personal narratives

Bela 1

67 (a) da me ne bùtne nèma da te bùtne tì kà

won’t it butt me?” “It’s not going to butt you, you just –

68 (a) sɤs sindžìra če kìmaš no ja ja vòdim sɤs sindžìra a òn stoì

you’ll shake it with the chain.” So I lead it with the chain and it stays

69 (a) e tùka na na baìra a jà natàm vèče zamìna obikòli

there on the hill. And I’ve already started to go around

70 (a) če fànem nagòre brèga a tò ìma edìn vìr takɤ̀f i kosìtri

and make my way up the slope, where there’s a deep pool and swampgrass –

71 (a) iskàralo trevojàk i o òn ottùka vìka òdi li òdi pìta

a lot of grass has grown up there. And he calls from there, asking “Is it walking?”

72 (a) è i kato mu čù glasɤ̀ i kato sècna onàja kràva

And when it heard his voice, that cow pulled [me],

73 (a) i kato me sècna i jà se fɤrlì u onìja vìr

And when it pulled me, I plunged into that pool

74 (a) a tò ìma zelèno takòvo ne znàm kvò se kàzva

And there’s this green stuff there, I don’t know how you call it –

77 (a) mɤ̀h fanàlo očilàta mi fṛknàe jà ispùšti kràvata junìcata onà izbèga

Moss all over, my eyeglasses flew off, I let go the cow, the heifer, and it ran off.

78 (a) a jà se pl’osnà kato žàba u onìja vìr i cèlata onovà zelènoto

And I was sputtering like a frog in that pool, all covered with that green.

79 (a) očilà nèmam kɤdè se cèlata sɤm zelèna òn bṛ̀zi vìka

No idea where my glasses are, I’m green all over, he hurries over and says

80 (a) màle ako e zavìla sindžìrɤ na rɤkàta če mi otkìne rɤkàta

“Oh my!” If the chain had gotten wound around my hand it would have cut it off.

81 (a) do dojdè tàm ìzmɤ̀kna me iz onìja vìr vṛnà se

He came there, they pulled me out of that pool, and I went home.

82 (a) oblèko se tùka omì se òn a izvède gòre i ja pajvanìsa

I washed and got changed, he took [the cow] up above and hobbled it.

83 (a) i jà sedìm sɤs stòla do n’èa da se ne skubè

And I’m sitting on a chair by it so it won’t break loose.

84 (a) pasèm [laughter] sedìm tàm čèkam onì pravìa tùka kvò pravìa

I pasture it, sit there and wait, they did what they did

85 (a) na obòra dojdè ta a prìbra tovà sɤm ja pàsla

at the stable. He came and took it [after] I’d pastured it that much.

86 (a) bodèše onàja kràva ùžaz bèše i na kràe

That cow gored [people], it was horrible! And finally

87 (a) i n’ègo go zbòde ta sɤz zòr go otɤrvàme

it gored him as well, and we extricated him with difficulty.

88 (a) tà a prodàdome došlè da a kupùvat ednì tṛgòfci ot montànsko nègde

So we sold it. Some merchants came from the Montana region to buy it

89 (a) edìn dè se perčì ò jà kòlko kràvi sɤm karàl

One was bragging: “Oh, I’ve handled so many cows,

90 (a) pa sɤm doìl vrɤ̀zvaše a da ja izdòi onà rìta

and milked [them too].” He tied it to milk it and it kicked out,

91 (a) ne dàva da pripàri do n’èja jà če gə i

it didn’t allow him to get near. “I’ll [handle] it and [I’ll]” –

92 (a) òn mu vìka gošò ə ne mòže taka dàj da zèmme

he said to him, “Gosho, we can’t have this. Let’s take –”

93 (a) òn nòseše ednà tojàga debèla mɤžɤ̀ mi da se odbran’àva

He had a thick club. My husband, [acting] to defend himself

94 (a) od n’èja nèma nèma nè màni tàa tojàga i zavèl ja dòle

from it, [said] “Don’t, don’t! Drop that club!” So he took the cow down

95 (a) kɤdè stopànstvoto ìma visòko ta da ja kàčɤt na kamiòna

to the center of the [old] collective farm to load it onto the truck.

96 (a) i onàja kràva kato go izletì i go pòtpre na ednò dṛ̀vo

But that cow went for him and pushed him up against a tree,

97 (a) na čerèšata dìp če mɤžɤ̀ mi si nosìl tàja tojàga

smack up against a cherry tree. And my husband now had this club

98 (a) pòčva da ja bìe po glavàta to go ostàila

and started to beat the cow on the head with it, and it let go.

99 (a) ta i onìja bèše po bòlnica mu sčupìla ednò rebrò

And the other guy landed in the hospital, [the cow] had broken his rib.

