Bela 1
8 (a) na ednì naši bratofčèdi u vèlingràt tè ne ìdvat vèče tùka
[belonging] to some cousins in Velingrad. They don’t come here anymore,
52 (a) da nìšto da se ne zanimàvam ugovòril s ednà mòja bratofčètka
and not have anything to do?” He came to an agreement with a cousin of mine –
Belica 1
15 (a) emi na dvanàes gòdin me e zavèl baštà mi
Well, [I was] twelve years old [when] my father took me [there].
16 (a) màjka mi bèše bòlna g'oturùmen pa ìmax sestrà pò golèma
My mother was sick, not able to get about, and I had an older sister.
Bosnek 1
5 (a) nìe sme čètiri sestrì i edìn bràt takà i ama
We were four sisters and one brother. That’s [how it was]. But
6 (a) pa da ti kàžem bème mnògo pa edìnni siromašìja
let me tell you, we were quite united. Poverty –
7 (a) na màma svekɤ̀rvata bèše màštexa i i oddelà oddelìa oddelìa gi
Mom’s mother-in-law was a stepmother, and they separated them
8 (a) ot ə strinàrite i màma vìka da sakàx na svekɤ̀rva mi
from her aunt’s people and Mom said – “I asked my mother-in-law,
16 (a) nèma ot kɤdè a tàtko bòg da go pròsti u mìnata rabòti
No resources. Father, God rest his soul, worked in the mine,
17 (a) po cèla sèdmica go nèma i màma vìka dèca tè
and was gone the whole week. So Mom said, “Children, see
35 (a) i kòj nakadè vìdi kato odrasnàme i màma na vrèmeto ne dàvaše
when we grew up, each went wherever they wanted. Mom back then didn’t allow [us]
36 (a) da se mnògo òdi i stàra ni bèše kɤ̀štata dèdoto ni dàde
to go out much. Our house was old, Grandpa had given it to us,
37 (a) i màma nèma bravà da se zakl’ùči a onà tùreše ednò dɤ̀rvo
and Mom didn’t have a lock on the door. So she would put a piece of wood,
40 (a) /laughter/ à segà /laughter/ i tùri mašàta ta kato se pribèreme
/laughter/. Ah well. /laughter/ So she put up the “masha” so that when we got home
41 (a) da znàe kogà sme se pribràli ìnače vìka nèma da vi pùštim
she’d know what time we got home. Otherwise, she said, I won’t let you out [at all].
42 (a) ne nì dàvaše sega ne dɤržà na na tòa mo moràl
She wouldn’t allow it. Now people don’t care much about this – “morals”,
47 (a) ta da ni kùpa: bèx ednà snàa bèše ìmax etɤ̀rva dè
so they could buy us [things]. I was the only daughter-in-law; I had a sister-in-law
48 (a) ama mène me pò me obìčaše svekorò s səs svekɤ̀rvata
but my father-in-law liked me more. As to my mother-in-law –
49 (a) se ne uvažàvax ama so svekorò če ìde če zème sìren’e
I didn’t get along with her. But my father-in-law would go and take cheese,
Bosnek 2
1 (a) kogà bème takòva dòma kogà si bèxᵊ za bɤ̀dni.vèčer
When we were at home, when I was there for Christmas Eve,
2 (a) tàtko si dòjdeše od mìnata i togàva go ne vìkaxa prèmii
Dad would come from the mine. At that time they didn’t call it bonus pay,
4 (a) i če donesè mnògo parì togàva i kato dòjde tàtko
and bring [with him] a lot of money. And when Dad came,
5 (a) i če dòjde kato si dòjde i màma prigotvìla pogàčite
when he came, Mama had made holiday ritual breads,
6 (a) i sìte da smè u seftè čoràpi plèteni i kato izvàdi pogàčata
and we were all wearing newly knitted socks, and when she brought out the bread,
10 (a) da se kato dòjde i če unesè kòš sɤs slàma
and when he comes he brings in a basket of straw,
11 (a) i kato dòjde kòšo sɤs slàma i jà postèlim
and when this basket of straw arrives, I spread it out
13 (a) i pèd decà i kato unesè tovà i màma turì ošàvo
and five children. When he brings it in, Mama puts down the dried fruit compote,
14 (a) če tùri svè prigòtveno sìčko i na sìte i tùri svèšti
she puts all that had been prepared, for everyone, and then puts candles down.
18 (a) i màma na sìte si slàgaše bèdni sme bilì
And Mama put them on everything. We were poor,
19 (a) ama òn donesèše parì i takà i če se večèra
but he had brought money, and so we could have [a good] supper.
20 (a) i kato se večèra i màma iznesè u u reštò žìto
And after supper, Mama brings out a sieve with wheat,
38 (a) i takà i če večèrame no nìkoj nè stàva
And so we’d have supper, and nobody gets up
39 (a) dodèka sìte se ne navečèrame ta kato se
until everyone had finished with supper, so that when
40 (a) kvàčkata kato vòdi pìl kato se izvɤ̀di pìlita da se izvedà
the hen brings out its chicks, it will bring them out [all together].
