The Jackal and the Warthog

Narrator: Ajafa'a from Talatayt
Date: 2010
Source: Christiansen-Bolli, R. (2010). A grammar of Tadaksahak. Leiden University.

Summary

A warthog entrusts his nine children to a jackal to teach them the Quran. But the jackal devours them one by one, leaving only one survivor. He then tricks the warthog by pretending the elephant is sick and needs warthog fat to heal. The jackal manipulates the animals to kill the warthog, but finally reveals his deceit.

Characters

a-zubara — Warthog
intaynawt / abijii — Jackal
eelaw — Elephant

aywa kol(a) a-zubara a-mmay bar-en well

Well, the warthog had children

Well, the warthog had children.
a-huru he ssa-ss-ay(a) a-se n i

He was looking for someone to teach them for him

He was looking for someone to teach them for him.
ho senda har a-ggun(a) intaynawt

He did that until he saw a jackal

He did that until he saw a jackal.
intaynawt a-cc(i) aas(e)

The jackal said to him

The jackal said to him:
yew aya-m-sa-ss-ayra ni-n bar-en

Come! I will teach your children

Come! I will teach your children.
ayay s(a) alfagi

It's me who is the Quran teacher!

It's me who is the Quran teacher!
a-ddin(i) ay-n bar-en

He took his children

He took his children.
ay-n bar-en ingi taas(a)

His children, they were nine

His children were nine.
a-nn(a)-i intaynawt se

He gave them to the jackal

He gave them to the jackal.
har a-b-sa-ss-ayr(a) a-se n i

So that he would teach them for him

So that he would teach them for him.
a-cc(i) a-b-sa-ss-ayr(a)-i

He thought he would teach them

He thought he would teach them.
da h(e) ayd(a) a-dda a-zubar(a) a-baara n(e) ayda

When this was done, the warthog was there

When this was done, the warthog was there.
har a-dd(a) i-wutay

Until he had spent years

Until he had spent years.
jinjin a-kkoy-kat

When he first came

When he first came.
a-cci a-b-fuggu-kat ay-n barr-en ka

He wanted to see his children

He wanted to see his children.
sa je intaynawt a-ggunakat anga

As soon as the jackal saw him coming

As soon as the jackal saw him coming.
intaynawt a-mmugus-an and(a) anga

The jackal went to meet him

The jackal went to meet him.
a-cc(i) aas(e) yeed-an barr-en be kahar i-ggunak nin i-ta-yixram i-m-wanjin ayay qaarán

He said to him: 'Turn away from the children. When they see you, they will disobey, they will refuse to study for me.'

He said to him: 'Turn away from the children. When they see you, they will disobey, they will refuse to study for me.'
a-ggung(i)-an aas-se bäarar fóo-da

He showed him one single child

He showed him one single child.
a-ggar bär-en da a-ffodana-goor(a) iika

It was found that only one child remained of them

It was found that only one child remained of them.
a-ggung(u)-an a- a

He showed it to him

He showed it to him.
a-ss-akn(a) a- a

He made him see it

He made him see it.
a-yye-kat and(a)-a

He came back with it

He came back with it.
a-yyed-an and(a)-a

He returned with it

He returned with it.
har a-dd(a) a- a-se n a-se s-akn-en taas a

Until he had shown it to him nine times

Until he had shown it to him nine times.
intaynawt anga da bär-en a-b-dumb(u)-i je (a)nd(a) a-ffod a-ffod-da a-b-n(a)-i har a-bbeen-i har a-ffodda d(a) a-sén(da)

As for the jackal, he had simply killed the children one by one and eaten them until they were finished, except for that only one.

As for the jackal, he had simply killed the children one by one and eaten them until they were finished, except for that only one.
a-zubara a-yed

The warthog returned

The warthog returned.
a-cc(i) a-s(e) ni-m-d(a)-an a-wáty

He said to him: 'Wait a year.'

