Informal story texts: Hunting Duologue

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（Play All）Informal story texts: Hunting Duologue

Peng Wugen & Peng Jingchun, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 18 July 2002

This impromptu text is a vivid portrayal of a traditional Tujia hunt in the 1950s. The hunters begin by making offerings to Meishan, the hunting goddess, and then the hunt proceeds. Men scattered over the hillside form a ring to drive game hiding in the undergrowth into an increasingly small area. Catchers trap the animals as they try to escape. The story ends with a feast after further offerings to the hunting goddess. In previous centuries many different species of wild animals were hunted, including tigers. More recently deer and wild boar were hunted, until game became scarce as a result of deforestation, which began in the late 1960s. Recent reafforestation is beginning to restore the high hillsides to their former splendour and wildlife is increasing again.

01	A: o! hu²ni¹ da⁴ha³ cai³mo¹ ru³-bo³, la³tie² sang¹ si³ ye², ye²huan¹ ga²-liao³ le da⁴ha³ mei³sang³ pu³sa³ jing²-duo³ o! B: ca²! A: Right! Everyone listen carefully, tonight is New Year's Eve. When we've finished eating, we need to go together to worship Meishan [the hunting goddess]! B: Fine!
02	A: ai¹lie¹ me ni² eng¹ge¹, ni²-nie³ ai¹di¹ huo¹qian¹ be² kuai⁴-adi²-duo³. B: kuai⁴-adiu². A: huo¹yao³ wa wo¹ bo³ da⁴ yi² ti³ huo³-xie². B: huo³-diu². A: Now, you over there, you also need to bring your gun with you. B: I've got it. A: Gunpowder, bring a pouch of it for us. B: I've brought it.
03	A: ai¹lie¹ me, ni² guo² ai¹di¹ tian³sang¹gang¹ la² jie³. tian³sang¹gang¹ la² jie³! B: tian³sang¹gang¹, da⁴ hhi²-hu³ la! A: eng¹ge¹, nga² jiu¹ me²la¹ku¹ bao¹bao¹ ga³ha². B: o! A: Right then, you give Tian Sangan a call. Call Tian Sangan too! B: Tian Sangan, let's go! A: Over there, I'm going up onto that Melaku bluff. B: Ah!
04	A: ni² le cuo⁴ zi¹ge¹ bao¹zeng¹ ga³ zu¹zu⁴-bo³. B: zu¹zu⁴-bo³-la¹. A: nga² le jiu¹ me²ting¹ ga³. B: o! A: guo² me jiu¹ nie³ti³ ku¹za⁴ ga³. B: o! A: You, position yourself on the outcrop in front of that house. B: I'm standing there now. A: I'll go up to Meting. B: Right! A: He can go up on to Nieti Hill. B: Fine!
05	A: ang² da⁴ dong²seng¹-liao³! B: ca², eng³zou²! o A: kei³ ye⁴-liao³ wa? B: zi¹ge¹ la⁴dao¹. A: a! nie³ti³ ku¹za⁴ ga³-nie³ ei¹ la² hu³, ni² xi⁴-da² huo? ca²! xi⁴-liao³ jiu¹ ca²! nga² ge³-lie¹ jiu¹ wo³! jie³ ya! o ai¹ ni² jie³ luo! B: wo³wu⁴... A: Let's set off then! B: Right, we're off! A: Where have you got to? B: I'm on the path in front. A: Hey! You there on Nieti Hill, can you hear me? Fine! If you can hear me, that's great. I'll call from here then. (hunting cry) ... your turn! B: (hunting cry)
06	A: cong² po¹ mang! lao³ga³ yi² pao¹ po¹! B: ca²! A: ai¹ nie³ti³ ku¹za⁴ ga³-bo³ yi² pao¹ po¹, ai¹lie¹ da⁴ song¹kuo¹-i o! A: Open fire! Fire a big shot! B: Right! A: Fire there over towards Nieti Hill, then we will come back together!
07	ai¹ la⁴ku¹tu³ le, ai¹ jiu¹ da⁴ wo³hong¹ wo³hong¹ mo³ eng³zi³-duo³ la, wo³ jie³ mo³ eng³zi³-duo³ la! B: ca²! wo³wu⁴... dong³a³ dong³a³... wo³wu⁴ wo³wu⁴... On that road, we need to come back calling our hunting cries together, calling as we go! B: OK! (hunting cry) (gunshots, hunting cries)
08	A: ai¹ mei³sang³ jing². B: ca²! A: ai¹ ca³pang³ di¹di¹-axie²! B: di¹di¹-adiu². A: ang! mei³sang³ pu³sa³-nie³ ku³, si¹ba¹, zong²ba¹jie²zu¹ a, cuo³xie², wa²zi¹ ai¹ wo²tu¹ re⁴kuo³kui¹ mo³ bai⁴-bo³. B: re⁴kui² bai⁴-bo³-la¹-hu³. A: Now let's worship Meishan. B: Right! A: Bring the wooden tray! B: I've brought it. A: Ah! Meishan's clothes, trousers, headscarf, shoes, socks. Lay them all out neatly on the tray. B: They're all laid out neatly.
