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diff --git a/2733-h/2733-h.htm b/2733-h/2733-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..abfb2b3 --- /dev/null +++ b/2733-h/2733-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7715 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Romano Lavo-Lil, by George Borrow</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + p.gutindent { margin-left: 2em; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapmediumdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .5em; + text-decoration: none;} + span.red { color: red; } + body {background-color: #ffffc0; } + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Romano Lavo-Lil, by George Borrow + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + + + + +Title: Romano Lavo-Lil + Word-Book of the Romany + + +Author: George Borrow + + + +Release Date: August 30, 2019 [eBook #2733] +[This file was first posted on July 2, 2000] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROMANO LAVO-LIL*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1905 John Murray edition by David Price, +email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/cover.jpg"> +<img alt= +"Book cover" +title= +"Book cover" + src="images/cover.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<blockquote><p>“Can you rokra Romany?<br /> +Can you play the bosh?<br /> +Can you jal adrey the staripen?<br /> +Can you chin the cost?”</p> +<p>“Can you speak the Roman tongue?<br /> +Can you play the fiddle?<br /> +Can you eat the prison-loaf?<br /> +Can you cut and whittle?”</p> +</blockquote> +<h1>ROMANO LAVO-LIL</h1> +<p style="text-align: center">WORD-BOOK OF THE ROMANY<br /> +OR, ENGLISH GYPSY LANGUAGE<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">WITH SPECIMENS OF GYPSY POETRY, AND +AN</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">ACCOUNT OF CERTAIN GYPSYRIES OR</span><br +/> +<span class="GutSmall">PLACES INHABITED BY THEM, AND</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">OF VARIOUS THINGS RELATING TO</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">GYPSY LIFE IN ENGLAND</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">By</span> +GEORGE BORROW</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">LONDON<br /> +JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W.<br /> +1905</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><a name="pageiv"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. iv</span><span class="GutSmall">PRINTED +BY</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD.,</span><br +/> +<span class="GutSmall">LONDON AND AYLESBURY.</span></p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p><a name="pagev"></a><span class="pagenum">p. v</span><span +class="smcap">The</span> Author of the present work wishes to +state that the Vocabulary, which forms part of it, has existed in +manuscript for many years. It is one of several +vocabularies of various dialects of the Gypsy tongue, made by him +in different countries. The most considerable—that of +the dialect of the Zincali or Rumijelies (Romany Chals) of +Spain—was published in the year 1841. Amongst those +which remain unpublished is one of the Transylvanian Gypsy, made +principally at Kolosvār in the year 1844.</p> +<p><i>December</i> 1, 1873.</p> +<h2><a name="pagevii"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +vii</span>CONTENTS</h2> +<table> +<tr> +<td><p> </p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span +class="GutSmall">PAGE</span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">The English Gypsy Language</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page3">3</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Romano Lavo-Lil</span>: <span +class="smcap">Word-Book of the Romany</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page15">15</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Rhymed List of Gypsy Verbs</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page71">71</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Betie Rokrapenes</span>: <span +class="smcap">Little Sayings</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page76">76</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Cotorres of Mi-Dibble’s Lil +chiv’d adrey Romanes</span>: <span class="smcap">Pieces of +Scripture cast into Romany</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page85">85</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">The Lord’s Prayer in the Gypsy +Dialect of Transylvania</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page92">92</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Lil of Romano Jinnypen</span>: <span +class="smcap">Book of the Wisdom of the Egyptians</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page96">96</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Romane Navior of Temes and +Gavior</span>: <span class="smcap">Gypsy Names of Countries and +Towns</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page112">112</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Thomas Rossar-mescro, or Thomas +Herne</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page118">118</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Kokkodus Artarus</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page129">129</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Mang, Prala</span>: <span +class="smcap">Beg on, Brother</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page132">132</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td colspan="2"><p><span class="smcap">English Gypsy +Songs</span>:—</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Welling +Kattaney</span>: <span class="smcap">The Gypsy Meeting</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page132">132</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Lelling +Cappi</span>: <span class="smcap">Making a Fortune</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page136">136</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">The Dui +Chalor</span>: <span class="smcap">The Two Gypsies</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page138">138</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Miro Romany +Chi</span>: <span class="smcap">My Roman Lass</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page142">142</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Ava</span>, <span +class="smcap">Chi</span>: <span class="smcap">Yes</span>, <span +class="smcap">my Girl</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page146">146</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">The Temeskoe +Rye</span>: <span class="smcap">The Youthful Earl</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page146">146</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Camo-Gillie</span>: +<span class="smcap">Love-Song</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page148">148</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><a name="pageviii"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. viii</span><span class="smcap">Tugnis +Amande</span>: <span class="smcap">Woe is me</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page150">150</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">The Rye and the +Rawne</span>: <span class="smcap">The Squire and Lady</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page152">152</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Romany Suttur +Gillie</span>: <span class="smcap">Gypsy Lullaby</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page154">154</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Sharrafi +Kralyissa</span>: <span class="smcap">Our Blessed +Queen</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page156">156</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Plastra +Lesti</span>: <span class="smcap">Run for it</span>!</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page156">156</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Foreign Gypsy Songs</span>:—</p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"> </p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">The Romany +Songstress</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page161">161</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span +class="smcap">L’Erajai</span>: <span class="smcap">The +Frair</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page162">162</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Malbrun</span>: +<span class="smcap">Malbrouk</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page164">164</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td colspan="2"><p><span class="smcap">The English +Gypsies</span>:—</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Tugney +Beshor</span>: <span class="smcap">Sorrowful Years</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page172">172</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Their +History</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page174">174</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Gypsy Names</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page185">185</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Fortune-Telling</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page197">197</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">The Hukni</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page201">201</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">Cauring</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page202">202</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td colspan="2"><p><span class="smcap">Metropolitan +Gypsyries</span>:—</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span +class="smcap">Wandsworth</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page207">207</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">The +Potteries</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page228">228</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p class="gutindent"><span class="smcap">The Mount</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page235">235</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Ryley Bosvil</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page241">241</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><span class="smcap">Kirk Yetholm</span></p> +</td> +<td><p style="text-align: right"><span class="indexpageno"><a +href="#page253">253</a></span></p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2><a name="page3"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 3</span>THE +ENGLISH GYPSY LANGUAGE</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Gypsies of England call their +language, as the Gypsies of many other countries call theirs, +<i>Romany</i> or <i>Romanes</i>, a word either derived from the +Indian <i>Ram</i> or <i>Rama</i>, which signifies a husband, or +from the town Rome, which took its name either from the Indian +<i>Ram</i>, or from the Gaulic word, <i>Rom</i>, which is nearly +tantamount to husband or man, for as the Indian <i>Ram</i> means +a husband or man, so does the Gaulic <i>Pom</i> signify that +which constitutes a man and enables him to become a husband.</p> +<p>Before entering on the subject of the English Gypsy, I may +perhaps be expected to say something about the original Gypsy +tongue. It is, however, very difficult to say with +certainty anything on the subject. There can be no doubt +that a veritable Gypsy tongue at one time existed, but that it at +present exists there is great doubt indeed. The probability +is that the Gypsy at present exists only in dialects more or less +like the language originally spoken by the Gypsy or Zingaro +race. Several dialects of the Gypsy are <a +name="page4"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 4</span>to be found +which still preserve along with a considerable number of +seemingly original words certain curious grammatical forms, quite +distinct from those of any other speech. Others are little +more than jargons, in which a certain number of Gypsy words are +accommodated to the grammatical forms of the languages of +particular countries. In the foremost class of the purer +Gypsy dialects, I have no hesitation in placing those of Russia, +Wallachia, Bulgaria, and Transylvania. They are so alike, +that he who speaks one of them can make himself very well +understood by those who speak any of the rest; from whence it may +reasonably be inferred that none of them can differ much from the +original Gypsy speech; so that when speaking of Gypsy language, +any one of these may be taken as a standard. One of +them—I shall not mention which—I have selected for +that purpose, more from fancy than any particular reason.</p> +<p>The Gypsy language, then, or what with some qualification I +may call such, may consist of some three thousand words, the +greater part of which are decidedly of Indian origin, being +connected with the Sanscrit or some other Indian dialect; the +rest consist of words picked up by the Gypsies from various +languages in their wanderings from the East. It has two +genders, masculine and feminine; <i>o</i> represents the +masculine and <i>i</i> the feminine: for example, <i>boro +rye</i>, a great gentleman; <i>bori rani</i>, a great lady. +There is properly no indefinite article: <i>gajo</i> or +<i>gorgio</i>, a man or gentile; <i>o gajo</i>, the man. +The noun has two numbers, the singular and the plural. It +has various cases formed by postpositions, but has, strictly +speaking, <a name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 5</span>no +genitive. It has prepositions as well as postpositions; +sometimes the preposition is used with the noun and sometimes the +postposition: for example, <i>cad o gav</i>, from the town; +<i>chungale mannochendar</i>, evil men from, <i>i.e.</i> from +evil men. The verb has no infinitive; in lieu thereof, the +conjunction ‘that’ is placed before some person of +some tense. ‘I wish to go’ is expressed in +Gypsy by <i>camov te jaw</i>, literally, I wish that I go; thou +wishest to go, <i>caumes te jas</i>, thou wishest that thou +goest; <i>caumen te jallan</i>, they wish that they go. +Necessity is expressed by the impersonal verb and the conjunction +‘that’: <i>hom te jay</i>, I must go; lit. I am that +I go; <i>shan te jallan</i>, they are that they go; and so +on. There are words to denote the numbers from one up to a +thousand. For the number nine there are two words, +<i>nu</i> and <i>ennyo</i>. Almost all the Gypsy numbers +are decidedly connected with the Sanscrit.</p> +<p>After these observations on what may be called the best +preserved kind of Gypsy, I proceed to a lower kind, that of +England. The English Gypsy speech is very scanty, amounting +probably to not more than fourteen hundred words, the greater +part of which seem to be of Indian origin. The rest form a +strange medley taken by the Gypsies from various Eastern and +Western languages: some few are Arabic, many are Persian; some +are Sclavo-Wallachian, others genuine Sclavonian. Here and +there a Modern Greek or Hungarian word is discoverable; but in +the whole English Gypsy tongue I have never noted but one French +word—namely, <i>tass</i> or <i>dass</i>, by which some of +the very old Gypsies occasionally call a cup.</p> +<p><a name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 6</span>Their +vocabulary being so limited, the Gypsies have of course words of +their own only for the most common objects and ideas; as soon as +they wish to express something beyond these they must have +recourse to English, and even to express some very common +objects, ideas, and feelings, they are quite at a loss in their +own tongue, and must either employ English words or very vague +terms indeed. They have words for the sun and the moon, but +they have no word for the stars, and when they wish to name them +in Gypsy, they use a word answering to +‘lights.’ They have a word for a horse and for +a mare, but they have no word for a colt, which in some other +dialects of the Gypsy is called <i>kuro</i>; and to express a +colt they make use of the words <i>tawno gry</i>, a little horse, +which after all may mean a pony. They have words for black, +white, and red, but none for the less positive colours—none +for grey, green, and yellow. They have no definite word +either for hare or rabbit; <i>shoshoi</i>, by which they +generally designate a rabbit, signifies a hare as well, and +<i>kaun-engro</i>, a word invented to distinguish a hare, and +which signifies ear-fellow, is no more applicable to a hare than +to a rabbit, as both have long ears. They have no certain +word either for to-morrow or yesterday, <i>collico</i> signifying +both indifferently. A remarkable coincidence must here be +mentioned, as it serves to show how closely related are Sanscrit +and Gypsy. <i>Shoshoi</i> and <i>collico</i> are nearly of +the same sound as the Sanscrit <i>sasa</i> and <i>kalya</i>, and +exactly of the same import; for as the Gypsy <i>shoshoi</i> +signifies both hare and rabbit, and <i>collico</i> to-morrow as +well as yesterday, so does the Sanscrit <a name="page7"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 7</span><i>sasa</i> signify both hare and +rabbit, and <i>kalya</i> to-morrow as well as yesterday.</p> +<p>The poverty of their language in nouns the Gypsies endeavour +to remedy by the frequent use of the word <i>engro</i>. +This word affixed to a noun or verb turns it into something +figurative, by which they designate, seldom very appropriately, +some object for which they have no positive name. +<i>Engro</i> properly means a fellow, and <i>engri</i>, which is +the feminine or neuter modification, a thing. When the noun +or verb terminates in a vowel, <i>engro</i> is turned into +<i>mengro</i>, and <i>engri</i> into <i>mengri</i>. I have +already shown how, by affixing <i>engro</i> to <i>kaun</i>, the +Gypsies have invented a word to express a hare. In like +manner, by affixing <i>engro</i> to <i>pov</i>, earth, they have +coined a word for a potato, which they call <i>pov-engro</i> or +<i>pov-engri</i>, earth-fellow or thing; and by adding +<i>engro</i> to <i>rukh</i>, or <i>mengro</i> to <i>rooko</i>, +they have really a very pretty figurative name for a squirrel, +which they call <i>rukh-engro</i> or <i>rooko-mengro</i>, +literally a fellow of the tree. <i>Poggra-mengri</i>, a +breaking thing, and <i>pea-mengri</i>, a drinking thing, by which +they express, respectively, a mill and a teapot, will serve as +examples of the manner by which they turn verbs into +substantives. This method of finding names for objects, for +which there are properly no terms in Gypsy, might be carried to a +great length—much farther, indeed, than the Gypsies are in +the habit of carrying it: a slack-rope dancer might be termed +<i>bittitardranoshellokellimengro</i>, or +slightly-drawn-rope-dancing fellow; a drum, +<i>duicoshtcurenomengri</i>, or a thing beaten by two sticks; a +tambourine, <i>angustrecurenimengri</i>, or a thing beaten by the +fingers; <a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>and +a fife, <i>muipudenimengri</i>, or thing blown by the +mouth. All these compound words, however, would be more or +less indefinite, and far beyond the comprehension of the Gypsies +in general.</p> +<p>The verbs are very few, and with two or three exceptions +expressive only of that which springs from what is physical and +bodily, totally unconnected with the mind, for which, indeed, the +English Gypsy has no word; the term used for mind, +<i>zi</i>—which is a modification of the Hungarian +<i>sziv</i>—meaning heart. There are such verbs in +this dialect as to eat, drink, walk, run, hear, see, live, die; +but there are no such verbs as to hope, mean, hinder, prove, +forbid, teaze, soothe. There is the verb <i>apasavello</i>, +I believe; but that word, which is Wallachian, properly means +being trusted, and was incorporated in the Gypsy language from +the Gypsies obtaining goods on trust from the Wallachians, which +they never intended to pay for. There is the verb for love, +<i>camova</i>; but that word is expressive of physical desire, +and is connected with the Sanscrit <i>Cama</i>, or Cupid. +Here, however, the English must not triumph over the Gypsies, as +their own verb ‘love’ is connected with a Sanscrit +word signifying ‘lust.’ One pure and abstract +metaphysical verb the English Gypsy must be allowed to +possess—namely, <i>penchava</i>, I think, a word of +illustrious origin, being derived from the Persian +<i>pendashtan</i>.</p> +<p>The English Gypsies can count up to six, and have the numerals +for ten and twenty, but with those for seven, eight, and nine, +perhaps not three Gypsies in England are acquainted. When +they <a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>wish to +express those numerals in their own language, they have recourse +to very uncouth and roundabout methods, saying for seven, <i>dui +trins ta yeck</i>, two threes and one; for eight, <i>dui +stors</i>, or two fours; and for nine, <i>desh sore but yeck</i>, +or ten all but one. Yet at one time the English Gypsies +possessed all the numerals as their Transylvanian, Wallachian, +and Russian brethren still do; even within the last fifty years +there were Gypsies who could count up to a hundred. These +were <i>tatchey Romany</i>, real Gypsies, of the old sacred black +race, who never slept in a house, never entered a church, and +who, on their death-beds, used to threaten their children with a +curse, provided they buried them in a churchyard. The two +last of them rest, it is believed, some six feet deep beneath the +moss of a wild, hilly heath,—called in Gypsy the +<i>Heviskey Tan</i>, or place of holes; in English, +Mousehold,—near an ancient city, which the Gentiles call +Norwich, and the Romans the <i>Chong Gav</i>, or the town of the +hill.</p> +<p>With respect to Grammar, the English Gypsy is perhaps in a +worse condition than with respect to words. Attention is +seldom paid to gender; <i>boro rye</i> and <i>boro rawnie</i> +being said, though as <i>rawnie</i> is feminine, <i>bori</i> and +not <i>boro</i> should be employed. The proper Gypsy plural +terminations are retained in nouns, but in declension +prepositions are generally substituted for postpositions, and +those prepositions English. The proper way of conjugating +verbs is seldom or never observed, and the English method is +followed. They say, I <i>dick</i>, I see, instead of +<i>dico</i>; I <i>dick’d</i>, I saw, instead of +<i>dikiom</i>; if I had <i>dick’d</i>, instead of +<i>dikiomis</i>. Some of the peculiar features <a +name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>of Gypsy +grammar yet retained by the English Gypsies will be found noted +in the Dictionary.</p> +<p>I have dwelt at some length on the deficiencies and shattered +condition of the English Gypsy tongue; justice, however, compels +me to say that it is far purer and less deficient than several of +the continental Gypsy dialects. It preserves far more of +original Gypsy peculiarities than the French, Italian, and +Spanish dialects, and its words retain more of the original Gypsy +form than the words of those three; moreover, however scanty it +may be, it is far more copious than the French or the Italian +Gypsy, though it must be owned that in respect to copiousness it +is inferior to the Spanish Gypsy, which is probably the richest +in words of all the Gypsy dialects in the world, having names for +very many of the various beasts, birds, and creeping things, for +most of the plants and fruits, for all the days of the week, and +all the months in the year; whereas most other Gypsy dialects, +the English amongst them, have names for only a few common +animals and insects, for a few common fruits and natural +productions, none for the months, and only a name for a single +day—the Sabbath—which name is a modification of the +Modern Greek +<i>κυριακηὴ</i>.</p> +<p>Though the English Gypsy is generally spoken with a +considerable alloy of English words and English grammatical +forms, enough of its proper words and features remain to form +genuine Gypsy sentences, which shall be understood not only by +the Gypsies of England, but by those of Russia, Hungary, +Wallachia, and even of Turkey; for example:—</p> +<blockquote><p><a name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +11</span>Kek man camov te jib bolli-mengreskoenæs,<br /> +Man camov te jib weshenjugalogonæs.</p> +<p>I do not wish to live like a baptized person. <a +name="citation11a"></a><a href="#footnote11a" +class="citation">[11a]</a><br /> +I wish to live like a dog of the wood. <a +name="citation11b"></a><a href="#footnote11b" +class="citation">[11b]</a></p> +</blockquote> +<p>It is clear-sounding and melodious, and well adapted to the +purposes of poetry. Let him who doubts peruse attentively +the following lines:—</p> +<blockquote><p>Coin si deya, coin se dado?<br /> +Pukker mande drey Romanes,<br /> +Ta mande pukkeravava tute.</p> +<p>Rossar-mescri minri deya!<br /> +Wardo-mescro minro dado!<br /> +Coin se dado, coin si deya?<br /> +Mande’s pukker’d tute drey Romanes;<br /> +Knau pukker tute mande.</p> +<p>Petulengro minro dado,<br /> +Purana minri deya!<br /> +Tatchey Romany si men—<br /> +Mande’s pukker’d tute drey Romanes,<br /> +Ta tute’s pukker’d mande.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>The first three lines of the above ballad are perhaps the +oldest specimen of English Gypsy at present extant, and perhaps +the purest. They are at least as old as the time of +Elizabeth, and can pass among the Zigany in the heart of Russia +for Ziganskie. The other lines are not so ancient. +The piece is composed in a metre something like that of the +ancient Sclavonian songs, and contains the questions which two +strange Gypsies, who suddenly meet, put to each other, and the +answers which they return.</p> +<h2><a name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>ROMANO +LAVO-LIL—WORD-BOOK OF THE ROMANY</h2> +<p><a name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 14</span>In +using the following Vocabulary the Continental manner of +pronouncing certain vowels will have to be observed: thus +<i>ava</i> must be pronounced like <i>auva</i>, according to the +English style; <i>ker</i> like <i>kare</i>, <i>miro</i> like +<i>meero</i>, <i>zi</i> like <i>zee</i>, and <i>puro</i> as if it +were written <i>pooro.</i></p> +<h3><a name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>A</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Abri</span>, <i>ad. prep.</i> Out, +not within, abroad: soving abri, sleeping abroad, not in a +house. <i>Celtic</i>, Aber (the mouth or outlet of a +river).</p> +<p>Acai / Acoi, <i>ad.</i> Here.</p> +<p>Adje, <i>v. n.</i> To stay, stop. <i>See</i> Atch, +az.</p> +<p>Adrey, <i>prep.</i> Into.</p> +<p>Ajaw, <i>ad.</i> So. <i>Wallachian</i>, Asha.</p> +<p>Aladge, <i>a.</i> Ashamed. <i>Sans.</i> +Latch, laj.</p> +<p>Aley, <i>ad.</i> Down: soving aley, lying down; to kin +aley, to buy off, ransom. <i>Hun.</i> Ala, alat.</p> +<p>Amande, <i>pro. pers. dat.</i> To me.</p> +<p>An, <i>v. a. imp.</i> Bring: an lis opré, bring +it up.</p> +<p>Ana, <i>v.</i> a. Bring. <i>Sans.</i> +Ani.</p> +<p>Ando, <i>prep.</i> In.</p> +<p>Anglo, <i>prep.</i> Before.</p> +<p>Apasavello, <i>v. n.</i> I believe.</p> +<p>Apopli, <i>ad.</i> Again. <i>Spanish Gypsy</i>, +Apala (after). <i>Wal.</i> Apoi (then, afterwards).</p> +<p>Apré, <i>ad. prep.</i> Up: kair lis apré, +do it up. <i>Vid.</i> Opré.</p> +<p>Aranya / Araunya, <i>s.</i> Lady. <i>Hungarian +Gypsy</i>, Aranya. <i>See</i> Rawnie.</p> +<p><a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>Artav / +Artavello, <i>v. a.</i> To pardon, forgive. +<i>Wal.</i> Ierta. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Estomar.</p> +<p>Artapen, <i>s.</i> Pardon, forgiveness.</p> +<p>Artáros. Arthur.</p> +<p>Asā / Asau, <i>ad.</i> Also, likewise, too: meero +pal asau, my brother also.</p> +<p>Asarlas, <i>ad.</i> At all, in no manner.</p> +<p>Asa. An affix used in forming the second person singular +of the present tense; <i>e.g.</i> camasa, thou lovest.</p> +<p>Astis, <i>a.</i> Possible, it is possible: astis +mangué, I can; astis lengué, they can.</p> +<p>Ashā / Ashaw, <i>ad.</i> So: ashaw sorlo, so +early. <i>Wal.</i> Asha. <i>See</i> Ajaw.</p> +<p>Atch, <i>v. n.</i> To stay, stop.</p> +<p>Atch opré. Keep up.</p> +<p>Atraish, <i>a. part.</i> Afraid. +<i>Sans.</i> Tras (to fear), atrāsït +(frightened). <i>See</i> Traish.</p> +<p>Av, <i>imperat.</i> of Ava, to come: av abri, come out.</p> +<p>Ava, <i>ad.</i> Yes. <i>Sans.</i> Eva.</p> +<p>Ava, <i>v. a.</i> To come.</p> +<p>Avata acoi. Come thou here.</p> +<p>Avali, <i>ad.</i> Yes. <i>Wal.</i> Aieva +(really).</p> +<p>Avava. An affix by which the future tense of a verb is +formed, <i>e.g.</i> mor-avava, I will kill. <i>See</i> +Vava.</p> +<p>Aukko, <i>ad.</i> Here.</p> +<p>Az, <i>v. n.</i> To stay.</p> +<h3>B</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Bal</span>, <i>s.</i> Hair. +<i>Tibetian</i>, Bal (wool). <i>Sans.</i> Bala +(hair).</p> +<p>Baleneskoe, <i>a.</i> Hairy.</p> +<p>Balormengro. A hairy fellow; Hearne, the name of a Gypsy +tribe.</p> +<p>Balanser, <i>s.</i> The coin called a sovereign.</p> +<p>Ballivas, <i>s.</i> Bacon. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Balibá.</p> +<p>Bangalo, <i>a.</i> Devilish. <i>See</i> Beng, +bengako.</p> +<p><a name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>Bango, +<i>a.</i> Left, sinister, wrong, false: bango wast, the +left hand; to saulohaul bango, like a plastra-mengro, to swear +bodily like a Bow-street runner. <i>Sans.</i> Pangu +(lame). <i>Hun.</i> Pang, pangó (stiff, lazy, +paralysed).</p> +<p>Bar, <i>s.</i> A stone, a stoneweight, a pound +sterling. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Bar. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Bar. <i>Hindustani</i>, Puthur. <i>Wal.</i> +Piatre. <i>Fr.</i> Pierre. <i>Gr. +βάρος</i> (weight).</p> +<p>Bareskey, <i>a.</i> Stony.</p> +<p>Bark, <i>s.</i> Breast, woman’s breast.</p> +<p>Bas / Base, <i>s.</i> Pound sterling. <i>Wal.</i> +Pes (a weight, burden).</p> +<p>Bas-engro, <i>s.</i> A shepherd. <i>Run.</i> +Bacso.</p> +<p>Bashadi, <i>s.</i> A fiddle.</p> +<p>Bata, <i>s.</i> A bee. <i>Sans.</i> +Pata.</p> +<p>Bau, <i>s.</i> Fellow, comrade. <i>See</i> +Baw.</p> +<p>Baul, <i>s.</i> Snail. <i>See</i> Bowle.</p> +<p>Baulo, <i>s.</i> Pig, swine. The proper meaning of +this word is anything swollen, anything big or bulky. It is +connected with the English bowle or bole, the trunk of a tree; +also with bowl, boll, and belly; also with whale, the largest of +fish, and wale, a tumour; also with the Welsh <i>bol</i>, a +belly, and <i>bala</i>, a place of springs and eruptions. +It is worthy of remark that the English word pig, besides +denoting the same animal as <i>baulo</i>, is of the same original +import, being clearly derived from the same root as big, that +which is bulky, and the Turkish <i>buyuk</i>, great, huge, +vast.</p> +<p>Baulie-mas, <i>s.</i> Pork, swine’s flesh.</p> +<p>Bavano. Windy, broken-winded.</p> +<p>Bavol, <i>s.</i> Wind, air. <i>Sans.</i> +Pavana. <i>See</i> Beval.</p> +<p>Bavol-engro, <i>s.</i> A wind-fellow; figurative name +for a ghost.</p> +<p>Baw, bau, <i>s.</i> Fellow, comrade: probably the same +as the English country-word baw, bor. <i>Ger.</i> +Bauer. Av acoi, baw, Come here, fellow. Boer, in +Wallachian, signifies a boyard or lord.</p> +<p>Beano, <i>part. pass.</i> Born.</p> +<p><a name="page18"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 18</span>Beano +abri. Born out of doors, like a Gypsy or vagrant.</p> +<p>Bebee, <i>s.</i> Aunt. <i>Rus.</i> Baba +(grandmother, old woman, hag); Baba Yagā, the female demon +of the Steppes.</p> +<p>Beng / Bengui, <i>s.</i> Devil. <i>Sans.</i> +Pangka (mud). According to the Hindu mythology, there is a +hell of mud; the bengues of the Gypsies seem to be its +tenants.</p> +<p>Bengako tan, <i>s.</i> Hell. Lit. place belonging +to devils.</p> +<p>Bengeskoe potan. Devil’s tinder, sulphur.</p> +<p>Bengeskoe / Benglo, <i>a.</i> Devilish.</p> +<p>Bengree, <i>s.</i> Waistcoat. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Blani. <i>Wal.</i> (Blāni fur).</p> +<p>Berro, béro, <i>s.</i> A ship, a hulk for +convicts. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Bero, las galeras, the galleys; +presidio, convict garrison.</p> +<p>Ber-engro, <i>s.</i> A sailor.</p> +<p>Bero-rukh, <i>s.</i> A mast.</p> +<p>Bersh / Besh, <i>s.</i> A year. <i>Sans.</i> +Varsha. He could cour drey his besh, he could fight in his +time.</p> +<p>Bershor, <i>pl.</i> Years.</p> +<p>Besh, <i>v. n.</i> To sit: beshel, he sits.</p> +<p>Beshaley / Beshly, Gypsy name of the Stanley tribe.</p> +<p>Besh-engri, <i>s.</i> A chair. <i>See</i> +Skammen.</p> +<p>Beti, <i>a.</i> Little, small.</p> +<p>Beval, <i>s.</i> Wind. <i>See</i> Bavol.</p> +<p>Bi, <i>prep.</i> Without: bi luvvu, without money.</p> +<p>Bicunyie, <i>a.</i> Alone, undone: meklis <i>or</i> +mukalis bicunyie, let it alone.</p> +<p>Bikhin / Bin <i>v. a.</i> To sell. +<i>Hin.</i> Bikna.</p> +<p>Bikhnipen, <i>s.</i> Sale.</p> +<p>Birk, <i>s.</i> Woman’s breast. <i>See</i> +Bark.</p> +<p>Bis, <i>a.</i> Twenty.</p> +<p>Bisheni, <i>s.</i> The ague.</p> +<p>Bitch / Bitcha, <i>v. a.</i> To send. +<i>Sans.</i> Bis, bisa.</p> +<p>Bitched / Bitcheno, <i>part. pass.</i> Sent</p> +<p><a name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +19</span>Bitcheno pawdel. Sent across, transported.</p> +<p>Bitti, <i>s. a.</i> Small, piece, a little. This +word is not true Gypsy.</p> +<p>Bloen / Blowing, A cant word, but of Gypsy origin, signifying +a sister in debauchery, as Pal denotes a brother in +villainy. It is the Plani and Beluñi of the Spanish +Gypsies, by whom sometimes Beluñi is made to signify +queen; <i>e.g.</i> Beluñi de o tarpe (tem opré), +the Queen of Heaven, the Virgin. Blower is used by Lord +Byron, in his ‘Don Juan.’ Speaking of the +highwayman whom the Don shoots in the vicinity of London, he says +that he used to go to such-and-such places of public resort +with—his blowen.</p> +<p>Bob, <i>s.</i> A bean. <i>Wal.</i> Bob: <i>pl.</i> +bobbis, bobs.</p> +<p>Boccalo, <i>a.</i> Hungry: boccalé pers, hungry +bellies.</p> +<p>Bokht, <i>s.</i> Luck, fortune: kosko bokht, good +luck. <i>Sans.</i> Bhãgya. <i>Pers.</i> +Bakht.</p> +<p>Bokra, <i>s.</i> A sheep. <i>Hun.</i> Birka.</p> +<p>Bokra-choring. Sheep-stealing.</p> +<p>Bokkar-engro, <i>s.</i> A shepherd: bokkar-engro drey, +the dude, man in the moon.</p> +<p>Bokkari-gueri, <i>s.</i> Shepherdess.</p> +<p>Bokkeriskoe, <i>a.</i> Sheepish, belonging to a sheep: +bokkeriskey piré, sheep’s feet.</p> +<p>Bolla, <i>v. a.</i> To baptize.</p> +<p>Bonnek, <i>s.</i> Hold: lel bonnek, to take hold.</p> +<p>Booko, <i>s.</i> Liver. <i>See</i> Bucca.</p> +<p>Bolleskoe divvus. Christmas-day; <i>query</i>, baptismal +day. <i>Wal.</i> Botez (baptism).</p> +<p>Bollimengreskoenaes. After the manner of a +Christian.</p> +<p>Boogones, <i>s.</i> Smallpox, pimples. <i>See</i> +Bugnior.</p> +<p>Bor, <i>s.</i> A hedge.</p> +<p>Boona, <i>a.</i> Good. <i>Lat.</i> Bonus. +<i>Wal.</i> Boun.</p> +<p>Booty, <i>s.</i> Work.</p> +<p>Bori, <i>a. fem.</i> Big with child, enceinte.</p> +<p><a name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 20</span>Booty, +<i>v. a.</i> To work, labour.</p> +<p>Boro, <i>a.</i> Great, big. <i>Hin.</i> +Bura. <i>Mod. Gr. βαρὺς</i> +(heavy).</p> +<p>Borobeshemeskeguero, <i>s.</i> Judge, +<i>great-sitting-fellow</i>.</p> +<p>Boro Gav. London, big city. <i>See</i> Lundra.</p> +<p>Boronashemeskrutan. Epsom race-course.</p> +<p>Bosh, <i>s.</i> Fiddle. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian +which cannot be reproduced] Bazee, baz (play, joke), whence the +English cant word ‘bosh.’ <i>See</i> +Bashadi.</p> +<p>Boshomengro, <i>s.</i> Fiddler.</p> +<p>Bosno / Boshno, <i>s.</i> A cock, male-bird. +<i>Sans.</i> Puchchin. <i>Wal.</i> Bosh (testicle). +<i>Gaelic</i>, Baois (libidinousness).</p> +<p>Boshta, <i>s.</i> A saddle.</p> +<p>Bostaris, <i>s.</i> A bastard.</p> +<p>Bovalo, <i>a.</i> Rich. <i>Sans.</i> Bala +(strong).</p> +<p>Bowle, <i>s.</i> Snail. <i>See</i> Baul.</p> +<p>Brishen / Brisheno, <i>s.</i> Rain. <i>Hun. +Gyp.</i> Breshino. <i>Sans.</i> Vrish. <i>Mod. Gr. +βρέξιμον</i>.</p> +<p>Brisheneskey, <i>a.</i> Rainy: brisheneskey rarde, a +rainy night; brisheneskey chiros, a time of rain. <i>Mod. +Gr. καιρὸς +βροχερός</i>.</p> +<p>Bucca, <i>s.</i> Liver. <i>Sans.</i> Bucca +(heart). <i>Wal.</i> Phikat.</p> +<p>Bucca naflipen, <i>s.</i> Liver-complaint.</p> +<p>Buchee, <i>s.</i> Work, labour. <i>See</i> +Butsi.</p> +<p>Buddigur, <i>s.</i> A shop. <i>Span.</i> +Bodega.</p> +<p>Buddikur divvus, <i>s.</i> Shopping-day: Wednesday, +Saturday.</p> +<p>Bugnes / Bugnior, <i>s. pl.</i> Smallpox, +blisters. <i>Gael.</i> Boc (a pimple), bolg (a blister), +bolgach (small-pox). <i>Wal.</i> Mougour (a bud). +<i>Fr.</i> Bourgeon.</p> +<p>Buklo, <i>a.</i> Hungry: buklo tan, hungry spot, a +common. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Buklo tan (a wilderness).</p> +<p>Bul, <i>s.</i> Rump, buttock.</p> +<p>Bungshoror / Bungyoror, <i>s. pl.</i> Corks.</p> +<p>Busnis / Busnior, <i>s. pl.</i> Spurs, prickles. +<i>Mod. Gr. βάσανοω</i> +(pain, torment).</p> +<p>Buroder, <i>ad.</i> More: <i>ad.</i> ne buroder, no +more.</p> +<p>Bute, <i>a. ad.</i> Much, very. <i>Hin.</i> +Būt.</p> +<p><a name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>Butsi / +Buty, <i>s.</i> Work, labour.</p> +<p>Butying. Working.</p> +<h3>C</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Caen</span> / Cane, <i>v. n.</i> To +stink.</p> +<p>Caenipen / Canipen, <i>s</i>. A stench.</p> +<p>Caeninaflipen, <i>s.</i> Stinking sickness, the plague, +gaol-fever. The old cant word Canihen, signifying the +gaol-fever, is derived from this Gypsy term.</p> +<p>Candelo / Cannelo, <i>a.</i> Stinking: cannelo mas, +stinking meat. <i>Sans.</i> Gandha (smell).</p> +<p>Callico / Collico, <i>s.</i> To-morrow, also yesterday: +collico sorlo, to-morrow morning. <i>Sans.</i> Kalya. +<i>Hin.</i> Kal (to-morrow, yesterday).</p> +<p>Cana, <i>ad.</i> Now: cana sig, now soon. +<i>See</i> Kanau, knau.</p> +<p>Cam, <i>s.</i> The sun. <i>Hin.</i> +Khan. <i>Heb.</i> Khama (the sun), kham (heat).</p> +<p>Cam. To wish, desire, love.</p> +<p>Cam / Camello / Camo, <i>v. a.</i> To love. +<i>Sans.</i> Cama (love). Cupid; from which Sanscrit +word the Latin Amor is derived.</p> +<p>Cambori / Cambri, <i>a.</i> Pregnant, big with +child.</p> +<p>Camlo / Caumlo, Lovel, name of a Gypsy tribe. Lit. +amiable. With this word the English “comely” is +connected.</p> +<p>Camo-mescro, <i>s.</i> A lover; likewise the name +Lovel.</p> +<p>Can, <i>s.</i> The sun.</p> +<p>Can, <i>s.</i> An ear. <i>See</i> Kaun.</p> +<p>Cana, <i>ad.</i> Now: cana sig, now soon. +<i>See</i> Kanau.</p> +<p>Canáfi / Canapli, Turnip.</p> +<p>Canairis. A Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Canior / Caunor, <i>s. pl.</i> Pease.</p> +<p><a name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +22</span>Canni. A hen. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Cañi. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Cackni. <i>Gael.</i> +Cearc.</p> +<p>Cannis. Hens.</p> +<p>Cappi, <i>s.</i> Booty, gain, fortune: to lel cappi, to +acquire booty, make a capital, a fortune.</p> +<p>Cas, <i>s.</i> Hay: cas-stiggur, haystack; cas kairing, +hay-making.</p> +<p>Cas, <i>s.</i> Cheese. <i>Lat.</i> Caseus. +This word is used by the pikers or tramps, as well as by the +Gypsies. <i>See</i> Kael.</p> +<p>Catches / Catsau, <i>s. pl.</i> Scissors. +<i>Hun.</i> Kasza. <i>Wal.</i> Kositsie +(sickle). <i>Mod.</i> <i>Gr. +κόσα</i>. <i>Rus.</i> Kosa.</p> +<p>Cato, <i>prep.</i> To; more properly From. <i>Hun. +Gyp.</i> Cado. <i>Wal.</i> Katre (towards).</p> +<p>Cavo, <i>pron. dem.</i> This.</p> +<p>Cavocoi. This here.</p> +<p>Cavocoiskoenoes. In this manner.</p> +<p>Caur, <i>v. a.</i> To filch, steal in an artful manner +by bending down. <i>Heb.</i> [Hebrew which cannot be +reproduced] Cara, incurvavit se. <i>Eng.</i> Cower.</p> +<p>Cayes, <i>s.</i> Silk. <i>Pers</i>. [Persian which +cannot be reproduced] <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Quequesa. +<i>Sans.</i> Kauseya.</p> +<p>Chal, <i>s.</i> Lad, boy, son, fellow. Connected +with this word is the Scottish Chiel, the Old English Childe, and +the Russian Chelovik. <i>See</i> Romani chal.</p> +<p>Cháro, <i>s.</i> Plate, dish.</p> +<p>Chavali, <i>s.f.</i> Girl, damsel.</p> +<p>Chavi, <i>s.f.</i> Child, girl, daughter.</p> +<p>Cham, <i>s.</i> Leather: chameskie rokunies, leather +breeches. <i>Sans.</i> Charma (skin).</p> +<p>Chavo, <i>s. m.</i> Child, son: <i>pl.</i> chaves. +Cheaus is an old French hunting term for the young ones of a +fox.</p> +<p>Charos / Cheros, <i>s.</i> Heaven. <i>Wal.</i> +Cher.</p> +<p>Chauvo, <i>s.</i> <i>See</i> Chavo.</p> +<p>Chaw, <i>s.</i> Grass.</p> +<p>Chawhoktamengro, <i>s.</i> Grasshopper. <i>See</i> +Hokta.</p> +<p>Chee, <i>a.</i> No, none: chee butsi, no work. +<i>See</i> Chi, chichi.</p> +<p><a name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +23</span>Chericlo, <i>s.</i> Bird. <i>See</i> +Chiriclo.</p> +<p>Chiricleskey tan, <i>s.</i> Aviary, birdcage.</p> +<p>Chi, <i>s.f.</i> Child, daughter, girl: Romany chi, +Gypsy girl.</p> +<p>Chi / Chichi / Chiti, <i>s.</i> Nothing.</p> +<p>Chin, <i>v. a.</i> To cut: chin lis tuley, cut it +down. <i>Sans.</i> Chun (to cut off). <i>Hin.</i> +Chink. <i>Gaelic</i>, Sgian (a knife).</p> +<p>Chin the cost. To cut the stick; to cut skewers for +butchers and pegs for linen-lines, a grand employment of the +Gypsy fellows in the neighbourhood of London.</p> +<p>China-mengri, <i>s.f.</i> A letter; a thing incised, +marked, written in.</p> +<p>China-mengro, <i>s.</i> Hatchet. Lit. +cutting-thing.</p> +<p>Chinipen, <i>s.</i> A cut.</p> +<p>Ching / Chingaro, <i>v. a.</i> To fight, quarrel.</p> +<p>Chinga-guero, <i>s.</i> A warrior.</p> +<p>Chingaripen, <i>s.</i> War, strife. <i>Sans.</i> +Sangara.</p> +<p>Chingring, <i>part. pres.</i> Fighting, quarrelling.</p> +<p>Chik, <i>s.</i> Earth, dirt. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chique. <i>Hin.</i> Chikkar.</p> +<p>Chiklo, <i>a.</i> Dirty.</p> +<p>Chiriclo, <i>s. m.</i> Bird. <i>Hin.</i> +Chiriya.</p> +<p>Chiricli, <i>s.f.</i> Hen-bird.</p> +<p>Chiros, <i>s.</i> Time. <i>Mod. Gr. +καιρὸς</i>.</p> +<p>Chiv / Chiva / Chuva, <i>v. a.</i> To cast, fling, +throw, place, put: chiv lis tuley, fling it down; chiv oprey, put +up. <i>Rus.</i> Kyio (to forge, cast iron). +<i>Sans.</i> Kship.</p> +<p>Chiving tulipen prey the chokkars. Greasing the +shoes.</p> +<p>Chofa, <i>s.f.</i> Petticoat.</p> +<p>Chohawni, <i>s.</i> Witch. <i>See</i> +Chovahano.</p> +<p>Chohawno, <i>s.</i> Wizard.</p> +<p>Chok, <i>s.</i> Watch, watching.</p> +<p>Chok-engro, <i>s.</i> Watchman.</p> +<p>Chok, <i>s.</i> Shoe: chokkor, chokkors, shoes. +<i>Hun.</i> Czókó (wooden shoe).</p> +<p><a name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +24</span>Choko-mengro. Shoemaker.</p> +<p>Choka, <i>s.</i> Coat.</p> +<p>Chokni / Chukni, <i>s.</i> Whip. <i>Wal.</i> +Chokini (a strap, leather). <i>Hun.