Tales from the Circassian Nart Epic

 

(Translated and edited by Amjad Jaimoukha)

 

The tales are presented first in Circassian and then the translation is given. In this particular tale the Circassian text is also transcribed in Latin script.

 

 

The Story of Lhepsch’s Iron Tongs

 

 

Лъэпщ и гъущI Iэдэм и хъыбар

 

(Kabardian text, tale no. 51, first cycle, in Asker Hedeghal’e (compiler), The Narts: Circassian Epos, vol. 1, Maikop: The Circassian Research and Science Institute, 1968, pp 216-17)

 

Лъэпщ гъущI Iэдэ иIыгъыу гъукIэу щытакъым. ЗэрыгъукIэу щытар иIэмкIэ гъущI плъар иIыгъыу аращ. Пщэдджыжь гуэрым Лъэпщ и фызым былымыр дихуауэ, гъуэгум блэ укIа телъу ирихьэлIащ, блэм и кIэпитIыр зэблэдзауэ.

            Фызыр къэкIуэжри Лъэпщ жыриIащ:

            — Сэ нобэ блэ укIа сыхуэзати абы ещхь Iэдэ пщIамэ, гъущIыр ириубыду, уиIэр имысэу урилажьэ хъунут, — жиIэри. Лъэпщ дэкIри еплъащ. КъэкIуэжыри абы ещхьу Iэдэ ищIри, абыкIэ лажьэу щIидзащ. Абдейжым Iэдэр ящIу къежьащ. Абы япэкIэ Iэдэ щыIакъым. Лъэпщ и Iэгъуапэм зыри иригъаплъэу щытакъым. И кIыщыр сыт щыгъуи гъэбыдауэ, абы и кIуэцIым езыр щылажьэу щытащ. ФIиплъа нэужь и IэщIагъэм щинэжащ.

 

 

 

The Story of Lhepsch’s Iron Tongs

 

N the beginning Lhepsch was not a blacksmith to use iron tongs yet. He used his bare hands to manipulate the red-hot iron. One morning while his wife was driving the herd of cattle, she found a dead snake lying on the road, its two ends crossing one another.

 

      The wife came back and told Lhepsch:

 

  — “I came across a dead snake with its head and tail crossing each other. If you could make a pair of tongs in that shape to hold the iron, you will be able to work it without singeing your hands.” 

 

      Lhepsch went out and had a look. He came back and fashioned pincers in that form. Thenceforward, he began to utilize them in his work. This was how tongs were invented. Afterwards they started to be manufactured. Lhepsch was not the sort of blacksmith to let anyone look up his sleeve (he was loath to let people in on his tricks). He guarded his secrets well. He always kept his smithy locked while he worked inside. However, after they looked inside his shrine, he gave up his craft, as the magic was gone.

...

 

 

 

The original is also included using a Latinized Kabardian alphabet:

                            

 

Lhepsch yi Ghwsch’ ’Edem yi X’ibar

 

Lhepsch ghwsch’ ’ede yi’ighiu ghwch’ew schitaqim. Zerighwch’ew schitar yi’emch’e ghwsch’ plhar yi’ighiu arasch. Pschedjizch gwerim Lhepsch yi fizim bilimir diyxwawe, ghwegwm ble wich’a teilhu yiriyhelh’asch, blem yi ch’epiyt’ir zebledzawe.

 

      Fizir qek’wezhriy Lhepsch zhiriy’asch:

 

  — Se nobe ble wich’a sixwezatiy abi yeschh ’ede psch’ame, ghwsch’ir yiriywbidu, wiy’er yimisew wiriylazche x’wnwt, — zhiy’eriy. Lhepsch dech’riy yeplhasch. Qek’wezhriy abi yeschhu ’ede yisch’riy, abich’e lazchew sch’iydzasch. Abdeizhim ’eder yasch’u qeizchasch. Abi yapech’e ’ede schi’aqim. Lhepsch yi ’eghwapem ziriy yiriyghaplhew schitaqim. Yi ch’ischir sit schighwiy ghebidawe, abi yi k’wets’im yezir schilazchew schitasch. F’iyplha newizch yi ’esch’aghem schiynezhasch.

                                                           

 

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