Senjecas - The Old Man from the Border

Pronunciation table

p	b	f	v	m̃	m			t	d	þ	ð	ɫ	l			ṡ	ż	s	z	r	n			k	g	x	ƣ	h	ȝ			š	s̨			i	e	a	ǫ	o	u			ĭ	ĕ	ŭ
/p/	/b/	/ɸ/	/β/	/m̥/	/m/			/t/	/d/	/θ/	/ð/	/l̥/	/l/			/ʦ/	/ʣ/	/s/	/z/	/ɾ̥/	/n/			/k/	/g/	/ç/	/ʝ/	/j̊/	/j/			/sʷ/	/sʲ/			/i/	/e/	/ä/	/ɒ/	/o/	/u/			/ĭ/	/ɛ/	/ʊ/

Glossing abbreviations

1s/p = 1st person singular/plural	ABL = ablative suffix	COL = collective	EQU = equative degree	INS = instrument	PRF = perfect	SUP = supine
2s/p = 2nd person singular/plural	ABS = absolutive (an unmarked modifying adjective)	CONV = conversive	F = feminine	INT = intensive prefix	PRV = privative prefix	TRZ = transitivizer
3 = 3rd person	ADV = adverb	DES = desiderative	FRQ = frequentative	LAT = lative suffix	PST = past	VOC = vocative particle
A(.s/p) = accusative (singular/plural)	AG = agent	DIM = diminutive	FUT = future	LOC = locative suffix	Q = interrogative particle
G(.s/p) = genitive (singular/plural)	AP = agent (active) participle	ELIS = elision	IMP = imperative	M = masculine	QUOT = direct quotation
N(.s/p) = nominative (singular/plural)	AUG = augmentative	ELT = elative	INC = inchoative	OCC = occupation suffix	RPR = recent perfective
V(.s/p) = vocative (singular/plural)	CAUS = causative	EP = epenthesis	IND = indicative	PP = patient (past) participle	SBJ = subjunctive

Text

m̃uȝa̋s áfa że̋e̋ru mőrem ha̋ȝa

The Old Man from the Border Loses a Horse

• There once was an old man who lived with his only son at the border of the country.
• muluva̋s éna że̋e̋ru e-vűűla—táu sőőlu eȝu-poikű' súna mexős m̃uȝa̋s éna e-m̃e̋e̋sa:

muluv-a̋s	éna	że̋e̋r-u	e=vűűl-a	tá-u	sőőlu-Ø	eȝu=poik-ű-'	súna	mex-ős	m̃uȝ-a̋s	éna	e=m̃e̋e̋s-a
yore-G.s	in	old.man-N.s	PST=there.be-IND	who-N.s	only-ABS	his=son-G.s-ELIS	with	country-G.s	border-G.s	at	PST=live-IND

• They liked horses and often let them graze freely.
• éȝus mőren ka̋a̋a da mónvi šéévi nen ǧőőu e-he̋na:

éȝ-us	mőr-en	ka̋a̋-a	da	món-vi	šéé=vi	éȝ-en	ǧőő-u	e=dőr-a
they-N.s	horse-A.s	like-IND	and	frequent=ADV	free=ADV	they-A.p	graze-SUP	PST=permit-IND

• One time a servant reported to the old man, "A horse is missing! It went into the neighboring country."
• fésu nı̋ı̋xlu żeerűs o e-ȝe̋ża: m̃a mőre e̋ga. ha̋uso me̋xom éna e-a̋ta m̃ar:

fés-u	nı̋ı̋xl-u	żeer-űs	o	e=ȝe̋ż-a	m̃a	mőr-e	e̋g-a	ha̋uso-Ø	me̋x-om	éna	e=a̋t-a	m̃ar
earlier-ADV	servant-N.s	old.man-G.s	to	PST=report-IND	QUOT	horse-N.s	be.missing-IND	neighboring-ABS	country-A.s	to	PST=go-IND	QUOT