</i> Csakany (a mace, +sledge hammer). <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Chokano (a staff). +<i>Wal.</i> Chokan, chokinel (a hammer).</p> +<p>Chukni wast, <i>s.</i> The whip-hand, the mastery.</p> +<p>Chollo, <i>a. s.</i> Whole.</p> +<p>Chomany, <i>s.</i> Something. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Cormuñi (some); chimoni (anything). <i>Wal.</i> +Chineba (some one). For every chomany there’s a lav +in Romany: there’s a name in Gypsy for everything.</p> +<p>Chong, <i>s.</i> Knee. <i>Hun.</i> Czomb. +<i>Sans.</i> Chanu. <i>Lat.</i> Genu.</p> +<p>Chongor, <i>pl.</i> Knees.</p> +<p>Choom / Choomava, <i>v. a.</i> To kiss. +<i>Sans.</i> Chumb. Choomande, kiss me. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Chupendi (a kiss), a corruption of Choomande.</p> +<p>Choomia, <i>s.</i> A kiss.</p> +<p>Choomo-mengro, one of the tribe Boswell.</p> +<p>Choon, <i>s.</i> Moon. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Chemut. <i>Sans.</i> Chandra.</p> +<p>Choot, <i>s.</i> Vinegar. <i>See</i> Chute.</p> +<p>Chore, <i>v. a.</i> To steal. <i>Sans.</i> +Chur.</p> +<p>Chore, <i>s.</i> Thief. <i>Hin.</i> Chor.</p> +<p>Chories, <i>pl</i>. Thieves.</p> +<p>Chor-dudee-mengri, <i>s. +Κλεφτοφάναρον</i> +(thieves’ lantern, dark lantern).</p> +<p>Choredo, a. Poor, poverty stricken. <i>Sans.</i> +Dāridra.</p> +<p>Choredi, <i>fem</i>. of Choredo.</p> +<p>Choriness, <i>s.</i> Poverty.</p> +<p>Choro, <i>a.</i> Poor. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chororo. <i>Hin.</i> Shor.</p> +<p>Chovahan, <i>v. a.</i> To bewitch.</p> +<p>Chovahani / Chowián, <i>s.f.</i> Witch.</p> +<p>Chovahano, <i>s.</i> Wizard.</p> +<p>Choveno, <i>a.</i> Poor, needy, starved. Perhaps +derived from the Russian Tchernoe (black, dirty, wretched); or +from <a name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>the +Hungarian Csunya (hateful, frightful); whence the Chungalo of the +Hungarian, and also of the Spanish Gypsies.</p> +<p>Choveni, <i>fem</i>. of Choveno.</p> +<p>Choveno ker, <i>s.</i> Workhouse, poorhouse.</p> +<p>Chukkal, <i>s.</i> Dog. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chuquel. <i>Sans.</i> Kukkura. <i>Basque</i>, +Chacurra. <i>See</i> Juggal.</p> +<p>Chumba, <i>s.</i> Bank, hill. <i>Russ.</i> Xolm (a +hill).</p> +<p>Chungarava / Chungra, <i>v. a.</i> To spit. +<i>Wal.</i> Ckouina. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Chudel (he +spits).</p> +<p>Churi, <i>s.</i> Knife. <i>Sans.</i> Chhuri. +<i>Hin.</i> Churi.</p> +<p>Churi-mengro, <i>s.</i> Knife-grinder, cutler.</p> +<p>Churo-mengro, <i>s.</i> A soldier, swordsman.</p> +<p>Chute, <i>s.</i> Vinegar. <i>Mod. Gr. +ζύδι</i>. <i>Wal.</i> Otset.</p> +<p>Chute-pavi, <i>s.</i> Cyder; perhaps a crab-apple. +Lit. vinegar-apple.</p> +<p>Chuvvenhan, <i>s.</i> Witch. <i>See</i> +Chovahani.</p> +<p>Cinerella. Female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Cocal, <i>s.</i> Bone. <i>Mod. Gr. +κοκκαλον</i>,</p> +<p>Cocalor, <i>pl.</i> Bones.</p> +<p>Coco / Cocodus, <i>s.</i> Uncle. <i>Hin.</i> +Caucau.</p> +<p>Cocoro / Cocoros, <i>a. pro.</i> Alone, self: tu cocoro, +thyself.</p> +<p>Coin, <i>pro. interrog.</i> Who? <i>Hin.</i> +Kaun.</p> +<p>Collor, <i>s. pl.</i> Shillings: dui collor a crookos, +two shillings a week. In Spanish Germania or cant, two +ochavos, or farthings, are called: dui <i>calés.</i></p> +<p>Comorrus, <i>s.</i> A room, hall. <i>Hun.</i> +Kamara. <i>Hin.</i> Cumra. <i>Ger.</i> Kammer.</p> +<p>Cong, congl, <i>v. a.</i> To comb.</p> +<p>Congli / Congro, <i>s.f.</i> A comb. <i>Sans.</i> +Kanagata.</p> +<p>Congri, <i>s.f.</i> A church.</p> +<p>Coor / Coorava, <i>v. a.</i> To fight. +<i>Irish</i>, Comhrac [courac]. <i>Welsh</i>, Curaw (to +beat).</p> +<p><a name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +26</span>Coorapen, <i>s.</i> Fight, a beating: I shall lel +a curapen, I shall get a beating.</p> +<p>Cooroboshno, <i>s.</i> A fighting cock.</p> +<p>Cooromengro, <i>s.</i> Fighter, boxer, soldier.</p> +<p>Coppur, <i>s.</i> Blanket. <i>Rus.</i> +Kovér (a carpet). <i>Wal.</i> Kovor, <i>id.</i></p> +<p>Corauni / Corooni, <i>s.</i> A crown: mekrauliskie +corauni, royal crown. <i>Wal.</i> Coroan.</p> +<p>Cori, <i>s.</i> Thorn. Membrum virile. +<i>Span.</i> Carajo [caraco]. <i>Gascon</i>, Quirogau.</p> +<p>Coro / Coru, <i>s.</i> Pot, pitcher, cup: coru levinor, +cup of ale; boro coro, a quart. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Coro. <i>Hin.</i> Gharã.</p> +<p>Coro-mengro, <i>s.</i> Potter.</p> +<p>Coro-mengreskey tem. Staffordshire.</p> +<p>Corredo, <i>a.</i> Blind. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Corroro. <i>Pers.</i> کور +<i>Wal.</i> Kior (one-eyed).</p> +<p>Cosht / Cost, <i>s.</i> Stick. <i>Sans.</i> +Kāshtha.</p> +<p>Cost-engres, <i>s. pl.</i> Branch-fellows, people of the +New Forest, Stanleys.</p> +<p>Coshtno, <i>a.</i> Wooden.</p> +<p>Covar / Covo, <i>s.</i> Thing: covars, things; +covar-bikhning-vardo, a caravan in which goods are carried about +for sale.</p> +<p>Crafni, <i>s.</i> Button. <i>Ger.</i> Knopf.</p> +<p>Crafni-mengro, <i>s.</i> Buttonmaker.</p> +<p>Creeor, <i>s. pl.</i> Ants, pismires. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Ocrianse (the ant), quiria (ant).</p> +<p>Cricni / Crookey / Crookauros / Crookos, <i>s.</i> +Week. <i>See</i> Curco.</p> +<p>Cuesni, <i>s.</i> Basket. <i>See</i> Cushnee.</p> +<p>Culvato (Gypsy name). Claude.</p> +<p>Curaken, <i>s.</i> Fighting. <i>See</i> +Coorapen.</p> +<p>Curepen, <i>s.</i> Trouble, affliction: curepenis, +afflictions.</p> +<p>Curkey / Curko, <i>s.</i> Week, Sunday. <i>Mod. +Gr. κυριακὴ</i>.</p> +<p><a name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>Curlo, +<i>s.</i> Throat. <i>Pers.</i> گلو +Chin his curlo, cut his throat.</p> +<p>Curlo-mengri, <i>s.</i> A ruff, likewise a pillow; +anything belonging to the throat or neck.</p> +<p>Cushnee / Cushni / Cusnee, <i>s.</i> Basket. +<i>Wal.</i> Koshnitse.</p> +<p>Cuttor, <i>s.</i> A piece, a guinea-piece: dui cuttor, +two guineas; will you lel a cuttor, will you take a bit? sore in +cuttors, all in rags.</p> +<h3>D</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Dad</span>, <i>s.</i> Father. +<i>Welsh</i>, Tâd. <i>Wal.</i> Tat. <i>Rus. +Gyp.</i> Dad.</p> +<p>Dado, <i>s.</i> Father. <i>Rus. Gyp.</i> Dado.</p> +<p>Dand, <i>s.</i> Tooth. <i>Sans.</i> Danta.</p> +<p>Danior, <i>pl.</i> Teeth.</p> +<p>Dand, <i>v. a.</i> To bite.</p> +<p>Daya / Dieya, <i>s.</i> Mother, properly nurse. +<i>Sans.</i> Dhayas (fostering). <i>Pers.</i> [Persian +which cannot be reproduced] Daya. <i>Mod. Gr. +θεῖα</i>. <i>Rus. Gyp.</i> +Daia. <i>Wal.</i> Doika.</p> +<p>Deav, <i>v. a.</i> Give. <i>Sans.</i> +Dā. <i>Wal.</i> Da.</p> +<p>Del. He gives.</p> +<p>Del-engro, <i>s.</i> A kicking-horse.</p> +<p>Del-oprey, <i>v. a.</i> To read.</p> +<p>Denne, <i>ad.</i> Than.</p> +<p>Der. An <i>affix</i>, by which the <i>comparative</i> is +formed; <i>e.g.</i> Wafodu, bad: wafodúder than dovor, +worse than they.</p> +<p>Desch, <i>a.</i> Ten. <i>Sans.</i> Dasan. +<i>Wal.</i> Zetche.</p> +<p>Desh ta yeck. Eleven.</p> +<p>Desh ta dui. Twelve.</p> +<p>Desh ta trin. Thirteen.</p> +<p>Desh ta store. Fourteen.</p> +<p>Desh ta pansch. Fifteen.</p> +<p>Desh ta sho. Sixteen.</p> +<p>Desh ta eft. Seventeen.</p> +<p><a name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +28</span>Deshko. Eighteen (?): deshko hori, eighteenpence; +properly, Desh ta octo hori.</p> +<p>Devel, <i>s.</i> God. <i>Sans.</i> Deva. +<i>Lith.</i> Dēwas. <i>Lat.</i> Deus. <i>See</i> +Dibble, Dovvel, Dubbel.</p> +<p>Develeskoe, <i>s.</i> Holy, divine. <i>Sans.</i> +Deva.</p> +<p>Deyed, <i>pret.</i> of Deav. He gave.</p> +<p>Dibble, <i>s.</i> God. <i>See</i> Devel.</p> +<p>Dic / Dico, <i>v. n.</i> To look: dic tuley, look down; +dicking misto, looking well. <i>Sans.</i> Iksh (to see, +look). <i>Gaelic</i>, Dearcam (to see); dearc (eye).</p> +<p>Dickimengro, <i>s.</i> Overlooker, overseer.</p> +<p>Dicking hev, <i>s.</i> A window, seeing-hole.</p> +<p>Die, <i>s.</i> Mother. <i>Rus. Gyp.</i> Die. +<i>See</i> Daya.</p> +<p>Dikkipen, <i>s.</i> Look, image. <i>Sans.</i> +Driksha (aspect). <i>Welsh</i>, Drych (aspect).</p> +<p>Diklo, <i>s.</i> Cloth, sheet, shift.</p> +<p>Dinnelo, <i>s.</i> A fool, one possessed by the +devil. <i>Wal.</i> Diniele (of the devil); louat diniele +(possessed by the devil).</p> +<p>Dinneleskoe, <i>a.</i> Foolish.</p> +<p>Dinneleskoenoes. Like a fool.</p> +<p>Dinnelipénes, <i>s. pl.</i> Follies, +nonsense.</p> +<p>Diverous. A Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Diviou, <i>a.</i> Mad: jawing diviou, going mad. +<i>Sans.</i> Déva (a god, a fool).</p> +<p>Diviou-ker, <i>s.</i> Madhouse.</p> +<p>Diviou kokkodus Artáros. Mad Uncle Arthur.</p> +<p>Divvus, <i>s.</i> Day. <i>Sans.</i> Divasa.</p> +<p>Divveskoe / Divvuskoe, <i>a.</i> Daily: divvuskoe morro, +daily bread.</p> +<p>Diximengro, <i>s.</i> Overseer. <i>See</i> +Dickimengro.</p> +<p>Dook, <i>v. a.</i> To hurt, bewitch: dook the gry, +bewitch the horse. <i>Wal.</i> Deokira (to fascinate, +bewitch). <i>See</i> Duke, dukker.</p> +<p>Dooriya / Dooya, <i>s.</i> Sea. <i>Pers.</i> +دریا <i>Irish</i>, Deire (the +deep). <i>Welsh</i>, Dwr (water). <i>Old Irish</i>, +Dobhar.</p> +<p><i>Dooriya durril</i>, <i>s.</i> Currant, plum. +Lit. Sea-berry.</p> +<p><a name="page29"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 29</span>Dooriya +durrileskie guyi, <i>s.</i> Plum pudding.</p> +<p>Dori, <i>s.</i> Thread, lace: kaulo dori, black +lace. <i>Hin.</i> Dora.</p> +<p>Dosch / Dosh, <i>s.</i> Evil, harm: kek dosh, no +harm. <i>Sans.</i> Dush (bad).</p> +<p>Dosta, <i>s.</i> Enough. <i>Wal.</i> +Destoul. <i>Rus.</i> Dostaet (it is +sufficient). <i>See</i> Dusta.</p> +<p>Dou, <i>imp.</i> Give: dou mande, give me. +<i>See</i> Deav.</p> +<p>Dou dass. Cup and saucer. <i>See</i> Dui das.</p> +<p>Dovo, <i>pro. dem.</i> That: dovó si, +that’s it.</p> +<p>Dovor. Those, they: wafodúder than dovor, worse +than they.</p> +<p>Dov-odoy / Dovoy-oduvva, <i>ad.</i> Yonder.</p> +<p>Dov-odoyskoenaes. In that manner.</p> +<p>Doovel, <i>s.</i> God. <i>See</i> Duvvel.</p> +<p>Drab / Drav, <i>s.</i> Medicine, poison. +<i>Pers</i>. [Persian which cannot be reproduced] Daru. +<i>Wal.</i> Otrav.</p> +<p>Drab-engro / Drav-engro, <i>s.</i> A pothecary, +poison-monger.</p> +<p>Drab, <i>v. a.</i> To poison. <i>Wal</i>. +Otribi.</p> +<p>Drey, <i>prep.</i> In.</p> +<p>Dubble, <i>s.</i> God: my dearie Dubbleskey, for my dear +God’s sake.</p> +<p>Dude, <i>s.</i> The moon.</p> +<p>Dudee, <i>s.</i> A light, a star. <i>Sans.</i> +Dyuti.</p> +<p>Dude-bar, <i>s.</i> Diamond, light-stone.</p> +<p>Drom, <i>s.</i> Road. <i>Wal.</i> Drom. +<i>Mod. Gr. δρόμος</i>.</p> +<p>Drom-luring, <i>s.</i> Highway robbery.</p> +<p>Dui, <i>a.</i> Two.</p> +<p>Duito, <i>s.</i> Second.</p> +<p>Duito divvus, <i>s.</i> Tuesday. Lit. Second +day.</p> +<p>Dui das / Dui tas, <i>s.</i> Cup and saucer.</p> +<p>Duke, <i>v. a.</i> To hurt, bewitch. <i>Sans.</i> +Duhkha (pain). <i>Heb.</i> Dui (languor, deadly +faintness).</p> +<p>Dukker, <i>v. a.</i> To bewitch, tell fortunes. +<i>Wal.</i> Deokiea (to fascinate, enchant).</p> +<p><a name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 30</span>Dukker +drey my vast. Tell my fortune by my hand.</p> +<p>Dukkering, <i>s.</i> Fortune-telling. <i>Wal.</i> +Deokiere (fascination). <i>Mod. Gr. +τύχη</i> (fortune).</p> +<p>Dukkipen, <i>s.</i> Fortune-telling.</p> +<p>Dukker, <i>v. n.</i> To ache: my sherro dukkers, my head +aches. <i>See</i> Duke, dukker.</p> +<p>Dum / Dumo, <i>s.</i> Black. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian +which cannot be reproduced] (tail).</p> +<p>Dur, <i>ad.</i> Far. <i>Sans.</i> Dur. +<i>Pers.</i> دور</p> +<p>Dur-dicki mengri, <i>s.</i> Telescope. Lit. +far-seeing-thing.</p> +<p>Durro, <i>ad.</i> Far.</p> +<p>Durro-der, <i>ad.</i> Farther.</p> +<p>Durriken, <i>s.</i> Fortune-telling.</p> +<p>Durril, <i>s.</i> Any kind of berry, a gooseberry in +particular.</p> +<p>Durrilau / Durilyor, <i>pl.</i> Berries.</p> +<p>Durrileskie guyi, <i>s.</i> Gooseberry pudding.</p> +<p>Dusta, <i>a. s.</i> Enough, plenty: dusta foky, plenty +of people. <i>See</i> Dosta.</p> +<p>Duvvel, <i>s.</i> God.</p> +<h3>E</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Eange</span>, <i>s.</i> Itch.</p> +<p>Ebyok, <i>s.</i> The sea. <i>Sans.</i> Aapa +(water). <i>Wal.</i> Ape.</p> +<p>Eft, <i>a.</i> Seven. Few of the English Gypsies +are acquainted with this word; consequently, the generality, when +they wish to express the number seven, without being understood +by the Gorgios or Gentiles, say Dui trins ta yeck, two threes and +one.</p> +<p>En. A kind of <i>genitive particle</i> used in compound +words, being placed between a noun and the particle +‘gro’ or ‘guero,’ which signifies a +possessor, or that which governs a thing or has to do with it: +<i>e.g.</i> lav-en-gro, a linguist or man of words, lit. +word-of-fellow; wesh-en-gro, a forester, or one who governs the +wood; <a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +31</span>gurush-en-gre, things costing a groat, lit. +groat-of-things.</p> +<p>Engri. A <i>neuter affix</i>, composed of the particles +‘en’ and ‘gro,’ much used in the +formation of figurative terms for things for which there are no +positive names in English Gypsy: for example, yag-engri, a +fire-thing, which denotes a gun; poggra-mengri, a breaking-thing +or mill; ‘engri’ is changed into ‘mengri’ +when the preceding word terminates in a vowel.</p> +<p>Engro. A <i>masculine affix</i>, used in the formation +of figurative names; for example, kaun-engro, an ear-fellow, or +creature with ears, serving to denote a hare; ruk-engro, or +ruko-mengro, a tree-fellow, denoting a squirrel; it is also +occasionally used in names for inanimate objects, as pov-engro, +an earth-thing or potato. <i>See</i> Guero.</p> +<p>Escunyo, <i>s.</i> A wooden skewer, a pin. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chingabar (a pin).</p> +<p>Escunyes, <i>pl.</i> Skewers.</p> +<p>Escunye-mengro, <i>s.</i> A maker of skewers.</p> +<p>Eskoe, <i>fem.</i> Eskie. A particle which affixed to a +noun turns it into an adjective: <i>e.g.</i> Duvel, God; +duveleskoe, divine. It seems to be derived from the +<i>Wal.</i> Esk, Easkie.</p> +<p>Eskey. An <i>affix</i> or <i>postposition</i>, +signifying, for the sake of: <i>e.g.</i> Mi-dubble-eskey, for +God’s sake.</p> +<p>Ever-komi, <i>ad.</i> Evermore.</p> +<h3>F</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Fake</span>, <i>v. a.</i> To work, +in a dishonest sense; to steal, pick pockets.</p> +<p>Fakement, <i>s.</i> A robbery, any kind of work: a +pretty fakement that, a pretty piece of work. A +scoundrel—you ratfelo fakement, you precious scoundrel; a +man of any kind—he’s no bad fakement after all; a +girl, <a name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 32</span>St. +Paul’s Cathedral—what a rinkeny fakement, what a +pretty girl, what a noble church.</p> +<p>Fashono, <i>a.</i> False, fashioned, made up. +<i>Wal.</i> Fatche (to make); fatze (face, surface).</p> +<p>Fashono wangustis. Pretended gold rings, made in reality +of brass or copper.</p> +<p>Fashono wangust engre. Makers of false rings.</p> +<p>Fenella. A female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Ferreder, <i>a.</i> Better, more. <i>Gaelic</i>, +Feairde.</p> +<p>Fetér, <i>ad.</i> Better. <i>Pers.</i> +بهتر <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Fetér.</p> +<p>Figis, <i>s.</i> Fig.</p> +<p>Figis-rookh, <i>s.</i> Fig-tree.</p> +<p>Filisen, <i>s.</i> Country-seat.</p> +<p>Fino, <i>a.</i> Fine. This word is not pure Gypsy: +fino covar, a fine thing.</p> +<p>Floure, <i>s.</i> Flower; a female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Fordel, <i>v. a.</i> Forgive; generally used for Artav, +or Artavello, <i>q.v.</i>, and composed of the English +‘for’ and the Gypsy ‘del.’</p> +<p>Fordias / Fordios, <i>part. pass.</i> Forgiven.</p> +<p>Foros, <i>s.</i> City. <i>See</i> Vauros.</p> +<p>Ful, <i>s.</i> Dung: ful-vardo, muck cart.</p> +<p>Fuzyanri, <i>s.</i> Fern. <i>Hun.</i> Füz +(willow), fácska (a shrub), füszár (a +stem).</p> +<h3>G</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Gad</span>, <i>s.</i> A shirt: pauno +gad, a clean shirt.</p> +<p>Gare, <i>v. n.</i>, <i>v. a.</i> To take care, beware; +to hide, conceal. <i>Sans.</i> Ghar, to cover.</p> +<p>Garridan. You hid: luvvu sor garridan, the money which +you hid.</p> +<p>Garrivava, <i>v. a.</i> I hide or shall hide, take care: +to gare his nangipen, to hide his nakedness.</p> +<p>Gav, <i>s.</i> A town, village. <i>Pers.</i> +[Persian which cannot be reproduced]</p> +<p>Gav-engro, <i>s.</i> A constable, village officer, +beadle, citizen.</p> +<p><a name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 33</span>Gillie, +<i>s.</i> A song. <i>Sans.</i> Khëli.</p> +<p>Gillies. Songs. Sometimes used to denote +newspapers; because these last serve, as songs did in the old +time, to give the world information of remarkable events, such as +battles, murders, and robberies.</p> +<p>Gilyava. I sing, or shall sing. <i>Hin.</i> +Guywuya. <i>Mod. Gr. +κοιλαδῶ</i>.</p> +<p>Gin, <i>v. a.</i> To count, reckon. <i>Sans.</i> +Gan. <i>Hin.</i> Ginna.</p> +<p>Ginnipen, <i>s.</i> A reckoning.</p> +<p>Giv, <i>s.</i> Wheat. <i>Sans.</i> Yava +(barley). <i>See</i> Jobis.</p> +<p>Giv-engro, <i>s.</i> Wheat-fellow, figurative name for +farmer.</p> +<p>Giv-engro ker, <i>s.</i> Farmhouse.</p> +<p>Giv-engro puv, <i>s.</i> Farm.</p> +<p>Godli, <i>s.</i> A warrant, perhaps hue and cry. +<i>See</i> Gudlie. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Gola (order).</p> +<p>Gono, <i>s.</i> A sack. <i>Hin.</i> Gon.</p> +<p>Gorgio, <i>s.</i> A Gentile, a person who is not a +Gypsy; one who lives in a house and not in a tent. It is a +modification of the Persian word [Persian which cannot be +reproduced] Cojia, which signifies a gentleman, a doctor, a +merchant, etc. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Gacho.</p> +<p>Gorgiken rat. Of Gentile blood.</p> +<p>Gorgie, <i>s.</i> A female Gentile or Englishwoman.</p> +<p>Gorgikonaes, <i>ad.</i> After the manner of the +Gentiles.</p> +<p>Gooee, <i>s.</i> Pudding. <i>See</i> Guyi.</p> +<p>Gran, <i>s.</i> A barn: I sov’d yeck rarde drey a +gran, I slept one night within a barn (Gypsy song).</p> +<p>Gran-wuddur, <i>s.</i> A barn door.</p> +<p>Gran-wuddur-chiriclo. Barn-door fowl.</p> +<p>Grasni / Grasnakkur, <i>s.</i> Mare, outrageous woman: +what a grasni shan tu, what a mare you are! Grasnakkur is +sometimes applied to the <i>mayor</i> of a town.</p> +<p>Grestur / Gristur, <i>s.</i> A horse. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Gras, graste.</p> +<p>Gry, <i>s.</i> A horse. <i>Sans.</i> Kharu. +<i>Hin.</i> Ghora. <i>Irish</i> and <i>Scottish Gaelic</i>, +Greadh.</p> +<p><a name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +34</span>Gry-choring, <i>s.</i> Horse-stealing.</p> +<p>Gry-engro, <i>s.</i> Horse-dealer.</p> +<p>Gry-nashing. Horse-racing.</p> +<p>Gudlee / Godli, <i>s.</i> Cry, noise, shout. +<i>Hin.</i> Ghooloo. <i>Irish</i>, Gúl. +<i>Rus.</i> Gyl=gool (shout); Gólos (voice).</p> +<p>Grommena / Grovena / Grubbena, <i>s.</i> and <i>v.</i> +Thunder, to thunder. <i>Sans.</i> Garjana. +<i>Rus.</i> Groin (thunder). <i>Heb.</i> Ream, +raemah. <i>Gaelic</i>, Gairm (a cry).</p> +<p>Gudlo, <i>a.</i>, <i>s.</i> Sweet; honey, sugar.</p> +<p>Gudlo-pishen, <i>s.</i> Honey-insect, bee. +<i>See</i> Bata.</p> +<p>Gué. An <i>affix</i>, by which the dative case is +formed: <i>e.g.</i> Man, I; mangué, to me.</p> +<p>Guero, <i>s.</i> A person, fellow, that which governs, +operates. <i>Sans.</i> Kãra (a maker). +<i>Pers.</i> [Persian which cannot be reproduced] +<i>Welsh</i>, Gwr (a man). In the Spanish cant language, +Guro signifies an alguazil, a kind of civil officer. +<i>See</i> Engro.</p> +<p>Gueri, <i>s.f.</i> Female person, virgin: Mideveleskey +gueri Mary, Holy Virgin Mary.</p> +<p>Gush / Gurush / Gurushi, <i>a.</i> Groat: gurushengri, a +groat’s worth.</p> +<p>Guveni, <i>s.</i> Cow. <i>Sans.</i> Go.</p> +<p>Guveni-bugnior, <i>s.</i> Cow-pox.</p> +<p>Guveno, <i>s.</i> A bull. <i>Sans.</i> +Gavaya. <i>Gaelic</i>, Gavuin, gowain (year-old calf).</p> +<p>Guyi, <i>s.</i> Pudding, black pudding. +<i>Hin.</i> Gulgul. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Golli.</p> +<p>Guyi-mengreskie tan, <i>s.</i> Yorkshire. Lit. +pudding-eaters’ country; in allusion to the puddings for +which Yorkshire is celebrated.</p> +<h3>H</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Ha</span> / Haw, <i>v. a.</i> To +eat.</p> +<p>Habben, <i>s.</i> Food, victuals.</p> +<p>Hal, <i>v. a.</i> To eat: mande can’t hal lis, I +can’t eat it. <i>Sans.</i> Gala.</p> +<p><a name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>Hanlo, +<i>s.</i> A landlord, innkeeper. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Anglanó.</p> +<p>Hatch, <i>v. a.</i> To burn, light a fire.</p> +<p>Hatchipen, <i>s.</i> A burning.</p> +<p>Hatch, <i>v. n.</i> To stay, stop. <i>See</i> +Adje, atch, az.</p> +<p>Hatchi-witchu, <i>s.</i> A hedgehog. This is a +compound word from the <i>Wal.</i> Aritche, a hedgehog, and the +Persian Besha, a wood, and signifies properly the prickly thing +of the wood. In Spanish Gypsy, one of the words for a pig +or hog is Eriche, evidently the Wallachian Aritche, a +hedgehog.</p> +<p>Hekta, <i>s.</i> Haste: kair hekta, make haste; likewise +a leap. <i>See</i> Hokta. <i>Sans.</i> Hat’ha +(to leap).</p> +<p>Heres / Heris, <i>s. pl.</i> Legs. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Jerias. Coshtni herri (a wooden leg).</p> +<p>Hetavava, <i>v. a.</i> To slay, beat, hit, carry off, +plunder: if I can lel bonnek of tute hetavava tute, if I can lay +hold of you I will slay you. <i>Heb.</i> Khataf +(rapuit). <i>Sans.</i> Hat’ha (to ill-use, +rapere).</p> +<p>Hev, <i>s.</i> Hole: pawnugo hev, a water hole, a well; +hev, a window; hevior, windows. <i>Sans.</i> Avata.</p> +<p>Heviskey, <i>a.</i> Full of holes: heviskey tan, a place +full of holes.</p> +<p>Hin, <i>s.</i> Dirt, ordure. <i>Mod. Gr. +χυτὸν</i>. <i>Wal.</i> +Gounoiou. <i>Irish</i>, Gaineamh (sand).</p> +<p>Hin, <i>v. a.</i> To void ordure. <i>Sans.</i> +Hanna. <i>Mod. Gr. χύνω</i>.</p> +<p>Hindity-mengré / Hindity-mescré, <i>s. +pl.</i> Irish. Dirty, sordid fellows.</p> +<p>Hoffeno, <i>s.</i> A liar.</p> +<p>Hok-hornie-mush, s. A policeman. Partly a cant +word.</p> +<p>Hokka, <i>v. n.</i> To lie, tell a falsehood: hokka tute +mande, if you tell me a falsehood.</p> +<p>Hokkano, <i>s.</i> A lie. <i>Sans.</i> +Kuhanã (hypocrisy).</p> +<p>Hokta, <i>v. a.</i> To leap, jump. <i>See</i> +Hekta.</p> +<p>Hokta-mengro, <i>s.</i> Leaper, jumper.</p> +<p>Hoofa, <i>s.</i> A cap.</p> +<p>Hor / Horo, <i>s.</i> A penny. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Corio an ochavo (or farthing).</p> +<p><a name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 36</span>Horry, +<i>s. pl.</i> Pence: shohorry, showhawry, sixpence.</p> +<p>Horsworth, <i>s.</i> Pennyworth.</p> +<p>Horkipen, <i>s.</i> Copper. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Harko.</p> +<p>Huffeno, <i>s.</i> A liar. <i>See</i> Hoffeno.</p> +<p>Hukni, <i>s.</i> Ringing the changes, the fraudulent +changing of one thing for another.</p> +<h3>I</h3> +<p>I, <i>pro.</i> She, it.</p> +<p>I. A <i>feminine</i> and <i>neuter termination</i>: +<i>e.g.</i> Yag engr<i>i</i>, a fire-thing or gun; coin +<i>si</i>, who is she? so <i>si</i>, what is it?</p> +<p>Inna / Inner, <i>prep.</i> In, within: inner Lundra, in +London. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Enré.</p> +<p>Iouzia, <i>s.</i> A flower.</p> +<p>Is, <i>conj.</i> If; it is affixed to the +verb—e.g. Dikiomis, if I had seen.</p> +<p>Iv, <i>s.</i> Snow. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Yiv. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Give.</p> +<p>Iv-engri / Ivi-mengri, <i>s.</i> Snow-thing, +snowball.</p> +<p>Iuziou, <i>a.</i> Clean. <i>Mod. Gr. +ὑγιὴς</i> (sound, healthy). +<i>See</i> Roujio.</p> +<h3>J</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Jal</span>. To go, walk, +journey. This verb is allied to various words in different +languages signifying movement, course or journey:—to the +Sanscrit Il, ila, to go; to the Russian Gulliat, to stroll, to +walk about; to the Turkish Iel, a journey; to the Jol of the +Norse, and the Yule of the Anglo-Saxons, terms applied to +Christmas-tide, but which properly mean the circular journey +which the sun has completed at that season: for what are Jol and +Yule but the Ygul of the Hebrews? who call the zodiac ‘Ygul +ha mazaluth,’ or the circle of the signs. It is, +moreover, related to the German Jahr and the English Year, +radically <a name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +37</span>the same words as Jol, Yule, and Ygul, and of the same +meaning—namely, the circle travelled by the sun through the +signs.</p> +<p>Já, <i>v. imp.</i> Go thou!</p> +<p>Jal amande. I shall go.</p> +<p>Jal te booty. Go to work.</p> +<p>Jalno / Java / Jaw, v.a. I go. <i>Sans.</i> +Chara.</p> +<p>Jas, jasa. Thou goest: tute is jasing, thou art +going.</p> +<p>Jal, 3<i>rd pers. pres.</i> He goes.</p> +<p>Jalla, <i>f.</i> She goes.</p> +<p>Jalno ando pawni, <i>v. a.</i> I swim. Lit. I go +in water.</p> +<p>Jaw, <i>ad.</i> So: jaw si, so it is. <i>See</i> +Ajaw, asá, ashá.</p> +<p>Jib, <i>s.</i> Tongue. <i>Sans.</i> Jihva.</p> +<p>Jib, <i>v. n.</i> To live, to exist. <i>Sans.</i> +Jiv. <i>Rus.</i> Jit. <i>Lithuanian</i>, Gywenu.</p> +<p>Jibben, <i>s.</i> Life, livelihood. <i>Sans.</i> +Jivata (life), Jivika (livelihood). <i>Rus.</i> Jivot, +Tchivot.</p> +<p>Jivvel, <i>v. n.</i> He lives: kai jivvel o, where does +he live?</p> +<p>Jin / Jinava, <i>v. n.</i> To know. <i>Sans.</i> +Jna.</p> +<p>Jinnepen, <i>s.</i> Wisdom, knowledge. +<i>Sans.</i> Jnapti (understanding).</p> +<p>Jinney-mengro, <i>s.</i> A knowing fellow, a deep card, +a Grecian, a wise man, a philosopher.</p> +<p>Jinney-mengreskey rokrapénes. Sayings of the +wise: the tatcho drom to be a jinney-mengro is to dick and rig in +zi, the true way to be a wise man is to see and bear in mind.</p> +<p>Jongar, <i>v. n.</i> To awake. <i>Sans.</i> +Jagri. <i>Hin.</i> Jugana.</p> +<p>Jôbis, <i>s.</i> Oats. <i>Sans.</i> Java +(barley). <i>Wal.</i> Obia. <i>See</i> Giv.</p> +<p>Joddakaye, <i>s.</i> Apron; anything tied round the +middle or hips. <i>Sans.</i> Kata (the hip, the loins), +Kataka (a girdle).</p> +<p>Ju, <i>s.</i> A louse. <i>Sans.</i> Yuka.</p> +<p><a name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>Juvalo, +<i>a.</i> Lousy.</p> +<p>Juvior, <i>s. pl.</i> Lice.</p> +<p>Juggal / Jukkal, <i>s.</i> Dog. <i>Sans.</i> +Srigãla (jackal).</p> +<p>Jukkalor. Dogs.</p> +<p>Jukkaelsti cosht, <i>s.</i> Dog-wood; a hard wood used +for making skewers.</p> +<p>Juva / Juvali, Woman, wife.</p> +<p>Juvli, <i>s.</i> Girl. <i>See</i> Chavali.</p> +<h3>K</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Kael</span>, <i>s.</i> Cheese.</p> +<p>Kaes, <i>s.</i> Cheese.</p> +<p>Kah / Kai, <i>ad.</i> Where: kai tiro ker, where’s +your house? kai si the churi, where is the knife? +<i>Sans.</i> Kva.</p> +<p>Kair, <i>v. a.</i> To do. <i>Sans.</i> Kri, to do; +kara (doing).</p> +<p>Kair misto. To make well, cure, comfort.</p> +<p>Kairipen, <i>s.</i> Work, labour. <i>Sans.</i> +Karman.</p> +<p>Kakkaratchi, <i>s.</i> Magpie; properly a raven. +<i>Mod. Gr. +κορακαζ</i>.</p> +<p>Kanau / Knau, <i>ad.</i> Now.</p> +<p>Karring. Crying out, hawking goods. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Acarar (to call). <i>See</i> Koring.</p> +<p>Kaulo, <i>a.</i> Black. <i>Sans.</i> +Kãla. <i>Arab.</i> [Arabic which cannot be +reproduced]</p> +<p>Kaulo chiriclo, <i>s.</i> A blackbird.</p> +<p>Kaulo cori, <i>s.</i> A blackthorn.</p> +<p>Kaulo durril, <i>s.</i> Blackberry.</p> +<p>Kaulo Gav, <i>s.</i> Black-town, Birmingham.</p> +<p>Kaulo guero, <i>s.</i> A black, negro.</p> +<p>Kaulo guereskey tem, <i>s.</i> Negroland, Africa.</p> +<p>Kaulo-mengro, <i>s.</i> A blacksmith.</p> +<p>Kaulo ratti. Black blood, Gypsy blood: kaulo ratti adrey +leste, he has Gypsy blood in his veins.</p> +<p>Kaun, <i>s.</i> An ear. <i>Sans.</i> Karna.</p> +<p><a name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +39</span>Kaun-engro, <i>s.</i> An ear-fellow, thing with +long ears; a figurative name for a hare.</p> +<p>Ke, <i>prep.</i> Unto. Likewise a +<i>postposition</i>—<i>e.g.</i> lenké, to them.</p> +<p>Keir / Ker, <i>s.</i> A house. <i>Sans.</i> +Griha.</p> +<p>Ker / Kerey / Ken, <i>ad.</i> Home, homeward: java keri, +I will go home.</p> +<p>Keir-poggring. House-breaking.</p> +<p>Keir-rakli, <i>s.</i> A housemaid.</p> +<p>Kek, <i>ad. a.</i> No, none, not: kek tatcho, it is not +true.</p> +<p>Kekkeno, <i>a.</i> None, not any: kekkeni pawni, no +water.</p> +<p>Kekkeno mushe’s poov, <i>s.</i> No man’s +land; a common.</p> +<p>Kekkauvi, <i>s.f.</i> Kettle. <i>Mod. Gr. +κακκάβη</i>.</p> +<p>Kekkauviskey saster, <i>s.</i> Kettle-iron; the hook by +which the kettle is suspended over the fire.</p> +<p>Kekko, <i>ad.</i> No, it is not, not it, not he.</p> +<p>Kekkomi. No more. <i>See</i> Komi, Ever-komi.</p> +<p>Kek-cushti. Of no use; no good. <i>See</i> +Koshto.</p> +<p>Kem, <i>s.</i> The sun. <i>See</i> Cam.</p> +<p>Ken. A <i>particle</i> affixed in English Gypsy to the +name of a place terminating in a vowel, in order to form a +genitive; <i>e.g.</i> Eli<i>ken</i> bori congri, the great church +of Ely. <i>See</i> En.</p> +<p>Ken, <i>s.</i> A house, properly a nest. +<i>Heb.</i> [Hebrew which cannot be reproduced] Kin.</p> +<p>Kenyor, <i>s. pl.</i> Ears. <i>See</i> Kaun.</p> +<p>Ker / Kerava <i>v. a.</i> To do; make: kair yag, +make a fire. <i>Sans.</i> Kri. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian +which cannot be reproduced] <i>Gaelic</i>, Ceaird (a +trade), ceard (a tinker). <i>Lat.</i> Cerdo (a +smith). English, Char, chare (to work by the day).</p> +<p>Kerdo. He did.</p> +<p>Kedast, 2<i>nd pers. pret.</i> Thou didst.</p> +<p>Kedo, <i>part. pass.</i> Done.</p> +<p>Kerri-mengro, <i>s.</i> Workman.</p> +<p>Kerrimus, s. Doing, deed: mi-Doovel’s kerrimus, +the Lord’s doing. <i>Sans.</i> Karman (work).</p> +<p><a name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>Kerrit, +<i>p. pass.</i> Cooked, boiled. Anglo-Indian word, +Curried. <i>Fr.</i> Cuire. <i>Gaelic</i>, Greidh (to +cook victuals).</p> +<p>Kettaney, <i>ad.</i> Together. <i>Wal.</i> Ketziba +(many). <i>See</i> Kisi.</p> +<p>Kidda, <i>v. a.</i> To pluck.</p> +<p>Kil, <i>v. a.</i> To dance, play. <i>Hin.</i> +Kelná. <i>Sans.</i> Kshvel.</p> +<p>Killi-mengro, <i>s.</i> A dancer, player.</p> +<p>Kil, <i>s.</i> Butter.</p> +<p>Kin, <i>v. a.</i> To buy: kinning and bikkning, buying +and selling. <i>Heb.</i> Kana (he bought).</p> +<p>Kin aley. To ransom, redeem, buy off.</p> +<p>Kinnipen, <i>s.</i> A purchase.</p> +<p>Kinnipen-divvus, <i>s.</i> Purchasing-day, Saturday.</p> +<p>Kindo, <i>a.</i> Wet.</p> +<p>Kipsi, <i>s.</i> Basket. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Quicia.</p> +<p>Kinyo. Tired. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Quiñao.</p> +<p>Kisaiya. A female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Kisi, <i>ad.</i> How much, to what degree: kisi puro +shan tu, how old are you? <i>Wal.</i> Kitze. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Quichi. <i>Sans.</i> Kati (how many?)</p> +<p>Kisseh / Kissi, <i>s.</i> A purse. <i>Sans.</i> +Kosa. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian which cannot be reproduced]</p> +<p>Kistur, <i>v. a.</i> To ride. <i>Wal.</i> +Keleri.</p> +<p>Kistri-mengro / Kistro-mengro, <i>s.</i> Rider, +horseman.</p> +<p>Kitchema, <i>s.</i> Public-house, inn. <i>Hun.</i> +Korcsma. <i>Wal.</i> Keirtchumie.</p> +<p>Kitchema-mengro, <i>s.</i> Innkeeper.</p> +<p>Klism / Klisn, <i>s.</i> A key. <i>Rus.</i> +Cliotche. <i>Mod. Gr. +κλείσμα</i> (shutting +up).</p> +<p>Klism-engri, <i>s.</i> A lock. Lit. key-thing.</p> +<p>Klism-hev, <i>s.</i> A keyhole.</p> +<p>Klop, <i>s.</i> A gate, seemingly a cant word; perhaps a +bell. <i>Wal.</i> Klopot.</p> +<p>Kokkodus. Uncle: kokkodus Artáros, Uncle +Arthur.</p> +<p>Komi, <i>adv.</i> More: ever-komi, evermore.</p> +<p>Koosho, <i>a.</i> Good: kooshi gillie, a good +song. <i>Sans.</i> Kusala.</p> +<p><a name="page41"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>Kora / +Kore, <i>v. a.</i> To riot. <i>Wal.</i> Kiorei (to +cry out, bawl, make a tumult). <i>Heb.</i> Kara (he +convoked, cried out).</p> +<p>Koring, <i>part. pres.</i> Rioting. <i>Heb.</i> +Kirivah (proclamation).</p> +<p>Kora-mengro, <i>s.</i> A rioter.</p> +<p>Kore, <i>v. a.</i> To hawk goods about, to cry out, to +proclaim.</p> +<p>Koring lil, <i>s.</i> Hawking-licence.</p> +<p>Koring chiriclo, <i>s.</i> The cuckoo.</p> +<p>Koshto, <i>a.</i> Good. <i>Pers.</i> +خوب</p> +<p>Koshtipen, <i>s.</i> Goodness, advantage, profit: kek +koshtipen in dukkering knau, it is of no use to tell fortunes +now.</p> +<p>Kosko, <i>a.</i> Good.</p> +<p>Koskipen, <i>s.</i> Goodness.</p> +<p>Krallis, <i>s.</i> King. <i>Rus.</i> Korol. +<i>Hun.</i> Király. <i>Wal.</i> Kraiu.</p> +<p>Kushto, <i>a.</i> Good: kushto si for mangui, I am +content.</p> +<h3>L</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">La</span>, <i>pro. pers.</i> Her; +accusative of ‘i’ or ‘ yoi,’ she.</p> +<p>Laki, <i>pro. poss.</i> Her: laki die, her mother.</p> +<p>Lasa / Lasar, With her; instrumental case of +‘i.’</p> +<p>Later. From her; ablative of ‘i.’</p> +<p>Lati. Genitive of ‘i’; frequently used as +the accusative—e.g. cams tu lati, do you love her?</p> +<p>Lang / Lango, a. Lame. <i>Sans.</i> Lang. +<i>Pers.</i> [Persian which cannot be reproduced] Lenk.</p> +<p>Lashi / Lasho, Louis. <i>Hungarian</i>, Lajos, +Lazlo. Scotch, Lesley.</p> +<p>Latch, <i>v. a.</i> To find. <i>Wal.</i> +Aphla.</p> +<p>Lav, <i>s.</i> Word. <i>Sans</i>. Lapa (to +speak). <i>Eng.</i> Lip.</p> +<p>Lavior, <i>pl.</i> Words.</p> +<p>Lav-chingaripen, <i>s.</i> Dispute, word-war.</p> +<p>Lav-engro, <i>s.</i> Word-master, linguist.</p> +<p>Len, <i>pro. pers. pl.</i> To them: se len, there is to +them, the have.</p> +<p>Lendar, <i>ablative</i>. From them.</p> +<p><a name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 42</span>Lende / +Lunde, <i>gen. and acc.</i> Of them, them.</p> +<p>Lensar. With them.</p> +<p>Lengué, <i>pro. poss.</i> Their: lengue tan, +their tent.</p> +<p>Les, <i>pro. pers.</i> To him; dative of +‘yo,’ he: pawno stadj se les, he has a white hat.</p> +<p>Lescro, <i>pro. poss.</i> His, belonging to him: lescro +prala, his brother.</p> +<p>Leste. Of him, <i>likewise</i> him; genitive and +accusative of ‘yo.’</p> +<p>Lester. From him.</p> +<p>Leste’s. His: leste’s wast, his hand; +properly, lescro wast.</p> +<p>Lesti. Her <i>or</i> it: pukker zi te lesti, tell her +your mind; he can’t rokkra lesti, he can’t speak +it.</p> +<p>Leav / Ley, <i>v. a.</i> To take. <i>Wal.</i> +Loua.</p> +<p>Lel. He takes.</p> +<p>Lel cappi. Get booty, profit, capital.</p> +<p>Lennor, <i>s.</i> Summer, spring.</p> +<p>Levinor, <i>s.</i> Ale; drinks in which there is +wormwood. <i>Heb.</i> Laenah (wormwood). +<i>Irish</i>, Lion (ale).</p> +<p>Levinor-ker, <i>s.</i> Alehouse.</p> +<p>Levinor-engri. Hop. Lit. ale-thing.</p> +<p>Levinor-engriken tem. Kent. Lit. hop-country.</p> +<p>Li, <i>pron.</i> It: dovo se li, that’s it.</p> +<p>Lidan, <i>v. a.</i> You took; 2<i>nd pers. pret.</i> of +Ley.</p> +<p>Lil, <i>s.</i> Book; a letter or pass. <i>Hun.</i> +Level. <i>Sans.</i> Likh (to write). +<i>Hindustani</i>, Likhan (to write).</p> +<p>Lillai, <i>s.</i> Summer. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Nilei.</p> +<p>Linnow, <i>part. pass.</i> Taken, apprehended.</p> +<p>Lis, <i>pro. dat.</i> To it: adrey lis, in it.</p> +<p>Lollo / Lullo, <i>a.</i> Red. <i>Pers.</i> +[Persian which cannot be reproduced] Lal.</p> +<p>Lolle bengres, <i>s. pl.</i> Red waistcoats, Bow Street +runners.</p> +<p>Lollo matcho, <i>s.</i> Red herring. Lit. red +fish.</p> +<p>Lolli plaishta, <i>s.</i> A red cloak.</p> +<p>Lolli, <i>s.</i> A farthing.</p> +<p><a name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>Lon / +Lun, <i>s.</i> Salt. <i>Sans.</i> Lavana. +<i>Hin.</i> Lon.</p> +<p>Lou, <i>pro.</i> It: oprey-lou, upon it. +<i>Wal.</i> Lou.</p> +<p>Loure, <i>v. a.</i> To steal. <i>See</i> +Luripen.</p> +<p>Lubbeny, <i>s.</i> Harlot. <i>Rus.</i> +Liabodieitza (adultress), liobodeinoe (adulterous). +<i>Sans.</i> Lúbha (to inflame with lust, to +desire). The English word Love is derived from this +Sanscrit root.</p> +<p>Lubbenipen, <i>s.</i> Harlotry.</p> +<p>Lubbenified. Become a harlot.</p> +<p>Lundra. London. <i>Mod. Gr. +Λόνδρα</i>.</p> +<p>Luripen, <i>s.</i> Robbery, a booty. Lit. a +seizure. <i>Wal.</i> Luare (seizure, capture), Louarea +Parizouloui (the capture of Paris).</p> +<p>Lutherum, <i>s.</i> Sleep, repose, slumber.</p> +<p>Luvvo, <i>s.</i> Money, currency. <i>Rus.</i> +Lóvok (convenient, handy, quick, agile). In Spanish +Gypsy, a real (small coin) is called Quelati, a thing which +dances, from Quelar, to dance.</p> +<p>Luvvo-mengro, <i>s.</i> Money-changer, banker.</p> +<p>Luvvo-mengro-ker, <i>s.</i> Banker’s house, +bank.</p> +<h3>M</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Má</span>, <i>ad.</i> Not; +only used before the imperative: má muk, let not. +<i>Sans.</i> Mã. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian which cannot +be reproduced]</p> +<p>Maas, <i>s.</i> <i>Sans.</i> Mansa Mans. +<i>Rus.</i> Maso. <i>See</i> Mas.</p> +<p>Maas-engro / Maaso-mengro, <i>s.</i> Butcher.</p> +<p>Mailla, <i>s.</i> Ass, donkey. <i>Wal.</i> +Megaroul. <i>Sans.</i> Baluya.</p> +<p>Mailla and posh. Ass and foal.</p> +<p>Malleco, <i>a.</i> False.</p> +<p>Malúno / Maloney, <i>s.</i> Lightning. +<i>Rus.</i> Mólnïya.</p> +<p>Mam, <i>s.</i> Mother. <i>Wal.</i> Moume. +<i>Welsh</i>, Mam. <i>Irish and Scottish Gaelic</i>, Muime +(a nurse).</p> +<p><a name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>Man, +<i>pron. pers.</i> I; very seldom used. <i>Hin.</i> +Muen.</p> +<p>Mande, <i>pron. pers. oblique</i> of Man; generally used +instead of the nominative Man.</p> +<p>Mander. Ablative of Man, from me: jã mander, go +from me.</p> +<p>Mande’s. My. Mande’s wast, my hand; +used improperly for miro.</p> +<p>Mangue. Dative of Man, to me; sometimes used instead of +the nominative.</p> +<p>Mansa. With me.</p> +<p>Mang, <i>v. a.</i> To beg. <i>Hin.</i> +Mangna. <i>Sans.</i> Mãrg.</p> +<p>Mango-mengro, <i>s.</i> A beggar.</p> +<p>Mangipen, <i>s.</i> The trade of begging. +<i>Sans.</i> Mãrgana (begging).</p> +<p>Manricley, <i>s.</i> A cake. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Manricli.</p> +<p>Manush, <i>s.</i> Man. <i>Sans.</i> +Mãnasha. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Manus. <i>See</i> +Monish.</p> +<p>Manushi, <i>s.</i> Woman, wife. <i>Sans.</i> +Manushi.</p> +<p>Maricli, <i>s.</i> A cake. <i>See</i> +Maricley.</p> +<p>Mash, <i>s.</i> Umbrella. A cant word.</p> +<p>Matcho, <i>s.</i> A fish. <i>Sans.</i> +Matsya. <i>Hin.</i> Muchee.</p> +<p>Matcheneskoe Gav. Yarmouth. Lit. the fishy +town.</p> +<p>Matcheneskoe guero, <i>s.</i> A fisherman.</p> +<p>Matchka, <i>s.f.</i> A cat. <i>Hun.</i> +Macska.</p> +<p>Matchko, <i>s. m.</i> A he-cat.</p> +<p>Mattipen, <i>s.</i> Drunkenness. <i>Sans.</i> +Matta (to be intoxicated). <i>Mod. Gr. +Μέθη</i> (intoxication). <i>Welsh</i>, +Meddwy (to intoxicate).</p> +<p>Matto, <i>a.</i> Drunk, intoxicated. <i>Welsh</i>, +Meddw.</p> +<p>Matto-mengro, <i>s.</i> Drunkard.</p> +<p>Mea, <i>s.</i> Mile: dui mear, two miles. +<i>Wal.</i> Mie.</p> +<p>Mea-bar, <i>s.</i> Milestone.</p> +<p>Medisin, <i>s.</i> Measure, bushel. <i>Sans.</i> +Mãna.</p> +<p>Mek, <i>v. n.</i> Leave, let: meklis, leave off, hold +your tongue, have done. <i>Sans.</i> Moksh.</p> +<p>Men, <i>pr.</i> We; <i>pl.</i> of Man.</p> +<p><a name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>Men, +<i>s.</i> Neck. <i>Gaelic</i>, Muineal. +<i>Welsh</i>, Mwng. <i>Mandchou</i>, Meifen.</p> +<p>Men-pangushi, <i>s.</i> Neckcloth. <i>See</i> +Pangushi.</p> +<p>Mengro. A word much used in composition. +<i>See</i> Engro and Mescro.</p> +<p>Mensalli, <i>s.</i> A table. <i>Wal.</i> Masi.</p> +<p>Mer / Merava, <i>v. n.</i> To die. <i>Sans.</i> +Mri.</p> +<p>Merricley, <i>s.</i> A cake. <i>See</i> +Manricley.</p> +<p>Merripen, <i>s.</i> Death. <i>Sans.</i> Mara.</p> +<p>Merripen, <i>s.</i> Life, according to the Gypsies, +though one feels inclined to suppose that the real signification +of the word is Death; it may, however, be connected with the +Gaulic or Irish word Mairam, to endure, continue, live long: +Gura’ fada mhaireadh tu! may you long endure, long life to +you! In Spanish Gypsy Merinao signifies an immortal.</p> +<p>Mescro. A <i>particle</i> which, affixed to a verb, +forms a substantive masculine:—<i>e.g.</i> Camo, I love; +camo-mescro, a lover. Nash, to run; nashi-mescro, a +runner. It is equivalent to Mengro, <i>q.v.</i></p> +<p>Messalli, <i>s.</i> A table. <i>Wal.</i> Masi.</p> +<p>Mestipen, <i>s.</i> Life, livelihood, living, fortune, +luck, goodness. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Mestipen, bestipen. +<i>Wal.</i> Viatsie.</p> +<p>Mi, <i>pron.</i> I, my.</p> +<p>Mi cocoro, <i>pron. poss.</i> I myself, I alone.</p> +<p>Mi dearie Dubbeleskey. For my dear God’s sake.</p> +<p>Mi develeskie gueri, <i>s.f.</i> A holy female.</p> +<p>Mi develeskie gueri Mary. Holy Virgin Mary.</p> +<p>Mi develeskoe Baval Engro. Holy Ghost.</p> +<p>Mi dubbelungo, <i>a.</i> Divine.</p> +<p>Mi duvvelungo divvus, <i>s.</i> Christmas Day.</p> +<p>Millior, <i>s.</i> Miles; panj millior, five miles.</p> +<p>Minge / Mintch, <i>s.</i> Pudendum muliebre.</p> +<p>Miro, <i>pron. poss.</i> My, mine.</p> +<p><a name="page46"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 46</span>Miri, +<i>pron. poss. f.</i> My, mine.</p> +<p>Misto / Mistos, <i>ad.</i> Well.</p> +<p>Misto dusta. Very well.</p> +<p>Mistos amande. I am glad.</p> +<p>Mitch, <i>s.</i> <i>See</i> Minge.</p> +<p>Mizella. Female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Mokkado, <i>a.</i> Unclean to eat. <i>Wal.</i> +Mourdar (dirty).</p> +<p>Monish, <i>s.</i> Man. <i>See</i> Manush.</p> +<p>Mol, <i>s.</i> Wine. <i>See</i> Mul.</p> +<p>Mollauvis, <i>s.</i> Pewter.</p> +<p>Moomli, <i>s.</i> Candle, taper. <i>See</i> +Mumli.</p> +<p>Moomli-mengro, <i>s.</i> Candlestick, lantern.</p> +<p>Moar, <i>v. a.</i> To grind. <i>See</i> Morro.</p> +<p>More / Morava, <i>v. a.</i> To kill, slay. +<i>Sans.</i> Mri. <i>Wal.</i> Omori.</p> +<p>Moreno, <i>part. pass.</i> Killed, slain.</p> +<p>More, <i>v. a.</i> To shave, shear. <i>Hun. +Gyp.</i> Murinow.</p> +<p>Mormusti, <i>s.f.</i> Midwife. <i>Wal.</i> +Maimoutsi. <i>Rus.</i> Mameichka (nurse).</p> +<p>Moro, <i>pron. poss.</i> Our: moro dad, our father.</p> +<p>Morro, <i>s.</i> Bread. Lit. that which is +ground. <i>See</i> Moar. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Manro. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Manro, also Gheum: sin gheum manro, +gheum is manro (bread). <i>Rus. Gyp.</i> Morroshka (a +loaf).</p> +<p>Morro-mengro, <i>s.</i> A baker.</p> +<p>Mort, <i>s.</i> Woman, concubine; a cant word.</p> +<p>Mosco / Moshko, A fly. <i>Lat.</i> Musca. +<i>Wal.</i> Mouskie. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Moscabis (fly-blown, +stung with love, picado, enamorado).