Elias Solisa
                                Leksula
                                Probably before 1974

(Please scroll down for English translation)


Ana fina mhukar pito saa,du ptea-ptea di negrii sa.  Nun inar tu nun amar mata
hai sepo haik e.  La du x masa la du kaa, nun banar mata sepo.  Du aqax oto
kau lahi haa saa, bana saa bafene.  Du siux nun wai hena an fen, "Wai e, ku
iko aki la ku laqa bana aki, la ma xmasa, la m kaa."  Du heka gamdi nun hum
hawaro haix.

Poo nax wai an iko aki.  Da dena dii, da aqak e, hisaleu haax saa baleke.

Anax di la d heka, hisaleu di kalax fen, "Tau e, ka hekax sapan dii?"

Fene, "Yako la a egu bana."

Fene,  "Ku iko la ku egu eq dii."

Fene, "Moo.  Me--yako mtako mel ka saqa yako."

Fen, "Moo.  Ku iko la ku egu eq dii, tu ya baii na, bu a saqa ka moo."

Anat an di iko aki, paa da egu bana. Da hapu bana flolo haax sa, pee tu da
oli.

Fene, "Iqax tu rua di a hai la a tirax naq bana filin."

Anat an di olih.  "Anato, iqax tu ma baegu bana naa, bu  iqax tu hisaleu dii,
geba moo tu hisaleu haax saa, da prepa fene rua di da hai la d tirax nax bana
filin."

Pee tu sira fen, "Eta da tirax nax bana filin, do iqax tu ka geba nyegut e ha
na ta.  Kam silih baa tu ka."

Da caan aqa, ian taqi.  Du xmasa pa du kaa.  Kaa-kaa-kaa, du ptea, du karajaa,
eta beton rua, hisaleu di da haih.

Da hai eta dena di huma di, hisaleu dii baphatax olon di subu.

Fene, "Hisaleu e, ku rogo."

Hisaleu di rogo, paa da baleke di huma lalen.  Fene, "Iqax tu yako la a egu
naq bana filin."

Du egu nun ama nunu enheroro, nun katueno, nun rohito, fene, "Iqax tu kam sili
nam bana filin."

Fen, "Moo.  Ya egu i har di moo."

Du egu ii aki naa, riqe exrei.  Fene, "Do gamdii, do ku egu kam nam wai hena
an eq naa da balaqa bana na olix."

Fen, "Ehe ta."

Pee tu riqe fene, "Do gamdii, do ku hai tu yako."

Anat an di taqi.  Nax kai fene, "Ku hai, moo do iqax tu ma mat sepo!"
Poo anat an di hai esex.

Da hai eta dena di kau lahin di.  Anax di fene, "Hisaleu e, ma xmasa tu sapan
naa?"

Fene, "Su basrai baa q dii, tu parioto si ba di ta."

Da srai rahisin e, parioto si bapkuka.  Da faero.  Katanan e, katuen.  Anax di
xmasa paa du kaa.  Du kaa, eta du bage tu di beto dii, eta supan.

Supan e  riqe fene, "Tau e, ku badefo, tu yako la a ix hama tonal e la kita
rua kaa."  Da iko.

Da iko, paa da laqgar kau lahin di, pa breman e, da hufa hisaleu okon di, kim
aqak e wahex tifono bu du mali, kau doqono bu du mali, karomono bu du mali, tu
geba na gos tirin!  Kim aqax geba naa, filan baloa, filan balata!

Da picikex fidii, paa da keha kaoro har  polo, tonalo har polo.  Da tenex
tonalo dii, paa da oli.

Da oli dena di hisaleu okon dii, da lefax nax katuen, da lefax nake enhero, da
bapihix tonal, da  espakek e nax hisaleu okon di,paa da badadax fukan gampao
huma.  Gampao nax kau lahin.

Da dena pao, "Tau e, ku iko saka, la  ku egu tonalo polo sa saka a bapihikor
saka, tu ya ii sas fahan an, paa  iqax tu a badadax baaro tu fifiq, bu a dena
saka dii, a mtaikor moo.  Paa ku iko saka la ku egoro."

Anax di saki saka, paa da reqe tonalo di, pa d dena pao, paa da xnahiro, pa d
fotoro, paa da xmasa pa du kaa.

Ri nax karajaa lea-lea, riq ix hama fafu, riq ix hama tonalo.  Katage riqe naa
geba, bu da pakex hisaleu okon.

