Funny stories about manservants

Okinawa Motobu Sesoko

About

Shinkō Uema (born 1919). Recorded on 22th August 1969.

上間真好	えー なま-ふどぅ んちゃ なー じにんくゎ-ぬ ‘あわり-ぬ くとぅー ふぁなしー-ん んー ‘あいびーしが eː nama-ɸudu nʨa naː ʥiniŋkʷa-nu ʔawaɾi-nu kutuː ɸanaɕiː-ɴ ɴː ʔaibiːɕiga "Like I just mentioned, there are tragic stories of menservants,"

上間真好	‘うぬー わらい-ばなしー-ん ‘ありーば また ひじょー-ぬ な でーじな えー ‘あわりばなし-ん ‘あいびん. ʔunuː waɾai-banaɕiː-ɴ ʔaɾiːba mata hiʥoː-nu na deːʥina eː ʔawaɾibanaɕi-ɴ ʔaibiɴ. "but there are entertaining stories as well as wretched stories."

上間真好	ちょーる ひちぐゎち-ぬ なー きゅーぬ ひちぐゎち-ぬ ‘あしーび やてーぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびしが. ʨoːɾu hiʨigʷaʨi-nu naː kjuːnu hiʨigʷaʨi-nu ʔaɕiːbi jateːgiɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiɕiga. "It is said that the following happened right around the festivities of the seventh month of the lunar calendar."

上間真好	な ふぁんた-‘うり ‘あたーてぃ ひちひちゃー-ぐとぅ なー じにんくゎ ‘あしばさーぬ na ɸanta-ʔuɾi ʔataːti hiʨihiʨaː-gutu naː ʥiniŋkʷa ʔaɕibasaːnu "It is said that because of unexpectedly wet weather, the master of some menservants wouldn't let them join the festivities"

上間真好	なー ぴんまー-はら ‘いじーてぃ ‘いじ はんら ‘ういらちぇー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびんむんぬ, naː pimmaː-haɾa ʔiʥiːti ʔiʥi haɴɾa ʔuiɾaʨeː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbimmunnu, "and had them go out during the day to plant climbers, but…"

上間真好	‘あんし なー ゆー ‘いっちん ʔaɴɕi naː juː ʔitʨin "…even as night fell"

上間真好	なー いぇーんさー-ん しーばれーる ひちぐゎち-‘あしーび-ん しーばれーる りち そーしが なー ぬし-や けーさぬ. naː jeːɴsaː-ɴ ɕiːbaɾeːɾu hiʨigʷaʨi-ʔaɕiːbi-ɴ ɕiːbaɾeːɾu ɾiʨi soːɕiga naː nuɕi-ja keːsanu. "and they said: 'Let's join the eisā [traditional dance]; let's join the festivities of the seventh month,' their master wouldn't let them leave."

上間真好	ひちゃーくとぅ なー ‘うぬ じにんくゎーた-が "りー くりー なー わちゃーく しーば ないる" りち hiʨaːkutu naː ʔunu ʥiniŋkʷaːta-ga "ɾiː kuɾiː naː waʨaːku ɕiːba naiɾu" ɾiʨi "Reportedly, the menservants then said: 'How about that? We should play a trick on him,'"

上間真好	はんら むる さかしま-‘うい ひち ひちぇー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびーしが. haɴɾa muɾu sakaɕima-ʔui hiʨi hiʨeː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiːɕiga. "and planted all the climbers upside down."

上間真好	えー なー‘あっちゃー ぬし-ぬ ‘いじ みち ひちゃくとぅ んちゃ なー さかしま -‘ういてぃねーぬ eː naːʔatʨaː nuɕi-nu ʔiʥi miʨi hiʨakutu nʨa naː sakaɕima -ʔuitineːnu "When their master went to have a look the next day, they had really been planted upside down;"

上間真好	なー ‘うれー ゆーな-むん れーる はんなぎとーけー りち naː ʔuɾeː juːna-muɴ ɾeːɾu hannagitoːkeː ɾiʨi "he said: 'Well, that's just my luck. Just leave them like they are,'"

上間真好	‘あんしまーまー ひちゃーくとぅ なー （かん んー） はんら れーくとぅ なー なー むいとーん-ばー いぇーびてんさい. ʔaɴɕimaːmaː hiʨaːkutu naː （kaɴ ɴː） haɴɾa ɾeːkutu naː naː muitoːm-baː jeːbiteɴsai. "and he left them the way they were; because they were climbers, they had already been growing, too."

