THE WOMAN WHO GOT A KISS EVEN FROM A BEGGAR (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
Once there lived a pope. It once happened that he had to conduct a mass at down, so he woke up early and went to the church.
On this day his wife had to bake bread. So she went to the furnace, and started baking the bread. Due to the heat of the furnace her face became red, so red that it looked like a red apple.
At that moment a beggar passed by their house and he smelled the great smell of fresh bread and so he said to himself: “ I go in and ask for a piece of fresh bread”
He opened the door, stepped in and stood besides the furnace. But when he saw the red face of the woman, he forgot about the bread and just started to stare at the pope’s wife face. When she saw the beggar, then as is the tradition in villages she took a fresh loaf of bread and wanted to give it to the beggar. But the beggar refused it.
- Well, then what do you want uncle?- asked the pope’s wife.
- I don’t want anything else. Just I want one thing from you: please allow me to kiss your cheeks for God’s sake and then I will go away.
The pope’s wife on listening the God’s name could not refuse his request, she looked around and seeing that no one was around, without saying a word, leaped towards the beggar. He lovingly and enjoying kissed her both cheeks and fled away.
After the mass, the pope went home and seeing the wife who was busy with baking bread, he said:
- Wife, I want to ask you one thing, please tell the truth!
- Just ask, why will I not answer!
- Have you not committed a sin today?
The pope’s wife wanted to refuse, but when he saw that the pope insisted then she narrated him everything in order, what happened with her.
- Today- the woman started to say- a beggar visited us. I wanted to give him bread but he did not accept it. “What do you want then?” I asked him. “I beg for God’s sake, please let me kiss your cheeks”. In the name of God I let him kiss my cheeks and then he went away. Well, this is all, my dear husband: now I don’t know myself if I have committed a sin or done what the God wanted. You please judge and do whatever you want with me.
- Well, my wife, if you like the God so much- answered the pope-, let me see, if for God’s sake you are ready to jump into the furnace or not?
On hearing these words the pope’s wife kept the baking shovel aside, made a cross and jumped into the fiery furnace.
But on the God’s orders the furnace got filled with water immediately, the pope’s wife changed into a beautiful fish and happily swam in it.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Friday, December 30, 2011
The treasure viewer and the trumpeter ( A Latvian Folktale)
Once upon a time there lived a man who had an ointment in his pot, whenever he rubbed this ointment on his left eye he could see from far where the treasure was hidden. Once the treasure viewer saw that at the banks of an estuary near the pine woods forest, there was some hidden treasure. So he went to the trumpeter to call the people together with their horses so that they can bring the treasure, but the trumpeter just kept the news of this discovery to himself.
When they had collected the first ten treasure boxes the trumpeter said: “Oh this is mine, this is mine” and ordered the people to take that to his village house.
They collected further. But when again their carts were filled with treasure, he again shouted “this is mine, this is mine!”
Finally they collected whatever was left. The treasure viewer hoped that whatever remained would be his. But no, the trumpeter again shouted: “This is mine, this is mine!”
Finally the poor man took his pot and returned home empty handed. The trumpeter asked him: “Listen, what’s there in your pot?” “This , that” the treasure viewer explained.
“So rub that ointment on my left eye also!”
Yes, yes, he could not have said no to the trumpeter. So he rubbed that ointment. But that was not enough for him: “Rub my right eye also with the ointment”
“No, I won’t do that, because you will be in problem then”
“How do you dare to not accept what I say? Rub my right eye also with the ointment”- the trumpeter shouted. But when he rubbed the eye, he became blind immediately. Later the trumpeter was taken as a blind man to the village and when he was asked: “What happened to your eyes?” – He himself answered: “ My eyes had collected too much, at the end they themselves became empty”.
Translated from Hungarian by me
When they had collected the first ten treasure boxes the trumpeter said: “Oh this is mine, this is mine” and ordered the people to take that to his village house.
They collected further. But when again their carts were filled with treasure, he again shouted “this is mine, this is mine!”
Finally they collected whatever was left. The treasure viewer hoped that whatever remained would be his. But no, the trumpeter again shouted: “This is mine, this is mine!”
Finally the poor man took his pot and returned home empty handed. The trumpeter asked him: “Listen, what’s there in your pot?” “This , that” the treasure viewer explained.
“So rub that ointment on my left eye also!”
Yes, yes, he could not have said no to the trumpeter. So he rubbed that ointment. But that was not enough for him: “Rub my right eye also with the ointment”
“No, I won’t do that, because you will be in problem then”
“How do you dare to not accept what I say? Rub my right eye also with the ointment”- the trumpeter shouted. But when he rubbed the eye, he became blind immediately. Later the trumpeter was taken as a blind man to the village and when he was asked: “What happened to your eyes?” – He himself answered: “ My eyes had collected too much, at the end they themselves became empty”.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
THE USEFUL GOAT (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
There lived a peasant with his wife. They did not have anything else , just a goat. They used to drink the goat milk and lived.
Once the wife tells her husband:
- Take the goat to the fair, sell it in such a way that you return home with the money and the goat also.
- How can I sell the goat so that the goat also remains with me but I return home the money?- the peasant asked.
- Now, that’s your problem. If you come home without the goat, how will we live without the milk?
The peasant took a stick and drove away the goat to the city. It was morning time and they were selling hash in the fair. Seeing the hash seller the peasant drove the goat towards him and started shouting:
- I am selling the goat, who wants to buy it?
- What should I give for your goat?- the hash seller asked him.
- Give a plate of hash soup and I give you the goat.
- Alright, come and eat it.
The peasant took the plate , ate the hash soup- then got up and wanted to drive away his goat but the hash seller caught hold of his arm and said to him:
- where are taking away the goat?
- Well, what do you think? You give me a plate of hash soup and you want to take my goat away?
They started fighting in an ugly manner but the people who had gathered there by now shouted at them:
- Are you people not ashamed of fighting like this?
- Why should we not fight- said the peasant-, this dishonest man gave me a plate of hash and now in exchange he wants to take away my goat which is worth fifteen gold coins.
The crowd attacked the hash seller that he wanted to take away a poor man’s goat just for a plate of hash. The peasant drove the goat further and he met a gata (katah) seller
- I am selling the goat, who wants to buy it?- he started shouting when he saw the gata seller.
- What should I give for your goat? – asked the seller.
- Just give me enough gata to fill my stomach and then I give you the goat.
- Alright, come and eat.
The peasant ate to his heart, then got up , wiped his mouth and wanted to drive away his goat but the gata seller stopped him:
- where are you taking away my goat?
- I am taking away my goat, not yours- answered the peasant.
- Then why did you eat the gata, if you did not want to give the goat?
- Wow, you fool, just for a gata you want to take away my good goat?
They started fighting. The people who had gathered there asked them what happened.
- Well people- the peasant said-, this shameless man gave me a little gata and in exchange now wants to take away my goat.
- Are you not ashamed of yourself- the people gathered said in one voice to the gata seller.
In the meanwhile the peasant took his goat and went ahead.
Soon he met a halva seller, who was carrying halva on his head and offering it
- I have tasty halva, who wants the halva?
- Who buys a good goat, who buys a good goat?- the peasant also shouted.
- How much do you want for your goat?- asked the halva seller.
- Well, just give me some halva , you can take the goat then.
- Come, eat.
The peasant ate the halva and wanted to drive away his goat.
- Hey, where are you taking away my goat?- shouted the halva seller.
- Is the goat yours? Just don’t dare to think that in return for a little halva you can take away my goat?
The peasant started fighting with him also.
- why are you both fighting?- asked the people who had gathered there.
- See this unfortunate devil! He gave me some halva and now want to take away my strong, big goat.
On this, everyone started to punch the halva seller, they took away the goat from him and gave back to the peasant. He took it and went further.
When it became dark, the peasant went in front of a house and said to himself: “ I go into this house and die in it”. He went into the house and saw a woman there.
- What do you want! – said the woman.
- I am a poor traveler, please allow me to pass the night here, with the dawn I will go away.
The woman did not refuse and the peasant went to the barn. One or two hours passed and he heard that someone was knocking on the door. The peasant spied from the lock hole and saw that the hash seller is knocking. After some time again someone knocked. The woman said to the hash seller:
- I think its my husband now, go and hide in the barn, otherwise if he sees us, he will kill both of us.
When he stepped into the barn, the peasant pulled his jacket sleeve and asked him:
- Who are you, and what do you want here?
- Listen, its me, don’t shout- the hash seller said.
- Why have you come here?
- And why have you come here?
- I am selling the goat. Hey, who wants to buy my goat!?- the peasant started shouting.
- Don’t shout, be in silence, what should I give for your goat?
- Ten gold coins.
-Here, take the ten gold coins, but remain silent.
Again someone knocked on the door.
The peasant took the money and put it in his pocket. Again he spied from the lock hole, and he saw that gata seller is knocking. An hour later again someone knocked on the door. The halva seller was knocking. Then the woman said to the gata seller:
- I think ,this is my husband, run to the barn.
When he stepped in the barn, by chance he hit the peasant.
- Oh, who hit me?- the peasant shouted.
- Don’t shout, I just touched you, what are you doing here? – whispered the gata seller.
- I am selling my goat. Hey, I am selling my goat, to whom I should sell my goat!?
- Listen, don’t shout, how much does your goat cost?
- It costs twenty gold coins.
- ok, take it, just keep quiet.
When he put the money in his pocket, the peasant again heard someone knocking on the door.
- I think, this is my husband, go to the barn!- whispered the woman in halva seller’s ears.
The halva seller rushed to the barn.
- What do you want it? Buy my goat or else I will start shouting and the master will come and kill you.
- For God’s sake don’t shout like this, tell me how much is the cost and I will pay you.
- My goat costs twenty five gold coins.
- Well take it and remain silent- said the halva seller and pressed the money in his hands.
The last person knocking was the husband. The peasant spied from the lock hole and listend. The husband went inside the house, had supper and then said to his wife:
- Now, its time to sleep, but first I go to the barn to see the animals. When I come back, we sleep.
