Rihana: Hetiba-ye Diha-fe 11

NOTE: This version of the ransom for Pitibada should go before item 8.

XI. Hetiba-fe ge Pitibada-deke Laveha.
      Freemen and Hotprince-for payment
Pitibada Hemana-me lavekohawa-me,
Hotprince Desert-in sale-giving-time-in
Hemanathe-me tiba Hetiba-fe-pe gu wiwobo-mi.
Desertedge-in lord Freemen-against eagerly was fighting.
Veba fisa-fe-de fugefe biba-fe wituvaro.
He hills-to many warriors ordered.
Sepe hetiba-fe hechu biba-fe-ke wivejo. Se kere
But freemen secretly warriors-from went.  This from
biba-fe fugewu ge hetiba-fe veba-fe-pe wiwobo.
warriors very tiredly and freemen them-against fought.
Hetiba-fe fugefe biba-fe wibiwo. Fo-mi biba-fe
Freemen many warriors killed. Living warriors
wikevejo. Niba-fe biba-fe-ye wikevejomiha wicho-mi
fled. Peasants warriors' flight were seeing,
tiba-be yala-ye diha-fe he wiko. Pitibada-ye
lord-to silver-of pieces not gave. Hotprince's
varoba Hemanathe-ye tiba-be wivejo ge wivaro:
 messenger Desertedge's lord-to came and said
Pitibada-deke Hemana-ye tiba-deke my fimyha-fe
Hotprince-for Desert's lord-for 9 great nines
lila-ye diha-fe ko-bi, Hemanathe-ye tiba
gold-of pieces must give. Desertedge-of lord
wiwevaro: "Niba-fe seba-be yala he wiko."
replied: "Peasants me-to silver not give.

Language note: the number system in Rihana-ye depends on threes and nines.
The numeral system is actually base 3 (which probably should be changed, as
it is very clumsy for large numbers) but the verbal system for discussing
number is base 9, thus here "my fimyha-fe" translated as "nine great nines" is
9x9x9 (729)--being a round number of the same level as 1000 in base 10. In another
text I have typed but not published yet, there is a military officer called a
fymyti (great nine high) who commands
81 soldiers and is equivalent to a Roman centurion.

John Leland