• His friends felt sorry for him, but the old man was not bothered at all by the loss.
• eȝu-vı̋lus éȝum e-mı̋ı̋m̃a. ésti że̋e̋ru haȝős ha me̋raþu e-ı̋la kísu ne:

eȝu=vı̋l-us	éȝ-um	e=mı̋ı̋m̃-a	ésti	że̋e̋r-u	haȝ-ős	ha	me̋r-a-þ-u	e=ı̋l-a	kísu	ne
his=friend-N.p	3m-A.s	PST=feel.sorry.for-IND	but	old.man-N.s	loss-G.s	by	bother-IND-PP-N.s	PST=become-IND	at.all	not

• In fact, he said: “Who knows! The loss may bring us good fortune!”
• m̃éérvi e-te̋e̋a: m̃a xu sa̋a̋ra: ha̋ȝo m̃úm o űþtam nexe̋ȝa m̃ar:

m̃éér=vi	e=te̋e̋-a	m̃a	x-u	sa̋a̋r-a	ha̋ȝ-o	m̃-úm	o	űþt-am	nex-e̋ȝa	m̃ar
true=ADV	PST=say-IND	QUOT	who-N.s	know-IND	loss-N.s	1p-G	to	good.luck-A.s	bring-SBJ	QUOT

• A few months later, a weird thing happened.
• ze̋bo m̃e̋ko s̨őxa zalta̋m pósu e-e̋ba:

ze̋bo-Ø	m̃e̋k-o	s̨őxa-Ø	zalt-a̋m	pósu	e=e̋b-a
weird-ABS	thing-N.s	few-ABS	month-G.p	later	PST=happen-IND

• Not only did the missing horse return home safely,
• ne sólvi e̋gante mőre nésvi e-nőma.

ne	sól=vi	e̋g-a-nte-Ø	mőr-e	nés=vi	e=nőm-a
not	only=ADV	be.missing-IND-AP-EL	horse-N.s	safe-ADV	PST=come.home-IND

• it also brought back with it a fine horse from the neighboring country.
• þóós' étu éȝem súna ha̋uso me̋xom áfa nűne mőrem e-tőƣa:

þóósi	étu	éȝ-em	súna	ha̋uso-Ø	me̋x-om	áfa	nűne-Ø	mőr-em	e=tőƣ-a
but	also	3m-A.s	with	neighboring-ABS	country-A.s	from	fine-ABS	horse-A.s	PST=bring.back-IND

• When his friends heard the news, they congratulated the old man on his good luck.
• te̋e̋om vĭve̋nantu eȝu-vı̋lus uþta̋s ƣóma że̋e̋rum e-sunba̋ȝa:

te̋e̋-om	vĭ~ve̋n-a-ntu-Ø	eȝu=vil-űm	uþt-a̋s	ƣóma	że̋e̋r-um	e=sun.ba̋ȝ-a
news-A.s	PRF~hear-IND-AP-ABS	his=friend-N.p	good.luck-G.s	with.respect.to	old.man-A.s	PST=with.bring.joy-IND

• But the old man said, “Who knows! This may bring us ill fortune!”
• ésti że̋e̋ru e-te̋e̋a: m̃a xu sa̋a̋ra: so m̃ús o be̋ðtam nexe̋ȝa m̃ar:

ésti	że̋e̋r-u	e=te̋e̋-a	m̃a	x-u	sa̋a̋r-a	s-o	m̃-ús	o	be̋ðt-am	nex-e̋ȝa	m̃ar
but	old.man-N.s	PST=say-IND	QUOT	who-N.s	know-IND	this-N.s	1p-G	to	bad.luck-A.s	bring-SBJ	QUOT

• One day, when the old man’s son was riding the fine horse, he fell off it,
• te̋v' aha̋s—méti żeerű' pőiku nűne mőrem e-mı̋ma—éȝem áfa e-főőla.

te̋v-'	ah-a̋s	méti	żeer-ű'	sűűn-u	nűne-Ø	mőr-em	e=mı̋m-a	n-em	áfa	e=főől-a
certain-ELIS	day-G.s	when	old.man-G.s	son-N.s	fine-ABS	horse-A.s	PST=ride-IND	3m-A.s	off.of	PST=fall-IND

