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diff --git a/old/rmlav10.txt b/old/rmlav10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4eb446c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rmlav10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7687 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Romano Lavo-Lil, by George Borrow +The Project Gutenberg Etext Romany Dictionary, by George Borrow +The Project Gutenberg Etext Gypsy Dictionary, by George Borrow +#8 in our series by George Borrow + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. 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We need your donations. + + +Title: Romano Lavo-Lil +Title: Romany Dictionary +Title: Gypsy Dictionary + +Author: George Borrow + +July, 2001 [Etext #2733] + + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Romano Lavo-Lil, by George Borrow +The Project Gutenberg Etext Romany Dictionary, by George Borrow +The Project Gutenberg Etext Gypsy Dictionary, by George Borrow +******This file should be named rmlav10.txt or rmlav10.zip****** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, rmlav11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, rmlav10a.txt + + +This etext was prepared by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1905 John Murray edition. + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1905 John Murray edition. + + + + + +ROMANO LAVO-LIL +WORD-BOOK OF THE ROMANY +OR, ENGLISH GYPSY LANGUAGE +WITH SPECIMENS OF GYPSY POETRY, AND AN +ACCONT OF CERTAIN GYPSYRIES OR +PLACES INHABITED BY THEM, AND +OF VARIOS THINGS RELATING TO +GYPSY LIFE IN ENGLAND. + +by George Borrow + + + + +Contents: + +The English Gypsy Language +Romano Lavo-Lil: Word-book of the Romany +Rhymed List of Gypsy Verbs +Betie Rokrapenes: Little Sayings +Cotorres of Mi-dibble's Lil. Chiv'd Adrey Romanes: Pieces of +Scripture cast into Romany +The Lord's Prayer in the Gypsy Dialect of Transylvania +Lil of Romano Jinnypen: Book of the Wisdom of the Egyptians +Romane Navior of Temes and Gavior: Gypsy Names of Countries and +Towns +Thomas Rossar-Mescro, or Thomas Herne +Kokkodus Artarus +Mang, Prala: Beg on, Brother +English Gypsy Songs + Welling Kattaney: The Gypsy Meeting + Lelling Cappi: Making a Fortune + The Dui Chalor: The Two Gypsies + Miro Romany Chi: My Roman Lass + Ava, Chi: Yes, my Girl + The Temeskoe Rye: The Youthful Earl + Camo-Gillie: Love Song + Tugnis Amande: Woe is me + The Rye and the Rawne: The Squire and Lady + Romany Suttur Gillie: Gypsy Lullaby + Sharrafi Kralyissa: Our Blessed Queen + Plastra Lesti: Run for it! +Foreign Gypsy Songs + The Romany Songstress + L'Erajai: The Frair + Malbrun: Malbrouk +The English Gypsies + Tugney Beshor: Sorrowful Years + Their History +Gypsy Names +Fortune-Telling + The Hukni + Cauring +Metropolitan Gypsyries + Wandsworth + The Potteries + The Mount +Ryley Bosvil +Kirk Yetholm + + + + +"Can you rokra Romany? +Can you play the bosh? +Can you jal adrey the staripen? +Can you chin the cost?" + +"Can you speak the Roman tongue? +Can you play the fiddle? +Can you eat the prison-loaf? +Can you cut and whittle?" + +The 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 +Kolosvar in the year 1844. + +December 1, 1873. + +{Special Project Gutenberg note: In this book a lot of non-European +characters are used which cannot easily be reproduced. Rather than +omit these entirely I have commented where they occur in the text. +If there's sufficient demand I'll try to produce an updated text with +these characters. David Price, 28 June 2000} + + + +THE ENGLISH GYPSY LANGUAGE + + + +The Gypsies of England call their language, as the Gypsies of many +other countries call theirs, Romany or Romanes, a word either derived +from the Indian Ram or Rama, which