Introduction
The Mountain Verses (tiratuhan ihiranan) are a set of ancient poetic reflections on life and nature, usually recited in Old Tatari Faran (or a retroactively-constructed approximation thereof), but also more recently in adaptations to the modern language. They exemplify the idea of origin, process, and product as embodied in case system of Tatari Faran.
We present here a modern version of this ancient poem. In the first section we provide the romanization of the Tatari Faran original, followed by an interlinear in the second section. Finally, a smooth English translation of the tale is given in the third section, followed by with some commentary in the last section.
Tatari Faran Text
tiratuhan ihiranan.
- kai ka saani saban
tsira sei saba anan,
fara no hena inas airan. - fii ka peira ta'an,
asusei husu pusu,
san no hena bue'a kuun. - ijiin kei jana eipai,
panis sa sirit tsatsan,
umasan no hena urum muin.
- baran ka somata ubun,
sifan so meman paran,
mubun nei hena funum dunan. - ma'asan ko minat san faan so umas,
kiran sa diru si'ei kamitai kisian,
umasan no hena kira kaman so esan. - dunaran ko kukai faan no aha',
funumian sei matsai'an isanan,
sintarin no nifas numan sei misuen.
- itsan ko buara ka ei hirana ki'ei
bua'a' kisa so atsam,
binasu sa jukasu sa ei sinasu si'ei
putara fara eke kora,
marai nei misanan ni'ei mu' kama no ei
habas karas saa. - fara ko somata san so ubun,
fara so tanap umasan ibi tsi,
fara no ei kurinai dunasan so jara. - hirana kei kibat tekekuhakirakisan ka man,
hirana sei tsuta kuana ma'asanan dei niparan,
hirana ni'ei jana maha manan ka eipai.
- u' hiranas ko mahita tara' sa bata;
minas sa tekekuhakirakisan;
fara no ai sasarai tara' ka tsi. - jamai'ibunisomatajui kei tsuta niparan.
mana so turai hirana ipai mura.
fara no hena tujui mana so akai. - mana ko jana fara aka eipai.
umasan so sasarai hemu'u na ipi'.
jaran nei hena kairitai ti'an.
Interlinear
Orthography |
| Morpheme breakdown |
| IPA pronunciation |
| Gloss |
English translation |
tiratuhan ihiranan
| tiratuhan |
| tiɾaˌtuhan |
| poem |
| i-hirana-n |
| ʔiˈhiɾanan |
| COMP-stratovolcano-COMP |
The Mountain Verses.
-
kai ka saani saban,
kai ˌkaj sun ka ka ORG.M saani ˈsaːni shine saban saban FIN The sun shines forth,
tsira sei saba anan,
tsira ˌʦiɾa grass sei sej CVY.F saba ˈsaba awake anan ʔanan FIN The grass awake,
fara no hena inas airan.
fara ˈfaɾa Fara no nɔ RCP.N hena hɛna and inas ˈʔnas bright airan. ʔajɾan FIN And the Fara is illuminated.
-
fii ka peira ta'an,
fii ˈfiː heavens ka ka ORG.M peira ˈpejɾa rain ta'an, taʔan down.FIN From the heavens it rains,
asusei husu pusu,
asusu-sei aˈsusej river-CVY.F husu ˈhusu flow pusu, pusu FIN The rivers flow,
san no hena bue'a kuun.
san ˈsanːɔ person no RCP.N hena hɛna and bue'a ˈbɯʔa drink kuun. kuːn FIN And the people drink.
-
ijiin kei jana eipai,
ijiin ʔiˈʣiːn moon kei kej ORG.F jana ˈʣana watch eipai, ʔejpaj FIN The moon watches,
panis sa sirit tsatsan,
panis paˈnisːa star sa CVY.M sirit ˈsiɾit flicker tsatsan, ʦaʦan FIN The stars flicker,
umasan no hena urum muin.
umasan ʔuˈmasanːɔ children no RCP.N hena hɛna and urum ˈʔuɾum fall_asleep muin. mujn FIN And sleep comes upon the children.
-
baran ka somata ubun,
baran ˈbaɾan morning ka ka ORG.M somata ˈsɔmata give_birth ubun, ʔubun FIN The morning gives birth,
sifan so meman paran,
sifan ˈsifan midday so sɔ CVY.N meman ˈmɛman mature paran, paɾan FIN Midday is mature,
mubun nei hena funum dunan.
mubun muˈbunːej night nei RCP.F hena hɛna and funum ˈfunum die dunan. dunan FIN And into the night they die.
-
ma'asan ko minat san faan so umas,
ma'asan maˈʔasan forefathers ko kɔ ORG.N minat miˌnat beget san san person faan ˈfaːn 1PL.INCL so sɔ CVY.N umas, ʔumas FIN The forefathers begot all the people,
kiran sa diru si'ei kamitai kisian,
kiran ˈkiɾan young_man sa sa CVY.M diru ˈdiɾu girl sei siʔej CVY.F ei and kamitai kaˈmitaj marry kisian, kisjan FIN The young men and young women marry,
umasan no hena kira kaman so esan.
umasan ʔuˈmasanːɔ children no RCP.N hena hɛna and kira kiɾa give kaman kaman everything so sɔ CVY.N esan. ʔesan FIN And the children are given everything.