</p> +<p>Moskey, <i>s.</i> A spy: to jal a moskeying, to go out +spying. <i>Fr.</i> Mouchard.</p> +<p>Mufta, <i>s.f.</i> Box, chest. <i>See</i> +Muktar.</p> +<p>Mui, <i>s.</i> Face, mouth: lollo leste mui, his face is +red. <i>Sans.</i> Mukha (face, mouth). <i>Fr.</i> Mot +(a word). <i>Provenzal</i>, Mo.</p> +<p>Muk, <i>v. n.</i> To leave, let. <i>See</i> +Mek.</p> +<p><a name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +47</span>Mukkalis becunye. Let it be.</p> +<p>Muktar / Mukto, <i>s.</i> Box, chest.</p> +<p>Mul, <i>s.</i> Wine. <i>Pers.</i> Mul.</p> +<p>Mul divvus. Christmas Day. Lit. wine day.</p> +<p>Mul-engris, <i>s. pl.</i> Grapes: mul-engri tan, +vineyard.</p> +<p>Mulleni muktar, <i>s.</i> Coffin. Lit. +dead-chest.</p> +<p>Mullodustie mukto. <i>Id.</i></p> +<p>Mulleno hev, <i>s.</i> Grave.</p> +<p>Mulleno kêr, <i>s.</i> Sepulchre, cemetery.</p> +<p>Mullo, <i>s.</i>, <i>a.</i> Dead man, dead.</p> +<p>Mullo mas, <i>s.</i> Dead meat; flesh of an animal not +slain, but which died alone.</p> +<p>Mumli, <i>s.f.</i> Candle.</p> +<p>Mumli-mescro, <i>s.</i> Chandler.</p> +<p>Munjee, <i>s.</i> A blow on the mouth, seemingly a cant +word. <i>Hin.</i> Munh, mouth. <i>Ger.</i> Mund.</p> +<p>Murces / Mursior, <i>s. pl.</i> Arms. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Murciales.</p> +<p>Muscro, <i>s.</i> Constable. <i>See</i> +Muskerro.</p> +<p>Mush, <i>s.</i> Man. <i>Rus.</i> Mouge. +<i>Finnish</i>, Mies. <i>Tibetian</i>, Mi. +<i>Lat.</i> Mas (a male).</p> +<p>Mushi, <i>s.</i> Woman.</p> +<p>Mushipen, <i>s.</i> A little man, a lad. +<i>Toulousian</i>, Massip (a young man), massipo (a young +woman).</p> +<p>Muskerro, <i>s.</i> Constable.</p> +<p>Muskerriskoe cost, <i>s.</i> Constable’s +staff.</p> +<p>Mutra, <i>s.</i> Urine.</p> +<p>Mutrava, <i>v. a.</i> To void urine. <i>Sans.</i> +Mutra.</p> +<p>Mutra-mengri, <i>s.</i> Tea.</p> +<p>Mutzi, <i>s.</i> Skin. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Morchas.</p> +<p>Mutzior, <i>s. pl.</i> Skins.</p> +<h3>N</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Na</span>, <i>ad.</i> Not.</p> +<p>Naflipen, <i>s.</i> Sickness. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Nasallipen. <i>Mod. Gr. +νόσευμα</i>.</p> +<p><a name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 48</span>Naflo, +<i>a.</i> Sick.</p> +<p>Nai. Properly Na hi, there is not: nai men chior, we +have no girls.</p> +<p>Naior, <i>s. pl.</i> Nails of the fingers or toes. +<i>Mod. Gr. νύχι</i>.</p> +<p>Nangipen, <i>s.</i> Nakedness.</p> +<p>Nango, <i>a.</i> Naked.</p> +<p>Narilla / Narrila, A female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Nash, <i>v. a.</i> To run. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Najar.</p> +<p>Nashimescro, <i>s.</i> Runner, racer.</p> +<p>Nashimescro-tan, <i>s.</i> Race-course.</p> +<p>Nash, <i>v. a.</i> To lose, destroy, to hang. +<i>Sans.</i> Nasa. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Najabar (to +lose). <i>Sans.</i> Nakha (to destroy). <i>Eng.</i> +Nacker (a killer of old horses).</p> +<p>Nashado, <i>part. pret.</i> Lost, destroyed, hung.</p> +<p>Nashimescro, <i>s.</i> Hangman.</p> +<p>Nashko, <i>part. pass.</i> Hung: nashko pré rukh, +hung on a tree.</p> +<p>Nasho, <i>part. pass.</i> Hung.</p> +<p>Nástis, <i>a.</i> Impossible. <i>See</i> +Astis.</p> +<p>Nav, <i>s.</i> Name. <i>Hun.</i> Nev.</p> +<p>Naval, <i>s.</i> Thread. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Nafre.</p> +<p>Naes / Nes, <i>postpos.</i> According to, after the +manner of: gorgikonaes, after the manner of the Gentiles; +Romano-chalugo-naes, after the manner of the Gypsies.</p> +<p>Ne, <i>ad.</i> No, not: ne burroder, no more; ne riddo, +not dressed.</p> +<p>Nevo, <i>a.</i> New.</p> +<p>Nevi, <i>a. fem.</i> New: nevi tud from the guveni, new +milk from the cow.</p> +<p>Nevey Rukhies. The New Forest. Lit. new trees.</p> +<p>Nevi Wesh. The New Forest.</p> +<p>Nick, <i>v. a.</i> To take away, steal. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Nicabar.</p> +<p>Nick the cost. To steal sticks for skewers and +linen-pegs.</p> +<p>Nogo, <i>s.</i> Own, one’s own; nogo dad, +one’s own father; nogo tan, one’s own country.</p> +<p>Nok, <i>s.</i> Nose. <i>Hin.</i> Nakh.</p> +<p><a name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +49</span>Nok-engro, <i>s.</i> A glandered horse. Lit. +a nose-fellow.</p> +<p>Nokkipen, <i>s.</i> Snuff.</p> +<h3>O</h3> +<p>O, <i>art. def.</i> The.</p> +<p>O, <i>pron.</i> He.</p> +<p>Odoi, <i>ad.</i> There. <i>Hun.</i> Ott, oda.</p> +<p>Oduvvu, <i>pron. dem.</i> That. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Odoba.</p> +<p>Olevas / Olivas / Olivor, <i>s. pl.</i> Stockings. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Olibias. <i>Wal.</i> Chorapul.</p> +<p>Opral / Opré / Oprey, <i>prep.</i> Upon, +above. <i>Wal.</i> Pre, asoupra.</p> +<p>Or. A plural termination; for example, Shock, a cabbage, +<i>pl.</i> shock-or. It is perhaps derived from Ouri, the +plural termination of Wallachian neuter nouns ending in +‘e.’</p> +<p>Ora, <i>s.f.</i> A watch. <i>Hun.</i> Ora.</p> +<p>Ora, <i>s.</i> An hour: so si ora, what’s +o’clock?</p> +<p>Orlenda. Gypsy female name. <i>Rus.</i> Orlitza +(female eagle).</p> +<p>Os. A common termination of Gypsy nouns. It is +frequently appended by the Gypsies to English nouns in order to +disguise them.</p> +<p>Owli, <i>ad.</i> Yes. <i>See</i> Avali.</p> +<h3>P</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Pa</span>, <i>prep.</i> By: +pá mui, by mouth. <i>Rus.</i> Po.</p> +<p>Padlo, <i>ad.</i> Across: padlo pawnie, across the +water, transported.</p> +<p>Pahamengro, <i>s.</i> Turnip.</p> +<p>Pailloes, <i>s.</i> Filberts.</p> +<p>Pal, <i>s.</i> Brother.</p> +<p>Pal of the bor. Brother of the hedge, hedgehog.</p> +<p>Palal, <i>prep. ad.</i> Behind, after, back again: av +palal, come back, come again: palal the welgorus, after the +fair. <i>Mod. Gr. πάλιν</i> +(again). <i>Rus.</i> Opiat (<i>id.</i>).</p> +<p><a name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>Pali, +<i>ad.</i> Again, back.</p> +<p>Pand, <i>v. a.</i> To bind. <i>Sans.</i> +Bandh.</p> +<p>Pandipen, <i>s.</i> Pinfold, prison, pound.</p> +<p>Pandlo, <i>part. pass.</i> Bound, imprisoned, +pounded.</p> +<p>Pand opre, <i>v. a.</i> To bind up.</p> +<p>Pandlo-mengro, <i>s.</i> Tollgate, thing that’s +shut.</p> +<p>Pangushi, <i>s.f.</i> Handkerchief.</p> +<p>Pãni, <i>s.</i> Water. <i>See</i> +Pawni.</p> +<p>Panishey shock, <i>s.</i> Watercress. Lit. +water-cabbage. <i>See</i> Shok.</p> +<p>Panj, <i>a.</i> Five. <i>See</i> Pansch.</p> +<p>Pani-mengro, <i>s.</i> Sailor, waterman.</p> +<p>Panni-mengri, <i>s.</i> Garden.</p> +<p>Panno, <i>s.</i> Cloth. <i>Lat.</i> Pannus. +<i>Wal.</i> Penzie.</p> +<p>Pansch, <i>s.</i> Five. <i>Hin.</i> Panch.</p> +<p>Pappins / Pappior, <i>s. pl.</i> Ducks. <i>Mod. +Gr. πάρια</i>.</p> +<p>Paracrow, <i>v. a.</i> To thank: paracrow tute, I thank +you.</p> +<p>Parava / Parra, <i>v. a.</i> To change, exchange. +<i>See</i> Porra.</p> +<p>Parriken, <i>s.</i> Trust, credit. <i>Mod. Gr. +παρακαταθήκη</i> +(trusted goods).</p> +<p>Parno, <i>a.</i> White. <i>See</i> Pauno.</p> +<p>Pas, <i>s.</i> Half. <i>See</i> Posh.</p> +<p>Pasherro, <i>s.</i> Halfpenny; <i>pl.</i> +pasherie. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian which cannot be +reproduced] Pasheez (a farthing).</p> +<p>Pas-more, <i>v. a.</i> Half-kill.</p> +<p>Patch, <i>s.</i> Shame. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Pachi, +modesty, virginity. <i>Sans.</i> Putchã.</p> +<p>Patnies, <i>s. pl.</i> Ducks.</p> +<p>Patrin, <i>s.</i> A Gypsy trail; handfuls of leaves or +grass cast by the Gypsies on the road, to denote to those behind +the way which they have taken.</p> +<p>Pattin, <i>s.</i> A leaf. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Patia. <i>Sans.</i> Patra.</p> +<p>Pattinor. Leaves.</p> +<p>Paub / Paubi, <i>s.</i> An apple. <i>Hung. +Gyp.</i> Paboy.</p> +<p><a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 51</span>Paub +tan, <i>s.</i> Orchard.</p> +<p>Pauno, <i>a.</i> White. <i>Sans.</i> Pandu. +<i>Gaelic</i>, Ban.</p> +<p>Pauno gad. Clean shirt.</p> +<p>Pauno sherro. Grey head, white head.</p> +<p>Pauno, <i>s.</i> Flour. Lit. what is white. +The Latin ‘panis’ seems to be connected with this +word.</p> +<p>Pauno-mengro, <i>s.</i> A miller, white fellow.</p> +<p>Pauno-mui, <i>s.</i> Pale face; generally applied to a +vain, foolish girl, who prefers the company of the pallid +Gentiles to that of the dark Romans.</p> +<p>Pauvi, <i>s.</i> An apple.</p> +<p>Pauvi-pãni, <i>s.</i> Cyder, apple-water.</p> +<p>Pawdel, <i>ad.</i> Across, over: pawdel puve and pawni, +across land and water; pawdel the chumba, over the hill.</p> +<p>Pawnee / Pawni, <i>s.</i> Water. <i>Sans.</i> +Pãniya. <i>Hin.</i> Panie. <i>Eng.</i> +Pond. <i>See</i> Pāni.</p> +<p>Pawnugo, <i>a.</i> Watery: pawnugo hev, water-hole, +well.</p> +<p>Pazorrhus, <i>part. pass.</i> Indebted. <i>See</i> +Pizarris.</p> +<p>Péava, <i>v. a.</i> To drink. <i>Sans.</i> +Pã.</p> +<p>Péa-mengri, <i>s.</i> Tea-pot. <i>Wal.</i> +Bea. Lit. drinking thing.</p> +<p>Peeapen, <i>s.</i> Health: ako’s your peeapen! +here’s your health!</p> +<p>Pea-mengro, <i>s.</i> Drunkard.</p> +<p>Pedloer, <i>s.</i> Nuts; <i>prop.</i> +Acorns. <i>Pers.</i> Peleed.</p> +<p>Peerdie, <i>s.</i> Female tramper.</p> +<p>Peerdo, <i>s.</i> Male tramper.</p> +<p>Pek’d / Pekt, <i>part. pass.</i> Roasted. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Peco. <i>Sans.</i> Pãka +(cooking). <i>Pers.</i> Pekhtan. <i>Rus.</i> Petsch +(oven).</p> +<p>Pele, <i>s. pl.</i> Testicles. <i>Sans.</i> +P’hala.</p> +<p>Pelengo gry / Pelengro gry, <i>s.</i> Stone-horse.</p> +<p>Pen, a <i>particle</i> affixed to an adjective or a verb when +some property or quality, affection or action is to be expressed, +the termination of the first word being occasionally slightly +modified: for example, Kosko, good, koskipen, goodness; Tatcho, +true, tatchipen, truth; Camo, I love, camipen, love; Chingar, to +fight, <a name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +52</span>chingaripen, war. It is of much the same service +in expressing what is abstract and ideal as Engro, Mescro, and +Engri are in expressing what is living and tangible. It is +sometimes used as a diminutive, <i>e.g.</i> Mushipen, a little +fellow.</p> +<p>Pen, <i>s.</i> Sister.</p> +<p>Pen / Penav, <i>v. a.</i> To say, speak. +<i>Wal.</i> Spoune.</p> +<p>Penchava, <i>v. n.</i> To think. <i>Pers.</i> +Pendashten. <i>Sans.</i> Vi-cit.</p> +<p>Penliois, <i>s.</i> Nuts. <i>See</i> Pedloer.</p> +<p>Per, <i>s.</i> Belly.</p> +<p>Per, <i>v. n.</i> To fall. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Petrar. <i>Sans.</i> Pat.</p> +<p>Per tuley. To fall down.</p> +<p>Perdo, <i>a.</i> Full. <i>Sans.</i> Purva, to +fill.</p> +<p>Pes / Pessa, <i>v. a.</i> To pay. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Plaserar. <i>Rus.</i> Platit. <i>Wal.</i> +Pleti. <i>Hun.</i> Fizetni.</p> +<p>Pes apopli. To repay.</p> +<p>Petul, <i>s.</i> A horse-shoe. <i>Mod. Gr. +πέταλον</i>. +<i>Wal.</i> Potkoavie. <i>Heb.</i> Bedel (tin).</p> +<p>Petul-engro, <i>s.</i> Horseshoe-maker, smith, tinker; +the name of a Gypsy tribe.</p> +<p>Pi, <i>v. a.</i> To drink. <i>Sans.</i> Piva +(drinking). <i>See</i> Peava.</p> +<p>Pias, <i>s.</i> Fun. <i>Mod. Gr. +παίζω</i> (to play).</p> +<p>Pikkis / Pikkaris, <i>s. pl.</i> Breasts. +<i>See</i> Birk, bark. <i>Wal.</i> Piept.</p> +<p>Pikko, <i>s.</i> Shoulder.</p> +<p>Pios, <i>part. pass.</i> Drunken. Only employed +when a health is drunk: <i>e.g.</i> aukko tu pios adrey Romanes, +your health is drunk in Romany.</p> +<p>Píre, <i>s. pl.</i> Feet.</p> +<p>Pirè, <i>s. pl.</i> Trampers.</p> +<p>Pire-gueros, <i>s. pl.</i> Travellers, trampers. +Lit. foot-fellows.</p> +<p>Pireni, <i>s.f.</i> Sweetheart.</p> +<p>Pireno, <i>s. m.</i> Sweetheart.</p> +<p>Piro, <i>v. a.</i> To walk: pirel, he walks.</p> +<p>Piro-mengro, <i>s.</i> Walker.</p> +<p><a name="page53"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 53</span>Pirry, +<i>s.</i> Pot, boiler. This is a west-country Gypsy +word. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Piri. <i>Sans.</i> Pithara, +pãtra.</p> +<p>Pishen, <i>s.</i> Flea, any kind of insect: guldo +pishen, honey-insect, bee, honey.</p> +<p>Pivli, <i>s.</i> A widow.</p> +<p>Pivlo, <i>s.</i> A widower.</p> +<p>Pivley-gueri, <i>s.</i> A widowed female.</p> +<p>Pivley-guero, <i>s.</i> A widowed fellow.</p> +<p>Pivley-raunie, <i>s.</i> A widow lady.</p> +<p>Piya-mengro, <i>s.</i> Drunkard. <i>See</i> +Pea-mengro.</p> +<p>Pizarris / Pizaurus, <i>part. pass.</i> Trusted, +credited, in debt. <i>Sans.</i> Vishvas (to trust). +<i>Wal.</i> Se bizoui (to trust, to credit). <i>Mod. Gr. +πιστευθίες</i> +(he who has been credited). <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Bisarar (to +owe), bisauras (debts), pista (an account).</p> +<p>Pizarri-mengro, <i>s.</i> A trusted person, a +debtor.</p> +<p>Plakta, <i>s.</i> Sheet: bero-rukiskie plakta, a +ship’s sail.</p> +<p>Plashta, <i>s.</i> Cloak: lolli plashta, red +cloak. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Plata. Plakta and plashta +are probably both derived from the Wallachian postat, a +sheet.</p> +<p>Plastra, <i>v. a.</i> To run.</p> +<p>Plastra lesti. Run it; run for your life.</p> +<p>Plastra-mengro, <i>s. a.</i> A Bow Street runner, a +pursuer. In Spanish Gypsy, Plastañi means a company +which pursues robbers.</p> +<p>Poggado, <i>part. pass.</i> Broken.</p> +<p>Poggado bavol-engro, <i>s.</i> Broken-winded horse.</p> +<p>Poggado habben, <i>s.</i> Broken victuals.</p> +<p>Poggra, <i>v. a.</i> To break. <i>Wal.</i> +Pokni.</p> +<p>Poggra-mengri, <i>s.</i> A mill. Lit. a breaking +thing.</p> +<p>Poknies, <i>s.</i> Justice of the peace. +<i>Rus.</i> Pokoio (to pacify).</p> +<p>Pokiniskoe ker, <i>s.</i> House of a justice of the +peace.</p> +<p>Pooshed / Poosheno, <i>part. pass.</i> Buried: mulo ta +poosheno, dead and buried.</p> +<p>Por, <i>s.</i> Feather. <i>Pers.</i> Par. +<i>Sans.</i> Parna.</p> +<p>Por-engro, <i>s.</i> Pen-master, penman, one able to +write.</p> +<p><a name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +54</span>Por-engri-pen, <i>s.</i> Penmanship, writing.</p> +<p>Porior, <i>s. pl.</i> Feathers.</p> +<p>Pordo, <i>a.</i> Heavy. <i>Wal.</i> Povarie (a +weight). <i>Lat.</i> Pondus.</p> +<p>Porra, <i>v. a.</i> To exchange.</p> +<p>Posh, <i>s.</i> Half.</p> +<p>Posherro / Poshoro, <i>s.</i> Halfpenny.</p> +<p>Possey-mengri, <i>s.</i> Pitchfork; improperly used for +any fork. The literal meaning is a straw-thing; a thing +used for the removal of straw. <i>See</i> Pus.</p> +<p>Potan, <i>s.</i> Tinder. <i>Wal.</i> Postabh +(sheet, cloth). <i>Sans.</i> Pata (cloth).</p> +<p>Poov / Pov, <i>s.</i> Earth, ground. <i>Sans.</i> +Bhu.</p> +<p>Poov, <i>v.</i> To poov a gry, to put a horse in a field +at night.</p> +<p>Pov-engro, <i>s.</i> An earth thing, potato.</p> +<p>Pov-engreskoe, <i>a.</i> Belonging to the potato.</p> +<p>Povengreskoe gav. Potato town—Norwich.</p> +<p>Povengreskoe tem. Potato country—Norfolk.</p> +<p>Povo-guero, <i>s.</i> Mole, earth-fellow.</p> +<p>Praio, <i>a.</i> Upper: praio tem, upper country, +heaven. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Tarpe (heaven). <i>See</i> +Opré.</p> +<p>Prala, <i>s.</i> Brother.</p> +<p>Pude, <i>v. a.</i> To blow.</p> +<p>Pude-mengri, <i>s.</i> Blowing thing, bellows.</p> +<p>Pudge, <i>s.</i> Bridge. <i>Wal.</i> Pod, +podoul. <i>Pers.</i> Pul. <i>Sans.</i> Pāli.</p> +<p>Pukker, <i>v. a.</i> To tell, declare, answer, say, +speak. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Pucanar (to proclaim). +<i>Hin.</i> Pukar, pukarnar.</p> +<p>Pur, <i>s.</i> Belly. <i>See</i> Per.</p> +<p>Pureno, <i>a.</i> Ancient, old: pureno foky, the old +people. <i>Sans.</i> Purvya (ancient).</p> +<p>Puro, <i>a.</i> Old. <i>Sans.</i> Purã.</p> +<p>Puro dad, <i>s.</i> Grandfather.</p> +<p>Purrum, <i>s.</i> Leek, onion. <i>Lat.</i> +Porrum.</p> +<p><a name="page55"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 55</span>Purrum +/ Purrun, <i>n. pr.</i> Lee, or Leek; the name of a +numerous Gypsy tribe in the neighbourhood of London. +<i>Wal.</i> Pur (onion). <i>Lat.</i> Porrum. +<i>Sans.</i> Purãna (ancient).</p> +<p>Pus, <i>s.</i> Straw. <i>Sans.</i> Busa, +chaff.</p> +<p>Putch, <i>v. a.</i> To ask. <i>Hin.</i> +Puchhna.</p> +<p>Putsi, <i>s.</i> Purse, pocket. <i>Sans.</i> +Putã, pocket. <i>Wal.</i> Pountsi. <i>Old +cant</i>, Boung.</p> +<p>Putsi-lil, <i>s.</i> Pocket-book.</p> +<p>Puvvo, <i>s.</i> Earth, ground. <i>See</i> +Poov.</p> +<p>Puvvesti churi, <i>s. a.</i> Plough.</p> +<h3>R</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Raia</span>, <i>s.</i> Gentleman, +lord. <i>See</i> Rye.</p> +<p>Rak, <i>v. n.</i> To beware, take care; rak tute, take +care of yourself. <i>Sans.</i> Raksh (to guard, +preserve).</p> +<p>Rakli, <i>s.f.</i> Girl.</p> +<p>Raklo, <i>s.</i> Boy, lad.</p> +<p>Ran, <i>s.</i> Rod: ranior, rods. <i>Sans.</i> +Ratha (cane, ratan).</p> +<p>Rarde, <i>s.</i> Night. <i>Sans.</i> +Rātri.</p> +<p>Rardiskey, <i>a.</i> Nightly.</p> +<p>Rardiskey kair poggring, <i>s.</i> Housebreaking by +night, burglary.</p> +<p>Rashengro, <i>s.</i> Clergyman.</p> +<p>Rashi, <i>s.</i> Clergyman, priest. <i>Sans.</i> +Rishi (holy person).</p> +<p>Rashieskey rokkring tan, <i>s.</i> Pulpit.</p> +<p>Ratcheta, <i>s.</i> A goose, duck. <i>See</i> +Retsa.</p> +<p>Ratti, <i>s.</i> Blood. <i>Sans.</i> Rudhira.</p> +<p>Ratniken chiriclo, <i>s.</i> Nightingale.</p> +<p>Rawnie, <i>s.</i> Lady.</p> +<p>Rawniskie dicking gueri, <i>s.</i> Lady-like looking +woman.</p> +<p>Rawniskie tatti naflipen, <i>s.</i> The lady’s +fever, maladie de France.</p> +<p>Retza, <i>s.</i> Duck. <i>Wal.</i> +Rierzoiou. <i>See</i> Rossar-mescro. <i>Hun.</i> +Récze.</p> +<p>Reyna. A female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Riddo, <i>part. pass.</i> Dressed. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Vriardao.</p> +<p><a name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>Rig / +Riggur / Riggurava, <i>v. a.</i> To bear, carry, bring.</p> +<p>Rig in zi. To remember, bear in mind.</p> +<p>Rig to zi. To bring to mind.</p> +<p>Rinkeno, <i>a.</i> Handsome.</p> +<p>Rivipen, <i>s.</i> Dress. Lit. linen clothes, +women’s dress. <i>Wal.</i> Ruphe. <i>Mod. Gr. +ῥάπτης</i> (a tailor). In +Spanish Gypsy clothes are called Goneles, from the Wallachian +Khainele.</p> +<p>Rodra, <i>v. a.</i> To search, seek.</p> +<p>Roi, <i>s.</i> Spoon.</p> +<p>Rokra, <i>v. a.</i> To talk, speak. <i>Rus.</i> +Rek (he said). <i>Lat.</i> Loquor.</p> +<p>Rokrenchericlo, <i>s.</i> Parrot, magpie.</p> +<p>Rokrenguero, <i>s.</i> A lawyer, talker. +<i>Gaelic</i>, Racaire (a chatterer).</p> +<p>Rokrengueriskey gav. Talking fellows’ +town—Norwich.</p> +<p>Rokunyes, <i>s.</i> Trousers, breeches. <i>Hun. +Gyp.</i> Roklia (gown). <i>Mod. Gr. +ῤόχρν</i> (cloth).</p> +<p>Rom, <i>s.</i> A husband. <i>Sans.</i> Rama (a +husband), Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu), Rum (to sport, +fondle). <i>Lat.</i> Roma (City of Rama). +<i>Gaelic</i>, Rom (organ of manhood). <i>Eng.</i> Ram +(aries, male sheep). <i>Heb.</i> Ream (monoceros, +unicorn).</p> +<p>Rommado, <i>part. pass. s.</i> Married, husband.</p> +<p>Romm’d, <i>part. pass.</i> Married.</p> +<p>Romano Chal / Romany Chal, A Gypsy fellow, Gypsy lad. +<i>See</i> Chal.</p> +<p>Romani chi. Gypsy lass, female Gypsy.</p> +<p>Romanes / Romany, Gypsy language.</p> +<p>Romaneskoenaes. After the Gypsy fashion. +<i>Wal.</i> Roumainesk (Roumainean, Wallachian.)</p> +<p>Romano Rye / Romany Rye, Gypsy gentleman.</p> +<p><a name="page57"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +57</span>Romipen, <i>s.</i> Marriage.</p> +<p>Rook / Rukh, <i>s.</i> Tree. <i>Sans.</i> +Vriksha. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Rukh. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Erucal (an <i>olive-tree</i>).</p> +<p>Rookeskey cost. Branch of a tree.</p> +<p>Rooko-mengro, <i>s.</i> Squirrel. Lit. +tree-fellow.</p> +<p>Roshto, <i>a.</i> Angry. <i>Wal.</i> Resti (to be +angry).</p> +<p>Rossar-mescro, <i>s.</i> Gypsy name of the tribe Heron, +or Herne. Lit. duck-fellow.</p> +<p>Roujiou, <i>a.</i> Clean. <i>See</i> Iuziou.</p> +<p>Rove, <i>v. n.</i> To weep. <i>Sans.</i> Rud.</p> +<p>Rup, <i>s.</i> Silver. <i>Sans.</i> Raupya. +<i>Hin.</i> Rupee.</p> +<p>Rupenoe, <i>a.</i> Silver: rupenoe péa-mengri, +silver tea-pots.</p> +<p>Ruslipen, <i>s.</i> Strength.</p> +<p>Ruslo, <i>a.</i> Strong. <i>Mod. Gr. +ῥῶσω</i> (roborabo). <i>Rus.</i> +Rosluy (great, huge of stature). <i>Hun.</i> Erö +(strength), erös (strong).</p> +<p>Rye, <i>s.</i> A lord, gentleman. <i>Sans.</i> +Raj, Rayã.</p> +<p>Ryeskoe, <i>a.</i> Gentlemanly.</p> +<p>Ryeskoe dicking guero. Gentlemanly looking man.</p> +<p>Ryoriskey rokkaring keir, <i>s.</i> The House of +Commons. <i>Lit.</i> the gentlemen’s talking +house.</p> +<h3>S</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Sacki</span>. Name of a Gypsy +man.</p> +<p>Sainyor, <i>s.</i> Pins. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chingabar (a pin).</p> +<p>Sal, <i>v. n.</i> To laugh; properly, he laughs. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Asaselarse. <i>Sans.</i> Has.</p> +<p>Salla. She laughs.</p> +<p>Salivaris, <i>s.f.</i> Bridle. <i>See</i> +Sollibari.</p> +<p>Sap / Sarp, <i>s.</i> Snake, serpent. <i>Wal.</i> +Sharpelé. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chaplesca.</p> +<p>Sappors, <i>s. pl.</i> Snakes.</p> +<p>Sap drey chaw. A snake in the grass: sap drey bor, a +snake in the hedge.</p> +<p>Sapnis, <i>s.</i> Soap. <i>Mod. Gr. +σαποῦνι</i>. +<i>Wal.</i> Sipoun.</p> +<p><a name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 58</span>Sar, +<i>postpos.</i>, <i>prepos.</i> With: mensar, with us; sar +amande, with me.</p> +<p>Sar, <i>conjunct.</i> As.</p> +<p>Sar, <i>ad.</i> How.</p> +<p>Sar shin, How are you? Sar shin, meero rye? Sar +shin, meeri rawnie? How are you, sir? How are you, +madam?</p> +<p>Sas. If it were. <i>See</i> Is.</p> +<p>Sas, <i>s.</i> Nest. <i>See</i> Tass.</p> +<p>Sarla, <i>s.</i> Evening: koshti sarla, good +evening. <i>See</i> Tasarla. <i>Wal.</i> Seara. +<i>Mod. Gr. +σίδηρον</i>.</p> +<p>Saster, <i>s.</i> Iron.</p> +<p>Saster-mengri, <i>s.</i> A piece of iron worn above the +knee by the skewer-makers whilst engaged in whittling.</p> +<p>Saster-mengro, <i>s.</i> Ironmonger.</p> +<p>Sasters, sastris. Nails: chokkiskey sastris, +shoe-nails.</p> +<p>Sau, <i>adv.</i> How.</p> +<p>Sau kisi. How much?</p> +<p>Saulohaul / Sovlehaul, <i>v. a.</i> To swear.</p> +<p>Saulohaul bango. To swear falsely.</p> +<p>Sauloholomus, <i>s.</i> Oath. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Solája (a curse). <i>Arab.</i> [Arabic which cannot +be reproduced] Salat (prayer). <i>Lat.</i> Solemnis. +<i>Fr.</i> Serment. <i>Wal.</i> Jourirnint (oath).</p> +<p>Savo, <i>pron.</i> Who, that, which.</p> +<p>Saw, <i>v. n.</i> I laugh. Sawschan tu, you +laugh.</p> +<p>Scamp. Name of a small Gypsy tribe. <i>Sans.</i> +Kshump (to go).</p> +<p>Scourdilla, <i>s.f.</i> Platter. <i>Lat.</i> +Scutella.</p> +<p>Scunyes / Scunyor, <i>s. pl.</i> Pins, skewers. +<i>See</i> Escunyes.</p> +<p>Se, 3<i>rd pers. sing. pres.</i> Is, there is: kosko +guero se, he is a good fellow; se les, there is to him, he +has.</p> +<p>Shab, <i>v. a.</i> Cut away, run hard, escape. +<i>Hun.</i> Szabni. This word is chiefly used by the tobair +coves, or vagrants.</p> +<p>Shan. You are, they are. <i>See</i> Shin.</p> +<p><a name="page59"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 59</span>Shauvo, +<i>v.</i> To get with child. <i>See</i> Shuvvli.</p> +<p>Shehaury. Sixpence. <i>See</i> Shohaury.</p> +<p>Shello, <i>s.</i> Rope. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Jele.</p> +<p>Shello-hokta-mengro, <i>s.</i> Rope-dancer.</p> +<p>Sher-engro, <i>s.</i> A head-man, leader of a Gypsy +tribe.</p> +<p>Sher-engri, <i>s.</i> A halter.</p> +<p>Shero, <i>s.</i> A head. <i>Pers.</i> +سر</p> +<p>Sherro’s kairipen, <i>s.</i> Learning, +head-work.</p> +<p>Sheshu, <i>s.</i> Hare, rabbit. <i>See</i> +Shoshoi.</p> +<p>Sherrafo, <i>a.</i> Religious, converted. +<i>Arab.</i> Sherif.</p> +<p>Shilleno / Shilleró / Shillo, <i>a.</i> Cold: +shillo chik, cold ground.</p> +<p>Shillipen, <i>s.</i> Cold.</p> +<p>Shin. Thou art: sar shin, how art thou?</p> +<p>Sho, <i>s.</i> Thing.</p> +<p>Sho, <i>a.</i> Six.</p> +<p>Shohaury, <i>s.</i> Sixpence.</p> +<p>Shok, <i>s.</i> Cabbage: shockor, cabbages. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chaja.</p> +<p>Shom, <i>v.</i> 1<i>st pers. pres.</i> I am. Used +in the pure Roman tongue to express necessity: <i>e.g.</i> shom +te jav, I must go. <i>Lat.</i> Sum. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Hom.</p> +<p>Shoob, <i>s.</i> Gown. <i>Rus.</i> Shoob. +<i>See</i> Shubbo.</p> +<p>Shoon, <i>v. n.</i> To hear. <i>Pers.</i> +Shiniden. <i>Sans.</i> Sru.</p> +<p>Shoonaben, <i>s.</i> Hearing, audience. To lel +shoonaben of the covar, to take hearing of the matter.</p> +<p>Shoshoi, <i>s.</i> A hare or rabbit, but generally used +by the Gypsies for the latter. <i>Sans.</i> Sasa (a hare or +rabbit). <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Shoshoi.</p> +<p>Shubbo, <i>s.</i> A gown. <i>Rus.</i> Shoob. +<i>Wal.</i> Djoube.</p> +<p>Shubley patnies, <i>s. pl.</i> Geese.</p> +<p>Shun. A female Gypsy name.</p> +<p>Shuvvali, <i>a.</i> Enceinte, with child.</p> +<p>Si, 3<i>rd pers. sing. pres.</i> It is, she is: +tatchipen si, it is truth; coin si rawnie, who is the lady? sossi +your nav, what is your name?</p> +<p><a name="page60"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +60</span>Sicovar, <i>ad.</i> Evermore, eternally. +<i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Sekovar.</p> +<p>Si covar ajaw. So it is.</p> +<p>Sig, <i>ad.</i> Quick, soon: cana sig, now soon. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Singó. <i>Hun.</i> Sietö.</p> +<p>Sig, <i>s.</i> Haste.</p> +<p>Sikkér, <i>v. a.</i> To show: sikker-mengri, a +show.</p> +<p>Simen, <i>s. a.</i> Equal, alike. <i>Sans.</i> +Samãna.</p> +<p>Simen. We are, it is we. <i>Wal.</i> Semeina (to +resemble).</p> +<p>Simmeno, <i>s.</i> Broth. <i>See</i> Zimmen.</p> +<p>Simmer, <i>v. a.</i> Pledge, pawn.</p> +<p>Simmery-mengré, <i>s. pl.</i> Pawnbrokers.</p> +<p>Sis. Thou art: misto sis riddo, thou art well +dressed.</p> +<p>Siva, <i>v. a.</i> To sew. <i>Sans.</i> Siv.</p> +<p>Siva-mengri, <i>s.</i> A needle, sewing-thing.</p> +<p>Siva-mengri, <i>s.</i> Sempstress.</p> +<p>Siva-mengro, <i>s.</i> Tailor.</p> +<p>Skammen, <i>s.</i> Chair. <i>Wal.</i> Skaun. +<i>Mod. Gr. σκαμνί</i>.</p> +<p>Skammen-engro, <i>s.</i> Chair-maker.</p> +<p>Skraunior, <i>s. pl.</i> Boots.</p> +<p>Slom / Slum, <i>v. a.</i> Follow, trace, track. +<i>Rus.</i> Sliedovat.</p> +<p>Smentini, <i>s.</i> Cream. <i>Wal.</i> +Zmentenie. <i>Rus.</i> Smetána.</p> +<p>So, <i>pron. rel.</i> Which, what: so se tute’s +kairing, what are you doing?</p> +<p>Sollibari, <i>s.</i> Bridle. <i>Mod. Gr. +συλληβάρι</i>.</p> +<p>Sonakey / Sonneco, <i>s.</i> Gold. <i>Sans.</i> +Svarna.</p> +<p>Sore / Soro, <i>a.</i> All, every. <i>Sans.</i> +Sarva.</p> +<p>Sorlo, <i>a.</i> Early. <i>Arab.</i> [Arabic which +cannot be reproduced] Sohr, Sahr (morning, day-break). +<i>Wal.</i> Zorile.</p> +<p>Soro-ruslo, <i>a.</i> Almighty. Dad soro-ruslo, +Father Almighty.</p> +<p>Se se? Who is it?</p> +<p>So si? What is it? So si ora, what’s +o’clock?</p> +<p>Soskey, <i>ad.</i> Wherefore, for what.</p> +<p>Sovaharri, <i>s.</i> Carpet, blanket.</p> +<p><a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 61</span>Sove, +<i>v. n.</i> To sleep. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Sovella (he +sleeps). <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Sobelar (to sleep). +<i>Danish</i>, Sove (to sleep).</p> +<p>Sove tuley. To lie down.</p> +<p>Sovie, <i>s.</i> Needle. <i>See</i> Su.</p> +<p>Soving aley. Lying down to sleep.</p> +<p>Spikor, <i>s. pl.</i> Skewers. <i>Wal.</i> +Spik.</p> +<p>Spinyor, <i>s. pl.</i> Carrots.</p> +<p>Spinyor, <i>s. pl.</i> Pins. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chingabar (a pin).</p> +<p>Stadj, <i>s.</i> Hat.</p> +<p>Stanya / Stanye, <i>s.</i> A stable. <i>Hun.</i> +Sanya. <i>Wal.</i> Staula, steiníe (sheepfold).</p> +<p>Stanya-mengro, <i>s.</i> Groom, stable-fellow.</p> +<p>Stardo, <i>part. pass.</i> Imprisoned.</p> +<p>Staripen, <i>s.</i> Prison.</p> +<p>Staro-mengro, <i>s.</i> Prisoner.</p> +<p>Stannyi / Staunyo, <i>s.</i> A deer.</p> +<p>Stiggur, <i>s.</i> Gate, turnpike. <i>Old +cant</i>, Giger (a door).</p> +<p>Stiggur-engro, <i>s.</i> Turnpike-keeper.</p> +<p>Stor, <i>a.</i> Four.</p> +<p>Storey, <i>s.</i> Prisoner.</p> +<p>Stuggur, <i>s.</i> A stack.</p> +<p>Su, <i>s.</i> Needle. <i>Hun.</i> Tü.</p> +<p>Subie / Subye, <i>s.</i> Needle: subye ta naval, needle +and thread.</p> +<p>Sueti, <i>s.</i> People. <i>Lithuanian</i>, +Swetas.</p> +<p>Sungella, <i>v.</i> It stinks.</p> +<p>Sutta / Suttur / Suta, <i>s.</i> Sleep. +<i>Sans.</i> Subta (asleep). <i>Hin.</i> Sutta +(sleeping). <i>Lat.</i> Sopitus.</p> +<p>Suttur-gillie, <i>s.</i> Sleep-song, lullaby.</p> +<p>Swegler / Swingle, <i>s.</i> Pipe.</p> +<p>Syeira. A female Gypsy name.</p> +<h3><a name="page62"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 62</span>T</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Tã</span>, <i>conj.</i> +And.</p> +<p>Talleno, <i>a.</i> Woollen: talleno chofa, woollen or +flannel petticoat.</p> +<p>Tan, <i>s.</i> Place, tent. <i>Hun.</i> Tanya.</p> +<p>Tard / Tardra, <i>v. a.</i> To raise, build, pull, draw: +the kair is tardrad opré, the house is built; tard the +chaw opré, pull up the grass. <i>Hin.</i> +Tornã (to pluck). <i>Wal.</i> Tratze. +<i>Gaelic</i>, Tarruinn.</p> +<p>Tardra-mengre. Hop-pickers.</p> +<p>Tas, <i>s.</i> Cup, nest of a bird. <i>See</i> Dui +tas, doo das.</p> +<p>Tasarla / Tasorlo, <i>s.</i> To-morrow. Lit. +to-early. <i>See</i> Sorlo.</p> +<p>Tasarla, <i>s.</i> The evening. This word must not +be confounded with the one which precedes it; the present is +derived from the Wallachian Seari (evening), whilst the other is +from the Arabic Sohr, Sahar (morning).</p> +<p>Tassa-mengri, <i>s.</i> A frying-pan. <i>See</i> +Tattra-mengri.</p> +<p>Tatchipen, <i>s.</i> Truth. <i>Sans.</i> +Satyata.</p> +<p>Tatcho, <i>a.</i> True. <i>Sans.</i> Sat.</p> +<p>Tatti-pãni / Tatti-pauni, <i>s.</i> Brandy. +Lit. hot water.</p> +<p>Tatti-pen, <i>s.</i> Heat.</p> +<p>Tatto, <i>a.</i> Hot, warm. <i>Sans.</i> +Tapta. Tap (to be hot). <i>Gaelic</i>, Teth.</p> +<p>Tatto yeck, <i>s.</i> A hot un, or hot one; a stinging +blow given in some very sensitive part.</p> +<p>Tattra-mengri, <i>s.</i> A frying-pan.</p> +<p>Tawno <i>m.</i> / Tawnie <i>f.</i>, <i>a.</i> Little, +small, tiny. <i>Sans.</i> Tarana (young). <i>Wal.</i> +Tienir (young). <i>Lat.</i> Tener. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chinoro.</p> +<p>Tawnie yecks, <i>s. pl.</i> Little ones, +grandchildren.</p> +<p>Te, <i>prep.</i> To: te lesti, to her; this word is not +properly Gypsy.</p> +<p>Te, <i>conjunct.</i> That: te jinnen, that they may +know, an <a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +63</span>optative word; O beng te poggar his men, may the devil +break his neck. <i>Wal.</i> Ci.</p> +<p>Tel, <i>v. a. imp.</i> Hold: tel te jib, hold your +tongue.</p> +<p>Tem, <i>s.</i> Country.</p> +<p>Temeskoe, <i>a.</i> Belonging to a country.</p> +<p>Temno, <i>a.</i> Dark. <i>Rus.</i> Temnoy. +<i>Sans.</i> Tama (darkness).</p> +<p>Ten, <i>s.</i> <i>See</i> Tan.</p> +<p>Tikno, <i>s.</i> A child. <i>Mod. Gr. +τέκνον</i>.</p> +<p>Tikno, <i>a.</i> Small, little. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chinoro. <i>Lat.</i> Tener.</p> +<p>Tippoty, <i>a.</i> Malicious, spiteful: tippoty drey +mande, bearing malice against me.</p> +<p>Tiro, <i>pron.</i> Thine.</p> +<p>Tobbar, <i>s.</i> The <i>Road</i>; a Rapparee +word. Boro-tobbarkillipen (the Game of High +Toby—highway robbery). <i>Irish</i>, Tobar (a source, +fountain).</p> +<p>Tornapo. Name of a Gypsy man.</p> +<p>Tororo, <i>s.</i> A poor fellow, a beggar, a +tramp. <i>Sans.</i> Daridrã.</p> +<p>Tove, <i>v. a.</i> To wash: tovipen, washing. +<i>Sans.</i> Dhav.</p> +<p>Toving divvus, <i>s.</i> Washing day, Monday.</p> +<p>Traish, <i>v. a.</i> To frighten, terrify: it traishes +mande, it frightens me.</p> +<p>Trihool, <i>s.</i> Cross: Mi doveleskoe trihool, holy +cross. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Trijul. <i>Hin.</i> +Trisool.</p> +<p>Trin, <i>a.</i> Three.</p> +<p>Tringrosh / Tringurushee, Shilling. Lit. three +groats.</p> +<p>Tringurushengre, <i>s. pl.</i> Things costing a +shilling.</p> +<p>Tringush, <i>s.</i> Shilling.</p> +<p>Trito, <i>a.</i> Third. <i>Sans.</i> +Tritïya.</p> +<p>Trufféni. Female Gypsy name: Trufféni +Kaumlo, Jack Wardomescrés dieyas nav—Truffeni Lovel, +the name of John Cooper’s mother. <i>Mod. Gr. +Τρυφωνία</i>.</p> +<p>Truppior, <i>s. pl.</i> Stays.</p> +<p>Trupo, <i>s.</i> Body. <i>Wal.</i> Troup. +<i>Rus.</i> Trup</p> +<p>Trushni, <i>s.</i> Faggot.</p> +<p>Trusno, <i>a.</i> Thirsty, dry. <i>Sans.</i> +Trishnaj.</p> +<p><a name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 64</span>Tu, +<i>pron.</i> Thou: shoon tu, dieya! do thou hear, +mother!</p> +<p>Tud, <i>s.</i> Milk. <i>Sans.</i> Duh (to +milk).</p> +<p>Tudlo gueri. Milkmaid.</p> +<p>Tug, <i>a.</i> Sad, afflicted.</p> +<p>Tugnipen, <i>s.</i> Affliction.</p> +<p>Tugnis amande. Woe is me; I am sad.</p> +<p>Tugno, <i>a.</i> Sad, mournful.</p> +<p>Tulé / Tuley, <i>prep.</i> Below, under: tuley +the bor, under the hedge. <i>Slavonian</i>, +dóly.</p> +<p>Tulipen, <i>s.</i> Fat, grease.</p> +<p>Tulo, <i>a.</i> Fat.</p> +<p>Tute, <i>pron.</i> Accusative of Tu; generally used +instead of the nominative.</p> +<p>Tuv, <i>s.</i> Smoke, tobacco.</p> +<p>Tuvalo / Tuvvalo, <i>a.</i> Smoky. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Chibaló (a cigar).</p> +<h3>V</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Vangus</span>, <i>s.</i> +Finger. <i>Sans.</i> Angula.</p> +<p>Vangustri, <i>s.</i> Ring. <i>Sans.</i> Angulika, +anguri. <i>See</i> Wangustri.</p> +<p>Vaneshu, <i>s.</i> Nothing. From the Wallachian Ba +nitchi, not at all.</p> +<p>Var, <i>s.</i> Flour: var-engro, a miller. +<i>See</i> Waro.</p> +<p>Vardo, <i>s.</i> Cart. <i>See</i> Wardo.</p> +<p>Vassavo / Vassavy, <i>a.</i> Bad, evil.</p> +<p>Vast, <i>s.</i> Hand.</p> +<p>Vava. An <i>affix</i>, by which the future of a verb is +formed, as Heta-vava. It seems to be the Wallachian Wa-fi, +he shall or will be.</p> +<p>Vellin, <i>s.</i> A bottle.</p> +<p>Vauros, <i>s.</i> A city. <i>Hun.</i> +Város. <i>Sans.</i> Puri. <i>Hin.</i> +Poor. <i>Wal.</i> Orash.</p> +<p>Vénor / Vennor, Bowels, entrails. <i>See</i> +Wendror,</p> +<h3><a name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>W</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Wafo</span>, <i>a.</i> +Another. <i>Sans.</i> Apara.</p> +<p>Wafo divvus, <i>s.</i> Yesterday. Lit. the other +day.</p> +<p>Wafo tem. Another country, foreign land.</p> +<p>Wafo temeskoe mush, <i>s.</i> A foreigner, another +countryman.</p> +<p>Wafo tem-engre. Foreigners.</p> +<p>Wafodu / Wafudo, <i>a.</i> Bad, evil.</p> +<p>Wafodúder. Worse: wafodúder than dovor, +worse than they.</p> +<p>Wafodu-pen, <i>s.</i> Wickedness.</p> +<p>Wafodu guero, <i>s.</i> The Evil One, Satan.</p> +<p>Wafodu tan, <i>s.</i> Hell, bad place.</p> +<p>Wangar, <i>s.</i> Coals, charcoal. <i>Sans.</i> +Angara. <i>See</i> Wongar.</p> +<p>Wangustri, <i>s.</i> Ring.</p> +<p>Warda, <i>v.</i> To guard, take care: warda tu coccorus, +take care of yourself.</p> +<p>Wardo, <i>s.</i> Cart. <i>Sans.</i> Pattra.</p> +<p>Wardo-mescro, <i>s.</i> Carter, cartwright, cooper, name +of a Gypsy tribe.</p> +<p>Waro, <i>s.</i> Flour.</p> +<p>Waro-mescro, <i>s.</i> Miller.</p> +<p>Wast, <i>s.</i> Hand. <i>See</i> Vast. +Wastrors, hands. <i>Gaelic</i>, Bas (the palm of the +hand).</p> +<p>Weggaulus / Welgorus / Welgaulus, <i>s.</i> A +fair. <i>Wal.</i> Bieltchiou.</p> +<p>Wel, <i>v. a.</i> He comes; from Ava. Sometimes +used imperatively; <i>e.g.</i> Wel adrey, come in.</p> +<p>Welling páli. Coming back, returning from +transportation.</p> +<p>Wen, <i>s.</i> Winter.</p> +<p>Wendror, <i>s. pl.</i> Bowels, inside. <i>Wal.</i> +Pentetche. <i>Lat.</i> Venter.</p> +<p>Wentzelow. Name of a Gypsy man.</p> +<p>Werriga, <i>s.</i> Chain. <i>Rus.</i> +Veriga. <i>Wal.</i> Verigie (bolt).</p> +<p>Wesh, <i>s.</i> Forest, wood. <i>Pers.</i> +[Persian which cannot be reproduced]</p> +<p><a name="page66"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +66</span>Wesh-engro, <i>s.</i> Woodman, gamekeeper.</p> +<p>Weshen-juggal, <i>s.</i> Fox. Lit. dog of the +wood.</p> +<p>Woddrus / Wuddrus, <i>s.</i> Bed. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Patos. <i>Wal.</i> Pat. The Spanish Gypsies retain +the pure Indian word Charipé.</p> +<p>Wongar, <i>s.</i> Coal. Also a term for money; +probably because Coal in the cant language signifies money. +<i>See</i> Wangar.</p> +<p>Wongar-camming mush, <i>s.</i> A miser. Lit. one +who loves coal.</p> +<p>Wuddur, <i>s.</i> Door. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Burda. <i>Wal.</i> Poartie.</p> +<p>Wuddur-mescro, <i>s.</i> Doorkeeper.</p> +<p>Wust, <i>v. a.</i> To cast, throw.</p> +<p>Wusto-mengro, <i>s.</i> Wrestler, hurler.</p> +<h3>Y</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Yack</span>, <i>s.</i> Eye. +<i>Sans.</i> Akshi. <i>Germ.</i> Auge. <i>Rus.</i> +Oko. <i>Lithuanian</i>, Akis. <i>Lat.</i> Oculus.</p> +<p>Yackor. Eyes.</p> +<p>Yag, <i>s.</i> Fire. <i>Sans.</i> Agni. +<i>Rus.</i> Ogon. <i>Lithuanian</i>, Ugnis. +<i>Lat.</i> Ignis. <i>Irish</i>, An (water, fire).</p> +<p>Yag-engri, <i>s.</i> Gun, fire-thing.</p> +<p>Yag-engro / Yago-mengro, <i>s.</i> Gamekeeper, +sportsman, fireman.</p> +<p>Yag-kairepénes, <i>s.</i> Fireworks.</p> +<p>Yag-vardo, <i>s.</i> Fire-car, railroad carriage.</p> +<p>Yarb, <i>s.</i> Herb.</p> +<p>Yarb-tan, <i>s.</i> Garden.</p> +<p>Yeck, <i>a.</i> One. <i>Sans.</i> Eka. +<i>Hin.</i> Yak.</p> +<p>Yeckoro, <i>a.</i> Only: yeckoro chavo, only son.</p> +<p>Yeckorus, <i>ad.</i> Once.</p> +<p>Yo, <i>pron.</i> He.</p> +<p>Yoi, <i>pron.</i> She. Sometimes used for La or +Las, her; <i>e.g.</i> Mande putch’d yoi, I asked +<i>she</i>, her.</p> +<p>Yokki, <i>a.</i> Clever, expert: a yokki juva, a yokki +woman—a female expert at filching, ringing the changes, +telling <a name="page67"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +67</span>fortunes, and other Gypsy arts. <i>Sans.</i> Yoga +(artifice, plan), Yuj (to combine, put together, plan).</p> +<p>Yora, <i>s.</i> Hour. <i>See</i> Ora.</p> +<p>Yoro, <i>s.</i> An egg. <i>Wal.</i> Ou.</p> +<h3>Z</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Zi</span>, <i>s.</i> The heart, +mind. <i>Hun.</i> Sziv. <i>Sans.</i> Dhi.</p> +<p>Zimmen, <i>s.</i> Broth. <i>Wal.</i> Zmenteni +(cream).</p> +<p>Zoomi, <i>s. f.</i> Broth, soup. <i>Mod. Gr. +ζουμὶ</i>. <i>Wal.</i> Zamie +(juice).</p> +<p>Zingaro. A Gypsy, a person of mixed blood, one who +springs from various races, a made-up person. <i>Sans.</i> +Sangkara, compositus (made-up).</p> +<h2><a name="page71"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 71</span>RHYMED +LIST OF GYPSY VERBS</h2> +<p class="poetry">To dick and jin,<br /> +To bikn and kin;<br /> +To pee and hal,<br /> +And av and jal;<br /> +To kair and poggra,<br /> +Shoon and rokra;<br /> +To caur and chore,<br /> +Heta and cour,<br /> +Moar and more,<br /> +To drab and dook,<br /> +And nash on rook;<br /> +To pek and tove,<br /> +And sove and rove,<br /> +And nash on poove;<br /> +To tardra oprey,<br /> +And chiv aley;<br /> +To pes and gin,<br /> +To mang and chin,<br /> +To pootch and pukker,<br /> +Hok and dukker;<br /> +To besh and kel,<br /> +To del and lel,<br /> +And jib to tel;<br /> +Bitch, atch, and hatch,<br /> +Roddra and latch;<br /> +<a name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 72</span>To gool +and saul,<br /> +And sollohaul;<br /> +To pand and wustra,<br /> +Hokta and plastra,<br /> +Busna and kistur,<br /> +Maila and grista;<br /> +To an and riggur;<br /> +To pen and sikker,<br /> +Porra and simmer,<br /> +Chungra and chingra,<br /> +Pude and grommena,<br /> +Grovena, gruvena;<br /> +To dand and choom,<br /> +Chauva and rom,<br /> +Rok and gare,<br /> +Jib and mer<br /> +With camova,<br /> +And paracrova,<br /> +Apasavello<br /> +And mekello,<br /> +And kitsi wasror,<br /> +Sore are lavior,<br /> +For kairing chomany,<br /> +In jib of Romany.</p> +<h2><a name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>BETIE +ROKRAPENES<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">LITTLE SAYINGS</span></h2> +<blockquote><p><a name="page75"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +75</span>If foky kek jins bute,<br /> +Mà sal at lende;<br /> +For sore mush jins chomany<br /> +That tute kek jins.</p> +<p>Whatever ignorance men may show,<br /> +From none disdainful turn;<br /> +For every one doth something know<br /> +Which you have yet to learn.</p> +</blockquote> +<h3><a name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 76</span>BETIE +ROKRAPENES</h3> +<p>So must I ker, daiya, to ker tute mistos?</p> +<p>It is my Dovvel’s kerrimus, and we can’t help +asarlus.</p> +<p>Mi Dovvel opral, dick tuley opré mande.</p> +<p>If I could lel bonnek tute, het-avava tute.</p> +<p>Misto kedast tute.</p> +<p>Dovey si fino covar, ratfelo jukkal, sas miro.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>The plastra-mengro sollohaul’d bango.</p> +<p>Me camava jaw drey the Nevi Wesh to dick the purey +Bare-mescrey.</p> +<p>You jin feter dovey oduvu.</p> +<p>Will you pes for a coro levinor?</p> +<p>Mā pi kekomi.</p> +<p>Mā rokra kekomi.</p> +<p>Bori shil se mande.</p> +<p>Tatto tu coccori, pen.</p> +<p>Kekkeno pawni dov odoi.</p> +<p>Sore simensar si men.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Tatto ratti se len.</p> +<p>Wafudu lavior you do pen, miry deary Dovvel.</p> +<p>Kair pias to kair the gorgies sal.</p> +<p>Nai men chior.</p> +<p><a name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 78</span>So se +drey lis?</p> +<p>Misto sis riddo.</p> +<p>Muk man av abri.</p> +<p>Ma kair jaw.</p> +<p>Si covar ajaw.</p> +<p>An men posseymengri.</p> +<p>Colliko sorlo me deavlis.</p> +<p>Pukker zi te lesti.</p> +<p>Soving lasa.</p> +<p>Tatto si can.</p> +<p>Mande kinyo, nastis jalno durroder.</p> +<p>Mã muk de gorgey jinnen sore lidan dovvu luvvu so +garridan.</p> +<p>Dui trins ta yeck ta pas.</p> +<p>Pes apopli.</p> +<p>Chiv’d his vast adrey tiro putsi.</p> +<p>Penchavo chavo savo shan tu.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p><a name="page80"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +80</span>I’d sooner shoon his rokrapen than shoon Lally gil +a gillie.</p> +<p>Kekkeno jinava mande ne burreder denne chavo.</p> +<p>Aukko tu pios adrey Romanes.</p> +<h4><a name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 77</span>LITTLE +SAYINGS</h4> +<p>What must I do, mother, to make you well?</p> +<p>It is my God’s doing, and we can’t help at +all.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>My God above, look down upon me!</p> +<p>If I could get hold of you, I would slay you.