- Oh, leave it, there is nothing to see there, you are already tired, let’s go to sleep- asked the wife.
- No, that’s not possible, first I must see the animals- said the man and went to the barn.
When he entered, the goat owner shouted:
- Who are you?
The man turned into a stone.
- well, how are you that is shouting at me in my own barn?
- I am selling a goat.
- What, is it a marketplace here that your are selling a goat?
- Certainly, it’s a marketplace – answered the peasant-, had it not been a marketplace, what are hash seller, gata seller and halva seller doing here?
- What are you talking?
- Well just light the lamp, you will see.
When he lit the lamp, and saw in the middle of the barn, the crouching hash seller, gata seller and the halva seller, and then turned to the peasant and said to him:
- Well, tell me how much does your goat cost? I will give you the money, take it and go away, but don’t ever dare to tell anyone what you saw here!
- The goat costs ten gold coins.
- Take it and leave this plae. But if you tell anyone anything, you can say goodbye to your life.
- Alright, give me!
The peasant took the money, took his goat and went away from the barn. When he reached home he said to his wife.
- Wife, I have come back with the money and the goat is also there.
- Well you see,- answered the woman-, how many times I told you, sell the goat in such a way that you come home with the money and the goat also remains, but you always refused.
The God sent three apples: one for who narrated the story, other for the one who listened to it, and the third for who paid heed to it.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Once the wife tells her husband:
- Take the goat to the fair, sell it in such a way that you return home with the money and the goat also.
- How can I sell the goat so that the goat also remains with me but I return home the money?- the peasant asked.
- Now, that’s your problem. If you come home without the goat, how will we live without the milk?
The peasant took a stick and drove away the goat to the city. It was morning time and they were selling hash in the fair. Seeing the hash seller the peasant drove the goat towards him and started shouting:
- I am selling the goat, who wants to buy it?
- What should I give for your goat?- the hash seller asked him.
- Give a plate of hash soup and I give you the goat.
- Alright, come and eat it.
The peasant took the plate , ate the hash soup- then got up and wanted to drive away his goat but the hash seller caught hold of his arm and said to him:
- where are taking away the goat?
- Well, what do you think? You give me a plate of hash soup and you want to take my goat away?
They started fighting in an ugly manner but the people who had gathered there by now shouted at them:
- Are you people not ashamed of fighting like this?
- Why should we not fight- said the peasant-, this dishonest man gave me a plate of hash and now in exchange he wants to take away my goat which is worth fifteen gold coins.
The crowd attacked the hash seller that he wanted to take away a poor man’s goat just for a plate of hash. The peasant drove the goat further and he met a gata (katah) seller
- I am selling the goat, who wants to buy it?- he started shouting when he saw the gata seller.
- What should I give for your goat? – asked the seller.
- Just give me enough gata to fill my stomach and then I give you the goat.
- Alright, come and eat.
The peasant ate to his heart, then got up , wiped his mouth and wanted to drive away his goat but the gata seller stopped him:
- where are you taking away my goat?
- I am taking away my goat, not yours- answered the peasant.
- Then why did you eat the gata, if you did not want to give the goat?
- Wow, you fool, just for a gata you want to take away my good goat?
They started fighting. The people who had gathered there asked them what happened.
- Well people- the peasant said-, this shameless man gave me a little gata and in exchange now wants to take away my goat.
- Are you not ashamed of yourself- the people gathered said in one voice to the gata seller.
In the meanwhile the peasant took his goat and went ahead.
Soon he met a halva seller, who was carrying halva on his head and offering it
- I have tasty halva, who wants the halva?
- Who buys a good goat, who buys a good goat?- the peasant also shouted.
- How much do you want for your goat?- asked the halva seller.
- Well, just give me some halva , you can take the goat then.
- Come, eat.
The peasant ate the halva and wanted to drive away his goat.
- Hey, where are you taking away my goat?- shouted the halva seller.
- Is the goat yours? Just don’t dare to think that in return for a little halva you can take away my goat?
The peasant started fighting with him also.
- why are you both fighting?- asked the people who had gathered there.
- See this unfortunate devil! He gave me some halva and now want to take away my strong, big goat.
On this, everyone started to punch the halva seller, they took away the goat from him and gave back to the peasant. He took it and went further.
When it became dark, the peasant went in front of a house and said to himself: “ I go into this house and die in it”. He went into the house and saw a woman there.
- What do you want! – said the woman.
- I am a poor traveler, please allow me to pass the night here, with the dawn I will go away.
The woman did not refuse and the peasant went to the barn. One or two hours passed and he heard that someone was knocking on the door. The peasant spied from the lock hole and saw that the hash seller is knocking. After some time again someone knocked. The woman said to the hash seller:
- I think its my husband now, go and hide in the barn, otherwise if he sees us, he will kill both of us.
When he stepped into the barn, the peasant pulled his jacket sleeve and asked him:
- Who are you, and what do you want here?
- Listen, its me, don’t shout- the hash seller said.
- Why have you come here?
- And why have you come here?
- I am selling the goat. Hey, who wants to buy my goat!?- the peasant started shouting.
- Don’t shout, be in silence, what should I give for your goat?
- Ten gold coins.
-Here, take the ten gold coins, but remain silent.
Again someone knocked on the door.
The peasant took the money and put it in his pocket. Again he spied from the lock hole, and he saw that gata seller is knocking. An hour later again someone knocked on the door. The halva seller was knocking. Then the woman said to the gata seller:
- I think ,this is my husband, run to the barn.
When he stepped in the barn, by chance he hit the peasant.
- Oh, who hit me?- the peasant shouted.
- Don’t shout, I just touched you, what are you doing here? – whispered the gata seller.
- I am selling my goat. Hey, I am selling my goat, to whom I should sell my goat!?
- Listen, don’t shout, how much does your goat cost?
- It costs twenty gold coins.
- ok, take it, just keep quiet.
When he put the money in his pocket, the peasant again heard someone knocking on the door.
- I think, this is my husband, go to the barn!- whispered the woman in halva seller’s ears.
The halva seller rushed to the barn.
- What do you want it? Buy my goat or else I will start shouting and the master will come and kill you.
- For God’s sake don’t shout like this, tell me how much is the cost and I will pay you.
- My goat costs twenty five gold coins.
- Well take it and remain silent- said the halva seller and pressed the money in his hands.
The last person knocking was the husband. The peasant spied from the lock hole and listend. The husband went inside the house, had supper and then said to his wife:
- Now, its time to sleep, but first I go to the barn to see the animals. When I come back, we sleep.
- Oh, leave it, there is nothing to see there, you are already tired, let’s go to sleep- asked the wife.
- No, that’s not possible, first I must see the animals- said the man and went to the barn.
When he entered, the goat owner shouted:
- Who are you?
The man turned into a stone.
- well, how are you that is shouting at me in my own barn?
- I am selling a goat.
- What, is it a marketplace here that your are selling a goat?
- Certainly, it’s a marketplace – answered the peasant-, had it not been a marketplace, what are hash seller, gata seller and halva seller doing here?
- What are you talking?
- Well just light the lamp, you will see.
When he lit the lamp, and saw in the middle of the barn, the crouching hash seller, gata seller and the halva seller, and then turned to the peasant and said to him:
- Well, tell me how much does your goat cost? I will give you the money, take it and go away, but don’t ever dare to tell anyone what you saw here!
- The goat costs ten gold coins.
- Take it and leave this plae. But if you tell anyone anything, you can say goodbye to your life.
- Alright, give me!
The peasant took the money, took his goat and went away from the barn. When he reached home he said to his wife.
- Wife, I have come back with the money and the goat is also there.
- Well you see,- answered the woman-, how many times I told you, sell the goat in such a way that you come home with the money and the goat also remains, but you always refused.
The God sent three apples: one for who narrated the story, other for the one who listened to it, and the third for who paid heed to it.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Monday, December 26, 2011
ज़िओना चाना : विश्व का सबसे बड़े परिवार वाला व्यक्ति, ३९ पत्नियाँ और ९४ बच्चे
मिजोरम के बक्लोंग गाँव के एक व्यक्ति का इस विश्व का सबसे बड़ा परिवार होगा :३९ पत्नियाँ और ९४ बच्चे, इसमें १४ बहुएं और ३३ पोते पोतियाँ भी जोड़ दीजिये.
चाना एक ऐसे संप्रदाय के मुखिया हैं जो बहुविवाह को बढ़ावा देता है, उनके परिवार जनो की संख्या सबको अचंभित कर देती है लेकिन उनके लिए यह एक सामान्य बात है. उन्होंने अपने परिवार को पलने के लिए कभी भी किसी से किसी प्रकार की वित्तीय सहायता की मांग नहीं की. चाना का परिवार एक पहली नज़र में होटल जैसे दिखने वाले एक चार मंजिला मकान में रहते हैं जिसमे करीब १०० कमरे हैं . इस घर में जानवरों को पालने का बाड़ा है और एक फल सब्जिओं का बागीचा भी है. और तो और चाना के बच्चों के लिए एक पाठशाला भी वहीँ है . ज़ाहिर सी बात है कि इस परिवार का पालन पोषण आसान नहीं है , औसतन एक बार के भोजन के लिए ३० चिक्केन , ६० किलो आलू और १०० किलो चावल कि आवश्यकता पड़ती है परिवार को आर्मी की तरह चलाया जाता है जहाँ सबसे बड़ी उम्र कि बीवियां छोटी बहुओं को क्या काम करना है , ये सब तय करती है.
चाना लेकिन अपने परिवार को बढ़ने से नहीं रोकना चाहते , वे और पत्नियाँ तलाश कर रहें हैं.