09	A: ang ci¹ki¹ta¹ xian¹ a? B: ca²! yi²si¹ ao¹-cai³ ye⁴-ji²-liao³. A: ai¹me¹ ni² la²zu¹ ti²-liao³ hang? B: ti²-liao³. A: xian¹ a ti²-liao³ hang? B: ti²-liao³. A: Hmm, what about the paper for burning and the incense sticks? B: Yes, everything is there! A: Now, have you lit the candle? B: It's lit. A: The incense, have you lit it? B: Yes.
10	A: ca²! ai¹ jiu¹ hu²ni¹ da⁴ha³ eng¹ge¹ zu¹zu⁴-bo³-xie², da⁴ha³ pu³sa³ jing²-hu³! B: o! A: ki⁴-bo³! ki⁴-bo³! B: ki⁴-bo³-la¹-hu³. A: ka¹ta¹ la² bu² bu². B: wu²-liao³. A: nie¹ bu² bu². B: wu²-liao³. A: suo¹ bu² B: wu²-liao³. wo³wu⁴... A: Good! Now let's all stand over there together, and worship the goddess together! B: Right. A: Kneel! Kneel! B: We're kneeling. A: Kowtow once. B: I've burnt a few pieces of paper. A: Kowtow once more. B: The paper's been burnt. A: Kowtow a third time. B: The paper's been burnt. (hunting cry)
11	A: ai¹ mei³sang³ pu³sa³ o! ang²ni¹ le lei⁴ la³tie² ni² sang¹ si³ ye² po¹-bo³ jing²-liao³. ni² ai¹lie¹, jing¹hou² le ang²ni¹ kou² si³jie⁴, ang²ni¹ hong³huan⁴ ti³-ce¹. A: Goddess Meishan! We have come here on this New Year's Eve to worship you. From now on, wherever we are hunting, may we always be successful.
12	ang²ni¹ la²ji¹ jie⁴ la²ji¹ ti³-ce¹, ye¹zu¹ zuo² ye¹zu¹ ti³-ce¹; ang ang²ni¹ se²xian¹ zuo² se²xian¹ ti³-ce¹; ang² ji¹zi¹ lao⁴ zuo² be² ti³-ce¹. hhe⁴ nie¹ long³ zuo², ji³pa² ga³ ti² long⁴-bo³-hu³. la²ji¹ le, If we hunt deer, may we find them; if we go after wild boar, may we catch them; if we look for musk deer, may we find them; if we look for a muntjac, may we catch one. If we catch a couple of monkeys, we will tie them by their back legs and raise them; if we catch a deer,
13	ni² guo² jiu¹ ri⁴ huo³lie³ tao²-bo³-hu³. ai¹ jiu¹ da⁴ha³ zeng¹ye¹ cu¹yi², lao²zi¹ zeng¹ye¹ cu¹yi², da²nian³ cu¹yi², da²nian³ cu¹yi², cong² xie²-ma¹ yi²si¹ huo³ o, si³jie⁴-i, ha⁴lie³ nie¹ long³ cuo⁴-xie². B: ca²! you can use a clamp to hold it. Then together on New Year's Day, tomorrow is New Year's Day, New Year's Day, everyone who has a gun, bring it and we will go hunting. Bring a couple of dogs too. B: Fine!
14	A: ai! eng¹jie³ ye¹zu¹ lao⁴ za⁴-duo³liao³, kuai² eng³qie²! eng¹di¹ lao⁴ huan² sang¹ be¹ jing¹ xie²! B: zeng¹di¹hua¹! A: Hey! We've caught a wild boar over here, come quickly! This one must be all of three hundred pounds! B: You're right!
15	A: ai! jing¹seng¹ guo¹guo¹ jiao² ai¹di¹, eng¹ge¹la¹bi³-nie³ ai¹di¹, lang³ku³-nie³ ai¹di¹ qian² la⁴ zi² duan⁴-bo³. B: ca²! A: bai²ling³ le, ang ni² jiu¹ ta¹nie¹-nie³ qian² la² zi² duan⁴-bo³. C: qian² la² duan⁴-bo³ la. A: Hey! Ask Jingseng to handle that, that one over there, block that path over there on Langku. B: Right! A: Bailing, you block the path over the back. C: I'm blocking it now.
