And at last, when the flames died down, and the red light of the logs made the elephants look as though they had been dipped in blood too, Machua Appa, the head of all the drivers of all the Keddahs β Machua Appa, Petersen Sahibβs other self, who had never seen a made road in forty years: Machua Appa, who was so great that he had no other name than Machua Appa, β leaped to his feet, with Little Toomai held high in the air above his head, and shouted: βListen, my brothers. Listen, too, you my lords in the lines there, for I, Machua Appa, am speaking!
This little one shall no more be called Little Toomai (ΡΡΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΌΠ°Π»ΡΡΠ° Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠ΅ Π½Π΅ Π±ΡΠ΄ΡΡ Π½Π°Π·ΡΠ²Π°ΡΡ ΠΠ°Π»Π΅Π½ΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ Π’ΡΠΌΠ°ΠΈ), but Toomai of the Elephants (/ΠΎΡΠ½ΡΠ½Π΅/ ΠΎΠ½ β Π‘Π»ΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ²ΡΠΉ Π’ΡΠΌΠ°ΠΈ), as his great-grandfather was called before him (ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ Π½Π°Π·ΡΠ²Π°Π»ΠΈ Π΄ΠΎ Π½Π΅Π³ΠΎ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΏΡΠ°Π΄Π΅Π΄Π°). What never man has seen he has seen through the long night (Π²ΡΡ Π΄ΠΎΠ»Π³ΡΡ Π½ΠΎΡΡ = Π½ΠΎΡΡ Π½Π°ΠΏΡΠΎΠ»Π΅Ρ ΠΎΠ½ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π» = ΡΠΎΠ·Π΅ΡΡΠ°Π» ΡΠΎ, ΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ Π½ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ³Π΄Π° /Π½Π΅/ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π» /Π½ΠΈ/ ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠ½ ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΎΠ²Π΅ΠΊ), and the favor of the elephant-folk and of the Gods of the Jungles is with him (ΠΌΠΈΠ»ΠΎΡΡΡ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ Π½Π°ΡΠΎΠ΄Π° ΠΈ ΠΠΎΠ³ΠΎΠ² ΠΠΆΡΠ½Π³Π»Π΅ΠΉ β Ρ Π½ΠΈΠΌ; favor β Π±Π»Π°Π³ΠΎΡΠΊΠ»ΠΎΠ½Π½ΠΎΡΡΡ, ΠΌΠΈΠ»ΠΎΡΡΡ). He shall become a great tracker (ΠΎΠ½ ΡΡΠ°Π½Π΅Ρ Π²Π΅Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΈΠΌ ΠΎΡ ΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠΌ). He shall become greater than I, even I, Machua Appa (ΠΎΠ½ ΡΡΠ°Π½Π΅Ρ Π±ΠΎΠ»Π΅Π΅ Π²Π΅Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΈΠΌ, ΡΠ΅ΠΌ Ρ, β Π΄Π°ΠΆΠ΅ Ρ, ΠΠ°ΡΡΠ° ΠΠΏΠΏΠ°)! He shall follow the new trail, and the stale trail, and the mixed trail, with a clear eye (ΠΎΠ½ Π±ΡΠ΄Π΅Ρ ΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΠΎΠ²Π°ΡΡ = ΡΠ°ΡΠΏΠΎΠ·Π½Π°Π²Π°ΡΡ Π½ΠΎΠ²ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ»Π΅Π΄Ρ, ΡΡΠ°ΡΡΠ΅ ΡΠ»Π΅Π΄Ρ, ΡΠΌΠ΅ΡΠ°Π½Π½ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ»Π΅Π΄Ρ /ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ²/ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠΈΠΌ ΡΡΠ½ΡΠΌ Π²Π·Π³Π»ΡΠ΄ΠΎΠΌ; stale β Π½Π΅ΡΠ²Π΅ΠΆΠΈΠΉ, ΡeΡΡΡΠ²ΡΠΉ)! He shall take no harm in the Keddah when he runs under their bellies to rope the wild tuskers (Π΅ΠΌΡ Π½Π΅ ΠΏΡΠΈΡΠΈΠ½ΡΡ Π²ΡΠ΅Π΄Π° Π² ΠΊΠ΅Π΄Π΄Π°Ρ Π΅, ΠΊΠΎΠ³Π΄Π° ΠΎΠ½ Π±ΡΠ΄Π΅Ρ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ±Π΅Π³Π°ΡΡ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄ ΠΈΡ ΠΆΠΈΠ²ΠΎΡΠ°ΠΌΠΈ, ΡΡΠΎΠ±Ρ Π½Π°ΠΊΠΈΠ½ΡΡΡ Π²Π΅ΡΠ΅Π²ΠΊΡ Π½Π° Π΄ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π·Π²Π΅ΡΡ; harm β Π²ΡΠ΅Π΄; belly β ΠΆΠΈΠ²ΠΎΡ, Π±ΡΡΡ ΠΎ; to rope β ΡΠ²ΡΠ·ΡΠ²Π°ΡΡ Π²Π΅ΡΠ΅Π²ΠΊΠΎΠΉ; tusker β ΠΆΠΈΠ²ΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ Ρ ΠΊΠ»ΡΠΊΠ°ΠΌΠΈ, Π±ΠΈΠ²Π½ΡΠΌΠΈ); and if he slips before the feet of the charging bull elephant (ΠΈ Π΅ΡΠ»ΠΈ ΠΎΠ½ ΠΏΠΎΡΠΊΠΎΠ»ΡΠ·Π½Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π΄ Π½ΠΎΠ³Π°ΠΌΠΈ Π½Π°ΠΏΠ°Π΄Π°ΡΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ½Π°-Π±ΡΠΉΠ²ΠΎΠ»Π°; to slip β ΡΠΊΠΎΠ»ΡΠ·ΠΈΡΡ; to charge β Π·Π°ΡΡΠΆΠ°ΡΡ; Π½Π°ΠΏΠ°Π΄Π°ΡΡ, Π°ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΎΠ²Π°ΡΡ), the bull elephant shall know who he is and shall not crush him (ΡΡΠΎΡ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ½-Π±ΡΠΉΠ²ΠΎΠ» Π±ΡΠ΄Π΅Ρ Π·Π½Π°ΡΡ, ΠΊΡΠΎ ΠΎΠ½ ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΎΠΉ, ΠΈ Π½Π΅ ΡΠ°Π·Π΄Π°Π²ΠΈΡ Π΅Π³ΠΎ; to crush β Π΄Π°Π²ΠΈΡΡ, ΠΆΠ°ΡΡ).
This little one shall no more be called Little Toomai, but Toomai of the Elephants, as his great-grandfather was called before him. What never man has seen he has seen through the long night, and the favor of the elephant-folk and of the Gods of the Jungles is with him. He shall become a great tracker. He shall become greater than I, even I, Machua Appa! He shall follow the new trail, and the stale trail, and the mixed trail, with a clear eye! He shall take no harm in the Keddah when he runs under their bellies to rope the wild tuskers; and if he slips before the feet of the charging bull elephant, the bull elephant shall know who he is and shall not crush him.
Aihai (Π°ΠΉ-Π°ΠΉ)! my lords in the chains (ΠΌΠΎΠΈ Π³ΠΎΡΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π° Π² ΡΠ΅ΠΏΡΡ ),β β he whirled up the line of pickets (ΠΎΠ½ ΠΏΠΎΠ²Π΅ΡΠ½ΡΠ»ΡΡ ΠΊ ΡΡΠ΄Ρ ΠΊΠΎΠ»ΡΠ΅Π²; to whirl β Π²Π΅ΡΡΠ΅ΡΡ/ΡΡ/) β βhere is the little one that has seen your dances in your hidden places (Π²ΠΎΡ ΠΌΠ°Π»ΡΡ, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠΉ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π» Π²Π°ΡΠΈ ΡΠ°Π½ΡΡ Π² Π²Π°ΡΠΈΡ ΡΠ°ΠΉΠ½ΡΡ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠ°Ρ ; to hide β ΠΏΡΡΡΠ°ΡΡ/ΡΡ/, ΡΠΊΡΡΠ²Π°ΡΡ/ΡΡ/), β the sight that never man saw (Π·ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΈΡΠ΅, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΠΎΠ΅ Π½ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ³Π΄Π° /Π΅ΡΠ΅ Π½Π΅/ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π» /Π½ΠΈ ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠ½/ ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΎΠ²Π΅ΠΊ; sight β Π·ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅; Π²ΠΈΠ΄, Π·ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΈΡΠ΅)! Give him