He also runs a very informative website called Fe Doro (The Old Way).

(Hat tip to Kellen.)

The Nishan Shaman rescues Sergudai Fiyanggo and they are on their way back from the Country of the Dead, but Monggoldai Nakcu chases them to strike a bargain.

gvwa juse sabufi gemu golofi sujume boode dosifi han ama de alame ehe oho sergudai ahvn be emu gasha jifi xoforome gamahabi serede

gvwa juse [other children]
sabufi [having seen]

gemu [all]
golofi [having become scared]

sujume [running]
boo-de [home]
dosifi [having entered]

han ama de [to khan-father]
alame [said]

ehe [bad, evil (thing)]
oho [happened]

sergudai ahvn be [Sergudai, elder brother]
emu gasha [a (large) bird]
jifi [having come]

xoforome [seizing]
gamahabi [took]

sere-de [when said]

Seeing this, all the other children became frightened and ran into their house.  They told their father, the khan, “A bad thing happened!  A big bird came and seized our big brother Sergudai, and took him away!”

ilmun han donjifi ambula fancafi hutu be takvrafi monggoldai nakcu be hvlame gajifi beceme hendume sini gajiha sergudai fiyanggo be emu amba gasha xoforome gamaha, erebe，bi bodoci gemu sini arga be boljoci ojorakv，si minde adarame icihiyambi sehede

ilmun han [Ilmun Han]
donjifi [having listened]

ambula [very]
fancafi [having got angry]

hutu be [ghost]
takvrafi [having sent]

monggoldai nakcu be [Monggoldai Nakcu]
hvlame [to call]
gajifi [having brought]

beceme [scolding]
hendume [said]

sini gajiha [brought by you]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
emu amba gasha [a large bird]
xoforome [seized and]
gamaha [took]

ere-be [this] here be is a topic marker
bi [I]
bodoci [if plan]
gemu sini arga be [all your idea, plan]
boljoci ojorakv [cannot agree]

si [you]
minde [to me]
adarame [how]
icihiyambi [(will) manage/handle]

sehe-de [when said]

Listening to this, Ilmun Han got very angry.  He sent a ghost to bring Monggoldai Nakcu to him and scolded him, saying, “A large bird seized Sergudai Fiyanggo, whom you had brought, and took him away.  If this was your plan, I cannot agree to it.  How will you deal with this matter for me?”

monggoldai elhei gvnici gvwa waka, nixan saman dere seme

monggoldai [Monggoldai]
elhe-i [well]
gvnici [when thought]

gvwa waka [no other/ no one else]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
dere [most likely]

seme [said]

Monggoldai slowly considered this and then said, “It was likely none other than the Nishan Shaman.”

uthai hendume ejen ume jili banjire bi gvnici gvwa waka weihun gurun de uju tucike, amba gurun de algin algiha nixan saman jifi gamaha dere, bi te uthai amcame genefi tede baime tuwaki, tere saman gvwa de duibuleci ojorakv sefi uthai amcame genehe

uthai [then]
hendume [said]

ejen [Lord]
ume jili banjire [do not be angry]

bi [I]
gvnici [when thought]

gvwa waka [no one else]
weihun gurun de [in the Land of the Living]
uju [first]
tucike [coming from]

amba gurun de [in great country]
algin [fame]
algiha [became famous]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
jifi [having come]

gamaha [took]
dere [most likely]

bi [I]
te [now]
uthai [immediately]
amcame [to hurry]
genefi [having gone]

tede [there]
baime [to look for]
tuwaki [(will) look]

tere saman [that shaman]
gvwa de [to others]
duibuleci ojorakv [cannot compare]

sefi [said]

uthai [then]
amcame [to pursue]
genehe [went]

Then he said, “My Lord! Do not be angry!  I think it could have been no one else but the famous Nishan Shaman who came from the Land of the Living to this country.  I will immediately go to look for her.  That shaman cannot be compared to any other.”  Then he set off to pursue her.

tereci nixan saman sergudai fiyanggo be bahara jakade ambula urgunjeme gala be jafafi kutuleme amasi marifi

tereci [then]

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
bahara jakade [when got]
ambula [very]
urgunjeme [was happy]

gala be [by hand]
jafafi [took]

kutuleme [leading]
amasi [backward]
marifi [having gone back]

When the Nishan Shaman received Sergudai, she rejoiced greatly.  She took him by the hand and led him back.

fe jugvn be jafame yaburede monggoldai amargici amcame hvlame saman gehe majige aliya, muse giyan be majige gisureki, ekisaka gamara doro bio, mini beye utala hvsun fayame arkan seme gajime baha sergudai fiyanggo be si yargiyan i saman de ertufi bai gamaki sembio aise,

fe jugvn be [old way]
jafame [taking]
yabure-de [when going]

monggoldai [Monggoldai]
amargici [from north]
amcame [chasing]
hvlame [shouting]

saman gehe [Shaman lady]

majige [a little]
aliya [wait]

muse [we]
giyan be [principles]
majige [a little]
gisureki [let us speak]

ekisaka [quietly]
gamara [taking]
doro [law, custom]
bio [is there?]

mini beye [I]
utala [so much]
hvsun [power]
fayame [wasting]
arkan seme [scarcely, barely]
gajime [to bring]
baha [got]

sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
si [you]
yargiyan i [truly]
saman de [on shaman]
ertufi [having depended]

bai [only]
gamaki sembio [want to take]
aise [probably]

When they were on the way, Monggoldai chased after her from north, shouting, ”Shaman lady! Wait a minute, let us talk a little about principles!  Is there a law that allows you to quietly take him?  I wasted so much power just bringing him here, and you want to use your shaman powers only to take him away?”

meni ilmun han fancafi mimbe wakalahabi, te bi adarame jabumbi, saman gehe elhe i gvnime tuwafi, dade basan geli akv bai gamarangge, elei giyan de acanarakv gese sehede,

meni ilmun han [our Ilmun Han]
fancafi [having got angry]
mimbe [me]
wakalahabi [upbraided]

te [now]
bi [I]
adarame [how]
jabumbi [answer]

saman gehe [shaman lady]
elhe i [peacefully, well]
gvnime [thinking]
tuwafi [having looked]

dade [in the beginning, originally/ in addition]
basan [fee]
geli akv [nothing more]
bai [only]
gamarangge [taking]

elei [more]
giyan de acanarakv [unreasonable] lit. not meeting/fitting the reason
gese [like]
sehede [said]

“Our Ilmun Han got angry and blamed me.  How will I answer him now?  Shaman lady, consider it calmly.  I’m only asking for a fee; is that unreasonable?”

nixan saman hendume monggoldai si ere gese sain angga baici hono sinde basan majige werimbi, si aika suweni han de ertufi etuhuxeme yabuci we sinde gelembio muse emu amba babe acafi, da dube tucibuki sefi

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

monggoldai [Monggoldai]
si [you]
ere gese [like this]
angga [mouth]
baici [if beg]

hono [still]
sinde [to you]
basan [fee]
majige [a little]
werimbi [leave]

si [you]
aika [if]
suweni han de [on your khan]
ertufi [depend]

etuhuxeme [using force]
yabuci [if act]

we [who]
sinde [you]
gelembio [fears?]

muse [we]
emu amba ba-be [a big matter]
acafi [meet/ come to an agreement]

da dube [beginning and end] lit. root and tip
tucibuki [let's make come out]

sefi [said]

The Nishan Shaman said, “Monggoldai, if you beg me like this, I shall leave you a little fee.  But who is going to fear you if you rely on your khan to act?  Let us come to an agreement and finish this matter.”

ilan dalhan misun, ilan sefere hooxan be buhe manggi monggoldai geli baime hendume sini bure basan jaci komso kai jai majige nonggime bureo sehe

ilan dalhan misun [three lumps of bean paste]
ilan sefere hooxan be [three strips of paper]
buhe [gave]
manggi [after]

monggoldai [Monggoldai]
geli [more]
baime [asking]
hendume [said]

sini bure basan [the fee you gave]
jaci komso [(is) very small]
kai [indeed]

majige [a little]
nonggime [adding]
bureo [give]

sehe [said]

She gave him three lumps of bean paste and three strips of paper, but Monggoldai asked for more, “The fee you gave is very small, indeed.  Please, give me a little more.”

manggi nixan saman geli emu ubu nonggime buhe manggi, geli baime hendume

manggi [after]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
geli [more]
emu ubu [one portion]
nonggime [adding]
buhe [gave]
manggi [after]

geli [still more]
baime [asking]
hendume [said]

Then the Nishan Shaman gave him one more portion, but he kept on asking for more.

ere majige basan be meni han de burede yargiyan i banjinarakv dade mini weile adarame sume mutembi, bairengge saman gehe sini gajiha coko indahvn be minde werifi mini weile be sume ilmun han de benefi

ere majige basan be [this little repayment]
meni han de [to my khan]
bure-de [when giving]
yargiyan i [truly]
banjirakv [(will) not survive]

dade [in addition (to that)]
mini weile [my punishment]
adarame [how]
sume mutembi [can avoid]

bairengge [please] lit. (my) request
saman gehe [shaman lady]
sini gajiha coko indahvn be [the rooster and dog you brought]
minde [to me]
werifi [having left]

mini weile be [my punishment]
sume [to avoid]
ilmun han de [to Ilmun Han]
benefi [having given (as gift)]

“Truly I will not survive if I give my khan such a small repayment.  How can I avoid a punishment then?  Please, shaman lady, give me the rooster and the dog you brought with you.  I shall give them to Ilmun Han to avoid punishment.”

ini abalara indahvn akv, dobori hvlara coko akv de meni han urgunjefi oci emude saman gehe i baita muyahvn ombi, jaide mini weile be sumbi serede

ini abalara indahvn akv [he has no hunting dog]
dobori hvlara coko akv de [(he) has no rooster crowing at night]

meni han [our khan]
urgunjefi [is glad]

oci [if becomes]

emunde [firstly]
saman gehe i [shaman lady's]
baita [matter]
muyahvn [complete]
ombi [becomes/will be]

jai-de [secondly] from Chinese 再 zài
mini weile be [my punishment]
sumbi [(will) avoid]

serede [said]

“Since our Khan has neither a hunting dog nor a rooster that crows at night, he will be glad.  If this happens, firstly, shaman lady, your matter will be complete, and secondly, I will avoid my punishment.”

nixan saman hendume tere inu juwe ergide tusa yohi ombi, damu sergudai de jalgan be nonggime buci ere indahvn coko be gemu werifi genembi sehede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

tere [that]
inu [truly]
juwe ergi-de [for two sides]
tusa [benefit]
yohi [complete]
ombi [will be]

damu [but]
sergudai de [to Sergudai]
jalgan be [life-span]
nonggime [adding]
buci [if give]

ere indahvn coko be [this dog and rooster]
gemu [both]
werifi [having left]

genembi [(will) go]

sehede [said]

The Nishan Shaman said, “That truly will be a benefit for both sides.  But if you add to Sergudai’s life-span, then I will leave both this dog and rooster for you, and go.”

monggoldai hendume saman gehe si uttu gisureci sini derebe tuwame orin se jalgan nonggiha,

monggoldai [Monggoldai]
hendume [said]

saman gehe [shaman lady]
si [you]
uttu [so, like this]
gisureci [if speak]

sini dere-be [your face]*
tuwame [looking]

orin se jalgan [twenty years of life]
nonggiha [gave]

Monggoldai said, “Shaman lady, if you speak like this, then, looking at your face, I will give him twenty years of life more.”

*Other translators equate this to “looking you in the eye”.

saman hendume oforo niyaki olhoro unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,

saman [shaman]
hendume [said]

oforo niyaki [nose pus]
olhoro unde de [when not dried up yet]

gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]

The shaman said, “There is no benefit in taking him away, when his snot isn’t yet dried up.”

tuttu oci gvsin se jalgan nonggire,

tuttu oci [if so/in that case]

gvsin se jalgan [thirty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]

“In that case, then I will give him thirty more years of life.”

kemuni gvnin mujilen toktoro undede gamaha seme ai tusa,

kemuni [still]
gvnin [thought, mind]
mujilen [heart, mind]
toktoro unde-de [when not decided yet]

gamaha seme [taking]
ai tusa [what benefit]

“What is the benefit of taking him away, when his mind and heart are still not decided?”

tuttu oci dehi se jalgan nonggire,

tuttu oci [if so]
dehi se jalgan [forty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]

“Then I will add forty years of life.”

kemuni derengge wesihun alire unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,

kemuni [still]
derengge wesihun [noble and glorious]
alire unde de [when not yet received]

gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]

“There is no benefit in taking him away, when he has not yet received nobility and glory.”

tuttu oci susai se jalgan nonggire,

tuttu oci [if so]

susai se jalgan [fifty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]

“Then I will add fifty years of life.”

kemuni sure mergen ojoro unde gamaha seme ai tusa,

kemuni [still]
sure mergen [wise and bright]
ojoro unde [not became yet]

gamaha seme [taking]
ai tusa [what benefit]

“What is the benefit of taking him away, when he is not yet wise and bright?”

tuttu oci ninju se jalgan nonggire,

tuttu oci [if so]

ninju se jalgan [sixty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]

“Then I will give him sixty years more.”

kemuni niru beri be urebume tacire unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,

kemuni [still]
niru beri be [arrows and bow]
urebume [been made familiar]
tacire unde de [when not learnt yet]

gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]

“There is no benefit in taking him away, when he still has not gotten used to bow and arrows.”

tuttu oci nadanju se jalgan nonggire,

tuttu oci [if so]

nadanju se jalgan [seventy years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]

“Then I will give him seventy years more.”