Pee tu anax di fene, "Picaya, kae  ii q naa, resex!"

Lalen saa poo da iko.  Da iko, poo anax di hai fipamori, paa da xnoko.  Anax
di toux, gebar pila, geba q di gosa resek e!  Da fae hisaleu  okon di, paa da
kukak e, da ik haix.  Anax di dena rabo-rabo fidii, pa da srai rabo-rabo
hisaleu okon di fidii, paa da oli  pao, pa d pepa bana haa  e, pa d pefa
hisaleu okon di.  Paa  hisaleu okon di pot sepuh.

Geba na odo, "Bisopa yako beka, tu anax lawe na pefa hisaleu okon haix, paa
iqax tu nax kairo xmatah la na ta!  Tu iqax tu du kita yako naa, iqax tu du
xmatah."

Poo da oli lawe.  "Iqax tu yako la a bapuna hisaleu, bu iqax tu kae pefa yax
okoq haix, paa iqax tu mel nam kairo xmata ka.  Ku ramboli, tu ya puna geba
haix, la ma puna huma gos-gosax saa, la ma ptea."

Pee tu anax di ramboli.  Geba di fene, "Riqe saka xnafan pito, riqe pao xnafan
pito!  San te yako do berkahandax mohe-mohe, moo do hum fatu saa bakerex ba q
naa la kami tu anax na!"

Anax di katax raman ee, da baptea dae hum  fatu dii, jandelar polo-geran-rua,
subur polo-geran-rua!  Ram pileix, ram pilehex di huma di lalen.

Ana fina mhukar pito la hawa naa xdikero, du pana salambeta gamdae huma.  Du
dena dae, du bakerex ax gidan e, du mqaqax geba na rahex-rahek e.  Du aqax dae
huma di lalen e, nax wai bapesnau tu masin.  Gebaro karaja fipa dapur.
Du rogo pa du lomo nun wai, "Wai e, ma kaweq fuax tu geba naa, ramax tu
exmasa, kami exmasa, hetex kau, kam hetex kau, asux wae, kam asux wae!
Karajaa tenik e, kam karajaah, asa ma kaweq tu geba na."

Nax wai fen, "Moo, kai sira, kimi habetu kim bamgihix hisaleu di, yako la a
hai, yako, e--ma la m sili ioro, ya la m sili tu ioro, riqe exrei.  Riqe nax
mau yako.  Kim geran exrei:  yax haih, teme kimi fen moo tu ma kaweq fuax."

Anax di exrei tirin-tirin e, nax kair oli.

Nax kair oli, pee tu geba di fene, "Ku badefo, tu yako  la a iko maglili."
Pee tu geba dii,da iko.  Da iko, fen, "Iqax tu ku defo paomori, nam kairo du
lomo ka fene kim iko hawa, ku bara iko moo; du lomo ka fen ku iko fido-fidoo,
ku bara iko moo, moo do du xmata ka.  Iqax tu kae pun sala."  Pee tu geba di
iko.  Da iko tu waga.  Geba di iko tu waga.

Du defo, du lomo  nun wai fen, "Wai e, ma ix hetex kau."

Nax wai fen, "Moo, ya naq kau ada."

"Ma ix egu ixnaan."

"Ya naq ixnaan ada."

Du xduak e selax-manux, selax-manuk e, riqe exrei.  Fene, "Gamdii, do ma iko
la ma ix midix buex," tu du puna nun bui-bui sa.

Pee tu riqe fen, "Ehe.  Do ma iko la m midi."

Pee tu du iko, paa du midi.  Nax kairo pila sa di midi leux, paa riq tobero,
paa i ha du  breman lawe-lawee, du oli dae-dae.  Eta nax kair pila sa di midi
sepo, fene, "Kae eptea, wai eh."

Poo  sira pito na bajaga-jaga tu katanan i har pito.  Du tobe nun wai
eta-teta-tetaa da lawe-lawe nusa mgoin e, du fas telax tali dii, nun wai  an
baptea lawe nusa mgoin.

Nax wai an  iko, da baegu fuax maqix saa, tu da baegu nax tepux telun an saa.
Da ptea lawe di, da glada, da kaa nax pakeaqor sep-sep-sep-sepo.  Fuax di
dula. Teput an di pesa, tep  lolama boti.