</p> +<p>Thou hast done well.</p> +<p>That is a fine thing, you bloody dog, if it were mine.</p> +<p>The Bow-street runner swore falsely.</p> +<p>I will go into the New Forest to see the old Stanleys.</p> +<p>You know better than that.</p> +<p>Will you pay for a pot of ale?</p> +<p>Don’t drink any more.</p> +<p>Do not speak any more.</p> +<p>I have a great cold.</p> +<p>Warm thyself, sister.</p> +<p>There is no water there.</p> +<p>We are all relations: all who are with us are ourselves.</p> +<p>They have hot blood.</p> +<p>Evil words you do speak, O my dear God.</p> +<p>Make fun, to make the Gentiles laugh.</p> +<p>I have no girls.</p> +<p><a name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 79</span>What is +in it?</p> +<p>Thou art well dressed.</p> +<p>Let me come out.</p> +<p>Don’t do so.</p> +<p>The thing is so: so it is.</p> +<p>Bring me a fork.</p> +<p>To-morrow morning I will give it.</p> +<p>Tell her your mind.</p> +<p>Sleeping with her.</p> +<p>The sun is hot.</p> +<p>I am tired, I can go no farther.</p> +<p>Don’t let the Gentiles know all the money you took which +you hid.</p> +<p>Seven pound ten.</p> +<p>Pay again.</p> +<p>Put his hand into your pocket.</p> +<p>The boy is thinking who you are.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p><a name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>I would +rather hear him speak than hear Lally sing.</p> +<p>I know no more than a child.</p> +<p>Here’s your health in Romany!</p> +<h2><a name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +83</span>COTORRES OF MI-DIBBLE’S LIL CHIV’D ADREY +ROMANES<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">PIECES OF SCRIPTURE CAST INTO +ROMANY</span></h2> +<h3><a name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 85</span>THE +FIRST DAY<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">Genesis i. 1, 2, 3, 4</span></h3> +<blockquote><p><span class="smcap">Drey</span> the sherripen +Midibble kair’d the temoprey tá the puv;<br /> +Tá the puv was chungalo, tá chichi was adrey +lis;<br /> +Tá temnopen was oprey the mui of the boro put.<br /> +Tá Midibble’s bavol-engri besh’d oprey the +pánior;<br /> +Tá Midibble penn’d: Mook there be dute! tá +there was dute.<br /> +Tá Midibble dick’d that the doot was +koosho-koshko.<br /> +Tá Midibble chinn’d enrey the dute tá the +temnopen;<br /> +Tá Midibble kor’d the dute divvus, tá the +temnopen kor’d yo rarde;<br /> +Tá the sarla, tá the sorlo were yeckto divvus.</p> +</blockquote> +<h3><a name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>THE +FIFTH DAY<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">Genesis i. 20, 21, 22, 23</span></h3> +<blockquote><p><span class="smcap">Then</span> Midibble +penn’d; Mook sore the panior<br /> +Chinn tairie jibbing engris bute dosta,<br /> +Tá prey puv be bute dosta chiricles<br /> +To vol adrey the rek of the tarpe.</p> +<p>Then Midibble kair’d the borie baulo-matches,<br /> +Tá sore covar that has jibbing zi adreylis,<br /> +The bute, bute tairie covars drey the panior<br /> +Sore yeck drey its genos kair’d Midibble,</p> +<p>The chiricles that vol adrey the tarpe<br /> +Sore yeck drey its genos kair’d he lende:<br /> +Then Midibble dick’d that sore was koosho-koshko,<br /> +And he chiv’d his koshto rokrapen opreylen:</p> +<p>Penn’d Midibble: Dey ye frute ever-komi,<br /> +Ever-komi be burreder your nummer,<br /> +Per with covars the panior tá durior,<br /> +Tá prey puv be burreder the chiricles!</p> +<p>Then was sarla tá sorlo panschto divvus.</p> +</blockquote> +<h3><a name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>THE +CREATION OF MAN<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">Genesis i. 27, 28</span></h3> +<blockquote><p><span class="smcap">Then</span> Mi-dibble +kair’d Manoo drey his dikkipen,<br /> +Drey Mi-dibble’s dikkipen kair’d he leste;<br /> +Mush and mushi kair’d Dibble lende<br /> +And he chiv’d his koshto rokrapen opreylen:</p> +<p>Penn’d Mi-dibble: Dey ye frute ever-komi,<br /> +Ever-komi be burreder your nummer;<br /> +Per with chauves and chiyor the puvo<br /> +And oprey sore the puvo be krallior,</p> +<p>Oprey the dooiya and its matches,<br /> +And oprey the chiricles of the tarpé,<br /> +And oprey soro covar that’s jibbing<br /> +And peers prey the mui of the puvo.</p> +</blockquote> +<h3><a name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 88</span>THE +LORD’S PRAYER</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Meery</span> dearie Dad, sauvo jivves drey +the tem oprey, be sharrafo teero nav, te awel teero tem, be kedo +sore so caumes oprey ye poov, sar kairdios drey the tem +oprey. Dey man to divvus meery divvuskey morro; tá +for-dey mande mande’s pizzaripenes, sar mande fordeava +wafor mushes lende’s pizzaripenes; mã mook te petrav +drey kek tentacionos, but lel mande abri from sore wafodupen; for +teero se o tem, Mi-dibble, teero o ruslopen, tá yi corauni +knaw tá ever-komi. Si covar ajaw.</p> +<h3><a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 89</span>THE +APOSTLES’ CREED</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Apasavello</span> drey Mi-dovel; Dad +sore-ruslo savo kerdo o praio tem, tá cav acoi tulēy: +tá drey lescro yekkero Chauvo Jesus Christus moro erray, +beano of wendror of Mi-develeskey Geiry Mary; was curredo by the +wast of Poknish Pontius Pilatos; was nash’d oprey ye +Trihool; was mored, and chived adrey ye puve; jall’d +tulēy ye temno drom ke wafudo tan, bengeskoe starriben; +tá prey ye trito divvus jall’d yo oprey ke koshto +tan, Mi-dovels ker; beshel yo knaw odoy prey Mi-dovels tatcho +wast, Dad sore-ruslo; cad odoy avellava to lel shoonapen oprey +jibben and merripen; Apasavello drey Mi-dibbleskey Ducos; drey +the Bori Mi-develesky Bollisky Congri; that sore tatcho fokey +shall jib in mestepen kettaney; that Mi-dibble will fordel sore +wafudopenes; that soror mulor will jongor, and there will be kek +merripen asarlus. Si covar ajaw. Avali.</p> +<h2><a name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>THE +LORD’S PRAYER IN THE GYPSY DIALECT OF TRANSYLVANIA</h2> +<p><a name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span><span +class="smcap">Miro</span> gulo Devel, savo hal oté ando +Cheros, te avel swuntunos tiro nav; te avel catari tiro tem; te +keren saro so cames oppo puv, sar ando Cheros. Dé +man sekhonus miro diveskoe manro, ta ierta mangue saro so na he +plaskerava tuke, sar me ierstavava wafo manuschengue saro so na +plaskerelen mangue. Ma muk te petrow ando chungalo camoben; +tama lel man abri saro doschdar. Weika tiro sin o tem, tiri +yi potea, tiri yi proslava akana ta sekovar.</p> +<p>Te del amen o gulo Del eg meschibo pa amara choribo.</p> +<p>Te vas del o Del amengue; te n’avel man pascotia ando +drom, te na hoden pen mandar.</p> +<p class="poetry">Ja Develehi!<br /> +Az Develehi!<br /> +Ja Develeskey!<br /> +Az Develeskey!<br /> +Heri Devlis!</p> + +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p><a name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>My +sweet God, who art there in Heaven, may thy name come hallowed; +may thy kingdom come hither; may they do all that thou wishest +upon earth, as in Heaven. Give me to-day my daily bread, +and forgive me all that I cannot pay thee, as I shall forgive +other men all that they do not pay me. Do not let me fall +into evil desire; but take me out from all wickedness. For +thine is the kingdom, thine the power, thine the glory now and +ever.</p> +<p>May the sweet God give us a remedy for our poverty.</p> +<p>May God help us! May no misfortune happen to me in the +road, and may no one steal anything me.</p> +<p class="poetry">Go with God!<br /> +Stay with God!<br /> +Go, for God’s sake!<br /> +Stay, for God’s sake!<br /> +By God!</p> +<h3><a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span>LIL OF +ROMANO JINNYPEN<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">BOOK OF THE WISDOM OF THE +EGYPTIANS</span></h3> +<h4><a name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>LIL OF +ROMANO JINNYPEN</h4> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> tawno fokey often putches so +koskipen se drey the Romano jib? Mande pens ye are sore +dinneles; bute, bute koskipen se adrey lis, ta dusta, dosta of +moro foky would have been bitcheno or nash’d, but for the +puro, choveno Romano jib. A lav in Romany, penn’d in +cheeros to a tawnie rakli, and rigg’d to the tan, has +kair’d a boro kisi of luvvo and wafor covars, which had +been chor’d, to be chived tuley pov, so that when the +muskerres well’d they could latch vanisho, and had kek +yeckly to muk the Romano they had lell’d opré, jal +his drom, but to mang also his artapen.</p> +<p>His bitchenipenskie cheeros is knau abri, and it were but +kosko in leste to wel ken, if it were yeckly to lel care of +lescri puri, choveny romady; she’s been a tatchi, tatchi +romady to leste, and kek man apasavello that she has jall’d +with a wafu mush ever since he’s been bitcheno.</p> +<p>When yeck’s tardrad yeck’s beti ten oprey, +kair’d yeck’s beti yag anglo the wuddur, ta +nash’d yeck’s kekauvi by the kekauviskey saster oprey +lis, yeck kek cams that a dikkimengro or muskerro should <a +name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 98</span>wel and pen: +so’s tute kairing acai? Jaw oprey, Romano juggal.</p> +<p>Prey Juliken yeckto Frydivvus, anglo nango muyiskie staunyi +naveni kitchema, prey the chong opral Bororukeskoe Gav, drey the +Wesh, tute dickavavasa bute Romany foky, mushor ta juvar, chalor +ta cheiar.</p> +<p>Jinnes tu miro puro prala Rye Stanniwix, the puro rye savo +rigs a bawlo-dumo-mengri, ta kair’d desh ta stor mille +barior by covar-plastring?</p> +<p>He jall’d on rokkring ta rokkring dinneleskoenaes till +mande pukker’d leste: if tute jasas on dovodoiskoenaes +mande curavava tute a tatto yeck prey the nok.</p> +<p>You putches mande so si patrins. Patrins are Romany drom +sikkering engris, by which the Romany who jal anglo muk lende +that wels palal jin the drom they have jall’d by: we wusts +wastperdes of chaw oprey the puv at the jalling adrey of the +drom, or we kairs sar a wangust a trihool oprey the chik, or we +chins ranior tuley from the rukhies, and chivs lende oprey drey +the puv aligatas the bor; but the tatcho patrin is wast-perdes of +leaves, for patrin or patten in puro Romano jib is the uav of a +rukheskoe leaf.</p> +<p>The tatcho drom to be a jinney-mengro is to shoon, dick, and +rig in zi.</p> +<p>The mush savo kek se les the juckni-wast <a +name="page100"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 100</span>oprey his +jib and his zi is keck kosko to jal adrey sweti.</p> +<p>The lil to lel oprey the kekkeno mushe’s puvior and to +keir the choveno foky mer of buklipen and shillipen, is wusted +abri the Raioriskey rokkaring ker.</p> +<p>The nav they dins lati is Bokht drey Cuesni, because she rigs +about a cuesni, which sore the rardies when she jals keri, is +sure to be perdo of chored covars.</p> +<p>Cav acoi, pralor, se the nav of a lil, the sherrokairipen of a +puro kladjis of Roumany tem. The Borobeshemescrotan, or the +lav-chingaripen between ye jinneynengro ta yi sweti; or the +merripenskie rokrapen chiv’d by the zi oprey the trupo.</p> +<p>When the shello was about his men they rigg’d leste his +artapen, and muk’d leste jal; but from dovo divvus he would +rig a men-pangushi kekkomi, for he penn’d it rigg’d +to his zee the shello about his men.</p> +<p>Jack Vardomescro could del oprey dosta to jin sore was oprey +the mea-bars and the drom-sikkering engris.</p> +<p>The Romano drom to pek a chiriclo is to kair it oprey with its +porior drey chik, and then to chiv it adrey the yag for a beti +burroder than a posh ora. When the chik and the +hatch’d porior are lell’d from the chiriclesky +trupos, the per’s <a name="page102"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 102</span>chinn’d aley, and the +wendror’s wusted abri, ’tis a hobben dosta koshto for +a crallissa to hal without lon.</p> +<p>When Gorgio mushe’s merripen and Romany Chal’s +merripen wels kettaney, kek kosto merripen see.</p> +<p>Yeckorus he pukker’d mande that when he was a bis +beschengro he mored a gorgio, and chived the mulo mas tuley the +poov; he was lell’d oprey for the moripen, but as kekkeno +could latch the shillo mas, the pokiniuses muk’d him jal; +he penn’d that the butsi did not besh pordo pré his +zi for bute chiros, but then sore on a sudden he became tugnis +and atraish of the mulo gorgio’s bavol-engro, and that +often of a rarde, as he was jalling posh motto from the kitchema +by his cocoro, he would dick over his tatcho pikko and his bango +pikko, to jin if the mulo mush’s bavol-engro was kek +welling palal to lel bonnek of leste.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Does tute jin the Romano drom of lelling the wast?</p> +<p>Avali, prala.</p> +<p>Sikker mande lis.</p> +<p>They kairs it ajaw, prala.</p> +<p>A chorredo has burreder peeas than a Romany Chal.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Tute has shoon’d the lav pazorrus. Dovodoy is so +is kored gorgikonaes “Trusted.” Drey the puro +cheeros the Romano savo lelled lovvu, or wafor covars from lescro +prala in parriken, ta <a name="page104"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 104</span>kek pess’d leste apopli, could +be kair’d to buty for leste as gry, mailla or +cost-chinnimengro for a besh ta divvus. To divvus kek si +covar ajaw. If a Romano lelled lovvu or wafu covars from +meero vast in parriken, ta kek pessed mande apopli, sar estist +for mande te kair leste buty as gry, mailla, or cost-chinnimengro +for mande for yek divvus, kek to pen for sore a besh?</p> +<p>Do you nav cavacoi a weilgorus? Ratfelo rinkeno +weilgorus cav acoi: you might chiv lis sore drey teero putsi.</p> +<p>Kek jinnipenskey covar sé to pen tute’s been +bango. If tute pens tute’s been bango, foky will pen: +Estist tute’s a koosho koshko mushipen, but tatchipé +a ratfelo dinnelo.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Car’s tute jibbing?</p> +<p>Mande’s kek jibbing; mande’s is atching, at the +feredest; mande’s a pirremengri, prala!</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Cauna Romany foky rokkerelan yeck sar wafu penelan pal ta pen; +cauna dado or deya rokkerelan ke lendes chauves penelan meero +chauvo or meeri chi; or my child, gorgikonaes, to ye dui; cauna +chauves rokkerelan te dad or deya penelan meero dad or meeri +deya!</p> +<p>Meero dado, soskey were creminor kair’d? Meero +chauvo, that puvo-baulor might jib by haIling lende. Meero +dado, soskey were puvobaulor kair’d? Meero chauvo, +that tute and mande might jib by lelling lende. Meero dado, +soskey were tu ta mande kair’d? Meero chauvo, that +creminor might jib by halling mende.</p> +<p><a name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 106</span>Sore +giv-engres shan dinneles. When they shoons a gav-engro drey +the tem pen: Dov-odoy’s a fino grye! they pens: Kekkeno +grye se; grasni si; whether the covar’s a grasni or +kekkeni. Kek jinellan the dinneles that a grasni’s a +grye, though a grye is kek a grasni.</p> +<p>Kekkeni like Romano Will’s rawnie for kelling drey a +chauro.</p> +<p>Cauna Constance Petulengri merr’d she was shel tã +desch beshor puri.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Does tute jin Rawnie Wardomescri?</p> +<p>Mande jins lati misto, prala.</p> +<p>Does tute cam lati?</p> +<p>Mande cams lati bute, prala; and mande has dosta, dosta +cheeros penn’d to the wafor Romany Chals, when they were +rokkering wafudo of lati: She’s a rawnie; she lels care of +sore of you; if it were kek for lati, you would sore jal to the +beng.</p> +<p>So kerella for a jivipen?</p> +<p>She dukkers, prala; she dukkers.</p> +<p>Can she dukker misto?</p> +<p>There’s kekkeny Romany juva tuley the can for dukkering +sar Rawnie Wardomescri; nastis not to be dukker’d by lati; +she’s a tatchi chovahan; she lels foky by the wast and +dukkers lende, whether they cams or kek.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Kek koskipen si to jal roddring after Romany Chals. When +tute cams to dick lende nestist to latch yeck o’ lende; but +when tute’s penching o’ wafor covars tute dicks +o’ lende dosta dosta.</p> +<p>Mande will sollohaul neither bango nor tatcho <a +name="page108"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 108</span>against +kekkeno; if they cams to latch abri chomoni, muk lende latch it +abri their cokkoré.</p> +<p>If he had been bitcheno for a boro luripen mande would have +penn’d chi; but it kairs mande diviou to pentch that he was +bitcheno, all along of a bori lubbeny, for trin tringurishis ta +posh.</p> +<p>When he had kair’d the moripen, he kair’d sig and +plastrar’d adrey the wesh, where he gared himself drey the +hev of a boro, puro rukh; but it was kek koskipen asarlus; the +plastra-mengres slomm’d his piré sore along the wesh +till they well’d to the rukh.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Sau kisi foky has tute dukker’d to divvus?</p> +<p>Yeck rawnie coccori, prala; dov ody she wels palal; mande jins +lati by the kaulo dori prey laki shubba.</p> +<p>Sau bute luvvu did she del tute?</p> +<p>Yeck gurush, prala; yeck gurush coccoro. The beng te +lilly a truppy!</p> +<p>Shoon the kosko rokkrapen so Micail jinney-mengro penn’d +ke Rawnie Trullifer: Rawnie Trollopr, you must jib by your +jibben: and if a base se tukey you must chiv lis tuley.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Can you rokkra Romanes?</p> +<p>Avali, prala!</p> +<p>So si Weshenjuggalslomomengreskeytemskey tudlogueri?</p> +<p>Mande don’t jin what you pens, prala.</p> +<p>Then tute is kek Romano lavomengro.</p> +<h4><a name="page97"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 97</span>BOOK +OF THE WISDOM OF THE EGYPTIANS</h4> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> young people often ask: What +good is there in the Romany tongue? I answers: Ye are all +fools! There is plenty, plenty of good in it, and plenty, +plenty of our people would have been transported or hung, but for +the old, poor Roman language. A word in Romany said in time +to a little girl, and carried to the camp, has caused a great +purse of money and other things, which had been stolen, to be +stowed underground; so that when the constables came they could +find nothing, and had not only to let the Gypsy they had taken up +go his way, but also to beg his pardon.</p> +<p>His term of transportation has now expired, and it were but +right in him to come home, if it were only to take care of his +poor old wife: she has been a true, true wife to him, and I +don’t believe that she has taken up with another man ever +since he was sent across.</p> +<p>When one’s pitched up one’s little tent, made +one’s little fire before the door, and hung one’s +kettle by the kettle-iron over it, one doesn’t like that an +inspector or constable should come and <a name="page99"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 99</span>say: What are you doing here? +Take yourself off, you Gypsy dog.</p> +<p>On the first Friday of July, before the public-house called +the Bald-faced Stag, on the hill above the town of the great tree +in the Forest, you will see many Roman people, men and women, +lads and lasses.</p> +<p>Do you know my old friend Mr. Stanniwix, the old gentleman +that wears a pigtail, and made fourteen thousand pounds by +smuggling?</p> +<p>He went on talking and talking foolishness till I said to him: +If you goes on in that ’ere way I’ll hit you a hot +’un on the nose.</p> +<p>You ask me what are <i>patrins</i>. <i>Patrin</i> is the +name of the signs by which the Gypsies who go before show the +road they have taken to those who follow behind. We flings +handfuls of grass down at the head of the road we takes, or we +makes with the finger a cross-mark on the ground, we sticks up +branches of trees by the side the hedge. But the true +patrin is handfuls of leaves flung down; for <i>patrin</i> or +<i>patten</i> in old Roman language means the leaf of a tree.</p> +<p>The true way to be a wise man is to hear, see, and bear in +mind.</p> +<p>The man who has not the whip-hand of his <a +name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 101</span>tongue and +his temper is not fit to go into company.</p> +<p>The Bill to take up the no-man’s lands (comons), and to +make the poor people die of hunger and cold, has been flung out +of the House of Commons.</p> +<p>The name they gives her is “Luck in a basket,” +because she carries about a basket, which every night, when she +goes home, is sure to be full of stolen property.</p> +<p>This here, brothers, is the title of a book, the head-work of +an old king of Roumany land: the Tribunal, or the dispute between +the wise man and the world: or, the death-sentence passed by the +soul upon the body.</p> +<p>When the rope was about his neck they brought him his pardon, +and let him go; but from that day he would wear a neck-kerchief +no more, for he said it brought to his mind the rope about his +neck.</p> +<p>Jack Cooper could read enough to know all that was upon the +milestones and the sign-posts.</p> +<p>The Roman way to cook a fowl is to do it up with its feathers +in clay, and then to put it in fire for a little more than half +an hour. When the clay and the burnt feathers are taken +from the fowl, the belly cut open, and the inside <a +name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 103</span>flung out, +’tis a food good enough for a queen to eat without +salt.</p> +<p>When the Gentile way of living and the Gypsy way of living +come together, it is anything but a good way of living.</p> +<p>He told me once that when he was a chap of twenty he killed a +Gentile, and buried the dead meat under ground. He was +taken up for the murder, but as no one could find the cold meat, +the justices let him go. He said that the job did not sit +heavy upon his mind for a long time, but then all of a sudden he +became sad, and afraid of the dead Gentile’s ghost; and +that often of a night, as he was coming half-drunk from the +public-house by himself, he would look over his right shoulder +and over his left shoulder, to know if the dead man’s ghost +was not coming behind to lay hold of him.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Do you know the Gypsy way of taking the hand?</p> +<p>Aye, aye, brother.</p> +<p>Show it to me.</p> +<p>They does it <i>so</i>, brother.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>A tramp has more fun than a Gypsy.</p> +<p>You have heard the word <i>pazorrus</i>. That is what is +called by the Gentiles “trusted,” or in debt. +In the old time the Roman who got from his brother money or other +things on trust, and <a name="page105"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 105</span>did not pay him again, could be made +to work for him as horse, ass, or wood cutter for a year and a +day. At present the matter is not so. If a Roman got +money, or other things, from my hand on credit, and did not repay +me, how could I make him labour for me as horse, ass, or +stick-cutter for one day, not to say for a year?</p> +<p>Do you call this a fair? A very pretty fair is this: you +might put it all into your pocket.</p> +<p>It is not a wise thing to say you have been wrong. If +you allow you have been wrong, people will say: You may be a very +honest fellow, but are certainly a very great fool.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Where are you living?</p> +<p>Mine is not living; mine is staying, to say the best of it; I +am a traveller, brother!</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>When Roman people speak to one another, they say brother and +sister. When parents speak to their children, they say, my +son, or my daughter, or my child, <i>gorgiko</i>-like, to +either. When children speak to their parents, they say, my +father, or my mother.</p> +<p>My father, why were worms made? My son, that moles might +live by eating them. My father, why were moles made? +My son, that you and I might live by catching them. My +father, why were you and I made? My son, that worms might +live by eating us.</p> +<p><a name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>All +farmers are fools. When they hear a citizen in the country +say: That’s a fine horse! they say: ’Tis no horse, +’tis a mare; whether the thing’s a horse or +not. The simpletons don’t know that a mare’s a +horse, though a horse is not a mare.</p> +<p>No one like Gypsy Will’s wife for dancing in a +platter.</p> +<p>When Constance Smith died, she was a hundred ten years +old.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Do you know Mrs. Cooper?</p> +<p>I knows her very well, brother.</p> +<p>Do you like her?</p> +<p>I loves her very much, brother; and I have often, often said +to the other Gypsies, when they speaking ill of her: She’s +a gentlewoman; takes care of all of you; if it were not for her, +you would all go to the devil.</p> +<p>What does she do for a living?</p> +<p>She tells fortunes, brother; she tells fortunes.</p> +<p>Is she a good hand at fortune-telling?</p> +<p>There’s no Roman woman under the sun so good at +fortune-telling as Mrs. Cooper; it is impossible not to have your +fortune told by her; she’s a true witch; she takes people +by the hand, and tells their fortunes, whether they will or +no.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>’Tis no use to go seeking after Gypsies. When you +wants to see them ’tis impossible to find one of them; but +when you are thinking of other matters you see plenty, plenty of +them.</p> +<p>I will swear neither falsely nor truly against <a +name="page109"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 109</span>any one; if +they wishes to find out something, let them find it out +themselves.</p> +<p>If he had been transported for a great robbery, I would have +said nothing; but it makes me mad to think that he has been sent +away, all along of a vile harlot, for the value of +three-and-sixpence.</p> +<p>When he had committed the murder he made haste, and ran into +the wood, where he hid himself in the hollow of a great old tree; +but it was no use at all; the runners followed his track all +along the forest till they came to the tree.</p> +<p>How many fortunes have you told to-day?</p> +<p>Only one lady’s, brother; yonder she’s coming +back; I knows her by the black lace on her gown.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>How much money did she give you?</p> +<p>Only one groat, brother; only one groat. May the devil +run away with her bodily!</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Hear the words of wisdom which Mike the Grecian said to Mrs. +Trullifer: Mrs. Trollopr, you must live by your living; and if +you have a pound you must spend it.</p> +<p>Can you speak Romany?</p> +<p>Aye, aye, brother!</p> +<p>What is Weshenjuggalslomomengreskeytemskeytudlogueri?</p> +<p>I don’t know what you say, brother.</p> +<p>Then you are no master of Romany.</p> +<h2><a name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +111</span>ROMANE NAVIOR OF TEMES AND GAVIOR<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">GYPSY NAMES OF CONTRIES AND +TOWNS</span></h2> +<table> +<tr> +<td><p><a name="page112"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +112</span>Baulo-mengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p><a name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +113</span>Swineherds’ country, Hampshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Bitcheno padlengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Transported fellows’ country, Botany Bay</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Bokra-mengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Shepherds’ country, Sussex</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Bori-congriken gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Great church town, York</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Boro-rukeneskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Great tree town, Fairlop</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Boro gueroneskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Big fellows’ country, Northumberland</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Chohawniskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Witches’ country, Lancashire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Choko-mengreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Shoemakers’ town, Northampton</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Churi-mengreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Cutlers’ town, Sheffield</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Coro-mengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Potters’ country, Staffordshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Cosht-killimengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Cudgel players’ country, Cornwall</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Curo-mengreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Boxers’ town, Nottingham</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Dinelo tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Fools’ country, Suffolk</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Giv-engreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Farmers’ country, Buckinghamshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Gry-engreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Horsedealers’ town, Horncastle</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Guyo-mengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Pudding-eaters’ country, Yorkshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Hindity-mengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Dirty fellows’ country, Ireland</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Jinney-mengreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Sharpers’ town, Manchester</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Juggal-engreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Dog-fanciers’ town, Dudley</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Juvlo-mengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Lousy fellows’ country, Scotland</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Kaulo gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>The black town, Birmingham</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Levin-engriskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Hop country, Kent</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Lil-engreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Book fellows’ town, Oxford</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Match-eneskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Fishy town, Yarmouth</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p><a name="page114"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +114</span>Mi-develeskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p><a name="page115"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +115</span>My God’s town, Canterbury</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Mi-krauliskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Royal town, London</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Nashi-mescro gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Racers’ town, Newmarket</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Pappin-eskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Duck country, Lincolnshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Paub-pawnugo tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Apple-water country, Herefordshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Porrum-engreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Leek-eaters’ country, Wales</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Pov-engreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Potato country, Norfolk</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Rashayeskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Clergyman’s town, Ely</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Rokrengreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Talking fellows’ town, Norwich</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Shammin-engreskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Chairmakers’ town, Windsor</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Tudlo tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Milk country, Cheshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Weshen-eskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Forest town, Epping</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Weshen-juggal-slommo-mengreskey tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Fox-hunting fellows’ country, Leicestershire</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Wongareskey gav</p> +</td> +<td><p>Coal town, Newcastle</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td><p>Wusto-mengresky tem</p> +</td> +<td><p>Wrestlers’ country, Devonshire</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2><a name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +117</span>THOMAS ROSSAR-MESCRO, OR THOMAS HERNE</h2> +<h3><a name="page118"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +118</span>THOMAS ROSSAR-MESCRO</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Prey</span> Juniken bis diuto divvus, drey +the besh yeck mille ochto shel shovardesh ta trin, mande +jaw’d to dick Thomas Rossar-mescro, a puro Romano, of whom +mande had shoon’d bute. He was jibbing drey a tan +naveno Rye Groby’s Court, kek dur from the Coromengreskoe +Tan ta Bokkar-engreskey Wesh. When mande dick’d leste +he was beshing prey the poov by his wuddur, chiving misto the +poggado tuleskey part of a skammin. His ker was posh ker, +posh wardo, and stood drey a corner of the tan; kek dur from +lesti were dui or trin wafor ker-wardoes. There was a +wafudo canipen of baulor, though mande dick’d +kekkeney. I penn’d “Sarshin?” in Romany +jib, and we had some rokrapen kettaney. He was a boro mush, +as mande could dick, though he was beshing. But though boro +he was kek tulo, ta lescré wastes were tarney sar yek +rawnie’s. Lollo leste mui sar yeck weneskoe paub, ta +lescro bal rather lollo than parno. Prey his shero was a +beti stadj, and he was kek wafudo riddo. On my putching +leste kisi boro he was, ta kisi puro, he penn’d that he was +sho piré sore but an inch boro, ta enyovardesh ta dui besh +puro. He didn’t jin to rokkra bute in Romano, but +jinn’d almost sore so mande <a name="page120"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 120</span>rokkar’d te leste. Moro +rokkrapen was mostly in gorgiko jib. Yeck covar yecklo drey +lescro drom of rokkring mande pennsch’d kosko to rig in +zi. In tan of penning Romany, sar wafor Romany chals, +penn’d o Roumany, a lav which sig, sig rigg’d to my +zi <i>Roumain</i>, the tatcho, puro nav of the Vallackiskie jib +and foky. He seem’d a biti aladge of being of Romany +rat. He penn’d that he was beano drey the +Givengreskey Tem, that he was kek tatcho Romano, but yeckly posh +ta posh: lescro dado was Romano, but lescri daya a gorgie of the +Lilengreskoe Gav; he had never camm’d bute to jib +Romaneskoenaes, and when tarno had been a givengreskoe +raklo. When he was boro he jall’d adrey the +Lilengrotemskey militia, and was desh ta stor besh a militia +curomengro. He had jall’d bute about Engli-tem and +the juvalo-mengreskey, Tem, drey the cheeros of the puri +chingaripen, and had been adrey Monseer-tem, having volunteered +to jal odoy to cour agen the parley-woo gueros. He had +dick’d Bordeaux and the boro gav Paris. After the +chingaripen, he had lell’d oprey skamminengring, and had +jall’d about the tem, but had been knau for buter than +trianda beshor jibbing in Lundra. He had been romado, but +his romadi had been mullee bute, bute cheeros; she had +dinn’d leste yeck chavo, so was knau a heftwardesh +beshengro, dicking bute puroder than yo cocoro, ta kanau lying +naflo of a tatti naflipen drey yeck of the wardes. He +penn’d that at yeck cheeros he could kair dosta luvvu by +skammin-engring, but kanau from his bori puripen could scarcely +kair yeck tringurushee a divvus. “Ladjipen si,” +I penn’d, “that a mush so puro as tute should <a +name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 122</span>have to +booty.” “Kosko zi! kosko zi!” he +penn’d; “Paracrow Dibble that mande is dosta ruslo to +booty, and that mande has koskey camomescres; I shan’t be +tugnis to jib to be a shel beshengro, though tatchipen si if +mande was a rye mande would kair kek booty.” His +chaveskoe chavo, a trianda ta pansch beshengro, well’d +kanau ta rokkar’d mansar. He was a misto dicking ta +rather misto riddo mush, sar chimouni jinneymengreskey drey +lescro mui. He penn’d that his dadeskoe dad was a +fino puro mush, savo had dick’d bute, and that dosta, dosta +foky well’d odoy to shoon lescré rokkrapenes of the +puro cheeros, of the Franciskie ta Amencanskie chingaripenes, and +of what yo had dick’d drey wafu tems. That tatchipen +to pen there was a cheeros when his drom was dur from kosko, for +that he camm’d to cour, sollohaul ta kair himself motto, +but that kanau he was a wafu mush, that he had muk’d sore +curopen and wafudo rokkrapen, and, to corauni sore, was yeck +tee-totaller, yo cocoro having kair’d leste sollohaul that +he would pi kekomi neither tatti panie nor levinor: that he +jall’d sore the curques either to congri or Tabernacle, and +that tho’ he kek jinn’d to del oprey he camm’d +to shoon the Miduveleskoe lil dell’d oprey to leste; that +the panishkie ryor held leste drey boro camopen, and that the +congriskoe rashi, and oprey sore Dr. P. of the Tabernacle had a +boro opinionos of leste, ta penn’d that he would hal the +Miduveleskoe habben sar moro Araunyo Jesus drey the kosko tem +opral. Mande putch’d whether the Romany Chals +well’d often to dick leste? He penn’d that they +well’d knau and then to pen Koshto divvus and Sarshin? <a +name="page124"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 124</span>but +dov’ odoy was sore; that neither his dadeskoe dad nor yo +cocoro camm’d to dick lende, because they were wafodu foky, +perdo of wafodupen and bango camopen, ta oprey sore bute envyous; +that drey the wen they jall’d sore cattaney to the ryor, +and rokkar’d wafodu of the puno mush, and pukker’d +the ryor to let lester a coppur which the ryor had lent leste, to +kair tatto his choveno puro truppo drey the cheeros of the +trashlo shillipen; that tatchipen si their wafodupen kaired the +puro mush kek dosh, for the ryor pukker’d lende to jal +their drom and be aladge of their cocoré, but that it was +kek misto to pensch that yeck was of the same rat as such +foky. After some cheeros I dinn’d the puro mush a +tawno cuttor of rupe, shook leste by ye wast, penn’d that +it would be mistos amande to dick leste a shel-beshengro, and +jaw’d away keri.</p> +<h4><a name="page119"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +119</span>THOMAS HERNE</h4> +<p><span class="smcap">On</span> the twenty-second day of June, +in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, I went to +see Thomas Herne, an old Gypsy, of whom I had heard a great +deal. He was living at a place called Mr. Groby’s +Court, not far from the Potteries and the Shepherd’s +Bush. When I saw him, he was sitting on the ground by his +door, mending the broken bottom of a chair. His house was +half-house half-waggon, and stood in a corner of the court; not +far from it were two or three other waggon-houses. There +was a disagreeable smell of hogs, though I saw none. I +said, “How you do?” in the Gypsy tongue, and we had +discourse together. He was a tall man, as I could see, +though he was sitting. But, though tall, he was not stout, +and his hands were small as those of a lady. His face was +as red as a winter apple, and his hair was rather red than +grey. He had a small hat on his head, and he was not badly +dressed. On my asking him how tall he was, and how old, he +said that he was six foot high, all but an inch, and that he was +ninety-two years old. He could not talk much Gypsy, but +understood almost all that I said to him. Our <a +name="page121"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 121</span>discourse +was chiefly in English. One thing only in his manner of +speaking I thought worthy of remembrance. Instead of saying +Romany, like other Gypsies, he said Roumany, a word which +instantly brought to my mind Roumain, the genuine, ancient name +of the Wallachian tongue and people. He seemed to be rather +ashamed of being of Gypsy blood. He told me that he was +born in Buckinghamshire, that he was no true Gypsy, but only +half-and-half: his father was a Gypsy, but his mother was a +Gentile of Oxford; he had never had any particular liking for the +Gypsy manner of living, and when little had been a farmer’s +boy. When he grew up he enlisted into the Oxford militia, +and was fourteen years a militia soldier. He had gone much +about England and Scotland in the time of the old war, and had +been in France, having volunteered to go thither to fight against +the French. He had seen Bordeaux and the great city of +Paris. After war he had taken up chair-making, and had +travelled about the country, but had been now for more than +thirty years living in London. He had been married, but his +wife had long been dead. She had borne him a son, who was +now a man seventy years of age, looking much older than himself, +and at present lying sick of a burning fever in one of the +caravans. He said that at one time he could make a good +deal of money by chair-making, but now from his great age could +scarcely earn a shilling a day. “What a shame,” +said I, “that a man so old as you should have to <a +name="page123"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 123</span>work at +all!” “Courage! courage!” he cried; +“I thank God that I am strong enough to work, and that I +have good friends; I shan’t be sorry to live to be a +hundred years old, though true it is that if I were a gentleman I +would do no work.” His grandson, a man of about +five-and-thirty, came now and conversed with me. He was a +good-looking and rather well-dressed man, with something of a +knowing card in his countenance. He said that his +grandfather was a fine old man, who had seen a great deal, and +that a great many people came to hear his stories of the old +time, of the French and American wars, and of what he had seen in +other countries. That, truth to say, there was a time when +his way was far from commendable, for that he loved to fight, +swear, and make himself drunk; but that now he was another man, +that he had abandoned all fighting and evil speaking, and, to +crown all, was a tee-totaller, he himself having made him swear +that he would no more drink either gin or ale: that he went every +Sunday either to church or Tabernacle, and that, though he did +not know how to read, he loved to hear the holy book read to him; +that the gentlemen of the parish entertained a great regard for +him, and that the church clergyman and, above all, Dr. P. of the +Tabernacle had a high opinion of him, and said that he would +partake of the holy banquet with our Lord Jesus in the blessed +country above. On my inquiring whether the Gypsies came +often to see him, he said that they came now and then to say +“Good day” and “How do you do?” but that +was all; <a name="page125"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +125</span>that neither his grandfather nor himself cared to see +them, because they were evil people, full of wickedness and +left-handed love, and, above all, very envyous; that in the +winter they all went in a body to the gentlemen and spoke ill of +the old man, and begged the gentlemen to take from him a blanket +which the gentlemen had lent him to warm his poor old body with +in the time of the terrible cold; that it is true their +wickedness did the old man no harm, for the gentlemen told them +to go away and be ashamed of themselves, but that it was not +pleasant to think that one was of the same blood as such +people. After some time I gave the old man a small piece of +silver, shook him by the hand, said that I should be glad to see +him live to be a hundred, and went away home.