signifies a husband, or from the +town Rome, which took its name either from the Indian Ram, or from +the Gaulic word, Rom, which is nearly tantamount to husband or man, +for as the Indian Ram means a husband or man, so does the Gaulic Pom +signify that which constitutes a man and enables him to become a +husband. + +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 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. + +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; o +represents the masculine and i the feminine: for example, boro rye, +a great gentleman; bori rani, a great lady. There is properly no +indefinite article: gajo or gorgio, a man or gentile; o gajo, the +man. The noun has two numbers, the singular and the plural. It has +various cases formed by postpositions, but has, strictly speaking, no +genitive. It has prepositions as well as postpositions; sometimes +the preposition is used with the noun and sometimes the postposition: +for example, cad o gav, from the town; chungale mannochendar, evil +men from, i.e. 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 camov te jaw, +literally, I wish that I go; thou wishest to go, caumes te jas, thou +wishest that thou goest; caumen te jallan, they wish that they go. +Necessity is expressed by the impersonal verb and the conjunction +'that': hom te jay, I must go; lit. I am that I go; shan te jallan, +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, nu and ennyo. Almost all the Gypsy numbers are decidedly +connected with the Sanscrit. + +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, tass or dass, by which some of the +very old Gypsies occasionally call a cup. + +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 kuro; and to express a colt they make use of the words tawno +gry, 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; shoshoi, by which they generally +designate a rabbit, signifies a hare as well, and kaun-engro, 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, collico +signifying both indifferently. A remarkable coincidence must here be +mentioned, as it serves to show how closely related are Sanscrit and +Gypsy. Shoshoi and collico are nearly of the same sound as the +Sanscrit sasa and kalya, and exactly of the same import; for as the +Gypsy shoshoi signifies both hare and rabbit, and collico to-morrow +as well as yesterday, so does the Sanscrit sasa signify both hare and +rabbit, and kalya tomorrow as well as yesterday. + +The poverty of their language in nouns the Gypsies endeavour to +remedy by the frequent use of the word engro. 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. Engro properly means a fellow, and engri, which is +the feminine or neuter modification, a thing. When the noun or verb +terminates in a vowel, engro is turned into mengro, and engri into +mengri. I have already shown how, by affixing engro to kaun, the +Gypsies have invented a word to express a hare. In like manner, by +affixing engro to pov, earth, they have coined a word for a potato, +which they call pov-engro or pov-engri, earth-fellow or thing; and by +adding engro to rukh, or mengro to rooko, they have really a very +pretty figurative name for a squirrel, which they call rukh-engro or +rooko-mengro, literally a fellow of the tree. Poggra-mengri, a +breaking thing, and pea-mengri, 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 bittitardranoshellokellimengro, or slightly- +drawn-rope-dancing fellow; a drum, duicoshtcurenomengri, or a thing +beaten by two sticks; a tambourine, angustrecurenimengri, or a thing +beaten by the fingers; and a fife, muipudenimengri, 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. + +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, zi--which is a modification of