webPulaaku
Amadou Hampâté Bâ
Kaïdara
Translated by Daniel Whitman
With “Kings, Sages, Rogues: The Historical Writings of Amadou Hampâté Bâ”
Kaydara — Strophes 1385-1415
haɗaaka ɗi naata peƴƴira koyɗe majji.
Walaa ko ɗi kultonoytee faddoyaaka. » 1385
Seki Hamtuuɗo wii : « Hono foti njoɓan-mi ? »
Lummbinoyoowo yaltini nyerrugel mum
e nder sasa wii : « yo bemmbere ngel njoɓoytaa,
ko woni donngal so conndi so gabbe laatii,
yo ɗum njobataa ko woni fuu ɗum yo aada. » 1390
Hamtuuɗo jali wii:
— « Ko njiɗ-ɗaa mi hokke ngel muni hewnde kanŋe?
ƌum wona njoɓdi lummbugol am e maayo? »
— « So taw ɗum kanŋe woni diiwngal yo noon nii,
so taw ɗum ndoondi maa nduɗindardi njoɓataa 1395
yo nii tan nii yo nii nii fii wonirta.
Tawangal waaloyii gaa duuɓi ujune,
koro mum ittataake so waasa kutte. »
Hamtuuɗo yeggitii fuu ko wiinoo tuma woyannoo
na jiimi e terɗe Demburu mo yaaliraali. 1400
« Abada wontaa mi yoɓa sabu lummbineede
nyeddude kanŋe koyɗam lummbiran-mi. »
Hammadi wii:
— « Ɓayri ko haalaa koo yo tawangal,
Hamtuuɗo heɗa nan ko, mobbo am 1405
mo noorol oonyii wii kam:
— « Abada wati huunde waɗa njeddoyaa
kala fuu tawaangal kiidungal faa duuɓi keewi. »
Ko mbii-mi, njoɓen ne naaten laana lummben
yo kaa woni mbelko'oowa ka fuurnataa en. » 1410
— « Mi sali ɗum Hamma oo cummboowo gujjo,
omo ɗoo ƴonnya yimɓe mo mooɓa jawdi.
Mi yoppirtaa mo hooram faa mo danya kam. »
Hammadi wii:
— « Ee cummboowo ɓattin laana maa kaa lummbinaa min. 1415
Miɗo yoɓa kaydi am yoɓa kaydi waayam. »
Hamtuuɗo wii:
— « Mi woondorii Laamɗo yoɓataa huunde fuu fey
a yoɓataa njoɓdi am koo Hamma paamaa. »
No rule prevents them from fording the stream.
They have nothing to fear, and risk nothing.”
Hamtudo, rather angry, said “How much must I pay?”
The ferryman took out a measuring cup
from his pack and said, “You'll pay one cupful.
Whether your load be flour or grain,
that, according to custom, is what you must pay.”
Hamtudo laughed and said:
“You expect me to give you a cupful of gold
for taking me across this river?
If my load were gold, would the same rule apply?”
“If it were ashes or dust, you would pay
the same, it would be just alike.
This custom is a thousand years old
and can't be violated with impunity.”
Hamtudo, forgetting all he had said while weeping
over Demburu's body, exclaimed,
“Never will I pay for this crossing
with a cupful of gold! I'll ford the stream myself.”
Hammadi insisted:
“Since it is custom,
Hamtudo, listen and hear what I was told
by my master with the deformed spine 96:
‘Never violate, for anything in the world,
a rule that has lasted several centuries.’
I say we should pay and cross by the dugout
that is prescribed, and that will allow us to cross safely.”
“This I refuse, Hammadi, this ferryman is a thief
who terrorizes people in order to amass a fortune.
I won't be had by him.”
Hammadi declared:
“Oh ferryman, bring your dugout here, and take us across.
I'll pay my passage as well as my friend's.”
Hamtudo said:
“By God, I'll pay nothing, nor will I
allow you to pay for me, Hammadi.”
Notes (Lilyan Kesteloot)
96. The “master with the deformed spine” becomes, in Hammadi's mouth, a nickname of provocation, even a title of glory.