</p> +<h2><a name="page127"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +127</span>KOKKODUS ARTARUS</h2> +<p><a name="page129"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 129</span><span +class="smcap">Drey</span> the puro cheeros there jibb’d a +puri Romani juva, Sinfaya laki nav. Tatchi Romani juva i; +caum’d to rokkra Romany, nav’d every mush kokkodus, +ta every mushi deya. Yeck chavo was láki; lescro nav +Artáros; dinnelo or diviou was O; romadi was +lesgué; but the rommadi merr’d, mukking leste yeck +chávo. Artáros caum’d to jal oprey the +drom, and sikker his nangipen to rawnies and kair muior. At +last the ryor chiv’d leste drey the diviou ker. The +chávo jibb’d with his puri deya till he was a desch +ta pantsch besh engro. Yeck divvus a Romani juva jalling +along the drom dick’d the puri juva beshing tuley a bor +roving: What’s the matter, Sinfaya, pukker’d i?</p> +<p class="poetry">My chavo’s chavo is lell’d oprey, +deya.<br /> +What’s he lell’d oprey for?<br /> +For a meila and posh, deya.<br /> +Why don’t you jal to dick leste?<br /> +I have nash’d my maila, deya.<br /> +O má be tugni about your maila; jal and dick leste.</p> +<p>I don’t jin kah se, deya! diviou kokkodus Artáros +jins, kek mande. Ah diviou, diviou, jal amande callico.</p> +<h2><a name="page131"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +131</span>MANG, PRALA<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">BEG ON, BROTHER</span></h2> +<h3><a name="page132"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +132</span>MANG, PRALA</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Romano</span> chavo was manging sar bori +gudli yeck rye te del les pasherro. Lescri deya so was +beshing kek dur from odoy penn’d in gorgikey rokrapen: +Meklis juggal, ta av acoi! ma kair the rye kinyo with your gudli! +and then penn’d sig in Romany jib: Mang, Prala, mang! +Ta o chavo kair’d ajaw till the rye chiv’d les yeck +shohaury.</p> + +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p><a name="page133"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +133</span>[Something like the following little anecdote is +related by the Gypsies in every part of Continental Europe.]</p> +<h4>BEG ON, BROTHER</h4> +<p>A <span class="smcap">Gypsy</span> brat was once pestering a +gentleman to give him a halfpenny. The mother, who was +sitting nigh, cried in English: Leave off, you dog, and come +here! don’t trouble the gentleman with your noise; and then +added in Romany: Beg on, brother! and so the brat did, till the +gentleman flung him a sixpence.</p> +<h2><a name="page135"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +135</span>ENGLISH GYPSY SONGS</h2> +<h3><a name="page136"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +136</span>WELLING KATTANEY: THE GYPSY MEETING</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Coin</span> si deya, coin +se dado?<br /> +Pukker mande drey Romanes,<br /> +Ta mande pukkeravava tute.</p> +<p class="poetry">Rossar-mescri minri deya!<br /> +Vardo-mescro minro dado!<br /> +Coin se dado, coin si deya?<br /> +Mande’s pukker’d tute drey Romanes;<br /> +Knau pukker tute mande.</p> +<p class="poetry">Petuiengro minro dado!<br /> +Purana minri deya!<br /> +Tatchey Romany si men—<br /> +Mande’s pukker’d tute drey Romanes,<br /> +Ta tute’s pukker’d mande.</p> +<h4><a name="page137"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 137</span>THE +GYPSY MEETING</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Who’s</span> your +mother, who’s your father?<br /> +Do thou answer me in Romany,<br /> +And I will answer thee.</p> +<p class="poetry">A Hearne I have for mother!<br /> +A Cooper for my father!<br /> +Who’s your father, who’s your mother?<br /> +I have answer’d thee in Romany,<br /> +Now do thou answer me.</p> +<p class="poetry">A Smith I have for father!<br /> +A Lee I have for mother!<br /> +True Romans both are we—<br /> +For I’ve answer’d thee in Romany,<br /> +And thou hast answer’d me.</p> +<h3><a name="page138"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +138</span>LELLING CAPPI: MAKING A FORTUNE</h3> +<p class="poetry">“<span class="smcap">Av</span>, my little +Romany chel!<br /> + Av along with mansar!<br /> +Av, my little Romany chel!<br /> + Koshto si for mangue.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“I shall lel a curapen,<br /> + If I jal aley;<br /> +I shall lel a curapen<br /> + From my dear bebee.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“I will jal on my chongor,<br /> + Then I’ll pootch your bebee.<br /> +‘O my dear bebee, dey me your chi,<br /> + For koshto si for mangue.’</p> +<p class="poetry">“‘Since you pootch me for my +chi,<br /> + I will dey you lati.’”<br /> +Av, my little Romany chel!<br /> + We will jal to the wafu tem:</p> +<p class="poetry">“I will chore a beti gry,<br /> + And so we shall lel cappi.”<br /> +“Kekko, meero mushipen,<br /> + For so you would be stardo;</p> +<p class="poetry">“But I will jal a dukkering,<br /> + And so we shall lel cappi.”<br /> +“Koshto, my little Romany chel!<br /> + Koshto si for mangue.”</p> +<h4><a name="page139"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +139</span>MAKING A FORTUNE</h4> +<p class="poetry">“<span class="smcap">Come</span> along, +my little gypsy girl,<br /> + Come along, my little dear;<br /> +Come along, my little gypsy girl—<br /> + We’ll wander far and near.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“I should get a leathering<br /> + Should I with thee go;<br /> +I should get a leathering<br /> + From my dear aunt, I trow.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ll go down on my two knees,<br +/> + And I will beg your aunt.<br /> +‘O auntie dear, give me your child;<br /> + She’s just the girl I want!’</p> +<p class="poetry">“‘Since you ask me for my child,<br +/> + I will not say thee no!’<br /> +Come along, my little gypsy girl!<br /> + To another land we’ll go:</p> +<p class="poetry">“I will steal a little horse,<br /> + And our fortunes make thereby.”<br /> +“Not so, my little gypsy boy,<br /> + For then you’d swing on high;</p> +<p class="poetry">“But I’ll a fortune-telling go,<br +/> + And our fortunes make thereby.”<br /> +“Well said, my little gypsy girl,<br /> + You counsel famously.”</p> +<h4><a name="page140"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +140</span>LELLING CAPPI<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">No.2</span></h4> +<p class="poetry">“<span class="smcap">Av</span>, my little +Rumni chel,<br /> + Av along with mansar;<br /> +We will jal a gry-choring<br /> + Pawdle across the chumba.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ll jaw tuley on my chongor<br /> + To your deya and your bebee;<br /> +And I’ll pootch lende that they del<br /> + Tute to me for romadi.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ll jaw with thee, my Rumni +chal,<br /> + If my dye and bebee muk me;<br /> +But choring gristurs traishes me,<br /> + For it brings one to the rukie.</p> +<p class="poetry">“’Twere ferreder that you should +ker,<br /> + Petuls and I should dukker,<br /> +For then adrey our tanney tan,<br /> + We kek atraish may sova.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“Kusko, my little Rumni chel,<br /> + Your rokrapen is kusko;<br /> +We’ll dukker and we’ll petuls ker<br /> + Pawdle across the chumba.</p> +<p class="poetry">“O kusko si to chore a gry<br /> + Adrey the kaulo rarde;<br /> +But ’tis not kosko to be nash’d<br /> + Oprey the nashing rukie.”</p> +<h4><a name="page141"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +141</span>MAKING A FORTUNE<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">No.2</span></h4> +<p class="poetry">“<span class="smcap">Come</span> along, +my little gypsy girl,<br /> + Come along with me, I pray!<br /> +A-stealing horses we will go,<br /> + O’er the hills so far away.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Before your mother and your aunt<br /> + I’ll down upon my knee,<br /> +And beg they’ll give me their little girl<br /> + To be my Romadie.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ll go with you, my gypsy boy,<br +/> + If my mother and aunt agree;<br /> +But a perilous thing is horse-stealinge,<br /> + For it brings one to the tree.</p> +<p class="poetry">“’Twere better you should tinkering +ply,<br /> + And I should fortunes tell;<br /> +For then within our little tent<br /> + In safety we might dwell.”</p> +<p class="poetry">“Well said, my little gypsy girl,<br /> + I like well what you say;<br /> +We’ll tinkering ply, and fortunes tell<br /> + O’er the hills so far away.</p> +<p class="poetry">“’Tis a pleasant thing in a dusky +night<br /> + A horse-stealing to go;<br /> +But to swing in the wind on the gallows-tree,<br /> + Is no pleasant thing, I trow.”</p> +<h3><a name="page142"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 142</span>THE +DUI CHALOR</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Dui</span> Romany Chals +were bitcheney,<br /> +Bitcheney pawdle the bori pawnee.<br /> +Plato for kawring,<br /> +Lasho for choring<br /> +The putsi of a bori rawnee.</p> +<p class="poetry">And when they well’d to the wafu tem,<br +/> +The tem that’s pawdle the bori pawnee,<br /> +Plato was nasho<br /> +Sig, but Lasho<br /> +Was lell’d for rom by a bori rawnee.</p> +<p class="poetry">You cam to jin who that rawnie was,<br /> +’Twas the rawnie from whom he chor’d the putsee:<br +/> +The Chal had a black<br /> +Chohauniskie yack,<br /> +And she slomm’d him pawdle the bori pawnee.</p> +<h4><a name="page143"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 143</span>THE +TWO GYPSIES</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Two</span> Gypsy lads were +transported,<br /> +Were sent across the great water.<br /> +Plato was sent for rioting,<br /> +And Louis for stealing the purse<br /> +Of a great lady.</p> +<p class="poetry">And when they came to the other country,<br /> +The country that lies across the great water,<br /> +Plato was speedily hung,<br /> +But Louis was taken as a husband<br /> +By a great lady.</p> +<p class="poetry">You wish to know who was the lady,<br /> +’Twas the lady from whom he stole the purse:<br /> +The Gypsy had a black and witching eye,<br /> +And on account of that she followed him<br /> +Across the great water.</p> +<h3><a name="page144"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 144</span>MIRO +ROMANY CHl</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">As</span> I was a jawing to +the gav yeck divvus <br /> +I met on the drom miro Romany chi;<br /> +I pootch’d las whether she come sar mande,<br /> +And she penn’d tu sar wafo rommadis;<br /> +O mande there is kek wafo romady,<br /> +So penn’d I to miro Romany chi,<br /> +And I’ll kair tute miro tatcho romadi<br /> +If you but pen tu come sar mande.</p> +<h4><a name="page145"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 145</span>MY +ROMAN LASS</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">As</span> I to the town was +going one day<br /> +My Roman lass I met by the way;<br /> +Said I: Young maid, will you share my lot?<br /> +Said she: Another wife you’ve got.<br /> +Ah no! to my Roman lass I cried:<br /> +No wife have I in the world so wide,<br /> +And you my wedded wife shall be<br /> +If you will consent to come with me.</p> +<h3><a name="page146"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 146</span>AVA, +CHI</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Hokka</span> tute mande<br +/> +Mande pukkra bebee<br /> +Mande shauvo tute—<br /> +Ava, Chi!</p> +<h4>YES, MY GIRL</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">If</span> to me you prove +untrue,<br /> +Quickly I’ll your auntie tell<br /> +I’ve been over-thick with you—<br /> +Yes, my girl, I will.</p> +<h3>THE TEMESKOE RYE</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Penn’d</span> the +temeskoe rye to the Romany chi,<br /> +As the choon was dicking prey lende dui:<br /> +Rinkeny tawni, Romany rawni,<br /> +Mook man choom teero gudlo mui.</p> +<h4>THE YOUTHFUL EARL</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Said</span> the youthful +earl to the Gypsy girl,<br /> +As the moon was casting its silver shine:<br /> +Brown little lady, Egyptian lady,<br /> +Let me kiss those sweet lips of thine.</p> +<h3><a name="page148"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +148</span>CAMO-GILLIE</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Pawnie</span> birks<br /> +My men-engni shall be;<br /> +Yackors my dudes<br /> +Like ruppeney shine:<br /> +Atch meery chi!<br /> +Mā jal away:<br /> +Perhaps I may not dick tute<br /> +Kek komi.</p> +<h4><a name="page149"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +149</span>LOVE-SONG</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">I’d</span> choose as +pillows for my head<br /> +Those snow-white breasts of thine;<br /> +I’d use as lamps to light my bed<br /> +Those eyes of silver shine:<br /> +O lovely maid, disdain me not,<br /> +Nor leave me in my pain:<br /> +Perhaps ’twill never be my lot<br /> +To see thy face again.</p> +<h3><a name="page150"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +150</span>TUGNIS AMANDE</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">I’m</span> jalling +across the pāni—<br /> +A choring mas and morro,<br /> +Along with a bori lubbeny,<br /> +And she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">I sov’d yeck rarde drey a gran,<br /> +A choring mas and morro,<br /> +Along with a bori lubbeny,<br /> +And she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">She pootch’d me on the collico,<br /> +A choring mas and morro,<br /> +To jaw with lasa to the show,<br /> +For she would be the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">And when I jaw’d odoy with lasa,<br /> +A choring mas and morro,<br /> +Sig she chor’d a rawnie’s kissi,<br /> +And so she was the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">They lell’d up lata, they lell’d up +mande,<br /> +A choring mas and morro,<br /> +And bitch’d us dui pawdle pãni,<br /> +So she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">I’m jalling across the pāni,<br /> +A choring mas and morro,<br /> +Along with a bori lubbeny,<br /> +And she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<h4><a name="page151"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 151</span>WOE +IS ME</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">I’m</span> sailing +across the water,<br /> +A-stealing bread and meat so free,<br /> +Along with a precious harlot,<br /> +And she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">I slept one night within a barn,<br /> +A-stealing bread and meat so free,<br /> +Along with a precious harlot,<br /> +And she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">Next morning she would have me go,<br /> +A-stealing bread and meat so free,<br /> +To see with her the wild-beast show,<br /> +For she would be the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">I went with her to see the show,<br /> +A-stealing bread and meat so free,<br /> +To steal a purse she was not slow,<br /> +And so she was the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">They took us up, and with her I,<br /> +A-stealing bread and meat so free:<br /> +Am sailing now to Botany,<br /> +So she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<p class="poetry">I’m sailing across the water,<br /> +A-stealing bread and meat so free,<br /> +Along with a precious harlot,<br /> +And she has been the ruin of me.</p> +<h3><a name="page152"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 152</span>THE +RYE AND RAWNIE</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">The</span> rye he mores +adrey the wesh<br /> + The kaun-engro and chiriclo;<br /> +You sovs with leste drey the wesh,<br /> + And rigs for leste the gono.</p> +<p class="poetry">Oprey the rukh adrey the wesh<br /> + Are chiriclo and chiricli;<br /> +Tuley the rukh adrey the wesh<br /> + Are pireno and pireni.</p> +<h4><a name="page153"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 153</span>THE +SQUIRE AND LADY</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">The</span> squire he roams +the good greenwood,<br /> + And shoots the pheasant and the hare;<br /> +Thou sleep’st with him in good green wood,<br /> + And dost for him the game-sack bear.</p> +<p class="poetry">I see, I see upon the tree<br /> + The little male and female dove;<br /> +Below the tree I see, I see<br /> + The lover and his lady love.</p> +<h3><a name="page154"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +154</span>ROMANY SUTTUR GILLIE</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Jaw</span> to sutturs, my +tiny chal;<br /> +Your die to dukker has jall’d abri;<br /> +At rarde she will wel palal<br /> +And tute of her tud shall pie.</p> +<p class="poetry">Jaw to lutherum, tiny baw!<br /> +I’m teerie deya’s purie mam;<br /> +As tute cams her tud canaw<br /> +Thy deya meerie tud did cam.</p> +<h4><a name="page155"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +155</span>GYPSY LULLABY</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Sleep</span> thee, little +tawny boy!<br /> + Thy mother’s gone abroad to spae,<br /> +Her kindly milk thou shalt enjoy<br /> + When home she comes at close of day.</p> +<p class="poetry">Sleep thee, little tawny guest!<br /> + Thy mother is my daughter fine;<br /> +As thou dost love her kindly breast,<br /> + She once did love this breast of mine.</p> +<h3><a name="page156"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +156</span>SHARRAFI KRALYISSA</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Finor</span> coachey innar +Lundra,<br /> +Bonor coachey innar Lundra,<br /> +Finor coachey, bonor coachey<br /> +Mande dick’d innar Lundra.</p> +<p class="poetry">Bonor, finor coachey<br /> +Mande dick’d innar Lundra<br /> +The divvus the Kralyissa jall’d<br /> +To congri innar Lundra.</p> +<h4>OUR BLESSED QUEEN</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Coaches</span> fine in +London,<br /> +Coaches good in London,<br /> +Coaches fine and coaches good<br /> +I did see in London.</p> +<p class="poetry">Coaches good and coaches fine<br /> +I did see in London,<br /> +The blessed day our blessed Queen<br /> +Rode to church in London.</p> +<h3>PLASTRA LESTI</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Gare</span> yourselves, +pralor!<br /> +Mã pee kek-komi!<br /> +The guero’s welling—<br /> +Plastra lesti!</p> +<h4>RUN FOR IT!</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Up</span>, up, brothers!<br +/> +Cease your revels!<br /> +The Gentile’s coming—<br /> +Run like devils!</p> +<h2><a name="page159"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +159</span>FOREIGN GYPSY SONGS</h2> +<blockquote><p><span class="smcap">Oy</span> die-la, oy mama-la +oy!<br /> +Cherie podey mangue penouri.</p> +<p style="text-align: right"><i>Russian Gypsy Song</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<h3><a name="page161"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 161</span>THE +ROMANY SONGSTRESS<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">FROM THE RUSSIAN GYPSY</span></h3> +<p class="poetry"> <span +class="smcap">Her</span> temples they are aching,<br /> + As if wine she had been taking;<br /> + Her tears are ever springing,<br /> + Abandoned is her singing!<br /> + She can neither eat nor nest<br /> + With love she’s so distress’d;<br /> + At length she’s heard to say:<br /> + “Oh here I cannot stay,<br /> + Go saddle me my steed,<br /> + To my lord I must proceed;<br /> + In his palace plenteously<br /> + Both eat and drink shall I;<br /> + The servants far and wide,<br /> + Bidding guests shall run and ride.<br /> +And when within the hall the multitude I see,<br /> +I’ll raise my voice anew, and sing in Romany.”</p> +<h3><a name="page162"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +162</span>L’ERAJAI</h3> +<p class="poetry"> <span +class="smcap">Un</span> erajai<br /> +Sinaba chibando un sermon;<br /> +Y lle falta un balicho<br /> +Al chindomar de aquel gao,<br /> +Y lo chanelaba que los Cales<br /> +Lo abian nicabao;<br /> +Y penela l’erajai, “Chaboró!<br /> +Guillate a tu quer<br /> +Y nicabela la peri<br /> +Que terela el balicho,<br /> +Y chibela andro<br /> +Una lima de tun chaborí,<br /> +Chabori,<br /> +Una lima de tun chabori.”</p> +<h4><a name="page163"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 163</span>THE +FRIAR<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">FROM THE SPANISH GYPSY</span></h4> +<p class="poetry"> A <span +class="smcap">Friar</span><br /> +Was preaching once with zeal and with fire;<br /> +And a butcher of the town<br /> +Had lost a flitch of bacon;<br /> +And well the friar knew<br /> +That the Gypsies it had taken;<br /> +So suddenly he shouted: “Gypsy, ho!<br /> +Hie home, and from the pot!<br /> +Take the flitch of bacon out,<br /> +The flitch good and fat,<br /> +And in its place throw<br /> +A clout, a dingy clout of thy brat,<br /> +Of thy brat,<br /> +A clout, a dingy clout of thy brat.”</p> +<h3><a name="page164"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +164</span>MALBRUN<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">FROM THE SPANISH GYPSY VERSION</span></h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Chaló</span> Malbrun +chingarár,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Chaló Malbrun chingarár;<br /> +No sé bus truterá!<br /> +No sé bus truterá!</p> +<p class="poetry">La romi que le caméla,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +La romi que le camela<br /> +Muy curepeñada está,<br /> +Muy curepeñada está.</p> +<p class="poetry">S’ardéla á la +felichá,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +S’ardéla á la felichá<br /> +Y baribu dur dicá,<br /> +Y baribu dur dicá.</p> +<p class="poetry">Dicá abillar su burno,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Dicá abillar su burno,<br /> +En ropa callardá,<br /> +En ropa callardá.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Burno, lacho quirbó;<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Burno, lacho quiribó,<br /> +<a name="page165"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 165</span>Que +nuevas has diñar?<br /> +Que nuevas has diñar?”</p> +<p class="poetry">“Las nuevas que io térelo,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Las nuevas que io terélo<br /> +Te haran orobar,<br /> +Te haran orobar.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Meró Malbrun mi eráy,<br +/> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Meró Malbrun mi eráy<br /> +Meró en la chingá,<br /> +Meró en la chingá.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Sinaba á su entierro,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Sinaba á su entierro<br /> +La plastani sará,<br /> +La plastani sará.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Seis guapos jundunáres,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Seis guapos jundunáres<br /> +Le lleváron cabañar,<br /> +Le lleváron cabañar.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Delante de la jestári,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Delante de la jestári<br /> +Chaló el sacristá,<br /> +Chaló el sacristá.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page166"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +166</span>“El sacristá delante,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +El sacristá delante,<br /> +Y el errajai palá,<br /> +Y el errajai palá.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Al majaro ortaláme,<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Al majaro ortaláme<br /> +Le lleváron cabañar,<br /> +Le lleváron cabañar.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Y oté le +cabañáron<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Y oté le cabañáron<br /> +No dur de la burdá,<br /> +No dur de la burdá.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Y opré de la jestári<br /> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br /> +Guillabéla un chilindróte;<br /> +Sobá en paz, sobá!<br /> +Sobá en paz, sobá!”</p> +<h4><a name="page167"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +167</span>MALBROUK</h4> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Malbrouk</span> is gone to +the wars,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +Malbrouk is gone to the wars;<br /> +He’ll never return no more!<br /> +He’ll never return no more!</p> +<p class="poetry">His lady-love and darling,<br /> +Birrandon, birrandón, birrandéra<br /> +His lady-love and darling<br /> +His absence doth deplore,<br /> +His absence doth deplore.</p> +<p class="poetry">To the turret’s top she mounted,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +To the turret’s top she mounted<br /> +And look’d till her eyes were sore,<br /> +And look’d till her eyes were sore.</p> +<p class="poetry">She saw his squire a-coming,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +She saw his squire a-coming;<br /> +And a mourning suit he wore,<br /> +And a mourning suit he wore.</p> +<p class="poetry">“O squire, my trusty fellow;<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +O squire, my trusty fellow,<br /> +<a name="page168"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 168</span>What +news of my soldier poor?<br /> +What news of my soldier poor?”</p> +<p class="poetry">“The news which I bring thee, lady,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +The news which I bring thee, lady,<br /> +Will cause thy tears to shower,<br /> +Will cause thy tears to shower.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Malbrouk my master’s fallen,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +Malbrouk my master’s fallen,<br /> +He fell on the fields of gore,<br /> +He fell on the fields of gore.</p> +<p class="poetry">“His funeral attended,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +His funeral attended<br /> +The whole reg’mental corps,<br /> +The whole reg’mental corps.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Six neat and proper soldiers,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +Six neat and proper soldiers<br /> +To the grave my master bore,<br /> +To the grave my master bore.</p> +<p class="poetry">“The parson follow’d the coffin,<br +/> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +The parson follow’d the coffin,<br /> +And the sexton walk’d before,<br /> +And the sexton walk’d before.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page169"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +169</span>“They buried him in the churchyard,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +They buried him in the churchyard,<br /> +Not far from the church’s door,<br /> +Not far from the church’s door.</p> +<p class="poetry">“And there above his coffin,<br /> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br /> +There sings a little swallow:<br /> +Sleep there, thy toils are o’er,<br /> +Sleep there, thy toils are o’er.”</p> +<h2><a name="page171"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 171</span>THE +ENGLISH GYPSIES</h2> +<h3><a name="page172"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +172</span>TUGNEY BESHOR</h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">The</span> Romany Chals<br +/> +Should jin so bute<br /> +As the Puro Beng<br /> +To scape of gueros<br /> +And wafo gorgies<br /> +The wafodupen.</p> +<p class="poetry">They lels our gryor,<br /> +They lels our wardoes,<br /> +And wusts us then<br /> +Drey starripenes<br /> +To mer of pishens<br /> +And buklipen.</p> +<p class="poetry">Cauna volélan<br /> +Muley pappins<br /> +Pawdle the len<br /> +Men artavàvam<br /> +Of gorgio foky<br /> +The wafodupen.<br /> + Ley teero sollohanloinus +opreylis!</p> +<h4><a name="page173"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +173</span>SORROWFUL YEARS</h4> +<p class="poetry">The wit and the skill<br /> +Of the Father of ill,<br /> +Who’s clever indeed,<br /> +If they would hope<br /> +With their foes to cope<br /> +The Romany need.</p> +<p class="poetry">Our horses they take,<br /> +Our waggons they break,<br /> +And us they fling<br /> +Into horrid cells,<br /> +Where hunger dwells<br /> +And vermin sting.</p> +<p class="poetry">When the dead swallow<br /> +The fly shall follow<br /> +Across the river,<br /> +O we’ll forget<br /> +The wrongs we’ve met,<br /> +But till then O never:<br /> + Brother, of that be certain.</p> +<h3><a name="page174"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +174</span>THEIR HISTORY</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> English Gypsies call themselves +Romany Chals and Romany Chies, that is, Sons and Daughters of +Rome. When speaking to each other, they say +“Pal” and “Pen”; that is, brother and +sister. All people not of their own blood they call +“Gorgios,” or Gentiles. Gypsies first made +their appearance in England about the year 1480. They +probably came from France, where tribes of the race had long been +wandering about under the names of Bohemians and Egyptians. +In England they pursued the same kind of merripen <a +name="citation174"></a><a href="#footnote174" +class="citation">[174]</a> which they and their ancestors had +pursued on the Continent. They roamed about in bands, +consisting of thirty, sixty, or ninety families, with light, +creaking carts, drawn by horses and donkeys, encamping at night +in the spots they deemed convenient. The women told +fortunes at the castle of the baron and the cottage of the +yeoman; filched gold and silver coins from the counters of +money-changers; caused the death of hogs in farmyards, by means +of a stuff called drab or drao, which affects the brain, but does +not corrupt the blood; and subsequently begged, and generally +obtained, the carcases. The men plied tinkering and +brasiery, now and then stole horses, and occasionally ventured +upon highway robbery. The writer has here placed the Chies +before the Chals, because, as he has frequently had occasion to +observe, the Gypsy women are by far more <a +name="page175"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 175</span>remarkable +beings than the men. It is the Chi and not the Chal who has +caused the name of Gypsy to be a sound awaking wonder, awe, and +curiosity in every part of the civilised world. Not that +there have never been remarkable men of the Gypsy race both +abroad and at home. Duke Michael, as he was called, the +leader of the great Gypsy horde which suddenly made its +appearance in Germany at the beginning of the fifteenth century, +was no doubt a remarkable man; the Gitano Condre, whom Martin del +Rio met at Toledo a hundred years afterwards, who seemed to speak +all languages, and to be perfectly acquainted with the politics +of all the Courts of Europe, must certainly have been a +remarkable man; so, no doubt, here at home was Boswell; so +undoubtedly was Cooper, called by the gentlemen of the Fives +Court—poor fellows! they are all gone now—the +“wonderful little Gypsy”;—but upon the whole +the poetry, the sorcery, the devilry, if you please to call it +so, are vastly on the side of the women. How blank and +inanimate is the countenance of the Gypsy man, even when trying +to pass off a foundered donkey as a flying dromedary, in +comparison with that of the female Romany, peering over the wall +of a par-yard at a jolly hog!</p> +<blockquote><p>Sar shin Sinfye?<br /> +Koshto divvus, Romany Chi!<br /> +So shan tute kairing acoi?</p> +<p>Sinfye, Sinfye! how do you do?<br /> +Daughter of Rome, good day to you!<br /> +What are you thinking here to do?</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="page176"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 176</span>After +a time the evil practices of the Gypsies began to be noised +about, and terrible laws were enacted against people “using +the manner of Egyptians”—Chies were scourged by +dozens, Chals hung by scores. Throughout the reign of +Elizabeth there was a terrible persecution of the Gypsy race; far +less, however, on account of the crimes which they actually +committed, than from a suspicion which was entertained that they +harboured amidst their companies priests and emissaries of Rome, +who had come to England for the purpose of sowing sedition and +inducing the people to embrace again the old discarded +superstition. This suspicion, however, was entirely without +foundation. The Gypsies call each other brother and sister, +and are not in the habit of admitting to their fellowship people +of a different blood and with whom they have no sympathy. +There was, however, a description of wandering people at that +time, even as there is at present, with whom the priests, who are +described as going about, sometimes disguised as serving-men, +sometimes as broken soldiers, sometimes as shipwrecked mariners, +would experience no difficulty in associating, and with whom, in +all probability, they occasionally did associate—the people +called in Acts of Parliament sturdy beggars and vagrants, in the +old cant language Abraham men, and in the modern Pikers. +These people have frequently been confounded with the Gypsies, +but are in reality a distinct race, though they resemble the +latter in some points. They roam about like the Gypsies, +and, like them, have a kind of secret language. But the +Gypsies are a people of Oriental <a name="page177"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 177</span>origin, whilst the Abrahamites are +the scurf of the English body corporate. The language of +the Gypsies is a real language, more like the Sanscrit than any +other language in the world; whereas the speech of the +Abrahamites is a horrid jargon, composed for the most part of low +English words used in an allegorical sense—a jargon in +which a stick is called a crack; a hostess, a rum necklace; a +bar-maid, a dolly-mort; brandy, rum booze; a constable, a +horny. But enough of these Pikers, these Abrahamites. +Sufficient to observe that if the disguised priests associated +with wandering companies it must have been with these people, who +admit anybody to their society, and not with the highly exclusive +race the Gypsies.</p> +<p>For nearly a century and a half after the death of Elizabeth +the Gypsies seem to have been left tolerably to themselves, for +the laws are almost silent respecting them. Chies, no +doubt, were occasionally scourged for cauring, that is filching +gold and silver coins, and Chals hung for grychoring, that is +horse-stealing; but those are little incidents not much regarded +in Gypsy merripen. They probably lived a life during the +above period tolerably satisfactory to themselves—they are +not an ambitious people, and there is no word for glory in their +language—but next to nothing is known respecting +them. A people called Gypsies are mentioned, and to a +certain extent treated of, in two remarkable works—one a +production of the seventeenth, the other of the eighteenth +century—the first entitled the ‘English Rogue, or the +Adventures of Merriton Latroon,’ the other the ‘Life +of Bamfield Moore Carew’; but those works, though <a +name="page178"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 178</span>clever and +entertaining, and written in the raciest English, are to those +who seek for information respecting Gypsies entirely valueless, +the writers having evidently mistaken for Gypsies the Pikers or +Abrahamites, as the vocabularies appended to the histories, and +which are professedly vocabularies of the Gypsy language, are +nothing of the kind, but collections of words and phrases +belonging to the Abrahamite or Piker jargon. At the +commencement of the last century, and for a considerable time +afterwards, there was a loud cry raised against the Gypsy women +for stealing children. This cry, however, was quite as +devoid of reason as the suspicion entertained of old against the +Gypsy communities of harbouring disguised priests. Gypsy +women, as the writer had occasion to remark many a long year ago, +have plenty of children of their own, and have no wish to +encumber themselves with those of other people. A yet more +extraordinary charge was, likewise, brought against +them—that of running away with wenches. Now, the idea +of Gypsy women running away with wenches! Where were they +to stow them in the event of running away with them? and what +were they to do with them in the event of being able to stow +them? Nevertheless, two Gypsy women were burnt in the hand +in the most cruel and frightful manner, somewhat about the middle +of the last century, and two Gypsy men, their relations, +sentenced to be hanged, for running away with a certain horrible +wench of the name of Elizabeth Canning, who, to get rid of a +disgraceful burden, had left her service and gone into +concealment for a month, and on her return, in order to <a +name="page179"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 179</span>account for +her absence, said that she had been run away with by +Gypsies. The men, however, did not undergo their sentence; +for, ere the day appointed for their execution arrived, +suspicions beginning to be entertained with respect to the truth +of the wench’s story, they were reprieved, and, after a +little time, the atrocious creature, who had charged people with +doing what they neither did nor dreamt of doing, was tried for +perjury, convicted, and sentenced to transportation. Yet so +great is English infatuation that this Canning, this Elizabeth, +had a host of friends, who stood by her, and swore by her to the +last, and almost freighted the ship which carried her away with +goods, the sale of which enabled her to purchase her freedom of +the planter to whom she was consigned, to establish herself in +business, and to live in comfort, and almost in luxury, in the +New World during the remainder of her life.</p> +<p>But though Gypsies have occasionally experienced injustice; +though Patricos and Sherengroes were hanged by dozens in +Elizabeth’s time on suspicion of harbouring disguised +priests; though Gypsy women in the time of the Second George, +accused of running away with wenches, were scorched and branded, +there can be no doubt that they live in almost continual +violation of the laws intended for the protection of society; and +it may be added, that in this illegal way of life the women have +invariably played a more important part than the men. Of +them, amongst other things, it may be said that they are the most +accomplished swindlers in the world, their principal victims +being people of their own sex, on whose credulity and <a +name="page180"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +180</span>superstition they practise. Mary Caumlo, or +Lovel, was convicted a few years ago at Cardiff of having +swindled a surgeon’s wife of eighty pounds, under pretence +of propitiating certain planets by showing them the money. +Not a penny of the booty was ever recovered by the deluded +victim; and the Caumli, on leaving the dock, after receiving +sentence of a year’s imprisonment, turned round and winked +to some <i>brother</i> or <i>sister</i> in court, as much as to +say: “<i>Mande has gared the luvvu</i>; <i>mande is kek +atugni for the besh’s starripen</i>”—“I +have hid the money, and care nothing for the year’s +imprisonment.” Young Rawnie P. of N., the daughter of +old Rawnie P., suddenly disappeared with the whole capital of an +aged and bedridden gentlewoman, amounting to nearly three hundred +pounds, whom she had assured that if she were intrusted with it +for a short time she should be able to gather certain herbs, from +which she could make decoctions, which would restore to the +afflicted gentlewoman all her youthful vigour. Mrs. +Townsley of the Border was some time ago in trouble at Wick, only +twenty-five miles distant from Johnny Groat’s House, on a +charge of fraudulently obtaining from a fisherman’s wife +one shilling, two half-crowns, and a five-pound note by promising +to untie certain witch-locks, which she had induced her to +believe were entwined in the meshes of the fisherman’s net, +and would, if suffered to remain, prevent him from catching a +single herring in the Firth. These events occurred within +the last few years, and are sufficiently notorious. They +form a triad out of dozens of a similar kind, in some of which +there <a name="page181"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +181</span>are features so odd, so strangely droll, that +indignation against the offence is dispelled by an irresistible +desire to laugh.</p> +<p>But Gypsyism is declining, and its days are numbered. +There is a force abroad which is doomed to destroy it, a force +which never sleepeth either by day or night, and which will not +allow the Roman people rest for the soles of their feet. +That force is the Rural Police, which, had it been established at +the commencement instead of towards the middle of the present +century, would have put down Gypsyism long ago. But, recent +as its establishment has been, observe what it has +produced. Walk from London to Carlisle, but neither by the +road’s side, nor on heath or common, will you see a single +Gypsy tent. True Gypsyism consists in wandering about, in +preying upon the Gentiles, but not living amongst them. But +such a life is impossible in these days; the Rural Force will not +permit it. “It is a hard thing, brother,” said +old Agamemnon Caumlo to the writer, several years ago; “it +is a hard thing, after one has pitched one’s little tent, +lighted one’s little fire, and hung one’s kettle by +the kettle-iron over it to boil, to have an inspector or +constable come up, and say, ‘What are you doing here? +Take yourself off, you Gypsy dog!’” A hard +thing, indeed, old Agamemnon; but there is no help for it. +You must e’en live amongst the Gorgios. And for years +past the Gypsies have lived amongst the Gorgios, and what has +been the result? They do not seem to have improved the +Gentiles, and have certainly not been improved by them. By +living amongst the Gentiles they have, to a certain extent, <a +name="page182"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 182</span>lost the +only two virtues they possessed. Whilst they lived apart on +heaths and commons, and in shadowy lanes, the Gypsy women were +paragons of chastity, and the men, if not exactly patterns of +sobriety, were, upon the whole, very sober fellows. Such +terms, however, are by no means applicable to them at the present +day. Sects and castes, even of thieves and murderers, can +exist as long as they have certain virtues, which give them a +kind of respect in their own eyes; but, losing those virtues, +they soon become extinct. When the salt loses its savour, +what becomes of it? The Gypsy salt has not altogether lost +its savour, but that essential quality is every day becoming +fainter, so that there is every reason to suppose that within a +few years the English Gypsy caste will have disappeared, merged +in the dregs of the English population.