-
dunaran ko kukai faan no aha',
dunaran ˈdunaɾan death ko kɔ ORG.N kukai ˌkukaj frighten faan ˈfaːnːɔ 1PL.INCL no RCP.N aha', ʔahaʔ FIN Death frightens all people,
funumian sei matsai'an isanan,
funumian fuˈnumjan decease sei sej CVY.F matsai'an maˈʦajʔan calamity i-san-an, ʔiˌsanan COMP-person-COMP Decease—a tragedy of mankind,
sintarin no nifas numan sei misuen.
sintarin sintaˈɾinːɔ the_bereaved no RCP.N nifas niˌfas afflict numan ˈnuman grief sei sej CVY.F misuen. misɯn FIN The bereaved are afflicted with mourning.
-
itsan ko buara ka ei hirana ki'ei bua'a' kisa so atsam,
itsan ˈʔiʦan cinder_cone ko kɔ ORG.N buara ˈbwaɾa volcano ka ka ORG.M ei ʔej and hirana ˈhiɾana stratovolcano kei kiʔej ORG.F ei and bua'a' ˌbwaʔaʔ vomit kisa ˈkisa fire so sɔ CVY.N atsam, ʔaʦam FIN The cinder cone, volcano, and stratovolcano vomit forth fire,
binasu sa jukasu sa ei sinasu si'ei putara fara eke kora,
binasu binaˈsu lahar sa sa CVY.M jukasu ʣuˈkasu blocky_lava sa sa CVY.M ei ʔej and sinasu ˈsinasu fluid_lava sei siʔej CVY.F ei and putara ˌputaɾa overflow fara ˈfaɾa Fara eke ʔekɛ across kora, kɔɾa FIN Lahars, blocky lava, and fluid lava spill across the Fara,
marai nei misanan ni'ei mu' kama no ei habas karas saa.
marai ˈmaɾaj forest nei nej RCP.F misanan miˈsanan village nei niʔej RCP.F ei and mu' muʔ pit kama kama all no nɔ RCP.N ei ʔej and habas ˈhabas burn karas karas violently saa. saː FIN Forests, villages, and all the pits are violently consumed.
-
fara ko somata san so ubun,
fara ˈfaɾa Fara ko kɔ ORG.N somata ˌsɔmata give_birth san ˈsan person so sɔ CVY.N ubun, ʔubun FIN Fara gives birth to the people,
fara so tanap umasan ibi tsi,
fara ˈfaɾa Fara so sɔ CVY.N tanap ˌtanap dwell umasan ʔuˈmasan descendents ibi ʔibi with.SBJ tsi, ʦi FIN Fara dwells with the descendants,
fara no ei kurinai dunasan so jara.
fara ˈfaɾa Fara no nɔ RCP.N ei ʔej and kurinai kuˌɾinaj bury dunasan ˈdunasan deceased so sɔ CVY.N jara. ʣaɾa FIN In Fara too the deceased are buried.
-
hirana kei kibat tekekuhakirakisan ka man,
hirana ˈhiɾana stratovolcano kei kej ORG.F kibat ˌkibat keep_watch tekekuhakirakisan ˌtɛˌkɛkuhakiɾaˈkisan Tekekuhakirakisan ka ka ORG.M man, man FIN From the Mountain Tekekuhakirakisan kept watch,
hirana sei tsuta kuana ma'asanan dei niparan,
hirana ˈhiɾana stratovolcano sei sej CVY.F tsuta ˌʦuta raise kuana ˌkwana family ma'asanan maˈʔasanan forefathers nei dej RCP.F niparan, nipaɾan raise.FIN Of the Mountain* the family of the forefathers was raised,
*This phrase is difficult to translate; the verb tsuta ... niparan means to raise children,
Mountain
here appears in the conveyant case, indicating what was taught to the children in raising them. Hence, raised by being taught of life on the Mountain.hirana ni'ei jana maha manan ka eipai.
hirana ˈhiɾana stratovolcano nei niʔej RCP.F ei and jana ˌʣana watch maha maˌha heart mana-n ˈmanan 1PL.INCL-GEN ka ka ORG.M eipai. ʔejpaj FIN The Mountain too our heart watches.
-
u' hiranas ko mahita tara' sa bata;
u' ˌʔuʔ back hirana-s 'hiɾanas stratovolcano-PART ko kɔ ORG.N mahita maˌhita travel tara' ˈtaɾaʔ 3SG sa sa CVY.M bata; bata FIN From behind the Mountain he journeyed;
minas sa tekekuhakirakisan;
minas miˈnasːa name sa CVY.M tekekuhakirakisan; ˌtɛˌkɛkuhakiɾaˈkisan Tekekuhakirakisan His name is Tekekuhakirakisan;
fara no ai sasarai tara' ka tsi.
fara ˈfaɾa Fara no nɔ RCP.N ai ʔaj indeed sasarai saˌsaɾaj settle tara' ˈtaɾaʔ 3SG ka ka ORG.M tsi. ʦi FIN In Fara indeed he settled.
