Toda Texts

The gods and heroes

1. tökis̠ym, ïn döwamm, tame ut. oyfoy θöwamïyi.
Tökis̠y and the other gods are gods who were created of themselves.

2. iθam, ofod̠y xalpan. gïs nas̠yfït.s, oɫ.n. ut. xïsfït.s, tam at̠ fürsfïs.k ïd̠ti.
These, after creating in play all customs and after creating the Todas, themselves disappeared-so they say.

3. oɫ. oy fedfoyš, kwat̠en, er̠tn, el.n.oxm iθam, tökis̠ynas̠yfoy fod̠y, tam nas̠yfït.s, köd. oxoθ, tït. oy, nor. oy at̠ ïθfïs.k ïd̠ti.
Among those who were born as Todas, Kwaten, Er̠tn, El.n.oxm, these, after themselves creating in play after the example of Tökis̠y’s creating in play, did not die but remained as mountains and sacred places-so they say.

4. pïn, oɫ.s., “töw oyšk” ïd̠pum, tïkwïl.eθy, not.s̠y iθam göd. oyn, iθang gör. fišk ïd̠ti.
Then, amnog the Todas thses of whom we say, “They became gods,” Tïkwïl.eθy, not.is̠y, when these died, for these they conducted funerals-so they say.

5. pïn, iθam, tït. oyč at̠ üčoi.
Then these, becoming mountains, went away.

6. iθang pïn bedfoy oɫ. ofod̠yng, iθang gör. fipïk fiči.
For all the Todas who were born after these, they conducted funerals as they conducted funerals for these.

7. in.y, aθi xalpan. gïsti.
Now they follow those same customs.

8. mun gos̠tk, tökis̠y nas̠yfoy moθiryθon, in.ym, er̠ xïmtt, up ot.yt, kör. fit, mon.y nar.tyt, is.k öd.θt, korym ofod̠y xïsti.
Just in the manner in which Tökis̠y in former times created in play, now also they perform the sacrifice of a male calf, the pouring of salt, the conducting of a funeral, the taking of the bell on migration, the migration of the household, all the ceremonies.

The rainbow

1. ‘kwar. xwïr. fïs̠ ït.t, e gïs’ ïd̠ik, pis̠, et̠s̠n goso, an öθïrs̠, i kwar. xwïr. fïs̠ ur̠yu (ï)d̠ti.
If you say, ‘How does the rainbow shine?’, from wherever the sun shines, opposite to it this rainbow lets its rays down – so they say.

2. pis̠ er̠ks̠n muk kosnwïr., muks̠n, kwar. xwïr. fïs̠ ur̠yti.
When the sun shines from east to west, from the west the rainbow lets its rays down.

3. pis̠, muks̠n er̠k kosnwïr., er̠ks̠n, kwar. xwïr. fis̠ ur̠yti.
When the sun shines from west to east, from the east the rainbow lets its rays down.

4. maw ud. xur.y, pis̠, kol fït. xosnwïr., kol fït. xosfoy öθïrs̠ ït.foy moʐs̠, kwar. xwïr. fïs̠ θwïr̠yti.
When, after it has ceased raining, the sun shines letting down its rays, the rainbow is visible in a cloud which settles opposite to the sun shining letting down its rays.

5. iθïyi, ‘kwar. xwïr. fis̠’ ïd̠pum.
This is what we call the rainbow.

6. tökis̠y, i kwar. xwïr. fïs̠pol nwït.y oθi, poɫ.ym, war. θüt̠y as̠m, kïssk ïd̠t.
It was looking at this rainbow that Tökis̠y made the dairy and the Toda house – so they say.

Origin of kog foɫ.y buffaloes of Tor̠or. clan

1. mun gos̠tk, tökis̠y, ti nor. faxt xwïr.t fok, tikïyi; ïd̠, ti ïr xïs faxtšk ïd̠ti.
In former times, when (the goddess) Tökis̠y was about to divide and allot sacred places of ti diary she made and divided ti buffaloes, saying ‘They are for the ti’ – so they say.

2. tik faxtfoy ïr nox id̠s̠k ïd̠ti.
A heifer of the buffaloes which she had divided for the ti bore a calf – so they say.

3. at fok, tik focfoy ïrn, tor̠or. oɫ.am, ‘tam gar̠θ xwïd. fïkim’ ïd̠s̠k ïd̠ti.
Then the people of Tor̠or. clan said of the buffalo which she had placed for the ti ‘We ourselves will go on always milking it’ – so they say.

