14 Janëū ii [Corentijnpolder, Nickerie, 1967]
I.
more ājā4 ke kaṭhina karejā to bana ke paṭhāväį ho
II.
more ājā hi gharahį vidyāmān to bana ke paṭhāväį ho
III.
more bāraha barasa ke umiriyā daradi nahį lāgäi ho
IV.
more ājā ke kaṭhina karejā daradi nahį lāgäi ho
V.
more bāraha barasa ke umiriyā to bana ke paṭhāväį daradi nahį lāgäi ho
VI.
ghumi calo ai ghumi calo avaro se ghumi caläu (ho)5
VII.
beṭā bāraha barisa ke umiriyā tu bana ke sidhārëu ho
VIII.
tore ājā ke kaṭhina karejā to bana ke paṭhāväį ho
I.
- My paternal grandfather's heart is hard, so he is sending (me away) to the forest.6
II.
My paternal grandfather is himself a learned person right (here) at home, still he is sending (me away) to the forest.
III.
My age is (only tender) twelve years - (my paternal grandfather) feels no sympathy.7
[p. 62]
IV.
My paternal grandfather's heart is hard; he feels no sympathy.
V.
My age is (only tender) twelve years; still he is sending (me away) to the forest and feels no sympathy.
VI.
- Turn round, son; turn round. Again (we insist), turn round (and come back).
VII.
Son, your age is (only) twelve years (and yet) you are departing for the forest.
VIII.
Your paternal grandfather's heart is hard, so he is sending (you away) to the forest.
4The song continues very long by repetitions and in each repetition the women singers replace the word ājā (paternal grandfather) by terms for other male relatives.
5Added by the translator to maintain uniformity.
6To the āśrama, the hermitage of a preceptor.
7Literally, ‘(there) comes no (feeling of) pain (or pity) (in his heart)’.