इतालवी से हिंदी में अनुवादित
चाना एक ऐसे संप्रदाय के मुखिया हैं जो बहुविवाह को बढ़ावा देता है, उनके परिवार जनो की संख्या सबको अचंभित कर देती है लेकिन उनके लिए यह एक सामान्य बात है. उन्होंने अपने परिवार को पलने के लिए कभी भी किसी से किसी प्रकार की वित्तीय सहायता की मांग नहीं की. चाना का परिवार एक पहली नज़र में होटल जैसे दिखने वाले एक चार मंजिला मकान में रहते हैं जिसमे करीब १०० कमरे हैं . इस घर में जानवरों को पालने का बाड़ा है और एक फल सब्जिओं का बागीचा भी है. और तो और चाना के बच्चों के लिए एक पाठशाला भी वहीँ है . ज़ाहिर सी बात है कि इस परिवार का पालन पोषण आसान नहीं है , औसतन एक बार के भोजन के लिए ३० चिक्केन , ६० किलो आलू और १०० किलो चावल कि आवश्यकता पड़ती है परिवार को आर्मी की तरह चलाया जाता है जहाँ सबसे बड़ी उम्र कि बीवियां छोटी बहुओं को क्या काम करना है , ये सब तय करती है.
चाना लेकिन अपने परिवार को बढ़ने से नहीं रोकना चाहते , वे और पत्नियाँ तलाश कर रहें हैं.
इतालवी से हिंदी में अनुवादित
THE WOMAN'S TRICKS (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
A pious man whenever he left for the fields and whenever he returned, he used to pray to God.
Once his wife said to him:
- Oh my dear husband, in your prayers , why don’t you ask God to save yourself from the tricks of your wife?
- Well, now only this was left! Why should I pray about saving myself from my wife!
When the woman heard this, she decided to teach her husband a lesson and wanted to play a trick on him. She bought some fish, tied them in a handkerchief and took them to the fields when she took the lunch for her husband. Till the man got ready to eat, the woman dug up the ground a bit and hid the fish there, and then covered the ground. After that she took the vessels and returned home.
When the man started plowing the field, he saw fish appearing from the ground. He collected those fish and took them home and then narrated to his wife how he had ploughed the fish out of the ground and called this a miracle of God that He is even capable of giving birth to fish in the ground. The man ordered his wife to cook those fish so that for the next day’s lunch in the field also he can have fish. The wife cooked the fish and even ate them away and for her husband she left just the soup which she carried to the fields for his lunch.
- Where are the fish?- the man asked.
- About what kind of fish are you talking about?
- Those fish which I had ploughed out from the ground.
- Really, you have lost your mental balance. You did not bring home any kind of fish, and I haven’t seen a trace of them.
On hearing this, the man became angry, he took a stick and wanted to attack the woman but she starting shouting for help and the neighboring farmers came to help her.
- Leave me- shouted the husband, let me teach this good for nothing woman a lesson! She ate away my fish and now she tells me that I have lost my mental balance.
The farmers who had come there to help asked the woman about which fish the man was talking ?
- Please I ask you , tie this man , he has completely gone mad and now he want to beat me. It’s better you ask this man himself what kind of fish he is talking about!
- I am talking about those fish which I ploughed out from the field here- answered the husband.
- Oh, you unfortunate woman! You are right, this man has lost his brain- said the farmers who had gathered there, and telling that the man had gone mad, they tied his hands, and carried him home where they tied him to a pole.
When everyone had gone away and only the man and his wife had remained there, the woman told her husband:
- Now, what still aren’t you afraid of the woman’s tricks? Just keep in mind, this is the least what could have happened with you.
- Please, my wife, I request you to untie me and free me from these strings. I swear that everyday in my prayers I am going to ask the God to save me from the woman’s tricks.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Once his wife said to him:
- Oh my dear husband, in your prayers , why don’t you ask God to save yourself from the tricks of your wife?
- Well, now only this was left! Why should I pray about saving myself from my wife!
When the woman heard this, she decided to teach her husband a lesson and wanted to play a trick on him. She bought some fish, tied them in a handkerchief and took them to the fields when she took the lunch for her husband. Till the man got ready to eat, the woman dug up the ground a bit and hid the fish there, and then covered the ground. After that she took the vessels and returned home.
When the man started plowing the field, he saw fish appearing from the ground. He collected those fish and took them home and then narrated to his wife how he had ploughed the fish out of the ground and called this a miracle of God that He is even capable of giving birth to fish in the ground. The man ordered his wife to cook those fish so that for the next day’s lunch in the field also he can have fish. The wife cooked the fish and even ate them away and for her husband she left just the soup which she carried to the fields for his lunch.
- Where are the fish?- the man asked.
- About what kind of fish are you talking about?
- Those fish which I had ploughed out from the ground.
- Really, you have lost your mental balance. You did not bring home any kind of fish, and I haven’t seen a trace of them.
On hearing this, the man became angry, he took a stick and wanted to attack the woman but she starting shouting for help and the neighboring farmers came to help her.
- Leave me- shouted the husband, let me teach this good for nothing woman a lesson! She ate away my fish and now she tells me that I have lost my mental balance.
The farmers who had come there to help asked the woman about which fish the man was talking ?
- Please I ask you , tie this man , he has completely gone mad and now he want to beat me. It’s better you ask this man himself what kind of fish he is talking about!
- I am talking about those fish which I ploughed out from the field here- answered the husband.
- Oh, you unfortunate woman! You are right, this man has lost his brain- said the farmers who had gathered there, and telling that the man had gone mad, they tied his hands, and carried him home where they tied him to a pole.
When everyone had gone away and only the man and his wife had remained there, the woman told her husband:
- Now, what still aren’t you afraid of the woman’s tricks? Just keep in mind, this is the least what could have happened with you.
- Please, my wife, I request you to untie me and free me from these strings. I swear that everyday in my prayers I am going to ask the God to save me from the woman’s tricks.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Sunday, December 25, 2011
THE MASTER AND THE SERVANT (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
There lived two poor brothers. When they became very poor, then they decided: the younger one will stay at home, the elder one will go to work as a servant and will send his earnings home. As they thought, they acted accordingly. The younger one remained at home to look after the fields, the elder one went to a foreign land, and started working as a servant to a rich man. According to the contract his term would end when the cuckoo bird sings in the spring. But the rich farmer made some conditions to the servant:
- If within the contract period, anyone of us becomes angry, then he will have to pay a fine; if you become angry then you pay me thousand gold coins, while if I become angry then I pay you the same amount.
- But, I don’t have thousand gold coins.
- No problem, in place of that you can serve me for free for ten years.
The servant first became frightened, he did not want to enter into such contract, then he though and agreed. “Whatever happens, I will not become angry, if the master becomes angry, he will pay me according to the contract”- he thought and started to work.
The farmer sent him to work in field the next day early morning:
- Come on- he said, you have to reap in the fields till its bright, and when it gets dark, come home.
The servant worked the whole day in the fields and when he came home tired the master asked him:
- Well, why have you come home?
- Why? The sun has set, so I came back home,- answered the servant.
- Well, we did not agree like this! I said that you have to work till its bright , you have to reap in the fields. The sun has set, but its elder sister, the moon has risen. Well, the moon also gives bright light.
- Can’t I even take rest?- the servant said astonished.
- Are you not angry?-asked the master.
- No, I am not… just I am very tired, I will take rest a bit- answered the servant with a stumbling tongue, nervously and again went to the fields to work.
The man worked till the moon set, but then the sun rose. The servant became irritated as he was tired and collapsed on the ground:
- Damn on your fields, your bread, and damn on your money also!- he started cursing the master.
Well from somewhere appeared the master and he had heard what the servant had said.
- Are you not angry? Don’t forget the contract: either you pay me thousand gold coins or serve me for free for ten years.
The servant found himself in a difficult situation: he did not have thousand gold coins, and he would not like to work under such man.
He thought and thought , finally signed a document that he will pay thousand gold coins and returned home with empty hands
- What’s the news?- asked the younger brother.
The elder brother narrated everything in detail to him.
- Don’t worry, don’t regret now- said the younger brother-, now you stay at home and I will go to work.
And he went to work at the same master.
The rich farmer again told the conditions: if the servant becomes angry then he has pay to the master thousand gold coins or serve for free for ten years; if the master becomes angry then he pays to the servant the same amount.
- No, that’s not enough: if you become angry, then you pay me two thousand gold coins, if I become angry then I will give you two thousand gold coins or work for free for twenty years- the boy said.
- Alright- the rich farmer happily agreed to this. And the younger brother started working there.
The next day long after the sunrise, the servant remained asleep. The master asked him:
- wake up, soon it will be noon and you are still sleeping.
- Are you not angry?- the servant asked opening his eyes.
- I am not angry- answered the master-, just I wanted to say that now its time to go to the fields to reap it.
- Alright, we have lots of time- answered the servant lazily.
Finally he got up and very slowly started to get ready.
- hurry up, brother!
- Are you not angry?
- No, I don’t have anger in my mind, just I want to say that you are getting late for work.
- that’s different then. Take care otherwise you will have to pay the fine!
When the servant finally got ready, it was already noon.
- Well, is it useful to start the work now?- he says to the master- You see everyone is having lunch now and we must also eat now.
They sat down to have lunch. After lunch the servant says to the master:
- We are workers , so we must sleep a bit to get energy- saying that he went to sleep and slept till the evening.
- Do you listen, its already dark! Everyone has reaped their fields, just ours is lying like that! What a damn you are! – he woke up the servant.
- Are you not angry?- asked the servant getting up.
- Oh, I am not angry at all, I just wanted to say, that its dark now, so we must go home.
- Oh, that’s different then, let’s go!
When the master came back home he saw that he had some guests. He sent the servant to go and kill a sheep.
- Which one?- asked the servant.
- whichever comes in front of you.
The servant went away to kill the sheep.
After some time, the neighbors come running to the master:
- your servant has gone mad: he is killing one sheep after the other.
Then the master ran out of the home. Oh my God, he has killed the whole flock of sheep. He ran out of patience and started cursing the servant:
- What the devil have you done, you damn!
- Well you told me to kill those sheep which come in front of me, so I killed them- answered the servant- are you not angry?
- No, I am not angry, just I am sad that you have wiped out my whole flock.
-Alright then if you are not angry, then I will work.
The younger brother worked for some months till the master became very despaired. He just wanted to get rid of the servant anyway. According to the contract, the servant had to go away after the cuckoo bird sings for the first time in the spring. But it was winter now and spring was still far away.
