personal narratives

Trŭnčovica 2

1 (b) às səm o udɨ̀lə də urɤ̀ i səm bilà màlkə
[I’ll tell you about how] I went out to plow. When I was little

2 (b) səm ustànələ ud mòjə bəštә̀ siràče nə gudɨ̀nə i pulvɨ̀nə
I was left without my father at a year and a half,

3 (b) i mojtə màjkə jə prinuždàvət òšte edìn pɤ̀t də jə prevè̟ždət
and my mother was compelled to make a second official marriage,

4 (b) če nè̟mət mumčè̟tə bəštà i nè̟mə mumčè̟tə i izràstej jà
because her father had no boys. There were no boys. So I grew up,

5 (b) i stànəj nə òsem dè̟vet gudɨ̀nɨ d’àdu ìməj nə pedesè̟, gudɨ̀nɨ
and reached eight or nine. And I had a grandfather who was fifty years old.

6 (b) bəštà mi puftòrnika òšte edɨ̀n bràt vòdeə dvè sestrɨ̀ i dvàmə bràt’ə
My stepfather had a brother, and [these] two brothers married two sisters,

7 (b) u ednɤ̀ kɤ̀štə živèejme às ne zəpòmnij mòjə pàstruk də dòjde
and we all lived in the same house. I don’t remember my stepfather coming

8 (b) də kàe sɨ̀nko nà utɨ̀vəj pə kət vɨ̀diš vrèmetu
to say, “Child, time to go out,” or, when you could see the weather [would go bad],

9 (b) ulòvete prɨberɨ̀ pə gi dukàrəj nè̟mə təkvòz nèštu
“Go get the oxen and bring them back.” No, nothing like that ever happened.

10 (b) mi ža dòjde strikà mi čìči tòj že me udmenì ud ulòvete
And uncle, now – uncle would relieve me from [some of the work] with the oxen.

11 (b) tòj kət vɨ̀dɨ lòšu vrème že dòdi də me pusretè̟ ud nɨ̀və
When he saw bad weather coming, he would meet me [as I returned] from the field.

12 (b) n’àkəde səm nə pàšə dvà bɨ̀ulə i i trɨ̀ wòlə vàrdej
Once [when] I was out in the pasture, tending two water buffaloes and three oxen,

13 (b) kəkò že nàj nəprèt bɨ̀ulete ul’àət u lòkvətə ulòvete b’a puštrəkl’àət
the water buffaloes would first enter the puddle, then the oxen would go crazy

14 (b) b’àgət is pulè̟tu tugàs ìməše pàšištə mnògu nèmaše izurànu kət segà
and run around the field (we had a lot of pastureland then, not plowed like now).

15 (b) kəd gi zəkàrəme nətàtək kəkò ìmə stò dè̟kərə
When we take them further away, there’s this ten-hectare area

16 (b) kàzvəme m dèt e svàt belɨ̀zmə du tɤ̀j lègnələ səm
that we call “svat”, a marshland. I would lie in this tall strong grass, “belizma”

17 (b) i se vɤ̀ržim’ igràim si pràimi vɤ̀že še se pè̟t šè̟s mumɨ̀četə
and make ropes of it, and play. Five or six of us girls make ropes

18 (b) i igràeme kəkvò igràem dòe ni umɤ̀ də sə pràim nə bùlki
and play. What would we play? [Sometimes] we had the idea to pretend to be brides.

19 (b) zəbràždəme se pə sə s zəglàždəme pə segà mlədužè̟necɨ nè̟mə
We cover our heads and get pretty, but now there’s no bridegrooms –

20 (b) ne štɤ̀t tə mòmčetə ne mù ujdɨ̀svət še pòčnem də igràem
the boys don’t want to, it doesn’t suit them. We’ll start to play

21 (b) nə kədɨ̀t kàk sme sɤ̀dnali š si prustrè̟m krəkàtə i pòčvəm
[a game] where, having sat down we spread our legs, and begin

22 (b) nəpredè še preskàčəme nè̟mə gàšti nèmə nìštu kət skòčiš
to jump over one another. No underpants, nothing. When you jump,

23 (b) du tɤ̀j se zəgòl’uvə dè̟ segà təkvòz nèštu nè̟mə
you’re naked up to here. That sort of thing doesn’t happen now.