kemuni narhvn weile be tacire unde de gamaha seme ai tusa,

kemuni [still]
narhvn weile be [delicate/secret work]
tacire unde de [when not learn yet]

gamaha seme [taking]
ai tusa [what benefit]

“What is the benefit of taking him away, when he has still not learned delicate works?”

tuttu oci jakvnju se jalgan nonggire,

tuttu oci [if so]

jakvnju se jalgan [eighty years of life]
nonggire [(will) add]

“Then I will give him eighty years more.”

kemuni jalan baita be ulhire unde de gamaha seme tusa akv,

kemuni [still]
jalan baita be [affairs of the world]
ulhire unde de [when not understood yet]

gamaha seme [taking]
tusa akv [no benefit]

“There is no benefit in taking him away, when he does not yet understand the affairs of the world.”

tuttu oci, uyunju se jalgan be nonggiha, jai nonggici banjinarakv oho,

tuttu oci [if so]

uyunju se jalgan be [ninety years of life]
nonggiha [add]

jai [more]
nonggici banjirakv oho [cannot add]

“Then I will add ninety years of life.  I cannot add more.”

sergudai ereci amasi ninju aniya nimeku akv, tanggv aniya targa akv,

sergudai [Sergudai]
ereci amasi [from now on]
ninju aniya [sixty years]
nimeku akv [without sickness/pain]

tanggv aniya [hundred years]
targa akv [not thin/ in affluence] dict. form: turga

“From now on, Sergudai will live sixty years without sickness, and a hundred years in affluence.”

ura xurdeme uyun juse ujikini, jalan axxame jakvn jui sabukini,

ura xurdeme [around his buttocks]
uyun juse [nine children]
ujikini [may be born] -kini is another imperative suffix expressing wish or order directed to the third person

jalan [generation, age]
axxame [moving, shaking]
jakvn jui [eight children]
sabukini [may see]

“Encircling his buttocks, may he raise nine children!  The world shaking, may he see eight sons!”

uju funiyehe xartala, angga weihe sortolo, dara musutele, yasa ilhanara tala, bethe bekterere teile, umuhu de siteme, guweye de hamtame banjikini sehede

uju funiyehe [hair (of head)]
xartala [until become white] terminal converb (-tala~tele~tolo suffix, most probably of Mongolian origin) describes an action limiting another action

angga [mouth's]
weihe [teeth]
sortolo [until become yellow]

dara [waist, lower back]
musetele [until bend]

yasa [eyes]
ilhanara tala [until grow dim]

bethe [legs]
bekterere teile [until are frozen in their tracks]

umuhu de [upper surface of the foot] dict. form: umuhun
siteme [urinating]

guweye de [heel (of the foot)] dict. form: guye
hamtame [defecating]

banjikini [may live]

sehede [said]

“May he live until the hair of his head becomes white, until the teeth of his mouth become yellow, until his back bends, until his eyes grow dim, until his legs are frozen in their tracks, and he is urinating on his feet and defecating on his heels!”

jakade monggoldai nakcu injeme tucifi hendume nixan saman getuken i donji bi baldu bayan i haha jui sergudai fiyanggo be gajihangge yargiyan sinde ai dalji bi sini booi ai jaka be hvlhafi gajiha seme mini duka bade ilifi den wakalan jilgan i dangsimbi serede,

jakade [then]
monggoldai nakcu [Monggoldai Nakcu]
injeme [laughing]
tucifi [came out]
hendume [said]

nixan saman [Nishan Shaman]
getuken i [carefully] lit. lucidly
donji [listen]

bi [I]
baldu bayan i [Baldu Bayan's]
haha jui [son]
sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
gajihangge [bringing]
yargiyan [(is) true]

sinde [for you]
ai dalji [of what connection (it is)?]

bi [I]
sini boo-i [of your house]
ai jaka be [what]
hvlhafi [having stolen]

gajiha seme [brought]
mini duka ba-de [to my gate]
ilifi [having come]

den wakalan jilgan i [in high, scolding voice]
dangsimbi [reprove]

sere-de [when said]

Then Monggoldai Nakcu came out laughing, and said, “Nishan Shaman, listen carefully!  It is true that I have brought Baldu Bayan’s son, Sergudai Fiyanggo here. But what does that have to do with you?  What things have I stolen from your house, that you come to my gate and reprove me in a high scolding voice?”

nixan saman hendume udu hacin i mini jaka be hvlhafi gajihakv bicibe weri sain banjire jalgan akv niyalma be, sui akv jui be gajici ombio，

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

udu [although] connects with bicibe
hacin i [kinds]
mini jaka be [my things]
hvlhafi [having stolen]

gajihakv [did not bring]
bicibe [even though] concessive converb form of bimbi

weri sain banjire [other well-living]
jalgan akv niyalma be [person whose life-span/destiny was not finished]
sui akv be [innocent (one)] sui [sin, guilt]
gajici ombio [could bring?]

The Nishan Shaman said, “Although you haven’t stolen anything of mine, how could you take the good life of an innocent person whose destiny was not completed?”

monggoldai nakcu hendume meni ilmun han hese gajihangge，tere jui be gaijfi, cendeme den siltan de aisin jiha lakiyafi jiha sangga be gabtabure jakade ilan da gemu gvwaihabi, amala，geli cendeme lamun buku i baru jafanabure jakade buku be tuhebuhebi，

monggoldai nakcu [Monggoldai Nakcu]
hendume [said]

meni ilmun han [our Ilmun Han's]
hese [will]
gajihangge [(was the act of) bringing]

tere jui be [that boy]
gajifi [having brought]

cendeme [to put (him) to test]
den siltan de [on a high mast]
aisin jiha [golden coin]
lakiyafi [having suspended]

jiha sangga be [at a little hole in the coin]
gabtabure jakade [when shot]

ilan da [three (arrows)] da - counter word for long objects
gemu [all]
gvwaihabi [struck (the target)] dict. form: goihabi

amala [after that]
geli [moreover]
cendeme [to put to test]
lamun buku i baru [with the Blue Wrestler]
jafanabure jakade [when ordered to wrestle] dict. form: jafunubure
buku be [wrestler]
tuhebuhebi [knocked down]

Monggoldai Nakcu said, “It was Ilmun Han’s will to bring him here.  When I brought the boy here, he was put to test by suspending a golden coin on a high mast.  When he shot at the little hole in the coin, all three arrows struck the target.  After that, he was put to another test; when ordered him to wrestle with the Blue Wrestler, he knocked him down.”

geli arsulan buku i baru jafanabuci inu hamirakv meni ilmun han jui obufi jilame ujimbi kai, sinde amasi bure doro bio seme

geli [moreover]
arsulan buku i baru [with the Lion Wrestler] dict. form: arsalan
jafanabuci [when ordered to wrestle]

inu [also]
hamirakv [did not cope]

meni ilmun han [our Ilmun Han]
jui obufi [having fathered] lit. made become a son
jilame [pitying, loving]
ujimbi kai [support]

sinde [to you]
amasi bure [giving back]
doro [law]
bio [is there?]

seme [said]

“Still more, when ordered to wrestle with the Lion Wrestler, he, also, could not cope with him.  Then our Ilmun Han made him a son and supports him with love.  Is there such a law that he must give him back to you?”

emu fiyelen gisun de nixan saman donjifi, ambula jili banjifi monggoldai nakcu i baru hendume tuttu oci sinde heni dalji akv dere， si emu sain niyalma biheni

emu fiyelen gisun de [to (one chapter of) words]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
donjifi [having listened]

ambula [very]
jili banjifi [having got angry]

monggoldai nakcu i baru [to Monggoldai Nakcu]
hendume [said]

tuttu oci [if it is so]
sinde [to you]
heni [at all]
dalji akv [(there is) no relation]
dere [probably, most likely]

si [you]
emu sain niyalma [a good man]
bihe-ni [are] ni exclamation of wonder

Having listened to these words, the Nishan Shaman flew into rage and said, “If it is so, you likely have nothing to do with it. You are a good man!”*

*This sarcastic remark seems to be intended as a profound insult.

mini ecehen i ilmun han be baihanafi sergudai fiyanggo be bahara baharakv，ujude mini erdemu amba oci, uthai gajimbi, erdemu cingiyan oci uthai wajiha, sinde heni dalji akv sefi

mini ecehen i [with my ability] dict. form: encehen
ilmun han be [Ilmun Han]
baihanafi [after having gone to search for]

sergudai fiyanggo be [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
bahara [find]
baharakv [do no't find]

ujude [first]
mini erdemu [my capabilities]
amba oci [if are great]
uthai [then]
gajimbi [(will) bring]

erdemu [capabilities]
cingiyan oci [if are insufficient]
uthai [then]
wajiha [finished]

sinde [to you]
heni [at all]
dalji akv [(there is) no relation]
sefi [having said]

“With my capabilities, will I find Sergudai Fiyanggo when I go look for Ilmun Han?  If my powers are sufficient, then I will bring him back.  If they are not, then it will be over.  It has nothing at all to do with you!”

han i hoton be baime geneme goidaha akv isinafi tuwaci duka be akdulame yaksihabi，nixan saman dosime muterakv xurdeme tuwafi hoton weilehe ningge akdun beki ofi ambula fancafi yayame deribuhe

han i [(Ilmun) Han's]
hoton be [city]
baime [to look for]
geneme [going]

goidaha akv [before long]
isinafi [having arrived]

tuwaci [if looked]

duka be [gate]
akdulame [to fortify]
yaksihabi [closed]

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
dosime muterakv [could not enter]

xurdeme [around]
tuwafi [having looked]

hoton [city]
weilehe ningge [walls] lit. what was built
akdun beki ofi [were firm, strong]

ambula [very]
fancafi [having got angry]

yayame [incantating]
deribuhe [begun]

She went to look for the city of Ilmun Han and reached it in no time, but the gate was closed for protection.  The Nishan Shaman could not enter.  When she looked around, she saw that the city walls were firm and strong.  She got very angry and began an incantation.

kerani kerani dergi alin de
kerani kerani tomoho
kerani kerani dekdere gasha
kerani kerani cangling alin de
kerani kerani cakvra moo canggisa
kerani kerani mangkan alin de
kerani kerani tomoho mangmoo manggisa
kerani kerani uyun da meihe

kerani kerani
dergi alin de [in east mountains]
tomoho [nesting]
dekdere gasha [soaring bird]

cangling alin de [on Changling mountain]
cakvra moo [sandalwood] dict. form: cakvran, moo from Chinese 木 mù
canggisa [kingfisher] dict. form: cunggai [spotted/crested kingfisher (Ceryle lugubris)]

mangkan alin de [in sand hill (mountain)]
tomoho [nest]
mangmoo [oakwood] dict. form: mangga moo
manggisa [badger] dict. form: manggisu

uyun da meihe* [nine fathom long snake]

“Kerani kerani, in the eastern mountains,
kerani kerani, nesting,
kerani kerani, the soaring bird!
Kerani kerani, On Changling Mountain,
kerani kerani, the sandalwood kingfisher!
Kerani kerani, nesting in the sand hills,
kerani kerani, the oakwood badger!
Kerani kerani, the nine fathom long snake!

kerani kerani jakvn da jabjan
kerani kerani wehe ukdun
kerani kerani sele guwan de
kerani kerani tomoho
kerani kerani taran tasha
kerani kerani onioko lefu
kerani kerani alin be xurdere
kerani kerani aisin inggali

jakvn da jabjan** [eight fathom long python]
wehe ukdun [stone cave]
sele guwan de [in iron shelter] from Chinese 館 guǎn
tomoho [nesting]
taran tasha [(small) tiger] dict. form: targan
onioko [wolverine] dict. form: ongnika
lefu [bear]
alin be xurdere [encirling the mountains]
aisin inggali [golden wagtail]

“Kerani kerani, the eight fathom long python!
Kerani kerani, in a stone cave,
kerani kerani, in an iron shelter,
kerani kerani, nesting,
kerani kerani, the tiger!
Kerani kerani, the wolverine and the bear!
Kerani kerani, encircling the mountains,
kerani kerani, the golden wagtail!

** uyun da meihe, jakvn da jabjan – nine fathom long snake, eight fathom long python. As mentioned in the previous installment, other translators interpret these words as “nine snakes” and “eight pythons”.

kerani kerani mukden be xurdere
kerani kerani menggun inggali
kerani kerani deyere giyahvn
kerani kerani dalaha daimin
kerani kerani alaha daimin
kerani kerani nai jule se
kerani kerani uyun uri
kerani kerani juwan juwe faidan
kerani kerani geren julese

mukden be xurdere [encircling the heights]***
menggun inggali [silver wagtail]

deyere giyahvn [flying hawk]

dalaha daimin [leading eagle] dict. form: damin

alaha daimin [many-coloured eagle] dict. form: alha damin

na-i [of earth]
jule se [vultures] dict. form: yolo

uyun uri [nine columns]****
juwan juwe faidan [twelve rows]
geren julese [a flock of vultures]

“Kerani kerani, encircling the heights,
kerani kerani, the silver wagtail!
Kerani kerani, the flying hawk!
Kerani kerani, the head eagle!
Kerani kerani, the many-colored eagle!
Kerani kerani, the vultures of the earth!
Kerani kerani, nine columns,
kerani kerani, twelve rows,
Kerani kerani, a flock of vultures!

***mukden – Durrant translates this word as sea, Kawachi interprets it as a form of the word mukderhun – desert, and Volkova connects it with the verb mukdembi – rise, go upwards, soar upwards, and translates it as flying high.  Of the three possibilities the third one seems the most reasonable.