The master thought for a long time how to get rid of the servant. He then took his wife to the forest and told her to climb up a tree and asked her to make sounds like the cuckoo bird. Then he himself came back home, and asked the servant to get ready as they were going to the forests for hunting.
When the reached the forest, the master’s wife started to sing like the cuckoo bird:
- Kakukk, kakukk!...
- Oh wow, the cuckoo bird sang, so now your time is over- said the master to the servant.
The boy understood the farmer’s trick.
- Oh, not now- who has ever heard a cuckoo bird sing in winter! I will kill this cuckoo bird and see what kind of a bird is this.
With these words the servant targeted the tree with his gun, where the master’s wife was cuckooing. The master shouted at the servant to not to shoot but he did.
- Damn on you idiot. You have brought grief to me.
- I see you are angry- said the servant.
- Sure, I am angry- answered the master- come , I will pay you two thousand gold coins and just leave me in peace! Now I have understood what the proverb means: “Those who dig trenches for others, they themselves fall into it”
The younger brother took the two thousand gold coins and went home happily.
Translated from Hungarian by me
- If within the contract period, anyone of us becomes angry, then he will have to pay a fine; if you become angry then you pay me thousand gold coins, while if I become angry then I pay you the same amount.
- But, I don’t have thousand gold coins.
- No problem, in place of that you can serve me for free for ten years.
The servant first became frightened, he did not want to enter into such contract, then he though and agreed. “Whatever happens, I will not become angry, if the master becomes angry, he will pay me according to the contract”- he thought and started to work.
The farmer sent him to work in field the next day early morning:
- Come on- he said, you have to reap in the fields till its bright, and when it gets dark, come home.
The servant worked the whole day in the fields and when he came home tired the master asked him:
- Well, why have you come home?
- Why? The sun has set, so I came back home,- answered the servant.
- Well, we did not agree like this! I said that you have to work till its bright , you have to reap in the fields. The sun has set, but its elder sister, the moon has risen. Well, the moon also gives bright light.
- Can’t I even take rest?- the servant said astonished.
- Are you not angry?-asked the master.
- No, I am not… just I am very tired, I will take rest a bit- answered the servant with a stumbling tongue, nervously and again went to the fields to work.
The man worked till the moon set, but then the sun rose. The servant became irritated as he was tired and collapsed on the ground:
- Damn on your fields, your bread, and damn on your money also!- he started cursing the master.
Well from somewhere appeared the master and he had heard what the servant had said.
- Are you not angry? Don’t forget the contract: either you pay me thousand gold coins or serve me for free for ten years.
The servant found himself in a difficult situation: he did not have thousand gold coins, and he would not like to work under such man.
He thought and thought , finally signed a document that he will pay thousand gold coins and returned home with empty hands
- What’s the news?- asked the younger brother.
The elder brother narrated everything in detail to him.
- Don’t worry, don’t regret now- said the younger brother-, now you stay at home and I will go to work.
And he went to work at the same master.
The rich farmer again told the conditions: if the servant becomes angry then he has pay to the master thousand gold coins or serve for free for ten years; if the master becomes angry then he pays to the servant the same amount.
- No, that’s not enough: if you become angry, then you pay me two thousand gold coins, if I become angry then I will give you two thousand gold coins or work for free for twenty years- the boy said.
- Alright- the rich farmer happily agreed to this. And the younger brother started working there.
The next day long after the sunrise, the servant remained asleep. The master asked him:
- wake up, soon it will be noon and you are still sleeping.
- Are you not angry?- the servant asked opening his eyes.
- I am not angry- answered the master-, just I wanted to say that now its time to go to the fields to reap it.
- Alright, we have lots of time- answered the servant lazily.
Finally he got up and very slowly started to get ready.
- hurry up, brother!
- Are you not angry?
- No, I don’t have anger in my mind, just I want to say that you are getting late for work.
- that’s different then. Take care otherwise you will have to pay the fine!
When the servant finally got ready, it was already noon.
- Well, is it useful to start the work now?- he says to the master- You see everyone is having lunch now and we must also eat now.
They sat down to have lunch. After lunch the servant says to the master:
- We are workers , so we must sleep a bit to get energy- saying that he went to sleep and slept till the evening.
- Do you listen, its already dark! Everyone has reaped their fields, just ours is lying like that! What a damn you are! – he woke up the servant.
- Are you not angry?- asked the servant getting up.
- Oh, I am not angry at all, I just wanted to say, that its dark now, so we must go home.
- Oh, that’s different then, let’s go!
When the master came back home he saw that he had some guests. He sent the servant to go and kill a sheep.
- Which one?- asked the servant.
- whichever comes in front of you.
The servant went away to kill the sheep.
After some time, the neighbors come running to the master:
- your servant has gone mad: he is killing one sheep after the other.
Then the master ran out of the home. Oh my God, he has killed the whole flock of sheep. He ran out of patience and started cursing the servant:
- What the devil have you done, you damn!
- Well you told me to kill those sheep which come in front of me, so I killed them- answered the servant- are you not angry?
- No, I am not angry, just I am sad that you have wiped out my whole flock.
-Alright then if you are not angry, then I will work.
The younger brother worked for some months till the master became very despaired. He just wanted to get rid of the servant anyway. According to the contract, the servant had to go away after the cuckoo bird sings for the first time in the spring. But it was winter now and spring was still far away.
The master thought for a long time how to get rid of the servant. He then took his wife to the forest and told her to climb up a tree and asked her to make sounds like the cuckoo bird. Then he himself came back home, and asked the servant to get ready as they were going to the forests for hunting.
When the reached the forest, the master’s wife started to sing like the cuckoo bird:
- Kakukk, kakukk!...
- Oh wow, the cuckoo bird sang, so now your time is over- said the master to the servant.
The boy understood the farmer’s trick.
- Oh, not now- who has ever heard a cuckoo bird sing in winter! I will kill this cuckoo bird and see what kind of a bird is this.
With these words the servant targeted the tree with his gun, where the master’s wife was cuckooing. The master shouted at the servant to not to shoot but he did.
- Damn on you idiot. You have brought grief to me.
- I see you are angry- said the servant.
- Sure, I am angry- answered the master- come , I will pay you two thousand gold coins and just leave me in peace! Now I have understood what the proverb means: “Those who dig trenches for others, they themselves fall into it”
The younger brother took the two thousand gold coins and went home happily.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
THE STORY ABOUT THE SNAKE AND SIVAR (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
Once upon a time there lived a king. He once had a dream and in his dream he saw that foxes are falling from the sky. He summoned all the court’s wise men and magicians, and narrated his dream to them, and asked them to tell the meaning of his dream within forty days, and if they cannot then he will behead all of them.
In the village , not far from the king’s palace there lived a man with his wife. They so poor that it was very difficult to earn their daily bread for them.
When they heard about the king’s orders, the woman asked her husband to go and try to tell the meaning of the dream. “If he does not unravel the meaning, the king will behead him, and at least I will get freedom from him”- thought the woman.
The man tried to convince the woman but the woman did not listen to him. So seeing this that he could not convince his wife, the man took his stick and went on the journey. On the way, he met a big snake who was just coming out from under a big stone.
- Where are you going, Sivar?- the snake asked.
- Well, I myself don’t know- the man answered.
- Sivar, don’t be afraid- the snake said- just go to the king and tell him: “King, you have dreamt that foxes are falling from the sky; this means, you are surrounded by liars and cunning persons, and you must always be alert so that they don’t harm you.” But please know this: whatever prize you get from the king for this, give me half of it.
The man went away and told the king exactly what the snake had told him.
The king became overjoyed and asked his minister to give the man four camel loads of treasures from his treasury and called all the wise man and magicians and named the name as the court’s dream revealer in front of them.
Sivar got the gold, and started to go towards his home, but did not take the same path he took while coming, so that the snake does not see him and ask for his share from the gold he got.
Sivar’s wife became very happy when she saw the gold.
The years passed by, and the king again saw a dream: blood was raining down from the sky. Again he summoned the wise man to reveal the meaning of the dream. But then Sivar the court’s dream revealer, came to his mind and he ordered his men to go and search vigorously for him and then the king’s man found him and told him why the king had called him. “Now what should I do”
First the snake had helped me but I did not give him his share. But now the king will behead me. But I can’t do anything, again I will go to the snake, and in case she helps me , and if not then let it kill me” – Sivar thought and went to the snake.
When Sivar reached the stone, the snake came out from under the stone and said this:
- Welcome, Sivar brother, how are you? You cheated me last time and did not give me my share of the prize. Never mind! Now the king has dreamt that blood is raining from the sky, which means that the king’s enemies want to attack him. So now he must summon and make his army ready, so he will escape from the danger. But take care this time to bring me half of whatever you get from the king!
- I will bear this is mind- Sivar answered and greeted the snake by bowing in front of her and went to the king.
He stood in front of the king and said:
- I greet you, king! You dreamt that blood is raining from the sky. This means that your enemies are going to attack you. Call your army and be ready and then the enemies will not be able to hurt you!
The king thanked Sivar and gave him the double amount of prize than he got earlier and sent him home.
Sivar lost his head when he saw the king’s gift and then he forgot about the snake’s help. He thought for a while and then decided to kill the snake and conserve his prize.
“Then this will be enough for me and my granchildren and also for my great grandchildren! I don’t need the snake now. As far as the king is concerned: well he does not see a dream like that every day!”- Sivar thought.
With this his loaded his camel with the king’s gifts and went to the big stone. When the snake came out, Sivar lept towards her and hit her with a stone. But the snake had time to slither away and the stone just touched her and hurt her tail.
Then some years passed and then the king dreamt that wheat is raining from the sky. This time the king did not summon the court’s wise men but straight away called Sivar. Sivar was very afraid when the king’s messengers went to take him:
- Oh I think, its my end now, the king will behead me this time!
Then he thought for a while and then decided: “ If anyhow I have to lose, then let the snake kill me, who did good to me and I did bad to her” And then went towards the big stone.
- Welcome, Sivar, my foolish friend! Well you never thought that the king could call you again and without me you cannot manage?- said the snake while slithering out from under the stone.