He said to him: 'Wait a year.'
har a-dd(a)-an a-wáty

When he had spent a year

When he had spent a year.
a-yyiles a-yye-kat anga

He came again to him

He came again to him.
a-ttén a-cc(i) áa-s(e)

He arrived and said to him

He arrived and said to him:
bárr-en iyyiytom maffin aya-bbáaya s(a) ay-t-taw aaru fo báara nángo se har ni-m-d(a) áa-se a-sáafu

'The children have finished their studies, but I want to go to a man who is over there so that you may greet him.'

'The children have finished their studies, but I want to go to a man who is over there so that you may greet him.'
áaru ayo sé a-cc(i) áa-se ci na-á?

'That man,' he said to him, 'who is it?'

'That man,' he said to him, 'who is it?'
a-cc(i) áa-s(e) éelaw sa hé (a)-hínjin kuná

He said to him: 'It's the elephant, he is very ill.'

He said to him: 'It's the elephant, he is very ill.'
báarar ayó nn a-ffod(a) goorá záyri ayo sén(da) and(a) ay-n gá intáynawt a-ddumb(u) ánga a-nn(a)-a

The only child that was left, that very day, the jackal had killed and eaten him.

The only child that was left, that very day, the jackal had killed and eaten him.
a-hang(a) énd(a) ánga n(e) áyda

He accompanied him from that place

He accompanied him from that place.
ho sénda har á-tten éelaw daw

He did this until he arrived at the elephant's place

He did this until he arrived at the elephant's place.
s(a) a-ggaar-á he (a)y(o)oda Massiiny a-ff-éxlak-kat ay-n i-múdar-an ka káamil i-bb-ékrom áa-daw

When he found him, all that God created among his animals was resting at his place.

When he found him, all that God created among his animals was resting at his place.
i-cc(i) aas(e) ay-n saffari aya-bday-a

He said to them: 'His medicine, I know it.'

He said to them: 'His medicine, I know it.'
i-cc(i) aas(e) ci n(a) ay-n saffari?

They said to him: 'What is his medicine?'

They said to him: 'What is his medicine?'
a-cc(i) iis(e) a-sa-mmay saffari (a)nd-anga wiji

He said to them: 'There is no medicine except...'

He said to them: 'There is no medicine except...'
a-cc(i) iis(e) a-zubara n eejam an-ta-huur(u) ay-n t-i-nzar kor-korr-i

He said to them: 'The hot fat of a warthog that enters his trunk.'

He said to them: 'The hot fat of a warthog that enters his trunk.'
i-cc(i) aas(e) a-zubara za man ne k(a) ar-ta-kun(a)-a?

They said to him: 'So a warthog, where will we find it?'

They said to him: 'So a warthog, where will we find it?'
a-cc(i)ii-s(e) a-zubara lam aya-yyimmar-kat a-ffo f-kay nango ka marad-odda

He said to them: 'Thanks to God, I brought one that stands over there now.'

He said to them: 'Thanks to God, I brought one that stands over there now.'
aaru a-bbaya sa(a) a-ta-yiydar na ayo idd(a) a-bben ay-n barr-en a-ng(a)-i

He wanted to betray the other one because he had finished his children and eaten them.

He wanted to betray the other one because he had finished his children and eaten them.
aywa i-cc(i) aas-e kun(a) aari se n anga!

'Well,' they said to him, 'get it for us!'

'Well,' they said to him, 'get it for us!'
a-yyizzar-an ii-s(e)

He went ahead of them

He went ahead of them.
a-zubara a-b-guna-kaat(-a) a-bb-azzar bor-en s(e)

The warthog saw him coming ahead of the people

The warthog saw him coming ahead of the people.
a-kkoy-kat i-mudar-an

He came with the animals

He came with the animals.
har j(e) i-mudar-an i-kkay-kat and(a) a-zubara

As soon as the animals stopped next to the warthog

As soon as the animals stopped next to the warthog.
i-ddini(i) ang(a) i-kkoy and(a)-a har i-taw

They took him, left with him until they arrived

They took him, left with him until they arrived.
i-ddumb(i)-a

They killed him

They killed him.
i-ddini(i) ay-n maan(i)

They took his fat

They took his fat.
i-kkos-kois-(a)

They cut it into pieces

They cut it into pieces.
i-dd(a) anga kussu ka

They put it into a cooking pot

They put it into a cooking pot.
ho senda har a-hinjin was

They did this until it was boiling very much

They did this until it was boiling very much.
aywa a-cc(i) i-se wa nn(a) ayay sa n a ayay na-b-d(a)-a ay-n t-i-nzar ka

'Well,' he said to them, 'give it to me! It's me who will put it into his trunk.'

