Location: KavS1t village, Sungurlu kaza, Corum Province Date

Narrator:
Date:
.{~
11
~7
Story
916 (1964
Tape erased
on field
trip
after
contents
transcribed
!
Slikrli
Location:
DarJ.cJ.
KavS1t village,
Sungurlu kaza,
Province
Corum
1964
!~~
"What ~od Ma
Once there
in
the straw,
talk
too
something
much, 1 there
a trout
.your
'1
"""'\...~¥ "\
put
their
can cure
to help him,
kind
could
eyes,
All
of
was a padi9ah
attendants
many doctors
a certain
~
to his
that
After
wasn't,
when the
when God had many creatures,
He said
eyes.
able
was and once there
Not For et"
when the camel was a town crier
was a barber,
to
'II
but
it
was a sin
"Go find
one day,
both
someone or
my eyes."
had visited
the padisah
came along
black
a trout,
fish,
and oil
without
who said,
in the sea.
from its
flesh
being
"There
If
applied
.!>.,Y
to
your
to sea and catch
many boats
landed
1 This
is
such
blindness
would be cured."
6i;;.h~~"
~g
of the sea ~!~~':-==7
oJ! that land were ordered
approaching,
was
and the cock
who was ~~A~~:tn
one finally
be caught
sieve
such d black
and fished
all
one of them finally
with
this
nonsense
rare
jingle
fish,
at
trout.
day,
They went out
and as evening
caught one.
the padi~ah's
the
beginning
to
in
was
When the
fisher-
son,
only
of
his
a Turkish
folktale
is known as a tek~rleme.
Its
humorous rhyming
and
its
many absurdities
and cqntradictions
both delight
audiences
and challenge
their
wits
enough to awaken them sufficiently
to be good listeners.
:
Story
916
are you going
to do with
that
black
fish?"
see again
and he picked
up the
was gasping
for
eyes remain
blind
throwing
the
air
tb examine it.
and was about
rather
fish
Infuriated
fish
than
back into
by this,
kill
the
very
day long,
trout,
but your
this
fishermen
what had happened.
all
to die.
"Let
the
fish
my father's
creature,"
he said,
the sea.
and explained
hard
By then
"Your Majesty,
we finally
son came al~ng
went to the padi$ah
after
working
managed to catch
and threw
it
a black
back into
the
sea!"
When the padi~ah
my son is
is
to be hanged.
carried
out."
made the
necessary
following
morning
All
who called
heard this,
of
this
This
he said,
is
my order.
The executioners
preparations
came to
the prince
the
See to it
'were called,
and
to hang the prince
attent.ion
to her room.
to me. Did you enjoy the ~~
"Tomorrow at dawn
of
the
She said,
boy's
that
it
they
the
mother,
"My son,
listen
that you committed against
catch.
morning.
three
If
them,
alone.
Story
916
your
father?
black
I understand
fish
which
the
What a thing
"What is
tha~ you threw
fishefmen
back into
had labored
the water
so long
to
to do!"
so wrong about that?
After
all,
it
was a living
creature."
"Your
father
has given
Here is
three
pieces
pieces
6f advice,
he takes
you,
some money,
you will
loaves
the
of bread,
you follow
be ~aved.
When you ~eet
die.
tomorrow morning,
If
to have you hanged in
",~(~-:loq~ youl.
ag!~~for
of
you will
or~ers
If
a man along
portion
do not make friends
I of
with
bread
and leaves
him.
Proceed
At noon when you meet a man along
to
stop
smaller
with
and eat
portion
that
and give
comes,
to sh~re with
weighs
them to
with
bread
man, either.
When evening
the
you,
withl
Again,
of
'Take
route
with
you.
smaller
on your
way
invite
man takes
the
do not make friends
on your
man along
third
loaf
bre~d
carefully
your Ichoice,'
follow
the
the way,
this
three
way alone.
the way and invite
of bread.
