The South Wind and the Sun 1

Text: Elekenda Uri, Loho

Text and Translation

Elekenda ureya lohoya nenenda ŋono takaka ŋeŋeza keŋikeŋime. Narunos mede banas dahidahi ŋeŋi keneno. Ŋeya mede bananda pezes keneradu kehimehi, ŋono takaka saŋihe. Lohoya kehimena, saselevena. Sama ŋono seleve, sama ŋono kalave, mede banas dahidahi keneŋiyi baŋibaŋi. Lohoya kehimeto, elekenda ureya kehimena aŋaka, saderelevina. Saya elekenda sakanda mede sonos oloŋira, pezes kalara. Lamana layisena, tene lamana selese, zeseyelo. Ŋono zeye layisenahiza kenes delino. Mede bananda pezes kenera, maras sara. Nenenda ŋono takaka elekenda uriŋe kodu.

The south wind and the sun were discussing who of the pair was stronger. They saw a woman lying down under a tree. Whoever made the woman move away from under the tree, they would be the stronger. The sun started the task, they started to emit light. They emitted more light, they emitted more heat, and still the woman was lying down under the tree. The sun stopped, and the south wind started, they started to emit breath (blow). He made clouds go from the southern mountains to over the tree, and made the heat go away. The sky started to be hidden, all the light was hidden, and the darkness increased. The woman thought that the sky would start to become darker. The woman went away from under the tree and went home. And so the south wind is the stronger of the pair.

Interlinear and Explanation

Elekenda ureya lohoya nenenda ŋono takaka ŋeŋeza keŋikeŋime.

The south wind and the sun were discussing who of the pair was stronger.

All the conjunctions I have mentioned so far have been clausal conjunctions. Here is an example of phrasal conjuction by simple juxtaposition and the repeating of the rational agent particle =ya. They are both agents creating (use of =me IN) an inquiry (or argument or discussion or any sort of talking with one another to come to a conclusion about a question or situation). The topic of the inquiry is marked with=za and includes all of nenenda ŋono takaka ŋeŋi or of the pair, more strong, who is.

Narunos mede banas dahidahi ŋeŋi keneno.

They saw a woman lying down under a tree.

Here is an example of runu in the singular despite having a plural possessor. This is very common, especially when the plural possessors are sensing at the same time. What is sensed is the subject of the motion particle =no COME, a woman, along with the relative clause describing her, one who is lying down.

In mede bana is an example of a body part being used for a non-animate entity. Here bana is essentially the bottom of something. Likewise sono ‘head’ is the top of something.

Ŋeya mede bananda pezes keneradu kehimehi, ŋono takaka saŋihe.

Whoever made the woman move away from under the tree, they would be the stronger.

Here we have two clauses, both suffixed with the potential =hi. This is a common way to convey a hypothetical situation and consequence. The first clause also has an indefinite agent ŋe making the task.

More sentences coming!