the +Hungarian sziv--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 apasavello, 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, camova; but that word is expressive of physical desire, and +is connected with the Sanscrit Cama, 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, penchava, I think, a word of illustrious origin, +being derived from the Persian pendashtan. + +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 wish to +express those numerals in their own language, they have recourse to +very uncouth and roundabout methods, saying for seven, dui trins ta +yeck, two threes and one; for eight, dui stors, or two fours; and for +nine, desh sore but yeck, 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 +tatchey Romany, 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 Heviskey Tan, or place of holes; in +English, Mousehold,--near an ancient city, which the Gentiles call +Norwich, and the Romans the Chong Gav, or the town of the hill. + +With respect to Grammar, the English Gypsy is perhaps in a worse +condition than with respect to words. Attention is seldom paid to +gender; boro rye and boro rawnie being said, though as rawnie is +feminine, bori and not boro 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 +dick, I see, instead of dico; I dick'd, I saw, instead of dikiom; if +I had dick'd, instead of dikiomis. Some of the peculiar features of +Gypsy grammar yet retained by the English Gypsies will be found noted +in the Dictionary. + +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 [Greek text: ]. + +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:- + + +Kek man camov te jib bolli-mengreskoenaes, +Man camov te jib weshenjugalogonaes. + +I do not wish to live like a baptized person. {1} +I wish to live like a dog of the wood. {2} + + +It is clear-sounding and melodious, and well adapted to the purposes +of poetry. Let him who doubts peruse attentively the following +lines:- + + +Coin si deya, coin se dado? +Pukker mande drey Romanes, +Ta mande pukkeravava tute. + +Rossar-mescri minri deya! +Wardo-mescro minro dado! +Coin se dado, coin si deya? +Mande's pukker'd tute drey Romanes; +Knau pukker tute mande. + +Petulengro minro dado, +Purana minri deya! +Tatchey Romany si men - +Mande's pukker'd tute drey Romanes, +Ta tute's pukker'd mande. + + +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. + +In using the following Vocabulary the Continental manner of +pronouncing certain vowels will have to be observed: thus ava must +be pronounced like auva, according to the English style; ker like +kare, miro like meero, zi like zee, and puro as if it were written +pooro. + + + +ROMANO LAVO-LIL--WORD-BOOK OF THE ROMANY + +A + +ABRI, ad. prep. Out, not within, abroad: soving abri, sleeping +abroad, not in a house. Celtic, Aber (the mouth or outlet of a +river). + +Acai / Acoi, ad. Here. + +Adje, v. n. To stay, stop. See Atch, az. + +Adrey, prep. Into. + +Ajaw, ad. So. Wallachian, Asha. + +Aladge, a. Ashamed. Sans. Latch, laj. + +Aley, ad. Down: soving aley, lying down; to kin aley, to buy off, +ransom. Hun. Ala, alat. + +Amande, pro. pers. dat. To me. + +An, v. a. imp. Bring: an lis opre, bring it up. + +Ana, v. a. Bring. Sans. Ani. + +Ando, prep. In. + +Anglo, prep. Before. + +Apasavello, v. n. I believe. + +Apopli, ad. Again. Spanish Gypsy, Apala (after). Wal. Apoi (then, +afterwards). + +Apre, ad. prep. Up: kair lis apre, do it up. Vid. Opre. + +Aranya / Araunya, s. Lady. Hungarian Gypsy, Aranya. See Rawnie. + +Artav / Artavello, v. a. To pardon, forgive. Wal. Ierta. Span. +Gyp. Estomar. + +Artapen, s. Pardon, forgiveness. + +Artaros. Arthur. + +Asa / Asau, ad. Also, likewise, too: meero pal asau, my brother +also. + +Asarlas, ad. At all, in no manner. + +Asa. An