- Oh, my younger sister – answered Sivar to the snake-, I have harmed you, now I have come here, you can do whatever you want with me.
- No, I do good in reply to the bad- answered the snake. Go to the king and say: “You saw that wheat is raining from the sky. This means that there will be abundance in your kingdom, and you will not know what is sadness till the end of your life.” The king will give you a lot of gold for this but bring the half of it to me.
- I will keep this in mind- answered Sivar- and may God help me to come and stand in front of you with a clean heart.
When Sivar presented himself in the king’s court and explained the meaning of his dream, and then he was treated with sherbet and the king awarded Sivar with seven times the gold amount he got the last time. Sivar then loaded his camel with all the treasure and then went on his journey towards home. On the way he thought: “The snake who did good to me, I once cheated her, the other time I almost killed her. It’s enough whatever I have now, and now I will give all this that I got now to the snake for her kindness”
When he reached the big stone, Sivar called the snake:
- Come and take your due.
- Brother, I don’t need these earthly treasures- the snake answered-, I was just testing you. On the first occasion while coming back from the king you changed your path: it was the year of fox, the year of cunningness, that’s why you cheated me, and went by the other path; the second time, when you threw a stone on me and my blood flew: it was the year of the blood, that’s why the king saw that blood was raining from the sky. Now however the king saw wheat in his dreams, it’s the time of abundance, now the man’s helplessness is over. Take your treasure and go home.
The snake said this and disappeared. Sivar loaded his camel with the gold and went home, and lived happily in abundance, ever after.
Translated from Hungarian by me
In the village , not far from the king’s palace there lived a man with his wife. They so poor that it was very difficult to earn their daily bread for them.
When they heard about the king’s orders, the woman asked her husband to go and try to tell the meaning of the dream. “If he does not unravel the meaning, the king will behead him, and at least I will get freedom from him”- thought the woman.
The man tried to convince the woman but the woman did not listen to him. So seeing this that he could not convince his wife, the man took his stick and went on the journey. On the way, he met a big snake who was just coming out from under a big stone.
- Where are you going, Sivar?- the snake asked.
- Well, I myself don’t know- the man answered.
- Sivar, don’t be afraid- the snake said- just go to the king and tell him: “King, you have dreamt that foxes are falling from the sky; this means, you are surrounded by liars and cunning persons, and you must always be alert so that they don’t harm you.” But please know this: whatever prize you get from the king for this, give me half of it.
The man went away and told the king exactly what the snake had told him.
The king became overjoyed and asked his minister to give the man four camel loads of treasures from his treasury and called all the wise man and magicians and named the name as the court’s dream revealer in front of them.
Sivar got the gold, and started to go towards his home, but did not take the same path he took while coming, so that the snake does not see him and ask for his share from the gold he got.
Sivar’s wife became very happy when she saw the gold.
The years passed by, and the king again saw a dream: blood was raining down from the sky. Again he summoned the wise man to reveal the meaning of the dream. But then Sivar the court’s dream revealer, came to his mind and he ordered his men to go and search vigorously for him and then the king’s man found him and told him why the king had called him. “Now what should I do”
First the snake had helped me but I did not give him his share. But now the king will behead me. But I can’t do anything, again I will go to the snake, and in case she helps me , and if not then let it kill me” – Sivar thought and went to the snake.
When Sivar reached the stone, the snake came out from under the stone and said this:
- Welcome, Sivar brother, how are you? You cheated me last time and did not give me my share of the prize. Never mind! Now the king has dreamt that blood is raining from the sky, which means that the king’s enemies want to attack him. So now he must summon and make his army ready, so he will escape from the danger. But take care this time to bring me half of whatever you get from the king!
- I will bear this is mind- Sivar answered and greeted the snake by bowing in front of her and went to the king.
He stood in front of the king and said:
- I greet you, king! You dreamt that blood is raining from the sky. This means that your enemies are going to attack you. Call your army and be ready and then the enemies will not be able to hurt you!
The king thanked Sivar and gave him the double amount of prize than he got earlier and sent him home.
Sivar lost his head when he saw the king’s gift and then he forgot about the snake’s help. He thought for a while and then decided to kill the snake and conserve his prize.
“Then this will be enough for me and my granchildren and also for my great grandchildren! I don’t need the snake now. As far as the king is concerned: well he does not see a dream like that every day!”- Sivar thought.
With this his loaded his camel with the king’s gifts and went to the big stone. When the snake came out, Sivar lept towards her and hit her with a stone. But the snake had time to slither away and the stone just touched her and hurt her tail.
Then some years passed and then the king dreamt that wheat is raining from the sky. This time the king did not summon the court’s wise men but straight away called Sivar. Sivar was very afraid when the king’s messengers went to take him:
- Oh I think, its my end now, the king will behead me this time!
Then he thought for a while and then decided: “ If anyhow I have to lose, then let the snake kill me, who did good to me and I did bad to her” And then went towards the big stone.
- Welcome, Sivar, my foolish friend! Well you never thought that the king could call you again and without me you cannot manage?- said the snake while slithering out from under the stone.
- Oh, my younger sister – answered Sivar to the snake-, I have harmed you, now I have come here, you can do whatever you want with me.
- No, I do good in reply to the bad- answered the snake. Go to the king and say: “You saw that wheat is raining from the sky. This means that there will be abundance in your kingdom, and you will not know what is sadness till the end of your life.” The king will give you a lot of gold for this but bring the half of it to me.
- I will keep this in mind- answered Sivar- and may God help me to come and stand in front of you with a clean heart.
When Sivar presented himself in the king’s court and explained the meaning of his dream, and then he was treated with sherbet and the king awarded Sivar with seven times the gold amount he got the last time. Sivar then loaded his camel with all the treasure and then went on his journey towards home. On the way he thought: “The snake who did good to me, I once cheated her, the other time I almost killed her. It’s enough whatever I have now, and now I will give all this that I got now to the snake for her kindness”
When he reached the big stone, Sivar called the snake:
- Come and take your due.
- Brother, I don’t need these earthly treasures- the snake answered-, I was just testing you. On the first occasion while coming back from the king you changed your path: it was the year of fox, the year of cunningness, that’s why you cheated me, and went by the other path; the second time, when you threw a stone on me and my blood flew: it was the year of the blood, that’s why the king saw that blood was raining from the sky. Now however the king saw wheat in his dreams, it’s the time of abundance, now the man’s helplessness is over. Take your treasure and go home.
The snake said this and disappeared. Sivar loaded his camel with the gold and went home, and lived happily in abundance, ever after.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Who ate the cheese (A Latvian Folktale)
Once upon a time, there lived an old man, Dievins, he went on a journey with a sack on his shoulders, there were three types of cheese in this sack. Shortly he met a jew and called him to come with him. So, he also went along with him. They went, slowly it became dark, they became hungry and then wanted to go to sleep.
“But what are we going to eat?” asked the jew.
The man wanted to take out the cheese from his sack but there was no cheese in it. The jew said he did not eat the cheese. Then who? The old man asked him:”Really you haven’t eaten the cheese?”
“I swear by God, that I have not!”- he answered.
So nothing could be done, they went to sleep with an empty stomach. In the morning they woke up and went further. They were passing by a dense forest and the old man sent the jew to the forest, who started to pray there. Then he said: “The one who ate the cheese, may come out”
“I swear by God, I have really not eaten it”, said the jew and came out of the forest. They went on further and came across a river. The old man pushed his companion into the river and said: “He who ate the cheese, may come out!”
The jew again swore: “I swear by God, I have really not eaten it”.
Then he came out of the river, and they went on further. Then the old man saw a gold coin lying on the road: “ I will give this coin to the person who ate the cheese”
Then the jew shouted with joy: “I swear by God, I have eaten the cheese. Give me the coin and say thanks to me, that I am taking care of it for you. Otherwise where else will you keep your gold coin?”
The man laughed out, and gave him the coin, and went ahead alone.
“But what are we going to eat?” asked the jew.
The man wanted to take out the cheese from his sack but there was no cheese in it. The jew said he did not eat the cheese. Then who? The old man asked him:”Really you haven’t eaten the cheese?”
“I swear by God, that I have not!”- he answered.
So nothing could be done, they went to sleep with an empty stomach. In the morning they woke up and went further. They were passing by a dense forest and the old man sent the jew to the forest, who started to pray there. Then he said: “The one who ate the cheese, may come out”
“I swear by God, I have really not eaten it”, said the jew and came out of the forest. They went on further and came across a river. The old man pushed his companion into the river and said: “He who ate the cheese, may come out!”
The jew again swore: “I swear by God, I have really not eaten it”.
Then he came out of the river, and they went on further. Then the old man saw a gold coin lying on the road: “ I will give this coin to the person who ate the cheese”
Then the jew shouted with joy: “I swear by God, I have eaten the cheese. Give me the coin and say thanks to me, that I am taking care of it for you. Otherwise where else will you keep your gold coin?”
The man laughed out, and gave him the coin, and went ahead alone.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
उल्लू की आँखें (लिथ्वानिया की लोक कथा)
बहुत समय की बात है जब जानवरों और पक्षिओं के पास आँखें नहीं थीं . तब एक दिन इश्वर ने उन सबको आँखें बांटने के लिए बुलाया.
- जो पहले आएगा सुन्दर आँखें पायेगा – उन्होंने कहा
सभी पशु पक्षी जल्दी जल्दी इश्वर के पास चले गए , सिर्फ उल्लू ही पीछे रह गया. वह लडखडाता हुआ इश्वर के पास पहुंचा. लेकिन जब तक वह वहां पंहुचा अँधेरा हो चूका था. इश्वर ने उसके लिए दो बड़ी बड़ी आँखें धुंदी जिससे की वह रात को भी देख सके. इश्वर ने इसलिए ऐसा किया क्योंकि वे उल्लू को रात को वहां ठहराना नहीं चाहते थे.
उल्लू ने वो आँखें ली और उसी समय रात को ही वहां से वापिस उड़ चला.
तभी से उल्लू रात में भी देख पता है.
