Dardistan in 1866, 1886 and 1893 / Being an account of the history, religions, customs, legends, fables, and songs of Gilgit, Chilas, Kandia (Gabrial), Dasin, Chitral, Hunsa, Nagyr, and other parts of the Hindukush, as also a supplement to the second edition of the Hunza and Nagyr handbook and an epitome of part III of the author's "The languages and races of Dardistan"

“Then the husband relents and steps over the partition beam. They all sit down, dine together, and thus end festivities of the ‘Nôs.’ The little domestic scene is observed at Gilgit; but it is thought to be an essential element in the celebration of the day by people whose ancestors may have been retainers of the Gilgit Raja Azru Shemsher, and by whom they may have been dismissed to their homes with costly presents.

“The song itself is, however, well known at Gilgit.

“When Azru had safely ascended the throne, he ordered the tyrant’s palace to be levelled to the ground. The willing peasants, manufacturing spades of iron, ‘Killi’, flocked to accomplish a grateful task, and sang whilst demolishing his castle:

During the Nauroz [evidently because it is not a national festival] and the Eed, none of these national Shîn songs are sung. Eggs are dyed in different colours and people go about amusing themselves by trying which eggs are hardest by striking the end of one against the end of another. The possessor of the hard egg wins the broken one. The women, however, amuse themselves on those days by tying ropes to trees and swinging themselves about on them.

BUJONI = RIDDLES, PROVERBS AND FABLES.

A. RIDDLES.

THE NAVEL.

1. Tishkóreya ushkúrey halól.

“The perpendicular mountain’s sparrow’s nest. The body’s sparrow’s hole.”

A STICK.

“Now listen! My sister walks in the day-time and at night stands behind the door.” As “Sas” “Sazik” also means a stick, ordinarily called “Kunali” in Astori, the riddle means: “I have a stick which assists me in walking by day and which I put behind the door at night.”

3. The Gilgitis say “méy káke tré pay; dashtea” = my brother has three feet; explain now. This means a man’s two legs and a stick.

A RADISH.

4. Astóri mió dádo dimm dáwa-lók; dáyn sarpa-lók, buja.

My grandfather’s body [is] in Hades; his beard [is in] this world, [now] explain!

This riddle is explained by “radish” whose body is in the earth and whose sprouts, compared to a beard, are above the ground. Remarkable above all, however, is that the unknown future state, referred to in this riddle, should be called, whether blessed or cursed, “Dawalók” [the place of Gods] by these nominal Muhammadans. This world is called “Sarpalók,” = the world of serpents. “Sarpe” is also the name for man. “Lók” is “place,” but the name by itself is not at present understood by the Shins.

A HOOKA.

The top of the Hooka is the dadi’s or grandmother’s head.

A SWORD.

viz., “out of the dark sheath the beautiful, but destructive, steel issues.” It is remarkable that the female Yatsh should be called “Rûi.”

RED PEPPER.

7. Lólo bakuró shé tshá lá há—búja!

In the red sheep’s pen white young ones many are—attend!

This refers to the Redpepper husk in which there are many white seeds.

B. PROVERBS.

DOTAGE.

To an old man people say:

“You are old and have got rid of your senses.”

Old women are very much dreaded and are accused of creating mischief wherever they go.

DUTIES TO THE AGED.

“When young I gave away, now that I am old you should support me.”

A BURNT CHILD, ETC., ETC.

10. Ek damm agáru dáddo dugúni shang thé!

Once in fire you have been burnt, a second time take care!

EVIL COMMUNICATIONS, ETC., ETC.

11. Ek khatsh látshek bilo búdo donate she.

One bad sheep if there be, to the whole flock is an insult = One rotten sheep spoils the whole flock.

12. Ek khatsho manújo budote sha = one bad man is to all an insult.

ADVICE TO KEEP GOOD COMPANY.

13. A. Mishto manújo—katshi béyto, to mishto sitshé
Katsho manujo—katshi béyto, to katsho sitshe

When you [who are bad?] are sitting near a good man you learn good things.

When you [who are bad?] are sitting near a bad man you learn bad things.

This proverb is not very intelligible, if literally translated.

DIMMI CON CHI TU PRATTICHI, ETC., ETC.

14. Tús máte rá: mey shughulo ró hun, mas tute rám: tu ko hanu = “Tell me: my friend is such and such a one, I will tell you who you are.”

DISAPPOINTMENT.

15. Sháharè kéru gé shing shém thé—konn tshiní tey tshiní téyanú.

“Into the city he went horns to place (acquire), but ears he cut thus he did. He went to acquire horns and got his ears cut off.”

HOW TO TREAT AN ENEMY.

Dî dé, putsh kàh = “give the daughter and eat the son,” is a Gilgit proverb with regard to how one ought to treat an enemy. The recommendation given is: “marry your daughter to your foe and then kill him,” [by which you get a male’s head which is more valuable than that of a female.] The Dards have sometimes acted on this maxim in order to lull the suspicions of their Kashmir enemies.[17]

C. FABLES.

THE WOMAN AND THE HEN.

Moral.—

Anésey maní aní haní = the meaning of this is this:

Translation.

A woman had a hen; it used to lay one golden egg; the woman thought that if she gave much food it would lay two eggs; but she lost even the one, for the hen died, its stomach bursting.

