94 REV. FR. J. HOFFMANN, S.J. 



The contrasting terms man-servant and maidservant are not here intended to 

 designate any particular servants at all. They are used to convey the idea of depend- 

 ants, and even of others whom need or duty obliges to enter the forest, even like man- 

 servants who must procure from it the necessary building and fire- wood, or like the 

 maid-servant who has to bring in the leaves required daily for drinking cups and rice 

 and stew-dishes, as well as the leaves of the stunted palm for plaiting the indispensable 

 mat. Hence the lesson of the song is : Don't, for a mere delicacy, enter the dread 

 forests that swarm with wild and ferocious beasts, since so many whom need or duty 

 calls thither fall victims to them. 



A young man has been commissioned to guard a mustard-field against pilferers. 

 Two girls walk up to him and ask permission to pluck some of the coveted leaves, but 

 he remains true to his trust and refuses the permission, although they offer him their 

 trinkets. The song is meant to inculcate honesty, and does so in a truly poetic way by 

 pointing to a youth who for honesty's sake resists not only the coaxing, but even the 

 proffered trinkets, of the two charming temptresses, who after all ask but little and 

 offer more than the few mustard leaves are worth. A strong temptation indeed ! It 

 begins with an address by one of the girls drawing her companion's attention to the 

 beautiful picture which the light-green, gold-crested mustard fields present at a particular 

 season of the year. 



I 2 



Bum burure manido. 



I 2 



Beta berare rai. 



3 2 



Limang-lomonga manido . 



3 2 



Kidar-kodora rai. 



Bum means " mountain," bera means "valley" ; mani is the Mundari, rai the 

 Hindi word for " mustard " ; re is " in," and do here means l< behold ! " 



Limang-lomong means " fresh and tender," kidar-kodor means " light and wavy." 

 The repetitions bum bum and bera bera mean, even in prose, " every mountain, 

 every valley." Hence the song may closely be rendered thus : — 



Behold on every mountain mustard fields ! 

 Behold in every valley mustard fields ! 

 Behold the mustard fields so fresh and tender ! 

 Behold the mustard fields so light and wavy ! 



Here the contrasts " mountain and valley " are equivalent to such phrases as 

 " the whole country," " all around," " everywhere." 



It may be remarked here en passant that a close translation of Mundari songs is 

 often very difficult, and sometimes impossible, partly for the want of a sufficient number 

 of English synonyms, and partly for other inherent reasons. It can hardly ever be 

 more than a very poor rendering. Amongst other defects it robs them of that peculiar 

 charm which these synonymous repetitions have for the Mundas, and consequently 