16	A: eng nian³sang¹ le, ni² kuai²xie¹ ri¹-lie³! ta⁴ ge³ci², ni² guo² ai¹ yan³gu², ai¹di¹ hao³kang⁴ ba⁴-i, hao³ ngang¹-bo³. D: ca² la! A: tian³mei², ni² kuai²xie¹ ni² guo² ai¹ ha⁴lie³ cuo⁴-lie³, ha⁴lie³, guo² ai¹di¹ lao¹ jiao² po¹-xie². E: ca²! A: Niansang, get a move on! Don't mess about. You go and look after the pit in the backyard, and set up the hurdle for the door. D: Right! A: Tianmei, quickly take your dogs, tell that chap to let the dog come. E: Right!
17	A: ai¹ jiu¹ da⁴ kai¹si⁴ o! duan⁴-bo³! la²ji¹ zu²-liao³! ye¹zu¹ wa lao⁴ zu²-lu³. da⁴ dang¹guo³-lu³ la! zao³ la! ye huo¹qian¹! qian² ga³ha² duan⁴-ma¹-die¹! zao¹hu¹-bo³! ni² ai¹ ji³ta³ ye⁴-liao³! ni² ai¹ ji³ta³ gu¹du⁴-bo³-la¹, A: Now we can start! Block the paths! Here comes the deer! And there's a wild boar as well! They've gone off together! They're gone! Those with guns! You lot up there! Look out! The wild boar is over there below you! It's crouching down below you,
18	nga² ge³-lie¹ duo³ yi³ ca²-la¹tai². B: yi³-liao³ da⁴ze³ la. A: ei! ti³-liao³... ti³-liao³! la²ji¹ lao⁴ ti³, cuo⁴-liao³ wa! ai! la²ji¹ lao⁴ ti³. B: cuo⁴-liao³! cuo⁴-liao³! A: sang²jing¹! sang²jing¹! I can see it very clearly from here. B: As clear as crystal. A: Hey! Got it! Got it! Caught a deer! I've brought it here! Hey! We've caught a deer! B: Got it! Got it! A: Great! Great!
19	ang²ni¹ be² luo⁴ lao³gu¹lie¹ yi² ai² si³ guo²-lang² ming, lei⁴ la³tie² be² hui¹ jing¹ ba¹ xie². B: ai¹ da⁴xi⁴-duo³-hu³, ya²-hao¹. A: ai¹lie¹ da⁴ ke⁴-lie³ da⁴ song¹kuo¹-i-hu³. B: ai¹lie¹ da⁴ song¹kuo¹-i. There are only twenty of us altogether, there'll be about a pound of meat each tonight. B: Quickly go and help then. We're lucky today. A: We'll carry it home together on a shoulder pole. B: Let's head back home.
20	A: huo⁴jiao³-die¹, da⁴ song¹kuo¹-i-hu³! B: ca²! song¹kuo¹-i-hu³! A: ai¹di¹ luo⁴ba¹-die¹ le, se² ke³du¹ hhi²-ta¹-duo³. A: Friends, let's set off home! B: Right! Let's go! A: You lads, don't run off all over the place.
21	yi²si¹ eng³qie²! ang² da⁴ reng³tu³ dian⁴. B: ca² la! A: luo⁴ ga⁴ long³ dian⁴-duo³, luo⁴ dao²di¹ gai⁴ xie²? cu¹ ye⁴-liao³ be² da⁴ha³, luo⁴ la² hu³ lao⁴ la² qi¹ xie² huo¹ nie¹ qi¹ xie², yi² lian¹ xie² huo¹ da⁴ suan² ca² la. Everyone here! Let's count heads. B: OK! A: We need to know how many we are. How many are we after all? When we get home, we need to work out how much each one will have, a pound, two pounds or less. We'll work it out.
22	ai¹me¹ you² gai⁴ cu³ le? ri¹-ma¹-suo¹ bo³. B: ai¹ luo⁴ba¹ hu³-nie³ si². A: ai¹ ha⁴lie³ nie¹ long³ la. B: ai¹ luo⁴ba¹ hu³-nie³ cu³. A: ai¹ ying²gai¹ cu³. B: ai¹ ying²gai¹ cu³. A: ai ca²! How much should we give for those who've done the work? For the hunters. B: Give the hunters some. A: What about the two dogs? B: First take some for the men. A: Take theirs. B: Take theirs A: Right!
23	ai¹me¹ ang²ni¹ zong¹gong² yi²ha¹lie¹ si¹ ai² si³ wu¹ guo², ha⁴lie³ nie¹ long³ ai² si³ qi² guo², ri⁴ la² pu¹ le la² hu³ suan², ai² si³ ba² guo². So, altogether there are twenty-five of us, plus two dogs, that makes twenty-seven, then add the one who provided the clamp, twenty-eight in all.
