Stories


O exibnos gharos
The clever donkey

Gabode ishen enan gharon, enan mitsin j’ enan yeron. J’ eberasan bu dria horka. Sto brodon horkon o mitsis idun ba’ ston gharon j’ edravan dus o yeros. I horkani idhasin don yeron bo ’dhronnen j’ ibasin, ‘En andrebede o mitsis? Eshi don yeron je drava dus mes’ dundon lallaron!’

Sto dhefteron horkon o yeros idun ba’ ston gharon j’ edravan dus o mitsis. I horkani idhasin don mitsin bo ’dhronnen j’ ibasin, ‘En andrebede o yeros? Eshi don mitsin je drava dus mes’ dundon lallaron!’

Sto dridon horkon o yeros j’ o mitsis evastusan don gharon ba’ stus nomus dus. I horkani idhasin don gharon bo ’xegurazedun j’ ibasin, ‘Inda exibnos gharos!’

Once there was a donkey, a young boy and an old man. And they passed through three villages. At the first village the young boy was on the donkey and the old man was pulling them. The villagers saw the old man, who was sweating, and they said, ‘Isn’t the young boy ashamed? Having the old man pull them in this heat!’

At the second village the old man was on the donkey and the young boy was pulling them. The villagers saw the young boy, who was sweating, and they said, ‘Isn’t the old man ashamed? Having the young boy pull them in this heat!’

At the third village the old man and the young boy were carrying the donkey on their shoulders. The villagers saw the donkey, who was resting, and said, ‘What a clever donkey!’



I dris baranjelies du Baniku du beleganu
The three instructions of Banikos the carpenter

Don balion jeron stin Gibron, s’ enan migron horkon, enan androinon ebandreftin. Idun bolla ftoshi. En ihan bu don ilion miran. Llion istera bu don ghamon dus, o athrobos anangastin na bai magria ya na ’vri dhulian na xigonomisi rialia.

Se mian bolin arkepsen dhulian m’ enan beleganon bu don elalusan Banikon. Jinon don jeron enj’ exerasin ghrammada, j’ en ishen ude aftoginida ude dilefona na mborusin na sinennoithusin o athrobos me din yenegan du. Ezhusan j’ i thkio moni dus. Je da hronia ’jilusan...

Istera bu gamboson jeron abofasisen o athrobos na strafi biso sto horkon du.

‘Na bais is do galon, ye mu,’ iben du o mastros du. ‘Rialia bolla enje grado. Etsi enna su dhogo dris hrisimes baranjelies ya n’ athhimase don Banikon don beleganon. Brodin, aman dhis je gleftusin, esu drava biso je men glepsis. Dhefterin, aman dhis je mallonnusin, esu drava biso je men negadothis. Dridin, aman gadi se nevriasi, esu bale drava biso je jimise don thimon su.’

En rialia bo ’hriazedun o athrobos, oi baranjelies. Amma efkaristisen j’ ebosheredisen don mastron du, j’ ebgiaen din stradan ya do horkon du. San ebiennen o athrobos, idhen thkio-dris bo ’gleftasin mila bo ’nan bervolin. Eskeftin o athrobos na bai na glepsi je jinos, efoson ebinusen jolas. Amesos omos athhimithin din brodin baranjelian du Baniku du beleganu, j’ emedanosen. En do medaxin, jinus bo ’gleftasin ebgiaasin dus i zaftiedhes.

Llion bgio gado, o athrobos ivren allus thkio bo ’mallonasin. Esketfin na bai na dus horisi, efoson idun bolla aghriomeni. Amesos omos athhimithin din dhefterin baranjelian du Baniku du beleganu, j’ emedanosen. En do medaxin, jini bo ’mallonnasin emasherothigasin.

Din nihtan, ebi delus, eftasen esso du o athrobos. Annixen din bortan j’ embin mesa. Idun skodina. Idhen din yenegan du amma jini en don egadalaven. Brin na mbori o athrobos na dis sindishi, embin mesa enas allos, neos je psilos. Bu mesa du ethimothin bolla o athrobos. Bgios idun dudos? Eskeftin jinin din oran na dus skodosi je dus thkio. Amesos omos athhimithin din dridin baranjelian du Baniku du beleganu, j’ emedanosen.

‘Mboro na jimitho dhame bopse?’ arodisen o athrobos din yenegan.

I yenega edhixen du mian garkolan bu idun oxo. ‘An thelis jimithu jame. En se thkiohno.’

Stenohorimenos amma je bolla gurasmenos, ebojimithin o athrobos. Do broin annixen i borta j’ o athrobos idhen odi eboloyazen i yenega don levendin, j’ efilusen don jolas ba’ stes vuches. En andehen bgion o athrobos.

‘Bgios en dudos o mandrahallos bu filas?’ arodisen din yenegan. ‘Ime ’yo o andras su! En m’ egadalaves?’

‘Skodina epses, bu na se gadalavo, istera bu dosa hronia?’ abandisen i yenega. ‘Aghabi mu, o levendis dudos en o yos mas. Banikon don efkala!’

Je dode ’gadalaven o athrobos boson axizasin i dris baranjelies. J’ exeren bos idun n’ athhimade ya banda don Banikon don beleganon.

In the old days in Cyprus, in a small village, a couple were married. They were very poor. They had no inheritance even from the sun. A little after their wedding, the man had to go far away to find a job and put aside some money.

In a town he started work with a carpenter called Banikos. In those days people couldn’t read or write, and there were no cars or telephones for the man and his wife to stay in touch. The two lived alone. And the years rolled on...

After a long while the man resolved to return to his village.

‘Go to the good, my son,’ said his boss. ‘I don’t have much money. So I’m going to give you three valuable instructions to remember Banikos the carpenter by. First, when you see people stealing, you must hold back and not steal. Second, when you see people fighting, you must hold back and not get involved. Third, when something annoys you, again you must hold back and quieten your anger.

The man needed money, not instructions. But he thanked and bid farewell to his boss, and set off for his village. As the man went along, he saw two or three people stealing apples from an orchard. The man thought to go and steal too, especially as he was hungry. At once though he remembered the first instruction of Banikos the carpenter, and changed his mind. Meanwhile, those who were stealing were caught by the police.

A little further on, the man came across two others who were fighting. He thought to go and separate them, as they were wild with anger. At once though he remembered the second instruction of Banikos the carpenter, and changed his mind. Meanwhile, those who were fighting knifed each other.

That night, at last, the man arrived home. He opened the door and entered. It was dark. He saw his wife but she didn’t recognise him. Before the man could speak to her, another fellow, young and tall, entered. The man became very angry inside. Who was this? He thought to kill them both there and then. At once though he remembered the third instruction of Banikos the carpenter, and changed his mind.

‘Can I sleep here tonight?’ the man asked the woman.

The woman showed him a bed that was outdoors. ‘Sleep there if you want. I won’t turn you away.’

Troubled but also very tired, the man fell asleep. In the morning the door opened and the man saw the woman saying goodbye to the fine young fellow, kissing him on each cheek. The man could stand no more.

‘Who is this lanky fellow you’re kissing?’ he asked the woman. ‘I’m your husband. Don’t you recognise me?’

‘In the dark last night, how could I recognise you after so many years?’ replied his wife. ‘My love, this fine young fellow is our son. I named him Banikos!’

And it was then the man realised the value of the three instructions. And he knew that he would remember Banikos the carpenter for ever.


 

© Cypriot Academy