****There is no suitable explanation for uri, a round straw container for storing grain.  Kawachi interprets it by association with faidan, row, and for lack of a better explanation, we do the same.

kerani kerani hvdun hahi
kerani kerani deyeme hoton de
kerani kerani dosifi gajireo
kerani kerani waxiha ci
kerani kerani waxihalame
kerani kerani xoforo ci
kerani kerani xoforome gajireo

hvdun hahi [quickly]
deyeme [flying]
hoton de [to city]
dosifi [having entered]

gajireo [bring]

waxiha ci [in claws] dict. form: wasiha
waxihalame [grasping] dict. form: wasihalame
xoforo ci [in talons] lit. in pinch
xoforome [seizing]
gajireo [bring]

“Kerani kerani, quickly,
kerani kerani, to the city flying,
kerani kerani, enter and bring him!
Kerani kerani, in your claws,
kerani kerani, grasp him!
Kerani kerani, in your talons
kerani kerani, seize and bring him!”

kerani kerani aisin hiyanglu de
kerani kerani alamime tebufi gaju
kerani kerani menggun hiyanglu de
kerani kerani ungkufi gaju
kerani kerani meiren i hvsun de
kerani kerani meihereme gajireo
kerani kerani

aisin hiyanglu de [in a golden incense burner] from Chinese 香炉 xiāng​lú
alamime [carrying on back]
tebufi [having placed]
gaju [bring]

menggun hiyanglu de [in silver incense burner]
ungkufi [having turned over] dict. form: ungkefi
gaju [bring]

meiren i [shoulders']
hvsun de [strength, power]
meihereme [carrying on back]
gajireo [bring]

“Kerani kerani, in a golden censer,
kerani kerani, put him, and bring him on your back!
Kerani kerani, in a silver censer,
kerani kerani, turn him over and bring him!
Kerani kerani, with the strength of your shoulders,
kerani kerani, bring him on your back!
Kerani kerani!”

sehe manggi geren weceku se deyeme mukdefi tugi talman gese, sergudai fiyanggo geren juse i emgi aisin menggun gaxiha maktame efime bisire namxan emu amba gasha uthai wasime genefi xoforome jafafi den mukdefi gamaha

sehe [said]
manggi [after]

geren weceku se [all the spirits]
deyeme [flying]
mukdefi [having rose]
tugi talman gese [like clouds and mist]

sergudai fiyanggo [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
geren juse i emgi [with other boys]
aisin menggun gaxiha [golden and silver dice] dict. form: gacuha*****
maktame [throwing]
efime [playing]
bisire namxan [when was] can be spelled namaxan

emu amba gasha [a large bird]
uthai [then]
wasime [descending]
genefi [having come]

xoforome [seizing]
jafafi [having caught]

den [high]
mukdefi [having soared (upward)]

gamaha [took]

When the shaman finished her incantation, all the spirits flew, rising like clouds and mist.  Sergudai Fiyanggo was playing with other boys, throwing golden and silver dice, when suddenly a large bird descended.  It seized him and, soaring upward, took him away.

*****A more modern spelling is galaha.  In Mongolian it is know as shagai.

Next part >>

yabume goidahakv geli fulgiyan birai dalin de isinafi xurdeme tuwaci dokvn doobure jahvdai akv bime emu niyalma helmen be inu saburakv ofi arga akv weceku de baime yayame deribuhe

yabume [going]
goidahakv [didn't last long]

geli [moreover]
fulgiyan bira-i dalin de [to banks of the Red River]
isinafi [having come]

xurdeme [around]
tuwaci [when looked]
dokvn [ford]
doobure jahvdai [ferry-boat]
akv [was not]
bime [being]

emu niyalme [one man]
helmen be [shadow]
inu [really]
saburakv ofi [could not be seen]

weceku de [to the spirit]
baime [beseeching]
yayame [incantating]
deribuhe [begun]

The going didn’t last long, and she came to banks of the Red River.  Looking around, there was neither ford nor ferry-boat.  Not even the a shadow of a person could be seen.  She began her incantation to beseech the spirit.

eikuli yekuli abka be xurdere
eikuli yekuli amba daimin
eikuli yekuli mederi be xurdere
eikuli yekuli menggun inggalii
eikuli yekuli bira cikin be xurdere
eikuli yekuli cecereku meihe
eikuli yekuli jan bira be xurdere
eikuli yekuli jakvn da jabjan
eikuli yekuli

abka be [sky, heaven]
xurdere [circling]
amba daimin [great eagle] dict. form: damin

mederi be [sea]
xurdere [circling]
menggun inggalii [silver wagtail] misspelling of inggali

bira cikin be [river bank]
xurdere [circling]
cecereku meihe [vexing snake] dict. form: cecerxuke, it may be derived from cecerxembi [to exert a great amount of effort, to quiver from exertion]

jan bira be [Jan River]
xurdere [circling]
jakvn da jabjan* [eight fathom long large snake/python]

“Eikuli yekuli, circling the sky,
eikuli yekuli, the great eagle!
Eikuli yekuli, circling the sea,
eikuli yekuli, the silver wagtail!
Eikuli yekuli, circling the river bank,
eikuli yekuli, the vexing snake!
eikuli yekuli, circling the Jan River,
eikuli yekuli, the eight fathom long python!”

*According to MaCMo, one da equals one 庹 tuǒ – the length of two outstretched arms (and it seems to be a loanword), which is, as the Japanese translation says, one fathom, or five Chinese feet.  Other translators (Durrant, Volkova) interpret jakvn da jabjan as “eight pythons”, because the word da can also be a classifier for long objects (like Chinese 枝 zhī), but I found no evidence that it could be applied to animals too.  I decided to translate it as “eight fathom long python” since all the other animals Teteke calls are singular. —PM

eikuli yekuli ajige ejin mini beye
eikuli yekuli ere bira be
eikuli yekuli doombi sembi
eikuli yekuli geren wecense
eikuli yekuli wehiyeme dooburo
eikuli yekuli hvdun hasa
eikuli yekuli erdemu be tacibureo
eikuli yekuli
sefi

ajige ejin [little master] dict. form: ejen
mini beye [I]
ere bira be [this river]
doombi sembi [want to cross] the grammatically correct form should be dooki sembi

geren wecen-se [all deities]
wehiyeme [helping]
dooburo [ferry] misspelling of doobureo

hvdun [quick]
hasa [hurry up]

erdemu be [power]
tacibureo [reveal]

“Eikuli yekuli, I, the little master!
Eikuli yekuli, this river,
eikuli yekuli, want to cross!
Eikuli yekuli, all deities!
eikuli yekuli, help ferry me!
Eikuli yekuli, quickly, hurry up!
Eikuli yekuli, reveal your power!
Eikuli yekuli!”

yemcen be bira muke de maktafi saman i beye ninggude ilifi uthai edun su i gese dartai andande bira be doofi, bira ejin de ilan dalhan misun, ilan sefere hooxan basan werifi uthai jurame yaburengge hahi ofi uju furdan de isinjifi

yemcen be [drum]
bira muke de [onto the river water]
maktafi [having thrown]

saman i beye [shaman herself]
ninggu-de [on top]
ilifi [having stood]

uthai [immediately]
edun su i gese [like a whirlwind]
dartai andande [in a moment]
bira be [river]
doofi [having crossed]

bira ejin de [to the lord of the river]
ilan dalhan misun [three lumps of (fermented) bean paste]
ilan sefere hooxan [three strips of paper]
basan [fee] dict. form: basa
werifi [having left]

uthai [immediately]
jurame [setting out]
yaburengge [journey]
hahi ofi [having become fast]

uju furdan de [to the main gateway]
isinjifi [having reached]

The shaman threw her drum onto the river water and stood on top of it.  Like a whirlwind she crossed the river in a moment.  She left three lumps of the bean paste and three strips of paper as a fee for the lord of the river. Then she immediately set out and quickly reached the main gate.

duleki serede furdan tuwakiyaha seletu senggitu juwa hutu esukiyeme hendume ainaha niyalma gelhun akv ere furdan be dosiki sembi, be ilmun han i hese be alifi ere furdan be tuwakiyambi hvdun turgun be ula serede

duleki serede [when wanted to pass]
furdan [gate]
tuwakiyaha [guarding]
seletu [Iron]
senggitu [Blood]
juwa hutu [two ghosts]
esukiyeme [shrieking]
hendume [said]

ainaha niyalma [what kind of person]
gelhun akv [fearlessly]
furdan be [gate]
dosiki sembi [want to pass]

be [we]
ilmun han i [Ilmun Han's]
hese be [will]
alifi [having fullfilled]

ere furdan be [this gate]
tuwakiyambi [guard]

hvdun [quickly]
turgun be [reason]
ula [convey]

sere-de [when said]

When she wanted to pass, two ghosts guarding the gate, Iron and Blood, shrieking at her, said, “What kind of person fearlessly wants to pass the gate?  We guard this gate, fulfilling Ilmun Han’s will.  Quickly, tell us your reason!”

nixan saman hendume mini beye weihun gurun i nixan saman inu, bucehe gurun de monggoldai nakcu be baihanambi sehede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

mini beye [I]
weihun gurun i [from the Country of the Living]
nixan saman inu [am the Nishan Shaman]

bucehe gurun de [to the Country of the Dead]
monggoldai nakcu be [Monggoldai Nakcu]
baihanambi [came to look for]

sehe-de [when said]

The Nishan Shaman said, “I am the Nishan Shaman from the Country of the Living!  I came to the Country of the Dead to look for Monggoldai Nakcu.”

juwe hutu esukiyeme tuttu oci furdan dosire kooli gebu, basan be werifi dosimbumbi sehede

juwe hutu [two ghosts]
esukiyeme [shrieked]

tuttu oci [if so, in this case]
furdan [gate]
dosire kooli [admission custom]
gebu [name]
basan be [fee]
werifi [leave]

dosimbumbi [allow to enter]

sehede [said]

The two ghosts shrieked, “If so, you have to leave your name and a fee according to the admission custom, then you may enter.”

nixan saman gebu afahari ilan dalhan misun, ilan sefere hooxan be bufi teni duleme genehebi, yabume jai furdan de isinafi inu onggolo songkoi gebu, basan jergi werifi duleme yabuhai ilaci furdan i monggoldai nakcu duka bade isinafi

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
gebu afahari [a strip of paper with name written on it]
ilan dalhan misun [three lumps of the bean paste]
ilan sefere hooxan be [three strips of paper]
bufi [gave]

teni [then]
duleme [passing]
genehebi [went]

The Nishan Shaman gave them a strip of paper with her name written on it, three lumps of the bean paste, and three strips of paper.  Then she passed through the gate.

yabume [going]

jai furdan de [two gateways]
isinafi [came]

inu [already]
onggolo songkoi [like before]
gebu [name]
basan [fee]
jergi [other things]
werifi [left]

duleme [passing]
yabuhai [going] descriptive converb

ilaci furdan i [third gate]
monggoldai nakcu [Monggoldai Nakcu]
duka ba-de [at the gate/door]
isinafi [came]

Going on, she came to a second gateway.  As before, she left her name, a fee, and the other things.   Passing through that, she came to the third gateway, the door of Monggoldai Nakcu.

sixa lisihiyame, honggo hoyome hocohon jilgan i hoge yage hvlame

monggoldai nakcu
hoge yage hvdun hahi
hoge yage tucime jidereo
hoge yage ai jalin de
hoge yage sain i banjire
hoge yage jalgan akvngge
hoge yage jafafi gajiha
hoge yage erin unde
hoge yage ergeleme gajiha

sixa [belt with bells]
lisihiyame [shaking] dict. form: lasihime

honggo [small bells] dict. form: honggon
hoyome [jingling] dict. form: hvyame, lit. crying (of birds)

hocohon jilgan i [in beautiful voice] dict. form: hocikon
hoge yage
hvlame [chanted]

monggoldai nakcu [Monggoldai Nakcu]
hvdun hahi [quickly]
tucime [coming forth]
jidereo [come]

ai jalin de [for what reason]
sain i [well]
banjire [living (one)]
jalgan [life span, destiny]
akvngge [not complete] lit. not being
jafafi [having caught]
gajiha [brought]

erin unde [too early] lit. time not yet
ergeleme [to torment]
gajiha [brought]

Shaking the bells on her belt and jingling the smaller bells, she chanted “hoge yage” in a beautiful voice.