4. ay ïrïyi, kog foɫ.y ïr.
It is that buffalo whence came the buffaloes of the kog foɫ.y (dairy of the Tor̠or. clan).

5. ay ïr nox,, aθs̠ïyi, ti ïr.
The calf of that buffalo, it is from that that came the buffaloes of the ti.

6. tiž, e ti osnum sary, ti ïr fïr̠sfïn.wïr., kog foɫ.y ïrs̠, ïr, tik nar.tyti.
At the ti, no matter what ti it may be, if the buffaloes of the ti become extinct, from the buffaloes of the kog foɫ.y they make buffaloes go to the ti.

7. ti ïr, kog foɫ.yk nar.tyt oxïyi.
They must not make buffaloes of the ti go to the kog foɫ.y.

8. kog foɫ.y ïr, toy oθi.
The kog foɫ.y buffalo is the mother.

9. ti ïr, kog foɫ.y ïr xor̠ïyi.
The ti buffalo is the calf of the kog foɫ.y buffalo.

Origin of thunder and lightning

1. ‘pons̠, ïr.y ïr.ct, eθu’ ïd̠ik, mun gos̠tk, ed. ïr, mel luxtk üšk ïd̠ti.
If you say, “What is it that the thunder thunders in the sky?,” in former times two buffaloes went to heaven – so they say.

2. ay ïr en. bör, wïd̠n, os̠umu (ï)d̠ti.
The names of those two buffaloes – Os̠um was one’s – so they say.

3. ïn wïd̠n, pušumu (ï)d̠ti.
Pušum was the other’s – so they say.

4. ïr ed.m, wïd̠ wïd̠ fok kwïd.fït.s, pos̠m ed.m, wïng wïng got. ït.fït.s, ïr ed.m gwïd.c, it̠ wïd̠, at̠ wïd̠, kot. ït.foy fos̠mn is.tfït.u (ï)d̠ti.
These two buffaloes fight at various times and knot their two tails to one another and the two buffaloes fighting pull the two kotted tails, one this way and one that way – so they say.

5. at fok, kot. ït.foy fos̠m ed.m wïr.sfït.u (ï)d̠ti.
At that time the two knotted tails crack – so they say.

6. pos̠m ed.m wïr.snwïr.ïyi, ïr.y oč, ïr.cfït.u (ï)d̠ti.
It is when the two tails crack that the thunder thunders – so they say.

7. ïr ed.m or.yfït.u (ï)d̠ti.
The two buffaloes cry out – so they say.

8. at fok, poyšn gad.θt ofoj, pöɫ.č oč, mičfit.u (ï)d̠ti.
At that time, the vapor which comes out of their mouths beocming bright, it lightens – so they say.

9. pos̠m wïr.snwïr., ïr.y ïr.cy (ï)d̠ti.
When the tails crack, the thunder thunders – so they say.

10. ïr or.ynwïr., ofoj miču (ï)d̠ti.
When the buffaloes cry out, the vapor lightens – so they say.

11. iθïyi, ‘ïr.ym, micm ut. oyu’ (ï)d̠ti.
This is how they say that thunder and lightning are created.

Origin of gaur

1. in.y wïd. ofoy omofïr, mun gos̠tk, oɫ.ïru (ï)d̠ti.
Those which are now faur were in former times buffaloes of the Todas – so they say.

2. i ïram mor̠ts̠ nïd̠s, kar̠θs, ïn ïranïk, mod̠ ïr oč nïd̠sïsk ïd̠ti.
These buffaloes living in the munds and giving milk used to live as mund buffaloes – so they say.

3. mun gos̠tk, ïr xar̠θst toʐ moxu (ï)d̠ti.
In former times it was the women who milked the buffaloes – so they say.

4. toʐ mox, ïr xar̠θs, pos̠ xar.θs ïcïθïng, i ïram, ’emk kor̠ fïr.s. tamk kor̠ fïr.s.’ ïd̠u (ï)d̠ti.
When the women were habitually milking the buffaloes and churning the milk, these buffaloes would say, ‘Release the calf for us! Release the calf for them!’ – so they say.

5. pïr.efïsnwïr., toʐ moxn er̠su (ï)d̠ti.
If they did not release the calf, they would charge the women – so they say.

6. ïr, ï gïs yukur.ofï̈n..
The buffaloes in this way were uncontrollable.

