VII LITERATURE
Korku literature is rich in oral tradition. They have their own songs, folk tales even if they use to speak other languages such as (Hindi, Marathi) because of the influence of state language; still their folk literature is being survived. All kinds of folk literature are seen in Korku. We can find folk tales, folk songs, ritual songs, sayings, riddles etc.
Folk Tales:- Everyone in Korku society uses to tell stories about their origin, king and queen, different stories based on animals, stories about kin relations, etc. Some folk tales are given below:
(1) bariya rani, aikon ənṭe ‘Second Queen or Step Mother’
m⌶ya gawen m⌶ya raja ḍo, m⌶ya rani ṭʰaṛ ḍan.dɓ⌶ja ura səmman m⌶ya nimbo s⌶ñ ḍan. ḍ⌶s⌶en bari cicrejku ṭʰaṛ ḍan. m⌶ya ḍ⌶n cicrejku ənṭe goen, ḍ⌶ja baṭe bar⌶ya chicrejku joṛawen. ḍ⌶ ḍ⌶ja konkukʰen cyabuṭen kəkʰəbblajjen m⌶ya ḍ⌶n rani ḍikuken ḍokʰeku. ḍ⌶j menan bʰəgwan ⌶ñ goen ki, iña konku halət bʰi ⌶ni gʰəṭauba. m⌶ya ḍ⌶n rani bənjen. raja bar⌶ya japay joṛa en. ḍ⌶ rani bʰi ḍ⌶ rani konkukʰen səssaṭa ṭ⌶nlajjen. ḍo ḍ⌶kukʰen urgaṭen oṭkʰeku. bəri konk⌶ñ ḍoŋgren olen. ḍo əwlka ṭʰaṛlajjen.
Meaning:- There was a king and queen in a village. A neam tree was in front of their house, on which a pair of birds was staying and their chicks were inside the nest. After few days their mother died. Male bird brought second wife. Stepmother created lots of problem for them. One day the queen saw and thought, if she dies then her husband will behave the same with her children. After thinking like this, one day she also died. King brought another wife, and she also created troubles for their children and drove away from her house. Children went to forest and lived happily.
Riddles:-
raṭa gʰuṛgi n⌶la cuṭ, gʰale bənṭo uṭʰay cuṭ red horse green tail tell neg hold tail Answer:- gajər ‘carrot’ seneja sene haṭi sene, ⌶ña kʰ⌶ja koroke salej go go market go my like man-acc bring Answer: - a⌶na ‘mirror’ seneja sene haṭi sene, b⌶gor ḍ⌶ṭi n⌶mbe sali go go market go without seed lemon bring Answer:- aṭkom ‘egg’ rajo rajon ban, mali begican ban. jomeba pʰ⌶ni goḍu ban king kingdom-loc. neg gardener garden-loc. neg eat but break neg Answer:- ‘Hail stone’
Folk Songs:- They use to sing folksongs even for small occasions. Some folksongs are given below. 1. About jungle life: jambu pala ilidɓo bərɓo maneli həppa həppa, həppa həppa, hur gadɓa tɓalan kʰəbakʰubu, məgar mentɓen higraen hə- hə- hə- hə- hə- hə-hui kʰ⌶tɓ⌶I tɓalan kʰəbakʰubu, minu mentɓen higraen dɓoΝgor tɓalan kʰəbakʰubu kula mentɓen higraen usəri su bay kʰəbakʰubu syana mentɓen higraen Meaning: O girl! Give me jamun leaves considering me as a rich man. Girl- O rich man! Ritual Songs:- 1. They use to sing songs at funeral functions and “sidoli” feast. pʰulə jəgəni e may ḍo, e may ḍo ⌶ña aba, murəḍa curuṭo baΝgo ḍoΝgo may mare e may ḍo, e may ḍo ⌶ña aba gʰəṛi tẽbya baΝgo ḍoΝgo may mare əma aba murəḍa curuṭo səwa moka dʰərti ṭalan nuku en ja beṭa mare e may ḍo, e may ḍo ⌶ña aba bora pələΝgi səwa moka dʰərti təalan ukuen ja beṭa mare e may ḍo, e may ḍo ⌶ña aba anḍa gagar gʰalema ḍo may mare əma aba ni anḍa gagar gʰərana sowa goṛa ṭ⌶ñj ke beṭa mare e may ḍo, e may ḍo ⌶ña aba ni kʰuṭo ḍobaken gʰalej ma ḍo may mare əma aba ni kʰuṭo ḍoba kʰuṭa ṭalan ṭol ken ja beṭa mare Meaning:- Son- O mother! Where is my father? He is not visible here, where has he gone? Mother- O son! Your father is dug below the earth. Mother- That big bed is also below the earth.
2. Another funeral song: ripi-ripi ḍi ripi kora ripi karaṭen haje ja aba haje bʰare rago bəki ḍo risna bəki e beṭa, e beṭa iña saṭi, liyen bara gaṛi kasa pũja recya, ṭiñj ke cupʰar haje recya, ṭiñj ke cupʰar haje Meaning:- Son- This street is very clear. O father! you come on this road. Do not come with weeping or in angry mood. You come happily. Father- O son! Twelve-load earth is on my chest, how will I come? 3. After marriage when the bride goes to her husband’s house the following song is used to sing on that occasion: ⌶ña may dɓo, ape gorɓi suna hay tɓətɓiyõ dɓomaya dɓi dɓoma, ⌶ña dɓai jodɓa ape nəri atɓi pʰupʰtɓa, ⌶ña bokojəi dɓo hah alam jorɓi ka tɓətɓ⌶ko, o boi dɓo ape gorɓi suna hay ⌶ña dada ape ki copətɓ riri cədɓʰahi ⌶ña kakadɓõ, ape ura suna hay hah hah Meaning:- O my mother! Your lap became empty. O my brother! Now I am going. O my sister! Now our friendship broke. O my uncle! Now with whom
you will talk. Because of me your house became empty.
Lullabies:- tɓuri, b⌶jo, əmbo yelo, leloko purijəko-boko, əmmay əmba, tɓəkʰra rur⌶j sageba boko bəki jam-boko purəiko Meaning:- O my child! Don’t cry. Your mother will come now. She will bring wild fruits for you from jungle and you will eat. That fruit is very sweet,
so don’t cry and sleep. Sayings:- They use many sayings among each other according to the context in day-to-day life conversations. These sayings are used to make
something attractive or interesting. For example: ji ura mola, duniyaṭen bʰola who house god world-dat. foolish “One is brave in house, but foolish in front of others” If somebody wants to take another person’s side, then they use the following saying:- ya sokṛa jomba, mamaṭen s⌶ṛi h⌶ndri kʰa ‘Eat your bread and graze your uncle’s goat’.
Copyright CIIL-India Mysore