Nuer – Gatguup (A man-beast called Gatguub)

Collected and written by Michael Thilyang Gatkek With special thanks to Fr Christian Carlassare and pastoral team of Holy Trinity Parish (Old Fangak) (for English translation see their great book: Nuer Folktales, Proverbs and Riddles)

Gatguub ɛ lɛt mi la cam naath rɛy Nuäri kä Fangak kɛnɛ Bentiu (Bitim). Kɛ cäŋ kɛl tɛ kɛ

nyam mi cɔali Nyanärä Ga̠l kä Fangak. Cuɛ jiɛn rɛy rɛ̈ɛ̈k kuer jio̠kni (Juaibor) wɛɛ cieŋdɛ.

Cukɛ röm kɛnɛ Gatguub. Cuɛ Nyanärä Ga̠l jiök i Lɔŋni. Cu nyam ɛmɔ lɔ̠ɔ̠ŋ. Kä cuɛ jiök i

thɔl pii. Kɛ gua̠a̠th mi tɔ̠t cu däman ben kɔr, kɛ ɣöö dualɛ i ba cam ɛ Gatguub, min cɛ cop

dhɔr Gatguub, cuɛ nyiman jek nyuurä. Cuɛ jɛ thiec i ɛ ŋu ti nyuurä wanɛ mɛ? Cu Gatguub

ɛ loc i gaacä cetnikɛ ji Gatga̠l. Min cɛ guic cuɛ kɛ jiök i wɛ̈ɛ̈kɛ. Cu nyanärä wä kɛnɛ däman.

Mi ci ɣɔw a ruel, mi ci nhial dɛm, bi naath wä may kɛ wäär kɛ baak. Bi Gatguub wä bä, mi

cɛ raan cam bɛ mua̠c bɛ wee i thäk rɔ̠a̠lä Gatguub i Gatguub a rɔ̠l. Mi ci raan ɛ jiök i can

tee taŋ. Bɛ wee i cɛ duth ruup. Mi cɛ rec yiɛth bɛ thöp. Cuɛ te thin kɛ gua̠th mi bäär kä ŋotɛ

/ca jɛ ŋäc ɛ naath. Kɛ cäŋ däär bɛ wä nyuur thar jiath, bɛ wä ŋar kɛ yiɛt. Bɛ ruac kä rɔa bɛ

wee i wicyɔl, wic maker. Mi ci raan ben bɛ jiök i ŋarnɛ. Kɛ kɔɔrɛ bɛ raan cam. Kɛ cäŋ kɛl tɛ kɛ

nyam mi ci rɔ moc ca̠p, cuɛ puɔnydɛ kuäth kɛ dut amäni ciökɛ. Cuɛ ben kɛ duɔp ɛmɔ, cukɛ röm

kɛnɛ Gatguub. Cu Gatguub ɛ guic, mi cikɛ thiek kɛnɛ nyal bi nyal wä kä jɛ, bi Gatguub rɔ baar,

amäni mëë ci nyal cop rɛy dhɔar. Min cɛ Gatguub wicdɛ yic cuɛ wee i waa ɛ ro̠l mi tee di mɛ ku

wuɔ̠r ni duɔ̠t kɛ mɛ?

Nuer – Gatguup (A man-beast called Gatguub)

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