honor, my lords (Π²ΠΎΠ·Π΄Π°ΠΉΡΠ΅ Π΅ΠΌΡ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ΅ΡΡΠΈ, ΠΌΠΎΠΈ Π³ΠΎΡΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π°)! Salaam karo, my children (ΡΠ°Π»Π°Π°ΠΌ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠΎ, ΠΌΠΎΠΈ Π΄Π΅ΡΠΈ). Make your salute to Toomai of the Elephants (ΡΠ°Π»ΡΡΡΠΉΡΠ΅ Π‘Π»ΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠΌΡ Π’ΡΠΌΠ°ΠΈ)! Gunga Pershad, ahaa (ΠΠ°Π½Π³Π° ΠΠ΅ΡΡΠ°Π΄, Π°Ρ Π°Π°)! Hira Guj (Π₯ΠΈΡΠ° ΠΡΠ΄ΠΆ), Birchi Guj (ΠΠΈΡΡΠΈ ΠΠ°Π΄ΠΆ), Kuttar Guj, ahaa (ΠΠ°ΡΡΠ°Ρ ΠΠ°Π΄ΠΆ, Π°Ρ Π°Π°)! Pudmini, β thou hast seen him at the dance (ΠΠ°Π΄ΠΌΠΈΠ½ΠΈ, ΡΡ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π»Π° Π΅Π³ΠΎ Π²ΠΎ Π²ΡΠ΅ΠΌΡ ΡΠ°Π½ΡΠ°), and thou too, Kala Nag, my pearl among elephants (ΠΈ ΡΡ ΡΠΎΠΆΠ΅, ΠΠ°Π»Π° ΠΠ°Π³, ΠΌΠΎΡ ΠΆΠ΅ΠΌΡΡΠΆΠΈΠ½Π° ΡΡΠ΅Π΄ΠΈ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ²)! β ahaa (Π°Ρ Π°Π°)! Together (/Π²ΡΠ΅/ Π²ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠ΅)! To Toomai of the Elephants (Π‘Π»ΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠΌΡ Π’ΡΠΌΠ°ΠΈ). Barrao (Π±Π°ΡΡΠ°ΠΎ)!β
Aihai! my lords in the chains,β β he whirled up the line of pickets β βhere is the little one that has seen your dances in your hidden places, β the sight that never man saw! Give him honor, my lords! Salaam karo, my children. Make your salute to Toomai of the Elephants! Gunga Pershad, ahaa! Hira Guj, Birchi Guj, Kuttar Guj, ahaa! Pudmini, β thou hast seen him at the dance, and thou too, Kala Nag, my pearl among elephants! β ahaa! Together! To Toomai of the Elephants. Barrao!β
And at that last wild yell the whole line flung up their trunks till the tips touched their foreheads (ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ»Π΅Π΄Π½Π΅ΠΌ Π±ΡΡΠ½ΠΎΠΌ Π²ΠΎΡΠΊΠ»ΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΠΈ Π²Π΅ΡΡ ΡΡΠ΄ = Π²ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ½Ρ Π²ΡΠΊΠΈΠ½ΡΠ»ΠΈ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠΈ Ρ ΠΎΠ±ΠΎΡΡ /ΡΠ°ΠΊ Π²ΡΡΠΎΠΊΠΎ/, ΡΡΠΎ ΠΊΠΎΡΠ½ΡΠ»ΠΈΡΡ ΠΈΡ ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΈ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠΈΡ Π»Π±ΠΎΠ²; wild β Π΄ΠΈΠΊΠΈΠΉ; Π±ΡΡΠ½ΡΠΉ, Π½Π΅ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ·Π΄Π°Π½Π½ΡΠΉ, Π½Π΅ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΡΠΎΠ»ΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΡΠΉ; ΠΈΡΡΡΡΠΏΠ»eΠ½Π½ΡΠΉ, Π±Π΅Π·ΡΠ΄Π΅ΡΠΆΠ½ΡΠΉ; to fling β Π±ΡΠΎΡΠ°ΡΡΡΡ, ΠΊΠΈΠ΄Π°ΡΡΡΡ; to fling up β ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π±ΡΠ°ΡΡΠ²Π°ΡΡ, Π²ΡΠΊΠΈΠ΄ΡΠ²Π°ΡΡ; to touch β /ΠΏΡΠΈ/ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ°ΡΡΡΡ, ΡΡΠΎΠ³Π°ΡΡ), and broke out into the full salute (ΠΈ ΡΠ°Π·ΡΠ°Π·ΠΈΠ»ΠΈΡΡ ΠΏΠΎΠ»Π½ΡΠΌ ΡΠ°Π»ΡΡΠΎΠΌ; to break out β Π²ΡΠΏΡΡ ΠΈΠ²Π°ΡΡ, ΡΠ°Π·ΡΠ°ΠΆΠ°ΡΡΡΡ) β the crashing trumpet-peal that only the Viceroy of India hears (Π³ΡΠΎΡ ΠΎΡΡΡΠΈΠ΅ ΡΡΡΠ±Π½ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ°ΡΠΊΠ°ΡΡ, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠ΅ ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈΡ ΡΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎ Π²ΠΈΡΠ΅-ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΠ»Ρ ΠΠ½Π΄ΠΈΠΈ = ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠ΅ ΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ½ΠΎ ΡΠ°Π·Π΄Π°ΡΡΡΡ Π»ΠΈΡΡ Π² ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ Π²ΠΈΡΠ΅-ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΠ»Ρ ΠΠ½Π΄ΠΈΠΈ; peal β Π·Π²ΠΎΠ½ ΠΊΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠΊΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ²; ΡΠ°ΡΠΊΠ°Ρ), the Salaamut of the Keddah (Π‘Π°Π»Π°Π°ΠΌΡΡ ΠΊΠ΅Π΄Π΄Π°Ρ Π°).
But it was all for the sake of Little Toomai (Π½ΠΎ Π²ΡΠ΅ ΡΡΠΎ Π±ΡΠ»ΠΎ Π² ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΠΠ°Π»Π΅Π½ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π’ΡΠΌΠ°ΠΈ), who had seen what never man had seen before (ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠΉ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π» ΡΠΎ, ΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΠ°Π½ΡΡΠ΅ Π½Π΅ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π» Π½ΠΈ ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠ½ ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΎΠ²Π΅ΠΊ) β the dance of the elephants at night (ΡΠ°Π½ΡΡ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ² Π½ΠΎΡΡΡ), and alone in the heart of the Garo hills (ΠΈ /Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π»/ ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠ½ Π² ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΎΠΌ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ΄ΡΠ΅ Π³ΠΎΡ ΠΠ°ΡΠΎ)!
And at that last wild yell the whole line flung up their trunks till the tips touched their foreheads, and broke out into the full salute β the crashing trumpet-peal that only the Viceroy of India hears, the Salaamut of the Keddah.
But it was all for the sake of Little Toomai, who had seen what never man had seen before β the dance of the elephants at night and alone in the heart of the Garo hills!
ΠΡΠΈΠΌΠ΅ΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡ
1
ΠΠ»Π°Π΄Ρ Π°ΡΠ½Π΄ β ΠΈΡΠ΅ΠΉΠΊΠ° (ΠΏΠΎΡΠΎΠ΄Π° ΡΠΎΠ±Π°ΠΊ).
2
ΠΠ°ΠΉΠΌ Π½Π°ΡΡΠΎΡΡΠΈΠΉ β ΡΠ°Π·Π½ΠΎΠ²ΠΈΠ΄Π½ΠΎΡΡΡ Π»ΠΈΠΌΠΎΠ½Π°.
3
ΠΠ΅Π½ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΊΠΈ β ΠΏΠΎΡΠΎΠ΄Π° ΠΊΡΡ.
4
Chant β ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ½Ρ, ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ½ΠΎΠΏΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅; Π½Π°ΠΏΠ΅Π², Ρ ΠΎΡΠ°Π».
5
To sing β ΠΏΠ΅ΡΡ.
6
ΠΠ°Π½Π΄Π΅ΠΌΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡΠΌ β Π°Π΄, ΠΎΠ±ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»Ρ Π΄Π΅ΠΌΠΎΠ½ΠΎΠ².
7
ΠΠ°Π³ΡΡ β ΠΏΠΎΠ³ΠΎΠ½ΡΠΈΠΊ.
8
Π₯ΠΎΠ²Π΄Π°Ρ β ΡΠΎΠ΄ ΡΠ΅Π΄Π»Π°.
9
ΠΠΎΡΠΏΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΠ½ (Π°ΡΠ°Π±.).