla. mərrə xuš-⁺tamma. bitáyələ ⁺malla mara ⁺malla ʾát ⁺dilux baxta mə́ttəla? hí ʾavən ⁺xlapux dáx la-⁺dili! ʾana xzili ɟani ⁺ṱumron. b-mút mota mətla? mərrə pəlla mən-ɟarə ʾəltəx mətla. mərrə ʾát꞊da xuš-⁺tamma. bitáyələ ⁺k̭assab ⁺ʾáv꞊zə mara hí ʾavən ⁺xlapux ʾana xzili mətla, ʾina ʾana xzili pəlla ɟu-havuz xnə́k̭la ʾo-xina ⁺malla márələ mara ʾát mú? mara ʾana xzili k̭at-ʾá-baxta ⁺raba xamxamta ʾə́tvala. ⁺raba xamxamta k̭am-ʾávila, mətla. ʾannə cullə mattuyḗl ⁺tamma mara ʾaxtun tumun ⁺tamma. mara laxxa ʾəttən xá-dana naša xina buš ⁺spay꞊ilə k̭at-yavəllan ⁺xabra. ⁺ʾávun꞊da ʾilə riɟət ⁺haji. memun laxxa riɟa. mémunlə laxxa riɟa. xa mən-cačálu꞊da ríɟəva. riɟa bitáyələ mara ^Pbále^P ⁺k̭urban, ʾavən ⁺xlapux, mú ⁺byáyəvət? mara tunilux, tunilux. lá tunilux, ɟəldux p-šalxənnə malənnə tuyna. malənnə tuyna. ɟari tanətla duzuta. ⁺bəddayət k̭əssattət baxtət ⁺tajə́r mən-⁺haji? mərrə hí ʾavən ⁺xlapux ⁺bəddayon. mərrə mú vila? mərrə ʾavən ⁺xlapux, ⁺haji k̭ati mərrə lablən ⁺k̭aṱlənna. ʾina malca cullə ⁺bəšmayelə ʾannə. ʾannə cullə ⁺ṱalánəna. mara ⁺haji k̭ati mərrə ⁺byáyəva ʾavədva xela ⁺ʾallo ɟu-⁺hammam. ʾana ⁺rxəṱli xəšli ʾu-⁺haji k̭ati mərrə k̭at-ʾá-baxta xrəvta báxtəla. šəmmi maxrəvvalə ɟu-našə šəmmi ṱ-azəl razzəllalə. ɟari lablət ⁺k̭aṱlətla. ʾana ʾido ⁺sireli k̭at-lablən ʾa-baxta ⁺k̭aṱlənna. lublali ɟu-meša, ʾina ⁺ʾuxča baxta bxila ⁺ʾuxča nunila biyyi ⁺ʾuxča ʾidə-ʾák̭li nšik̭ela ləbbi k̭ədlə duzuta k̭ato. lá ⁺k̭ṱilali. švik̭ali. laxxa mara ʾa-baxta xétəla? mara lḗn ⁺bəddá. ʾalaha raxmə ʾavəd ⁺ʾallo k̭at-lá-ʾavi divə ⁺xilo sab-ʾana švik̭ali ⁺tama ɟu-xəšca. mara ʾá꞊da máttunlə ⁺tamma. mattuna ⁺tama. mara ⁺bəddáyətun mu꞊ila? mara lá. mara ʾəttən laxxa xa-cačala, šopət ɟánu꞊zə múttələ xa-cačala xina ɟanu vídolə malca, mara ʾo-cačala laxxa ʾa cačala ʾətlə ⁺xabra mən-da-baxta. xušun ⁺bar-cačala. xacma mən-dan-cačálə꞊da bərrə́xšəna. xa cačala xína꞊da máyuna k̭amaytu. mara ⁺ɟurət cačalət ʾatən. ⁺bayyən ⁺bák̭rən mənnux xa-⁺xabra. ʾətlux ⁺xabra ʾatən mən-da-baxta tlə́k̭ta ʾo mətta, baxtət ⁺haji mən ⁺tajər? mara hí ʾavən ⁺xlapux ʾana ʾətli ⁺xabra. baxta xétəla. ʾana mučxon. ʾadi ɟu-beti bəxxáyəla. k̭a-cačala márəna k̭át xób šk̭úl xuš-mela ʾe-baxta. xa mən-cačálə꞊da vídulə báx-tət ⁺tajər. bərrə́xšələ maya xa dana baxta mulvíšona ʾax-baxta. máyolə. har-ɟu-⁺varto ⁺tama, ʾo cačala xina k̭aṱ-iva ⁺tajər vidu, ⁺ṱúlona ⁺ṱālta, bək̭yaməl mara ʾáy ⁺havā́r! ʾay-⁺k̭ə́ṱma b-riši! ʾaha báxtila. dula xeta lela mətta. ʾa ʾícəva? bəxya bəxp̭ák̭əna ⁺ʾuydale. k̭a-baxta márələ ʾaha ⁺ɟórax꞊lə? mara hí ʾoyan ⁺xlapux! ʾoyan ⁺nədrux! malcət malcə! ʾaha ⁺ɟoril. mara xób. ʾaxtun xp̭uk̭un ⁺ʾúydalə. máttunla ɟu-xá-dana ⁺ʾarabana ʾət-suysavatə lablunla beta. ʾannə bərrə́xšəna beta ʾina ⁺táməna. ʾannə xínə꞊da duk̭un cullə ⁺súrunlun! ⁺súrunlun! cpúšunlun! mara ⁺súrunlun! dúšunlun ɟú ⁺dússak̭! máttunlun ⁺tama. ʾana lé-⁺bayyən xá-ʾaxča məndi ɟu-⁺ʾatrət diyyi ʾavə. ʾana levən ⁺bəddá k̭a-mudi ʾana ʾó-yuma žġíšənva lēnva taxmunə ⁺spay ⁺rahat. ʾaha xá-ʾaxča ⁺šula ⁺ɟura ʾavə viyya ɟu-da-ʾ⁺atrət diyyi, ʾana lá-⁺yaṱṱən? xób, ʾadi xušun b-šlama. malcət ⁺ʾullul k̭a-vazziru marəl k̭ú ⁺yarmax ʾazax m-k̭am꞊ət k̭a-díyyan꞊da capši ɟú ⁺dússak̭ dešilan ɟu-⁺dússak̭ ʾidan ⁺ʾasrila ⁺k̭aṱlilan. k̭ú betu ⁺šiyya k̭a-vazziru márələ xa-ɟáššək̭ mú k̭a vvumə ɟu-⁺ʾatrət diyyan! ʾannə nixa nixa ⁺bəsláyəna bərrə́xšəna. cačala ⁺bəddáyələ k̭at-malca xəšlə. cačala ⁺bəd-dáyələ malca xəšlə, ʾina ⁺bəddáyələ móriša jaldə malca p-⁺šadər ⁺baru. ɟané ⁺hazər vídona cullə cačalə. málcamórišajáldəbək̭yámələ, cúl-lelə šima lelə dmixa. lelə dmixa mən-⁺narahatuytu. ⁺šadúrələ polisə ⁺šurṱiyyə márəna ⁺bár cačala. ʾicət ʾəttən cačalə bədvak̭é mayena. mayena ⁺tama. k̭a-cačala márələ ⁺ʾe-ṱāltət ⁺bérašə ⁺ṱulalux ⁺ṱulalux, ⁺ṱulalux. lá ⁺ṱulalux, bət-yavvən dastur k̭at-⁺k̭aṱlilux maxilə rišux b-sepa. ⁺jallad ʾətva ⁺tama. mərrə rišux maxilə. cačala k̭a-malca mərrə malca ṱ-avət basima lela b-dá hasanuyta. ʾana šartə mənnux mattən. b-šárt ṱ-odənnə ʾa-⁺šula. mara mu꞊ila šartux? mara k̭a-tré ⁺saʾattə malcutux halla k̭á y. tre ⁺saʾattə malcutux halla k̭á y. malca bək̭yámələ jullu šaluxelə yavḗl k̭atu. cullə cačalə bəlvašena, vazzər, vaccəl, hăsabdɑ̄r, cullə bəlvašena, ⁺táməna. mara