• He broke his leg very badly and became crippled.
• eȝu-la̋kom lábu ȝóórvi e-ȝa̋fa. da kőuku e-ı̋la:

eȝu=la̋k-om	lábu	ȝóór=vi	e=ȝa̋f-a	da	kőuk-u	e=ı̋l-a
his=leg-A.s	very	bad=ADV	PST=break-IND	and	crippled-N.s	PST-became-IND

• Many friends came to comfort the old man,
• m̃e̋umu vı̋lus e-ǧe̋ma—táádi że̋e̋rum teise̋ȝa.

m̃e̋umu-Ø	vı̋l-us	e=ǧe̋m-a	táádi	że̋e̋r-um	teis-e̋ȝa
many-ABS	friend-N.p	PST=come-IND	in.order.that	old.man-A.s	comfort-SBJ

• but the old man was not disturbed by the accident in the least.
• ésti że̋e̋ru paapős ha me̋raþu e-ı̋la lĭlísvi ne:

ésti	że̋e̋r-u	paap-ős	ha	me̋r-a-þ-u	e=ı̋l-a	lĭ~lís-vi	ne
but	old.man-N.s	incident-G.s	by	bother-IND-PP-N.s	PST=become-IND	ELT~less-ADV	not

• “Who knows! This may bring us good fortune after all!” he said.
• e-te̋e̋a: m̃a xu sa̋a̋ra: so m̃úm o kísu űþtam nexe̋ȝa m̃ar:

e=te̋e̋-a	m̃a	x-u	sa̋a̋r-a	s-o	m̃-úm	o	kís-'	űþt-am	nex-e̋ȝa	m̃ar
PST=say-IND	QUOT	who-N.s	know-IND	this-N.s	1p-G	to	after.all-ELIS	good.luck-A.s	bring-SBJ	QUOT

• A year later, the neighboring country sent troops across the border.
• dila̋s pósu ha̋uso mexne̋mo m̃űȝam tára ṡáþm̃um e-mı̋þa:

dil-a̋s	pósu	ha̋uso-Ø	me̋x-o	m̃űȝ-am	tára	ṡáþm̃-um	e=mı̋þ-a
year-G.s	later	neighboring-ABS	country-N.s	border-A.s	across	troops-A.s	PST=send-IND

• All young and strong men were drafted to join the fight, and most of them got killed.
• őru m̃a̋lu ur-be̋kus nam̃ópaþus e-ı̋la—táádi ṡa̋tom ƣeðe̋ȝa. da eȝúm m̃ĭm̃e̋umus ka̋a̋daþus e-ı̋la:

őru-Ø	m̃a̋lu-Ø	ur=be̋k-us	nam̃-óp-a-þ-us	e=ı̋l-a	táádi	ṡa̋t-om	ƣeð-e̋ȝ-a
all-ABS	strong-ABS	M=young-N.p	force-choose-IND-PP-N.p	PST=become-IND	in.order.that	fight-A.s	join-SBJ

da	n-úm	m̃ĭ~m̃e̋um-us	ka̋a̋d-a-þ-us	e=ı̋l-a
and	they-G.p	ELT~many-N.p	kill-IND-PP-N.p	PST=become-IND

• The old man’s son however was not drafted because he was crippled and so his life was spared.
• ésti żeerű' pőiku nam̃őpaþu e-ı̋la ne—hi kőuku e-vűűa—da ítu eȝu-ǧı̋ı̋ra dűűraþa e-ı̋la:

ésti	żeer-ű-'	sűűn-u	nam̃-őp-a-þ-u	e=ı̋l-a	ne	hi	kőuk-u	e=vűű-a
but	old.man-G.s-ELIS	son-N.s	force-choose-IND-PP-N.s	PST=become-IND	not	because	crippled-N.s	PST=be-IND

da	ítu	nu=ǧı̋ı̋r-a	dűűr-a-þ-a	e=ı̋l-a
and	thus	his=life-N.s	spare-IND-PP-N.s	PST=become-IND