Ledu folktale - Part 2/2
One of the prominent narrations of Ledu folktale is presented below:
Long time ago, two
brothers named Ledou and Mamud lived with their sister, Zeybar, in Talysh
highlands. They were Talysh nomads and their main occupation was animal farming
and sheep herding. Traditionally, horse has been Talyshan's main mean of
transport when moving between highland and low land in Talysh. Beside horse,
they often use oxes (Varza in Talyshi- ورزا) and male goats ( Necha in Talyshi-
نچه) to transport goods and livestock.
On that historic
day, Zeybar's brothers left home to take care of some business. It is not known
for certain where they were heading to. perhaps they were out in the Talysh
forests to collect firewood or, visiting nearby districts.
when a group of
bandits arrived at their residence in the Talysh highlands, Ledu and Mamud had
already left a few hours earlier. Upon Bandits arrival they notice that residence
and animals are unguarded and only a woman and couple of shepherds are in the
farm.
The bandits raided
the farm and the residence. They handcuffed Zeybar and shepherds and began
looting. They packed everything there was in the residence including shephers'
clothing called "Koula Nama (کوله نمه)" which is made of woolen
felts, and then packed all animals with their cubs including horses, oxes (Varza
in Talyshi- ورزا) and male goats ( Necha in Talyshi- نچه). Finally, picked the chained-dogs
and, departed with Ledou and Mamud's possession and Zeybar as their hostage.
But the cattle and
herd refuse to obey bandits and began scattering in all directions while
screaming in horror. They were so loud that horror
could be sensed in the air. The reason for this behavior by animals is that
herds in Talysh are accustomed to their keepers’ voice and tone. Thus, when
they heard strangers was trying to make them move, animals rather disobeyed
bandits even though bandits were violent and used clubs and sticks on them.
Zaybar, handcuffed
with mouth gagged, couldn't stand the ill-treatment of animals by the bandits.
She did everything to draw bandits’ attentions and to convince them to open her
mouth so she can stop them beating the animals.
Bandits were finally hopeless and in a despair move they let Zeybar speak. Zeybar offered to help them at
managing the frightened and unruly animals. She told the bandits that farm
animals know her and her voice besides they are accustomed to the voice of
Lalah that my brothers used play to them. She continues, I can lead them by
playing Lalah. You'll see how they follow me without any need for "Domla
run" [ a person who walks behind cattle or herd to make sure nobody stays
behind or go missing]. Bandits had no choice but to accept her offer.
She had already
devised a plan and was to lure bandits into her plot. Zeybar knew about the whereabouts
of her brothers and their journey route details. The tale have it, the Zeybar
rode on a horse and led the cattle while playing Talysha Lalah (end-blown
flute with seven holes). She tactfully chose a route she knew his brothers had
taken early that day and continued leading the cattle and the bandits in the
same direction. Following is the
epic and heroic song with its sorrowful music that Zeybar played to call his
brothers for help.
You may enjoy watching a song by great master of Talysh music- Hadi Hamidi- which is based on Ledu folktale here.
[Note: The Lyrics are in Southern Dialect of Talyshi and written with Az-Latin alphabet accompanied by English translation. For lyrics in persian writings and translation, you may visit here. There are other versions of the Ledoule lyrics that slightly differs from one presented in this work which you may read here. ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ My lovely Ledu, my lovely Ledu, come Ledu,
comeback Mamud]
Isbə ba zəncir şə, [ They took dog with its collar chain ]
Vərza ba palon şə [ They took oxes with their saddle ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ Dear
Ledu, Dear Ledu, come Ledu, come ]
Ledu can, Məmud can, [ Dear Ledu, Dear Mamud ]
Rəmə ba şumnə şə, [ Herd was looted with its shepherd]
Şunə (şumnə) ba başlağ şə [They took shepherds with his their bashlegh (i.e.