mənnux ⁺byáyəna ⁺jā́r darət ⁺maxbərrət k̭a-cullə ⁺ʾatra ʾatə. tánimun k̭at-malca ⁺byáyələ xa ⁺divan ⁺raba ⁺ɟurta ʾavəd cullə ɟari ʾavi ⁺tama. yávələ ⁺xabra cullə našə ⁺bəjmáyəna bitáyəna. cullə ⁺vara ɟaššúk̭əna, ʾina malca vḗl tiva ⁺tamma, ʾina xa-malca xátələ. mara ʾiman ʾa malca vilə ʾaxnan ⁺xabra lətlan? ⁺šadúrələ ⁺bár ⁺tajər ʾaslí, ⁺bár ⁺k̭azi, ⁺bár ⁺k̭assab, ⁺bár ⁺malla, ⁺bár riɟa, cullə mayelə. ⁺šadúrələ ⁺bar ⁺tajər, ⁺bar ⁺haji ʾina ʾan-ʾasliyyə, ⁺baré k̭at-ʾati. ʾadi ⁺hájilə, ⁺tájər꞊ilə, ⁺mállələ, ⁺k̭ás-sab꞊ilə, cullə k̭at-yuvvə saduyta ⁺jummḗl ⁺tama, muyyḗl ⁺tama. muyyḗl ⁺tama. ʾé-⁺dān xzilun, ⁺haji ⁺šurilun ʾák̭lu bərɟada, ⁺paġru bərɟada ləbbu p̭k̭ilə. cačala k̭át viyyəl ʾadiyya malca humzəmlə mərrə ⁺bəddáyətun ɟu-da-⁺ʾatra mú k̭a vvúmələ? ʾana lé-⁺bayyən loma mayyən ⁺ʾal-malca ʾaslí, ʾina xá-ʾaxča k̭əssat vítəla. xá-ʾaxča məndi vilə laxxa k̭at-xá ⁺tajər baxtu mayyila mattə cəs-⁺haji. ⁺haji ⁺xarta k̭a ̄́m ⁺ʾal-ɟano ⁺xarta yavvəl k̭a-riɟu labəl ⁺k̭aṱəlla. riɟa raxmə vidəl ⁺ʾallo, lelə ⁺k̭ṱilo. ʾá-məndi k̭abúlutun? cút-xa b-xá k̭ala mərrə lá. mərrə k̭a-yala mərrə ʾatən ʾətvalux k̭v alta mən-⁺haji? mərrə hí ⁺k̭urban dáx꞊ət mərri k̭atux, malca ṱ-avət basima, ʾana bərrə́xšənva ⁺ʾal-Macca ʾu-baxti muyyali muttali cə́s ⁺haji săbab ⁺raba mhúmnəva ci-⁺bayyə́nvalə, ⁺xóriva. ⁺bəddáyənva k̭at-xíšələ Macca xíšəle ⁺haji viyəl ʾáx xa-dana xălifa ʾáx xa-dana ʾabuna, patriyarca lətlə xa ⁺xṱita ⁺xə́lṱa. baxti mut-tali cəslu. ʾina ʾana tili šak̭lə́nvala mərrə mə́ttəla. tili cəs-malca, malca mərrə xób mətta mə́ttəla. mú ⁺bayyət mən-xa-mita? ʾu-cullə sadu yuvvəllun saduta k̭at-mə́ttəla. malca ⁺haji ⁺k̭rilə. mərrə ⁺byayən ⁺bák̭rən bút báx-tət ⁺tajər dáx vítəla? ⁺haji ⁺šurilə bəxya ʾina ʾaslí ⁺šuríl bəxya mərrə k̭at-baxtu diva ⁺xilalə. mərrə máttunlə ⁺tamma. muttilun ⁺tamma har-dáx꞊ət mərri k̭amta ʾu-tilə ⁺k̭assab, tilə ⁺malla, tilə ⁺k̭azi, cullə tilun. xá-mənne mərrə k̭át diva ⁺xílolə. xá-mənne mərrə pəlla ɟu-havuz. xá-mənne mərrə xumxəmla mətla. xá-mənne pəlla mən-ɟarə mətla. ʾannə cullə mərrə tumun ⁺tamma ʾani təvlun ⁺tamma. k̭a-dé-baxta mírəva mərrə ʾən ⁺šudərri ⁺barax lá ⁺zadyat, ʾatyat. k̭a-dan-cačalət ɟanu malca márələ k̭át tré-⁺ṱla dánə꞊da ⁺šurṱiyyə ʾati mənnoxun k̭at-lá p̭-urxa ⁺k̭aṱlila. ʾannə bərrə́xšəna baxta bəšk̭alo máyona. yala ⁺tajər har-bəxzáyolə baxtu, ⁺havar vádələ. mxáyələ ɟu-rišu. ʾáy ʾavən ⁺xlapux, ʾa báxtila, bás márəva mə́ttəla. ʾina ⁺bar-našuyta cullə ɟaššúk̭əla, cullə ⁺narahát bəxya. báxta꞊da ⁺bərxáṱəla cəs-⁺ɟoro bəxp̭ák̭ula. ʾáy ⁺havā́r ʾa ⁺ɟórilə. mara ʾaxtun ʾa báxtux꞊la? hí. baxta, ʾa ⁺ɟórax꞊lə? hí, ʾa ⁺ɟórilə. bəxpák̭əna ⁺ʾúydalə. mara ʾannə máttimunlun ɟu-xá lilánk̭a ʾət-susavatə ⁺mámṱimunlun beta. ʾannə bərrə́xšəna. bitáyələ ⁺haji, ⁺malla, ʾu-⁺k̭assab ʾu ⁺k̭azí. ʾannə cullə mayelə mara ʾannə dúk̭unlun cullə ʾidə-ʾak̭lé ⁺súrunlun. ⁺maxleta laxxa. ʾannə cullə ⁺ʾəmza vədlun ⁺haji ⁺ʾəmza vədlə hí, ʾana ⁺ʾəmza vádəvən diva ⁺xilalə ʾu-⁺k̭assab ⁺ʾəmza vádələ k̭át hí ʾa-baxta pəlla ɟu-havuz, mətla. ʾu ⁺ʾo-malla xina mara k̭át ʾana xzili ʾa baxta mən-ɟare pəlla. ʾina cullə ⁺ʾəmza vádəna, ⁺ʾəmza bəšk̭áləna mənné k̭amta. ⁺ʾəmzé bəšk̭álulə, ʾidaté ⁺bəsyarelə. mara ʾannə láblunlun, máttunlun ɟu-⁺dússak̭ k̭a-hál moté, k̭a-hál꞊ət meti. bək̭yámələ ⁺ʾal-ʾák̭lu. k̭a-malca mara ʾavət basima ⁺raba k̭át ʾa-pərsát yuvvalux k̭ati ʾannə jullux ʾina ʾé-⁺dān ⁺bayyət ʾodət xa-məndi vudlə ʾax-našə. ʾannə jullux ʾannə malcuytux ⁺ʾaxla rišux ʾana lḗn ⁺byayo xina. malca bək̭yámələ ⁺ʾal-ʾák̭lu. cačala ⁺bəzdáyələ, bəxšava k̭at-ʾadiyya rišu maxilə. mərrə lá lá, ʾatən mən-cačalux xinə p̭ṱ-avitun ɟu-^Pdɑ̄rbɑ́̄r^P-ət dìyyi,ˈ ^Pdɑ̄rbɑ́̄r^P ⁺yanə betuytət malcuyta. ʾát ṱ-avət šopət vazziri. ʾannə p̭ṱ-avi ɟú vaccəl vazzər. ⁺raba bəxdáyəvən k̭at-xá-ʾaxča məndi ʾana mučəxli ɟu-məllat. ʾavət ⁺raba basima bəxpák̭ulə. ʾannə cullə bədyašelə vadelə ɟú betuytət malcuyta. basima ⁺raba k̭at-⁺šmilux.