上間真好	えー ‘うり-が また ‘うむー ‘いみくち ‘いっちよーさい. eː ʔuɾi-ga mata ʔumuː ʔimikuʨi ʔitʨijoːsai. "They bore great numbers of sweet potatoes, as well."

上間真好	‘うるひちゃーとぅ なー ‘うり-ん てぃーち-ぬ わらい-ばなしー いぇーびーしが. ʔuɾuhiʨaːtu naː ʔuɾi-n tiːʨi-nu waɾai-banaɕiː jeːbiːɕiga. "So, that's one of the entertaining stories."

上間真好	なー-てぃーち-や そーる なー じにんぐゎ ちゅー-ねー しからりーしや ‘あんとーじ-や なー naː-tiːʨi-ja soːɾu naː ʥiniɴgʷa ʨuː-neː ɕikaɾaɾiːɕija ʔantoːʥi-ja naː "Another one: the era in which people were used by others as menservants"

上間真好	あー きみ-ん ねーぬ めー-ん ねーぬ ‘あたい (れー えー） いぇてん じらい いぇーびーとぅ aː kimi-n neːnu meː-n neːnu ʔatai (ɾeː eː） jeten ʥiɾai jeːbiːtu "was one in which there was hardly any rice, "

上間真好	なー そーぐゎち-ぬ ‘わーし なー ‘うり-る まちかんてー やてー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびーむんぬ． naː soːgʷaʨi-nu ʔwaːɕi naː ʔuɾi-ɾu maʨikanteː jateː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiːmunnu. "so the pork eaten in the first month of the year was reportedly something the menservants could hardly wait for."

上間真好	そーる そーぐゎち-ぬ じゅーゆっか-ぬ ひー なー きまーてぃ soːɾu soːgʷaʨi-nu ʥuːjukka-nu hiː naː kimaːti "on the 14th of the first month of the year,"

上間真好	‘うぬ ‘わーし-や な まはい-ねー ‘いんてぃ-くーしや な ななはき-なー めーにん-めーにん きまてぃー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびーしが, ʔunu ʔwaːɕi-ja na mahai-neː ʔinti-kuːɕija na nanahaki-naː meːnim-meːniɴ kimatiː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiːɕiga, "It is said that it was always seven slices of pork that were put into each of the bowls"

上間真好	‘あん ちゅけー なー な めーにん なー ななはき れーびーとぅ ‘うり-が ‘うほーく ないん-ばー ‘あい-が すーらやー りち ʔan ʨukeː naː na meːnin naː nanahaki ɾeːbiːtu ʔuɾi-ga ʔuhoːku naim-baː ʔai-ga suːɾajaː ɾiʨi "but it could be that just once there would be more, as it was seven slices every year; …"

上間真好	‘うぬ ふぁなしー さーがち なー ‘うぬ じにんぐゎ-たー ‘あちまとぅてぃ ʔunu ɸanaɕiː saːgaʨi naː ʔunu ʥiniɴgʷa-taː ʔaʨimatuti "some menservants had gathered and were talking about this"

上間真好	‘ある きねー-ぬ れーびんろー んー ‘あちまとぅてぃ なー ふぁなしー すーちぇー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびむんぬ, ʔaɾu kineː-nu ɾeːbiɴɾoː ɴː ʔaʨimatuti naː ɸanaɕiː suːʨeː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbimunnu, "…in a certain household, that is; it is said that they had gathered and were talking, but…"

上間真好	ひじょーに くぬ こっけいな にーしぇー-が をぅたん んー をぅてー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびしが hiʥoːni kunu kokkeina niːɕeː-ga wutaɴ ɴː wuteː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiɕiga "…it is said there was one very funny young man"

上間真好	"とぅかゆっか-ぬ しし-や さらまてぃぬ みはき しらん ななはき-ん ‘あいが すーら" りち "tukajukka-nu ɕiɕi-ja saɾamatinu mihaki ɕiɾan nanahaki-ɴ ʔaiga suːɾa" ɾiʨi " 'The amount of meat for the 14th is fixed; I guess it's three slices, but could it also be seven slices?'"