“Monggoldai Nakcu!
Hoge yage, quickly,
hoge yage, come out!
Hoge yage, for what reason,
hoge yage, a decent life,
hoge yage, a destiny incomplete,
hoge yage, did you catch and bring,
hoge yage, before his time,
hoge yage, did you bring to torment?

hoge yage amasi buci
hoge yage ambula baniha
hoge yage bai buci
hoge yage baniha bumbi
hoge yage banjire aldasi
hoge yage balai gajiha
hoge yage eitereme gajiha
hoge yage aiseme jabumbio
hoge yage bai gamarakv
hoge yage basan bumbi

amasi buci [if give back]

ambula baniha [very thankful]

bai [only]
buci [if give]

baniha bumbi [(will) thank]

banjire [life]
aldasi [prematurely dead, cut off midway]
balai [blindly, vainly]
gajiha [brought]

eitereme [deceiving]
gajiha [brought]

aiseme [for what] lit. saying ‘what?’
jabumbio [answer]

bai [only]
gamarakv [not hide]

basan [fee]
bumbi [(will) give]

“Hoge yage, if you give him back,
hoge yage, I will be very thankful,
hoge yage, if only you give him,
hoge yage, I would thank you!
Hoge yage, his life was cut short;
hoge yage, brought here in vain!
Hoge yage, you deceived him and brought him;
hoge yage, answer, what for?
Hoge yage, if only you don’t hide him,
hoge yage, I will give you a fee!”

hoge yage holtome gamarakv
hoge yage hvda werimbi
hoge yage minde buci
hoge yage misun bumbi
hoge yage tucibufi buci
hoge yage turgin bumbi
hoge yage doigonde buci
hoge yage dorolombi

holtome [deceiving]
gamarakv [don't hide]

hvda [goods]
werimbi [(will) leave]

minde [to me]
buci [if give]

misun [(fermented) bean paste]
bumbi [(willl) give]

tucibufi [having brought out]
buci [if give]

turgin [repayment] dict. form: turigen
bumbi [(will) give]

doigon-de [beforehand]
buci [if give]

dorolombi [(will) pay (my) respects] dorolombi [to salute, to greet with the hands joined in front of the face, to pay one's respects]

“Hoge yage, if you don’t deceive me hiding him,
hoge yage, I will leave you goods,
hoge yage, if you give him to me,
hoge yage, I will give you bean paste!
Hoge yage, if you bring him out and give him back,
hoge yage, I will give you repayment for this!
Hoge yage, if you give him back quickly,
hoge yage, I will pay my respects to you!”

hoge yage geli burakvci
hoge yage sain ba akv
hoge yage weceku hvsunde
hoge yage deyeme genembi
hoge yage boo de dosime
hoge yage ganame genembi
hoge yage seme

geli [moreover]
burakvci [if don't give]

sain ba akv [it will not be good] lit. the matter won’t be good

weceku [spirits]
hvsun-de [in power]
deyeme [flying]
genembi [(will) come]

boo de [house]
dosime [entering]

ganame [coming to get]
genembi [(will) come]

seme [said]

“Hoge yage, but if you don’t give him back,
hoge yage, it will not be good for you!
Hoge yage, spirits, powerfully,
hoge yage, will come flying,
hoge yage, they will enter your home,
hoge yage, to take him back!
Hoge yage!”

seme nixan saman sixa lasihiyame yekse isihime honggo hoyodome halang sere jilgan be guwebure

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
sixa [belt with bells]
lasihiyame [shaking]

yekse [shaman's cap]
isihime [shaking]

honggo [small bells]
hoyodome [jingling]

halang sere [so called 'halang'] onom. the sound of metal or stone objects banging together, dict. form: kalang
jligan be [voice]
guwebure [made clang] dict. form: guwembure

Having said that, the Nishan Shaman shook her belt with bells, shook her cap, and jingled the small bells.  She made her voice clang, like metal on metal.

Next part >>

But if you look closely at the Manchu on the pictures, some of it is very hard to read, and some of it seems to make no sense at all.  I’ll leave the error-analysis as an exercise for the reader, but suffice it to say that it varies quite a lot in quality; some words are clear and sensible, and some look like someone was just trying to imitate the way Manchu looks in general, without quite knowing what they are doing, like westerners often do with Chinese.

When I was in the little shop buying tasty sausages and local beer, a man came in and started asking me questions (—this is quite normal; since I’m not of Asian extraction, curious villagers often muster their courage and warmly ask me all sorts of questions, ranging from my nationality to my opinions about international politics).  I told him why I stopped here, and he offered to show me around.

I asked him if anyone could read the Manchu words on the signs.

Me: 满族字儿…在牌子上…你说谁也不认识嘛？ (The Manchu letters…on the signs…you say that nobody can read them?)

I phrased it that way because I had asked him previously, but that time I hadn’t had my recorder on.

Him: 当地谁也不认识。 (As far as the locals go, nobody can read them.)

Me: 那，写的是干哈的？(Then, why did they write them there?)

Him: 糊弄人儿的。反正要求，政府要求你满族这牌匾得带满文呢！(To trick people.  Anyway, it’s a requirement; the government requires that if you are Manchu, you have to put Manchu script on your signs.)

Me: 啊，是政府要求。 (Oh, it’s a government requirement.)

Him: 啊，是政府要求。 (Yeah, it’s a government requirement.)

Me: 啊，这儿也，这儿还有呢。 (Ah, here, here are some more.)

Him: 啊，都有呢。这个中的标准就不知道了。 (Yeah, they all have them.  Nobody knows what’s correct.)

[This installment marks an important milestone in our work: the halfway point.  Here the Nisan Shaman comes to her first barrier.  — PM and RA]

nixan saman coko indahvn be kutulefi misun hooxan be meiherefi geren weceku xurdeme dahalafi

nixan saman [the Nisan Shaman]
coko indahvn be [rooster and dog]
kutulefi [having led]

misun hooxan be [bean paste and paper]
meiherefi [put on shoulders]
geren weceku [all spirits]
xurdeme [surrounding]
dahalafi [having followed]

The Nisan Shaman led the rooster and the dog, and put the bean paste and paper on her shoulders.  All the spirits surrounded her and followed her.

bucehe gurun i baru ilmun han be baime genere de gurgu wecen feksime, gasha wecen deyeme, meihe jabjan muyaljime edun su i gese yabume emu birai cikin dalin de isinjifi

bucehe gurun i baru [toward the Land of the Dead]
ilmun han be [Ilmun Han]
baime [to beg]

genere de [while going]
gurgu wecen [beast spirit] wecen means the same as weceku here
feksime [galloping]
gasha wecen [bird spirit]
deyeme [flying]
meihe [snake, serpent]
jabjan [python, large snake]
muyaljime [slithering] dict. form: midaljame

edun su i gese [like whirlwind] edun [wind] su [whirlwind, cyclone] from Chinese 旋風 xuán fēng
yabume [going]
emu bira-i [a river's]
cikin dalin de [to banks]
isinjifi [having come]

They moved toward the Land of the Dead to beg Ilmun Han.  While they were going, beast spirits galloped, bird spirits flew, and snake spirits slithered. Quick as a whirlwind, they came to the banks of a river.

xurdeme tuwaci umai doore bakv bime dokvn weihu geli saburakv

xurdeme [around]
tuwaci [when looked]

umai [not at all]
doore bakv [not a place to cross] doombi [to ferry across, to cross over (a river)] from Chin. 渡 dù, bakv - contraction of ba akv
bime [being]
dokvn [ford, ferry] dict. form: dogon
weihu [boat]
geli [more]
saburakv [could not be seen]

Looking around, there was no place to cross the river.  She could see neither a ford nor a boat.

jing ni facihiyaxame tuwara namxan cargi bakcin dalin de emu niyalma weihu be xurume yabumbi,

jing ni [at that moment]
facihiyaxame [growing anxious]
tuwara namxan [just when watching] can be spelled namaxan
cargi bakcin dalin de [on the other side]
emu niyalma [a man]
weihu be [boat]
xurume [punting]
yabumbi [come]

When she started growing anxious, watching the other side, she saw a man coming across the river, poling a boat.

nixan saman sabufi hvlame hendume,
hobage yebage dogvn dobure
hobage yebage doholo age
hobage yebage donjime gaisu
hobage yebage nekeliyen xan be
hobage yebage neifi donji
hobage yebage giramin xan be
hobage yebage gidafi donjireo

nixan saman [the Nisan Shaman]
sabufi [having seen]
hvlame [shouting]
hendume [said]

hobage yebage
dogvn dobure [ferry steering] dict. form doobure from Chin. 渡 dù
doholo age [lame master]
donjime [listening]
gaisu [take]

nekeliyen xan be [thin ear]
neifi [having opened]
donji [listen]

giramin xan be [thick ear]
gidafi [having pressed]
donjireo [listen]

When she saw him, she shouted,
“Hobage yebage, ferry-steering,
hobage yebage, lame master,
hobage yebage, take a listen!
Hobage yebage, your thin ear,
hobage yebage, open it and listen!
Hobage yebage, your thick ear,
hobage yebage, press it and listen!”

hobage yebage arsun laihi
hobage yebage ejeme donjireo
hobage yebage wecen sain de
hobage yebage wesihun oho
hobage yebage jukten sain de
hobage yebage julesi oho
hobage yebage ejin ilifi
hobage yebage erdemungge oho

arsun laihi [ugly rogue] dict. form: ersun laihvn; can be spelled laihvtu
ejeme [take note]
donjireo [listen]

wecen [rite]
sain [done]*
de [at]
wesihun [great]
oho [became]

jukten [sacrifice, offering]
sain [done]*
de [at]
julesi [forward, in front]**
oho [became]

ejin ilifi [having become master] dict. form: ejen ilifi

erdemungge [powerful, virtuous]
oho [became]

“Hobage yebage, ugly rogue,
hobage yebage, listen and remember!
Hobage yebage, at the completion of the rite,
hobage yebage, I became great!
Hobage yebage, at the completion of the sacrifice,
hobage yebage, I faced forward!
Hobage yebage, I became the master,
hobage yebage, and became powerful!”

*sain here seems to be a complement of result, meaning “finished satisfactorily”. 好 in Chinese can function this way, but it is somewhat rare.

**julesi oho is also a strange construction.  Normally julesi is used with verbs of motion.

hobage yebage amai dacin de
hobage yebage acame genembi
hobage yebage eniyei dancin de
hobage yebage ergeneme yumbi
hobage yebage goro mafa boode
hobage yebage goirame genembi
hobage yebage goro mama bade
hobage yebage maksime yombi

ama-i dacin de [in father's parents' family] dict. form: dancan
acame [to meet]
genembi [go]

eniye-i dancin de [mother's parents' house]
ergeneme [to rest] dict. form: ergendume
yumbi [go] misspelling of yombi

goro mafa [maternal grandfather]
boo-de [in house]
goirame [to entice]
genembi [go]

goro mama [maternal grandmother]
ba-de [at place]
maksime [to dance]
yombi [go]

“Hobage yebage, I am going to meet,
hobage yebage, the father’s family!
Hobage yebage, I am going to rest,
hobage yebage, with the mother’s family!
Hobage yebage, I am going to entice,
hobage yebage, in the grandfather’s house!
Hobage yebage, I am going to dance,
hobage yebage, at the grandmother’s place!”

hobage yebage deheme boode
hobage yebage dekdexeme genembi
hobage yebage ecike i boode
hobage yebage ergen be ganambi
hobage yebage mimbe doobuci
hobage yebage misun bumbi
hobage yebage hvdun doobuci
hobage yebage hooxan bumbi

deheme [aunt (mother's younger sister)]
boo-de [in house]
dekdexeme [to go crazy] dict. form: dekderxeme
genembi [go]

ecike i [uncle's (father's younger brother)]
boo-de [in house]
ergen be [life]
ganambi [go to get]

mimbe [me]
doobuci [if ferry across]

misun [bean paste]
bumbi [give]

hvdun [swiftly]
doobuci [if ferry across]

hooxan [paper]
bumbi [give]

“Hobage yebage, I am going to go crazy,
hobage yebage, in the aunt’s house!
Hobage yebage, I am going to catch a life,
hobage yebage, in the uncle’s house!
Hobage yebage, if you ferry me across the river,
hobage yebage, I will give you bean paste!
Hobage yebage, if you ferry me swiftly,
hobage yebage, I will give you paper!”

hobage yebage bai dooburakv
hobage yebage basan bumbi
hobage yebage unenggi doobuci
hobage yebage ulin bumbi
hobage yebage hahilame doobuci
hobage yebage hatan arki
hobage yebage alibume bumbi
hobage yebage ehe bade
hobage yebage ergen be jolinambi
hobage yebage farhvn bade
hobage yebage fainggo be farganambi
hobage yebage
serede

bai [in vain]
dooburakv [will not ferry]

basan [fee] can be spelled basa
bumbi [give]

unenggi [honestly]
doobuci [if ferry]

ulin [treasures]
bumbi [give]

hahilame [hurrying]
doobuci [if ferry]

hatan arki [fiery liquor]
alibume [offering]
bumbi [give]

ehe ba-de [to evil place]
ergen be [life]
jolinambi [go to redeem]

farhvn ba-de [to dark place]
fainggo be [soul]
farganambi [go to pursue]

sere-de [when said]

Hobage yebage, you will not ferry me in vain,
hobage yebage, I will give you a fee!
Hobage yebage, if you ferry me honestly,
hobage yebage, I will give you treasures!
Hobage yebage, if you ferry me quickly,
hobage yebage, fiery liquors,
hobage yebage, I will offer to you!
Hobage yebage, to the evil place,
hobage yebage, I go to redeem a life!
Hobage yebage, to a dark place,
hobage yebage, I go to pursue a soul!
Hobage yebage!”

doholo laihi donjifi hontoho cuwan be hontoho selbi i selbime bakcin ergi dalin de isinjifi

doholo laihi [lame rogue]
donjifi [having listened]

hontoho cuwan be [half a boat] cuwan from Chin. 船 chuán
hontoho selbi i [with half an oar]
selbime [rowing]
bakcin ergi dalin de [to this bank]
isinjifi [having come]

The lame rogue listened to her and, rowing half a boat with a half an oar, he came to the bank.

nixan saman tuwaci yasa gakta oforo waikv, xan kemteku, uju kalji, bethe doholo gala gaba

nixan saman [the Nisan Shaman]
tuwaci [when looked]

yasa [eye]
gakta [one (was) blind] dict. form: gakda

oforo [nose]
waiku [(was) crooked] dict. form: waiku

xan [ear]
kemteku [(was) torn] probably from kengcembi [to break, to collapse (of soft things)]

uju [head]
kalji [(was) bald] dict. form: kalja

bethe [legs]
doholo [(were) lame]

gala [hand]
gaba [twisted, gnarled] dict. form: gafa

The Nisan Shaman saw that one of his eyes was blind, his nose was crooked, his ears torn, his head bald, his legs lame, and his hands twisted.

hanci jifi hendume saman hehe nio aika gvwa niyalma oho biheci ainaha seme dooburakv bihe,

hanci [near]
jifi [having come]

hendume [said]

saman hehe [shaman woman]
nio interrogative emphatic particle

aika [if]
gvwa niyalma [another person]
oho biheci [if were]

ainaha seme [surely]
dooburakv bihe [would not ferry]