</p> +<h2><a name="page183"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +183</span>GYPSY NAMES</h2> +<p><a name="page185"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 185</span><span +class="smcap">There</span> are many curious things connected with +the Gypsies, but perhaps nothing more so than what pertains to +their names. They have a double nomenclature, each tribe or +family having a public and a private name, one by which they are +known to the Gentiles, and another to themselves alone. +Their public names are quite English; their private ones +attempts, some of them highly singular and uncouth, to render +those names by Gypsy equivalents. Gypsy names may be +divided into two classes, names connected with trades, and +surnames or family names. First of all, something about +trade names.</p> +<p>There are only two names of trades which have been adopted by +English Gypsies as proper names, Cooper and Smith: these names +are expressed in the English Gypsy dialect by <i>Vardo-mescro</i> +and <i>Petulengro</i>. The first of these renderings is by +no means a satisfactory one, as <i>Vardo-mescro</i> means a +cartwright, or rather a carter. To speak the truth, it +would be next to impossible to render the word +‘cooper’ into English Gypsy, or indeed into Gypsy of +any kind; a cooper, according to the <a name="page186"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 186</span>common acceptation of the word, is +one who makes pails, tubs, and barrels, but there are no words in +Gypsy for such vessels. The Transylvanian Gypsies call a +cooper a <i>bedra-kero</i> or pail-maker, but <i>bedra</i> is not +Gypsy, but Hungarian, and the English Gypsies might with equal +propriety call a cooper a <i>pail-engro</i>. On the whole +the English Gypsies did their best when they rendered +‘cooper’ into their language by the word for +‘cartwright.’</p> +<p><i>Petulengro</i>, the other trade name, is borne by the +Gypsies who are known to the public by the English appellation of +Smith. It is not very easy to say what is the exact meaning +of <i>Petulengro</i>: it must signify, however, either +horseshoe-fellow or tinker: <i>petali</i> or <i>petala</i> +signifies in Gypsy a horseshoe, and is probably derived from the +Modern Greek +<i>πέταλον</i>; +<i>engro</i> is an affix, and is either derived from or connected +with the Sanscrit <i>kara</i>, to make, so that with great +feasibility <i>Petulengro</i> may be translated +horseshoe-maker. But <i>bedel</i> in Hebrew means +‘tin,’ and as there is little more difference between +<i>petul</i> and <i>bedel</i> than between <i>petul</i> and +<i>petalon</i>, <i>Petulengro</i> may be translated with almost +equal feasibility by tinker or tin-worker, more especially as +tinkering is a principal pursuit of Gypsies, and to <i>jal +petulengring</i> signifies to go a-tinkering in English +Gypsy. Taken, however, in either sense, whether as +horseshoe-maker or tin-worker (and, as has been already observed, +it must mean one or the other), <i>Petulengro</i> may be +considered as a tolerably fair rendering of the English +Smith.</p> +<p>So much for the names of the Gypsies which <a +name="page187"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 187</span>the writer +has ventured to call the trade names; now for those of the other +class. These are English surnames, and for the most part of +a highly aristocratic character, and it seems at first surprising +that people so poor and despised as Gypsies should be found +bearing names so time-honoured and imposing. There is, +however, a tolerable explanation of the matter in the supposition +that on their first arrival in England the different tribes +sought the protection of certain grand powerful families, and +were permitted by them to locate themselves on their heaths and +amid their woodlands, and that they eventually adopted the names +of their patrons. Here follow the English names of some of +the principal tribes, with the Romany translations or +equivalents:—</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Boswell</span>.—The proper meaning +of this word is the town of Bui. The initial <i>Bo</i> or +<i>Bui</i> is an old Northern name, signifying a colonist or +settler, one who tills and builds. It was the name of a +great many celebrated Northern <i>kempions</i>, who won land and +a home by hard blows. The last syllable, <i>well</i>, is +the French <i>ville</i>: Boswell, Boston, and Busby all signify +one and the same thing—the town of Bui—the +<i>well</i> being French, the <i>ton</i> Saxon, and the <i>by</i> +Danish; they are half-brothers of Bovil and Belville, both +signifying fair town, and which ought to be written Beauville and +Belville. The Gypsies, who know and care nothing about +etymologies, confounding <i>bos</i> with <i>buss</i>, a vulgar +English verb not to be found in dictionaries, which signifies to +kiss, rendered the name Boswell by <i>Chumomisto</i>, that is, +Kisswell, or one who kisses <a name="page188"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 188</span>well—<i>choom</i> in their +language signifying to kiss, and <i>misto</i> well—likewise +by <i>choomomescro</i>, a kisser. Vulgar as the word +<i>buss</i> may sound at present, it is by no means of vulgar +origin, being connected with the Latin <i>basio</i> and the +Persian <i>bousè</i>.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Grey</span>.—This is the name of a +family celebrated in English history. The Gypsies who +adopted it, rendered it into their language by <i>Gry</i>, a word +very much resembling it in sound, though not in sense, for +<i>gry</i>, which is allied to the Sanscrit <i>ghora</i>, +signifies a horse. They had no better choice, however, for +in Romany there is no word for grey, any more than there is for +green or blue. In several languages there is a difficulty +in expressing the colour which in English is called grey. +In Celtic, for instance, there is no definite word for it; +<i>glas</i>, it is true, is used to express it, but <i>glas</i> +is as frequently used to express green as it is to express +grey.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Hearne</span>, <span +class="smcap">Herne</span>.—This is the name of a family +which bears the heron for its crest, the name being either +derived from the crest, or the crest from the name. There +are two Gypsy renderings of the +<i>word</i>—<i>Rossar-mescro</i> or <i>Ratzie-mescro</i>, +and <i>Balorengre</i>. <i>Rossar-mescro</i> signifies +duck-fellow, the duck being substituted for the heron, for which +there is no word in Romany. The meaning of +<i>Balor-engre</i> is hairy people; the translator or translators +seeming to have confounded Hearne with ‘haaren,’ old +English for hairs. The latter rendering has never been much +in use.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Lee</span>.—The Gypsy name of this +tribe is <i>Purrum</i>, sometimes pronounced <i>Purrun</i>. +The meaning of <i>Purrurn</i> is an onion, and it may be asked +what <a name="page189"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +189</span>connection can there be between Lee and onion? +None whatever: but there is some resemblance in sound between Lee +and leek, and it is probable that the Gypsies thought so, and on +that account rendered the name by <i>Purrum</i>, which, if not +exactly a leek, at any rate signifies something which is +cousin-german to a leek. It must be borne in mind that in +some parts of England the name Lee is spelt Legh and Leigh, which +would hardly be the case if at one time it had not terminated in +something like a guttural, so that when the Gypsies rendered the +name, perhaps nearly four hundred years ago, it sounded very much +like ‘leek,’ and perhaps was Leek, a name derived +from the family crest. At first the writer was of opinion +that the name was <i>Purrun</i>, a modification of <i>pooro</i>, +which in the Gypsy language signifies old, but speedily came to +the conclusion that it must be <i>Purrum</i>, a leek or onion; +for what possible reason could the Gypsies have for rendering Lee +by a word which signifies old or ancient? whereas by rendering it +by <i>Purrum</i>, they gave themselves a Gypsy name, which, if it +did not signify Lee, must to their untutored minds have seemed a +very good substitute for Lee. The Gypsy word <i>pooro</i>, +old, belongs to Hindostan, and is connected with the Sanscrit +<i>pura</i>, which signifies the same. <i>Purrum</i> is a +modification of the Wallachian <i>pur</i>, a word derived from +the Latin <i>porrum</i>, an onion, and picked up by the Gypsies +in Roumania or Wallachia, the natives of which region speak a +highly curious mixture of Latin and Sclavonian.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Lovel</span>.—This is the name or +title of an old and powerful English family. The meaning of +it is <a name="page190"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +190</span>Leo’s town, Lowe’s town, or Louis’ +town. The Gypsies, who adopted it, seem to have imagined +that it had something to do with love, for they translated it by +<i>Camlo</i> or <i>Caumlo</i>, that which is lovely or amiable, +and also by <i>Camomescro</i>, a lover, an amorous person, +sometimes used for ‘friend.’ <i>Camlo</i> is +connected with the Sanscrit <i>Cama</i>, which signifies love, +and is the appellation of the Hindoo god of love. A name of +the same root as the one borne by that divinity was not +altogether inapplicable to the Gypsy tribe who adopted it: +<i>Cama</i>, if all tales be true, was black, black though +comely, a <i>Beltenebros</i>, and the Lovel tribe is decidedly +the most comely and at the same time the darkest of all the +Anglo-Egyptian families. The faces of many of them, male +and female, are perfect specimens of black beauty. They are +generally called by the race the <i>Kaulo Camloes</i>, the Black +Comelies. And here, though at the risk of being thought +digressive, the writer cannot forbear saying that the darkest and +at one time the comeliest of all the <i>Caumlies</i>, a +celebrated fortune-teller, and an old friend of his, lately +expired in a certain old town, after attaining an age which was +something wonderful. She had twenty-one brothers and +sisters, and was the eldest of the family, on which account she +was called “Rawnie P., pooroest of bis ta dui,” Lady +P.—she had married out of the family—eldest of +twenty-two.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Marshall</span>.—The name Marshall +has either to do with marshal, the title of a high military +personage, or marches, the borders of contiguous countries. +In the early Norman period it was the name of an Earl of +Pembroke. The Gypsies who <a name="page191"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 191</span>adopted the name seem in translating +it to have been of opinion that it was connected with marshes, +for they rendered it by <i>mokkado tan engre</i>, fellows of the +wet or miry place, an appellation which at one time certainly +became them well, for they are a northern tribe belonging to the +Border, a country not very long ago full of mosses and miry +places. Though calling themselves English, they are in +reality quite as much Scotch as English, and as often to be found +in Scotland as the other country, especially in Dumfriesshire and +Galloway, in which latter region, in Saint Cuthbert’s +churchyard, lies buried ‘the old man’ of the +race,—Marshall, who died at the age of 107. They +sometimes call themselves <i>Bungyoror</i> and +<i>Chikkeneymengre</i>, cork-fellows and china people, which +names have reference to the occupations severally followed by the +males and females, the former being cutters of bungs and corks, +and the latter menders of china.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Stanley</span>.—This is the name or +title of an ancient English family celebrated in history. +It is probably descriptive of their original place of residence, +for it signifies the stony lea, which is also the meaning of the +Gaelic <i>Auchinlech</i>, the place of abode of the Scottish +Boswells. It was adopted by an English Gypsy tribe, at one +time very numerous, but at present much diminished. Of this +name there are two renderings into Romany; one is <i>Baryor</i> +or <i>Baremescre</i>, stone-folks or stonemasons, the other is +<i>Beshaley</i>. The first requires no comment, but the +second is well worthy of analysis, as it is an example of the +strange blunders which the Gypsies sometimes make in their <a +name="page192"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 192</span>attempts at +translation. When they rendered Stanley by <i>Beshaley</i> +or <i>Beshley</i>, they mistook the first syllable <i>stan</i> +for ‘stand,’ but for a very good reason rendered it +by <i>besh</i>, which signifies ‘to sit, and the second for +a word in their own language, for <i>ley</i> or <i>aley</i> in +Gypsy signifies ‘down,’ so they rendered Stanley by +<i>Beshley</i> or <i>Beshaley</i>, which signifies ‘sit +down.’ Here, of course, it will be asked what reason +could have induced them, if they mistook <i>stan</i> for +‘stand,’ not to have rendered it by the Gypsy word +for ‘stand’? The reason was a very cogent one, +the want of a word in the Gypsy language to express +‘stand’; but they had heard in courts of justice +witnesses told to stand down, so they supposed that to stand down +was much the same as to sit down, whence their odd rendering of +Stanley. In no dialect of the Gypsy, from the Indus to the +Severn, is there any word for ‘stand,’ though in +every one there is a word for ‘sit,’ and that is +<i>besh</i>, and in every Gypsy encampment all along the vast +distance, <i>Beshley</i> or <i>Beshaley</i> would be considered +an invitation to sit down.</p> +<p>So much for the double-name system in use among the Gypsies of +England. There is something in connection with the Gypsies +of Spain which strangely coincides with one part of it—the +translation of names. Among the relics of the language of +the Gitanos or Spanish Gypsies are words, some simple and some +compound, which are evidently attempts to translate names in a +manner corresponding to the plan employed by the English +Romany. In illustration of the matter, the writer will give +an analysis of <i>Brono Aljenicato</i>, <a +name="page193"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 193</span>the +rendering into Gitano of the name of one frequently mentioned in +the New Testament, and once in the Apostles’ Creed, the +highly respectable, but much traduced individual known to the +English public as Pontius Pilate, to the Spanish as Poncio +Pilato. The manner in which the rendering has been +accomplished is as follows: <i>Poncio</i> bears some resemblance +to the Spanish <i>puente</i>, which signifies a bridge, and is a +modification of the Latin <i>pons</i>, and <i>Pilato</i> to the +Spanish <i>pila</i>, a fountain, or rather a stone pillar, from +the top of which the waters of a fountain springing eventually +fall into a stone basin below, the two words—the <i>Brono +Aljenicato</i>—signifying bridge-fountain, or that which is +connected with such a thing. Now this is the identical, or +all but the identical, way in which the names Lee, Lovel, and +Stanley have been done into English Romany. A remarkable +instance is afforded in this Gitano Scripture name, this <i>Brono +Aljenicato</i>, of the heterogeneous materials of which Gypsy +dialects are composed: <i>Brono</i> is a modification of a Hindoo +or Sanscrit, <i>Aljenicato</i> of an Arabic root. +<i>Brono</i> is connected with the Sanscrit <i>pindala</i>, which +signifies a bridge, and <i>Aljenicato</i> is a modification of +the Gypsy <i>aljenique</i>, derived from the Arabic <i>alain</i>, +which signifies the fountain. But of whatever materials +composed, a fine-sounding name is this same <i>Brono +Aljenicato</i>, perhaps the finest sounding specimen of Spanish +Gypsy extant, much finer than a translation of Pontius Pilate +would be, provided the name served to express the same things, in +English, which <i>Poncio Pilato</i> serves to express in Spanish, +for then it would be <i>Pudjico Pani</i> or Bridgewater; <a +name="page194"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 194</span>for though +in English Gypsy there is the word for a bridge, namely +<i>pudge</i>, a modification of the Persian <i>pul</i>, or the +Wallachian <i>podul</i>, there is none for a fountain, which can +be only vaguely paraphrased by <i>pani</i>, water.</p> +<h2><a name="page195"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +195</span>FORTUNE-TELLING</h2> +<p><a name="page197"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 197</span><span +class="smcap">Gypsy</span> women, as long as we have known +anything of Gypsy history, have been arrant +fortune-tellers. They plied fortune-telling about France +and Germany as early as 1414, the year when the dusky bands were +first observed in Europe, and they have never relinquished the +practice. There are two words for fortune-telling in Gypsy, +<i>bocht</i> and <i>dukkering</i>. <i>Bocht</i> is a +Persian word, a modification of, or connected with, the Sanscrit +<i>bagya</i>, which signifies ‘fate.’ +<i>Dukkering</i> is the modification of a Wallaco-Sclavonian word +signifying something spiritual or ghostly. In Eastern +European Gypsy, the Holy Ghost is called <i>Swentuno +Ducos</i>.</p> +<p>Gypsy fortune-telling is much the same everywhere, much the +same in Russia as it is in Spain and in England. Everywhere +there are three styles—the lofty, the familiar, and the +homely; and every Gypsy woman is mistress of all three and uses +each according to the rank of the person whose <i>vast</i> she +<i>dukkers</i>, whose hand she reads, and adapts the luck she +promises. There is a ballad of some antiquity in the +Spanish language about the <i>Buena Ventura</i>, a few stanzas of +which <a name="page198"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +198</span>translated will convey a tolerable idea of the first of +these styles to the reader, who will probably with no great +reluctance dispense with any illustrations of the other +two:—</p> +<p class="poetry">Late rather one morning<br /> +cIn summer’s sweet tide,<br /> +Goes forth to the Prado<br /> + Jacinta the bride:</p> +<p class="poetry">There meets her a Gypsy<br /> + So fluent of talk,<br /> +And jauntily dressed,<br /> + On the principal walk.</p> +<p class="poetry">“O welcome, thrice welcome,<br /> + Of beauty thou flower!<br /> +Believe me, believe me,<br /> + Thou com’st in good hour.”</p> +<p class="poetry">Surprised was Jacinta;<br /> + She fain would have fled;<br /> +But the Gypsy to cheer her<br /> + Such honeyed words said:</p> +<p class="poetry">“O cheek like the rose-leaf!<br /> + O lady high-born!<br /> +Turn thine eyes on thy servant,<br /> + But ah, not in scorn.</p> +<p class="poetry">“O pride of the Prado!<br /> + O joy of our clime!<br /> +Thou twice shalt be married,<br /> + And happily each time.</p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page199"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +199</span>“Of two noble sons<br /> + Thou shalt be the glad mother,<br /> +One a Lord Judge,<br /> + A Field-Marshal the other.”</p> +<p>Gypsy females have told fortunes to higher people than the +young Countess Jacinta: <i>Modor</i>—of the Gypsy quire of +Moscow—told the fortune of Ekatarina, Empress of all the +Russias. The writer does not know what the Ziganka told +that exalted personage, but it appears that she gave perfect +satisfaction to the Empress, who not only presented her with a +diamond ring—a Russian diamond ring is not generally of +much value—but also her hand to kiss. The +writer’s old friend, Pepíta, the Gitana of Madrid, +told the <i>bahi</i> of Christina, the Regentess of Spain, in +which she assured her that she would marry the son of the King of +France, and received from the fair Italian a golden ounce, the +most magnificent of coins, a guerdon which she richly merited, +for she nearly hit the mark, for though Christina did not marry +the son of the King of France, her second daughter was married to +a son of the King of France, the Duke of M-, one of the three +claimants of the crown of Spain, and the best of the lot; and +Britannia, the Caumli, told the good luck to the Regent George on +Newmarket Heath, and received ‘foive guineas’ and a +hearty smack from him who eventually became George the +Fourth—no bad fellow by the by, either as regent or king, +though as much abused as Pontius Pilate, whom he much resembled +in one point, unwillingness to take life—the +<i>sonkaypè</i> or gold-gift being, no doubt, more +acceptable than the <a name="page200"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 200</span><i>choomapé</i> or kiss-gift +to the Beltenebrosa, who, if a certain song be true, had no +respect for <i>gorgios</i>, however much she liked their +money:—</p> +<p class="poetry">Britannia is my nav;<br /> +I am a Kaulo Camlo;<br /> +The gorgios pen I be<br /> +A bori chovahaunie;<br /> +And tatchipen they pens,<br /> +The dinneleskie gorgies,<br /> +For mande chovahans<br /> +The luvvu from their putsies.</p> +<p class="poetry">Britannia is my name;<br /> +I am a swarthy Lovel;<br /> +The Gorgios say I be<br /> +A witch of wondrous power;<br /> +And faith they speak the truth,<br /> +The silly, foolish fellows,<br /> +For often I bewitch<br /> +The money from their pockets.</p> +<p>Fortune-telling in all countries where the Gypsies are found +is frequently the prelude to a kind of trick called in all Gypsy +dialects by something more or less resembling the Sanscrit +<i>kuhana</i>; for instance, it is called in Spain <i>jojana</i>, +<i>hokano</i>, and in English <i>hukni</i>. It is practised +in various ways, all very similar; the defrauding of some simple +person of money or property being the object in view. +Females are generally the victims of the trick, especially those +of the middle class, who are more accessible to <i>the poor +woman</i> than those of the upper. One of the ways, perhaps +the most artful, will be found described in another chapter.</p> +<h3><a name="page201"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 201</span>THE +HUKNI</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Gypsy makes some poor simpleton +of a lady believe that if the latter puts her gold into her +hands, and she makes it up into a parcel, and puts it between the +lady’s feather-bed and mattress, it will at the end of a +month be multiplied a hundredfold, provided the lady does not +look at it during all that time. On receiving the money she +makes it up into a brown paper parcel, which she seals with wax, +turns herself repeatedly round, squints, and spits, and then puts +between the feather-bed and mattress—not the parcel of +gold, but one exactly like it, which she has prepared beforehand, +containing old halfpence, farthings, and the like; then, after +cautioning the lady by no means to undo the parcel before the +stated time, she takes her departure singing to +herself:—</p> +<blockquote><p>O dear me! O dear me!<br /> +What dinnelies these gorgies be.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>The above artifice is called by the English Gypsies the +<i>hukni</i>, and by the Spanish <i>hokhano baro</i>, or the +great lie. <i>Hukni</i> and <i>hokano</i> were originally +one and the same word; the root seems to be the Sanscrit +<i>huhanã</i>, lie, trick, deceit.</p> +<h3><a name="page202"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +202</span>CAURING</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Gypsy has some queer, +old-fashioned gold piece; this she takes to some +goldsmith’s shop, at the window of which she has observed a +basin full of old gold coins, and shows it to the goldsmith, +asking him if he will purchase it. He looks at it +attentively, and sees that it is of very pure gold; whereupon he +says that he has no particular objection to buy it; but that as +it is very old it is not of much value, and that he has several +like it. “Have you indeed, Master?” says the +Gypsy; “then pray show them to me, and I will buy them; +for, to tell you the truth, I would rather buy than sell pieces +like this, for I have a great respect for them, and know their +value: give me back my coin, and I will compare any you have with +it.” The goldsmith gives her back her coin, takes his +basin of gold from the window, and places it on the +counter. The Gypsy puts down her head, and pries into the +basin. “Ah, I see nothing here like my coin,” +says she. “Now, Master, to oblige me, take out a +handful of the coins and lay them on the counter; I am a poor, +honest woman, Master, and do not wish to put my hand into your +basin. Oh! if I could find one coin like my own, I would +give much money for it; <i>barributer</i> than it is +worth.” The goldsmith, to oblige the poor, simple, +foreign creature (for such he believes her to be), and, with a +considerable hope of profit, takes a handful of coins from the +basin <a name="page203"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +203</span>and puts them upon the counter. “I fear +there is none here like mine, Master,” says the Gypsy, +moving the coins rapidly with the tips of her fingers. +“No, no, there is not one here like mine—<i>kek +yeck</i>, <i>kek yeck</i>—not one, not one. Stay, +stay! What’s this, what’s this? <i>So se +cavo</i>, <i>so se cavo</i>? Oh, here is one like mine; or +if not quite like, like enough to suit me. Now, Master, +what will you take for this coin?” The goldsmith +looks at it, and names a price considerably above the value; +whereupon she says: “Now, Master, I will deal fairly with +you: you have not asked me the full value of the coin by three +three-groats, three-groats, three-groats; by <i>trin +tringurushis</i>, <i>tringurushis</i>, <i>tringurushis</i>. +So here’s the money you asked, Master, and three +three-groats, three shillings, besides. God bless you, +Master! You would have cheated yourself, but the poor woman +would not let you; for though she is poor she is honest”: +and thus she takes her leave, leaving the goldsmith very well +satisfied with his customer—with little reason, however, +for out of about twenty coins which he laid on the counter she +had filched at least three, which her brown nimble fingers, +though they seemingly scarcely touched the gold, contrived to +convey up her sleeves. This kind of pilfering is called by +the English Gypsies <i>cauring</i>, and by the Spanish <i>ustilar +pastesas</i>, or stealing with the fingers. The word +<i>caur</i> seems to be connected with the English <i>cower</i>, +and the Hebrew <i>kãra</i>, a word of frequent occurrence +in the historical part of the Old Testament, and signifying to +bend, stoop down, <i>incurvare</i>.</p> +<h2><a name="page205"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +205</span>METROPOLITAN GYPSYRIES</h2> +<h3><a name="page207"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +207</span>WANDSWORTH, 1864</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">What</span> may be called the grand +Metropolitan Gypsyry is on the Surrey side of the Thames. +Near the borders of Wandsworth and Battersea, about a quarter of +a mile from the river, is an open piece of ground which may +measure about two acres. To the south is a hill, at the +foot of which is a railway, and it is skirted on the north by the +Wandsworth and Battersea Road. This place is what the +Gypsies call a <i>kekkeno mushes puv</i>, a no man’s +ground; a place which has either no proprietor, or which the +proprietor, for some reason, makes no use of for the +present. The houses in the neighbourhood are mean and +squalid, and are principally inhabited by artisans of the lowest +description. This spot, during a considerable portion of +the year, is the principal place of residence of the Metropolitan +Gypsies, and of other people whose manner of life more or less +resembles theirs. During the summer and autumn the little +plain, for such it is, is quite deserted, except that now and +then a wretched tent or two may be seen upon it, belonging to <a +name="page208"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 208</span>some tinker +family, who have put up there for a few hours on their way +through the metropolis; for the Gypsies are absent during summer, +some at fairs and races, the men with their cocoa-nuts and the +women busy at fortune-telling, or at suburban places of +pleasure—the former with their donkeys for the young +cockneys to ride upon, and the latter as usual <i>dukkering</i> +and <i>hokkering</i>, and the other travellers, as they are +called, roaming about the country following their particular +avocations, whilst in the autumn the greater part of them all are +away in Kent, getting money by picking hops. As soon, +however, as the rains, the precursors of winter, descend, the +place begins to be occupied, and about a week or two before +Christmas it is almost crammed with the tents and caravans of the +wanderers; and then it is a place well worthy to be explored, +notwithstanding the inconvenience of being up to one’s +ankles in mud, and the rather appalling risk of being bitten by +the Gypsy and travelling dogs tied to the tents and caravans, in +whose teeth there is always venom and sometimes that which can +bring on the water-horror, for which no European knows a +remedy. The following is an attempt to describe the odd +people and things to be met with here; the true Gypsies, and what +to them pertaineth, being of course noticed first.</p> +<p>On this plain there may be some fifteen or twenty Gypsy tents +and caravans. Some of the tents are large, as indeed it is +highly necessary that they should be, being inhabited by large +families—a man and his wife, a grandmother a sister or two +and half a dozen children, being, <a name="page209"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 209</span>occasionally found in one; some of +them are very small, belonging to poor old females who have lost +their husbands, and whose families have separated themselves from +them, and allow them to shift for themselves. During the +day the men are generally busy at their several avocations, +<i>chinning the cost</i>, that is, cutting the stick for skewers, +making pegs for linen-lines, <i>kipsimengring</i> or +basket-making, tinkering or braziering; the children are playing +about, or begging halfpence by the road of passengers; whilst the +women are strolling about, either in London or the neighbourhood, +engaged in fortune-telling or swindling. Of the trades of +the men, the one by far the most practised is <i>chinning the +cost</i>, and as they sit at the door of the tents, cutting and +whittling away, they occasionally sweeten their toil by raising +their voices and singing the Gypsy stanza in which the art is +mentioned, and which for terseness and expressiveness is quite +equal to anything in the whole circle of Gentile poetry:</p> +<p class="poetry">Can you rokra Romany?<br /> + Can you play the bosh?<br /> +Can you jal adrey the staripen?<br /> + Can you chin the cost?</p> +<p class="poetry">Can you speak the Roman tongue?<br /> + Can you play the fiddle?<br /> +Can you eat the prison-loaf?<br /> + Can you cut and whittle?</p> +<p>These Gypsies are of various tribes, but chiefly Purruns, +Chumomescroes and Vardomescroes, or Lees, Boswells and Coopers, +and Lees being by <a name="page210"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +210</span>far the most numerous. The men are well made, +active fellows, somewhat below the middle height. Their +complexions are dark, and their eyes are full of intelligence; +their habiliments are rather ragged. The women are mostly +wild-looking creatures, some poorly clad, others exhibiting not a +little strange finery. There are some truly singular beings +amongst those women, which is more than can be said with respect +to the men, who are much on a level, and amongst whom there is +none whom it is possible to bring prominently out, and about whom +much can be said. The women, as has been already observed, +are generally out during the day, being engaged in their +avocations abroad. There is a very small tent about the +middle of the place; it belongs to a lone female, whom one +frequently meets wandering about Wandsworth or Battersea, seeking +an opportunity to <i>dukker</i> some credulous +servant-girl. It is hard that she should have to do so, as +she is more than seventy-five years of age, but if she did not +she would probably starve. She is very short of stature, +being little more than five feet and an inch high, but she is +wonderfully strongly built. Her head is very large, and +seems to have been placed at once upon her shoulders without any +interposition of neck. Her face is broad, with a +good-humoured expression upon it, and in general with very little +vivacity; at times, however, it lights up, and then all the Gypsy +beams forth. Old as she is, her hair, which is very long, +is as black as the plumage of a crow, and she walks sturdily, +though with not much elasticity, on her short, thick legs, and, +if <a name="page211"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +211</span>requested, would take up the heaviest man in Wandsworth +or Battersea and walk away with him. She is, upon the +whole, the oddest Gypsy woman ever seen; see her once and you +will never forget her. Who is she? you ask. Who is +she? Why, Mrs. Cooper, the wife of Jack Cooper, the +fighting Gypsy, once the terror of all the Light Weights of the +English Ring; who knocked West Country Dick to pieces, and killed +Paddy O’Leary, the fighting pot-boy, Jack Randall’s +pet. Ah, it would have been well for Jack if he had always +stuck to his true, lawful Romany wife, whom at one time he was +very fond of, and whom he used to dress in silks and satins, and +best scarlet cloth, purchased with the money gained in his fair, +gallant battles in the Ring! But he did not stick to her, +deserting her for a painted Jezebel, to support whom he sold his +battles, by doing which he lost his friends and backers; then +took from his poor wife all he had given her, and even plundered +her of her own property, down to the very blankets which she lay +upon; and who finally was so infatuated with love for his +paramour that he bore the blame of a crime which she had +committed, and in which he had no share, suffering ignominy and +transportation in order to save her. Better had he never +deserted his <i>tatchie romadie</i>, his own true Charlotte, who, +when all deserted him, the painted Jezebel being the first to do +so, stood by him, supporting him with money in prison, and feeing +counsel on his trial from the scanty proceeds of her +<i>dukkering</i>. All that happened many years ago; +Jack’s term of transportation, a lengthy one, has long, +long been expired, but he has not come <a +name="page212"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 212</span>back, +though every year since the expiration of his servitude he has +written her a letter, or caused one to be written to her, to say +that he is coming, that he is coming; so that she is always +expecting him, and is at all times willing, as she says, to +re-invest him with all the privileges of a husband, and to beg +and <i>dukker</i> to support him if necessary. A true wife +she has been to him, a <i>tatchie romadie</i>, and has never +taken up with any man since he left her, though many have been +the tempting offers that she has had, connubial offers, +notwithstanding the oddity of her appearance. Only one wish +she has now in this world, the wish that he may return; but her +wish, it is to be feared, is a vain one, for Jack lingers and +lingers in the <i>Sonnakye Tem</i>, golden Australia, teaching, +it is said, the young Australians to box, tempted by certain +shining nuggets, the produce of the golden region. It is +pleasant, though there is something mournful in it, to visit Mrs. +Cooper after nightfall, to sit with her in her little tent after +she has taken her cup of tea, and is warming her tired limbs at +her little coke fire, and hear her talk of old times and things: +how Jack courted her ’neath the trees of Loughton Forest, +and how, when tired of courting, they would get up and box, and +how he occasionally gave her a black eye, and how she invariably +flung him at a close; and how they were lawfully married at +church, and what a nice man the clergyman was, and what funny +things he said both before and after he had united them; how +stoutly West Country Dick contended against Jack, though always +losing; how in Jack’s battle with Paddy <a +name="page213"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +213</span>O’Leary the Irishman’s head in the last +round was truly frightful, not a feature being distinguishable, +and one of his ears hanging down by a bit of skin; how Jack +vanquished Hardy Scroggins, whom Jack Randall himself never dared +fight. Then, again, her anecdotes of Alec Reed, cool, +swift-hitting Alec, who was always smiling, and whose father was +a Scotchman, his mother an Irishwoman, and who was born in +Guernsey; and of Oliver, old Tom Oliver, who seconded Jack in all +his winning battles, and after whom he named his son, his only +child, Oliver, begotten of her in lawful wedlock, a good and +affectionate son enough, but unable to assist her, on account of +his numerous family. Farewell, Mrs. Cooper, true old +Charlotte! here’s a little bit of silver for you, and a +little bit of a <i>gillie</i> to sing:</p> +<p class="poetry">Charlotta is my nav,<br /> +I am a puro Purrun;<br /> +My romado was Jack,<br /> +The couring Vardomescro.<br /> +He muk’d me for a lubbeny,<br /> +Who chor’d a rawnie’s kissi;<br /> +He penn’d ’twas he who lell’d it,<br /> +And so was bitched pawdel.</p> +<p class="poetry">Old Charlotte I am called,<br /> +Of Lee I am a daughter;<br /> +I married Fighting Jack,<br /> +The famous Gypsy Cooper.<br /> +He left me for a harlot,<br /> +Who pick’d a lady’s pocket;<br /> +He bore the blame to save her,<br /> +And so was sent to Bot’ny.</p> +<p><a name="page214"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 214</span>Just +within the bounds of the plain, and close by the road, may +occasionally be seen a small caravan of rather a neat +appearance. It comes and goes suddenly, and is seldom seen +there for more than three days at a time. It belongs to a +Gypsy female who, like Mrs. Cooper, is a remarkable person, but +is widely different from Mrs. Cooper in many respects. Mrs. +Cooper certainly does not represent the <i>beau ideal</i> of a +Gypsy female, this does—a dark, mysterious, beautiful, +terrible creature! She is considerably above the middle +height, powerfully but gracefully made, and about thirty-seven +years of age. Her face is oval, and of a dark olive. +The nose is Grecian, the cheek-bones rather high; the eyes +somewhat sunk, but of a lustrous black; the mouth small, and the +teeth exactly like ivory. Upon the whole the face is +exceedingly beautiful, but the expression is evil—evil to a +degree. Who she is no one exactly knows, nor what is her +name, nor whether she is single woman, wife, or widow. Some +say she is a foreign Gypsy, others from Scotland, but she is +neither—her accent is genuine English. What strikes +one as most singular is the power she possesses of appearing in +various characters—all Romany ones it is true, but so +different as seemingly to require three distinct females of the +race to represent them: sometimes she is the staid, quiet, +respectable Gypsy; sometimes the forward and impudent; at others +the awful and sublime. Occasionally you may see her walking +the streets dressed in a black silk gown, with a black silk +bonnet on her head; over her left arm is flung a small carpet, a +sample of the <a name="page215"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +215</span>merchandise which is in her caravan, which is close at +hand, driven by a brown boy; her address to her customers is +highly polite; the tones of her voice are musical, though +somewhat deep. At Fairlop, on the first Friday of July, in +the evening, she may be found near the Bald-faced Hind, dressed +in a red cloak and a large beaver; her appearance is bold and +reckless—she is <i>dukkering</i> low tradesmen and servant +girls behind the trees at sixpence a head, or is bandying with +the voice of a raven slang and obscenity with country boors, or +with the blackguard butcher-boys who throng in from Whitechapel +and Shoreditch to the Gypsy Fair. At Goodwood, a few weeks +after, you may see her in a beautiful half-riding dress, her hair +fantastically plaited and adorned with pearls, standing beside +the carriage of a Countess, telling the fortune of her ladyship +with the voice and look of a pythoness. She is a thing of +incongruities; an incomprehensible being! nobody can make her +out; the writer himself has tried to make her out but could not, +though he has spoken to her in his deepest Romany. It is +true there is a certain old Gypsy, a friend of his, who thinks he +has made her out. “Brother,” said he one day, +“why you should be always going after that woman I +can’t conceive, unless indeed you have lost your +wits. If you go after her for her Romany you will find +yourself in the wrong box: she may have a crumb or two of Romany, +but for every crumb that she has I am quite sure you have a +quartern loaf. Then as for her beauty, of which it is true +she has plenty, and for which half a dozen Gorgios that I knows +of are running mad, it’s of <a name="page216"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 216</span>no use going after her for that, for +her beauty she keeps for her own use and that of her master the +Devil; not but that she will sell it—she’s sold it a +dozen times to my certain knowledge—but what’s the +use of buying a thing, when the fool who buys it never gets it, +never has the ‘joyment of it, brother? She is <i>kek +tatcho</i>, and that’s what I like least in her; +there’s no trusting her, neither Gorgio nor Romano can +trust her: she sells her <i>truppos</i> to a Rye-gorgio for five +<i>bars</i>, and when she has got them, and the Gorgio, as he has +a right to do, begins to <i>kelna lasa</i>, she laughs and asks +him if he knows whom he has to deal with; then if he <i>lels +bonnek of lati</i>, as he is quite justified in doing, she whips +out a <i>churi</i>, and swears if he doesn’t leave off she +will stick it in his <i>gorlo</i>. Oh! she’s an evil +mare, a <i>wafodu grasni</i>, though a handsome one, and I never +looks at her, brother, without saying to myself the old +words:</p> +<p class="poetry">“Rinkeno mui and wafodu zee<br /> +Kitzi’s the cheeros we dicks cattanē.”