Drjanovec 1
49 (a) drùgij akɤ̀l pɤ̀k tì si trìjsi i šèz gudìš’in
different advice. You’re thirty-six years old.”
51 (a) t’ì b’èž’ ž’inà ni mòž’iš dɤ skàrɤš tòz živòt
“You can’t make it through [the rest] of your life without a woman.
52 (a) i tr’àva tì də sə užèniš štòt àz aku sɤ ožènɤ
You’re the one that needs to marry, because if I get married [first]
53 (a) tì n’e mòež dɤ gu iskàrə tòjtə ž’inà š’ɤ zɤvàri mòjta
you won’t be able to handle it. Your wife will encounter mine [already here]:
54 (a) mòjtɤ sɤ č’i̥t’è svikɤ̀rvɤ v’èke pə tòjtɤ ž’inà šɤ bɤ̀di snɤxɤ̀
Mine will consider herself the mother-in-law and yours will be the daughter-in-law,
55 (a) i šɤ stàvɤ kɤwgɤ̀ miždu nàs pò dubr’è t’ì sɤ užənì
and this will give rise to quarrels between us. Much better you get married
56 (a) pò nɤprèt’ às pò nɤpud’èr’e s’è š’ɤ nɤm’èrim inɤ̀ n’àkɤkvɤ
first, and I after that. Somehow we’ll find one [for you].”
57 (a) i òd’ɤ tàt’e srùvɤ pràj nɤmèri inɤ̀ žinìčkɤ ud dubròškɤtɤ mɤɤlɤ̀
So Dad went off, looked about, found a woman from the Dobroshkata neighborhood,
58 (a) dun’èse əmə nìj smi pèt’ pɤk inìčku d’èt ɤ màjkɤ gu ustàj
and brought [her here]. There’s five of us kids, and the tiny one that mother had left –
59 (a) tò n’ikàk ni zɤsùkɤ ud màjkɤ zimà go innà nàštɤ rudnìnɤ
it had never suckled from its mother. One of our relatives had taken it
60 (a) n’ègu dèn’ kɤt zèvɤt dɤ jɤ kɤt jɤ kàrɤwɤ u bòlnictȁ
the same day when they took her to drive her to the hospital,
61 (a) dàduɤ màlku òwču ml’àku i d’èt’tȕ t’à tàm gu dɤ gu
they gave the little one sheep’s milk, and the child – she was there to look –
62 (a) gl’e dɤ gu glèdɤ u t’àw dukɤt sɤ zɤvɤ̀rni tàt’i
to look after it at their place until Dad came back.
63 (a) i sètn’e i tùj d’èt’i mɤn’ènku i nìj p’èt’ drùgi pò gul’èmi
So then there was this tiny child and the five of us other bigger ones,
64 (a) n’àmɤ nɤkɤd’è nɤmèr’ tàt’i inɤ̀ ženà dod’ t’à dòd’i z dv’è
nowhere to go. So Dad found a woman, she came with two [kids],
65 (a) i nìj p’èt’
plus the five of us –
69 (a) i jnò mɤ̀n’enku òc’ɤm ubàč’ɤ nìj gulèmtȅ pàk pò sɤ rɤzbìrɤwmi
And one more small one, eight. But we older ones got on better,
70 (a) ɤmɤ pò mlàdtȅ n’è sluč’ì sɤ nèintȕ mumìč’i mnòu kìs’ɤlu
but not so the younger ones. It turned out that her girl was very ill-tempered.
71 (a) nàšij edìnɤ č’i̥tvɤ̀rtijɤ ni bràt i trètijɤ tòj
And one of ours, the fourth [oldest] brother – [I mean] the third [oldest] –
72 (a) i tòj tɤkɤ̀w kìsɤl tè sɤ bìewɤ mnògu
he was similarly ill-tempered. And the two of them fought a lot.
74 (a) i trùdnu ž’uwòt nɤpràiwmi trùdnu ž’uwòt ubàč’ɤ t’à pàk izl’èzi
We had a hard life – a hard life. But she, however, ended up a hero:
75 (a) mnògo dubrà màjkɤ b’èši i sigà kɤt plàčɤ kɤt kàža màmo
she was a very good mother. And even now, when I cry, when I say “Mom!”
76 (a) s’àkɤš sè nɤ n’èjɤ vìkɤm sigà kàk sɤm l’ègnɤlɤ às si l’àgɤm
she’s the one I call out to. Now when I’m in bed, when I lie down to sleep
77 (a) sɤnùwɤm s’è n’èjɤ mòjtɤ màjkɤ nè jə vìždɤm nìkɤde
she’s the one I dream of. I don’t see my own mother anywhere [any more].