-
jamai'ibunisomatajui kei tsuta niparan.
jamai'ibunisomatajui dzaˈmajʔibuniˌsɔmataʣuj Jamai'ibunisomatajui kei kej ORG.F tsuta ˈtsuta raise_child niparan. nipaɾan FIN Jamai'ibunisomatajui raised us,
mana so turai hirana ipai mura.
mana ˈmana 1PL.INCL so sɔ CVY.N turai tuˌɾaj grow_up hirana ˈhiɾana stratovolcano ipai ʔipaj at mura. muɾa FIN We grew up on the Mountain,
fara no hena tujui mana so akai.
fara ˈfaɾa Fara no no RCP.N hena hɛna and tujui ˌtuʣuj chase_away mana ˈmana 1PL.INCL so sɔ CVY.N akai. ʔakaj FIN And to the Fara indeed we were driven.
-
mana ko jana fara aka eipai.
mana ˈmana 1PL.INCL ko kɔ ORG.N jana ˌʣana watch fara ˈfaɾa Fara aka ʔaka out_from eipai. ʔejpaj FIN From Fara we look,
umasan so sasarai hemu'u na ipi'.
umasan ʔuˈmasan children so sɔ CVY.N sasarai saˌsaɾaj settle he-mu'u hɛˈmuʔu PL-hill na na RCP.M ipi'. ʔipiʔ spread_out.FIN The children spread out across the hills,
jaran nei hena kairitai ti'an.
jaran ˈʣaɾanːej hope nei RCP.F hena hɛna and kairitai kajˈɾitaj achieve ti'an. tiʔan FIN And to hope attain.
Smooth English Translation
The Mountain Verses
- The sun shines forth,
The grass awake,
And the Fara is illuminated. - From the heavens it rains,
The rivers flow,
And the people drink. - The moon watches,
The stars flicker,
And sleep comes upon the children.
- The morning gives birth,
Midday is mature,
And into the night they die. - The forefathers begot all the people,
The young men and young women marry,
And the children are given everything. - Death frightens all people,
Decease—a tragedy of mankind,
The bereaved are afflicted with mourning.
- The cinder cone, volcano, and stratovolcano
Vomit forth fire,
Lahars, blocky lava, and fluid lava
Spill across the Fara,
Forests, villages, and all the pits
Are violently consumed. - Fara gives birth to the people,
Fara dwells with the descendants,
In Fara too the deceased are buried. - From the Mountain† Tekekuhakirakisan
kept watch,
Of the Mountain the family of the forefathers was raised,
The Mountain too our heart watches.
- From behind the Mountain he journeyed;
His name is Tekekuhakirakisan;
In Fara indeed he settled. - Jamai'ibunisomatajui raised us,
We grew up on the Mountain,
And to the Fara‡ indeed we were driven. - From Fara we look,
The children spread out across the hills,
And to hope attain.
Notes
†"Mountain" here, and hereafter, is the same word for "stratovolcano", hirana, in stanza 7. It is used in this stanza and the next to refer specifically to a particular volcano which is prominent in folklore. It is unclear which modern volcano this ancient mountain corresponds with (it is not the central volcano in Fara, which is known as buara), though it is usually identified with the one north of Fara's northern boundary.
‡"Fara" here is used in the sense of "the plain" (as opposed to the mountain side).
Commentary
The poem is constructed of 12 stanzas in four groups of 3 each. Each stanza consists of three clauses, and the subject of each clause is, respectively, in the originative, conveyant, and receptive case, encapsulating the idea of origin, process, and product prevalent in the philosophy of the san faran.
Stanzas 1–3 are general musings on nature, beginning with sunrise, the watering of the land by rain, and ending with night.
Stanza 4 develops on the preceding 3 stanzas by taking a metaphorical direction, equating the morning with the dawn of life, the day (or afternoon) with maturity, and ending with the enveloping night, which in stanza 6 is interpreted as death, after going through the cycle of life in stanza 5.
In stanza 7, the tragic tone is deepened by the description of the volcanic calamities that frequently befall the land of Fara. This is the land of Fara, sings stanza 8; the land of birth, the land of dwelling, and the land of burial. Then the tone turns reminiscing in stanza 9, recalling the legendary forefather of the san faran, Tekekuhakirakisan, standing on the stratovolcano overlooking Fara.
Stanzas 10–12 develop a mythological tone, describing the legendary
entrance of Tekekuhakirakisan from beyond the mountains
coming to dwell in the land of Fara. (Care should be taken when interpreting
this. The san faran has no concept of the world beyond the boundary of Fara,
so this could well be a metaphor for coming into existence as far as they are
concerned.) The legendary mother-of-all, Jamai'ibunisomatajui,
appears on the scene in stanza 11. The 3rd line is an implied reference
to the eruption of the stratovolcano which, according to legend, forced
Tekekuhakirakisan and his family down from its slopes to live in
Fara proper. Finally, stanza 12 wraps up the poem with the attainment of
hope by the inhabitants of Fara.