हंगरी भाषा से हिंदी में अनुवादित
- जो पहले आएगा सुन्दर आँखें पायेगा – उन्होंने कहा
सभी पशु पक्षी जल्दी जल्दी इश्वर के पास चले गए , सिर्फ उल्लू ही पीछे रह गया. वह लडखडाता हुआ इश्वर के पास पहुंचा. लेकिन जब तक वह वहां पंहुचा अँधेरा हो चूका था. इश्वर ने उसके लिए दो बड़ी बड़ी आँखें धुंदी जिससे की वह रात को भी देख सके. इश्वर ने इसलिए ऐसा किया क्योंकि वे उल्लू को रात को वहां ठहराना नहीं चाहते थे.
उल्लू ने वो आँखें ली और उसी समय रात को ही वहां से वापिस उड़ चला.
तभी से उल्लू रात में भी देख पता है.
हंगरी भाषा से हिंदी में अनुवादित
एक पैर वाला कलहंस (लिथ्वानिया की लोककथा)
एक बार की बात है , एक ज़मींदार हुआ करता था. उसका एक बावर्ची था. एक दिन उसने बावर्ची को भुना हुआ कलहंस बनाने को कहा. बावर्ची ने कलहंस भूनकर उसका मांस अपने मालिक को परोसा लेकिन उस कलहंस का एक पैर और जांघ गायब थे.
तब मालिक ने उससे पुछा:
इसका एक पैर और जांघ कहाँ हैं ?
ये इसी प्रकार का कलहंस है – बावर्ची ने अपने आप को बचाने के लिए कहा
ये क्या बात हुई की एक कलहंस के सिर्फ एक पैर और जांघ हो, ये संभव नहीं है
उस समय बात वहीँ समाप्त हुई. लेकिन एक ज़मींदार को किसी समारोह में जाना था तो वह बावर्ची को भी साथ ले गया. रास्ते में एक चरवाहा कल्हंसो को घुमा रहा था , तब वहीँ एक हंस एक पैर पर खड़ा अपनी चोंच से अपने पारो को सहला रहा था, यह देख कर बावर्ची ने झट से कहा :
हुज़ूर देखिये ये कलहंस भी सिर्फ एक पैर पर खड़ा है
ये सुन ज़मींदार हसने लगा और उसने जोर से सीटी बजाये और तभी कलहंस दोनों पैरों पर खड़ा हो गया
तब उसने बावर्ची से कहा:
देख ज़रा क्या इसके दो पैर नहीं है
तब झट से बावर्ची ने जवाब दिया
जब आपने खाया था तब भी आपको सीटी बजानी चाहिए थी , तब अवश्य ही उसका दूसरा पैर बहार आ जाता.
हंगरी भाषा से हिंदी में अनुवादित
तब मालिक ने उससे पुछा:
इसका एक पैर और जांघ कहाँ हैं ?
ये इसी प्रकार का कलहंस है – बावर्ची ने अपने आप को बचाने के लिए कहा
ये क्या बात हुई की एक कलहंस के सिर्फ एक पैर और जांघ हो, ये संभव नहीं है
उस समय बात वहीँ समाप्त हुई. लेकिन एक ज़मींदार को किसी समारोह में जाना था तो वह बावर्ची को भी साथ ले गया. रास्ते में एक चरवाहा कल्हंसो को घुमा रहा था , तब वहीँ एक हंस एक पैर पर खड़ा अपनी चोंच से अपने पारो को सहला रहा था, यह देख कर बावर्ची ने झट से कहा :
हुज़ूर देखिये ये कलहंस भी सिर्फ एक पैर पर खड़ा है
ये सुन ज़मींदार हसने लगा और उसने जोर से सीटी बजाये और तभी कलहंस दोनों पैरों पर खड़ा हो गया
तब उसने बावर्ची से कहा:
देख ज़रा क्या इसके दो पैर नहीं है
तब झट से बावर्ची ने जवाब दिया
जब आपने खाया था तब भी आपको सीटी बजानी चाहिए थी , तब अवश्य ही उसका दूसरा पैर बहार आ जाता.
हंगरी भाषा से हिंदी में अनुवादित
कौवा और केंकड़ा ( लिथ्वानिया की लोक कथा )
एक समय की बात है समुद्र किनारे एक कौवे ने एक केंकड़े को पकड़ लिया. तब केंकड़े ने सोचा की भाई बुरे फंस गए , इसलिए उसने कौवे की प्रशंसा करनी शुरू की
- तुम्हारे पंख कितने सुन्दर हैं, बाकी सभी पक्षियों से सुन्दर
कौवे ने यह सब सुना लेकिन एक शब्द भी नहीं कहा , केंकड़े उसकी तारीफ के पुल बांधता चला गया
- शायद तुम्हारी आवाज़ भी उतनी ही सुन्दर हो ?
कौवा यह सब सुन इतराने लगा लेकिन उसने अपनी चोंच नहीं खोली, केंकड़े ने फिर उसकी तारीफ करनी शुरू की
- वैसे सच कहूं तो तुम्हे सभी पक्षिओं का राजा बना देना चाहिए
इसपर कौवे ने बस इतना कहा
- हाँ बहुत खूब बहुत खूब
बस फिर क्या था , केंकड़ा चोंच से छूट भाग गया और कौवा अपना सा मूंह लेकर खड़ा रह गया.
- तुम्हारे पंख कितने सुन्दर हैं, बाकी सभी पक्षियों से सुन्दर
कौवे ने यह सब सुना लेकिन एक शब्द भी नहीं कहा , केंकड़े उसकी तारीफ के पुल बांधता चला गया
- शायद तुम्हारी आवाज़ भी उतनी ही सुन्दर हो ?
कौवा यह सब सुन इतराने लगा लेकिन उसने अपनी चोंच नहीं खोली, केंकड़े ने फिर उसकी तारीफ करनी शुरू की
- वैसे सच कहूं तो तुम्हे सभी पक्षिओं का राजा बना देना चाहिए
इसपर कौवे ने बस इतना कहा
- हाँ बहुत खूब बहुत खूब
बस फिर क्या था , केंकड़ा चोंच से छूट भाग गया और कौवा अपना सा मूंह लेकर खड़ा रह गया.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Why does the cat wash itself after eating (A Lithuanian Folktale)
Once a cat caught a sparrow and was getting ready to eat it when the intelligent sparrow said to the cat:
- Have you washed yourself before eating?
- Oh, I almost forgot- came to the cat’s mind. It left the sparrow and started to wash itself.
The sparrow lay on the ground for a moment and then flew away – then sat on the branch of a tree.
- Now find some other lunch for yourself! – said the sparrow mockingly and flew away.
While the cat after washing murmured to itself:
- If this is the scenario then from today onwards I will only wash myself after eating.
And this has continued till today- first it eats and just then later it washes itself.
Translated from Hungarian by me
- Have you washed yourself before eating?
- Oh, I almost forgot- came to the cat’s mind. It left the sparrow and started to wash itself.
The sparrow lay on the ground for a moment and then flew away – then sat on the branch of a tree.
- Now find some other lunch for yourself! – said the sparrow mockingly and flew away.
While the cat after washing murmured to itself:
- If this is the scenario then from today onwards I will only wash myself after eating.
And this has continued till today- first it eats and just then later it washes itself.
Translated from Hungarian by me
The wise weaver (An Armenian Folktale)
Once it happened, when the king was sitting on his throne, then a traveler from a far away place came to him and without saying even a word, just made a circle around the king’s throne with the end of his stick and then stood aside. The king did not understand what he wanted to convey by doing this. He summoned his court but none of them could understand the fact. It was a great shame for the king that in his whole kingdom there was no one who could unravel the secret. The king gave a strict order that all wise men should be hanged if they cannot solve this riddle. When the king’s men went away in search of a wise man, they came across a lodge. When they went in they saw that there was a cradle which was rocking but there was no living soul who rocked it, similarly in the other room also there was a rocking cradle but here also there was no one. Then they went up the house roof and there they found that wheat was spread to dry but there was no wind blowing, but the reed was moving and it also was scaring the birds away so that they don’t eat away the wheat.
The king’s men were surprised. They went to the lower room, there they saw a weaver who was sitting in front of the loom and working. The weaver had tied the thread to the lever, the other to the shuttle, and the third to the ring. When the weaver weaved the threads went in different directions and rocked the cradle and the reed.
- Do you see! This man is no less than a wise man.
The king’s men told him how the stranger had drawn a circle around the king’s throne and that no one was able to solve this riddle, what the stranger wanted to convey? So they asked the weaver to accompany them and try to solve the enigma.
- If you solve this, you will get a grand prize from the king- they told him.
The weaver thought for a while and then took two ragdolls and a hen with hen with him and then went to the king’s court with them. When he reached the palace and saw the stranger, he threw the rag dolls on the floor in front of the stranger. To this the stranger took out a handful of millets from his pocket and spread that on the floor. The weaver in response left the hen on the floor, which ate away the millets in a second. Then on seeing this the stranger took his slippers and ran away.
- What did the stranger want to say?- they asked the weaver.
- The stranger wanted to inform our king that his king was preparing against us, and that he would conquer our lands, and he wanted to know if our king is ready to submit to him or he wants to have a war. I threw the ragdolls in front of him to tell him that they are kids in front of us and it would be better if they stay at home playing with the dolls, and leave this idea that they are capable of fighting with us. The stranger spread millets on the floor conveying that their soldiers are countless. I in response left the hen there, responding that our one soldier is enough for them and it will destroy their whole army.
The king awarded the weaver handsomely and wanted to make him his minister, but the weaver did not agree. He just accepted some trifle in return for his service, and while leaving he said to the king:
- Oh, my King, I just want one thing that from now on you must know that there are wiser people than your ministers in the populace and please consider the weavers and cobblers also as your people.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Sunday, December 18, 2011
THE THREE BROTHERS (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
The news about Baghdad’s caliph wisdom and justice spread around the world. Once three wise men decided to test this themselves and they set out on a journey to Baghdad.
On the way one of them said:
- My friends, a camel must have travelled on this way, this camel had just one eye and also his front teeth were missing.