24 (b) i nàj na sètne stànəj gul’àmə i d’àdu mi sə mɤ̀či
Finally I got to be big. And my grandfather was struggling

25 (b) də urè̟ tukə ednò m’àstu si ìmme kədè segà sə ufčèrete
to plow. We had some land here, [in an areas] where now shepherds

26 (b) stupànskite ufcè̟ ìməme nɨ̀vɨ šè̟s dè̟kərə enɤ̀ nɨ̀və
tend sheep from the collective farm. We have fields – each one six decares –

27 (b) i d’àdu mi že urè̟ i kət urè̟š tò kət segà
and my grandpa’s going to plow. And when you plow it’s like [it is] now –

28 (b) màlku sùvu i jà təkvɨ̀s bùcɨ se ubrɤ̀štət
a little dry, and these hard lumps [of earth] keep turning up. [So I’d say,]

29 (b) d’àdu be dàj də urɤ̀ be d’àdu bè də smen’ɤ̀
“Grandpa, let me plow! Come on, Grandpa!” [I wanted] to replace

30 (b) d’àdu mɨ̀lu mi e zə nè̟gu às si vəz nè̟gu spèj
Grandpa, I felt such sympathy for him. I’d slept in the same room as him

31 (b) kətu prevè̟denə mòjtə màjkə ftòrijə pɤ̀t às vəz nè̟gu
ever since my mother had gotten married a second time. I was with him

32 (b) dòkət umrè d’àdu be dàj mi də urɤ̀ be d’àdu
until he died. So it was, “Grandpa, let me do it! Let me plow, Grandpa!”

33 (b) a manɨ̀ se də pikàjə u tigàn’ə ti žèncki
“Ah, get out of here! I’m going to piss in your woman’s frying pan!

34 (b) žə urè̟š ne mòeš də vərɨ̀š iz drəntɤ̀ tə žə urè̟š
You do the plowing? You can’t [even] walk through the field, much less plow!”

35 (b) dàj be d’àdu revɤ̀ be dàj də urɤ̀ be d’àdo
“Oh, let me, Grandpa,” I’d cry. “Come on, let me do the plowing, Grandpa!

36 (b) pə tì se umurɨ̀ be d’àdu tòj pàk žə pòčne
You’ve gotten so worn out, Grandpa!” And again he would begin

37 (b) də mə gəlčɨ̀ urà čiv’àkə urà izurà edɨ̀n dè̟kər
to scold me. The man plowed and plowed and [only] finished one decare.

38 (b) prepr’àgə dvà wòla ednɤ̀ bɨ̀ulicə prepr’àgə gi tritè də urè̟
He re-harnessed two oxen and a female water buffalo, all three so as to plow.

39 (b) jà upregnɨ̀ d’àdu ulòvete pə dàj nə mè̟n uràlutu
“Come on, Grandpa, harness the oxen and give me the plow.”

40 (b) i du večertɤ̀ uràj i nə.ùtre bulnàvə səm
So I plowed till evening and the next day felt unwell.

41 (b) əmə tòj ne smèe də ubàdi nə màmə če me e
But he didn’t dare confess to my mom that he’d –

42 (b) če tòj ne mɨ̀ dàvə də urɤ̀ əmə às ìskəm i
that he wasn’t letting me plow but that I kept on wanting to.

43 (b) ne smèe də i ubàdi dnè̟s tɤ̀j ùtre tɤ̀j pu ednò vrème
He didn’t dare tell her. So it went on: today, tomorrow, for some time,

44 (b) puizràstej às òšte pàstrok mi nè məžɤ̀ dɨ̀gnə dvè urəlà
and I grew up some more. My stepfather (not my husband) lifted two plows –

45 (b) u svɤ̀rši vè̟ke vujnɤ̀tə puslèdnətə vujnɤ̀ srɤ̀psku.bɤ̀lgərskətə vujnɤ̀
the last war, the Serbian-Bulgarian war, had ended, and when it ended

46 (b) kət svɤ̀ršɨ bəštà mɨ màlku ubɨ̀čə də čurbədžỳvə džəmbəzlɤ̀k màlku
my father liked to act the rich man and [partake in] animal trading.

47 (b) lɤ̀ga nəsàm nətàtək kət čurbədžìjə nè̟ču be
He cheated [some folk] here and there, acting the big shot. “Hey Necho,” [he said]

48 (b) tɤ̀j mu bèše ìmetu nə čìči nə bràta nèču žə dɨ̀gneš
(that was the name of my father’s brother), “Necho, you go get

49 (b) dvè urəlà ili dvà plùgə i ži ìdiš s ànželə
two plows, either metal or wooden, and go with Anzhela

50 (b) še puurè̟te màlku i àz žə dòdə že ìdə də vɨ̀də tàm
and [the two of you] will plow a while. And I’ll come to see [you] there.”