When he came near, he said, “Is that you, shamaness?  If it were another person, I surely would not ferry them.”

gebu algin be donjime takame ofi giyan i ere mudan mergen gebu tucire hesebun giyan ofi, arga akv simbe doobumbi sefi

gebu algin be [fame] lit. name fame
donjime [heard]
takame ofi [having become known]

giyan i [by rights]
ere mudan [this time]
mergen gebu [wise name]
tucire [came, originated]
hesebun [destiny]
giyan [principle]
ofi [having been]

arga akv [can do nothing about it]
simbe [you]
doobumbi [ferry]

sefi [having said]

By rights, this time — it is the will of Heaven from which your wise name comes forth — there is nothing I can do about it.  I will ferry you.”

nixan saman weihu de tafafi doholo laihi xurku i xurume, selbi selbime cargi bakcin de doobuha manggi nixan saman baniha bume ere majige untuhun gvnin ilan dalhan misun, ilan sefere hooxan be gemu bargiyame werireo sefi

nixan saman [the Nisan Shaman]
weihu de [boat]
tafafi [having got on]

doholo laihi [lame ruffian]
xurku i [with punting pole] dict. form xurukv
xurume [punting]
selbi [with oar]
selbime [rowing]
cargi bakcin de [to other bank]
doobuha [ferried]
manggi [after]

nixan saman [the Nisan Shaman]
baniha bume [to thank]

ere majige untuhun gvnin [this little empty thought, token]
ilan dalhan misun [three lumps of bean paste]
ilan sefere hooxan be [three strips of paper]
gemu [all]
bargiyame [receiving]
werireo [retain]

sefi [having said]

The Nisan Shaman got in the boat. The lame ruffian punted with his pole, rowed with his oar, and ferried her to the other bank.  Then the Nisan Shaman thanked him, saying, “Please accept these three lumps of bean paste and three strips of paper as a little token.”

geli fonjime ere dogvn be yaka niyalma dome genehe akv seme fonjihade

geli [also]
fonjime [asked]

ere dogvn be [this ferry]
yaka niyalma [someone, some people]
dome [ferrying] dict. form: doome
genehe akv [did not go]

seme [saying]

fonjiha-de [when asked]

She also asked him, “Haven’t any other people gone by this ferry?”

doholo laihi alame umai gvwa niyalma doho akv damu han i niyaman monggoldai nakcu baldu bayan i haha jui sergudai fiyanggo fainggo be ganame duleke

doholo laihi [lame ruffian]
alame [said]

umai [(not) at all]
gvwa niyalma [other people]
doho akv [did not ferry] dict. form: dooha

damu [but]
han i [lord's]
niyaman [relative]
monggoldai nakcu [Monggoldai Nakcu] Monggoldai [senior of the mother's clan]
baldu bayan i [Baldu Bayan's]
haha jui [son]
sergudai fiyanggo [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
fainggo be [soul]
ganame [bringing]
duleke [passed by]

The lame ruffian said, “No, no other people have gone.  But a relative of the lord, Monggoldai Nakcu, was passing by carrying the soul of Baldu Bayan’s son, Sergudai Fiyanggo.”

nixan saman baniha bume, uthai juraha,

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
baniha bume [to thank]
uthai [then]
juraha [set out] dict. form: juraka

The Nisan Shaman thanked him and set out.

Next part >>

嘎拉哈! (gālāhà)  [This is a game using sheep or pig knee bones.]  See this post for more.

The Chinese Wikipedia article linked above does mention that there are plastic pieces available, but this is the first time I’ve seen them.

Here the shaman falls into her trance.

yuwan wai uthai ahalji be emu morin yalubume emu morin be kutuleme hahilame nara fiyanggo age be ganabuha, goidahakv isinjifi morin ci ebufi baldu bayan okdome boode dosime jidere

yuwan wai [landlord]
uthai [then]
ahalji be [Ahalji]
emu morin [one horse]
yalubume [ordered to mount]
emu morin be [one horse]
kutuleme [leading]
hahilame [hurrying]
nara fiyanggo age be [master Nara Fiyanggo]
ganabuha [ordered to go to get]

Then the landlord ordered Ahalji to mount one horse, and hurry to lead another horse to go and get master Nara Fiyanggo.

goidahakv [soon]
isinjifi [having arrived]*

morin ci [from horse]
ebufi [having dismounted]

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
okdome [greeting]
boo-de [to the house]
dosime [went]
jidere-de [came]

Soon, they arrived, and dismounted from their horses.  They greeted Baldu Bayan, and came into the house.

*On the page that starts here, there are many words that appear to be insertions with carets indicating  their placement, but 1) they are almost completely illegible in the clearest scan available to us, and 2) strangely, they are not mentioned in any of the previous translations; they have just been ignored by previous scholars.  We mark them here in braces {} containing what we have been able to discern, such as a possible reading, and the approximate number of words.  They appear to be in the same hand as the main text, but that is difficult to determine without looking at a high resolution color scan, or the original document. You can see the scanned page here.

nixan saman sabufi injeme hendume weceku de hvsun bure wesihun agu jiheo

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
sabufi [saw] {One long word (…gen?)}
injeme [laughing]
hendume [said]

weceku de [to spirit]
hvsun [power, might]
bure [giving]
wesihun agu [noble friend]
jiheo [came?]

The Nishan Shaman saw him, and laughing she said, “My noble friend who gives power to the spirits came?

endu de aisilara erdemu age nari fiyanggo deo, jari sini beye donji,

endu de [god] dict. form: enduri
aisilara [helping / who helps]
erdemu age [powerful master]
{jiheo [came?]}

nari fiyanggo [Nari Fiyanggo]
deo [younger brother]
jari [assistant, helper]
sini beye [you]
donji [listen]

You, the powerful master who help the gods, came?  My younger brother, Nari Fiyanggo, my assistant, listen!

gehe minde saikan i mudan acabume aisila

gehe [elder sister]
minde [to me]**
saikan i [beautifully]
{One word here (mini?)}
mudan [voice]
{Two words (in be?)}
acabume [joining]
aisila [help]

Join your elder sister and help me with your beautiful voice.

**This is another instance of noun + pronoun apposition, like we found in Möllendorff with deo bi (search that page for “deo bi”).  These two instances are notable because in English, and all the other languages that we are aware of, apposition with a pronoun is highly restrictive; you couldn’t say things like “little brother, I”, or “to your big sister, me”.

fe ilbaha be dahame yemcen tungken be deo jari de fita akdahabi

fe ilbaha be [old customs] dict. form: ilimbaha (MaChMo)
dahame [following]
yemcen tungken be [shaman drums: yemcen, tungken]***
deo [younger brother]
jari de [assistant]
fita [solid, sturdy] (MaChMo)
akdahabi [depended]
{Three or four words (hergen … …leki?), but perhaps this is a mistake, as there is no caret, and these same words (or similar) are inserted on the next line with a caret}

“Following the old customs, as for the drums, my younger brother, my assistant, I have solidly depended on you.“

***Here be is used as a topic marker.

muterakv oci solho ucihin burihe, sokv gisen ci wesihun i suksaha be tantambi,

muterakv oci [if cannot]

solho [weasel] dict. form: solohi

ucihin [wet] dict. form: usihin (MaChMo)
burihe [stretched (of a skin on a frame of a drum)]
sokv [skin, leather] dict. form: sukv
gisen ci [with drumstick] dict. form: gisun
{Three or four words (hergen … …leki?)}
wesihun i [your (honorific)]
suksaha be [thigh]
tantambi [beat]

“If you cannot, weasel, I’ll beat the wet stretched skin of your thighs with a drumstick.”

This sentence is problematic, and has been translated many creative ways in the available translations.  The main problem is the word solho, which means “Korean”, but here that would be completely illogical unless Nari Fiyanggo was Korean.  We are going along with Kawachi’s idea that it is a misspelling of the word for “weasel” (although we disagree with Kawachi’s interpretation of the sentence as a whole).  We are taking it as a vocative, fitting in with Teteke’s playful relationship with Nari Fiyanggo.

geyen yayan de acanarakv oci, uli moo i gisen ci ura be tantambi, sehe

geyen [chant]
yayan de [mumbling]
acanarakv oci [if do not fit]

{Three or four words (hergen … …leki?)}
uli moo i [of cherry wood]
usihin [wet] (MaChMo)
gisen ci [drumstick]
ura be [buttocks]
tantambi [beat]

sehe [said]

“If you do not fit in with the incantation, I’ll beat your buttocks with a wet cherry-wood drumstick!”

manggi nari fiyanggo injeme hendume etenggi saman, demungge nixan deo bi saha labdu taciburebe baiburakv sefi

manggi [then]
nari fiyanggo [Nari Fiyanggo]
{Two words}
injeme [laughing]
hendume [said]

etenggi saman [powerful shaman]
demungge nixan [strange Nishan]

deo [younger brother]
bi [I]
saha [know]

labdu [much]
tacibure-de [teaching]
baiburakv [don't need]
{About 7-12 words.  Quite illegible.}

sefi [having said]

Then Nari Fiyanggo said, laughing, “Powerful, strange Nishan Shaman!  I, your younger brother, know, and do not need much teaching.”

nahan de tefi cai buda dagilame wajifi uthai tungken dume acabumbi

nahan de [on kang]
tefi [having sat]

cai [tea]
buda [meal]
dagilame [preparing]
wajifi [having finished]

uthai [then]
tungken [drum]
dume [striking] can be spelled tvme
acabumbi [joined]

He sat on the kang, prepared tea and a meal, and having finished he then joined in with striking his drum.

See this article for more on shamanizing to the underworld.

tereci nixan saman beyede ibagan i etuku, sixa hosihan be etume hvwaitafi, uyun cecike yekse be ujude hukxefi

tereci [after that]
nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
beyede [herself]
ibagan i etuku [monster's, or evil ghost's cloth] can be spelled ibahan
sixa [shaman's belt with bells]
hosihan be [skirt] dict. form: hvsihan
etume [putting on]
hvwaitafi [having tied up]

uyun cecike yekse be [crown decorated with nine (small) birds]
uju-de [on head]
hukxefi [having put on the head] dict. form: hukxufi

After that, the Nishan Shaman put on the monster’s cloth, the belt with bells, and the skirt, and having tied them up, put the crown with nine birds on her head.

xunggayan beye sunggeljere fodoho i gese, uyaljame yan cun i mudan be alhvdame, amba jilgan i acingiyame, den jilgan i dekennime, haihvngga mudan hayaljame narhvn jilgan nadame yayame baire gisun,

xunggayan beye [slender body]
sunggeljere fodoho i gese [like a trembling willow]
uyaljame [slithering]
yang cun i [Yang Chun's]
mudan be [melody]
alhvdame [imitating]
amba jilgan i [in great voice]
acingiyame [shaking] misspelling of acinggiyame
den jilgan i [in high voice]
dekennime [rising] from deken [rather high]
haihvngga mudan [soft voice]
hayaljame [winding]
narhvn jilgan [delicate melody]
nadame [demanding]
yayame [mumbling, incantating]
baire gisun [invocation, imploration]

Her slender body slithered like a trembling willow.  Following the Yang Chun melody, she shook in a great voice.  Rising in a high voice, winding in a soft melody, demanding in a delicate voice, she intoned the invocation.

Notice the alliteration in the above passage: amba jilgan i acingiyame, den jilgan i dekennime, haihvngga mudan hayaljame narhvn jilgan nadame. Alliteration is a very common stylistic device used in Manchu (and generally Tungusic) poetry.  You can read more about the poems in Nixan saman-i bithe here (in Japanese).

hoge yage wehei ukdun
hoge yage ukcame jidereo
hoge yage hahilame ebunjireo
hoge yage
serede saman holhinafi

hoge yage
wehei ukdun [stone cave]
ukcame [to elude]
jidereo [come]

hahilame [hurrying]
ebunjireo [descend]

serede [said]
saman [shaman]
holhinafi [having been in a daze] dict. form: hvlhidafi

“Hoge yage, your stone cave,
hoge yage, elude and come out!
Hoge yage, hurry and descend!
Hoge yage!”
the shaman said in a daze.

fisaci fita singgeme weceku dosifi gaitai weihe saime yayame alame

fisaci [from the back] Schmidt has fisa as a loanword from Chinese 背子 (bèizi).
fita [firmly]
singeme [soaking into] misspelling of singgeme
weceku [deity]
dosifi [having entered]

gaitai [suddenly]
weihe [tooth]
saime [bite]
yayame [incantating]
alame [said]

The deity entered her, soaking into her firmly from the back.  Suddenly she bit her teeth and chanted,

hoge yage dalbade iliha
hoge yage dalaha jari
hoge yage adame iliha
hoge yage amba jari
hoge yage hanci iliha
hoge yage haihvngga jari
hoge yage xurdeme iliha
hoge yage sure jari
hoge yage nekeliyen xan be
hoge yage neifi donji
hoge yage giramin xan be
hoge yage gidafi donji

hoge yage
dalbade [aside]
iliha [standing]
dalaha jari [leading assistant]

adame [being next to]
iliha [standing]
amba jari [great assistant]

hanci [near]
iliha [standing]
haihvngga [soft, supple]
jari [assistant]

xurdeme [around]
iliha [standing]
sure jari [wise assistant]

nekeliyen xan be [thin ear]
neifi [having opened]
donji [listen]

giramin xan [thick ear] dict. form: jiramin
gidafi [having pressed]
donji [listen]