affix used in forming the second person singular of the +present tense; e.g. camasa, thou lovest. + +Astis, a. Possible, it is possible: astis mangue, I can; astis +lengue, they can. + +Asha / Ashaw, ad. So: ashaw sorlo, so early. Wal. Asha. See Ajaw. + +Atch, v. n. To stay, stop. + +Atch opre. Keep up. + +Atraish, a. part. Afraid. Sans. Tras (to fear), atrasit +(frightened). See Traish. + +Av, imperat. of Ava, to come: av abri, come out. + +Ava, ad. Yes. Sans. Eva. + +Ava, v. a. To come. + +Avata acoi. Come thou here. + +Avali, ad. Yes. Wal. Aieva (really). + +Avava. An affix by which the future tense of a verb is formed, e.g. +mor-avava, I will kill. See Vava. + +Aukko, ad. Here. + +Az, v. n. To stay. + +B + +BAL, s. Hair. Tibetian, Bal (wool). Sans. Bala (hair). + +Baleneskoe, a. Hairy. + +Balormengro. A hairy fellow; Hearne, the name of a Gypsy tribe. + +Balanser, s. The coin called a sovereign. + +Ballivas, s. Bacon. Span. Gyp. Baliba. + +Bangalo, a. Devilish. See Beng, bengako. + +Bango, a. Left, sinister, wrong, false: bango wast, the left hand; +to saulohaul bango, like a plastra-mengro, to swear bodily like a +Bow-street runner. Sans. Pangu (lame). Hun. Pang, pango (stiff, +lazy, paralysed). + +Bar, s. A stone, a stoneweight, a pound sterling. Span. Gyp. Bar. +Hun. Gyp. Bar. Hindustani, Puthur. Wal. Piatre. Fr. Pierre. Gr. +[Greek: ] (weight). + +Bareskey, a. Stony. + +Bark, s. Breast, woman's breast. + +Bas / Base, s. Pound sterling. Wal. Pes (a weight, burden). + +Bas-engro, s. A shepherd. Run. Bacso. + +Bashadi, s. A fiddle. + +Bata, s. A bee. Sans. Pata. + +Bau, s. Fellow, comrade. See Baw. + +Baul, s. Snail. See Bowle. + +Baulo, s. 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 bol, a belly, and bala, a place of springs and eruptions. +It is worthy of remark that the English word pig, besides denoting +the same animal as baulo, is of the same original import, being +clearly derived from the same root as big, that which is bulky, and +the Turkish buyuk, great, huge, vast. + +Baulie-mas, s. Pork, swine's flesh. + +Bavano. Windy, broken-winded. + +Bavol, s. Wind, air. Sans. Pavana. See Beval. + +Bavol-engro, s. A wind-fellow; figurative name for a ghost. + +Baw, bau, s. Fellow, comrade: probably the same as the English +country-word baw, bor. Ger. Bauer. Av acoi, baw, Come here, +fellow. Boer, in Wallachian, signifies a boyard or lord. + +Beano, part. pass. Born. + +Beano abri. Born out of doors, like a Gypsy or vagrant. + +Bebee, s. Aunt. Rus. Baba (grandmother, old woman, hag); Baba Yaga, +the female demon of the Steppes. + +Beng / Bengui, s. Devil. Sans. Pangka (mud). According to the +Hindu mythology, there is a hell of mud; the bengues of the Gypsies +seem to be its tenants. + +Bengako tan, s. Hell. Lit. place belonging to devils. + +Bengeskoe potan. Devil's tinder, sulphur. + +Bengeskoe / Benglo, a. Devilish. + +Bengree, s. Waistcoat. Span. Gyp. Blani. Wal. (Blani fur). + +Berro, bero, s. A ship, a hulk for convicts. Span. Gyp. Bero, las +galeras, the galleys; presidio, convict garrison. + +Ber-engro, s. A sailor. + +Bero-rukh, s. A mast. + +Bersh / Besh, s. A year. Sans. Varsha. He could cour drey his +besh, he could fight in his time. + +Bershor, pl. Years. + +Besh, v. n. To sit: beshel, he sits. + +Beshaley / Beshly, Gypsy name of the Stanley tribe. + +Besh-engri, s. A chair. See Skammen. + +Beti, a. Little, small. + +Beval, s. Wind. See Bavol. + +Bi, prep. Without: bi luvvu, without money. + +Bicunyie, a. Alone, undone: meklis or mukalis bicunyie, let it +alone. + +Bikhin / Bin v. a. To sell. Hin. Bikna. + +Bikhnipen, s. Sale. + +Birk, s. Woman's breast. See Bark. + +Bis, a. Twenty. + +Bisheni, s. The ague. + +Bitch / Bitcha, v. a. To send. Sans. Bis, bisa. + +Bitched / Bitcheno, part. pass. Sent + +Bitcheno pawdel. Sent across, transported. + +Bitti, s. a. Small, piece, a little. This word is not true Gypsy. + +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 Beluni of the Spanish Gypsies, by whom sometimes Beluni +is made to signify queen; e.g. Beluni de o tarpe (tem opre), 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. + +Bob, s. A bean. Wal. Bob: pl. bobbis, bobs. + +Boccalo, a. Hungry: boccale pers, hungry bellies. + +Bokht, s. Luck, fortune: kosko bokht, good luck. Sans. Bhagya. +Pers. Bakht. + +Bokra, s. A sheep. Hun. Birka. + +Bokra-choring. Sheep-stealing. + +Bokkar-engro, s. A shepherd: bokkar-engro drey, the dude, man in +the moon. + +Bokkari-gueri, s. Shepherdess. + +Bokkeriskoe, a. Sheepish, belonging to a sheep: bokkeriskey pire, +sheep's feet. + +Bolla, v. a. To baptize. + +Bonnek, s. Hold: lel bonnek, to take hold. + +Booko, s. Liver. See Bucca. + +Bolleskoe divvus. Christmas-day; query, baptismal day. Wal. Botez +(baptism). + +Bollimengreskoenaes. After the manner of a Christian. + +Boogones, s. Smallpox, pimples. See Bugnior. + +Bor, s. A hedge. + +Boona, a. Good. Lat. Bonus. Wal. Boun. + +Booty, s. Work. + +Bori, a. fem. Big with child, enceinte. + +Booty, v. a. To work, labour. + +Boro, a. Great, big. Hin. Bura. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] (heavy). + +Borobeshemeskeguero, s. Judge, great-sitting-fellow. + +Boro Gav. London, big city. See Lundra. + +Boronashemeskrutan. Epsom race-course. + +Bosh, s. Fiddle. Pers. [Persian: ] Bazee, baz (play, joke), whence +the English cant word 'bosh.' See Bashadi. + +Boshomengro, s. Fiddler. + +Bosno / Boshno, s. A cock, male-bird. Sans. Puchchin. Wal. Bosh +(testicle). Gaelic, Baois (libidinousness). + +Boshta, s. A saddle. + +Bostaris, s. A bastard. + +Bovalo, a. Rich. Sans. Bala (strong). + +Bowle, s. Snail. See Baul. + +Brishen / Brisheno, s. Rain. Hun. Gyp. Breshino. Sans. Vrish. +Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]. + +Brisheneskey, a. Rainy: brisheneskey rarde, a rainy night; +brisheneskey chiros, a time of rain. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]. + +Bucca, s. Liver. Sans. Bucca (heart). Wal. Phikat. + +Bucca naflipen, s. Liver-complaint. + +Buchee, s. Work, labour. See Butsi. + +Buddigur, s. A shop. Span. Bodega. + +Buddikur divvus, s. Shopping-day: Wednesday, Saturday. + +Bugnes / Bugnior, s. pl. Smallpox, blisters. Gael. Boc (a pimple), +bolg (a blister), bolgach (small-pox). Wal. Mougour (a bud). Fr. +Bourgeon. + +Buklo, a. Hungry: buklo tan, hungry spot, a common. Hun. Gyp. +Buklo tan (a wilderness). + +Bul, s. Rump, buttock. + +Bungshoror / Bungyoror, s. pl. Corks. + +Busnis / Busnior, s. pl. Spurs, prickles. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] +(pain, torment). + +Buroder, ad. More: ad. ne buroder, no more. + +Bute, a. ad. Much, very. Hin. But. + +Butsi / Buty, s. Work, labour. + +Butying. Working. + +C + +CAEN / Cane, v. n. To stink. + +Caenipen / Canipen, s. A stench. + +Caeninaflipen, s. Stinking sickness, the plague, gaol-fever. The +old cant word Canihen, signifying the gaol-fever, is derived from +this Gypsy term. + +Candelo / Cannelo, a. Stinking: cannelo mas, stinking meat. Sans. +Gandha (smell). + +Callico / Collico, s. To-morrow, also yesterday: collico sorlo, to- +morrow morning. Sans. Kalya. Hin. Kal (to-morrow, yesterday). + +Cana, ad. Now: cana sig, now soon. See Kanau, knau. + +Cam, s. The sun. Hin. Khan. Heb. Khama (the sun), kham (heat). + +Cam. To wish, desire, love. + +Cam / Camello / Camo, v. a. To love. Sans. Cama (love). Cupid; +from which Sanscrit word the Latin Amor is derived. + +Cambori / Cambri, a. Pregnant, big with child. + +Camlo / Caumlo, Lovel, name of a Gypsy tribe. Lit. amiable. With +this word the English "comely" is connected. + +Camo-mescro, s. A lover; likewise the name Lovel. + +Can, s. The sun. + +Can, s. An ear. See Kaun. + +Cana, ad. Now: cana sig, now soon. See Kanau. + +Canafi / Canapli, Turnip. + +Canairis. A Gypsy name. + +Canior / Caunor, s. pl. Pease. + +Canni. A hen. Span. Gyp. Cani. Hun. Gyp. Cackni. Gael. Cearc. + +Cannis. Hens. + +Cappi, s. Booty, gain, fortune: to lel cappi, to acquire booty, +make a capital, a fortune. + +Cas, s. Hay: cas-stiggur, haystack; cas kairing, hay-making. + +Cas, s. Cheese. Lat. Caseus. This word is used by the pikers or +tramps, as well as by the Gypsies. See Kael. + +Catches / Catsau, s. pl. Scissors. Hun. Kasza. Wal. Kositsie +(sickle). Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] Rus. Kosa. + +Cato, prep. To; more properly From. Hun. Gyp. Cado. Wal. Katre +(towards). + +Cavo, pron. dem. This. + +Cavocoi. This here. + +Cavocoiskoenoes. In this manner. + +Caur, v. a. To filch, steal in an artful manner by bending down. +Heb. [Hebrew: ] Cara, incurvavit se. Eng. Cower. + +Cayes, s. Silk. Pers. [Persian:] Span. Gyp. Quequesa. Sans. +Kauseya. + +Chal, s. Lad, boy, son, fellow. Connected with this word is the +Scottish Chiel, the Old English Childe, and the Russian Chelovik. +See Romani chal. + +Charo, s. Plate, dish. + +Chavali, s.f. Girl, damsel. + +Chavi, s.f. Child, girl, daughter. + +Cham, s. Leather: chameskie rokunies, leather breeches. Sans. +Charma (skin). + +Chavo, s. m. Child, son: pl. chaves. Cheaus is an old French +hunting term for the young ones of a fox. + +Charos / Cheros, s. Heaven. Wal. Cher. + +Chauvo, s. See Chavo. + +Chaw, s. Grass. + +Chawhoktamengro, s. Grasshopper. See Hokta. + +Chee, a. No, none: chee butsi, no work. See Chi, chichi. + +Chericlo, s. Bird. See Chiriclo. + +Chiricleskey tan, s. Aviary, birdcage. + +Chi, s.f. Child, daughter, girl: Romany chi, Gypsy girl. + +Chi / Chichi / Chiti, s. Nothing. + +Chin, v. a. To cut: chin lis tuley, cut it down. Sans. Chun (to +cut off). Hin. Chink. Gaelic, Sgian (a knife). + +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. + +China-mengri, s.f. A letter; a thing incised, marked, written in. + +China-mengro, s. Hatchet. Lit. cutting-thing. + +Chinipen, s. A cut. + +Ching / Chingaro, v. a. To fight, quarrel. + +Chinga-guero, s. A warrior. + +Chingaripen, s. War, strife. Sans. Sangara. + +Chingring, part. pres. Fighting, quarrelling. + +Chik, s. Earth, dirt. Span. Gyp. Chique. Hin. Chikkar. + +Chiklo, a. Dirty. + +Chiriclo, s. m. Bird. Hin. Chiriya. + +Chiricli, s.f. Hen-bird. + +Chiros, s. Time. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]. + +Chiv / Chiva / Chuva, v. a. To cast, fling, throw, place, put: chiv +lis tuley, fling it down; chiv oprey, put up. Rus. Kyio (to forge, +cast iron). Sans. Kship. + +Chiving tulipen prey the chokkars. Greasing the shoes. + +Chofa, s.f. Petticoat. + +Chohawni, s. Witch. See Chovahano. + +Chohawno, s. Wizard. + +Chok, s. Watch, watching. + +Chok-engro, s. Watchman. + +Chok, s. Shoe: chokkor, chokkors, shoes. Hun. Czoko (wooden shoe). + +Choko-mengro. Shoemaker. + +Choka, s. Coat. + +Chokni / Chukni, s. Whip. Wal. Chokini (a strap, leather). Hun. +Csakany (a mace, sledge hammer). Hun. Gyp. Chokano (a staff). Wal. +Chokan, chokinel (a hammer). + +Chukni wast, s. The whip-hand, the mastery. + +Chollo, a. s. Whole. + +Chomany, s. Something. Span. Gyp. Cormuni (some); chimoni +(anything). Wal. Chineba (some one). For every chomany there's a +lav in Romany: there's a name in Gypsy for everything. + +Chong, s. Knee. Hun. Czomb. Sans. Chanu. Lat. Genu. + +Chongor, pl. Knees. + +Choom / Choomava, v. a. To kiss. Sans. Chumb. Choomande, kiss me. +Span. Gyp. Chupendi (a kiss), a corruption of Choomande. + +Choomia, s. A