- This is true- said the other wise man-, and on one side of its hump there was wheat hanging and on the other side there was honey.
- A pregnant woman was sitting on this camel- said the third wise man.
After some time the wise men noticed that a man was following them. When he reached them, he asked them if they had seen his lost camel.
- A one eyed camel whose front teeth were missing ?- asked the first wise man.
- And on whose one side there was wheat and on the other side of the hump there was honey? – asked the second wise.
- Yes.
- On which a pregnant woman was sitting?- asked the third one.
-Yes
The man pleaded them to tell him , in which direction did his camel go.
Then the three of them in one voice replied that they had not even seen the camel.
The man thought that these men were thieves and he complained to the caliph.
- The people have taken my camel away and they know what it was carrying, and still they say that they have not seen him.
- How do you know the peculiarities of the camel , if you haven’t seen him?- the caliph asked them.
- That the camel had one eye and his front teeth were missing, I know from the fact that the grass on one side of the road has been eaten and that too only on the two sides, the middle part of the grass has been left- answered the first wise man.
- That, on one side of the camel hump, there was wheat hanging and on the other side honey, I came to know from that on the way where the camel went, on one side there were flies and on the other were the birds – answered the second wise man.
- That there was a pregnant lady sitting on the camel, I came to know from the place where the woman might have climbed down from the camel, on the ground there were signs of two palms. Only childbearing women usually climb down with support of both their hands- answered the third wise man.
The caliph was surprised at the three men’s wisdom and so he invited them for lunch in his palace. When after the lunch the three men went away to the room which was given to them, one of the palace’s servants listened from outside what the three men were talking out.
- The rice was tasty which they offered us, sadly it had the smell of dead body- said one of them.
- The meat was not bad either, but it had dog’s smell- said the other.
- The wine we drank was also fine , but its taste and smell just reminded me of blood- said the third.
When this conversation was reported to the caliph, he ordered to inquire into the matter. They found out that the field where the rice was grown, earlier used to be a graveyard; the lamb which was killed for the lunch had drunk dog’s milk for some days before; and that while pressing the grapes the person pressing them had a cut on his leg, and so his blood had mixed with the wine.
The caliph then called the three men and awarded them handsomely for their knowledge and wisdom.
The camel owner went away with fleas in his ear.
Translated from Hungarian by me
On the way one of them said:
- My friends, a camel must have travelled on this way, this camel had just one eye and also his front teeth were missing.
- This is true- said the other wise man-, and on one side of its hump there was wheat hanging and on the other side there was honey.
- A pregnant woman was sitting on this camel- said the third wise man.
After some time the wise men noticed that a man was following them. When he reached them, he asked them if they had seen his lost camel.
- A one eyed camel whose front teeth were missing ?- asked the first wise man.
- And on whose one side there was wheat and on the other side of the hump there was honey? – asked the second wise.
- Yes.
- On which a pregnant woman was sitting?- asked the third one.
-Yes
The man pleaded them to tell him , in which direction did his camel go.
Then the three of them in one voice replied that they had not even seen the camel.
The man thought that these men were thieves and he complained to the caliph.
- The people have taken my camel away and they know what it was carrying, and still they say that they have not seen him.
- How do you know the peculiarities of the camel , if you haven’t seen him?- the caliph asked them.
- That the camel had one eye and his front teeth were missing, I know from the fact that the grass on one side of the road has been eaten and that too only on the two sides, the middle part of the grass has been left- answered the first wise man.
- That, on one side of the camel hump, there was wheat hanging and on the other side honey, I came to know from that on the way where the camel went, on one side there were flies and on the other were the birds – answered the second wise man.
- That there was a pregnant lady sitting on the camel, I came to know from the place where the woman might have climbed down from the camel, on the ground there were signs of two palms. Only childbearing women usually climb down with support of both their hands- answered the third wise man.
The caliph was surprised at the three men’s wisdom and so he invited them for lunch in his palace. When after the lunch the three men went away to the room which was given to them, one of the palace’s servants listened from outside what the three men were talking out.
- The rice was tasty which they offered us, sadly it had the smell of dead body- said one of them.
- The meat was not bad either, but it had dog’s smell- said the other.
- The wine we drank was also fine , but its taste and smell just reminded me of blood- said the third.
When this conversation was reported to the caliph, he ordered to inquire into the matter. They found out that the field where the rice was grown, earlier used to be a graveyard; the lamb which was killed for the lunch had drunk dog’s milk for some days before; and that while pressing the grapes the person pressing them had a cut on his leg, and so his blood had mixed with the wine.
The caliph then called the three men and awarded them handsomely for their knowledge and wisdom.
The camel owner went away with fleas in his ear.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Friday, December 16, 2011
THE FOOL (AN ARMENIAN FOLK TALE)
The fool
Once upon a time there lived a very rich man. But since he lived a very recklessly extravagant life, slowly he lost all his wealth and one day became as poor as a church mouse. With his eyes lowered, head bent , wailing he went about remembering his good old days.
One day his old acquaintances visited him, and one of them a very experienced man that he was, he said to the man:
- It seems that you have done some mischief, that’s why your fortune has left you. I will advice you to go after your fortune, maybe you will find it somewhere, and then you will be rich like in the past.
The man took his word and obeyed, he left in search of his fortune walking across the mountains and valleys. Once in his dream he saw that his fortune is hanging upside down from a cliff. When he woke up the next morning, without loosing any time he left in search of that cliff.
He went on and on the way he met a lion.
- Where are you going?- asked the lion.
- I am going in search of my fortune.
- Oh I know him- the lion answered. Your fortune is very intelligent, perhaps you can ask him , how can I cure myself. You see I am powerless and have become very weak in the last seven years. On your way back tell me what your fortune advised and in return, I will do for you whatever I can.
The man promised that he will fulfill the lion’s wish, and went on further.
While wandering he mistakenly went into a garden which was full of fruits of all kinds. But when he plucked one of them to taste them, he found out that the fruit was very bitter in taste. When the owner of the garden saw him, he first scolded him but the man narrated his problems and where he was going, then the owner said:
- If it’s like this then please ask your fortune how can I cure my garden, so that the fruits are not bitter. I planted new shoots, inoculated them, took care of them but all in vain without any result. If you bring the answer to my problems when you come back then in return I will do whatever I can for you.
The man promised the orchard owner that he will fulfill his wish and went on further where he came across a castle which was built on the peak of a mountain. He went in the castle’s courtyard and saw a beautiful girl. When the girl asked him what had brought him there, he narrated to her, everything that had happened with him.
- I – said the girl- have a lot of treasures, but I have only one problem that I am tormented by headache day and night. If you ask your fortune the remedy for this problem then I will do whatever you want.
- Alright , fine- said the man and continued with his journey and finally came across his fortune who was hanging from a high mountain.
He greeted his fortune as it was proper, and then complained about his problems and asked him whatever others had asked him on the way. When the man got all the answers from the fortune, he asked the fortune to return back with him.
- You go ahead, I will come after you- answered the fortune.
On his way back the man met the beautiful girl and told her:
- If you marry a youth you will recover from your illness.
To the fruit orchard owner he said: The water which irrigates your field flows through a golden meadow. The gold dust which floats on the water then goes into the plants which makes the fruit bitter. If you want that the fruits should not be bitter then change the river bed or filter away the gold from the water.
When he reached the lion, he narrated everything that he had experienced with his fortune.
- So what did the young girl offer you in return- the lion asked.
- She offered me that we should marry each other so we can enjoy together all the wealth and good things but I did not agree.
- And what did the orchard owner offer?
- The orchard owner filtered all the gold from the water and the orchard became allright. He offered me all the fruits of the orchards. But I told him that I did not want to drag all the load to my home.
- Now tell me what advice you got for my illness? – the lion asked.
- For you my fortune has sent the message that you can get well if you eat a foolish man’s head.
The lion though about what the man said, for a while and then slowly went towards the man’s head and pounced on him , tearing him away to pieces and ate him away.
- Well I bet- said the lion, where else on earth will I find a man more foolish than this one.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Once upon a time there lived a very rich man. But since he lived a very recklessly extravagant life, slowly he lost all his wealth and one day became as poor as a church mouse. With his eyes lowered, head bent , wailing he went about remembering his good old days.
One day his old acquaintances visited him, and one of them a very experienced man that he was, he said to the man:
- It seems that you have done some mischief, that’s why your fortune has left you. I will advice you to go after your fortune, maybe you will find it somewhere, and then you will be rich like in the past.
The man took his word and obeyed, he left in search of his fortune walking across the mountains and valleys. Once in his dream he saw that his fortune is hanging upside down from a cliff. When he woke up the next morning, without loosing any time he left in search of that cliff.
He went on and on the way he met a lion.
- Where are you going?- asked the lion.
- I am going in search of my fortune.
- Oh I know him- the lion answered. Your fortune is very intelligent, perhaps you can ask him , how can I cure myself. You see I am powerless and have become very weak in the last seven years. On your way back tell me what your fortune advised and in return, I will do for you whatever I can.
The man promised that he will fulfill the lion’s wish, and went on further.
While wandering he mistakenly went into a garden which was full of fruits of all kinds. But when he plucked one of them to taste them, he found out that the fruit was very bitter in taste. When the owner of the garden saw him, he first scolded him but the man narrated his problems and where he was going, then the owner said:
- If it’s like this then please ask your fortune how can I cure my garden, so that the fruits are not bitter. I planted new shoots, inoculated them, took care of them but all in vain without any result. If you bring the answer to my problems when you come back then in return I will do whatever I can for you.
The man promised the orchard owner that he will fulfill his wish and went on further where he came across a castle which was built on the peak of a mountain. He went in the castle’s courtyard and saw a beautiful girl. When the girl asked him what had brought him there, he narrated to her, everything that had happened with him.
- I – said the girl- have a lot of treasures, but I have only one problem that I am tormented by headache day and night. If you ask your fortune the remedy for this problem then I will do whatever you want.
- Alright , fine- said the man and continued with his journey and finally came across his fortune who was hanging from a high mountain.