If
this
and then
then
that
is
man
offers
a man
become fr~ends
the executioners
young man ran
If
I proceed
stop anoth~r
two portions
saying
you.
you the larger,
you your
whom you should
Before
your
ask him to s~t down and eat bread
larger
and
these
you do not
the
cpUld
away from home.
come for
him in the mornin~J,
When the hangman reported
"Come,
7D
Story
916
to the padi$ah
that
troops
that
be sent
After
the prince
the bread
and then
a while
and decided
to eat
join
had eaten
his
whom he said,
flight.
portion
himself.
the bread
traveled
This
Observing
all
day as fast
weary and hungry
of
bread
the loaf
"Yes,
Cutting
eyes,
held
so
and gave
the smaller
ate his
to
portion
portion
to the stranger.
of
Having
the young man was
~~
A ~ack
16~7'7
ArabJcame along
2
/
asked him,
cut
After
stranger
loaf
cut
taking
as he could,
at even1ng.
and slice
The stranger
this
stranger
bade farewell
and so
to the prince.
the prince
this,
It
and the prince
and cut
to the prince,
and then
moment,
At noon he met another
we two may eat it."
the larger
some bread.
it."
portion
they parted,
"Come, brother,
morning,
brother,
me in eating
the loaf,
that
at that
stranger,
gave orders
him.
for
came along
to this
the ruler
him to catch
and gave the smaller
continued
for
a stranger
said
bread,
that
out after
became hungry
happened that
they
son had fled,
he had been traveling
the prince
this
his
and
"Have you any bread?"
I have,
and I invite
the bread
the bread
2 In Turkish
They are sometimes
intd
out
folktales:
given
you to share
two pieces,
td the prince,
Arabs
dfstinctly
it
with
me
the Arab closed
and said,
are often
Negroid
pictured
facial
his
"Take your
as black.
features.
~
together?"
lle
7}
Story
916
choice
The prince
of
asked,
v
also
"Why don't
we become friends
" said
the
of OUr friendship.
them set out
the padi~ah's
reached
Arab.
and travel
"Let
will
After
at
last
men could
not
some means of
possibly
along
a tree
be a place
planting
reached
livelihood
and open a law office.~
and took
the prince
us plant
also
on a long journey.
they
out,
As they were eating,
It
in the future."
and then weeks,
of
eyes,
of bread.
can return
two of
his
the pieces
"Very well,
a sign
closed
a tree
reach
there,
The prince
where we
there,
Traveling
a land
here as
for
so far
the
days
away that
them there.
they
agreed
In
to settle
was to be the counsel
and the Arab his assistant.
One day a young man came along
the prince
3 This
the narrator
4 This
typed--he
had a typewriter,
with
a legal
problem,
and
of course4--an
is a literal
translation.
The expression
is dava vekili.
is clearly
the rural
peasant's
perception
used by
of a
lawyer.
In villages
there are quasi-legal
advisors
whose
chief
virture
is the possessionofa
battered
old manually
operated typewriter
on which they can type,
in semi-literate
fashion,
applications
and petitions,
both of which are great
mysteries
to villagers.
Inasmuch as there are no real
lawyers (avocats)
in villages,
these jackleg
lawyers serve a
useful
if limited
function.
--To have a typewriter
in the
context
of padieahs--absolute
despots in most cases--super-.
natural
monsters,
and magic is obviously
an anachronism.
72
story
916
excellent
that
of
legal
it
petition
received
that
for
a good bit
land inquired,
him.
of
It
was so well
admiration
"Who was it
written
in court.
that
wrote
The ruler
that
excellent
petition?"
He was told,
and-so
corner
man may well
kingdom,
was greatly'
shouting
might
him angrily
the young man to leave
The prince
there
petitions
returned
other
people,
said
him as private
vizier,
"This
He gave
to him,
"Young
secretary.
when the padi~ah
criticism
He
began
by ordering
territory.
to his
office
as he had been doing before.
for
petition."
the young man to his
and ended his
his
to his
the padisah
hire
that
so-
was such a brilliant
us some day."
therefore,
surprised,
at
for
to ,bring
When he arrived,
the padi$ah
there
and he said
attendants
a young man in
was he who wrote
that
become a problem
to his
presence.
such-and-such
It
was worried
young man in his
perhaps
is
of our city.