137 (a) sìčko edèše sɤrcèto me bolèše za onàja kràva zavèdo ja dòle

It ate everything. My heart ached for that cow. I took it down

138 (a) onà stèlna slet ednà dvè sèdmici če se otèli [cough]

[when] it was pregnant, ready to give birth in one or two weeks.

139 (a) i tòa došɤ̀l sɤz bùs i ja bìjat da a

and then this guy came on the bus and they beat the cow so that

140 (a) ja ja vòdim za kapìstrata što onà od drùgite bèga

I would lead it with a halter, because it ran off from the others.

141 (a) i ja bìjat da se ukàči vɤ̀tre onà nèšte

They beat it to make it climb up inside but it didn’t want to.

142 (a) jà se rèko čèkaj jà če se ukàčim onà če dòjde

I said, “Wait a minute, if I climb up it will come

143 (a) po mène lelè onà če te zgàzi kàk če me zgàzi

after me.” “Oh my, it will trample you!” “How would it trample me?!”

144 (a) sàmo kato ja t àjde pèpke jèla bàbo onà nàkolenči na tovà

Only – “Come on, Pepka, come with granny.” It knelt down onto it

145 (a) i se ukačì unɤ̀tre

and climbed up inside.

Belica 1

93 (a) da si bɤ̀brem i žɤ̀neme s sɤ̀bo stojànof ud durlìite

to talk [about it]. So we were reaping with Sŭbo Stoyanov from Durliite,

95 (a) tòj sedèše pri dòktorete pri zɤbolèkarete glàdni ot po

He lived near the doctors and dentists. ([They were] hungry from – )

96 (a) ama segà e počìnal i tòj tòj žɤ̀ne i jà žɤ̀na

but he’s dead now. So he – he’s reaping and I’m reaping,

97 (a) a tàa gospodìna e takà kato tàa drugàrka miždu nàs

and this Gospodina is between us, just like this comrade,

98 (a) ama odrèže pa drème pa tùka

She cut [one stalk] but she was drowsing, and [fell] here …

100 (a) ne mòže da žɤ̀ne

so she couldn’t reap.

102 (a) i kato ne mòže a žɤ̀ne nìe a potkarvà:me sɤs sɤ̀bo

And since she can’t reap, Sŭbo and I were pushing her [awake],

103 (a) tòj ottùk jà ottùk i ednò plàdne

he from here, I from here. And one afternoon

104 (a) kato a zarèza:me kòlko ottùk do

when we notched her off the amount from here to …

106 (a) tàm è do ùlicata

… there, all the way to the street.

108 (a) ostàvim a zɤt nàze̥ t'à vìka

We left her behind, and from behind us she said –

109 (a) tìe ne sɤ̀ a čùle tàa dùma

they didn’t hear what she said –

111 (a) t'à se ispràvi pa vìka mòja bràt nètko

she stands up and says “My brother Nedko” –

112 (a) tòj ni bèše dragomànin

(he was our manager)

113 (a) t'à rèče takà rɤcète pa vìka bàjčo nètko

she did like this with her hands, and said “Brother Nedko!

114 (a) jà da ne sɤ̀m došlà tùk da nòsa na kùrvite vòda

Have I just come here to bring water to whores

115 (a) ta da sèda po òrata a pa bàjčo kàže

and to sit and chat?” And then her brother said,

116 (a) jà vi ne mèšam gospodìno sèki si odgovàra za nègo

“I’ve got your number, Gospodina. Each is responsible for himself.”

117 (a) a čorbadžìata ni bèše mnògo àren vìka èj dìke

And our landowner was a really good man. He said, “Hey Dika,

118 (a) ne sè sṛdì če sa te ostàvile

don’t get angry that they left you behind."

124 (a) ne sè sṛdì vìka če

“Don’t get angry,” he said, "that …

126 (a) sa te ostàvile

… they left you behind.

127 (a) mi pògledni vìka po tèp kòlko snòpe sɤm vṛzàl a pa

But just look,” he said, “how many sheaves I’ve tied off for you, and then

128 (a) pògledni po tèx kòlko sɤm vṛzàl nèmu si e tovà

look how many I tied off for them.” That’s his job.

129 (a) tòj če dnèska nèma ùtre šte ni vṛ̀zva rɤkòjkite po baškɤ̀

There’s nothing today [so] tomorrow he’ll tie off the bundles separately

130 (a) da vìdi kòj kàk žɤ̀ne kato zème da plàšta təkà plàštə

to see who reaped what, so as to know what to pay when it’s time to pay.

131 (a) togàva ni plàštaa na dèn šeesè lèva a nèi dàdoa četìrese

At that time they were paying us sixty levs a day, but they gave her forty.

133 (a) ta nasèkade sɤm odìla za mɤ̀ka i za teglò

So everywhere I’ve gone it’s been pain and hardship.

134 (a) àrno ne sɤ̀m takà čorbadžìjski živòt živeàla

I haven’t lived the nice landowner’s life.