24	ai² si³ ba² guo², ai¹ ca¹bu¹duo¹ hui¹ gai⁴ xie², luo⁴ la² hu³? lao⁴ die³ la² qi¹ bang¹ hui¹ xie², la² qi¹ bang¹. B: la² qi¹ bang¹ meng la² qi¹ bang¹ mang. A: ai¹me¹ la² qi¹ bang¹ o. Twenty-eight, how much roughly will each one have? A pound and a half each, a pound and a half. B: A pound and a half's fine. A: A pound and a half it is, then.
25	ai¹, ni² ai¹me¹ mao³ni¹xia²huo¹ le? ai! kuai²xie¹ kuai²xie¹! ta²ku¹ duo¹, gao²-cai³ ta²ku¹ duo¹, yi² luo², yi² luo², yi² luo², yi² luo². What about the deer's entrails? Hey, quickly, quickly! Set up the pot, put it over there, cook, cook, cook.
26	luo⁴-lie³ ni² you² pu³sa³ jing²-duo³ mang. B: pu³sa³ jing²-duo³ o. A: eng! ai¹me¹ kuai²xie¹ kuai²xie¹, mao³ni¹xia²huo¹ la? B: ca² la! A: eng¹di¹ gang¹ a, hui² ya, se³pe³ ya, bi²la¹ ya, si³ ya, la²bie¹ gao¹ ya. When it's cooked, you have to worship the goddess again. B: Yes, we must worship the goddess. A: Quickly, quickly, where are the innards? B: Right! A: The liver, lungs, stomach, intestines, meat. Cook a bit of everything.
27	o! eng¹di¹ huo³lie³ la¹ye³la¹si¹ la²bie¹ gao¹. nga² gang¹ tong¹, ni² suo⁴ luo, ni² guo² mu⁴nie³ ka³zu³ huo³lie³ li⁴-bo³. B: ca²! Oh! Use this to cook a bit of everything. I'll pierce the liver, you slice it and then string the pieces up on bamboo splints. B: Right!
28	A: ni² ai¹lie¹ qian¹ qian¹ huo³lie³ huo³lie³ ce³ sa²gi¹ wo²tu¹ yi² dang⁴ luo, ai¹lie¹ mang¹mang¹ bi³bi¹kui¹ la¹ gao¹ o, ai¹lie¹ meng da⁴ a¹jie¹-liao³ meng pu³sa³ la¹ tu²-lie³ jiu¹ da⁴ ri¹, jing² ca² hang. A: Then scald each piece of liver in hot water, and cook a bit of rice. When it's cooked, give some to the goddess, then we can worship her together properly.
29	jing²-liao³ me jing¹hou² zuo², ang²ni¹ zuo²-la¹-hu³ hang, weng²ti³ zu²-ta¹, yi² cang³, ang²ni¹, guo² ang²ni¹ huan² hu¹-bo³-i hang. B: ca²! ca²! Once we've worshipped her, whenever we go hunting in the future, we won't have any problems. We're all friends here, she will always protect us. B: Great! Great!
30	A: la² long¹ hi⁴lie³ eng¹ da⁴ze³ gao¹ me la⁴li³die² le, be² da⁴ha³ ge³ci² ca² hang. ri¹-i, hhi² o. zeng¹ye¹-gang¹ a ming, da²nian³ cu¹yi² jiu¹ da⁴ kai¹zang¹-liao³! A: Every year it's right that we do things this way, it's also good to enjoy ourselves together. We'll start now. Let's go. The beginning of the year, it's only New Year's Day and we've already caught something!
31	da²nian³ cu¹yi² jiu¹ si³ lao⁴ ti³, ai¹ sang²jing¹ a! eng¹ li³-di hua¹ le hai³si² xing¹nian³ da² re⁴, da²ji³ xing¹nian³ da²ji³ ming! B: kai¹zang¹-xi² ca²! A: eng kai¹zang¹-xi² ca²! Getting meat on New Year's Day is really good! This is truly a New Year's blessing, such good luck on New Year's Day! B: This is a brilliant start to the year. A: A good start to the year! Yes!
32	ai¹me¹ jiu¹ da⁴ha³ pu³sa³ jing²-hu³! yi²si¹ eng³qie². B: ca² la! A: ai¹ ca³guan³ ti¹-liao³! B: ti¹-liao³. A: ti¹-liao³ hang. ai! wo³wu⁴... ai¹lie¹ da⁴ jie³su³-liao³! song¹kuo¹-i-hu³! B: ca²! So let's go together and worship the goddess! Let's go! B: OK! A: Put out the tea caddy! B: It's done. A: It's done. (hunting cries) Now everthing's finished! Let's head home! B: OK!