He greeted his fortune as it was proper, and then complained about his problems and asked him whatever others had asked him on the way. When the man got all the answers from the fortune, he asked the fortune to return back with him.
- You go ahead, I will come after you- answered the fortune.
On his way back the man met the beautiful girl and told her:
- If you marry a youth you will recover from your illness.
To the fruit orchard owner he said: The water which irrigates your field flows through a golden meadow. The gold dust which floats on the water then goes into the plants which makes the fruit bitter. If you want that the fruits should not be bitter then change the river bed or filter away the gold from the water.
When he reached the lion, he narrated everything that he had experienced with his fortune.
- So what did the young girl offer you in return- the lion asked.
- She offered me that we should marry each other so we can enjoy together all the wealth and good things but I did not agree.
- And what did the orchard owner offer?
- The orchard owner filtered all the gold from the water and the orchard became allright. He offered me all the fruits of the orchards. But I told him that I did not want to drag all the load to my home.
- Now tell me what advice you got for my illness? – the lion asked.
- For you my fortune has sent the message that you can get well if you eat a foolish man’s head.
The lion though about what the man said, for a while and then slowly went towards the man’s head and pounced on him , tearing him away to pieces and ate him away.
- Well I bet- said the lion, where else on earth will I find a man more foolish than this one.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Thursday, December 15, 2011
THE SNAKE AND THE FISH (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
THE SNAKE AND THE FISH (AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE)
The snake became friends with the fish.
- My young sister- said the snake to the fish-, carry me on your back and take me for boating in the sea.
- Oh! With pleasure- answered the fish-, sit on my back, I will carry you, so that you will see how our sea is.
- The snake curled around the fish and they went to swim in the sea. They had hardly swam a bit when the snake bit the fish’s back.
- Oh my elder sister , why do you bite me? – asked the fish.
- Oh, it was just by mistake- answered the snake.
Again they swam for a while and then again the snake bit the fish’s back.
-My elder sister, why do you keep on biting me?- asked the fish.
- Oh the sunlight was coming into my forehead- answered the snake.
Again they swam for a while and again the snake bit the fish.
- My elder sister, why do you continue to bite me?
- Well this is my characteristic – answered the snake.
- Well then I also have a characteristic- answered the fish and it went down deep into the sea with the snake.
The snake started to suffocate and it sank.
- Well I am like this! – said the fish.
Translated by me from Hungarian
THE LIAR ( AN ARMENIAN FOLKTALE )
THE LIAR (An Armenian folk tale)
Once upon a time there was a king. Once he sent his trumpeters to all the parts of the country to announce to the people:
- Listen, people ! Who amongst you can tell a lie in the best way, the king will award that person with a golden apple !
People from far and near came to the king’s court: kings, princes, and ministers, uncountable number of people, but neither of them could please the king.
In the end a tattered poor man, came to the king, he had a jug in his hand.
- What do you want? – asked the king.
- May God give the king, strength and good health –said the poor man- I have come for my money: you owe me a jug full of gold.
- You are telling a lie- answered the king-, I don’t owe you anything.
- Am I lying ? Then give me the golden apple, if I am a liar.
The king recognized the person’s cunningness, and started to defend himself.
- No, you are not lying.
- If I am not lying then pay me your debt (a jug full of gold)
The king saw that the man had won; so he did not even say a word further, but he gave the golden apple to the poor man.
Translated from Hungarian by me
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Stopped for driving under the influence of alcohol, calls the mother to take him away, even she was above the limits. They call the father , guess ?
If it’s not a record then what it is. An entire family in South Canterbury, New Zealand has lost their licence practically at the same time , due to driving under the influence of alcohol.
It all started when a fifteen year old was stopped on the State Highway 1 and was found to be driving with an alcohol amount greater than what is permitted for minors.
The boy was taken to the police station and from the there the agents of police called his mother to take him away. The woman however when she was going to the police station was stopped by the police on Craigie Avenue, who found her with an alcohol amount greater than the permitted level. The woman was also taken to the police station.
It did not end there however: the mother and son had called the father to take them away. But on the way to the police station, the father also met a third patrol, at North Street and his licence was also seized for driving under the influence of alcohol.
In New Zealand, from 1st August 2011 the minimum age limit of 16 years has been introduced to issue the license: earlier it was possible to have it even some months before, since with the completion of 15 years it is possible to register oneself at a driving school, obtaining the license (though with some limits on driving) in about six months.
Translated by me from an Italian website
The Big Ben is becoming the Leaning Tower of London
Even London may have its own “leaning tower”, the tower of the Westminster Palace Clock ( more known by the name of bell “Big Ben” inside)
The inclination of the tower would derive from weakening of the foundation, maybe due to the works done in the course of years (from the sewers of the nineteenth century to the underground parking for the parliamentarians in the 70’s) and makes that the Big Ben , 96 meters high, gets inclined by 0.9 millimeters every year.
Till today, the Big Ben has reached an inclination of 0.26 degrees, with the tip of the tower displaced by about 43 centimeters with respect to the base. For comparison, the Tower of Pisa is inclined by about 4 degrees.
The risk is that the Big Ben, continuing to incline may end up tumbling down on the Westminster Palace, seat of the English parliament. However it’s a very long term risk, if the velocity of movement does not accelerate in the course of time.
Translated by me from an Italian website
Car in water: Drunk, mistook a river for a parking
A man parked his car in a river, mistaking it for an underground parking due to thick fog but above all due to large amounts of alcohol in his body.
The man , Peter Thaler in the small town of Sins, in Switzerland , had mistaken a slipway canal for a parking ramp and had parked at the end of it , leaving the car there and returning by foot to his home. Just that the car had been left not in a parking but in a river.
The next morning, the car attracted the attention of the patrol police with the agents who intervened fearing for an incident. However when they saw that the car was closed and there was no one inside, then they traced the owner.
When the agents arrived at the man’s home, to ask for clarifications, they noted that Thaler did not seem to be clear-headed and then they subjected him to breathanalyzer. Even though many hours had passed , Thaler still was above the legal limits for alcohol ,making to believe that he was heavily drunk when he had parked in the river.
The man has been fined and his license has been seized.
Translated by me from an Italian website
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Had his licence revoked, makes his two year old son drive
Rome
His licence had been revoked in 1998, maybe due to this yesterday a thirty two year old gypsy had preferred to make his two year old son to drive. Incredulous, the police of Pescara found them, who were patrolling in the Rancitelli area, they noted that the vehicle was going apparently without a driver, but with a passenger on board. They followed it for some hundred meters and drawing up alongside they found out who really was the pilot. The father of the little one has been fined for some hundreds of euros for the two violations interms of the Codes of the road: negligent entrustment and driving without a licence. The car has been seized. The crime however remains only administrative.
Translated by me from an Italian website
TO MY DEAR MOTHER ON HER BIRTHDAY
I thank you my God for my dear Mother
I thank that miracle , that she is for me
Defends me, loves me and protects me
I pray to you to help me turn her each day into a birthday
So that I may turn each days into her days like this
So that I may fill her each minute with happiness
Bless her with eternal youth and happiness
Please help me to make today and her each day into an unforgettable beautiful day
With words I can only say: Many many happy returns on your birthday !
But not with words but with my actions I will cheer you, now and until you are for me!
I wish you for today : May this day be beautiful, may happy and beautiful thoughts accompany you.
With the evolution of your day, may you feel the happiness of beauty
May this last till each evening and fill your night!
Translated by me from Hungarian poem DRÁGA ÉDESANYÁMHOZ!SZÜLETÉSNAPJÁRA! by Andrésin Jozséf
Pardon
Pardon
Difficult minutes, hours accompany the journey
Should we forgive or sacrifice- ourselves
The more often this happens, more poisonous thorns grow inside us, though we forget them
When our soul pours, flares up the love, affection
Should we sacrifice ourselves, should we extinguish our ego because of it
Since the feeling still sticks there
Do we get surprised sometimes?
Do we ask a lot from the God: please permit me, to permit the feeling that sticks to go away
We extinguish our ego, we live theatrically,
Question: Within us where is the real ego?
Till we realize this, its already late to realize.
Then we are left alone with ourselves, face to face
Consciously with our own real ego !
We have wasted our brief life for useless people
Translated by me from Hungarian Megbocsátás by Andresin Jozséf
Friday, December 2, 2011
Garbage , Naples , Clini : From EU moratorium of 2 months; De Magistris : there is no garbage emergency
The European commissioner for Environment, Janez Potonik, “ has given Naples a moratorium of two months before unleashing the EU sanctions”. This was announced by the Environment Minister,Corrado Clini “ We have very short time to intervene in a convincing manner. Otherwise there will be a huge penalty that we all will pay”.” In the two months time given by Potonik, one can’t construct an incinerator , where this can be the resolving technology and I however doubt that this will be the response , if its not seen with the planning of a complete cycle of waste”, Clini said. “In two months one can’t even set up a dumping ground. Potonik knows all this. And Europe does not prescribe the already realized solution but it asks us for credibility. Europe deserves respect, honesty and rigor as the Neopolitans also deserve this”
From Turin, during a meeting in town hall, the mayor Luigi De Magistris, in a meeting in the Townhall of Turin, faces the emergency problem: “ we are going ahead but governing without money is not easy”. Even though in newspapers we read that in Naples there is a garbage nightmare , from first august there is no garbage in Naples”.
On the issue meanwhile , Lettieri also joins the scene with a lunge on De Magistris “ In six months the new municipal administration has tackled the garbage problem only with announcements, demagogy and triviality..
All this on the eve of the visit of Environment Minister Corrado Clini tomorrow in Naples, who has thought of sending a new batch of army to the city. Proposal whose response from De Magistris was not favourable while he commented positively about the visit of the minister to Naples: “I have already told that I don’t share the declarations about the army”- but had underlined – let’s think of the things with lesser words”
The minister Clini at Naples, will receive a plan from the proposed bodies Region together with the Province and Municipality of Naples, to be presented to EU about the resolution of the garbage problem. The plan whose drafting has a lot of disagreement amongst the local bodies involved.
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