kind of cloths wore
by shepherds in mountains of Talysh) ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [My
lovely Ledu, my lovely Ledu, come Ledu, come Mamud ]
Isbə ba zəncir şə, [ They (bandits) took the dog with its chain ]
Rəmə şə bənd peşə, [ Herd already crossed the mountain ]
Ledu can, Mamud can [ Dear Ledu, Dear Mamud ]
Ledu can Məmud can, rəmə şə, [ Dear Ledu, Dear Mamud, herd is lost ]
Məmudi dəsi Lələ şə, [ They
also took Mamud's Lalah ]
Ledu can, Mamud can [ Dear Ledu, Dear Mamud]
Mınşo bərdə rəmənə [ They (bandits) took me away along with the herd ]
Sədo si qılə vərənə [ With 130 of the lambs ]
Ledule, Mamudle, [ My lovely Ledu, my lovely Mamud ]
Şıtırmon ba bar şə, [ They took our camel with its load ]
Rəməmon bənd peşə [ Our herd already crossed the mountain ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ My
lovely Ledu, my lovely Mamud, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud ]
Səd o si vərə şə, [ 130 lambs are lost ]
Şumnə (şunə) ba nəmə şə, [ They took away shepherd with their clothing (
i.e. nama is form of woolen felts) ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ lovely
Ledu, my lovely Mamud, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud ]
Rəmə ba vərə şə, [They took the herd with lambs]
Garəm ba mundə şə, [They took cows with their cubs]
Nəçə ba çador şə, [ male goats are taken with their tents (Talyshan
use large male goats to carry
light loads when migrating between highland and
lowlands in Talysh)]
Madon (Məydon) ba kerə şə [ Mare is taken away with her foal ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ lovely
Ledu, my lovely Mamud, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud]
Ləsi dar nə mənə, [ big timber was heavy]
Bərdə nıbu rəmənə, [ couldn't take it with the herd]
Xala bemerə bıra ra, [Sister (refering to Zeybar) may die for her brother - endearment expression showing utmost love]
Bıra dəsti dəsi xena ra [ for
the Hanna on her brother's hand]
Bıra canım ka bərşə, [ to what direction did my dear brother go ]
Məmudi dəsi lələ şə [they took Mamud's Lalah too ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ Lovely Ledu, my lovely Mamud, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud]
Bıra canım kıntə şə, [ where did my dear brother go ]
Əsbi pəlas dom bərşə [ our horse harnesses fallen behind them and being
dragged ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be [ Lovely
Ledu, my lovely Mamud, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud]
Bırayinəm kaşinə [ where did my brothers go]
Çəmə malen kı şin [ they looted all our belongings]
Burə gusənd lar peşə [ Sheep went to Lar (water Tank designed for
animals to drink from)]
Sırə kıla dom bərşə [ your red color hat fell and got lost ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be [ Lovely
Ledu, my lovely Ledu, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud ]
Malen şinə zənginə, [ they took all animals with their bells on their
neck ]
Əsben şinə ələxinə [ they looted all the horses ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ Lovely Ledu, my lovely Ledu, comeback Ledu,
comeback Mamud]
Bızın şinə kulənə, [ they took goats with their kids]
Delen şinə kıtənə, [ they took female dogs with their puppies]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be [ Lovely
Ledu, my lovely Ledu, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud ]
Mundən şinə gavunə [ They took cows with their calves ]
Baren şine əsbunə [ they
took household items with horses ]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be, [ Lovely Ledu, my lovely Ledu, comeback Ledu,
comeback Mamud]
Bıra canım ka bər şə [ to what direction did my dear brother go ]
Çı mın dı çemi su şə [ I lost my eyesighton both eyes]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be [ Lovely
Ledu, my lovely Ledu, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud ]
