THEM AND US
Anon. (oral tradition)	trans. Keith Bosley - from Mari
Jäl ačnt tlz-sot godm: tidn-don-ok sar, ja lint, mä ačnna pckem jdn: tidn-don-ok im, huda linnä. Jäl ačnt nemet gum weremät: tidn-don-ok ku, wck lint, mä ačnna nemet rom weremät: ridn-don-ok ktk, kg linnä. Jäl ačnt lapka ärm weremät: tidn-don-ok parsn sawct-at ul, mä e ačnna lapka wogm weremät: tidn-don-ok parsn sawcna uke.	Other folk were born by moonlight - that is why they are blond and handsome: we were born on a dark night - that is why we are black and ugly. Other folk were born when the young lime tree was growing - that is why they are tall and slender: we were born when the young lime tree was felled - that is why we are short and fat. Other folk were born when the shops were open - that is why they have silk kerchiefs: we were born when the shops were closed - that is why we have none.

From The Great Bear, an anthology of Finno-Ugrian oral poetry.
The Mari, aka Cheremis, are spread across E. European Russia between Gorki and Kazan.

Trans. Copyright © Keith Bosley - with acknowledgements to the Finnish Literature Society

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