Bosnek 1

87 (a) govedarjè pa ofčarjè pa pèexme pa ìdeme nalì idòme na xolàndija

cowherds, shepherds, and we’d sing and go around. We went to Holland

88 (a) po predì kòlko godìni bèše tùka pèexme i igràeme i č ìdeme

some years back. There we sang and danced, and we’d go –

89 (a) i po klàdnica ìdexme ə kadè li ne sè lùtaxme i igràeme

And we went to Kladnitsa – we went all over the place, and danced.

90 (a) i onìa ot xolàndija ni mnògo bèa aresàli ta idòme po

And the people from Holland liked us a lot, and we went around –

91 (a) pa kòlko vrème ojdòme tòčno na dvanàesti dekèmvri

How long were we there? It was exactly on the twelfth of December

92 (a) dɤšter’àta ìmaše roždèn dèn tava go onà na trinàesti ta ojdòme

that my daughter had her birthday, so we went on the thirteenth,

93 (a) i za bɤ̀dni.vèčer si dojdòme pòsle onì tùka dooždàa

and came back on Christmas Eve. Later they came here.

94 (a) ama jà n’ìn’oto ne gò xarèsax da ti kàžem

But to tell you the truth, I didn’t like their [life] there.

95 (a) tàmoka nèma xlepᵊ nìe sme si tùka bɤ̀lgarite na xlèp

They don’t have any bread [to speak of] there. We Bulgarians are big on bread.

96 (a) tàmoka è če vìdiš ednà felìja če ti dadà če vìdiš sòfija

There, when they give you bread it’s a single slice. But in Sofia!

102 (a) i na mèso nìe ne smè s takà sviknàli a onì kato dojdòa

And meat! We’re not that used to [eating meat]. But when they came

103 (a) nìe drùgojàče napravìme rèkox na dèdoto jà slušaj da ti kàža

we did things differently. I said to Grandpa, “Listen, I’ll tell you.”

104 (a) tè mèn mi bèa trì ženì u sèlo tùka gi tùrex

They were three women here in the village with me, and I placed them

105 (a) na ednò mèsto òšte ne bème natàm oprajàli kɤ̀štata

in the same spot. We hadn’t yet put the house in order.

106 (a) vɤpròsa če gi pribràx i jàden’e ìmaše mnògo obìčax

But the point is that I took them, and fed them. I liked it a lot.

107 (a) sèka vèčer po ednà butìlka mas mastìka pìexa da im e slàtko

Every evening they drank a bottle of ouzo – well, that’s fine by me!

108 (a) tovà sam tovà ìskax i tovà sam davàla

That’s what I wanted, and that’s what I gave them.

109 (a) ama zakòl’ame jagnèto i jadèxme i bèa dovòlni do skòro ìmaše

And we slaughtered a lamb and ate it, and they were content. Recently

110 (a) pa ednà komšìk’a ne idè na xolàndija a onì ispratìli

a neighbor of ours didn’t go to Holland, and they sent [her back]

111 (a) ednò šàlče takà pròsto za uvažènie čùdim se što sàkaš pa

a shawl, as a sort of consolation. I wonder what you want,

113 (a) jà s što sàm naròt višlà u na borìs pɤ̀rvi

[Whereas] I’ve seen [all sorts of] people: Boris I,

114 (a) i na ezar jòsif ako znàeš ə kadè e na càro kal’àskata

and Exarch Joseph, if you know where that is, at the emperor’s carriage.

120 (a) ne sì flizàla a nìa otsrèšta ìdexme jàlovico bèše tàm pazàč

you haven’t been. But we went across from there, Yalovitso was the guard,

121 (a) ìdeme ama se sabùeme ìdeme na kafè tàmoka i rečème

We went there, took our shoes off, went to the café there and said,

122 (a) jà me pùšti da vìdim kal’àskata na càro kadè e bilà

“Let me see the emperor’s carriage, where it was,

123 (a) kakvò e bilò sìčko tàmoka ìdexme ta glèdaxme jà sam màlko naxàlna

what it was like.” We went and saw everything there. I’m a little pushy

124 (a) po tìja ràboti nè da sam naxàlna pròsto ìskax da da rəzberèm

about these things. Well, not so much pushy, I just wanted to know

125 (a) kakvò e bilò štò e bilò i ìdexme i nasèkade

how it was and what it was. We went everywhere,

126 (a) nasèkade sam odìla i vìtoša ednà ìmaxme prijàtelka u

I’ve gone all over. To Vitosha, we had a friend there.

127 (a) pa pòsle ojdòx rabotìx u dèckata gradìna šesnàese godìni rodìteli

And then I went and worked 16 years at a kindergarten. Parents –

128 (a) kòlko si sàkaš odìx nasèkade sam odìla na koprìvštica

as many as you want. I went all over, I’ve gone to Koprivshtitsa

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personal narratives

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Belica 1

Bosnek 1

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