7. toʐ mox, mu goyk ït.foy fal.wïr. mu goyït., ïrn, nity xudyfïs.k ïd̠ti.
The women hit the buffaloes on the forehead with their forearms along with the bangles which they wore on their forearms – so they say.

8. kudyfïn., ïr fed.s, twas̠k öθkyfïs.k ïd̠ti.
When they hit them, the buffaloes were frightened off and leaped away into the thickets – so they say.

9. aθxidy, i ïr, mor̠tk malk söro xwïd., twas̠ fot.s, muly fot.s, omofïr oy xwïd., at̠ üšk ïd̠ti.
Thereafter these buffaloes went off, never coming to the munds, lying in the thickets, and ever being gaur – so they say.

10. i omof ïrïyi, mun gos̠tk, ‘mod̠ ïr’ ïd̠t.
These gaur are what in former times were called mund buffaloes.

What the wood-pigeon says

1. mun gos̠tk, twar fïɫ. moxm, twariškym ed.m, kar̠piɫ.cm, kupas̠ym, tan goɫ. oyčïn.
In former times two (wood-pigeons) Twarfïɫ.mox and Tawrišky, and the kar̠piɫ.c bird and the kupas̠y bird were friends.

2. aθ nongm, mel luxtk fi, ank ïθn.
All those four went to heaven and lived there.

3. pïn, ‘om, nary luxtk fitïyi’ ïd, nongm afot.n.g.
Afterwards the four of them talked, saying, “We must go to the world of men.”

4. ‘om eɫ.n. mox nongm, ink foc, om, nary luxtk fixu’ ïd̠ , nongm afot.n.g.
The four of them talked, saying “Leaving here all four hildren of us two (couples), let us go to the world of men!”

5. kar̠piɫ.c, tan mox ed.n. gon.oxos, tergy uɫ.k ït.s., twar fiɫ.n. ar̠yoxos, nary luxtk it̠ fods, twar fïɫ. mox ed.n.m, pons̠ fisyč, it̠ fodng.
The kar̠piɫ.c bird put her two children inside her wings so that they would not be seen and, not letting the pigeon know, came to the world of men, and came leaving in the sky the two children of the pigeon.

6. kar̠piɫ.c, er̠k fodp pok, mel luxts̠n bodfoy nus̠n ar̠tfïn.g.
When the kar̠piɫ.c bird was coming down, she cut the thread by which they had come from heaven.

7. mar̠č, twar fïɫ., pong fip ïr.tk, oɫ. ar̠ or.θ ofïng.
There was no way for the pigeon to go back to the sky.

8. kar̠piɫ.c, tan mox en.n. gut.yč, nary luxts̠ it̠ ïθfïn.g.
The kar̠piɫ.c bird lived here in the world of men keeping her two children with her.

9. twar fïɫ. mox ed.m, mel luxts̠ θikyθïd, ïd̠ar̠m, twar fïɫ., tan moc e.n.n. gon.oc, ‘kut.ur sit.i ter̠o pïr.o’ ïd̠s, tüɫ.csïti.
Because the pigeon’s two children were trapped in heaven, to this day the pigeon not seeing her two children coos, saying, ‘Kut.ur sit.i… Please open! Please release!’

10. twar fïɫ. mox ed.n.g, somy, pokm gwïr.t, aθ ed.n., ed. min gïsng.
God gave a boon to the two children of the pigeon and made those two into two stars.

11. ïd̠ar̠m, aθ ed.n., pons̠ xod.pumi.
To this day we see those two in the sky.

12. anïd, iɫ., pot. ar̠spumi.
By them we know the time at night.

Tiger frightened by an echoword

1. oɫ. wïd̠, ekar. fotk, ïr ofod̠y xar̠θ xur.yfït.s, kor̠, kwat. as̠k ït.n. ïni.
A Toda one evening finished milking all the buffaloes and put the calves in the calfshed.

2. kor̠ ofod̠yn, kwat. as̠k ït. xur.yfït.s, kwat. as̠ ar.t xur.yč, ‘püs̠y xis̠y, kor̠ fït̠fïd.s.k e goɫ.a’ ïd̠s, it̠ fodn ïni.
When he had finished putting all the calves in the calfshed and had finished shutting the calfshed, he said, “My friend! Mahy no tiger (püs̠y) or anything (kis̠y) carry off the calves!” and he came to the houses.

3. püs̠y wïd̠, i oɫ. afot.foyn wïrït.s, kwat. as̠ mar̠koɫ.k ïcïn ïni.
A tiger, listening to what this man said, was sitting in the ground within the wall behind the calfshed.