</p> +<p class="poetry">A beautiful face and a black wicked mind<br /> +Often, full often together we find.</p> +<p>Some more particular account than what has been already given +of the habitations of these Wandsworth Gypsies, and likewise of +their way of life, will perhaps not be unacceptable here.</p> +<p>To begin with the tents. They are oblong in shape and of +very simple construction, whether small or great. Sticks or +rods, called in the Gypsy language <i>ranior</i>, between four +and five feet in length, and <i>croming</i> or bending towards +the top, are stuck in the ground at about twenty inches <a +name="page217"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 217</span>from each +other, a rod or two being omitted in that part where the entrance +is intended to be. The <i>cromes</i> or bends serve as +supporters of a roof, and those of the side rods which stand over +against one another are generally tied together by strings. +These rods are covered over with coarse brown cloths, pinned or +skewered together; those at the bottom being fastened to the +ground by pegs. Around the tent is generally a slight +embankment, about two or three inches high, or a little trench +about the same depth, to prevent water from running into the tent +in time of rain. Such is the tent, which would be exactly +like the Indian wigwam but for the cloth which forms the +covering: the Indians in lieu of cloth using bark, which they +carry about with them in all their migrations, though they leave +the sticks standing in the ground.</p> +<p>The furniture is scanty. Like the Arabs, the Gypsies +have neither chairs nor tables, but sit cross-legged, a posture +which is perfectly easy to them, though insufferable to a Gorgio, +unless he happens to be a tailor. When they eat, the ground +serves them for a board, though they occasionally spread a cloth +upon it. Singularly enough, though they have neither chairs +nor tables, they have words for both. Of pots, pans, +plates, and trenchers, they have a tolerable quantity. Each +grown-up person has a <i>churi</i>, or knife, with which to cut +food. Eating-forks they have none, and for an eating-fork +they have no word, the term <i>pasengri</i> signifying a straw- +or pitch-fork. Spoons are used by them generally of horn, +and are called <i>royis</i>. They have but two culinary +articles, the <i>kekkauvi</i> and <i>pirry</i>, kettle and +boiler, which are generally of copper, <a +name="page218"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 218</span>to which, +however, may perhaps be added the <i>kekkauviskey saster</i>, or +kettle-iron, by which the kettle and boiler are hung over the +fire. As a fireplace they have a large iron pan on three +legs, with holes or eyes in the sides, in order that the heat of +the fire may be cast around. Instead of coals they use +coke, which emits no flame and little smoke, and casts a +considerable heat. Every tent has a pail or two, and +perhaps a small cask or barrel, the proper name for which is +<i>bedra</i>, though it is generally called +<i>pāni-mengri</i>, or thing for water. At the farther +end of the tent is a mattress, with a green cloth, or perhaps a +sheet spread upon it, forming a kind of couch, on which visitors +are generally asked to sit down:—<i>Av adrey</i>, <i>Romany +Rye</i>, <i>av adrey ta besh aley pawdle odoy</i>! Come in, +Gypsy gentleman (said a polite Gypsy one day to the writer); come +in and sit down over yonder! They have a box or two in +which they stow away their breakable articles and whatever things +they set any particular value upon. Some of them have small +feather-beds, and they are generally tolerably well provided with +blankets.</p> +<p>The caravans are not numerous, and have only been used of late +years by any of the English Gypsy race. The caravan called +by the Gypsies <i>keir vardo</i>, or waggon-house, is on four +wheels, and is drawn by a horse or perhaps a couple of +donkeys. It is about twelve feet long by six broad and six +high. At the farther end are a couple of transverse berths, +one above the other, like those in the cabin of a ship; and a +little way from these is a curtain hanging by rings from an iron +rod running across, which, when drawn, forms a partition. +On either <a name="page219"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +219</span>side is a small glazed window. The most +remarkable object is a stove just inside the door, on the left +hand, with a metal chimney which goes through the roof. +This stove, the Gypsy term for which is <i>bo</i>, casts, when +lighted, a great heat, and in some cases is made in a very +handsome fashion. Some caravans have mirrors against the +sides, and exhibit other indications of an aiming at luxury, +though in general they are dirty, squalid places, quite as much +as or perhaps more than the tents, which seem to be the proper +and congenial homes of the Gypsies.</p> +<p>The mode of life of these people may be briefly +described. They have two regular meals—breakfast and +supper. The breakfast consists of tea, generally of the +best quality, bread, butter, and cheese; the supper, of tea and a +stew. In spring time they occasionally make a kind of tea +or soup of the tender leaves of a certain description of +nettle. This preparation, which they call +<i>dandrimengreskie zimmen</i>, or the broth of the +stinging-thing, is highly relished by them. They get up +early, and go to bed betimes. After breakfast the men sit +down to <i>chin the cost</i>, to mend chairs or make baskets; the +women go forth to <i>hok</i> and <i>dukker</i>, and the children +to beg, or to go with the donkeys to lanes and commons to watch +them, whilst they try to fill their poor bellies with grass and +thistles. These children sometimes bring home +<i>hotchiwitches</i>, or hedgehogs, the flesh of which is very +sweet and tender, and which their mothers are adepts at +cooking.</p> +<p>The Gypsies, as has been already observed, are not the sole +occupiers of Wandsworth grounds. <a +name="page220"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 220</span>Strange, +wild guests are to be found there, who, without being Gypsies, +have much of Gypsyism in their habits, and who far exceed the +Gypsies in number. To pass them by without notice would be +unpardonable. They may be divided into three classes: +Chorodies, Kora-mengre, and Hindity-mengre. Something about +each:—</p> +<p>The Chorodies are the legitimate descendants of the rogues and +outcasts who roamed about England long before its soil was +trodden by a Gypsy foot. They are a truly detestable set of +beings; both men and women being ferocious in their appearance, +and in their conversation horrible and disgusting. They +have coarse, vulgar features, and hair which puts one wonderfully +in mind of refuse flax, or the material of which mops are +composed. Their complexions, when not obscured with grime, +are rather fair than dark, evidencing that their origin is low, +swinish Saxon, and not gentle Romany. Their language is the +frowsiest English, interlarded with cant expressions and a few +words of bastard Romany. They live in the vilest tents, +with the exception of two or three families, who have their abode +in broken and filthy caravans. They have none of the +comforts and elegancies of the Gypsies. They are utterly +destitute of civility and good manners, and are generally squalid +in their dress, though the women sometimes exhibit not a little +dirty tawdriness. The trades of the men are tinkering and +basket-making, and some few “peel the stick.” +The women go about with the articles made by their husbands, or +rather partners, and sometimes do a little in the fortune-telling +line—pretty prophetesses! The fellows <a +name="page221"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 221</span>will +occasionally knock a man down in the dark, and rob him; the women +will steal anything they can conveniently lay their hands +on. Singular as it may seem to those not deeply acquainted +with human nature, these wretches are not without a kind of +pride. “We are no Gypsies—not we! no, nor Irish +either. We are English, and decent folks—none of your +rubbish!” The Gypsies hold them, and with reason, in +supreme contempt, and it is from them that they got their name of +Chorodies, not a little applicable to them. <i>Choredo</i>, +in Gypsy, signifies a poor, miserable person, and differs very +little in sound from two words, one Sanscrit and the other +Hebrew, both signifying, like the Gypsy term, something low, +mean, and contemptible.</p> +<p>Kora-mengre are the lowest of those hawkers who go about the +country villages and the streets of London, with caravans hung +about with various common articles, such as mats, brooms, mops, +tin pans and kettles. These low hawkers seem to be of much +the same origin as the Chorodies, and are almost equally brutal +and repulsive in their manners. The name Kora-mengre is +Gypsy, and signifies fellows who cry out and shout, from their +practice of shouting out the names of their goods. The word +<i>kora</i>, or <i>karra</i>, is by no means bad Hebrew: +<i>kora</i>, in the Holy Language, signifies he cried out, +called, or proclaimed: and a partridge is called in Hebrew +<i>kora</i>, from its continually crying out to its young, when +leading them about to feed. <i>Koran</i>, the name of the +sacred book of the Mahomedans, is of the same root.</p> +<p>Lastly come the Hindity-mengre, or Filthy <a +name="page222"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +222</span>People. This term has been bestowed upon the +vagrant Irish by the Gypsies, from the dirty ways attributed to +them, though it is a question whether the lowest Irish are a bit +more dirty in their ways than the English Chorodies, or indeed so +much, and are certainly immeasurably superior to them in many +respects. There are not many of them here, seldom more than +two families, and sometimes, even during the winter, not a single +Irish tent or cart is to be seen. The trade they ostensibly +drive is tinkering, repairing old kettles, and making little pots +and pans of tin. The one, however, on which they +principally depend, is not tinkering, but one far more lucrative, +and requiring more cleverness and dexterity; they make false +rings, like the Gypsy smiths, the <i>fashiono vangustengre</i> of +old, and whilst speaking Celtic to one whom they deem their +countryman, have no hesitation in acknowledging themselves to be +“Cairdean droich oir,” workers of false gold. +The rings are principally made out of old brass buttons; those +worn by old Chelsea pensioners being considered the very best for +the purpose. Many an ancient Corporal Trim, alter having +spent all his money at the public-house, and only become +three-parts boozy, has been induced by the Hindity-mengro to sell +all his buttons at the rate of three-halfpence a-piece, in order +to have wherewithal to make himself thoroughly royal. Each +of these Hindity-mengre has his blow-pipe, and some of them can +execute their work in a style little inferior to that of a +first-rate working goldsmith. The rings, after being made, +are rubbed with a certain stuff out of a phial, which gives them +all the appearance of <a name="page223"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 223</span>gold. This appearance, +however, does not long endure, for after having been worn two or +three months, the ring loses its false appearance entirely, and +any one can see that it is worthless metal. A good many of +these rings are disposed of at good prices by the Hindity women, +the wives of these false-gold workers, to servant girls and the +wives of small shopkeepers, and not a few, at a lower rate, to +certain gentry who get their livelihood by the honourable +profession of <i>ring-dropping</i>.</p> +<p>What is ring-dropping?</p> +<p>Ring-dropping is this. A gentleman overtakes you as you +are walking in some quiet street, passes by you, and at the +distance of some fifteen yards stops, and stooping down, +seemingly picks up something, which he inspects, and then +uttering a “Dear me!” he turns to you, and says, +“Sir, we have been fortunate to-day. See! I +have picked up this valuable!” He then shows you a +small case, in which is a large ring, seemingly of the finest +gold, with a little label attached to it, on which is marked +£2 15s. “Now, sir,” he continues, +“I said <i>we</i> were fortunate, because as we were close +to each other, I consider you as much entitled to gain by this +windfall as myself. I’ll tell you how it shall be: +the price of the ring, which was probably dropped by some +goldsmith’s man, is, as you see, two pound fifteen; +however, as I am in a hurry, you shall only give me a quid, a +pound, and then the valuable shall be all your own; it shall +indeed, sir!” And then he stares you in the +face. Such is ring-dropping, to which many silly but greedy +individuals, fall victims; giving a pound for a fine-looking +ring, which, however, with its <a name="page224"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 224</span>scarlet case—for the case is +always of a scarlet colour—is not worth sixpence. The +best thing you can do in such a case is to put your thumb to your +nose, flattening your hand and sticking out your fingers far +apart, moving on at the same time, or to utter the cabalistic +word “hookey”; in either case the ring-dropper will +at once drop astern, with a half-stifled curse, for he knows that +he has to do with “no flat,” and that you are +“awake to his little game.” Doing so is much +better than moving rapidly on, and affecting to take no notice of +him, for then he will infallibly follow you to the end of the +street, offering you the ring on more reasonable terms at every +step, perhaps concluding at last, as a ring-dropper once did to +the writer, “I’ll tell you what, sir; as I am in a +hurry, and rather hard up, you shall have the valuable for a +bull, for a crown; you shall indeed, sir, so help +me—”</p> +<p>Three of the most famous of the Hindity smiths have been +immortalised by the Gypsies in the following bit of verse:</p> +<p class="poetry">Mickie, Huwie and Larry,<br /> +Trin Hindity-mengre fashiono vangust-engre.</p> +<p class="poetry">Mickie, Huwie and Larry bold,<br /> +Three Irish brothers, as I am told,<br /> +Who make false rings, that pass for gold.</p> +<p>Of these <i>fashiono-vangust</i> brothers, the most remarkable +is Mike—Old Mike, as he is generally called. He was +born in the county Kerry, and educated at a hedge-school, where +he learned to read and write English, after a fashion, and +acquired the seventeen letters of the Irish alphabet, each of +which is named after a particular tree. Leaving <a +name="page225"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 225</span>school he +was apprenticed to a blacksmith, from whom he ran away, and +enlisted into the service of that illustrious monarch, George the +Third, some of whose battles he had the honour of fighting in the +Peninsula and France. Discharged from the army at the +Peace, with the noble donation of thirty shillings, or one +month’s pay, he returned to Ireland, took to himself a +wife, and commenced tinker. Becoming dissatisfied with his +native soil he passed over to England, and settling for some time +at “Brummagem,” took lessons from certain cunning +smiths in the art of making <i>fashiono vangusties</i>. The +next forty years of his life he spent in wandering about Britain, +attended by his faithful partner, who not only disposed of his +tin articles and false rings, but also bore him seventeen +children, all of whom are alive, somewhere or other, and thriving +too, one of them indeed having attained to the dignity of +American senator. Some of his adventures, during his +wanderings, were in the highest degree extraordinary. Of +late years he has chiefly resided in the vicinity of London, +spending his winters at Wandsworth, and his summers on the Flats, +near Epping Forest; in one or the other of which places you may +see Old Mike on a Sunday evening, provided the weather is +tolerably fine, seated near his little caravan, with his wife by +his side—not the wife who bore him the seventeen children, +who has been dead for some years, but his second wife, a nice, +elderly Irish <i>ban</i> from the county of Cork, who can tell +fortunes, say her prayers in Irish, and is nearly as good a hand +at selling her lord and master’s tin articles and false +rings as her predecessor. Lucky for <a +name="page226"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 226</span>Mike that +he got such a second partner! and luckier still that at his age +of seventy-nine he retains all his faculties, and is able to work +for his daily bread, with at least the skill and cunning of his +two brothers, both of whom are much younger men than himself, +whose adventures have been somewhat similar to his own, and who, +singularly enough, have come to live near him in his latter +days. Both these brothers are highly remarkable men. +Huwie is the most civil-spoken person in or about London, and +Larry a man of the most terrible tongue, and perhaps the most +desperate fighter ever seen; always willing to attack half a +dozen men, if necessary, and afraid of no one in the world, save +one—Mike, old Mike, who can tame him in his fiercest moods +by merely holding up his finger. Oh, a truly remarkable man +is old Mike! and a pleasure and an advantage it is to any one of +a philosophical mind to be acquainted with him, and to listen to +him. He is much more than <i>a +fashiono-vangust-engro</i>. Amongst other things he is a +theologian—Irish theologian—and quite competent to +fill the chair of theology at the University of Maynooth. +He can tell you a great many things connected with a certain +person, which, with all your research, you would never find in +Scripture. He can tell you how the Saviour, when hanging on +the cross, became athirst, and told St. Peter, who stood at the +foot of it, to fetch Him a cup of water from a dirty puddle in +the neighbourhood, and how St. Peter—however, better not +relate the legend, though a highly curious one. Then he can +repeat to you blessed verses, as he calls them, by dozens; not of +David, but <a name="page227"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +227</span>of one quite as good, as he will tell you, namely, +Timothy O’Sullivan; and who, you will say, was Timothy +O’Sullivan? Why, Ty Gaelach, to be sure. And +who was Ty Gaelach? An Irish peasant-poet of the last +century, who wrote spiritual songs, some of them by no means bad +ones, and who was called Gaelach, or Gael, from his abhorrence of +the English race and of the English language, of which he +scarcely understood a word. Then is Ty Irish for +Timothy? Why, no! though very stupidly supposed to be +so. Ty is Teague, which is neither Greek nor Irish, but a +glorious old Northern name, carried into Ireland by the brave old +heathen Danes. Ty or Teague is the same as Tycho. Ty +or Teague Gaelach is as much as to say Tycho Gaelach; and Tycho +Brahe is as much as to say Teague Brahe.</p> +<h3><a name="page228"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 228</span>THE +POTTERIES, 1864</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> second great Gypsyry is on the +Middlesex side of the river, and is distant about three miles, as +the crow flies, from that of Wandsworth. Strange as it may +seem, it is not far distant from the most fashionable part of +London; from the beautiful squares, noble streets, and thousand +palaces of Tyburnia, a region which, though only a small part of +the enormous metropolis, can show more beautiful edifices, +wealth, elegance, and luxury, than all foreign capitals put +together. After passing Tyburnia, and going more than +halfway down Notting Hill, you turn to the right, and proceed +along a tolerably genteel street till it divides into two, one of +which looks more like a lane than a street, and which is on the +left hand, and bears the name of Pottery Lane. Go along +this lane, and you will presently find yourself amongst a number +of low, uncouth-looking sheds, open at the sides, and containing +an immense quantity of earthen chimney-pots, pantiles, +fancy-bricks, and similar articles. This place is called +the Potteries, and gives the name of Pottery Lane to the lane +through which you have just passed. A dirty little road +goes through it, which you must follow, and presently turning to +your left, you will enter a little, filthy street, and going some +way down it, you will see, on your right hand, a little, open bit +of ground, chock-full of crazy, battered caravans of all +colours—some <a name="page229"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +229</span>yellow, some green, some red. Dark men, +wild-looking, witch-like women, and yellow-faced children are at +the doors of the caravans, or wending their way through the +narrow spaces left for transit between the vehicles. You +have now arrived at the second grand Gypsyry of London—you +are amongst the Romany Chals of the Potteries, called in Gypsy +the <i>Koromengreskoe Tan</i>, or the place of the fellows who +make pots; in which place certain Gypsies have settled, not with +the view of making pots, an employment which they utterly eschew, +but simply because it is convenient to them, and suits their +fancy.</p> +<p>A goodly collection of Gypsies you will find in that little +nook, crowded with caravans. Most of them are Tatchey +Romany, real Gypsies, “long-established people, of the old +order.” Amongst them are Ratzie-mescroes, Hearnes, +Herons, or duck-people; Chumo-mescroes or Bosvils; a Kaulo Camlo +(a Black Lovel) or two, and a Beshaley or Stanley. It is no +easy thing to find a Stanley nowadays, even in the Baulo Tem, or +Hampshire, which is the proper home of the Stanleys, for the +Bugnior, pimples or small-pox, has of late years made sad havoc +amongst the Stanleys; but yonder tall old gentlewoman, descending +the steps of a caravan, with a flaming red cloak and a large +black beaver bonnet, and holding a travelling basket in her hand, +is a Tatchey Beshaley, a “genuine” Stanley. The +generality, however, of “them Gyptians” are +Ratzie-mescroes, Hearnes, or duck-people; and, speaking of the +Hearnes, it is but right to say that he who may be called the <a +name="page230"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 230</span>Gypsy +Father of London, old Thomas Ratzie-mescro, or Hearne, though not +exactly residing here, lives close by in a caravan, in a little +bit of a yard over the way, where he can breathe more freely, and +be less annoyed by the brats and the young fellows than he would +be in yonder crowded place.</p> +<p>Though the spot which it has just been attempted to describe, +may be considered as the head-quarters of the London Gypsies, on +the Middlesex side of the Thames, the whole neighbourhood, for a +mile to the north of it, may to a certain extent be considered a +Gypsy region—that is, a district where Gypsies, or gentry +whose habits very much resemble those of Gypsies, may at any time +be found. No metropolitan district, indeed, could be well +more suited for Gypsies to take up their abode in. It is a +neighbourhood of transition; of brickfields, open spaces, poor +streets inhabited by low artisans, isolated houses, sites of +intended tenements, or sites of tenements which have been pulled +down; it is in fact a mere chaos, where there is no order and no +regularity; where there is nothing durable, or intended to be +durable; though there can be little doubt that within a few years +order and beauty itself will be found here, that the misery, +squalidness, and meanness will have disappeared, and the whole +district, up to the railroad arches which bound it on the west +and north, will be covered with palaces, like those of Tyburnia, +or delightful villas, like those which decorate what is called +Saint John’s Wood. At present, however, it is quite +the kind of place to please the Gypsies and wandering people, who +find <a name="page231"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +231</span>many places within its bounds where they can squat and +settle, or take up their quarters for a night or two without much +risk of being interfered with. Here their tents, cars, and +caravans may be seen amidst ruins, half-raised walls, and on +patches of unenclosed ground; here their children may, throughout +the day, be seen playing about, flinging up dust and dirt, some +partly naked, and others entirely so; and here, at night, the +different families, men, women, and children, may be seen seated +around their fires and their kettles, taking their evening meal, +and every now and then indulging in shouts of merriment, as much +as to say,—</p> +<blockquote><p>What care we, though we be so small?<br /> +The tent shall stand when the palace shall fall;</p> +</blockquote> +<p>which is quite true. The Gypsy tent must make way for +the palace, but after a millennium or two, the Gypsy tent is +pitched on the ruins of the palace.</p> +<p>Of the open spaces above mentioned, the most considerable is +one called Latimer’s Green. It lies on the +north-western side of the district, and is not far from that +place of old renown called the Shepherd’s Bush, where in +the good ancient times highwaymen used to lurk for the purpose of +pouncing upon the travellers of the Oxford Road. It may +contain about five or six acres, and, though nominally under the +control of trustees, is in reality little more than a “no +man’s ground,” where anybody may feed a horse, light +a fire, and boil a kettle. It is a great resort of vagrant +people, less of Gypsies than those who call themselves +travellers, <a name="page232"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +232</span>and are denominated by the Gypsies Chorodies, and who +live for the most part in miserable caravans, though there is +generally a Gypsy tent or two to be seen there, belonging to some +Deighton or Shaw, or perhaps Petulengro, from the Lil-engro Tan, +as the Romany call Cambridgeshire. Amidst these Chorody +caravans and Gypsy tents may frequently be seen the +<i>ker-vardo</i>, the house on wheels, of one who, whenever he +takes up his quarters here, is considered the cock of the walk, +the king of the place. He is a little under forty years of +age, and somewhat under five feet ten inches in height. His +face is wonderfully like that of a mastiff of the largest size, +particularly in its jowls; his neck is short and very thick, and +must be nearly as strong as that of a bull; his chest is so broad +that one does not like to say how broad it is; and the voice +which every now and then proceeds from it has much the sound of +that of the mighty dog just mentioned; his arms are long and +exceedingly muscular, and his fists huge and bony. He wears +a low-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, a coarse blue coat with short +skirts, leggings, and high-lows. Such is the <i>kral +o’ the tan</i>, the <i>rex loci</i>, the cock of the +green. But what is he besides? Is he Gypsy, +<i>Chorody</i>, or <i>Hindity mush</i>? I say, you had +better not call him by any one of those names, for if you did he +would perhaps hit you, and then, oh dear! That is Mr. G. +A., a travelling horse-dealer, who lives in a caravan, and finds +it frequently convenient to take up his abode for weeks together +on Latimer’s Green. He is a thorough-bred Englishman, +though he is married to a daughter of one of the old, sacred +Gypsy <a name="page233"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +233</span>families, a certain Lurina Ratziemescri, duck or heron +female, who is a very handsome woman, and who has two brothers, +dark, stealthy-looking young fellows, who serve with almost +slavish obedience their sister’s lord and husband, +listening uncomplainingly to his abuse of Gypsies, whom, though +he lives amongst them and is married to one by whom he has +several children, he holds in supreme contempt, never speaking of +them but as a lying, thievish, cowardly set, any three of whom he +could beat with one hand; as perhaps he could, for he is a +desperate pugilist, and has three times fought in “the +ring” with good men, whom, though not a scientific fighter, +he beat with ease by dint of terrible blows, causing them to roar +out. He is very well to do in the world; his caravan, a +rather stately affair, is splendidly furnished within; and it is +a pleasure to see his wife, at Hampton Court races, dressed in +Gypsy fashion, decked with real gems and jewels and rich gold +chains, and waited upon by her dark brothers dressed like dandy +pages. How is all this expense supported? Why, by +horsedealing. Mr. G. is, then, up to all kinds of +horsedealers’ tricks, no doubt. Aye, aye, he is up to +them, but he doesn’t practise them. He says +it’s of no use, and that honesty is the best policy, and +he’ll stick to it; and so he does, and finds the profit of +it. His traffic in horses, though confined entirely to +small people, such as market-gardeners, travellers, show-folks, +and the like, is very great; every small person who wishes to buy +a horse, or to sell a horse, or to swop a horse, goes to Mr. G., +and has never reason to complain, for all acknowledge that <a +name="page234"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 234</span>he has done +the fair thing by them; though all agree that there is no +overreaching him, which indeed very few people try to do, +deterred by the dread of his manual prowess, of which a Gypsy +once gave to the writer the following <i>striking</i> +illustration:—“He will jal oprey to a gry +that’s wafodu, prawla, and coure leste tuley with the +courepen of his wast.” (He will go up to a vicious +horse, brother, and knock him down with a blow of his fist.)</p> +<p>The arches of the railroad which bounds this region on the +west and north serve as a resort for Gypsies, who erect within +them their tents, which are thus sheltered in summer from the +scorching rays of the sun, and in winter from the drenching +rain. In what close proximity we sometimes find emblems of +what is most rude and simple, and what is most artificial and +ingenious! For example, below the arch is the Gypsy +donkey-cart, whilst above it is thundering the chariot of fire +which can run across a county in half an hour. The +principal frequenters of these arches are Bosvils and Lees; the +former are chiefly tinkers, and the latter <i>esconyemengres</i>, +or skewer-makers. The reason for this difference is that +the Bosvils are chiefly immigrants from the country, where there +is not much demand for skewers, whereas the Lees are natives of +the metropolis or the neighbourhood, where the demand for skewers +has from time immemorial been enormously great. It was in +the shelter of one of these arches that the celebrated Ryley +Bosvil, the Gypsy king of Yorkshire, breathed his last a few +years ago.</p> +<h3><a name="page235"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 235</span>THE +MOUNT</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Before</span> quitting the subject of +Metropolitan Gypsies there is another place to which it will be +necessary to devote a few words, though it is less entitled to +the appelation of Gypsyry than rookery. It is situated in +the East of London, a region far more interesting to the +ethnologist and the philologist than the West, for there he will +find people of all kinds of strange races,—the wildest +Irish; Greeks, both Orthodox and Papistical; Jews, not only +Ashkenazim and Sephardim, but even Karaite; the worst, and +consequently the most interesting, description of Germans, the +sugar-bakers; lots of Malays; plenty of Chinamen; two or three +dozen Hottentots, and about the same number of Gypsies, reckoning +men, women, and children. Of the latter, and their place of +abode, we have now only to do, leaving the other strange, odd +people to be disposed of on some other occasion.</p> +<p>Not far from Shoreditch Church, and at a short distance from +the street called Church Street, on the left hand, is a locality +called Friars’ Mount, but generally for shortness called +The Mount. It derives its name from a friary built upon a +small hillock in the time of Popery, where a set of fellows lived +in laziness and luxury on the offerings of foolish and +superstitious people, who resorted thither to kiss and worship an +ugly wooden image of the Virgin, said to be a first-rate stick at +performing miraculous <a name="page236"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 236</span>cures. The neighbourhood, of +course, soon became a resort for vagabonds of every description, +for wherever friars are found rogues and thieves are sure to +abound; and about Friars’ Mount, highwaymen, coiners, and +Gypsies dwelt in safety under the protection of the ministers of +the miraculous image. The friary has long since +disappeared, the Mount has been levelled, and the locality built +over. The vice and villainy, however, which the friary +called forth still cling to the district. It is one of the +vilest dens of London, a grand resort for housebreakers, +garotters, passers of bad money, and other disreputable people, +though not for Gypsies; for however favourite a place it may have +been for the Romany in the old time, it no longer finds much +favour in their sight, from its not affording open spaces where +they can pitch their tents. One very small street, however, +is certainly entitled to the name of a Gypsy street, in which a +few Gypsy families have always found it convenient to reside, and +who are in the habit of receiving and lodging their brethren +passing through London to and from Essex and other counties east +of the metropolis. There is something peculiar in the +aspect of this street, not observable in that of any of the +others, which one who visits it, should he have been in Triana of +Seville, would at once recognise as having seen in the aspect of +the lanes and courts of that grand location of the Gypsies of the +Andalusian capital.</p> +<p>The Gypsies of the Mount live much in the same manner as their +brethren in the other Gypsyries of London. They <i>chin the +cost</i>, make skewers, <a name="page237"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 237</span>baskets, and let out donkeys for +hire. The chief difference consists in their living in +squalid houses, whilst the others inhabit dirty tents and +caravans. The last Gypsy of any note who resided in this +quarter was Joseph Lee; here he lived for a great many years, and +here he died, having attained the age of ninety. During his +latter years he was generally called Old Joe Lee, from his great +age. His wife or partner, who was also exceedingly old, +only survived him a few days. They were buried in the same +grave, with much Gypsy pomp, in the neighbouring +churchyard. They were both of pure Gypsy blood, and were +generally known as the Gypsy king and queen of Shoreditch. +They left a numerous family of children and grandchildren, some +of whom are still to be found at the Mount. This old Joe +Lee in his day was a celebrated horse and donkey witch—that +is, he professed secrets which enabled him to make any wretched +animal of either species exhibit for a little time the spirit and +speed of “a flying drummedary.” He was +illustriously related, and was very proud on that account, +especially in being the brother’s son of old James, the +<i>cauring mush</i>, whose exploits in the filching line will be +remembered as long as the venerable tribe of Purrum, or Lee, +continues in existence.</p> +<h2><a name="page239"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +239</span>RYLEY BOSVIL</h2> +<p><a name="page241"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 241</span><span +class="smcap">Ryley</span> Bosvil was a native of Yorkshire, a +country where, as the Gypsies say, “there’s a deadly +sight of Bosvils.” He was above the middle height, +exceedingly strong and active, and one of the best riders in +Yorkshire, which is saying a great deal. He was a thorough +Gypsy, versed in all the arts of the old race, had two wives, +never went to church, and considered that when a man died he was +cast into the earth, and there was an end of him. He +frequently used to say that if any of his people became Gorgios +he would kill them. He had a sister of the name of Clara, a +nice, delicate, interesting girl, about fourteen years younger +than himself, who travelled about with an aunt; this girl was +noticed by a respectable Christian family, who, taking a great +interest in her, persuaded her to come and live with them. +She was instructed by them in the rudiments of the Christian +religion, appeared delighted with her new friends, and promised +never to leave them. After the lapse of about six weeks +there was a knock at the door; a dark man stood before it who +said he wanted Clara. Clara went out trembling, had some +discourse with the man in an unknown tongue, and <a +name="page242"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 242</span>shortly +returned in tears, and said that she must go. “What +for?” said her friends. “Did you not promise to +stay with us?” “I did so,” said the girl, +weeping more bitterly; “but that man is my brother, who +says I must go with him, and what he says must be.” +So with her brother she departed, and her Christian friends never +saw her again. What became of her? Was she made away +with? Many thought she was, but she was not. Ryley +put her into a light cart, drawn by “a flying pony,” +and hurried her across England, even to distant Norfolk, where he +left her, after threatening her, with three Gypsy women who were +devoted to him. With these women the writer found her one +night encamped in a dark wood, and had much discourse with her, +both on Christian and Egyptian matters. She was very +melancholy, bitterly regretted having been compelled to quit her +Christian friends, and said that she wished she had never been a +Gypsy. The writer, after exhorting her to keep a firm grip +of her Christianity, departed, and did not see her again for +nearly a quarter of a century, when he met her on Epsom Downs, on +the Derby day when the terrible horse Gladiateur beat all the +English steeds. She was then very much changed, very much +changed indeed, appearing as a full-blown Egyptian matron, with +two very handsome daughters flaringly dressed in genuine Gypsy +fashion, to whom she was giving motherly counsels as to the best +means to <i>hok</i> and <i>dukker</i> the gentlefolks. All +her Christianity she appeared to have flung to the dogs, for when +the writer spoke to her on that very important subject, she made +no answer <a name="page243"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +243</span>save by an indescribable Gypsy look. On other +matters she was communicative enough, telling the writer, amongst +other things, that since he saw her she had been twice married, +and both times very well, for that her first husband, by whom she +had the two daughters whom the writer “kept staring +at,” was a man every inch of him, and her second, who was +then on the Downs grinding knives with a machine he had, though +he had not much manhood, being nearly eighty years old, had +something much better, namely a mint of money, which she hoped +shortly to have in her own possession.</p> +<p>Ryley, like most of the Bosvils, was a tinker by profession; +but, though a tinker, he was amazingly proud and haughty of +heart. His grand ambition was to be a great man among his +people, a Gypsy King. To this end he furnished himself with +clothes made after the costliest Gypsy fashion: the two hinder +buttons of the coat, which was of thick blue cloth, were broad +gold pieces of Spain, generally called ounces; the fore-buttons +were English “spaded guineas”; the buttons of the +waistcoat were half-guineas, and those of the collar and the +wrists of his shirt were seven-shilling gold pieces. In +this coat he would frequently make his appearance on a +magnificent horse, whose hoofs, like those of the steed of a +Turkish sultan, were cased in shoes of silver. How did he +support such expense? it may be asked. Partly by driving a +trade in <i>wafodu luvvu</i>, counterfeit coin, with which he was +supplied by certain honest tradespeople of Brummagem; partly and +principally by large sums of money which he received from <a +name="page244"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 244</span>his two +wives, and which they obtained by the practice of certain arts +peculiar to Gypsy females. One of his wives was a truly +remarkable woman: she was of the Petulengro or Smith tribe; her +Christian name, if Christian name it can be called, was Xuri or +Shuri, and from her exceeding smartness and cleverness she was +generally called by the Gypsies Yocky Shuri,—that is, smart +or clever Shuri, <i>yocky</i> being a Gypsy word, signifying +‘clever.’ She could <i>dukker</i>—that +is, tell fortunes—to perfection, by which alone during the +racing season she could make a hundred pounds a month. She +was good at the <i>big hok</i>, that is, at inducing people to +put money into her hands, in the hope of its being multiplied; +and, oh dear! how she could <i>caur</i>—that is, filch gold +rings and trinkets from jewellers’ cases; the kind of thing +which the Spanish Gypsy women call <i>ustilar pastesas</i>, +filching with the hands. Frequently she would disappear, +and travel about England, and Scotland too, <i>dukkering</i>, +<i>hokking</i>, and <i>cauring</i>, and after the lapse of a +month return and deliver to her husband, like a true and faithful +wife, the proceeds of her industry. So no wonder that the +Flying Tinker, as he was called, was enabled to cut a grand +appearance. He was very fond of hunting, and would +frequently join the field in regular hunting costume, save and +except that, instead of the leather hunting-cap, he wore one of +fur with a gold band around it, to denote that though he mixed +with Gorgios he was still a Romany-chal. Thus equipped and +mounted on a capital hunter, whenever he encountered a Gypsy +encampment he would invariably dash through it, doing all the +harm he could, in order, as he said, <a name="page245"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 245</span>to let the <i>juggals</i> know that +he was their king and had a right to do what he pleased with his +own. Things went on swimmingly for a great many years, but, +as prosperity does not continue for ever, his dark hour came at +last. His wives got into trouble in one or two expeditions, +and his dealings in <i>wafodu luvvu</i> began to be noised +about. Moreover, by his grand airs and violent proceedings +he had incurred the hatred of both Gorgios and Gypsies, +particularly of the latter, some of whom he had ridden over and +lamed for life. One day he addressed his two +wives:—</p> +<p class="poetry">“The Gorgios seek to hang me,<br /> +The Gypsies seek to kill me:<br /> +This country we must leave.