“Hoge yage, standing at my side,
hoge yage, my leading assistant!
Hoge yage, standing close by,
hoge yage, my great assistant!
Hoge yage, standing nearby,
hoge yage, my supple assistant!
Hoge yage, standing around,
hoge yage, my wise assistant!
Hoge yage, open your thin ear,
hoge yage, and listen to me!
Hoge yage, press your thick ear,
hoge yage, and listen to me!”

hoge yage amila coko be
hoge yage uju bade
hoge yage hvwaitafi belhe

hoge yage
amila coko be [rooster]
uju bade [by head]
hvwaitafi [having tied up]
belhe [prepare]

“Hoge yage, the rooster,
hoge yage, by the head,
hoge yage, tie it up, then prepare it!

hoge yage kuri indahvn be
hoge yage bethe jakade
hoge yage siderefi belhe

kuri indavhn be [spotted dog]
bethe [legs]
jaka-de [by]
siderefi [having tied]
belhe [prepare]

Hoge yage, the spotted dog,
hoge yage, by the legs,
hoge yage, tie it up and prepare it!

hoge yage tanggv dalhan
hoge yage fe misun be
hoge yage dalbade sinda

tanggv dalhan [hundred lumps] can be spelled dalgan
fe misun be [old bean paste]
dalbade [around]
sinda [put]

Hoge yage, a hundred lumps,
hoge yage, of old bean paste,
hoge yage, put them around!

hoge yage tanggv sefere
hoge yage suseri hooxan be
hoge yage hosifi belhe

tanggv sefere [hundred strips]
suseri hooxan be [coarse paper]
hosifi [having wrapped up]
belhe [prepare]

Hoge yage, a hundred strips
hoge yage, of coarse paper
hoge yage, wrap them up and put them around!

hoge yage farhvn bade
hoge yage fainggo be farganambi

farhvn ba-de [in a dark place]
fainggo be [(yang) soul] dict. form: fayangga
farganambi [go to pursue]

Hoge yage, in a dark place,
hoge yage, pursuing a soul.

hoge yage bucehe gurun de
hoge yage buhime genembi

bucehe gurun de [to Land of the Dead]
buhime [suspect] dict. form: buhiyeme
genembi [go]

Hoge yage, to the Land of the Dead,
hoge yage, I suspect I am going.

hoge yage ehe bade
hoge yage ergen be ganambi

ehe ba-de [to evil place]
ergen be [life]
ganambi [bring]

Hoge yage, to the evil place,
hoge yage, bringing life.

hoge yage tuheke fainggo be
hoge yage tungiyeme yombi

tuheke fainggo be [fallen soul]
tungiyeme [to pick up] dict. form tunggiyeme
yombi [set off]

Hoge yage, a fallen soul,
hoge yage, I’m setting off to fetch.

hoge yage akdaha jari
hoge yage yarume gamareo

akdaha jari [assistant (I) depend on]
yarume [guiding]
gamareo [take]

“Hoge yage, trustworthy assistant,
hoge yage, take and guide me!

hoge yage yargiyan fede

yargiyan [truly]
fede [work hard]

Hoge yage, truly, work hard!

hoge yage aitubume jidere de
hoge yage oforo xurdeme
hoge yage orin damjin
hoge yage muke makta

aitubume [be revived]
jidere de [when come]
oforo [nose]
xurdeme [around]
orin damjin [twenty carrying poles, or yokes] dict. form: damjan****
muke [water]
makta [toss]

Hoge yage, when I am revived,
hoge yage, around my nose,
hoge yage, twenty yokes,
hoge yage, of water, toss!

****It appears that this word is being used as a measure word for the water that one would carry in two buckets on such a pole over one’s shoulder.  Twenty yokes equals forty buckets (see below).

hoge yage dere xurdeme
hoge yage dehi hunio
hoge yage muke hungkure
hoge yage
seme alafi uthai fahabume gvwaliyame tuheke

dere [face]
xurdeme [around]
dehi hunio [forty buckets]
muke [water]
hungkure [pour] dict. form: hungkere

seme [saying]
alafi [having told]

uthai [then]
fahabume [was thrown] (in MaChMo)
gvwaliyame [become dizzy] (in MaChMo)
tuheke [fell down]

Hoge yage, around my face,
hoge yage, forty buckets,
hoge yage, of water pour!
Hoge yage!”
she told him, then she was thrown, became dazed, and fell down.

manggi jari nari fiyanggo okdome dedubufi sixa hosihan jergi be dasatafi coko indahvn be hvwaitafi, misun hooxan jergi be faidame sindafi

manggi [then]
nari fiyanggo [Nari Fiyanggo]
okdome [picking]
dedubufi [having put to rest]

sixa [belt with bells]
hosihan [skirt]
jergi be [other things]
dasatafi [having put straight]

coko [rooster]
indahvn be [dog]
hvwaitafi [having tied]

misun [bean paste]
hooxan [paper]
jergi be [other things]
faidame [arranging]
sindafi [having placed]

Then Nari Fiyanggo put her to rest, put her belt and skirt straight, tied the rooster and the dog, and arranged the bean paste, the paper and other things.

ini beye saman i adame tefi weceku fideme yarume gamara gisun i nari fiyanggo yemcen be jafafi yayame deribuhe terei geyen

ini beye [himself]
saman i adame [next to shaman]
tefi [having sat]

weceku [spirit]
fideme [moved]
yarume [guided]

gamara gisun i [with ]
nari fiyanggo [Nari Fiyanggo]
yemcen be [drum]
jafafi [having grasped]

yayame [incantating]
deribuhe [begun]
tere-i geyen [this chanting]

He sat himself next to the shaman, and moved and guided the spirit.  With guiding words, Nari Fiyanggo grasped the drum and began intoning this chant,

cingelji ingelji dengjan ayan be
cingelji ingelji farhvn obufi
cingelji ingelji ineku jamji de
cingelji ingelji bayara halai
cingelji ingelji sergudai fiyanggo
cingelji ingelji fainggo jalin
cingelji ingelji hungken de hujufi
cingelji ingelji farhvn bade
cingelji ingelji fainggo be fargambi

cingelji ingelji
dengjan ayan be [candles, lights]
farhvn obufi [having quenched] farhvn [dark] obumbi [to cause to become]

ineku yamji de [this evening]
bayara hala-i [of rich family, clan]
sergudai fiyanggo [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
fainggo jalin [for the sake of soul]
hungken de [in a kowtow] dict. form: hengkin
hujufi [having bowed deeply]

farhvn ba-de [in dark place]
fainggo be [soul]
fargambi [pursue]

“Cingelji ingelji, candles and lights,
cingelji ingelji, when they are all quenched,
cingelji ingelji, this evening,
cingelji ingelji, a rich family’s one,
cingelji ingelji, Sergudai Fiyanggo,
cingelji ingelji, for the sake of his soul,
Cingelji ingelji, after giving a deep kowtow,
cingelji ingelji, in a nebulous place,
cingelji ingelji, she will pursue his soul,”

cingelji ingelji ehe bade
cingelji ingelji ergen be ganambi
cingelji ingelji tuheke fainggo be
cingelji ingelji tunkiyeme gajimbi

ehe ba-de [in evil place]
ergen be [life]
ganambi [bring]

tuheke fainggo be [fallen soul]
tunkiyeme [carrying] dict. form: tukiyeme
gajimbi [bring]

“cingelji ingelji, in the evil place,
cingelji ingelji, she will fetch his life,
cingelji ingelji, his fallen soul,
cingelji ingelji, she will bring.

cingelji ingelji hutu de hosungge
cingelji ingelji ibagan de icingga
cingelji ingelji abkai fejergide
cingelji ingelji algin bihe
cingelji ingelji geren gurunde
cingelji ingelji gebu bihe
cingelji ingelji
sefi

hutu de [to ghost]
hosungge [power] dict. form: hvsungge
ibagan de [to the monster, evil ghost]
icingga [skilled, experienced]
abka-i fejergi-de [all under heaven]
algin [fame]
bihe [was]

geren gurun-de [in every country]
gebu [name]
bihe [was]

sefi [having said]

Cingelji ingelji, power with the ghosts,
cingelji ingelji, experience with monsters.
Cingelji ingelji, with all under heaven,
cingelji ingelji, she had fame,
cingelji ingelji, in every country,
cingelji ingelji, was her name.
Cingelji ingelji!”, he said.

Next part >>

[Paweł has now completed the draft translation of the entire book (there will be 22 installments in all), and now the two of us are meticulously going through the translation, word by word, exhaustively investigating every possibility where there is anything strange about the text.  This particular installment proved to be the most challenging so far, especially near the end where we made some interesting discoveries.  Enjoy!  --RA]

baldu bayan hengkixeme hendume wecen i alahangge, geren julen i jorihangge gemu inu sehe manggi saman emge hiyan be jafafi weshume gelabufi yemcen gisun jergi be bargiyafi,

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
hengkixeme [kowtowing repeatedly]
hendume [said]

wecen i [shamanistic rite]
alahangge [what said]
geren julen i [whole story]
jorihangge [indicated]
gemu [everything]
inu [right]
sehe [said]
manggi [after]

saman [shaman]
emge [one] dict. form: emke
hiyan be [incense]
jafafi [having grasped]

weshume [stood up] dict. form: wesihume
gelabufi [having regained consciousness]

yemcen [drum]
gisun [drumstick]
jergi be [etc]
bargiyafi [having gathered]

Baldu Bayan kowtowing again and again said, “Everything told during the rite was correct”.  After that, the shaman grasped the incense and stood up, coming out of her trance.  She gathered the drum, the drumstick, and the other things.

baldu bayan dabtan i nade niyakvrafi songgome hendume saman gehe i gosime tuwahangge gemu yargiyan acanambi acanara be dahame gosici beyebe jobobume mini fosihvn boode mini jui i indahvn gese ergen be aitubureo,

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
dabtan i [again]
na-de [on ground]
niyakvrafi [having knelt]

songgome [crying]
hendume [said]

saman gehe i [shaman lady's]
gosime [pitying]
tuwahangge [what saw]
gemu [all]
yargiyan [really]
acanambi [was correct]

acanara be dahame [because (was) correct]

gosici [out of pity]
beye-be [yourself]
jobobume [make worry]
mini fosihvn boo-de [at my modest home]
mini jui i [my son]
indahvn gese [like dog]
ergen be [breath]
aitubureo [revive]

Baldu Bayan knelt down on the ground again, and cried, “The pitiful things you have seen are correct.  Since they are correct, out of pity and distress, please come to my modest home and revive my son’s dog-like life.”

ergen baha erinde enduri wecen be onggoro dorombio, mini beye baiha be dahame basan be cashvlara dorombio sehe

ergen [breath]
baha [got]
erin-de [when]

enduri wecen be [rite of the god]
onggoro [forget]
dorombio [is there a way] misspelling of doro bio

mini beye [I]
baiha be [request]
dahame [since]
basan be [pay] dict. form: basa
cashvlara [turning the back on sth]
dorombio [is there a way] misspelling of doro bio

sehe [said]
manggi [then]

“When he regains his breath, how could I forget about the ritual?  Since I requested this, how could I turn away from paying?”

manggi nixan saman hendume sini boode ere jui i emu inenggi banjiha indahvn bi, geli ilan aniya amila coko, misun jergi amba muru bodoci bidere seme fonjirede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

sini boo-de [at your home]
ere jui i [of this son]
emu inenggi [one day]
banjiha [born]
indahvn [dog]
bi [is]

geli [moreover]
ilan aniya [three years]
amila coko [rooster]
misun [fermented bean paste] this word seems to have something in common with Japanese 味噌 miso
jergi [and so on]

amba muru [probably]
bodoci [if foretold]
bidere [is that so]

seme [saying]
fonjire-de [when asked]

Then the Nishan Shaman said, “At your home, there is a dog born on the same day as your son, a three-year old rooster, and fermented bean paste. If I foretold right, tell me it is so.”

baldu bayan hendume bisirengge yargiyan tuwahangge tondo kai, ferguwecuke enduri saman kai,

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
hendume [said]

bisirengge [what is there]
yargiyan [true]

tuwahangge [what (you)  saw]
tondo [right]
kai emphatic particle

ferguwecuke [astonishing]
enduri [god's]
saman [shaman]
kai emphatic particle

Baldu Bayan answered, “It is true!  What you saw is right!  You are an astonishing, powerful shaman!”

te bi bahaci amba ahvra be axxabumbi ujen ahvri be unume gamaki sembi, bairengge mini jui i ajige ergen be aitubureo serede

te [now]
bi [I]
bahaci [hope]

amba ahvra be [great costume (and paraphernalia)] can be spelled agvra
axxabumbi [make move or shake]*

ujen [heavy, serious]
ahvri be [costume] dict. form: ahvra
unume [carrying]
gamaki sembi [want to take]

bairengge [request]
mini jui i [my son's]
ajige ergen be [weak life]
aitubureo [revive]

serede [said]

“Now, I hope that you will shake the great costume, that you’ll want to carry this heavy costume, that you will please revive my weak son.”