4. a püs̠y uncfït.s, ‘püs̠y, on oyčïθeng, it̠ wïd̠ xis̠y oyt inu’ ïd̠fït.s, kor̠ fat̠kin’ ïd̠, kwat. as̠k fukfïn. ïni.
That tiger thought, and thinking, “If I am a tiger (püs̠y), what is this other thing that is the kis̠y?,” it entered the calfshed to seize the calf.

5. at fok, a kor̠ ufk, wïd̠ is̠y ïcïn ïni.
At that time a rat (is̠y) was sitting on the back of the calf there.

6. ay is̠y, wïd̠i nar., püs̠y ufk it̠ öθkyfïn. ïni.
The rat immediately jumped on the tiger’s back.

7. i püs̠y, ‘oho “kis̠yu” (ï)d̠t, iθïyi. enn, inem gïsfïd.či’ ïd̠ ojθ, püs̠y, kor̠n bat̠o xwïd., oj wïd.yfïs.k ïd̠ti.
This tiger thought in terror, “Oh! This is what he calls the kis̠y. It may do something to me,” and at once without at all seizing the calf, it ran away in fright – so they say.

8. ‘püs̠y, is̠yk ojšk’ ïd̠ ï gïsïyi.
The tiger acted like this because of fear of a rat.

9. ar̠s xwïl. ena
Be sure to understand, child!

Carrying tiger, goat, and bundle of grass across river

1. wïd̠ oɫ., püs̠ym, od.m, wïd̠ xud̠ fulm bït̠s fin.
A man went taking with him a tiger, a goat, and a bundle of grass.

2. paw xïd.k fïsn.
He went to a river.

3. a paw xad.θt osn.
He had to cross that river.

4. a pawar̠, mud̠n, wïnar. xar.typ ïr.tk oxocïn.
It was not possible to take the three across that river at the same time.

5. ay oɫ., pul fït, paw xad.θnwïr., püs̠y, od.n. bat̠yt efïsn.
If that man crossed the river carrying the grass, the tiger would seize the goat.

6. püs̠yn bat̠y xad.θnwïr, od., puln dïd̠t efïsn.
If he crossed taking the tiger, the goat would eat the grass.

7. iθ mud̠n, ay oɫ., e gïs, paw xar.tyu.
How will that man take these three across the river?

8. maxar̠, ay oɫ., od.n. bat̠y fod, itot.k kar.tyč, pïn fi, pul fït.fod, itot.k foc, mar̠č, od.n. atot.k fït fit xar.tyč, püs̠yn bat̠y fod, itot.k kar.tyč, pïn fič, od.n. bat̠yč fods, mud̠n, wïd̠n dïnoxos, paw xar.tyč fït̠s fitïyi.
It is necessary that that man first take the goat and come and bring it across to this bank, then go and come carrying the grass and place it on this bank, then go carrying the goat and take it across again to that bank, then come with the tiger and bring it across to this bank, then go and return with the goat (and thus) not letting the three eat one another, bring them across the river and go off with them.

The cats, the butter, and the monkey judge

1. wï noɫ., kwat̠y ed., wïd̠ as̠k fuk, pen. garθfït.s, ed.m, ‘paxt tïngim’ ïd̠, wïd̠ men. gos̠k fi ïθn ïni.
One day, when two cats had entered a house and stolen butter, the two of them said, “We will divide it and eat it,” and went to the shade of the tree and sat down.

2. iθ ed.m, karθfoy fen.n. baxtn ïni.
The two of them divided the stolen butter.

3. wïd̠ xwat̠y, ‘nïnk, upum wïd.i. enk, ïtyïyi’ ïd̠n.
One cat said, “You have too much. I have too little.”

4. ïn wïd̠ xwat̠y, ‘enk, ïtyïyi. nïnk, upumïyi’ ïd̠n.
The other cat said, “I have too little. You have too much.”

5. iθ ed.m, pen.n. baxt xïs̠oc, it̠s̠m at̠s̠m gwïd.fïn ïni.
The two of them were unable to divide the butter and quarreled with one another.

6. tur̠un.y wïd̠, a men.tk ïc, ikwat̠y ed.m gwïd.n., nwït.yθ, ‘nay nïm ed.om, ï gïs xwïd.tš in. noym wïd. osnwïr., on öštkin. it̠ fos̠ ed̠’ ïd̠n ïni.
A money sitting in that tree, when these two cats quarreled, saw it and at once said, “Hello! Why are the two of you quarreling like this? If there is a dispute, I will settle it. Come, why don’t you?”