Poo geba naa, beton  pito poo, da oli.  Iqax tu nax finhaa dae na ta poo,
anato naa xmatah haix.  Da oli tu nax waga, nax waga sarat-sarat tu nun ioro.
Nax waga balaqgar di nusa mgoin dii, tepux di kalax: "Rorehoboboo!  Bokhena
baptea  msika-msikan fina nusa mgoi-mgoi!"

Geba  dii kerex, paa da  asa xliqan, tu ampirsiaq haix.  Tepux di kalax
pil-pili: "Rorehoboboo!  Bokhena baptea msika-msikan fina  nusa mgoi-mgoi!"

Geba di caan, "Bisopa naq finhaa beka, tu ii ha aqa!"

Pee tu da sali, paa da  egu nax finhaa.  Da xdue kariser rua, fen, "Iqax tu ku
dena dae, do a siux ana finaro di sax huma, do a siuk emsian-msian gampao di,
pee tu ku xmataro."

Pee tu da oli eta dena di huma di.   Da bahesax ix  nax waga baa di en waex.
Poo ana  fina mhukar nee naa du beni-benihir tu geba na oli haix.

Da  siuk e nax kai miqgiwa di fene, "Ku iko pao la ku egu naqu tase pao."
Da iko gampao.  Da dena pao, nax wai sil matax, po da baweri pao masi.

Sahet e, da siux selex sahex di pa d iko pao, nax wai pisnika gamdi-gamdihe,
eta pesneka, pesneka, eta da sex matax sepo nax kair  nee di.

Pee tu nax gebhaa iko  pao, paa da tatix ier fidi waga, da tatix riqe, paa du
oli saka nun  hum  haa di.  Pee tu du seka nun  fafu haa sa, paa du kaa, paa
du rame beton pito, lear pito.

Pee tu sepuh.

(Transcribed 1/8/88 by Joe Devin from  track 2 of Elias tape 2).

INTERPRETATION:

Seven GIRLS were living in a town.  Their mother and father were dead.  One
day, they fled with hunger to their fields, where they had a garden house.
They wanted to cook and eat, but all their fire had gone out.  Then they saw
the smoke of a fire where there was a great tree.  They said to their youngest
sister, "Little sister, go over there and get some fire so we can cook and
eat."

So their little sister went.  Arriving at the tree, she saw a great python
coiled up, and so she started to run.  But the python called, "Friend, what
are you fleeing from there?"

She said, "I want to take fire."

The python said,  "Then go over there and take some."

She said, "No.  What if--I'm afraid you might bite me."

The python said, "No.  Go and take some over there, and I will be here,but I
will not bite you."

Then the girl went and took fire.  She bound together a large sheaf of fire,
and as she was leaving, the python said, "I will follow in two days to collect
the price of my fire."

The girl returned home and said to her sisters, "Girls, we took this fire from
a python.  Not a man, but a great python.  And he said that he would follow in
two days to collect the price of his fire."

But they said, "If he comes to collect the price of his fire, then don't
forget that you are the one who took the fire.  We will pay for it with you."

When she heard this, she wept.  They cooked and ate, and did their chores
until the second day, when the python followed.

Reaching their house, he showed his head in the doorway,

and they said, "Come in,  Python!"

The python entered, and coiled up inside the house, saying, "Know that I have
come to collect the price of my fire."

So they produced their dead father's spears, his swords, and his gongs,
saying, "Know that we are paying the price of your fire."

He said, "No.  I will not accept those things."
He refused the things they brought him, so they said, "Then please take this
youngest sister of ours--the one who took your fire."

"Very well," he said.  "In that case, you come with me."

The girl cried.  Her older sister said, "Go, because if you don't, we will all
die."

So she went anyway, following the python until they arrived at the great tree.
Then she said, "Python, what are we going to cook with here?"

He said, "Try digging just there, because there are some pots there."

She dug up some earth, found some pots buried there, and pulled them out.
There were also knives and cleavers.  The girl cooked, and they ate, and slept
through the night.  And in the morning, the python said, "Stay here, friend,
while I go hunt some possums for us to eat," and he was gone.

He went some distance into the forest, and stripped off his python skin,
revealing an incredibly handsome man.  He had such beauty that even the vines,
the tree-trunks, and the leaves smiled to see such a man!  Light rays spread
out from him!

He sprang from there, and climbed ten trees, and killed as many possums,
stringing them together on a length of rattan.

Then he headed for home.