41 (a) navednɤ̀š stàvame nə izvednɤ̀š i slàmata ležìme
then all at once we get up [from the table] and lie down [to sleep] on the straw.
Breste 3
22 (a) pa še dòjde da sa vìdime
she would come and we’d see one another.
Brŭšljan 4
44 (e) nə uč'ìlište du č'etvɤ̀rtu udel'ènie àjde s ufc'ète tàtku ti
[Only] up to the fourth grade [and then] off with the sheep! Your dad –
45 (e) bəštà mi š'e z'ème tujàgətə əku ne òdiš tə upàli
my father would take his staff if you didn’t go, and strike out at you
46 (e) dvà trì pɤ̀ti àjde zə ufc'ète pə segà n'èmə v'èče təkìvə ra
twice or thrice: “Off with the sheep, you!” But now there's no longer such –
Černovrŭx
63 (a) kujàtu kɤ̀štə pril'àgə mòži nàštə às nìj sm'e d'ès'ət dùši
You can in a house that’s appropriate. Our [family] – I – there are ten of us
65 (a) às səm nàj màlək àj nìj sm'e bèdni t'à b'èše ùžəs
and I am the youngest. Ah, we were poor. The [whole thing] was horrible.
66 (a) dušlè bugàti xòrə dušlè pretpriemàči bəštà mi sə srəmùvə
Rich people came, business people came, my father was ashamed
Drjanovec 1
9 (a) kɤt ìmɤm bɤštà aku nìmɤm màjkɤ š’ɤ ìmɤm bɤštà
I had a father. If I had no mother [at least] I had a father.
10 (a) aku nìmɤm bɤštà š’ ìmɤm bràte sè sɤ mɤ zɤštitàvɤli
And when I didn’t have a father I had brothers. They were always protecting me.
11 (a) punɤčàlo àz b’àx nɤ čètri bràte idnɤ̀ sistrɤ̀
Basically I was a [single] sister to four brothers.
12 (a) nògu sɤ bòr’lɤ màjkɤ zɤ mumìči čàk p’ètɤtɤ sɤm às vèk’i
My mother really fought [to have] a girl. And I was the fifth child.
13 (a) i uvɤžàwɤ mɤ obàče tɤ̀j sa pulùči či mòjtɤ màjkɤ umr’à
And she had high regard for me. But it so happened that my mother died
14 (a) tòčnu nɤ g’urg’òwd’en b’èšə̥ bilà brèminnɤ às ni gù znàjew tùj n’èštu
on the very day of St. George’s Day. She’d been pregnant, but I didn’t know that.
Eremija 5
50 (e) tàtko
Dad …
51 (c) ne sàm bìla
I wasn’t –
52 (e) bil felfèbel
… was a sergeant-major.
53 (c) à
Ah.
54 (e) felfèbel e bìl baštà mi
My father was a sergeant-major.
Eremija 6
71 (c) à pa da vi kàža màk'a mi
Ah, but let me tell you about my mother!
73 (c) pa kato ojdò na učìlišti̥ i jà ìda i vìkam màmo
Well, [it was] when I went to school. I come home and say, “Mama!
78 (c) onà mi vìka e vɤ̀lkət če vìe i nè
And she said to me, “Well, the wolf may howl [up there],
79 (c) ama tì tì da vìime kakò če vìeš
but you! You – let’s see how you will howl [down here]!”
81 (c) i me izlagà uleznàx pri ofcìte
And she deceived me into coming into the sheep pen
83 (c) pa kato me ulovì ta bòj ta bòj
And when she caught me, oh did she beat me!
89 (c) ta dòle pa stanà i vìkam sè me gòni
– down there. I got up and said [to myself] she’s chasing me.
90 (c) da me bìe a onà si se vṛnàla a jà vìkam
in order to beat me. But she’d gone back. And I thought
91 (c) sè me gòni ta tò ednà rèka tè nàšata rèka dòle
she’s still chasing me. So there’s this river, our river over there,
Garvan 1
205 (a) èj nə tɤ̀z bùlkə tùkə̥tɤ̀j nàštə
And to the “bride” here, the one from our family –
207 (a) nìj smi tùkətɤ̀j č'ìč'uvi blìski
close [relatives] of my uncles –
Gela 3
53 (c) i ezgà katu dòjde noe uktòmvri nuèmvri dòjde ə adnà kulà
and now when October or November comes, they come with the car
54 (c) i àjde pà vəf smòl'an nɤ kàrat tàm da žuvèeme
and they take us off to Smolyan to live there,
55 (c) da smɤ pò blìsku du decàna
so we can be closer to the children.
57 (c) ìmamɤ sìn dɤšter'à čètɨrɨ vnùčeta ùčat slùžat
We have a son, a daughter, and four grandchildren. They’re in school, in the military –
Glavanovci 2
79 (a) pa si obikàl’a pa kṛ̀snicata kojà e màjkata kojà e
then they go around [the altar], then the godmother and the mother –
80 (a) dàde mi go evrèjče dàvam ti go xristijànče
“You gave me a Jewish child, I give you a Christian child.”