Drjanovec 2
1 (a) s’ètn’e pɤ̀k kɤt sɤ vɤ̀rnɤɤ ut kɤzàrmata
Later when [his draft group] returned from the army,
2 (a) vànaa pulùčɤd zɤplàta mà tɤ̀z v’èč’er spìɤm nɤ.inò pɤrìt’ȅ
they got their pay and right off that night: “Let’s drink up all this money!”
3 (a) drùgɤ v’èč’er mà spìɤm nɤ dvà pɤt’ɤ
And the second night: “Let’s drink [it up again]. Two times [in a row].
4 (a) rèkuw à t’à tɤ̀s ràptɤ n’àɤ a stàni sìn’ tɤ̀j
So I said: “This sort of thing can’t go on, son.”
6 (a) ùš ə ìskɤm mu də m’ dɤd’è tò du v’eč’ɤrtɤ̀ mi ìš’ti pàk
It’s as if I’m asking him to give me [money] and by evening he wants it back from me!
7 (a) rèkuw tɤ̀s ràptɤ n’àɤ stàni še tɤ užènim
I said, “This sort of thing can’t go on. We’re going to marry you off.”
8 (a) nɤm’èriw bràtɤ sɨ d’èt ə na vetirnàrnie nɤ bɤštà mu
So I [went and] found my brother (= cousin), the one whose father is a veterinarian,
9 (a) rèkuw bàče dàj tùj dɤ gu užènim bà žinà mu kɤt jè tùkɤ
and I said, "Brother, what do say we marry him off? If his wife is here,
10 (a) tò šə sə zɤvɤ̀rni tùka pɤk ìnɤč’ә̟
then he’ll come back here [and settle down]. Otherwise –”
11 (a) mɤ dònke zɤ̀mɤš si òšti inɤ̀ b’elɤ̀ nɤ glɤvɤ̀tɤ
“But Donka,” [he said], “you’re taking yet another burden on your shoulders.”
12 (a) bàče b’elɤ̀ ni b’elɤ̀ šə vìdim sètn’e t’àw li šə màwnɤ
“Brother,” I said, “burden or no, I’ve got to see it through. Either I send them
13 (a) u grɤdɤ̀ dvàməta pàk dɤ si ìmɤt sim’èstu às li še sə màjnɤ
off to the city as a pair so that they’ll [settle down and] start a family, or I’ll disappear myself
14 (a) še gi ustàjɤ u dumà šə tɤ̀rsim idìn kulàj dàvɤj
and leave them [to stay] in this house. We’ll find a way. So let’s get on with it.”
15 (a) sètn’ә̟ bàču kɤžì de dè dɤ idìm pɤk ìmɤ dv’è mumìč’ә̟ncɤ
Then – “Brother, tell me where we should go [in search of a bride]. There’s [these] two girls
16 (a) màjki̥t'ȅ s'è mi vìkɤɤ kɤt kàžɤ è zɤ nàs bùlkɤ n'àɤ
[whose] mothers were always telling me there’d be no bride for us,
17 (a) ut s’èlu štòt smi kràjnu b’èdni kràjnu kràjnu kɤ̀štɤ ìmɤmi vɤv v’ètuu
from [their] village, because we are really, really poor. We’ve got a house in Vetovo
18 (a) drùgu n’àɤmi nìštu kràjnu b’èdni e či nə kujà kɤ̀štɤ dɤ ìdɤ
but nothing else. Nothing. Really poor. So which house shall I go to [in search of]
19 (a) zɤ snɤxɤ̀ d’èt n’àɤ stàni tɤkòs ùbu əmɤ tɤ̀z bùlkə
a daughter-in-law? It’s not going to happen like that. So O.K. But [there’s] this young woman
20 (a) prəz inɤ̀ kɤ̀štɤ smi na n’èe kumšìe sme pustujànnu sm’ә̟ tìj
one house over that we’re neighbors with, that I see all the time; they’re always
21 (a) u dumà i às u t’àw vrɤ̀štɤm sɤ id’ìn ə vèč’ә̟r
at my house and I at theirs – So one evening I’m on my way back
22 (a) ud n’ìwɤtɤ nòs’ɤ s’ drèxi̥t’ȅ tɤ̀j nɤ rɤkɤ̀tɤ bùlkɤtɤ s’èd
from the fields, I’m carrying clothes over my arm, and this young woman is sitting
23 (a) nɤ t’àwnɤtɤ wràtničkɤ rèkuw kìno mɤ wòt’ sidìš tùkɤ mɤ n’ètkini
at their doorstep. “Kina,” I said, “why are you sitting here? Hasn’t the Netkin [family]
24 (a) zɤmìnɤɤ nɤ mòminɤ b’el’ànkɤ pɤk tò tɤ̀j zɤplàka i kàzɤ
all gone off to the maidens’ work bee?” And she burst into tears and said,
25 (a) è bùl’u dònke kòjt n’àɤ màjka n’àɤ dɤ ìdi nìjd’e štò
“Ah, Auntie Donka! The one who has no mother isn’t going anywhere.” “Why?” [I said].