*Perhaps “shaking the costume” refers to the shaman dancing in the costume.

nixan saman injeme hendume ajige eberi saman ainaha icihiyame mutebure mekelen bade ulin menggun fayambi tusa akv bade turgin jiha wajimbi, gvwa mutere saman sabe baisu, bi serengge teni taciha saman tesu bahara unde, ice taciha saman ilban bahara unde, aibe sambi serede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
injeme [laughing]
hendume [said]

ajige eberi saman [weak, inferior shaman]
ainaha [why]
icihiyame [manage]
mutebure [can]

mekelen bade [in vain] can be spelled mekele
ulin [money, treasures]
menggun [silver]
fayambi [spend]

tusa akv bade [with no benefit] tusa [benefit, interest]
turgin [wages] dict. form: turigen
jiha [money (copper coins)]
wajimbi [end]

gvwa mutere saman sa-be [other skilled shamans]
baisu [ask]

bi [I]
serengge [what said]
teni [mere]
taciha saman [student shaman]
tesu [locally]
bahara [get]
unde [not yet]
ice taciha saman [newly learned shaman]
ilban [service] misspelling of alban
bahara [get]
unde [not yet]
aibe [what]
sambi [know]

sere-de [when said]

Laughing, the Nishan Shaman said, “How can a young weak shaman manage? You will spend a fortune in vain, you will lose your money with no benefit.  Ask other, skilled shamans.  I am a mere student shaman.  I have not yet achieved the basics.  I am a novice shaman.  I have not passed my service yet. What do I know?”

baldu bayan niyakvrafi hengileme gosiholome songgome bairengge saman gehe mini jui i ergen be aitubuci aisin menggun alha gecuhuri akta morin ihan honin jergi adun be dulin dendeme bufi baili de karulambi sehe manggi

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
niyakvrafi [having knelt]

hengkileme [kowtowing]
gosiholome [being distressed]
songgome [crying]

bairengge [request]
saman gehe [shaman lady]
mini jui i [my son's]
ergen be [breath, life]
aitubuci [if revive]

aisin [gold]
menggun [silver]
alha gecuhuri [variegated, many coloured brocade or satin with dragons or flowers depicted on it] dict. form: gelcuheri
akta morin [geldings]
ihan [cattle]
honin [sheep]
jergi be [other goods]
dulin [half]
dendeme [dividing]
bufi [having given]

baili de [for mercy]
karulambi [repay]

sehe [said]
manggi [after]

Baldu Bayan knelt, and kowtowing in distress he cried, “Please, shaman lady! If you bring my son back to life, I will divide my gold, silver, many coloured fabrics, geldings, cattle and sheep, and other goods, and I will give one half of them to you, as repayment for your mercy.”

nixan saman arga akv hendume bayan agu ilii

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
arga akv [could do nothing about it] lit. (there was) no way
hendume [said]

bayan agu [wealthy friend]
ilii [stand up] dict. form: ili

The Nishan Shaman could do nothing about it and said, “Stand up, my wealthy friend!”

bi bai emu mudan geneme tuwaki, jabxabuci inu ume urgunjere ufarabuci inu ume usahara, ere jergi gisun be getuken i donjihao sehede,

bi [I]
bai [only]
emu mudan [once]
geneme [go]
tuwaki [will see]

jabxabuci [if have good luck]
inu [even]
ume urgunjere [do not rejoice]

ufarabuci [if fail]
inu [even]
ume usahara [do not be angry] dict. form: ushara

ere jergi gisun be [these and other words]
getuken i [understandable]
donjihao [hear?]

sehe-de [when said]

“I shall go and see only once.  Do not rejoice even if I am lucky.  Do not be be angry even if I fail.  Do you understand what I said?”

baldu bayan ambula urgunjeme ubaliyame ilifi aname dambagu tebume baniha bume wajifi uce tucime morin yalufi

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
ambula [greatly, very]
urgunjeme [rejoicing]
ubaliyame [looked around]
ilifi [having stood up]

aname [pushing]
dambagu [tobacco]
tebume [filled up (a pipe)]
baniha [thanks]
bume [giving]
wajifi [having finished]

uce [door]
tucime [went out]
morin [horse]
yalufi [having mounted]

Baldu Bayan looked around rejoicingly and stood up. He offered her a filled pipe of tobacco, went out the door, and mounted his horse.

boo baru jime uthai  ahalji bahalji sebe hvlafi hahilame giyoo sejen morin jergi be belhefi saman be ganareo serede

boo baru [towards home]
jime [came]
uthai [then]

ahalji bahalji se-be [Ahalji and Bahalji]
hvlafi [having called]

hahilame [hurrying]
giyoo [sedan chair] dict. form: kiyoo
sejen [chariot]
morin [horses]
jergi be [other things]
belhefi [having prepared]

saman be [shaman]
ganareo [bring] lit. go and get

serede [said]

He rushed home and immediately called Ahalji and Bahalji: “Hurry up, prepare a sedan chair, chariot, horses and other things, and go and get the shaman!”

uthai gemu teksin yungkiyan tohome belhefi ahalji bahalji se geren be gaime saman be okdonome yabume goidahakv nisihai birai dalin i nixan saman i boode isinafi

uthai [immediately]
gemu teksin [everything]**
yungkiyan [completely] dict. form: yongkiyan
tohome [saddled]
belhefi [having prepared]

ahalji bahalji se [Ahalji and Bahalji]
geren be [everything]
gaime [took]
saman be [shaman]
okdonome [going to meet]
yabume [went]

goidahakv [before long] lit. not enduring
nisihai bira-i [Nisihai River's]
dalin i [bank]
nixan saman i [the Nisan Shaman]
boo-de [to house]
isinafi [having come]

Immediately, completely saddled up and having prepared everything, Ahalji and Bahalji took everything and went to meet the shaman.  Before long, they came to the house of the Nisan Shaman on the bank of the Nisihai River.

**Dictionaries don’t have this term, but Norman has gulhun teksin [neat, orderly] (gulhun alone means “complete, intact”.  teksin means “even” or “level”, so we can take gemu teksin to mean “completely everything”.

saman be acafi elhe baifi weceku guise jergi be ilan sejen de dendeme tebufi saman giyoo de tefi jakvn asihata tukiyeme deyere gese dartai andande yuwan wai i boode isinjifi

saman be [shaman]
acafi [having met]
elhe baifi [having asked after health]

weceku [spirits] or more accurately [placings for spirits]
guise [chests] from Chinese 櫃子 guì zi
jergi be [other things]
ilan sejen de [on three chariots]
dendeme [divided]
tebufi [having put]

saman [shaman]
giyoo de [on sedan chair]
tefi [having sat]

jakvn asiha-ta [eight youths]
tukiyeme [raised]
deyere [flying]
gese [like]

dartai andande [in a moment]
yuwan wai i [landlord's]
boo-de [house]
isinjifi [having come]

Having met the shaman, they asked about her health. They divided her spirit-placings, chests, and other things and put them on three chariots. The shaman sat on the sedan chair, and eight youths raised it and, as if flying, they came to the landlord’s house in no time.

baldu bayan okdome dosimbufi weceku guisebe amba nahan i dulin de faidafi dere yasa obofi hiyan dabufi ilan jergi hengkilefi

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
okdome [greeting]
dosimbufi [having admited]

weceku [spirits]
guise-be [chests]
amba nahan i dulin de*** [in the middle of the great kang]
faidafi [having arranged]

dere [face]
yasa [eyes]
obofi [having washed]

hiyan [incense]
dabufi [having lit]

ilan jergi [three times]
hengkilefi [having kowtowed]

Baldu Bayan greeted and admitted the guest, arranged the spirit-placings and chests in the middle of the great kang***, washed his face and eyes, lit incense, and kowtowed three times.

***amba nahan – great kang, the kang facing the entrance of the house

amala saman dere obofi buda belhefi jeme wajifi usihin fungku i dere mafulafi yemcen belhefi

amala [after that]
saman [shaman]
dere [face]
obofi [having washed]

buda [meal]
belhefi [having prepared]

jeme [eating]
wajifi [having finished]

usihin fungku i [with wet towel]
dere [face]
mafulafi [having wiped] dict. form: mabulafi

yemcen [drum] dict. form: imcin
belhefi [having prepared]

After that, the shaman washed her face, and prepared and ate a meal. She wiped her face with a wet towel and prepared her drum.

weceku de yayame baime yemcen tungken forire de emu gaxan de bisire ilan duin saman sa dahalame yemcen forici gemu mudande acanarakv ojoro jakade

weceku de [to the spirit]
yayame [mumbling]
baime [seek, ask, summon]

yemcen tungken [drums]
forire de [beating]
emu gaxan de [in village]
bisire [being, residing]
ilan duin saman sa [three or four shamans]
dahalame [following]
yemcen [drums]
forici [when beaten]

gemu [all]
mudan-de [rhythm]
acanarakv ojoro jaka-de [when could not fit]

Mumbling, she summoned the spirit. Three or four shamans from the village beat their drums trying to follow her, but they could not fit the rhythm.

nixan saman hendume ere gese teksin akv oci absi hanilambi serede

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

ere gese [like this]
teksin akv [uneven]
oci [if is]

absi [how]
hanilambi**** [go to the Underworld]

sere-de [when said]

The Nishan Shaman said, “If it is so uneven, how can I go to the Underworld?”

****hanilambi (hanalambi) – this word can’t be found in any of the dictinaries we know. At first our hypothesis was that it was a variant of hailambi, MaChMo:不受享 bù shòu ​xiǎng ​​“to not enjoy, to not accept an offering” (the second sense confirmed by Norman). However, Kawachi claims that it means 死の世界に行く – “to go to the Underworld”, making reference to Shirokogoroff’s “Psychomental Complex of the Tungus“, p308. This seemed a bit suspicious until we found out that the verb most probably is a loan from Chinese 觀落陰 (观落阴) guān ​luò​ yīn , a Daoist ritual of entering the spirit world, still popular today. You can read more about it here, and even watch a short video.  Daoism and Chinese Folk Religion influenced each other heavily early on.

yuwan wai jabume meni emu tokso de yargiyan mutere niyalma akv oho, saman gehe de daci dahalaha da jari bici alafi ganabuki sehede

yuwan wai [landlord]
jabume [answered]

meni emu tokso de [in our village]
yargiyan [truly]
mutere niyalma akv oho [there are no skilled people]

saman gehe de [shaman lady de (see note following bici)]
daci [formerly]
dahalaha [following]
da [main]
jari [shaman's helper, assistant] from jarimbi [to chant prayers (of a shaman)]
bici [if was] the construction “X-de Y bi” means “X has Y”

alafi [having said]
ganabuki [will be brought]

sehede [said]

The landlord answered, “Truly, there are no skilled people in our village.  If you had had an assistant before, tell me and he will be brought.”

nixan saman hendume meni gaxan de tehe nadanju sede ujihe emu nara fiyanggo bihebi,

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
hendume [said]

meni gaxan de [in my village]
tehe [living]
nadanju se-de [seventy year old]
ujihe [born]
emu nara fiyanggo [a Nara Fiyanggo] lit. Nara the Youngest, dict. form: fiyanggv
bihebi [there is]

The Nishan Shaman said, “There is one Nara Fiyanggo, seventy years old, living in my village.

ere niyalma cingkai dahalara be dahame yemcen geyen jergide gemu ureshvn gese ere niyalma jici yargiyan i joborakv xaxun ijishvn bihe serede

ere niyalma [this man]
cingkai [completely]
dahalara be [following]
dahame [submitting]

yemcen [drum]
geyen [chanting] dict. form: geye, this term corresponds to Sanskrit gāthā
jergide gemu [everything else]
ureshvn [familiar]
gese [like]

ere niyalma [this man]
jici [if come]

yargiyan i [really]
joborakv [not worry]

xaxun [shred, piece]*****
ijishvn [obedient]
bihe [is]

serede [said]

This man submits to me completely, and he can beat the drum and chant and is familiar with everything else.   If he comes, I will not worry.  He is obedient in everything.”

***** The meaning of the word xaxun found in dictionaries is [1. tinder, small pieces of wood used to start a fire 2. shred, piece 3. meat or fish paste], which made me think that xaxun ijishvn might mean every shred obedient, but there is no evidence to prove this hypothesis. Durrant interprets it as a loan-word from Chinese 孝順 (孝顺) xiào​shùn filial piety, but the dictionary form of this word is hiyooxun (it appears several times in the text), and it is odd to imagine a seventy year old man showing filial piety toward the young shaman.

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baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
tere niyalma de [that man]
baniha bufi [having thanked] lit. having given a thank

morin [horse]
yalufi [having mounted]

dahvme [again] lit. repeating
feksime [gallopping]
dergi dube-de [to the eastern bank]
isinjifi [having arrived]

Baldu Bayan thanked the man, mounted his horse, and galloped back to the eastern bank.

morin ci ebufi boode dosifi, tuwaci julergi nahan de emu funiyehe xaraka sakda mama tehebi jun i angga bade emu se asigan hehe dambagu be gocime ilihabi

morin ci [from horse]
ebufi [having dismounted]

boo-de [to house]
dosifi [having gone]

tuwaci [looked]

julergi nahan de* [on southern kang]
emu [one] here as indefinite article
funiyehe xaraka [white-haired]
sakda mama [old woman]
tehebi [was sitting]

jun i angga bade [by stove door] lit. stove mouth
emu se asigan hehe [a very young woman]
dambagu be [tobacco]
gocime [smoking]
ilihabi [was standing]

He dismounted from his horse and went into the house, and he saw an old, white-haired woman sitting on the southern kang*. A young woman was standing by the stove door, smoking.

