90 



On the Poetry of Madagascar. 



[March, 



I. — Literal translation of an Ode in praise of the Prince Rabodo. 



Long, long, may live 

 Rab6donandrianamp6ina : 

 To the South is Ambatondraf^ndana*, 

 To the North Amb6himitsimbina*, 

 To the West Amb6himiandra*, 

 To the East Amb6hijanahary* ; 

 [He is] The full moon shining in the west, 

 The rising sun rising in the east. 

 Long live Rab6do, 

 Yea Rainb6asalama, 

 And Rak6toseh£no na Rad&ma, 

 And his relations all, 

 Innumerable they ; 



The portions of land shall then be dollars, 

 The corners of the houses guns ; 

 Endrehinantsiva is his portioned land, 

 Endrehinantsiva his house ; 

 Possessing much, yet not haughty. 

 Orphans shall then be plump [with health], 

 Their mother living, then they well fed. 

 Yonder is the defence of rock, 

 Yonder the clothing of wood, 

 A fence of spears, yea second fence of men, 

 Long live Rabodonandrianamp6ina. 

 A single tree in a lake — 

 It is not " how many reign ?" 

 For there is our only master. 



By Razafilahy. 



I. Ode in praise of Prince Rabodo. 



Hono re ny veloma 



Rabodon and rianampoina 



Atsimo n' Ambatondrafandana 



Avaratry ny Ambohimitsimbina 



Andrefana Ambohimiandra 



Atsinanana Ambohijanahary 



Volana tsinana ny avy andrefana 



Feno manana ny avy atsinanana 



Veloma Rabodo 



Sy Ramboasalama 



Sy Rakotoseheno na Radama 



Sy ny havany tontonlo 



Tsy tambo isaina, 



Ny tokotany dia farantsa 



Ny zoro n'trano dia basy 

 Endrehinantsiva ny tokotany ny 

 Endrehinantsiva ny trano ny 

 Manambe tsy'mba miavona 

 Kamboty, dia dongadonga 

 Velon'dreny dia botrabotra 

 Ao ny miaketso vato 

 Ao ny miakanjo hazo 

 Rova lefona ka temitr' olona oindray 

 Veloma Rabodocandrianampoina 

 Hazo tokana an-ory 

 Tsy firy no mandidy 

 Ka tompo nay any ao. 



* Name of a village, which like all others in Imerina, standing on a hill, is a 

 poetical object. These villages being conspicuous objects, lying to the North, 

 South, &c. of Tananarivo, the prince's residence. 



