Ko Pxuro dad tšebine te odlydžas-pe patyvasa – One has to show respect to [one’s] old father

This text was recorded in Moscow in the 1980’s.

Isys pro sveto Roma, grengire čora. I skedyne-pe jone pe čoru, dre duratuno gav gren te henšten te čoren. Gine belvjelje poznes o dad i duj leskire čave: jekh pxuredyr, a vavir ternedyr.

Ne džan jone, džan, džan. Piričingirde but droma, but feldy, but lenki, i zagine dre baro veš. Kerdja-pe tjomno, na dušlo niči. Duj čave kxinyne, a o dad džal lokhes, syr puxico.

Isy angil lende jek rekica – na pxenesa, so syne buhly, ne i nane vensko. So kerlas o dad? Odgija trin-štar šagi pale, roznastja-pe, piriuxtja e rekica i uže pre vavir brego sy.

Rakirla o ternedyrπo pšal pxuredyrπone pšaleske: Dykx, pšala! Amaro dad uže pxuro sy, a uxtela, syr terno džukel! – Otpxenela leske o pxuredyrπo: Syr tu rakiresa, dylyno! Ada sa taki dad isy! A tu “džukel”, “džukel”…. Kamela jov te uxtel, mek uxtela. Ke pxure tšebine te odlydžas-pe patyvasa i te pxenes pal lende lače lava, dav me len saren buje!

In the world, there were Roma, horse thieves. And they gathered for a theft, in a far village, to go and steal horses and stallions. They left in the late early evening, the father and his two sons, one older and the other one younger.

They go, go and go. They crossed many roads, many fields, many meadows and arrived in a large wood. It was getting dark, nothing was visible. The two sons were getting tired and the father went slowly, as [walking on] feathers.

In front of them, there was a brook – let’s not say it was wide, but neither was it narrow. What did the father do? He walked back three four steps, took a run and jumped over the brook and was on the other bank.

The younger brother spoke to his elder brother: Look, brother, our father may be old, but he jumps like a young dog! – His elder brother answers: How do you speak [about our father] you idiot? He’s nevertheless our father. And you [say] dog, dog…. If he wants to jump let him do so. One has to show respect to [one’s] old father and to say [only] nice words about him, let him be f…..d.