Moral.—People often lose the little they have by aspiring to more.

17. THE SPARROW AND THE MOUNTAIN.

“A sparrow who tried to kick the mountain himself toppled over.”

18. THE BAT SUPPORTING THE FIRMAMENT.

The bat is in the habit of sleeping on its back. It is believed to be very proud. It is supposed to say as it lies down and stretches its legs towards heaven, “This I do so that when the heavens fall down I may be able to support them.”

19. “NEVER WALK BEHIND A HORSE OR BEFORE A KING” as you will get kicked in either case.

20. UNION IS STRENGTH.

“A kettle cannot balance itself on one stone; on three, however, it does.”

Ey pûtsh! èk gutur-yá dêh nè quriyein; tré[18] gútúrey á dek quréyn.

Oh son! one stone on a kettle not stops; three stones on a kettle stop.

The Gilgitis instead of “ya” = “upon” say “dja.”

“Gutur” is, I believe, used for a stone [ordinarily “bàtt”] only in the above proverb.

21. THE FROG IN A DILEMMA.

“If I speak, the water will rush against my mouth, and if I keep silent I will die bursting with rage.”

This was said by a frog who was in the water and angry at something that occurred. If he croaked, he would be drowned by the water rushing down his throat, and if he did not croak he would burst with suppressed rage. This saying is often referred to by women when they are angry with their husbands, who may, perhaps, beat them if they say anything. A frog is called “manok.”

22. THE FOX AND THE UNIVERSE.

When a man threatens a lot of people with impossible menaces, the reply often is “Don’t act like the fox ‘Lóyn’ who was carried away by the water.” A fox one day fell into a river: as he swept past the shore he cried out, “The water is carrying off the universe.” The people on the banks of the river said, “We can only see a fox whom the river is drifting down.”

23. THE FOX AND THE POMEGRANATE.

“The fox wanted to eat pomegranates: as he could not reach them, he went to a distance and biting his lips [as “tshàmm” was explained by an Astori although Gilgitis call it “tshappé,”] spat on the ground, saying, they are too sour.” I venture to consider the conduct of this fox more cunning than the one of “sour grapes” memory. His biting his lips and, in consequence, spitting on the ground, would make his disappointed face really look as if he had tasted something sour.

SONGS.

THE GILGIT QUEEN AND THE MOGULS.
1. GILGITI SONG.

Once upon a time a Mogul army came down and surrounded the fort of Gilgit. At that time Gilgit was governed by a woman, Mirzéy Juwāri[20] by name. She was the widow of a Rajah supposed to have been of Balti descent. The Lady seeing herself surrounded by enemies sang:

The meaning of this, according to my Gilgiti informant, is: Juwari laments that “I, the daughter of a brave King, am only a woman, a cup of pleasures, exposed to dangers from any one who wishes to sip from it. To my misfortune, my prominent position has brought me enemies. Oh, my dear son, for whom I would sacrifice myself, I have sacrificed you! Instead of preserving the Government for you, the morning-star which shines on its destruction has now risen on you.”

SONG OF DEFIANCE.
2. GILGITI WAR SONG.

In ancient times there was a war between the Rajahs of Hunza and Nagyr. Muko and Báko were their respective Wazeers. Muko was killed and Báko sang:

Gilgiti.

English.

LAMENT FOR THE ABSENT WARRIOR BY HIS MOTHER.
3. ANOTHER GILGITI WAR SONG.

Translation.

“The bullet of Kashiru sends many to Paradise. He has gone to the wars, oh my child and mother of Sahib Khan! Will the sun ever shine for me by his returning? It is true that he has taken by assault the ravine of Mutshutshul, but yet, oh beloved child, my soul is in fear for his fate, as the danger has not passed, since the village Doloja yet remains to be conquered.”

4. THE SHIN SHAMMI SHAH.
OLD NATIONAL SHINA SONG.

Shammi Shah Shaíthing was one of the founders of the Shín rule. His wife, although she sees her husband surrounded by women anxious to gain his good graces, rests secure in the knowledge of his affections belonging to her and of her being the mother of his children. She, therefore, ridicules the pretensions of her rivals, who, she fancies, will, at the utmost, only have a temporary success. In the above still preserved song she says, with a serene confidence, not shared by Indian wives.

Translation.

5. A WOMAN’S SONG (GILGITI).
[THE DESERTED WIFE AND THE FAITHLESS HUSBAND.]

The Wife:

The Husband:

Translation of “A Woman’s Song.”

The deserted wife sings:—My Pathan! oh kukúri, far away from me has he made a home; but, aunt, what am I to do, since he has left his own! The silk that I have been weaving during his absence would be sufficient to bind all the animals of the field. Oh, how my darling is delaying his return!

The faithless husband sings:—[My new love] Azari is like a royal Deodar; is it not so, my love? for Azari I am sick with desire. She is a Wazeer’s princess; is it not so, my love? Let me put you in my waist. The sun on yonder mountain, and the tree on this nigh mountain, ye both I love dearly. I will recline when this white hawk and her black fragrant tresses become mine; encircling with them my head I will recline [in happiness.]

6. THE JILTED LOVER’S DREAM.
[IN THE ASTORI DIALECT.]

The above describes the dream of a lover whose sweetheart has married one older than herself; he says:

Translation.