7. a kwat̠y ed.m, ’em ed.om, i pen. ocïd., ed. polm gïs xïs̠ fišpimi. ni, wïd̠er̠ xïs θo (i)t̠ foro’ (ï)d̠n ïni.
Those two cats said, “The two of us… this butter and have been unable to make two shares. You please share it out for us, come one!”

8. i tur̠un.y, neltk at̠ ixyθ, ‘pen.n. it̠ fït̠ fo’ (ï)d̠θ, wïd̠ θarcïl fït̠ fodn ïni.
This monkey descended to the ground and saying, “Bring the butter here!” brought scales.

9. i tur̠un.y, ipen.n., wïd̠ mar̠k upumm, wïd̠ mar̠k ïtym ït. θukyn ïni.
This monkey put on this butter, too much one one side and too little on the other side, and lifted the scales.

10. wïd̠ mar̠ upum duxyfïn..
One side weighted too much.

11. a tur̠un.y, a tuxyfoy fen.s., wïd̠ foy it̠ et tïd̠n.
That monkey took off and ate a mouthful from that butter which weighed too much.

12. ïn wïd̠ mar̠, er̠k θuxyfïn..
The other side weighed down.

13. a pen.s., wïd̠ foy θïd̠n.
From that butter (the monkey) ate a mouthful.

14. mar̠č, ïn wïd̠ mar̠, er̠k θuxyfïn.
Again the other side weighed down.

15. a pen.n.m at̠ θïd̠n.
That butter also he ate.

16. iθi xïsc, i tur̠un.y, pen.n. θïd̠s fodfïn..
Doing thus, this monkey went on eating the butter.

17. i kwat̠y ed.m, ‘tam eɫ.k, pen. opor.ïyi’ ïd̠ ar̠sθ, ‘n, em eɫ.k, pen.n. saryk kïs faxt todšpy, sokïyi. it̠ fot.foy fen.n.em i(t̠) to’ (ï)d̠n ïni.
These two cats at once realized, “The two of us will get no butter,” and said “The attempt you made to divide the butter equally for the two of us is enough. Give us at least the butter that is left!”

18. a tur̠un.y, ‘on, nïm eɫ.k oy, ït finar̠m baxtfoyk, enk, wïd̠em ile fiua’ (ï)d̠θ, mïxïl fot.foy fen.n. θïd̠θ, men.tk at̠ ötyšk ïd̠ti.
The monkey at once said, “Will I have nothing for having divided the butter for you two up to now?” and ate the butter which was left remaining and climbed up the tree – so they say.

19. i kwat̠y ed.m, ‘ïl wïd. fït. onum e gïs’ ïd̠θ, ed.m per̠isy at̠ xad.θšk ïd̠ti.
These two cats said, “How is it that we became so foolish as this?” and at once they both went off empty-handed – so they say.

Riddles

1. mïs̠ iloθ xar̠θti. poy iloθ ud.ti. aθ inu. – maw, nlen
It gives milk without a nipple. It drinks without a mouth. What is it? – Rain and the earth.

2. kïr̠ wïd̠ mox, per wïd. oyu. per wïd. mox, kïr̠ wïd. oyu. aθ inu. – kwïr., kïfy.
A small child becomes big. A big child becomes small. What is it? – The horn and the ear.

3. pufm bufoθ. koym goyoθ. aθ inu. – taf.
Flowers do not bloom, and it doesn’t bear fruit. What is it? A fern.

4. püs.od.θnwïr., ‘ed̠’ ïd̠p oɫ. or.θi. aθ inu. – kwïd.y xuyti.
When it calls, there is no one who answers. What is it? – A cock crows.

5. ar̠u. ar̠ θas̠, niru. nir θas̠, kwïr.yu. kwïr.y θas̠, pufu. aθ inu. – pöɫ.k.
There is a flat stone. On the flat stone there is water. On the water there is a creeper. On the creeper there is a flower. What is it? – A lamp.

*Toda IPA Transcription and English Translation by Emeneau (Emeneau 1984: 191).

For more details regarding the IPA notation provided here please refer to Emeneau’s consonant and vowel chart.

REFERENCES:

Emeneau, Murray B. 1984. Toda grammar and texts. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society. xiii+426pp.