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Shuri</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ll jaw with you to heaven,<br /> +I’ll jaw with you to Yaudors—<br /> +But not if Lura goes.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Lura</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ll jaw with you to heaven,<br /> +And to the wicked country,<br /> +Though Shuri goeth too.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Ryley</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Since I must choose betwixt ye,<br /> +My choice is Yocky Shuri,<br /> +Though Lura loves me best.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Lura</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“My blackest curse on Shuri!<br /> +Oh, Ryley, I’ll not curse you,<br /> +But you will never thrive.”</p> +<p><a name="page246"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 246</span>She +then took her departure with her cart and donkey, and Ryley +remained with Shuri.</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Ryley</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ve chosen now betwixt ye;<br /> +Your wish you now have gotten,<br /> +But for it you shall smart.”</p> +<p>He then struck her with his fist on the cheek, and broke her +jawbone. Shuri uttered no cry or complaint, only +mumbled:</p> +<p class="poetry">“Although with broken jawbone,<br /> +I’ll follow thee, my Ryley,<br /> +Since Lura doesn’t jal.”</p> +<p>Thereupon Ryley and Yocky Shuri left Yorkshire, and wended +their way to London, where they took up their abode in the +Gypsyry near the Shepherd’s Bush. Shuri went about +<i>dukkering</i> and <i>hokking</i>, but not with the spirit of +former times, for she was not quite so young as she had been, and +her jaw, which was never properly cured, pained her much. +Ryley went about tinkering, but he was unacquainted with London +and its neighbourhood, and did not get much to do. An old +Gypsy-man, who was driving about a little cart filled with +skewers, saw him standing in a state of perplexity at a place +where four roads met.</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Old +Gypsy</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Methinks I see a brother!<br /> +Who’s your father? Who’s your mother?<br /> +And what may be your name?”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><a +name="page247"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +247</span><i>Ryley</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“A Bosvil was my father;<br /> +A Bosvil was my mother;<br /> +And Ryley is my name.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Old +Gypsy</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’m glad to see you, brother!<br +/> +I am a Kaulo Camlo. <a name="citation247a"></a><a +href="#footnote247a" class="citation">[247a]</a><br /> +What service can I do?”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Ryley</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’m jawing petulengring, <a +name="citation247b"></a><a href="#footnote247b" +class="citation">[247b]</a><br /> +But do not know the country;<br /> +Perhaps you’ll show me round.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center" class="poetry"><i>Old +Gypsy</i>.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I’ll sikker tute, prala!<br /> +I’m bikkening esconyor; <a name="citation247c"></a><a +href="#footnote247c" class="citation">[247c]</a><br /> +Av, av along with me!”</p> +<p>The old Gypsy showed Ryley about the country for a week or +two, and Ryley formed a kind of connection, and did a little +business. He, however, displayed little or no energy, was +gloomy and dissatisfied, and frequently said that his heart was +broken since he had left Yorkshire.</p> +<p>Shuri did her best to cheer him, but without effect. +Once, when she bade him get up and exert himself, he said that if +he did it would be of little use, and asked her whether she did +not remember the parting prophecy of his other wife that he would +never thrive. At the end of about <a +name="page248"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 248</span>two years +he ceased going his rounds, and did nothing but smoke under the +arches of the railroad, and loiter about beershops. At +length he became very weak, and took to his bed; doctors were +called in by his faithful Shuri, but there is no remedy for a +bruised spirit. A Methodist came and asked him, “What +was his hope?” “My hope,” said he, +“is that when I am dead I shall be put into the ground, and +my wife and children will weep over me.” And such, it +may be observed, is the last hope of every genuine Gypsy. +His hope was gratified. Shuri and his children, of whom he +had three—two stout young fellows and a girl—gave him +a magnificent funeral, and screamed, shouted, and wept over his +grave. They then returned to the “Arches,” not +to divide his property amongst them, and to quarrel about the +division, according to Christian practice, but to destroy +it. They killed his swift pony—still swift, though +twenty-seven years of age—and buried it deep in the ground, +without depriving it of its skin. They then broke the +caravan and cart to pieces, making of the fragments a fire, on +which they threw his bedding, carpets, curtains, blankets, and +everything which would burn. Finally, they dashed his +mirrors, china, and crockery to pieces, hacked his metal pots, +dishes and what-not to bits, and flung the whole on the blazing +pile. Such was the life, such the death, and such were the +funeral obsequies of Ryley Bosvil, a Gypsy who will be long +remembered amongst the English Romany for his buttons, his two +wives, his grand airs, and last, and not least, for having been +the composer of various stanzas in the Gypsy tongue, which have +plenty <a name="page249"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +249</span>of force, if nothing else, to recommend them. One +of these, addressed to Yocky Shuri, runs as follows:</p> +<p class="poetry">Tuley the Can I kokkeney cam<br /> + Like my rinkeny Yocky Shuri:<br /> +Oprey the chongor in ratti I’d cour<br /> + For my rinkeny Yocky Shuri!</p> +<p>Which may be thus rendered:</p> +<p class="poetry">Beneath the bright sun, there is none, there is +none,<br /> + I love like my Yocky Shuri:<br /> +With the greatest delight, in blood I would fight<br /> + To the knees for my Yocky Shuri!</p> +<h2><a name="page251"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 251</span>KIRK +YETHOLM</h2> +<p><a name="page253"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 253</span><span +class="smcap">There</span> are two Yetholms—Town Yetholm +and Kirk Yetholm. They stand at the distance of about a +quarter of a mile from each other, and between them is a valley, +down which runs a small stream, called the Beaumont River, +crossed by a little stone bridge. Of the town there is not +much to be said. It is a long, straggling place, on the +road between Morbuttle and Kelso, from which latter place it is +distant about seven miles. It is comparatively modern, and +sprang up when the Kirk town began to fall into decay. Kirk +Yetholm derives the first part of its name from the church, which +serves for a place of worship not only for the inhabitants of the +place, but for those of the town also. The present church +is modern, having been built on the site of the old kirk, which +was pulled down in the early part of the present century, and +which had been witness of many a strange event connected with the +wars between England and Scotland. It stands at the +entrance of the place, on the left hand as you turn to the +village after ascending the steep road which leads from the +bridge. The place occupies the lower portion of a hill, a +spur of the Cheviot range, behind which is another hill, much +higher, <a name="page254"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +254</span>rising to an altitude of at least 900 feet. At +one time it was surrounded by a stone wall, and at the farther +end is a gateway overlooking a road leading to the English +border, from which Kirk Yetholm is distant only a mile and a +quarter; the boundary of the two kingdoms being here a small +brook called Shorton Burn, on the English side of which is a +village of harmless, simple Northumbrians, differing strangely in +appearance, manner, and language from the people who live within +a stone’s throw of them on the other side.</p> +<p>Kirk Yetholm is a small place, but with a remarkable +look. It consists of a street, terminating in what is +called a green, with houses on three sides, but open on the +fourth, or right side to the mountain, towards which quarter it +is grassy and steep. Most of the houses are ancient, and +are built of rude stone. By far the most remarkable-looking +house is a large and dilapidated building, which has much the +appearance of a ruinous Spanish <i>posada</i> or +<i>venta</i>. There is not much life in the place, and you +may stand ten minutes where the street opens upon the square +without seeing any other human beings than two or three women +seated at the house doors, or a ragged, bare-headed boy or two +lying on the grass on the upper side of the Green. It came +to pass that late one Saturday afternoon, at the commencement of +August, in the year 1866, I was standing where the street opens +on this Green, or imperfect square. My eyes were fixed on +the dilapidated house, the appearance of which awakened in my +mind all kinds of odd ideas. “A strange-looking +place,” said I to <a name="page255"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 255</span>myself at last, “and I +shouldn’t wonder if strange things have been done in +it.”</p> +<p>“Come to see the Gypsy toon, sir?” said a voice +not far from me.</p> +<p>I turned, and saw standing within two yards of me a woman +about forty years of age, of decent appearance, though without +either cap or bonnet.</p> +<p>“A Gypsy town, is it?” said I; “why, I +thought it had been Kirk Yetholm.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Weel, sir, if it is Kirk Yetholm, +must it not be a Gypsy toon? Has not Kirk Yetholm ever been +a Gypsy toon?”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“My good woman, ‘ever’ +is a long term, and Kirk Yetholm must have been Kirk Yetholm long +before there were Gypsies in Scotland, or England +either.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Weel, sir, your honour may be +right, and I dare say is; for your honour seems to be a learned +gentleman. Certain, however, it is that Kirk Yetholm has +been a Gypsy toon beyond the memory of man.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“You do not seem to be a +Gypsy.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Seem to be a Gypsy! Na, na, +sir! I am the bairn of decent parents, and belong not to +Kirk Yetholm, but to Haddington.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“And what brought you to Kirk +Yetholm?”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Oh, my ain little bit of business +brought me to Kirk Yetholm, sir.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“Which is no business of +mine. That’s a queer-looking house there.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“The house that your honour was +looking at so attentively when I first spoke to ye? A +queer-looking house it is, and a queer kind of <a +name="page256"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 256</span>man once +lived in it. Does your honour know who once lived in that +house?”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“No. How should I? I am +here for the first time, and after taking a bite and sup at the +inn at the town over yonder I strolled hither.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Does your honour come from +far?”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“A good way. I came from +Strandraar, the farthest part of Galloway, where I landed from a +ship which brought me from Ireland.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“And what may have brought your +honour into these parts?”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“Oh, my ain wee bit of business +brought me into these parts.”</p> +<p>“Which wee bit of business is nae business of +mine,” said the woman, smiling. “Weel, your +honour is quite right to keep your ain counsel; for, as your +honour weel kens, if a person canna keep his ain counsel it is +nae likely that any other body will keep it for him. But to +gae back to the queer house, and the queer man that once +’habited it. That man, your honour, was old Will +Faa.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“Old Will Faa!”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Yes. Old Will Faa, the Gypsy +king, smuggler, and innkeeper; he lived in that inn.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“Oh, then that house has been an +inn?”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“It still is an inn, and has always +been an inn; and though it has such an eerie look it is sometimes +lively enough, more especially after the Gypsies have returned +from their summer excursions in the country. It’s a +roaring place then. They spend most of their +sleight-o’-hand gains in that house.”</p> +<p><a name="page257"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +257</span><i>Myself</i>.—“Is the house still kept by +a Faa?”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“No, sir; there are no Faas to keep +it. The name is clean dead in the land, though there is +still some of the blood remaining.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“I really should like to see some +of the blood.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Weel, sir, you can do that without +much difficulty; there are not many Gypsies just now in Kirk +Yetholm; but the one who they say has more of his blood than any +one else happens to be here. I mean his +grandbairn—his daughter’s daughter; she whom they +ca’ the ‘Gypsy Queen o’ Yetholm,’ and +whom they lead about the toon once a year, mounted on a cuddy, +with a tin crown on her head, with much shouting, and with mony a +barbaric ceremony.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“I really should like to see +her.”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“Weel, sir, there’s a woman +behind you, seated at the doorway, who can get your honour not +only the sight of her, but the speech of her, for she is one of +the race, and a relation of hers; and, to tell ye the truth, she +has had her eye upon your honour for some time past, expecting to +be asked about the qeeen, for scarcely anybody comes to Yetholm +but goes to see the queen; and some gae so far as to say that +they merely crowned her queen in hopes of bringing grist to the +Gypsy mill.”</p> +<p>I thanked the woman, and was about to turn away, in order to +address myself to the other woman seated on the step, when my +obliging friend said, “I beg your pardon, sir, but before +ye go I wish to caution you, when you get to the speech of the +queen, not to put any speerings to her about <a +name="page258"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 258</span>a certain +tongue or dialect which they say the Gypsies have. All the +Gypsies become glum and dour as soon as they are spoken to about +their language, and particularly the queen. The queen might +say something uncivil to your honour, should you ask her +questions about her language.”</p> +<p><i>Myself</i>.—“Oh, then the Gypsies of Yetholm +have a language of their own?”</p> +<p><i>Woman</i>.—“I canna say, sir; I dinna ken +whether they have or not; I have been at Yetholm several years, +about my ain wee bit o’ business, and never heard them +utter a word that was not either English or broad Scotch. +Some people say that they have a language of their ain, and +others say that they have nane, and moreover that, though they +call themselves Gypsies, they are far less Gypsy than Irish, a +great deal of Irish being mixed in their veins with a very little +of the much more respectable Gypsy blood. It may be sae, or +it may be not; perhaps your honour will find out. +That’s the woman, sir, just behind ye at the door. +Gud e’en. I maun noo gang and boil my cup +o’tay.”</p> +<p>To the woman at the door I now betook myself. She was +seated on the threshold, and employed in knitting. She was +dressed in white, and had a cap on her head, from which depended +a couple of ribbons, one on each side. As I drew near she +looked up. She had a full, round, smooth face, and her +complexion was brown, or rather olive, a hue which contrasted +with that of her eyes, which were blue.</p> +<p>“There is something Gypsy in that face,” said I to +myself, as I looked at her; “but I don’t like those +eyes.”</p> +<p><a name="page259"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +259</span>“A fine evening,” said I to her at +last.</p> +<p>“Yes, sir,” said the woman, with very little of +the Scotch accent; “it is a fine evening. Come to see +the town?”</p> +<p>“Yes,” said I; “I am come to see the +town. A nice little town it seems.”</p> +<p>“And I suppose come to see the Gypsies, too,” said +the woman, with a half smile.</p> +<p>“Well,” said I, “to be frank with you, I +came to see the Gypsies. You are not one, I +suppose?”</p> +<p>“Indeed I am,” said the woman, rather sharply, +“and who shall say that I am not, seeing that I am a +relation of old Will Faa, the man whom the woman from Haddington +was speaking to you about; for I heard her mention his +name?”</p> +<p>“Then,” said I, “you must be related to her +whom they call the Gypsy queen.”</p> +<p>“I am, indeed, sir. Would you wish to see +her?”</p> +<p>“By all means,” said I. “I should wish +very much to see the Gypsy queen.”</p> +<p>“Then I will show you to her, sir; many gentlefolks from +England come to see the Gypsy queen of Yetholm. Follow me, +sir!”</p> +<p>She got up, and, without laying down her knitting-work, went +round the corner, and began to ascend the hill. She was +strongly made, and was rather above the middle height. She +conducted me to a small house, some little way up the hill. +As we were going, I said to her, “As you are a Gypsy, I +suppose you have no objection to a <i>coro</i> of <i>koshto +levinor</i>?” <a name="citation259"></a><a +href="#footnote259" class="citation">[259]</a></p> +<p>She stopped her knitting for a moment, and <a +name="page260"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 260</span>appeared to +consider, and then resuming it, she said hesitatingly, “No, +sir, no! None at all! That is, not +exactly!”</p> +<p>“She is no true Gypsy, after all,” said I to +myself.</p> +<p>We went through a little garden to the door of the house, +which stood ajar. She pushed it open, and looked in; then, +turning round, she said: “She is not here, sir; but she is +close at hand. Wait here till I go and fetch +her.” She went to a house a little farther up the +hill, and I presently saw her returning with another female, of +slighter build, lower in stature, and apparently much +older. She came towards me with much smiling, smirking, and +nodding, which I returned with as much smiling and nodding as if +I had known her for threescore years. She motioned me with +her hand to enter the house. I did so. The other +woman returned down the hill, and the queen of the Gypsies +entering, and shutting the door, confronted me on the floor, and +said, in a rather musical, but slightly faltering voice:</p> +<p>“Now, sir, in what can I oblige you?”</p> +<p>Thereupon, letting the umbrella fall, which I invariably carry +about with me in my journeyings, I flung my arms three times up +into the air, and in an exceedingly disagreeable voice, owing to +a cold which I had had for some time, and which I had caught +amongst the lakes of Loughmaben, whilst hunting after Gypsies +whom I could not find, I exclaimed:</p> +<p>“Sossi your nav? Pukker mande tute’s +nav! Shan tu a mumpli-mushi, or a tatchi Romany?”</p> +<p>Which, interpreted into Gorgio, runs thus:</p> +<p><a name="page261"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +261</span>“What is your name? Tell me your +name! Are you a mumping woman, or a true Gypsy?”</p> +<p>The woman appeared frightened, and for some time said nothing, +but only stared at me. At length, recovering herself, she +exclaimed, in an angry tone, “Why do you talk to me in that +manner, and in that gibberish? I don’t understand a +word of it.”</p> +<p>“Gibberish!” said I; “it is no gibberish; it +is Zingarrijib, Romany rokrapen, real Gypsy of the old +order.”</p> +<p>“Whatever it is,” said the woman, +“it’s of no use speaking it to me. If you want +to speak to me, you must speak English or Scotch.”</p> +<p>“Why, they told me as how you were a Gypsy,” said +I.</p> +<p>“And they told you the truth,” said the woman; +“I am a Gypsy, and a real one; I am not ashamed of my +blood.”</p> +<p>“If yer were a Gyptian,” said I, “yer would +be able to speak Gyptian; but yer can’t, not a +word.”</p> +<p>“At any rate,” said the woman, “I can speak +English, which is more than you can. Why, your way of +speaking is that of the lowest vagrants of the roads.”</p> +<p>“Oh, I have two or three ways of speaking +English,” said I; “and when I speaks to low wagram +folks, I speaks in a low wagram manner.”</p> +<p>“Not very civil,” said the woman.</p> +<p>“A pretty Gypsy!” said I; “why, I’ll +be bound you don’t know what a <i>churi</i> is!”</p> +<p>The woman gave me a sharp look; but made no reply.</p> +<p><a name="page262"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +262</span>“A pretty queen of the Gypsies!” said I; +“why, she doesn’t know the meaning of +<i>churi</i>!”</p> +<p>“Doesn’t she?” said the woman, evidently +nettled; “doesn’t she?”</p> +<p>“Why, do you mean to say that you know the meaning of +<i>churi</i>?”</p> +<p>“Why, of course I do,” said the woman.</p> +<p>“Hardly, my good lady,” said I; “hardly; a +<i>churi</i> to you is merely a <i>churi</i>.”</p> +<p>“A <i>churi</i> is a knife,” said the woman, in a +tone of defiance; “a <i>churi</i> is a knife.”</p> +<p>“Oh, it is,” said I; “and yet you tried to +persuade me that you had no peculiar language of your own, and +only knew English and Scotch: <i>churi</i> is a word of the +language in which I spoke to you at first, Zingarrijib, or Gypsy +language; and since you know that word, I make no doubt that you +know others, and in fact can speak Gypsy. Come; let us have +a little confidential discourse together.”</p> +<p>The woman stood for some time, as if in reflection, and at +length said: “Sir, before having any particular discourse +with you, I wish to put a few questions to you, in order to +gather from your answers whether it is safe to talk to you on +Gypsy matters. You pretend to understand the Gypsy +language: if I find you do not, I will hold no further discourse +with you; and the sooner you take yourself off the better. +If I find you do, I will talk with you as long as you like. +What do you call that?”—and she pointed to the +fire.</p> +<p>“Speaking Gyptianly?” said I.</p> +<p>The woman nodded.</p> +<p>“Whoy, I calls that <i>yog</i>.”</p> +<p><a name="page263"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +263</span>“Hm,” said the woman: “and the dog +out there?”</p> +<p>“Gyptian-loike?” said I.</p> +<p>“Yes.”</p> +<p>“Whoy, I calls that a <i>juggal</i>.”</p> +<p>“And the hat on your head?”</p> +<p>“Well, I have two words for that: a <i>staury</i> and a +<i>stadge</i>.”</p> +<p>“<i>Stadge</i>,” said the woman, “we call it +here. Now what’s a gun?”</p> +<p>“There is no Gypsy in England,” said I, “can +tell you the word for a gun; at least the proper word, which is +lost. They have a word—<i>yag-engro</i>—but +that is a made-up word signifying a fire-thing.”</p> +<p>“Then you don’t know the word for a gun,” +said the Gypsy.</p> +<p>“Oh dear me! Yes,” said I; “the +genuine Gypsy word for a gun is <i>puschca</i>. But I did +not pick up that word in England, but in Hungary, where the +Gypsies retain their language better than in England: +<i>puschca</i> is the proper word for a gun, and not +<i>yag-engro</i>, which may mean a fire-shovel, tongs, poker, or +anything connected with fire, quite as well as a gun.”</p> +<p>“<i>Puschca</i> is the word, sure enough,” said +the Gypsy. “I thought I should have caught you there; +and now I have but one more question to ask you, and when I have +done so, you may as well go; for I am quite sure you cannot +answer it. What is <i>Nokkum</i>?”</p> +<p>“<i>Nokkum</i>,” said I; +“<i>nokkum</i>?”</p> +<p>“Aye,” said the Gypsy; “what is +<i>Nokkum</i>? Our people here, besides their common name +of <a name="page264"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +264</span>Romany, have a private name for themselves, which is +<i>Nokkum</i> or <i>Nokkums</i>. Why do the children of the +Caungri Foros call themselves <i>Nokkums</i>?”</p> +<p>“<i>Nokkum</i>,” said I; +“<i>nokkum</i>? The root of <i>nokkum</i> must be +<i>nok</i>, which signifieth a nose.”</p> +<p>“A-h!” said the Gypsy, slowly drawing out the +monosyllable, as if in astonishment.</p> +<p>“Yes,” said I; “the root of <i>nokkum</i> is +assuredly <i>nok</i>, and I have no doubt that your people call +themselves <i>Nokkum</i> because they are in the habit of +<i>nosing</i> the Gorgios. <i>Nokkums</i> means +<i>Nosems</i>.”</p> +<p>“Sit down, sir,” said the Gypsy, handing me a +chair. “I am now ready to talk to you as much as you +please about <i>Nokkum</i> words and matters, for I see there is +no danger. But I tell you frankly that had I not found that +you knew as much as, or a great deal more than, myself, not a +hundred pounds, nor indeed all the money in Berwick, should have +induced me to hold discourse with you about the words and matters +of the Brown children of Kirk Yetholm.”</p> +<p>I sat down in the chair which she handed me; she sat down in +another, and we were presently in deep discourse about matters +<i>Nokkum</i>. We first began to talk about words, and I +soon found that her knowledge of Romany was anything but +extensive; far less so, indeed, than that of the commonest +English Gypsy woman, for whenever I addressed her in regular +Gypsy sentences, and not in <i>poggado jib</i>, or broken +language, she would giggle and say I was too deep for her. +I should say that the sum total of her vocabulary barely amounted +to three hundred words. Even of these <a +name="page265"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 265</span>there were +several which were not pure Gypsy words—that is, belonging +to the speech which the ancient Zingary brought with them to +Britain. Some of her bastard Gypsy words belonged to the +cant or allegorical jargon of thieves, who, in order to disguise +their real meaning, call one thing by the name of another. +For example, she called a shilling a ‘hog,’ a word +belonging to the old English cant dialect, instead of calling it +by the genuine Gypsy term <i>tringurushi</i>, the literal meaning +of which is three groats. Then she called a donkey +‘asal,’ and a stone ‘cloch,’ which words +are neither cant nor Gypsy, but Irish or Gaelic. I incurred +her vehement indignation by saying they were Gaelic. She +contradicted me flatly, and said that whatever else I might know +I was quite wrong there; for that neither she nor any one of her +people would condescend to speak anything so low as Gaelic, or +indeed, if they possibly could avoid it, to have anything to do +with the poverty-stricken creatures who used it. It is a +singular fact that, though principally owing to the magic +writings of Walter Scott, the Highland Gael and Gaelic have +obtained the highest reputation in every other part of the world, +they are held in the Lowlands in very considerable +contempt. There the Highlander, elsewhere “the bold +Gael with sword and buckler,” is the type of poverty and +wretchedness; and his language, elsewhere “the fine old +Gaelic, the speech of Adam and Eve in Paradise,” is the +designation of every unintelligible jargon. But not to +digress. On my expressing to the Gypsy queen my regret that +she was unable to hold with me a regular <a +name="page266"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +266</span>conversation in Romany, she said that no one regretted +it more than herself, but that there was no help for it; and that +slight as I might consider her knowledge of Romany to be, it was +far greater than that of any other Gypsy on the Border, or indeed +in the whole of Scotland; and that as for the <i>Nokkums</i>, +there was not one on the Green who was acquainted with half a +dozen words of Romany, though the few words they had they prized +high enough, and would rather part with their heart’s blood +than communicate them to a stranger.</p> +<p>“Unless,” said I, “they found the stranger +knew more than themselves.”</p> +<p>“That would make no difference with them,” said +the queen, “though it has made a great deal of difference +with me. They would merely turn up their noses, and say +they had no Gaelic. You would not find them so +communicative as me; the <i>Nokkums</i>, in general, are a dour +set, sir.”</p> +<p>Before quitting the subject of language it is but right to say +that though she did not know much Gypsy, and used cant and Gaelic +terms, she possessed several words unknown to the English Romany, +but which are of the true Gypsy order. Amongst them was the +word <i>tirrehi</i>, or <i>tirrehai</i>, signifying shoes or +boots, which I had heard in Spain and in the east of +Europe. Another was <i>calches</i>, a Wallachian word +signifying trousers. Moreover, she gave the right +pronunciation to the word which denotes a man not of Gypsy blood, +saying <i>gajo</i>, and not <i>gorgio</i>, as the English Gypsies +do. After all, her knowledge of Gentle Romany was not +altogether to be sneezed at.</p> +<p>Ceasing to talk to her about words, I began to <a +name="page267"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 267</span>question +her about the Faas. She said that a great number of the +Faas had come in the old time to Yetholm, and settled down there, +and that her own forefathers had always been the principal people +among them. I asked her if she remembered her grandfather, +old Will Faa, and received for answer that she remembered him +very well, and that I put her very much in mind of him, being a +tall, lusty man, like himself, and having a skellying look with +the left eye, just like him. I asked her if she had not +seen queer folks at Yetholm in her grandfather’s +time. “<i>Dosta dosta</i>,” said she; +“plenty, plenty of queer folk I saw at Yetholm in my +grandfather’s time, and plenty I have seen since, and not +the least queer is he who is now asking me +questions.” “Did you ever see Piper +Allen?” said I; “he was a great friend of your +grandfather’s.” “I never saw him,” +she replied; “but I have often heard of him. He +married one of our people.” “He did so,” +said I, “and the marriage-feast was held on the Green just +behind us. He got a good, clever wife, and she got a bad, +rascally husband. One night, after taking an affectionate +farewell of her, he left her on an expedition, with plenty of +money in his pocket, which he had obtained from her, and which +she had procured by her dexterity. After going about four +miles he bethought himself that she had still some money, and +returning crept up to the room in which she lay asleep, and stole +her pocket, in which were eight guineas; then slunk away, and +never returned, leaving her in poverty, from which she never +recovered.” I then mentioned Madge Gordon, at one +time the Gypsy queen of the Border, <a name="page268"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 268</span>who used, magnificently dressed, to +ride about on a pony shod with silver, inquiring if she had ever +seen her. She said she had frequently seen Madge Faa, for +that was her name, and not Gordon; but that when she knew her, +all her magnificence, beauty, and royalty had left her; for she +was then a poor, poverty-stricken old woman, just able with a +pipkin in her hand to totter to the well on the Green for +water. Then with much nodding, winking, and skellying, I +began to talk about <i>Drabbing bawlor</i>, <i>dooking gryes</i>, +<i>cauring</i>, and <i>hokking</i>, and asked if them ’ere +things were ever done by the <i>Nokkums</i>: and received for +answer that she believed such things were occasionally done, not +by the <i>Nokkums</i>, but by other Gypsies, with whom her people +had no connection.</p> +<p>Observing her eyeing me rather suspiciously, I changed the +subject; asking her if she had travelled much about. She +told me she had, and that she had visited most parts of Scotland, +and seen a good bit of the northern part of England.</p> +<p>“Did you travel alone?” said I.</p> +<p>“No,” said she; “when I travelled in +Scotland I was with some of my own people, and in England with +the Lees and Bosvils.”</p> +<p>“Old acquaintances of mine,” said I; “why +only the other day I was with them at Fairlop Fair, in the +Wesh.”</p> +<p>“I frequently heard them talk of Epping Forest,” +said the Gypsy; “a nice place, is it not?”</p> +<p>“The loveliest forest in the world!” said I. +“Not equal to what it was, but still the loveliest forest +in the world, and the pleasantest, especially in summer; for then +it is thronged with grand <a name="page269"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 269</span>company, and the nightingales, and +cuckoos, and Romany <i>chals</i> and <i>chies</i>. As for +Romany-chals there is not such a place for them in the whole +world as the Forest. Them that wants to see Romany-chals +should go to the Forest, especially to the Bald-faced Hind on the +hill above Fairlop, on the day of Fairlop Fair. It is their +trysting-place, as you would say, and there they musters from all +parts of England, and there they whoops, dances, and plays; +keeping some order nevertheless, because the <i>Rye</i> of all +the Romans is in the house, seated behind the door:—</p> +<p class="poetry">Romany Chalor<br /> +Anglo the wuddur<br /> +Mistos are boshing;<br /> +Mande beshello<br /> +Innar the wuddur<br /> +Shooning the boshipen.”</p> +<p class="poetry">Roman lads<br /> +Before the door<br /> +Bravely fiddle;<br /> +Here I sit<br /> +Within the door<br /> +And hear them fiddle.</p> +<p>“I wish I knew as much Romany as you, sir,” said +the Gypsy. “Why, I never heard so much Romany before +in all my life.”</p> +<p>She was rather a small woman, apparently between sixty and +seventy, with intelligent and rather delicate features. Her +complexion was darker than that of the other female; but she had +the same kind of blue eyes. The room in which we were +seated was rather long, and tolerably <a name="page270"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 270</span>high. In the wall, on the side +which fronted the windows which looked out upon the Green, were +oblong holes for beds, like those seen in the sides of a +cabin. There was nothing of squalor or poverty about the +place.</p> +<p>Wishing to know her age, I inquired of her what it was. +She looked angry, and said she did not know.</p> +<p>“Are you forty-nine?” said I, with a terrible +voice, and a yet more terrible look.</p> +<p>“More,” said she, with a smile; “I am +sixty-eight.”</p> +<p>There was something of the gentlewoman in her: on my offering +her money she refused to take it, saying that she did not want +it, and it was with the utmost difficulty that I persuaded her to +accept a trifle, with which, she said, she would buy herself some +tea.</p> +<p>But withal there was <i>hukni</i> in her, and by that she +proved her Gypsy blood. I asked her if she would be at home +on the following day, for in that case I would call and have some +more talk with her, and received for answer that she would be at +home and delighted to see me. On going, however, on the +following day, which was Sunday, I found the garden-gate locked +and the window-shutters up, plainly denoting that there was +nobody at home.</p> +<p>Seeing some men lying on the hill, a little way above, who +appeared to be observing me, I went up to them for the purpose of +making inquiries. They were all young men, and decently +though coarsely dressed. None wore the Scottish cap or +bonnet, but all the hat of England. Their countenances <a +name="page271"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 271</span>were rather +dark, but had nothing of the vivacious expression observable in +the Gypsy face, but much of the dogged, sullen look which makes +the countenances of the generality of the Irish who inhabit +London and some other of the large English towns so +disagreeable. They were lying on their bellies, +occasionally kicking their heels into the air. I greeted +them civilly, but received no salutation in return.</p> +<p>“Is So-and-so at home?” said I.</p> +<p>“No,” said one, who, though seemingly the eldest +of the party, could not have been more than three-and-twenty +years of age; “she is gone out.”</p> +<p>“Is she gone far?” said I.</p> +<p>“No,” said the speaker, kicking up his heels.</p> +<p>“Where is she gone to?”</p> +<p>“She’s gone to Cauldstrame.”</p> +<p>“How far is that?”</p> +<p>“Just thirteen miles.”</p> +<p>“Will she be at home to-day?”</p> +<p>“She may, or she may not.”</p> +<p>“Are you of her people?” said I.</p> +<p>“No-h,” said the fellow, slowly drawing out the +word.</p> +<p>“Can you speak Irish?”</p> +<p>“No-h; I can’t speak Irish,” said the +fellow, tossing up his nose, and then flinging up his heels.</p> +<p>“You know what <i>arragod</i> is?” said I.</p> +<p>“No-h!”</p> +<p>“But you know what <i>ruppy</i> is?” said I; and +thereupon I winked and nodded.</p> +<p>“No-h;” and then up went the nose, and +subsequently the heels.</p> +<p><a name="page272"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +272</span>“Good day,” said I; and turned away; I +received no counter-salutation; but, as I went down the hill, +there was none of the shouting and laughter which generally +follow a discomfited party. They were a hard, sullen, +cautious set, in whom a few drops of Gypsy blood were mixed with +some Scottish and a much larger quantity of low Irish. +Between them and their queen a striking difference was +observable. In her there was both fun and cordiality; in +them not the slightest appearance of either. What was the +cause of this disparity? The reason was they were neither +the children nor the grandchildren of real Gypsies, but only the +remote descendants, whereas she was the granddaughter of two +genuine Gypsies, old Will Faa and his wife, whose daughter was +her mother; so that she might be considered all but a thorough +Gypsy; for being by her mother’s side a Gypsy, she was of +course much more so than she would have been had she sprung from +a Gypsy father and a Gentile mother; the qualities of a child, +both mental and bodily, depending much less on the father than on +the mother. Had her father been a Faa, instead of her +mother, I should probably never have heard from her lips a single +word of Romany, but found her as sullen and inductile as the +<i>Nokkums</i> on the Green, whom it was of little more use +questioning than so many stones.</p> +<p>Nevertheless, she had played me the <i>hukni</i>, and that was +not very agreeable; so I determined to be even with her, and by +some means or other to see her again. Hearing that on the +next day, which was Monday, a great fair was to be held in the +neighbourhood of Kelso, I determined to go <a +name="page273"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 273</span>thither, +knowing that the likeliest place in all the world to find a Gypsy +at is a fair; so I went to the grand cattle-fair of St. George, +held near the ruined castle of Roxburgh, in a lovely meadow not +far from the junction of the Teviot and Tweed; and there sure +enough, on my third saunter up and down, I met my Gypsy. We +met in the most cordial manner—smirks and giggling on her +side, smiles and nodding on mine. She was dressed +respectably in black, and was holding the arm of a stout wench, +dressed in garments of the same colour, who she said was her +niece, and a <i>rinkeni rakli</i>. The girl whom she called +<i>rinkeni</i> or handsome, but whom I did not consider handsome, +had much of the appearance of one of those <i>Irish</i> girls, +born in London, whom one so frequently sees carrying milk-pails +about the streets of the metropolis. By the bye, how is it +that the children born in England of Irish parents account +themselves Irish and not English, whilst the children born in +Ireland of English parents call themselves not English but +Irish? Is it because there is ten times more nationality in +Irish blood than in English? After the smirks, smiles, and +salutations were over, I inquired whether there were many Gypsies +in the fair. “Plenty,” said she, “plenty +Tates, Andersons, Reeds, and many others. That woman is an +Anderson—yonder is a Tate,” said she, pointing to two +common-looking females. “Have they much +Romany?” said I. “No,” said she, +“scarcely a word.” “I think I shall go +and speak to them,” said I. +“Don’t,” said she; “they would only be +uncivil to you. Moreover, they have nothing of that +kind—on the word of a <i>rawnie</i> they have +not.”</p> +<p><a name="page274"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 274</span>I +looked in her eyes; there was nothing of <i>hukni</i> in them, so +I shook her by the hand; and through rain and mist, for the day +was a wretched one, trudged away to Dryburgh to pay my respects +at the tomb of Walter Scott, a man with whose principles I have +no sympathy, but for whose genius I have always entertained the +most intense admiration.</p> +<h2>FOOTNOTES</h2> +<p><a name="footnote11a"></a><a href="#citation11a" +class="footnote">[11a]</a> A Christian.</p> +<p><a name="footnote11b"></a><a href="#citation11b" +class="footnote">[11b]</a> A fox.</p> +<p><a name="footnote174"></a><a href="#citation174" +class="footnote">[174]</a> “Merripen” means +life, and likewise death; even as “collico” means +to-morrow as well as yesterday, and perhaps “sorlo,” +evening as well as morning.</p> +<p><a name="footnote247a"></a><a href="#citation247a" +class="footnote">[247a]</a> A Black Lovel.</p> +<p><a name="footnote247b"></a><a href="#citation247b" +class="footnote">[247b]</a> Going a-tinkering.</p> +<p><a name="footnote247c"></a><a href="#citation247c" +class="footnote">[247c]</a> I’ll show you about, +brother! I’m selling skewers.</p> +<p><a name="footnote259"></a><a href="#citation259" +class="footnote">[259]</a> A cup of good ale.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROMANO LAVO-LIL***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 2733-h.htm or 2733-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/7/3/2733 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. 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