The ruler
orders
"There
ignoring
and continued
He continued
the
padisah's
to work
writing
orders
-to
5 Efendi is a complimentary
or honorific
epithet
added
to a name, as in Ahmet Efendi or Mehmet Efendi.
It is sometimes used alone as a noun,' just as the adjective
Reverend
is sometimes used alone as a noun.
When added to a proper
name, Efendi was once a prestigious
epithet.
In recent
years, however, the prestige
of efendi
has eroded so much
that it is now applied
only to the names of children
and
servants.
leave.
"NO,
/3
story
916
Unable
to deal
one day called
with
a meeting
them ways in which
suggestions
young man himself,
of his
they might
viziers
proposal:
four
times,
"Your Majesty,
and each time
husband had died
this
four
or
your
the padi$ah
and discussed
get rid
had been made, I one of
this
us marry
this
of him.
the
After
viziers
daughter
days after
young man tolyour
many
finally
made
has been married
she has been married,
five
with
her
new
the wedding.
daughter
and get
rid
Let
of
him
in that way."
The padi$ah
accepted
this
proposal
man to the palace
to talk
with
him.
final
you.
request
for
be necessary
"If
it
course,
accept
If
you do not
"I
if
to
only
your
shall
do this,
JIf
'Don't
mar y,'
to that
apprentice--isn't
I shall
have one
all
will
accept
it,
be well,
then
it
my kingdom.
I can accept,
your
my Arab ~riend.
he says,
it,
"I
the young
I shall,
of
request."
my daughter?"
"Why do you listen
is
that
fulfill
you marry
probably
consulted
you to leave
something
be glad
"Will
so;
is
for
He said,
Iflyou
and you may remain here.
will
and invited
never
but
only
he says,
after
I have first
'Marry,'
then I shall
I shall
not
Arab so much?
do so."
After
all,
he?"
do anything
of which
do
he does not
he
approve.
Us.
otherwise,
Accordingly,
days.
Observinq
7Lf
story
916
We set
and whatever
out together
we do,
Going to his
padi$ah
this
offer
If
"Marr~
the young man said,
and that
is
his
th~t
land,
"The
in marriage.
daughter
he give
condition,
Should I
but
his
only
upon one
daughter
then
to both of
marry her.
the offer."
The young man returne!d
said,
"Your Majesty,
agree
to give
padisah
consulting
him that
at first
his
this
to the presence
I shalll
her both
refused
viziers,
marry your
daughter
tp accept
hel changed
this
first
his
mind.
way to get
rid
and
you will
The
but after
They advised
of
both
the
Arab friend
than most royal
night
if
condition,
a wedding was hurriedly
shorter
of the ruler
to ~e and t:o my Arab friend."
would be a grad
young man and his
the
to your
or not?"
he accepts this
refuse
journey
do together."
me hi~ daughter
Arab said,
condition,
we shall
Arab friend,
has offered
accept
on our
that
they were asleep,
a
womb of the bride
an
weddings,
arranged.
lasting
for
couple
slept
~er
to attack
only
crawled
the prince.
there.
out
It
was
three
While
of the
spot.
viziers.
However,
enough.
7~
Story
this
916
monster,
the
Arab
No one mentioned
man walking
fellow
about
drew
his
s1rlord and killed
it
what had happened during
in the palace
gclrden.
survive
the night
with
"All
her other
bridegrooms
on the
the night,
"How could
my daughter?"
this
he asked his
died
during
the nuptial
night."
But the viziers
die
tonight
or
consoled
him,. saying,
curtain
each night
monster
which
in
crawled
the bridal
out of
seemed to be the mate of
weighing
After
The bride
perhaps
they
the Arab said
he will
tomorrow night.
the Arab continued
had slain.