上間真好	‘うぬ わかしぇー-ぬ にしぇー-ぬ な とぅんぐゎ-ねーてぃ ‘うた ひちぇー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびーむんぬ ʔunu wakaɕeː-nu niɕeː-nu na tuŋgʷa-neːti ʔuta hiʨeː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiːmunnu "he was singing in the kitchen:"

上間真好	‘あんさーい まーぬ いぃきが-ぬし-や ‘うり きち ʔaɴsaːi maːnu jikiga-nuɕi-ja ʔuɾi kiʨi "It is said that the man's master heard it and said:"

上間真好	とー なー ‘うん-たー-が ‘ゆーぬ ‘うた きち みりば toː naː ʔun-taː-ga ʔjuːnu ʔuta kiʨi miɾiba "but now that I hear what they're singing"

上間真好	めーにん なー んんちゃ ししー ‘うっさ-なー かまーち ならん-ぐとぅ meːnin naː nnʨa ɕiɕiː ʔussa-naː kamaːʨi naɾaɴ-gutu "I shouldn't let them have that much meat every year,"

上間真好	なー くー-ぬ くー-ぬ-ばー-や ‘いひや なー ‘うほーく かましぇー" りち naː kuː-nu kuː-nu-baː-ja ʔihija naː ʔuhoːku kamaɕeː" ɾiʨi "let them have a little bit more on this occasion,'"

上間真好	るー-ぬ くぬー (んにじ) ‘あん じにんくゎ ゆり しし-ん ‘うほーく なち かましみたん りちぬ かーちゃん りちぬ ふぁなし-ぬ ‘あいびん. ɾuː-nu kunuː (nniʥi) ʔan ʥiniŋkʷa juɾi ɕiɕi-ɴ ʔuhoːku naʨi kamaɕimitaɴ ɾiʨinu kaːʨaɴ ɾiʨinu ɸanaɕi-nu ʔaibiɴ. "and he called the manservant and let him have more meat."

上間真好	なーてぃーち-や また ‘あぬ ‘うふ-むぎ りち ‘うれー-や しぐん-ぐゎち-ねー とぅらりーぬ ‘うふ-むぎ (いぃー） いぇーびーしが. naːtiːʨi-ja mata ʔanu ʔuɸu-mugi ɾiʨi ʔuɾeː-ja ɕiguɴ-gʷaʨi-neː tuɾaɾiːnu ʔuɸu-mugi (jiː） jeːbiːɕiga. "Another one: barley can be harvested in April and May."

上間真好	‘うふ-むぎ-や ‘うし-ねー ‘いんてぃ ひち ʔuɸu-mugi-ja ʔuɕi-neː ʔinti hiʨi "If you put barley in a mortar, grind it,"

上間真好	そして あー なー ‘わーび-ぬ はー とぅりば な ぴら-めー-とぅか ひち かーりんばー いぇーびーとぅ soɕite aː naː ʔwaːbi-nu haː tuɾiba na piɾa-meː-tuka hiʨi kaːɾimbaː jeːbiːtu "and remove the hull, you can use it to make barley rice and eat it"

上間真好	(‘うり くみー) んー ‘うふ-むぎ しかちぇー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびーむんぬ (ʔuɾi kumiː) ɴː ʔuɸu-mugi ɕikaʨeː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiːmunnu "so it is said that they had a girl grind barley; …"

上間真好	なー ‘あんとーじ-や わからん たら しきくるばしば な ‘あとぅ はー むぎん りち やてー-ぎしぇん ふーじ いぇーびしが naː ʔantoːʥi-ja wakaɾan taɾa ɕikikuɾubaɕiba na ʔatu haː mugiɴ ɾiʨi jateː-giɕeɴ ɸuːʥi jeːbiɕiga "…it appears that in those times, not knowing better, they would just keep grinding it until the hull came off"

上間真好	なー ゆるーゆなか-まりーん なー むぎー (しか) ‘うしねー しかさってぃ しちゃーとぅ naː juɾuːjunaka-maɾiːn naː mugiː (ɕika) ʔuɕineː ɕikasatti ɕiʨaːtu "but it is said that when this girl was made to grind barley in a mortar until deep in the night"