Bıra canım kıntə şə [ to what direction did my dear brother go]
Arnəngah sıra nə [via Arnangah road in Shaft ( name of a counryside
in Talysh mountains- Shaft city)]
Siyaməzgi bəndinə [through Siyamazgi mountains ( a countryside in
Talysh mountains- shaft)]
Tulavi bərənə [through Tulavi bara ( a countryside in Talysh
mountains- shaft)]
Lupəndani sərinə [through Lupandan ( a countryside in Talysh
mountains- shaft)]
Punesə giryə peştinə [from behind Punesa ( a countryside in
Talysh mountains- Fuman)]
Gırdabi tıkinə [through peak of Gerdab mountain ( a countryside
in Talysh mountains- Fuman)]
Dizabə giryə bıninə [via base of Dizabe ( a countryside in Talysh
mountains- Fuman)]
Saleh kurə vər rinə [by the Saleh Kurah ( a countryside in Talysh
mountains- Fuman)]
Şah peleyni sərinə [through the peak of Shah Pelin ( a countryside in
Talysh mountains- Shanderman)]
Bərzə tıki sıranə [via the base of the BarzaKuh ( a moutain peak in Talysh
mountains- Rezavanshar & Hashtpar-e-Tavalesh)]
Mulumə bəndi vərinə [through Mulum ( a mountain peak in Talysh mountains-
Masal)]
Xındilə peşti sıranə [by the Xindila Peshet ( a countryside in Talysh
mountains- Masal)]
Əlalə peşti bəndinə [through Alalah Pesht ( a countryside in Talysh
mountains- Masal)]
Kəlkapeşti bərənə [through the entrance of Kalkapesht mountain ( a
countryside in Talysh mountains- Masal)]
Kermankəşi dərə nə [by the Kermankeshi river ( a river in Talysh
mountains- Asalem)]
Ağevleri jiyənə [ by the Aghevlar countryside ( a countryside in
Talysh mountains- Hashtpar-e-Tavalesh)]
Subatani bəndinə [through Subatan mountain ( a countryside in
Talysh mountains) ]
Xışkə dərya levinə [by the lake of Xishkah (a lake in Shanderman)]
İstilə giryə sıranə [ through Istil countryside (a countryside in
Talysh- Asalem)]
Əlmasə bəndi tıkinə [ by the Almas moutain (a mountain in Talysh
mountains- Asalem)]
Hironə bəndi sərinə [ through peak of Heron mountain ( Heyran mountain
in Talysh mountains- Astara)]
Ledule,ledule,
ledu be, məmud be [ Lovely
Ledu, my lovely Ledu, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud ]
Meşendə giryə bıninə [ through the base of Meshend (a countryside in
Talysh- Astara)]
Sicə giryə bəndinə [ through Sij (a countryside in Talysh- Astara)]
Bəndi səri dəvate [ there is fight in countryside (Highlands)]
Məmudi ləsi setaye [ this is voice of Mamud's hand-held weapon ( las
is a multipurpose cane made of medlar tree)]
Ledule,ledule, ledu be, məmud be [ Lovely
Ledu, my lovely Ledu, comeback Ledu, comeback Mamud ]
Ledu can, mamud can [ dear Ledu, dear Mamud]
Bırale, arəs be, bıtil be, virəs be [ lovely
brother, come to my rescue, run, hurry up]
In
short, Ledu and
Mamud finally got to their captive sister - Zeybar- by following the
traces she provided via playing Lalah. They immediately engage the
bandits. Zeybar could hear
her brothers shouting (Talysh-a Khela), and they sound of her brother's
Feter-a
Les ( Ser-a Les) as they were swinging it in the air. So, Zeybar
continued her
story by saying :
Ledule, Ledule, bəndi səri dəvayə, Mamudi Lısi setayə
"Lovely Ledu, my lovely Ledu is fighting at
the mountain top, this is voice of Mamud's hand-held weapon"
At the end, Ledu
and Mamud defeated the bandits, rescued their sister, and returned home
with all their properties and animals.
P.S
Talesh-a Khela is
form of communication used by Talyshan in the Talysh mountains. It comprises of
different sound that together form a sentence. This type of communication -
Talysh-a Khela- is often used to send short messages, for instance, when the
herd is under attack by wolves.
Acknowledgement
This is a translation work and is done upon request and suggestion of Mr Husein Kazimo.
Bulk of this work is taken from an article written by Mr Taghi Eskandari Tasakooh. This article is in persian and can be reached here and here . Moreover, findings by Mr Janbera Alipoor Gashteroodkhani- that is avaiable here- is used.
End of part 2.
Part 1 here