"Perhaps
t:o remain
hidden
c:hamber.
He killed
the bride.
the first:
Like
monster
that
had lived
the
a second
a snake,
it
the Arab
was a huge \l70man, as big
250 kilos
behind
as a wrestler,
6
~t the palace
to the prince,
for
almost
"We have stayed
As soon as your wife's
child
here
is born,
let
a year,
long
us go
somewhere else."
The prince
delivered
for
a child,
agreed
to this,
he took
the
and after
inf:ant
his
wife
to present
6 The bride would ind~ed be huge if
that would be more thah 500 pounds!
had
the padi~ah
she weighed
250 kilos,
7"
Story
916
with
a grandson.
young
At the
man informed
him
The ruler
feared
that
padi$ah
if
did
same visit
that
he remained
that
After
place
t~aveling
th~~
the place
where it
Inasmuch
that
it
had divided
material
padi~ah's
for
land.
\J&~s~~~expenSive
from
long
return
~wo months,
where 9ur
many
as the
the prince,
Arab
all
left
reached
again
the
and the Arab had
was here that we
I must take
companionship
leave
began,
of
and it
you
is
must end."
equally
had lagreed
of alii
of
1:0 share
all
t:he Arab
now suggested
their
their
wealth.
money,
of
the
After
jewels,
wealth
that
they
and other
the time Icame when they had to divide
daughter.
head
they
"It
is Ihere that
come to possess,
things,
departure
trip.
the prince
them to diivide
the Arab drew his
her
for
as they
they might
was time
and the
The Ar~b said,
was the place
him as
well
chi:ld,
t}ieir
and it
for
Finally,
the road ~here
b~came friends,
This
jewelry--as
his
he still
replace
time
the
to
for
journey.
and began th9ir
alongside
planted
the~r
daughter,
country
move,
As the
10ld,
needed for
return
gave to the young couple
gifts--horses,
the padi$ah's
to
~oung man might
th~re.
the padi$ah
provisions
he wi:shed
not dppose this
some day the
approached,
to the padi$ah,
to
Afterl
long
her
swoird,
hands
and
indicating
toe in twoi equal
parts.
feet
had been
tied,
that
he would
split
He said,
"Just
as I
77
Story
916
whichever
part
you want,
~he left
side
or the right
side.
I
i
shall
all
then divide
of this,
the child
in
the
same way."
and she was t~rrified.
When the Arab lifted
As she
so,
a brood of young se~h!~
slain
monsters,poured
When this
you can see,
wife
friend,
and eventually
"I
shall
that
also
you threw
the palace
killed
applied
you.t
After
youlmy
back into
~~
t~e water
to be used as al~for
An old
the
fish
and well-kno~n
here:
two
was not
Turkish
to take your
If
they would
these
young
have grown
a moment he continued
I am the black
when I was being
your
will
"Now
father's
fish
taken
to
blindness.
not forget."?
proverb
is
very
aptly
!-
"Halik
Ball.k
Literally,
knows."
justice
informs
my purpose
in h$r belly,
now tell
the
to the prince,
to save you from danger.
What God may neglect,
7
,
the Arab said
that
had remained
of
pf her mouth.
happened,
from you but
serpents
out
the offspring
did
bilmezse
hili:!!'.
this says, "God 'may not know [butJ the fish
The implication
il$ that if God does not cause
to prevail,
the fi~h may do so.
Mrs. Necibe Erta~
us that she knows ~he proverb with Allah rather
than
land,
story
7<;;-
916
When the young man, with
he found
that
He now ascended
similar
Halik
better
father
to the throne
way may our
in the
choice,
his
his
first
for
wishes,
family,
had died
reached
during
his
native
his absence.
and became padi~ah.
like
line.
Halik,
it
intensifies
theirs,
be fUlfi.lled;j
however,
seems to be the
the rhyming
in the proverb.