'Well,' he said to them, 'give it to me! It's me who will put it into his trunk.'
i-nn(a) a-se n a

They gave it to him

They gave it to him.
a-yyiffan tugudu

He climbed a tree

He climbed a tree.
a-kkeedi tugudu n beena

He was up in the tree

He was up in the tree.
aywa a-cc(i) i-se wa ggadam a-b(e) andi kamil ande-mm-abdul a-be n(e) ayda je har ande-m-fugu a-ka ba fer ayay ay-n t-i-nzar

'Well,' he said to them, 'lie down on him, all of you! Heap up on him here so that you look down on him. Open his trunk for me!'

'Well,' he said to them, 'lie down on him, all of you! Heap up on him here so that you look down on him. Open his trunk for me!'
a-ddini maani hinjin korr(a)

He took the very hot fat

He took the very hot fat.
a-ddah(e) ooda

He did this

He did this.
a-ss-og(a)-a eelaw an t-i-nzar se

He approached it to the nostrils of the elephant

He approached it to the nostrils of the elephant.
a-mmun a-ka n a je

He simply poured it into them

He simply poured it into them.
eelaw korr(a) a-zzur(u) ay-n bangu ka marad-d(a) and(a) ay-n jinji

As for the elephant, the heat immediately ran through his head and his throat

As for the elephant, the heat immediately ran through his head and his throat.
eelaw a-ddah(e) ooda

The elephant did this:

The elephant did this:
a-ssuwa-and(a) ay-n kamb-en kad ay-n cay-en

He shook his arms and also his legs

He shook his arms and also his legs.
he (a)y(o)oda b-yaliy-yeli-a i-mudar-an ka

This made him turn around among the animals

This made him turn around among the animals.
kaamulllah(i) i-m-an i-hun(i)-i

All the beings died

All the beings died.
i-kkäs t-a-lagaz-an sén(da) ka

They became like melons there

They became like melons there.
a-bji a-ss-awel c-én a-ttärägga(t)-kat

The jackal stretched his legs and jumped down

The jackal stretched his legs and jumped down.
eelaw and(a) ay-n g(a) a-bbún

The elephant himself was dead

The elephant himself was dead.
a-bji a-mm-äntaz nä ayo k(a)

The jackal pulled on this one

The jackal pulled on this one.
a-m-ci y(a) aya-kkuna haamu zäröoda!

He said: 'Hey! I found meat today!'

He said: 'Hey! I found meat today!'
a-m-górgor a-mm-äntaz nä ayo k(a)

He laughed, pulled on another one

He laughed, pulled on another one.
a-m-ci y(a) aya-kkuna haamu zäröoda!

He said: 'Hey! I found meat today!'

He said: 'Hey! I found meat today!'
aya-b-górgor

I am laughing

I am laughing.
All(a) a-sö-sö-ss-aya ni-n bärr-en a-zübara

God is not teaching your children, warthog!

God is not teaching your children, warthog!
ho senda har je i-mudar-an ooda kaamil i-hun(u)-an senda k(a)

It was like that, all these animals died there

It was like that, all these animals died there.
a-dd(a) azzamán áng(a) a-bb-ée(d)-kat jé senda a-b-ná j(e) i-n haam-én a-b-górgor i-ka

For a long time, he simply returned there, ate their meat and laughed about them.

For a long time, he simply returned there, ate their meat and laughed about them.

Moral

Beware of those who claim to be scholars but only have their own interest at heart.