81 (a) a màjkata ne prisɤ̀stva mène ne dàdoše da sɤm pri kṛštan’èto
The mother doesn’t attend. They didn’t let me come to the christening.
Golica 6
6 (d) f sɛ̀butə gi ber’àhme ama kət ìməše bɑ̀bə i s’ɛ̀ehme mamùli
We picked it on Saturday. Well, when granny was alive we also planted corn.
7 (d) sigà nè məmùli s’ɛ̀ja nè lòze kupàja səmìčək nìčtu nèmə
Now I neither plant corn, nor dig the vineyard. I’m alone. There’s nothing.
10 (d) mnògu tèškə ràbuta sɑ̀m də ustɑ̀ne čuvèk də žuv’ɛ̀e səs mnògu hòrə
It’s very hard to be alone. [It’s fine if] a person lives with many other people,
11 (d) ə də ustàne nə stàri gudìni səmìčək ə
but to be alone in later life –
13 (d) ə ni è lèkə ràbuta
that’s not easy.
14 (e) ne e lèkə ràbuta
That’s not easy.
15 (d) kàktu vìždəte səmìčək slɑ̀gəm səmìčək dìgəm ku nəm’ɛ̀r’ə jàm
As you see, I’m alone. I set the table alone, I clear it alone, if I find something I eat it,
16 (d) ku ne nəm’ɛ̀r’ə glɑ̀den l’àgəm glɑ̀den stɑ̀vəm i tɛ̀j
if I don’t find [anything] I go to bed hungry, get up hungry – and there it is.
20 (d) ìməwh dèved decà ubàč’ə sìčkit’ɛ̋ purɑ̀snəə i sə ižžèniə
I had nine children. But then they all grew up, and went off to get married,
21 (d) i ɑ̀s ustɑ̀nəh səmìčək i bɑ̀bətə umr’à i sinɛ̀ mɑ̀l’kijə
and I was left alone. Then granny (= wife) died, and the younger son
22 (d) kòjtu t’ɛ̀j də mə glèdə i tòj umr’à
who was going to look after me – he died too.
23 (d) i i ɑ̀s seɑ̀ tɛ̀j vərt’ɛ̀ sɛ sàm
And now here I am, carrying on alone.
30 (d) užènijmi sə səzdàdəhme mnògu hòrə živ’àhme dò segà
[Then] we got married, made a big family, and lived together – until now.
Gorna Krušica 2
21 (c) ìzvadàm go pa màjka mi i baštà mi žnìjat oràt tàm
take it out, and – my mother and father are reaping and plowing [out] there –
Gorna Krušica 3
33 (c) tàa mòjta màjka ošlà zainèla od ednì xòra
So my mother went off to some people to borrow
35 (c) vɤ̀lna sčepkàxme a nəprəìhme a rodìteli da vìdiš spokòjni
the wool. We carded it and made it up. Ah, such mellow parents.
50 (c) è tàm na balkàno kolìbata baštà mi me ostài tàm noštèska
My father would leave me there at night, way up in the mountain hut
Gradec 2
14 (c) a baštà mu ne znàm kɤdè otìšɤl màjka mu
I don’t know where its father had gone off to, [but] its mother
15 (c) utìšla po komšìite i òn ostànal s tavà detè
had supposedly gone to the neighbors and he, it appears, was left with this child.
16 (c) sɤz bràtčeto si màlkoto
With his smaller brother.
Huhla 1
17 (a) à təkà i nəsɤ̀rgənə i màjkə utìde i kəl'èg
That’s right. So, [everything’s] scraped up, and mother went with my uncle,
18 (a) bòg də gu prost'ì utìəhə tə sm'èlihə e tùkə ìmə m'èlnicə
may he rest in peace, they went and ground it – there’s a mill here –
Huhla 2
1 (a) jɛ̀ če gà f kàzvəm pòvn'ə či màjkə stɤ̀rže stɤ̀rže stɤ̀rže
I’ll tell you: I remember that my mother scraped, scraped, scraped
2 (a) tàə s'up'urg'ɛ̀ issušìhə jə zberàhə ənɤ̀ turbìčkə
that broom [to get seeds] and when they dried, they gathered them into a bag
3 (a) i utìdəhə sm'èlihə i um'èsi màjkə l'àb də id'ème
and went off and ground them, and mother made bread for us to eat.
Iskrica 1
7 (a) d’è də znàjə slùšəhmi sə štòd b’àw səmà li
And so on. We got on, because I’d been alone, you know –
8 (a) merəklìjə b’àhə mnògu zə m’èn’ə às mnògu p’èeh
They were very solicitous for me. I sang a lot,
9 (a) mnògu sa ràdvəə t’èe tòj utìdi vujnìk às trì gudìni
and they were very happy. [My husband] was in the military, and for three years
10 (a) səm živ’àlə pri t’àh nìkuj nìštu ni mì i rikɤ̀l
I lived with them, and nobody said a word to me.