51 (b) nə də ìməme fìj grà ìmame burčàk ìməme s’àkvu imàjme mnògu nɨ̀vi
So we had vetch, peas, a lot there. We had many fields,

52 (b) səbrànɨ ut trɨ̀ dòmə imòt mnògu i žə ìdem nə nɨ̀və
a big estate, combined from three households. So we would go to the field

53 (b) čìči žə uprè̟gne za mè̟ne ulòvete za nè̟gu bɨ̀ulete i ža urè̟m
Uncle would harness up – oxen for me and water buffalo for him, and we’d plow.

54 (b) àz žə urɤ̀ nəpr’àt čìču ža urè̟ nədzàt urè̟m urè̟m
I’d plow in front, and Uncle would plow in back. We plow and plow – and

55 (b) nè̟mə čiči bè à də ədè̟m be ne smè jàdeli za zàrən
nothing. “Hey uncle, let’s [stop to] eat! We didn’t eat in the morning,

56 (b) è stànəlu edinàes časɤ̀ jədè̟m si fkɤ̀šti
and look – now it’s eleven o’clock!” “We’ll eat at home,” [he said]

57 (b) àz ža is prè̟ vulòvete tàm i bɨ̀ulete i že jadè̟m
“I’ll unharness the oxen there, and the water buffalo, and we’ll eat.”

58 (b) bɨ̀vulete ulòvete uprè̟gnətɨ u urəlàta i nìe urè nəpùsnəjme
The water buffalo and oxen are harnessed to the plows and we – we stopped

59 (b) də jədè̟m jàdejme se čìčɨ kəkò žə pràim vɨ̀kə
to eat. [As] we were eating, Uncle said, “What shall we do [now]?

60 (b) màj če si se umorɨ̀lə ne sɤ̀m pə ne smèjə
You’re probably all tired out.” “No, I’m not!” – I didn’t dare say

61 (b) də rečɤ̀ če səm se umorɨ̀lə žə ustài ednòtu uràlu
to say that I’d gotten tired. [He said] he’d leave one plow [behind]

62 (b) že urè̟ sàl s edno ne sɤ̀m čìčɨ se umurɨ̀lə ne sɤ̀m
and plow just with one. “I’m not tired, Uncle, I’m not!

63 (b) ža urɤ̀ uràjme də stàne plàdne pùsnəjme za plàdne
I’ll plow!” So we plowed until midday, and stopped for [the] midday [break].

64 (b) d’àdu nikòlə gu nè̟mə nè̟mə gu nè̟mə gu
[But] Grandpa Nikola’s not here! Not anywhere! No trace of him!

65 (b) tòj kàe nè̟mə də dòe kàe jà kae də sə nə
He (= Uncle) said, “He’s not going to come,” he said. “Let’s,” he said,

66 (b) də pùsnem bɨ̀ulete pə žə ìdem i dvàmə kae
“unharness the water buffaloes and we’ll both go,” he said,

67 (b) də ukàl’əme bɨ̀ulete nə n’àkəde nə ednə lòkvə
“to let the water buffalo wallow in mud somewhere in some puddle,

68 (b) pə vulòvetȅ žə gi nəpoìm ili tɨ̀ žə gi zəkàrəš
and [then] water the oxen. Or [how about] you take [the oxen]

69 (b) də gi nəpuìš às kàe še unəkàl’am biul’àtə
to water them, and I,” he said, “will see the water buffalo to the mud.”

70 (b) i tɤ̀j ukàl’ɤni bɨ̀ulete kət vərɤ̀t àz kət da ti kaa
So when these “muddied” water buffalo started to move off, I – how can I tell you? –

71 (b) bàmnəw c’àlətə às ne mòə də vìdə sàmu učɨ̀te mi bleštùkət
I fell flat – boom! I couldn’t see anything. Only my eyes glittered out [to others].

72 (b) sɨ̀čku kàl tè̟ me nəpràili sè̟ kàl kà də urɤ̀
Mud everywhere – they’d made me all muddy. How was I going to plow?

73 (b) vɤ̀rlə si ednɤ̀ drèjə udgòre ednɤ̀ beše mi ušɨ̀lə màjkə mɨ
So I tied a piece of clothing over me, something my mother had sewn for me,

74 (b) kət ednɤ̀ blùzə ud enɤ̀ sɨ̀nə bəsmɤ̀ če ne mòe
like a blouse from a piece of blue printed fabric [that she’d sewn] when she couldn’t

75 (b) də me vɨ̀dɨ ednò vrèmi təkàni rɨ̀zɨ debè̟li
see me [and get my size]. Back then [we had] thick woven shifts,

76 (b) ne mòe də jə uperè̟ o kəkò də pràim segà be čìčɨ̥
they weren’t washable. “Oh, what are we going to do now, Uncle?”

77 (b) à vərlɨ̀ tùj gòrnutu pə urɨ̀ səz b’àlətə rɨ̀zə
“Well, take off that outer [garment] and plow in your white shift.