* nahan, Chinese: 炕 kàng. The kang built on the southern wall (especially in the western room) is the most honourable place in the house where elderly people sleep.

yuwan wai gvnici ere nahan de tehe sakda mama jiduji saman dere seme nada niyakvrafi

yuwan wai [landlord]
gvnici [thought]

ere [this]
nahan de tehe [sitting on kang]
sakda mama [old woman]
jiduji [surely]
saman dere [shaman]

seme [said]

na-da [on ground] misspelling of nade
niyakvrafi [having knelt]

The landlord thought, “The old woman sitting on the kang surely is the shaman” and knelt down on the ground before her.

baire de sakda mama hendume bi saman waka agu si taxarabuhabi, jun bade ilihangge mini urun, saman inu serede

baire de [when begged]

sakda mama [old woman]
hendume [said]

bi [I]
saman [shaman]
waka [(am) not]

agu [friend]
si [you]
taxabuhabi [were deceived]

jun ba-de [by stove]
ilihangge [standing]
mini urun [my daughter-in-law]
saman [shaman]
inu emphatic particle

serede [said]

Upon his begging, the old woman said, “I am not a shaman. You have been deceived, my friend. My daughter-in-law who is standing by the stove, she is the shaman.”

baldu bayan uthai ilifi ere gehe de niyakvrafi baime hendume,

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
uthai [then]
ilifi [having stood]

ere gehe de [before this young lady]
fiyakvrafi [having knelt]

baime [asking]
hendume [told]

Then Baldu Bayan stood up, knelt before the young lady and asked,

saman gehe, amba algin algikabi gebu gvtubume tucikebi, orin saman i oilori, dehi saman deleri turgunde, bairengge han julhun be tuwabume jorimbureo seme baime jihe

saman gehe [shaman lady]
amba algin [great fame]
algikabi [became known]

“Shaman lady! Your great fame has spread!

gebu [name]
gvtubume [spoiling, bringing disgrace]
tucikebi [has excelled]

Your name has excelled, putting others to shame.

orin saman i [twenty shamans]
oilori [outside]
dehi saman [forty shamans]
deleri [above]
turgun-de [because]
bairengge [please] literally: begging

han julhun be** [son's disease]
tuwabume [examining]
jorimbureo [indicate] can be spelled joribureoseme [saying]

baime [to ask]
jihe [came]

Please, it is because you are above and beyond scores of shamans that I came to ask you to examine my son’s disease!”.

** han julhun – a name of a disease.  han seems to be an appellation referring to Sergudai, and julhun seems to refer to the disease, since a cure is yet to be indicated.  Kawachi interprets it as a variant or misspelling of jijuhun [digram, trigram, or hexagram of the Book of Changes], or julgen [good fortune, lucky chance]; Durrant translates it as “circumstances of death”; Volkova simply transcribes it and adds a note saying “a name of a disease, apparently a shamanic term”.

gehe jobombi seme ainara xar seme gosifi algin be gaime bureo serede

gehe [young lady] lit. elder sister
jobombi [became worried]

seme [said]

ainara [how]
xar seme [moved with sympathy]
gosifi [having pitied]

algin be [fame]
gaime [taking away]
bureo [ask]

serede [said]

The young lady became worried, and moved with sympathy, pitied him.  “Please, put aside my fame” she said.

tere hehe injerxeme hendume bayan agu be holtorakv, mini beye ice tacifi goidaha akv de han julhun tuwarengge tondo akv ayoo

tere hehe [that woman]
injerxeme [smiling cheerfully]
hendume [said]

bayan agu be [wealthy friend]
holtorakv [not deceive]

mini beye [I]
ice [new]
tacifi [having learned]
goidaha akv de [a little while] can be spelled goidahakv

han julhun [(the disease)]
tuwarengge [examining]
tondo akv [wrongly] lit. without right
ayoo particle of fear or doubt ***

She smiled cheerfully and said, “Wealthy friend, I am not deceiving you.  I have only studied a little while.  I doubt I could examine your son’s disease rightly.”

***It is connected with Chinese 啊哟 āyō. However, Schmidt doesn’t have this as a loanword from Chinese, and MA-CH-MO translates ayoo as 惟恐口氣 (an exclamation of fear), so the Chinese version seems to be the younger one.  On the other hand, ayoo can be spelled ayao as well, and this diphtong appears in Chinese loanwords only.

ume baita be tookabure gvwa erdemungge saman sabe baifi erdeken i tuwabuna ume heoledere serede

ume [do not]
baita be [matter]
tookabure [postpone]

gvwa [other]
erdemungge saman sa-be [powerful shamans]
baifi [having asked]

erdeken i [soon]
tuwabuna [go to be examined]

ume heoledere [don't be careless]

serede [said]

“Do not postpone the matter, hurry and ask other, more powerful shamans to examine your son. Do not be careless!”

baldu bayan yasai muke eyebume, hengkixeme dahvn dabtai i baire jakade, saman hendume

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
yasa-i muke [tears]
eyebume [made flow]
hengkixeme [kowtowing repeatedly] from hengkilembi with -xe suffix (frequentative verb)
dahvn dabtai i [repeatedly] can be spelled dabtan
baire jakade [when begged]
saman [shaman]
hendume [said]

When Baldu Bayan burst into tears, begging her and kowtowing repeatedly, she said,

tuktan jihebe dahame, emu mudan tuwambureo gvwa niyalma oho bici ainaha seme tuwarakv bihe sefi

tuktan [the first time]
jihe-be [(one who) came]
dahame [because]
emu mudan [once]
tuwambureo [please let me see]

gvwa niyalma [another person]
oho bici [if were]

ainaha seme [surely] lit. saying “for what purpose?”
tuwarakv bihe [would not divine]

sefi [having said]

“Since it is your first time coming, let me see.  If it were another person, I surely would not divine.”

dere yasa obufi, hiyan dere faidafi, muheliyen tonio be muke de maktafi, falan dulin de mulan teku be sindafi

dere [face]
yasa [eyes]
obufi [having washed] dict. form: obofi

hiyan dere [table used for burning incense] hiyan [incense] from Chinese 香 xiāng
faidafi [having arranged]

muheliyen tonio be [round Go stones (围棋; wéiqí)] to learn more about Go stones used in the ritual, look here (page 43)
muke de [to water]
maktafi [having thrown]

falan dulin de [in the middle of the room]
teku be [seat]
sindafi [having placed]

She washed her face and eyes, arranged the incense table, threw round Go stones into the water, and placed a seat in the middle of the room.

saman beye ice galai yemcen be jafafi hashv galai hailan moo gisun be halhifi teku de teme yemcen be torgime geyeme baime deribuhe

saman [shaman]
beye [herself]
ice gala-i [with right hand] dict. form: ici
yemcen be**** [drum] can be spelled imcin
jafafi [having taken]

hashv gala-i [with left hand]
hailan moo gisun be [elm-wood drumstick]
halhifi [having grasped] can be spelled halgifi

teku de [on seat]
teme [sitting]
yemcen be [drum]
torgime [making circles]
geyeme [beating] lit. carving
baime deribuhe [began invoking]

She took the drum**** in her right hand, grasped the elm-wood drumstick with her left hand, and sat on the seat.  Making circles with the drum and beating it, she began her invocation.

**** for detailed information about shamanic drums, look here: 1, 2, 3.

hocohvn jilgan hobage be hvlame den jilgan deyangku be dahinjime yayame baifi weceku be beyede singgebufi baldu bayan nade niyakvrafi donjimbi,

hocohvn jilgan [beautiful voice] dict. form: hocikon
hobage be [hobage]
hvlame [chanting]

den jilgan [high voice]
deyangku be [deyangku]
dahinjime [repeating]

yayame [mumbling an incantation]
baifi [having invoked]

weceku be [spirit] See this article. In the article, “vochko” = weceku.
beye-de [into herself]
singgebufi [having caused to enter] also ’caused to soak into, permeate, go deep into’

baldu bayan [Baldu Bayan]
na-de [on ground]
niyakvrafi [having knelt]

donjimbi [listened]

Chanting “hobage” in beautiful voice, repeating “deyangku” in a high voice, and mumbling, she chanted her invocation.  She caused a spirit to enter her.  Baldu Bayan was kneeling on the ground and listening.

nixan saman yayame deribuhe, jorime yayaha gisun,
eikule yekule ere baldu halai
eikule yekule muduri aniyangga
eikule yekule haha si donji
eikule yekule han be tuwabume
eikule yekule jihe age
eikule yekule getuken donji
eikule yekule waka seci
eikule yekule wake sebai
eikule yekule holo seci
eikule yekule holo sebai

nixan saman [the Nishan Shaman]
yayame deribuhe [began to mumble (an incantation)]

jorime [explaining]
yayaha gisun [mumbled words]

ere baldu hala-i [of this Baldu clan]
muduri aniyangga [born in the Year of Dragon]

haha [man]
si [you]
donji [listen]

han be [lord]
tuwabume [to examine]
jihe age [master who came]
getuken [clearly]
donji [listen]

waka [not]
seci [if say]
waka [not]
se [say]
bai particle of command and emphasis, from Chinese 罷呀 (罢呀/吧呀, .ba.ya)

holo [false]
seci [if say]
holo [false]
se bai [say]

The Nishan Shaman begun to mumble (the incantation), explaining in these words:
“Eikule yekule, man of the Baldu clan,
eikule yekule, born in the Year of the Dragon,
eikule yekule, man, you listen!
Eikule yekule, for having the lord to be examined,
eikule yekule, man who came,
Eikule yekule, listen carefully!
Eikule yekule, if I say ‘no’,
eikule yekule, say ‘no’!
Eikule yekule, if I say ‘false’,
eikule yekule, say ‘false’!”

eikule yekule holo saman holtombi
eikule yekule suwende alarao
eikule yekule orin sunja sede
eikule yekule emu haha jui
eikule yekule ujihe bihe
eikule yekule tofohon se ofi
eikule yekule heng lang xan
eikule yekule alin de
eikule yekule abalame genefi
eikule yekule tere alin de
eikule yekule kumuru hutu
eikule yekule sini jui i
eikule yekule fainggo be
eikule yekule jafame jefi
eikule yekule ini beye
eikule yekule nimeku bahafi
eikule yekule bucehe bi

holo saman [false shaman]
holtombi [lies]

suwende [to you]
alarao [will tell]

orin sunja se-de [at the age of twenty five]
emu haha jui [one son]
ujihe bihe [had been born]

tofohon se [fifteen years]
ofi [having turned]

heng lang xan [Heng Lang Shan]
alin de [to the mountain]
abalame [to hunt]
genefi [having gone]

tere alin de [on that mountain]
kumuru hutu [Kumuru ghost]
sini jui i [your yon's]
fainggo be [(yang) soul] dict. form: fayangga
jafame [catching]
jefi [having kidnapped]

ini beye [he]
nimeku [disease]
bahafi [having caught]

bucehe bi [died]

“Eikule yekule, the shaman lies,
eikule yekule, I will tell you.
Eikule yekule, at the age of twenty-five,
eikule yekule, a son
eikule yekule, had been born.
Eikule yekule, when he turned fifteen,
eikule yekule, to Heng Lang Shan Mountain
eikule yekule, to the mountain,
eikule yekule, to hunt,
eikule yekule, he had gone.
Eikule yekule, on that mountain,
eikule yekule, Kumuru ghost,
eikule yekule, your son’s
eikule yekule, soul
eikule yekule, has caught and kidnapped.
Eikule yekule, He,
eikule yekule, having caught a disease,
eikule yekule, has died.”

eikule yekule tereci juse
eikule yekule ujihe akvbi
eikule yekule susai sede
eikule yekule emu haha jui
eikule yekule sabufi ujihebi
eikule yekule susai sede
eikule yekule banjiha ofi
eikule yekule gebube sergudai
eikule yekule fiyanggo sembi
eikule yekule seme gebulehebi
eikule yekule mergen gebu mukdehebi
eikule yekule amba gebu tucikebi eikule yekule tofohon se ofi

tere-ci [since then]
juse [son]
ujihe akv-bi [was not born]

susai se-de [at the age of fifty]
emu haha jui [one son]

sabufi [having seen]

ujihebi [was born]

susai se-de [at the age of fifty]
banjiha ofi [was born]

gebu-be [name]
sergudai fiyanggo [Sergudai Fiyanggo]
sembi [called]

seme [saying]
gebulehebi [was called a name]

mergen gebu [wise name]
mukdehebi [arose]

amba gebu [great name]
tucikebi [excelled]

tofohon se [fifteen years]
ofi [turned]

“Eikule yekule, since that time, a son
eikule yekule, had not been born,
eikule yekule, at the age of fifty,
eikule yekule, a son,
eikule yekule, I saw, was born,
eikule yekule, at the age of fifty,
eikule yekule, a son was born to you.
Eikule yekule, his name was Sergudai,
eikule yekule, Fiyanggo he was called.
Eikule yekule, that was the name.
Eikule yekule, his wise name arose,
eikule yekule, his great name excelled.
Eikule yekule, he turned fifteen.”

eikule yekule julergi alin de
eikule yekule gurgube ambula
eikule yekule waha turgunde
eikule yekule ilmun han donjifi
eikule yekule hutu be takvrafi
eikule yekule fainggo be jafafi
eikule yekule gamaha bi kai
eikule yekule weijubure de mangga
eikule yekule aitubure de jobombi
eikule yekule inu seci inu se
eikule yekule waka seci waka se eikule yekule

julergi alin de [in southern mountains]
gurgu-be [beasts]
ambula [many]
waha [killed]
turgunde [because]

ilmun han [Ilmun Han, ruler of the underworld]
donjifi [having listened]

hutu be [ghost]
takvrafi [having commanded]

fainggo be [soul]
jafafi [having caught]

gamaha bi [executed (the order)]
kai emphatic particle

weijubure de [bringing back to life]
mangga [(is) difficult]

aitubure de [reviving]
jobombi [needs]

inu [yes]
seci [if say]
inu [yes]
se [say]

waka [not]
seci [if say]
waka [not]
se [say]

“Eikule yekule, in the mountains of the South,
eikule yekule, many beasts,
eikule yekule, since he killed,
eikule yekule, Ilmun Han heard of it,
eikule yekule, having ,
Eikule yekule, sent a ghost,
eikule yekule, having caught Sergudai’s soul,
eikule yekule, he executed the order.
Eikule yekule, it is difficult to revive him;
eikule yekule, he needs to be revived.
Eikule yekule, if I say ‘yes’, say ‘yes’,
eikule yekule, if I say ‘no’, say ‘no’.”

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