上間真好	‘うぬ いぃなぐ-わらーび-ぬ るく ‘あわーりぬ ‘ういに なー ならー ‘いじーてぃ ち, ʔunu jinagu-waɾaːbi-nu ɾuku ʔawaːɾinu ʔuini naː naɾaː ʔiʥiːti ʨi, "she was so miserable that she started weeping, "

上間真好	‘うぬ ならー-ぬ しんれーしんれー ‘うしん-がてぃ ‘いっち ひち-ひっちゃーとぅ ‘うぬ しき-やっしく なてぃ ‘いじ たれーま ʔunu naɾaː-nu ɕiɴɾeːɕiɴɾeː ʔuɕiɴ-gati ʔitʨi hiʨi-hitʨaːtu ʔunu ɕiki-jaɕɕiku nati ʔiʥi taɾeːma "her tears falling into the mortar one by one; this made the barley easier to grind,"

上間真好	なー ‘うぬ ‘うふ-むぎん ちゅらく なてぃ ‘うん ぴら-めー-ん ひち かーりん-ぐとぅ なたーん りち ふぁなあし. naː ʔunu ʔuɸu-mugin ʨuɾaku nati ʔum piɾa-meː-ɴ hiʨi kaːɾiɴ-gutu nataːɴ ɾiʨi ɸanaaɕi. "the hull coming off neatly right away, and it was then ready to make barley rice with and eat."

上間真好	‘うり-から えー なー ‘うぬ ‘うふ-むぎや みじ ‘いんてぃ しきーば へーく ‘うぬ ʔuɾi-kaɾa eː naː ʔunu ʔuɸu-mugija miʥi ʔinti ɕikiːba heːku ʔunu "It is said that after that, people started adding water before pounding barley,"

上間真好	かーりん-ぐとぅ ないさやー りち みじ ‘いんてぃ しきふぁじまたん るーぬ ふぁなしー． kaːɾiɴ-gutu naisajaː ɾiʨi miʥi ʔinti ɕikiɸaʥimataɴ ɾuːnu ɸanaɕiː. "as it would then be ready to eat more quickly."

上間真好	なー むかしぬ なー もーき-かたーん ねーん, じにんくゎ-た ひち なー ‘えーきんちゅ ‘あんし しからりーしん ふんとー なー naː mukaɕinu naː moːki-kataːn neːn, ʥiniŋkʷa-ta hiʨi naː ʔeːkinʨu ʔaɴɕi ɕikaɾaɾiːɕiɴ ɸuntoː naː "Truly, from back when people were used as menservants by the wealthy when they had no way to earn a living, "

上間真好	‘いる-‘いるぬ ‘あわり-ばなしー また ‘いる-‘いるぬ わらい-ばなしー ぬんくい ‘あい-や さびーしが ʔiɾu-ʔiɾunu ʔawaɾi-banaɕiː mata ʔiɾu-ʔiɾunu waɾai-banaɕiː nuŋkui ʔai-ja sabiːɕiga "there are all kinds of wretched stories as well as all kinds of entertaining stories"

上間真好	なー ‘うり-や ‘うり-とぅ ひち なー むかし-ばなしー-とぅ ひちー， なー むかし-ばなしー-とぅ ひち な きくーぬ ‘うっさしぇー やてぃん しみ-や さん-がや また ‘うり きち naː ʔuɾi-ja ʔuɾi-tu hiʨi naː mukaɕi-banaɕiː-tu hiʨiː， naː mukaɕi-banaɕiː-tu hiʨi na kikuːnu ʔussaɕeː jatiɴ ɕimi-ja saɴ-gaja mata ʔuɾi kiʨi "but I think that it may be enough to leave that as it is and just listen to them as old tales, "

上間真好	なま-ぬ わらんちゃー-たー-が なー また てぃーち-ぬ しぇーしんてき-ぬ きょー‘いく なりーば nama-nu waɾanʨaː-taː-ga naː mata tiːʨi-nu ɕeːɕinteki-nu kjoːʔiku naɾiːba "and that they are stories that can have mental educational value for today's children when they hear them."

上間真好	また ‘いー ふぁなし ‘あらんがや-り ‘うむとーん しれー いぇーびん. mata ʔiː ɸanaɕi ʔaɾaŋgaja-ɾi ʔumutoːɴ ɕiɾeː jeːbiɴ. "and I think that they may be good stories too"