26 (a) bùl’ɤ ut’ìdi nɤ kùrsuje às n’àɤm màjka ku ìmɤw màjka
“[My] older sister went off to study, but I don’t have a mother. If I had a mother,
27 (a) šə ustàni dɤ gl’èdɤ nɤ bràta dit’ètu pɤk às št’àw dɤ ìdɤ
she’d stay here to watch [our] brother’s child and I would have gone.
28 (a) əmɤ sigà kɤt n’àɤm màjkɤ ustàivə m’ène dɤ ispràštɤm tàtka
But as it is, since I’m without a mother, they left me here to get father
29 (a) na ràbutɤ dɤ mu j zgòtv’enu də gu pusr’èštɤm kɤt kài
off to work, to cook for him, to meet him. So when she said
30 (a) kòjtu n’àɤ màjkɤ n’àɤ dɤ ìdi nìjde tɤ̀j mi dužəl’à rèkuw
“The one with no mother isn’t going anywhere,” I felt really sorry [for her] and thought,
31 (a) bòže tùj dɤ gu jìskɤ dɤ̀l’ šә̟ dɤ̀l’ šә̟ stàni ràptɤ
“Goodness, if I ask for her [as my son’s bride], will that come to pass?
32 (a) às šə si isɤbɤ̀ prìkɤskɤtɤ pɤk mòže i dukàrɤm pɤk m’ušt’erìi
[Even if] I squander my negotiating ability, still I could bring other ‘customers’
33 (a) dɤ kàɤt dònkɤ šɤ ìd zɤ snɤɤ̀ či nìj li
who’d say ‘If Donka can ask for her as a daughter-in-law, then what about us?
34 (a) n’àɤ dɤ ìjme tàm i kàzɤw na bàča tùj n’èštu pɤk
Why can’t we also go there?’ ”. So I told my brother about this, and what do you know?!
35 (a) bɤštà i nɤ bùlkata i mòjt’ә̟ bràt’a l’àtnu wrèmi sɤbìrɤt bylỳc’t’ȅ
The girl’s father and my brothers [work together] in the summer herding animals –
36 (a) nògutu uc’è kàzvɤmi b’yl’ùk
when there’s a lot of sheep, we call it a “herd” –
38 (a) i ə sɤbìrɤd gi u kɤ̀ro nɤ n’ìvata tàm spɤ̀t
So they herd them up at the pasture in the field – they sleep there,
39 (a) tàm dujɤ̀t s mɤgàr:tȁ nòsɤt ml’àku̥tȕ tɤkòstu s’è sɤ nɤjnò
they milk them there and bring the milk back on donkeyback – they do everything together.
40 (a) ùbuu sɤ upuznàti̥ bàče š šɤ̀ nɤpràim in id idìn rìsk pɤk
Great – so they’re acquainted. “Brother,” I said, “let’s take the risk,
41 (a) kòtu̥ stàni vèke ut’ìduwmi ɤmɤ i cànkɤ̥tɤ pruòdijmi
since it’s come this far.” So we went, and took [my son] Tsanko along
42 (a) sɤz žinìjlit’ȅ àje i tì s t’àw nɤjnò dɤ č’ùiš tì bùlkɤtɤ
with the matchmakers. “You come along with them too, to hear what the girl
43 (a) kò š’ɤ kàžə š’ɤ tɤ ìšti l’ n’àɤ l’ tɤ ìšti
is going to say, whether she’ll want [to marry] you or not.”
44 (a) è tɤj ut’ìdi tòj sɤs nèjɤ nɤjnò sɤs t’àw nɤjnò bàče rekɤ̀l
So O.K. He went together with her – I mean with them. And my brother said,
45 (a) bà dìmo tì n’ì pìtɤš pɤk nìj zɤ kò dòduwmi
[to the girl’s father] “So Dimo, you’re not even asking why we came!”
46 (a) ɤ č šə kàžeš ama nìj dòduwmi zɤ bùlkɤ bà
[and Dimu responded] “Well, you need to say ‘We came for a bride –
47 (a) tùj màlku̥tu štò ne g dɤd’èš nɤ sɤ̥srɤ̀tɤ inɤ̀ bùlkɤ bɤ̀
why not give this young girl here to my sister as a bride?
48 (a) jèm zɤ dɤšter’ɤ̀ dɤ je jèm tɤkò bɤ ilìjo ustɤ̀j gu bɤ
Then she’ll be both a daughter to you and a bride to us.’ ”. “Ah Iliya, leave her!
