How the children of Daress were left behind

Here is the second of a series of three short stories in the Daffo dialect of Ron dealing with the topic “Disciplining your child”. The author, Mr. Mafulul Lek, uses the example of the legendary Cen a Daress, who is said to have left his children behind because they came too late for an appointed meaning.

Ji mbolang a sanggu’ (II)

Cen a Ɗares ndee a wis a fa wa’ masut ma Mapun si ɓalis mashit. A  ren tima ma wis, mar nzis ɗiin umbor yit a ra a Sha. Nai ta niyis nisiti mara, ta yu ti tutok, ta niyet, da a nii, ti yes kaang.

Mari a yu, a laket. Naafarahi a niyis nisiti, ta ywash vaat, si  kiret weng, ka ti lang ti fo ma folel kwa – got mai! Nisit a niyis: „Mawa, da mminin a nii kong, ka ni nyan kwa!“ A tik a kabok, a har rus a hai, ɓa si kiris wengi tawe.

Si kir wengi la, si ranggu ti tutok, si yes. Cen a Ɗares a ɓwai  shinggil la, a haran fe mmis, ka safat mmis ti shak, a kirai cambe fo. Ti mayes, a niyis: „Ɓwe ta kwai i nu, hu yes mwani ha?“ Si tikis ti ngga’ mma si kai sis la, ɓa si kir weng a fa got yish! A niyis: „Ye! Yaa wan a matik a ɓwai vo la kwa! Hu kunggo si nisish, hu mun na si Mapuni. Mma hu tik a halai mmin kwa, sai a kat mmu!“

Si taɗas hoash. A ɓwai vo ma shinggil la, a lang ti, a vo ti cambe  vvak, shinggil ti ndur kinggangash si mashat maɗor a ne – yis ma wis ndai.

Lul taa tu ti findel sani yit mai:

1. Ɗandee fe ma Ɗares si yes kaang, fat damis a lakis, ɗandee ta wis, ta hon ɗama ɗiin na ha?
2. Fe mma ndee a wak na mi na yo mushe ahun tite?
3. Masut ma Ɗares ma ti lan mma ndee damis a honis ha?
4. Mimai ndee a honis?
5. A nan ta ɗafal shak, masut ma Cen a Ɗares mma a kat na a kwai, masut ma halai shuran mai ha?

Cooking the pumpkin in one piece (II)

The legendary Cen a Daress is said to have departed because the Mapun hated him too much. On the day he was to depart one of his daughters was living in Sha in temporary marriage. Then he told her brother to go and tell her to come quickly.

The boy went and told her. The husband asked her brother to wait for a little while and allow them to give her a breakfast, so she does not depart with an empty stomach – as tradition demands. But the brother replied: “No, our father has warned us not to come too late!” The husband insisted that they must give them a breakfast first.

They finished the breakfast and quickly dashed home. Cen a Daress had already opened the earth and collected his children and cattle there and was about to close behind him. When they arrived, he asked them: “Is this the time I asked you to come?” They narrated to him how they were held back to take breakfast first, according to the tradition. He replied: “I see! I will not open the door again. You are now to marry each other and stay here with the Mapun. If you don’t heed my advice again, you have to blame yourself.”

They burst into tears. He opened up the earth, entered and closed behind him with a mighty stone. Then he went down south-west, while the earth shook and drums could be heard.

Questions arising from this story:

1.  If the children of Daress had come in time, as he had asked them, would he have left something behind for them?
2. Are the children he left here orphans?
3. Do the descendants of Daress have land which they inherited from their father?
4. What did he leave for them?
5. Are the descendants of Cen a Daress obedient people?