I shall tell you this story. It is (as follows): There was a bald man in a town. There were many bald men. There were nearly ten bald men. They had a wooden horse beneath them. They used to strike it (while) they ran from this side to that side, from this side to that side, and (while) they used to shout1 ‘nu bubəšk̭a! nu bubəšk̭a!’ as if they were riding a (real) horse. Now, they used to go and take protection money from people. They used to gather protection money from shops. They used to live by this. Now, the elder of the bald men, the elder of the bald men, that is he was the head of their gang, he was higher (in rank) than the others. He went to a merchant. The merchant used to like this bald man very much. He liked him very much. You know what a merchant is, right. He used to like this bald man very much. He went to him to take money. In the early morning they used to get up, before people went to work, to take their money from them, the people who used to give them protection money. They used to take money, go off and live by it. On that day the bald man went to the merchant. He said to him, the merchant said to the bald man, ‘I am going to Mecca.’ Do you know what Mecca is? The Muslims go to Mecca, Medina, Mecca, pilgrimage. He said 'I am going to Mecca for two months, and the money of two months I shall give to you, and more too, but keep your eye on my belongings, my livelihood. When I come back and return, I shall give you a great deal.’ He said ‘Very well’ and left him with (a greeting of) peace. They kissed each other. The bald man went (on his way) and the merchant went home. The merchant had a very beautiful wife. He thought about where he could he put this wife of his so his thoughts could be at peace. He thought a lot. He said ‘I have a friend. He is a pilgrim. He too has gone to Mecca and Medina, he has gone on the pilgrimage. He is a very pious man. Everybody knows him. I will take her and place her with him.’ He takes his wife and he goes to the pilgrim. He says ‘ P ilgrim, my friend. I did not find any place to leave my wife in trust. I have brought her to you. These are a load2 of gold coins for you, which, if you spend them on my wife, if they are insufficient, I shall come and pay them (back).’ The pilgrim says ‘Oh, very good! Your wife is like a sister of mine. I shall be very careful with her, vigilant.’ He places his wife there. The merchant goes to Mecca for two months and the bald man goes to his house. They place the wife with the pilgrim. One, two, three weeks pass. The woman goes to the bathroom. The pilgrim also goes to the bathroom. He sees the woman, beautiful in her body, and he desires her. He wants to go near her. The woman does not allow it. The pilgrim became very upset and wants to force her. The woman screams. She screams. Now, the pilgrim had a servant. That servant was very good. He was very faithful to the pilgrim. He goes and runs inside. He sees that the pilgrim is naked and the woman is naked. The pilgrim knows what the situation3 is and says to the servant ‘You can see that this woman is in a mad passion, in a mad passion, that is, she is hot (with passion), that is, she is wicked. Such women should be killed. Seize her and tie her hands. Take her outside the city into the forest and kill her.’ The servant is forced (to do so). He is forced to take the woman away. He ties her hands and takes her to kill her. But the woman begs very much ‘ P lease. I plead with you don’t kill me,’ crying very much, falling kissing his feet (saying) ‘Don’t kill me. I shall give you everything you want—these clothes of mine, everything you want, my gold, I have a lot of gold, gold earrings, a golden necklace, a gold ring, take everything you want. Just don’t kill me! I don’t want to die.’ The servant feels sorry for her.4 He does not kill her. He strips her clothes off, since the pilgrim had said to his servant ‘Bring her bloody clothes to me.’ The woman says ‘I shall give you a lot of money, this ornament of mine, my ornament.’—meaning ‘my gold.’ ‘Take them away and sell them. Take a sheep, kill it, put its blood on my clothes and take it to your master.’ The servant does this. He leaves the woman naked there in the forest, outside of the town. He leaves her there. The servant goes. He takes a bird and kills it. He puts the blood on her clothes and brings them to the pilgrim. He says ‘I have killed her.’ The pilgrim is content.The woman becomes cold there. She enters under shrubs and bark in order not to get cold. Very slowly she comes near to the town. Near the city there was a cemetery. You know what cemeteries are? They bury people in them. She goes there and huddles up. The bald man is awake in the early morning. ‘nu bubušk̭a,’ he is galloping with his piece of wood, the horse. He sees that it is still early. It is five o’clock. Where will he go now? He says ‘I shall go ...’ —pardon, to pass water,’—that is urinate. He went there to urinate. He saw a head going up and down, going up and down. He went a little nearer and saw that it was a person. Then, he went a little further forward. She said to him ‘ P lease, do not come near, I am naked.’ He goes forward and as soon as looks, he recognizes her. He knows that she is the wife of the merchant. He says ‘Oh dear! What has happened to her?’ He says ‘My sister, wait for me. I am coming back.’ He sits on his horse of wood and gallops straight home. He says to his mother ‘Wherever you have beautiful clothes give them to me quickly!’ ‘May I ask5 what are they for?’ He says ‘Don’t speak, just give them. Give (me) your most beautiful dress.’ She says ‘What order is this? Is it the order of the king? What is it? You have taken many clothes, now, do you want to take these too from me?’ He says ‘Don’t speak, just give them (to me).’ He takes the clothes of his mother. He takes them (with him) and throws them to her. He says ‘My sister, take them and put them on, (then) come after me.’ The woman takes the clothes and puts them on. She comes and he says ‘Don’t be upset. Your brother has not died. I am alive for you. Sit on my horse and I shall take you away.’ She puts her leg this side and that side of the wood, they strike (the horse) and he goes home, he takes her home. He says to his mother ‘Mother, get up quickly, make breakfast quickly for this lady, because my sister6 has not eaten anything. Let her eat. If somebody asks you who this is, say “She is my sister.” If you say that she is not, I shall cut out your tongue.’ Now, the bald man—his mother knew that if he said something, he would do it. She got up and prepared breakfast for her, she put on her clothes and the bald man went out. He delivered her into the care of his mother and he went out to work. He went to this shop, to that shop, to that shop. Once some time had passed, he heard that the merchant had come back. The merchant comes back and arrives at the town. He sends gifts7 to the pilgrim. He sends him a very expensive present. He sends it to the pilgrim so that he will return his wife. The pilgrim takes them the present, but there is no word about the woman. The merchant says ‘ P erhaps I myself should go and take something by my own hand and bring my wife back. P erhaps the custom of these people is like this.’ He takes a load of beautiful things, which he has brought from Mecca and takes them to the pilgrim. They embrace each other around the neck8 and kiss one another. The sit down, drink tea and he gives the present to the pilgrim. Then he says—at that time young people did not talk much with the older people. For example, when an old person entered, you would have to get up on your feet, for your father-in-law, for your mother-in-law, for your grandfather. So he (the merchant) did not manage to talk to the pilgrim. He said ‘ P ilgrim, I beg your pardon, I am very ashamed to say that I have come to take what I left in trust.’ His trust was his wife. He said, the pilgrim began crying like this and so forth, (saying) ‘What can I tell you? Your wife—I cannot say (it), but I must tell you that what you left in trust died.’ The merchant beat his head, weeping. He kills himself (in anguish). ‘What do you mean she died!? He said ‘She died. Without our permission, she went to the forest and a wolf ate her.’ He weeps and weeps ‘But do you not have a sign? Can you give me a sign as to how she died?’ He said ‘No, I have nothing of hers. She just died and I buried her. A wolf ate her.’ The merchant has no choice.9 He goes to the king, the king. He tells the king the story. He tells his story to the king (saying) that ‘I placed my wife with the pilgrim. Now I have come back to take her and he says “She has died.” How could this be?’ The king sends for the pilgrim. He summons him and asks him about the wife of the merchant. He says ‘With respect, this is true. He placed his wife with me in trust and I looked after her like my sister, but, without my permission she went to the wood and a wolf ate her. How can I give her back?! After she has died, she has died.’ The king says ‘Do you have witnesses?’ He says ‘Yes, with respect.11’ ‘Who are they?’ He said ‘There is my servant, my servant, and the judge, who works as judge for the whole town and sorts things out, and there is the mullah, and there is a butcher, a butcher, he is the head of the quarter, the street. All know that she is dead' The king says ‘So, what do you want from him? After she has died, she has died. Look they are all bearing testimony.’ The king called all of them there. He said ‘Yes, she is dead.’ They say to the lad, to the merchant ‘So, (if) your wife is dead, she is dead. What do you want from him?’ Here, the bald man is hearing all these things. The girl is in his house. Well, he sees what the pilgrim is doing. He sees how the country is being run. He sees how the king holds a court. He sees all these things. He hears all of them. He goes (on his way), very sad on account of the fact that there is nothing in the land that you can rely on.12 He goes and says to the woman, and says, he says ‘I am very sorry, my sister'. He is going and saying to the wife. He is says ‘I very much regret my sister, your husband has come back but they have said that you have died and the king has accepted it. The pilgrim and everybody has accepted that you have died'. The woman weeps and says ‘Oh please, take me to my husband.’ He says ‘My sister, how can I take you to your husband? Everybody knows that you are dead. If they now know that you are living with me, they will kill you, me and your husband so that their word does not turn out to be a lie. But wait, let me see what I can do.’ He waits and thinks a lot. Night and day he does not sleep. In the end he calls the other bald men. He calls all the other bald men. He tells them the story of, the story of the pilgrim and the merchant and his wife. They all say ‘We shall help you.’ The bald men say ‘We shall help you. What on earth shall we do?'13 He says ‘Get up let’s play a game.’ The bald man becomes a king. The bald man, the bald man who has brought the girl becomes a king, in place of the (real) king. He makes one of the bald men a vizier. He makes one a merchant. He makes one a judge. He makes one a mullah. He makes one a butcher. He makes one a girl. He makes one a merchant whose wife is lost. He fixes all their names. He makes the name of his vizier Allah-Vardi-Khan, because the vizier of the original king is Allah-Vardi-Khan. The king is (called) king. Now they play the game, according to what they have to do. They now all know what this game is, since he fixes all their names. He says to the bald men ‘Be aware, take note that the king every once in a while, every so often, once every two or three months, goes out and tours around, to visit and look at his land, to tour with his vizier.’ Eventually the bald men come—they look around like spies—they come to the head bald man and say ‘This week the king, on such-and-such a day, at such-and-such a time, at such-and-such an hour, is going out on this journey.’14 He says ‘Very good. Have you all learnt your lesson?’ They say ‘Yes.’ They all know what to do, all of them. When the king sets off, they also set off. There was a house there, but it was a ruin, in which people could not live. You see (such ruins) outside, in the desert, in the wilderness there are houses that have collapsed. The bald men all go there and sit down. They wait for the king to come. He (the head of the gang) has there two bald men who act as spies (to see) at what time the king puts his foot on the roof. The real king with his vizier see from afar that in that ruined house there are lanterns burning. The king says ‘Who is living in that house over there, the one that is collapsed? There is nothing in it. Let’s go and see what it is.’ They go and reach it. These (bald men) here have all prepared themselves. These ones here all have prepared themselves. There is a window above. The king comes and places his foot there in order to look, and they begin. The person who is really a bald man15 is the king. He gives his vizier the name Allah-Vardi-Khan. The name of the vizier who is with the king is also Allah-Vardi-Khan. The bald man all of a sudden says ‘Allah-Vardi-Khan, Allah-Vardi-Khan! He said ‘Yes, I am at your service.16’ The (real) vizier above wanted to speak but the king held his mouth. He said ‘Don’t make a sound! Damn it!17 Do you want them to kill us here? Look, what is happening? But is there another king in this country of mine whom I do not know? What is going on, what is happening?' They look from there, but they all know that the king is above. The bald man who is the king—you know, you understand what the story is, the elder bald man has now become the king—shouts to one of his bald men who is the vizier, he shouts ‘Allah-Vardi-Khan! Allah-Vardi-Khan!’ The bald man comes to him, to meet him, and says ‘Yes, at your service, what do you want?’ He said ‘Do you remember there was a story, there was a merchant? He had placed his wife with a pilgrim. There was something like this. They came to me. They said that his wife died, but I the king, the king of this country, what an ass I was! What an ass I was! I did not ask with what (type of) death she died, how she died. I want to open this case afresh. I want to know'. He says ‘Yes, sir, there was such a thing'—but rather he said20 ‘Yes, my lord, there was.’21 The bald man sends (a messenger) saying ‘Go and fetch22 the merchant'. One of the bald men is the merchant. You have understood, I told you previously. They are all there. They bring a bald man who is named as the merchant.23 He (the king) says ‘My son, forgive me, I acted weakly. You had a complaint against the pilgrim that your wife was missing, that she had died. Forgive me, pardon me. I now want to resolve the matter. What was the story?' The merchant tells this again to the king. He says ‘Go and sit over there.’ You know how he told it, that his wife had died. The bald man puts the merchant over there. He says ‘Send for the mullah.’ The pilgrim, the mullah, the butcher, he brings them all there. He says ‘ P ilgrim, the merchant placed his wife with you. How did she die?’ He said ‘My lord, she died. A wolf ate her, she died.’ He said ‘Go and sit over there.’ The mullah comes. He (the bald man) says ‘Mullah, do you know that the woman is dead?’ ‘Yes, my lord, of course I know! I saw it. I have buried her myself.’ ‘By what kind of death did she die?’ He said ‘She fell from the roof and died at the bottom.’ He said ‘You also go over there.’ The butcher comes. He also says ‘Yes, my lord, I saw that she died, but I saw that she fell into the pool and drowned.’ The other one, the mullah, says— he (the bald man) says ‘What do you (have to say)?’ He says ‘I saw that the woman had a great fever. She had a great fever and died.’ He puts them all over there and says ‘You sit over there.’ He says ‘There is here another man, who is better (qualified) to give us a report. He is the servant of the pilgrim. Bring the servant here. Bring the servant here'. One of the bald men was the servant. The servant comes and says ‘Yes, my lord, at your service, what do you want?’ He says ‘(If) you say (the truth), you say (the truth). (If) you do not say the truth, I shall flay your skin and fill it with straw. I shall fill it with straw. You have to tell the truth. Do you know the story of the wife of the merchant with the pilgrim?’ He says ‘Yes, my lord, I know it.’ He said ‘What was it?’ He said ‘My lord, the pilgrim said to me that I should take her and kill her.’ The king hears all of them. They are all actors. He says ‘The pilgrim said to me—he wanted to rape her30 in the bathroom. I ran and went there and the pilgrim said to me that this woman is a bad woman. “She will ruin my (good) name, my (good) name among the people will be lost and she will ridicule me. You must take her and kill her.” I tied her hands to take the woman and kill her. I took her into the forest, but the woman wept so much, she pleaded with me so much, she kissed my hands and feet so much, that, in truth, I felt sorry for her.31 I did not kill her. I left her.’ Here he says ‘Is this woman alive?’ He says ‘I do not know. God have mercy on her that wolves have not eaten her, since I left her there in the dark.’ He says ‘ P ut him also over there.’ They put him there. He says ‘Do you know what?’ They say ‘No.’ He says ‘There is here a bald man’—in the place of himself he has put another bald man, he has made himself the king—he says ‘The bald man here, this bald man has a report about this woman. Go and look for the bald man.’ Some of the bald men go off. They bring another bald man before him. He says ‘You are the elder of the bald men. I want to ask you something. Do you have any news of the woman who has disappeared or died, the woman of the pilgrim, (taken) from the merchant?’ He says ‘Yes, my lord, I have news. The woman is alive. I have found her. Now she is living in my house.’ They say to the bald man ‘Good, go and bring the woman.’ He has made one of the bald men the wife of the merchant. They go and bring a woman, they have dressed her like a woman. They bring her. Just as she enters there, the other bald man whom he had made the merchant—they have played the game (well)—gets up and says ‘Oh alas! Oh ash be on my head! This is my wife. She is alive, she is not dead. Where was she?’ Weeping, they embraced one another. He says to the woman ‘Is this your husband?’ She says ‘May I be your substitute! My I be your offering! King of kings! This is my husband.’ He says ‘Good. You embrace one another. P ut her in a carriage of horses and take her home.’ They go home, but they are there.33 ‘Seize the others and tie them up! Tie them up! Round them up.’ He says ‘Tie them up! Throw them into prison! P ut them there. I do not want such a thing to be in my land. I do not know why I was confused that day and I was not thinking clearly.34 Has such a mighty matter as this taken place in this land of mine and I do not know about it? Good, now go in peace.’The king above says to his vizier ‘Get up, let’s go, before they bundle us into prison, kick us into prison, bind our hands and kill us. Get up—may his house be sealed!’ He says to his vizier ‘Just look what is happening in our land!’ They slowly come down and go on their way. The bald man knows that the king has gone. The bald man knows that the king has gone. The bald man knows that the king has gone, but he knows that early in the morning the king will send for him. All the bald men have prepared themselves. The king gets up early in the morning, during the whole night he has not slept. He has not slept due to his being upset. He sends policemen, we say ‘policemen,’ after the bald man. Wherever there are bald men they seize them and bring them in. They bring them there. He says to the bald man ‘The game that you played last night—if you played it, you played it.35 If you did not play it, I shall issue a decree to kill you, to strike off your head with a sword.’ There was an executioner there. He said ‘He will strike off your head.’ The bald man said to the king ‘King, be well, it is not this easy.36 I shall set conditions with you. I shall do this on one condition.’ He said ‘What is your condition?’ He says ‘Give me your kingdom for two hours. Give me your kingdom for two hours'. The king gets up, takes off his clothes and gives them to him. All the bald men put them on, the vizier, the deputy, the accountant, they all put them on and they are there. He says ‘They want you to make an announcement, to tell all the land to come. Say that the king wants to hold a large court and everybody must be there'. He makes an announcement, all the people gather and come. The all enter and look (and see) that the king is sitting there, but he is a new king. They say ‘When did this man become king (while) we had no word of it?’ He sends for the real merchant, the judge, the butcher, the mullah, the servant. They bring them all. He sends for the merchant, pilgrim, but the real ones, (he sends) for them to come. Now there is the pilgrim, the merchant, the mullah, the butcher—he gathered there all who had given testimony and brought them there. He brought them there. When they saw (what was happening), the legs of the pilgrim began to tremble and his body (began) to tremble. His heart burst (with fear). The bald man who had now become the king spoke and said ‘You know what is happening in this land? I do not want to adduce blame against the real king, but a certain event has taken place, a certain thing has happened here, whereby a merchant brings his wife and places her with a pilgrim, the pilgrim then assaults her, then gives her to his servant to take away and kill. The servant has mercy on her and does not kill her. Do you accept this?’ Everybody with one voice said ‘No!’ He said, he said to the fellow (the merchant) ‘Did you have a complaint concerning the pilgrim?’ Yes, my lord, as I said to you, king be well I was going to Mecca and I brought my wife and placed her with the pilgrim, because he was very pious, I loved him, he was my friend. I knew that he had gone to Mecca, he had gone on the pilgrimage, he had become like a caliph, like a bishop, like a patriarch, he had no sin or mistake. I placed my wife with him. But when I came to fetch her, he said that she was dead. I came to the king and the king said “Now, if she has died, she has died. What do you want from a dead person?” All his witnesses gave their testimony that she had died.’ The king called the pilgrim. He said ‘I want to ask about the wife of the merchant, how did has it come about? The pilgrim—the real one—began to weep, he began to weep, he said that a wolf ate his39 wife. He said ‘ P ut him over there.’ They put him there, just as I said before, and the butcher came, the mullah came, the judge came, they all came. One of them said ‘A wolf has eaten her.’ One of them said ‘She fell into a pool.’ One of them said ‘She got a fever and died.’ One of them (said) ‘She fell from the roof and died.’ (To) all of these he said ‘Sit over there.’ They sat over there. He had said to the woman, he said ‘If I send for you, do not fear, you should come.’ The king says to his own bald men ‘Two or three policemen should come with you so that they do not kill her on the way.’ They go and bring the woman. The lad, the merchant, as soon as he sees his wife, he yells. He beats his head. ‘Oh, my lord, this is my wife, but he had said that she was dead.’ Now, the crowd are all watching, all being moved and weeping. The woman runs to her husband and embraces him ‘Oh joy! This is my husband!’ They embrace one another. He says ‘ P ut these in a horse-drawn carriage and take them home. They go off. The pilgrim comes, the mullah, the butcher and the judge. They bring them all and he says ‘Seize them all and tie their hands and feet.’ P ardon (I forgot to say) here: They all signed. The pilgrim signed, yes, (he says) ‘I sign (and certify) that a wolf ate her.’ The butcher signs that ‘yes, the woman fell into the pool and died.’ The mullah says ‘I saw the woman fall from the roof.’ They all sign. They take a signature from them, previously. They take their signatures and bind their hands. He says ‘Take them and put them in jail until their death, until they die.’ He gets up onto his feet. He says to the king ‘Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity, here are your clothes, but when you want to do something, do it properly.41 Here are your clothes, and your kingdom is your responsibility.42 I do not want it anymore.’ The king gets onto his feet. The bald man is afraid and thinks that now he will strike off his head. He said ‘No, no, you together with your other bald men will be in my court, court, that is the royal household. You will be in place of my vizier. They will be in (place of) the deputy and vizier. I am very pleased that I have found such a thing in the nation. Many thanks.’ He embraces him. He insists on making them (members of) the royal household. Many thanks for listening.