49 (a) tò d’èti βèšti̥ kò təkò pɤk ə tòj rikɤ̀l bàču mu kàzɤl
She’s still a child. Why now?” So then my brother said to him,
50 (a) či tò tè tɤ n sì li t’ì tì
“It’s not you, is it – you aren’t the one [who]
51 (a) dɤ kàžiš tə t’à šə kài kɤlìnke kɤžì mɤ
needs to say it. She’s the one to speak. So then, Kalinka, tell me now:
52 (a) šɤ gu zɤ̀mniš li cànku il’ n’è šɤ gu zɤ̀mnɤ
will you take Tsanko [as a bridegroom] or not?” “I’ll take him.
53 (a) wòt’ n’àɤ gu zɤ̀mnɤ
Why wouldn’t I take him?”
55 (a) àjd’a tò t’ičә̥ɤškɤ̀tɤ bàču dàj inò kilò rɤkìjɤ mɤ dàduw
So then my brother came up running and said, “Give us a kilo of rakia!” I gave [them]
56 (a) inò kilò rɤkìjɤ bùlkɤtɤ kàj ž dòdi prigòtv’əj sə prigòtv’əj sə
a kilo of rakia. “The bride,” he said, “will come. Get ready! Get ready,
57 (a) bùlkɤ šə dod’ tɤ̀z vèčer i ut’ìduwa è tùkɤ dun’èsuɤ bùlkɤtɤ
the bride will come this evening.” So they came and brought the bride,
58 (a) i ut tàm im’ɤmi bùlkɤ d’è sètn’e gu užèniwmi ul’azə u zɤvòdɤ
and from then we’ve got a bride! We married him off, he went to work in the factory
59 (a) t’à u kɤncilàrijətȁ ràpt’eše i ràwutta mi punɤpr’èdnə
and she worked in an office, [which meant] things started going really well for me.
60 (a) kɤt n’amə urìs znàjɤt n’àmɤ urìs šɤ kùpɤt
They [in her office] know when there won’t be rice, so they buy it [for me];
61 (a) kɤt n’àɤ wòl’uw znàjɤt či dvèčərə š sɤ vɤ̀rnɤt tùkɤ nɤ jàdini
they know when there won’t be oil, so when they come in the evening for supper
62 (a) šɤ kùpɤt šɤ duncɤ̀t às ud m’èn’e pàtki̥t’ȅ dɤ pusrèšnɤ t
they’ll have bought some and brought it. My side of the bargain is to look after the geese
63 (a) uc’ète dɤ pusrèšnɤ dɤ gi skàrɤm i kɤt ìmɤt b’èbi
bring in the sheep and take them out. And when they have a baby,
64 (a) nɤ.l’c’è sɤm vèk’e àz dɤ gu gl’èdɤm
well, here I am ready and waiting to look after it [for them].
65 (a) i tɤ̀j sètn’e bùlkɤtɤ rud’ì i gu tùrivɤ dònkɤ
So eventually the bride then did have a child, and they named it Donka.
67 (a) i du dn’èz dn’èšen jèpten’ mi j snɤxɤ̀ ɤmɤ ìmɤm jɤ
And to this day she’s my daughter-in-law, I have her
68 (a) zɤ mòjtɤ nɤ cànku ni gù kàzvɤm kòlkut mi j mɤ̀kɤtɤ
for my very own. I never tell Tsanko how many troubles I have,
69 (a) nɤ nèjɤ si iskàzvɤm mɤ̀kɤtɤ i tɤ̀j
she’s the one I tell my troubles to. So there it is.
Eremija 5
97 (c) mnògo mnògo bèeme sìne živuvàli mnògo si živuvàx sos čovèko
We were very, very – my husband and I got on very well, child.
98 (c) jà sam se kačuvàla na kòn kòlko kɤ̀štata visòk
I climbed up on a horse as tall as this house!
100 (c) kòku kɤ̀štata
As [tall] as this house.
102 (c) tàm tàm u po u vojnàta pòlko tùk i mažò mi
The regiment was there, during the war, and my husband –
103 (c) kàčat nagòre ednìte xàjde baìra gòre planinàta snegò dèka tṛl'àsva
some were climbing: “Let’s go [to] the hills, the mountains, piles of snow.”
105 (c) tàm ìma sè snèk stùt mèčkite si gàždaa vùcite vìjat
Up there it’s all snow, cold! Bears are prowling, wolves howling –
107 (c) tàm planinà pa mažò mi narèdi tovà vojnìcite d ìdat
It’s the mountains up there, and my husband ordered the soldiers to go
108 (c) da rèžat za kazàrmata matriàl
to cut “material” for the barracks.
109 (GK) dɤ̀rva
Wood.
110 (c) jà da dṛ̀ven matriàl i jà sos nìx me kàčuvə kamandìro
Yes, lumber. And I [to go] with them. The commander hoisted me up:
111 (c) dàjte dàjte tàa žèna da a kàčime na kòn'o vìkam lèle
“Hey, let’s put this woman up on a horse!” I said “Oh my,
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