78 (b) tò nè̟mə v’àtər nè̟mə dɤ̀š nè̟mə nɨ̀štu
There’s no wind, no rain, nothing [to make any problem].”

79 (b) i tɤ̀j səm prekàrvələ živòtə nàj nə sè̟tne
So that’s how I spent my life. And finally [I’ll tell you about when]

80 (b) žə kusɨ̀m nàštə kɤ̀štə bèše màlku kəd z’è nə vɤ̀r.zemì
we go to mow. Our house was small – above the ground.

81 (b) əmə pukrɨ̀tə s kušɨ̀tə ševarɨ̀gɨ ža ìdem də kusɨ̀m ševerɨ̀gɨ
but covered with bristle grass. And swamp grass – we go to mow swamp grass.

82 (b) tòj kusɨ̀ dvà trɨ d’è̟ òtkusə nèču žə kusɨ̀š li
[My father] mowed two or three tracks, then: “Necho, are you going to mow?”

83 (b) ə če že kusɤ̀ gul’àmətə sestrà nə mòjtə màjkə
“Yes, I’ll mow,” [he said]. And my mother’s older sister –

84 (b) t’à ne è prevè̟denə na drùgu m’àstu žè̟netә̥
she’s not officially married, but [rather] married in another place –

85 (b) əmə ìmə mumčè s mè̟ne àjde vìe se məčète tùka s ànželə
she has a son my age. “Come on you, struggle a bit here. [You go] with Anzhela.

86 (b) žə kusɨ̀ že səbɨ̀rəte kušɨ̀tətə že vɤ̀ržete kòj kəkvòtu mòe
She’ll mow and you’ll gather the bristle grass, and each tie up what you can.

87 (b) tɨ̀ že kusɨ̀š lè̝ču̥ tòj kusɨ̀ čuv’àkə kusɨ̀ pə nie dvàmə nədzàt
You’ll mow [too], Lecho.” So he mows, that guy, and the two of us in back

88 (b) səbɨ̀rəme nəvɤ̀ržəm b’àgət pə pijàvɨci èj təkvɨ̀s vəžà pijàvici
gather it and tie it up. And leeches burst out. Leeches this big, like ropes,

89 (b) iz vudɤ̀tə ò čìču àž žə kusɤ̀ às vìkəm ža kusɤ̀
[jumping] around the water. “Oh, Uncle! I’ll mow,” I said. “I’ll mow,

90 (b) če kət mànə s kusɤ̀tə i b’àgət pijàvicite
because when I sweep my scythe around the leeches go away.”

91 (b) àz [unintelligible] edìn òtkus dvà òtkusə du večertɤ̀ se smen’àvəjmi
I managed one or two tracks till evening, and took turns

92 (b) səs nə tè̟tkə mi nə lè̟l’ə mi mumčè̟tu̥ sme u ednɤ̀ gudɨ̀nə
with my aunt’s son, the boy who’s the same age as me.

93 (b) i tòj iskàrə dvà trɨ̀ òtkusə àz dvà trɨ̀ òtkusə
He finished two or three tracks, and I did two or three tracks.

94 (b) ònzi d’àt ti nikòlə gu nè̟mə čàk večertɤ̀ si dudè̟
And still no trace of that Grandpa Nikola. He came only in the evening.

95 (b) i tɨ̀ čàkəj že dòe də kusɨ̀
You wait for him to come to mow [but probably in vain].

Vŭglarovo 1

32 (a) jà gə dòdəh mlàdə bùlkə i č’ìč’u p’ètər dòjde
When I came [here] as a young bride, and Uncle Peter came [and said]

33 (a) à sigɛ̀ də ɨ̀dim dòrə mòže li l’àp də m’ès
“O.K., let’s see if Dora can make bread.”

34 (a) i jà m’ès’ə tùkə um’ès’ə z bràšnu n’è s udà
So I knead it here, knead it up good with flour, not with water.

35 (a) vm’àstu də tùr’əš udà pək tɨ̀ bràšnu tùr’əš m’ès’ə
Instead of putting water in, you put flour. So I knead

36 (a) i vè̝k’e tàə znòj t’è̝knə asəkà izm’èsih gu ta up’èkəhme
and this sweat began to flow, and so I finished kneading it and we baked it.

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Comments and questions may be addressed to bdlt@berkeley.edu.

Recommended Model for Citations

Bulgarian Dialectology as Living Tradition [2016] (http://www.bulgariandialectology.org, visited on 1 March 2016)
Babjak 1: 13-15. In: Bulgarian Dialectology as Living Tradition [2016] (http://www.bulgariandialectology.org, visited on 1 March 2016)

by Dr. Radut