Arriving back at the python skin, he hid his sword and spear in the weeds,
hung his possums on a tree, and put his python skin back on.  Then he dragged
his belly down to the base of his great tree.  Arriving there, he said, "Go up
now, friend, and take the ten possums down from where I have hung them.
Armless creature that I am, I had to drag them using my mouth.  But when I
arrived up there, I didn't have the strength to bring them all the way home.
Go up and get them for me."

The girl went up, and carried the possums back using a tumpline.  Then she
singed the fur from the carcases, butchered them, cooked them, and they ate.

His daily work was to hunt pig and possum in this way,  But he was really a
man wearing a python skin.  The girl grew to respect him for being such a
provider and hunter, and one day, she said, "Wow, you are something els!"
Then she became curious, and decided to spy on him.  She watched in amazement
as he removed his python skin.  What an excitingly beautiful man!  Then he
buried his python skin, and went his way.  She rushed to the spot, dug it up,
took it home, built a great fire, and burned it to ashes.

And now this man thought, "Woe is me, because this girl down there has burned
the python skin, and her older sisters will kill her!  They will se me, and
they will kill her."

And so he returned home and said, "Know that I wish to be a python, but you
have burned my skin, so beware lest your sisters kill you.  Close your eyes
now.  I have become a man, so let us make a nice house, and live in it."  So
the girl closed her eyes, and he said, "He who is on the seventh level above,
He who is on the seventh level below, perchance I have no "berkahandat, but if
I do, then let a stone house stand here for me and this girl!"

The girl opened her eyes, and found herself sitting in the stone house with
seven windows and seven doors!  And all manner of music was playing in the
house.

The six sisters were surprised in their garden, and came scrambling up to the
house.  Arriving there, they stood in the yard and kept gaping at this man.
And looking into the house, they saw their sister sewing with a machine!  And
there were people working in the kitchen!

So they entered the house and besought their sister saying, "Only let us marry
this man too.  We will take care of chopping wood, cooking meals, drawing
water, and do any other chores, if only we can marry this man with you."

But their little sister said, "No, my sisters, you loathed the python. I was
the one who would go.  We tried to pay with other things, but he wanted me.
You others refused, but I went.  And now you say you want to marry him with
me."

The girl adamantly refused, and her older sisters went home.

Then the man said, "Stay here until I return from my journey.  If your sisters
beg you to go with them to the fields or anywhere else, don't go.  Otherwise
they will kill you.  Knowthat you have done wrong."  AND SO THE MAN WENT.  He
sailed off on a canoe.

Remaining behind, the six sisters begged their little sister, "Little sister,
let's go chop wood."

Their little sister answered, "No, I have wood.

"Let's go get food from the fields."

"No, I have food."

They invited her up and down, up and down,but she refused.  "In that case,"
they said, "let us go play on the swing," because they had made themselves a
swing.

So she said, "Okay.  Let's go play."

So they went and played.  Several of her sisters played first, and she pushed
them, and they went far out toward the sea,and returned far inland.  And when
several of her sisters had finished playing, they said, "Sit, little sister."
And the six of them stood by with six knives.  They pushed their little sister
until she was far out toward a rocky islet, and cut the rope, and there she
remained alone on the desert isle.

Now when she had left her house, she had brought with her a dried banana and a
hen's egg.  Alone on the desert isle, she became hungry, and eventually ate
all her clothes.  The banana sprouted.  The egg hatched.  It was a white
rooster.

Now after seven days, this man returned, his canoe heavy-laden with their
goods.  And as his canoe passed the rocky islet, the rooster called,
"Rorehoboboo!  The youngest princess dwells alone on this rocky isle."

The man stood up and strained his ears in the early dawn, and the rooster
called again.  "Rorehoboboo!  The youngest princess dwells alone on this rocky
isle."

When the man heard, he realized it was his wife, and he was moved with
compassion.  So he put in, and took his wife aboard his canoe.  Then he gave
her two kris daggers, saying, "When I arrive at the house, I will send the
girls down one-by-one for you to kill them."

So he pulled his canoe up on the wet sand, and walked to the house.  And the
six sisters rejoiced because the man had returned.

Then he said to the eldest sister, "Go down and fetch my bag."

She went down,and her little sister sliced her to death, and left her lying in
the water.  And he sent the next one down,and she stabbed her to death in like
fashion,and so on until all were dead.

Then her husband went down and unloaded the canoe, and took her down too, and
they returned home to their house.  Then they speared one of their big pigs
for a feast, and they made merry seven days and seven nights.

And so the story ends.