kiss. + +Choomo-mengro, one of the tribe Boswell. + +Choon, s. Moon. Hun. Gyp. Chemut. Sans. Chandra. + +Choot, s. Vinegar. See Chute. + +Chore, v. a. To steal. Sans. Chur. + +Chore, s. Thief. Hin. Chor. + +Chories, pl. Thieves. + +Chor-dudee-mengri, s. [Greek: ] (thieves' lantern, dark lantern). + +Choredo, a. Poor, poverty stricken. Sans. Daridra. + +Choredi, fem. of Choredo. + +Choriness, s. Poverty. + +Choro, a. Poor. Span. Gyp. Chororo. Hin. Shor. + +Chovahan, v. a. To bewitch. + +Chovahani / Chowian, s.f. Witch. + +Chovahano, s. Wizard. + +Choveno, a. Poor, needy, starved. Perhaps derived from the Russian +Tchernoe (black, dirty, wretched); or from the Hungarian Csunya +(hateful, frightful); whence the Chungalo of the Hungarian, and also +of the Spanish Gypsies. + +Choveni, fem. of Choveno. + +Choveno ker, s. Workhouse, poorhouse. + +Chukkal, s. Dog. Span. Gyp. Chuquel. Sans. Kukkura. Basque, +Chacurra. See Juggal. + +Chumba, s. Bank, hill. Russ. Xolm (a hill). + +Chungarava / Chungra, v. a. To spit. Wal. Ckouina. Hun. Gyp. +Chudel (he spits). + +Churi, s. Knife. Sans. Chhuri. Hin. Churi. + +Churi-mengro, s. Knife-grinder, cutler. + +Churo-mengro, s. A soldier, swordsman. + +Chute, s. Vinegar. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] Wal. Otset. + +Chute-pavi, s. Cyder; perhaps a crab-apple. Lit. vinegar-apple. + +Chuvvenhan, s. Witch. See Chovahani. + +Cinerella. Female Gypsy name. + +Cocal, s. Bone. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Cocalor, pl. Bones. + +Coco / Cocodus, s. Uncle. Hin. Caucau. + +Cocoro / Cocoros, a. pro. Alone, self: tu cocoro, thyself. + +Coin, pro. interrog. Who? Hin. Kaun. + +Collor, s. pl. Shillings: dui collor a crookos, two shillings a +week. In Spanish Germania or cant, two ochavos, or farthings, are +called: dui cales. + +Comorrus, s. A room, hall. Hun. Kamara. Hin. Cumra. Ger. Kammer. + +Cong, congl, v. a. To comb. + +Congli / Congro, s.f. A comb. Sans. Kanagata. + +Congri, s.f. A church. + +Coor / Coorava, v. a. To fight. Irish, Comhrac [courac]. Welsh, +Curaw (to beat). + +Coorapen, s. Fight, a beating: I shall lel a curapen, I shall get a +beating. + +Cooroboshno, s. A fighting cock. + +Cooromengro, s. Fighter, boxer, soldier. + +Coppur, s. Blanket. Rus. Kover (a carpet). Wal. Kovor, id. + +Corauni / Corooni, s. A crown: mekrauliskie corauni, royal crown. +Wal. Coroan. + +Cori, s. Thorn. Membrum virile. Span. Carajo [caraco]. Gascon, +Quirogau. + +Coro / Coru, s. Pot, pitcher, cup: coru levinor, cup of ale; boro +coro, a quart. Span. Gyp. Coro. Hin. Ghara. + +Coro-mengro, s. Potter. + +Coro-mengreskey tem. Staffordshire. + +Corredo, a. Blind. Span. Gyp. Corroro. Pers. [Persian:] Wal. Kior +(one-eyed). + +Cosht / Cost, s. Stick. Sans. Kashtha. + +Cost-engres, s. pl. Branch-fellows, people of the New Forest, +Stanleys. + +Coshtno, a. Wooden. + +Covar / Covo, s. Thing: covars, things; covar-bikhning-vardo, a +caravan in which goods are carried about for sale. + +Crafni, s. Button. Ger. Knopf. + +Crafni-mengro, s. Buttonmaker. + +Creeor, s. pl. Ants, pismires. Span. Gyp. Ocrianse (the ant), +quiria (ant). + +Cricni / Crookey / Crookauros / Crookos, s. Week. See Curco. + +Cuesni, s. Basket. See Cushnee. + +Culvato (Gypsy name). Claude. + +Curaken, s. Fighting. See Coorapen. + +Curepen, s. Trouble, affliction: curepenis, afflictions. + +Curkey / Curko, s. Week, Sunday. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Curlo, s. Throat. Pers. [Persian: ] Chin his curlo, cut his +throat. + +Curlo-mengri, s. A ruff, likewise a pillow; anything belonging to +the throat or neck. + +Cushnee / Cushni / Cusnee, s. Basket. Wal. Koshnitse. + +Cuttor, s. 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. + +D + +DAD, s. Father. Welsh, Tad. Wal. Tat. Rus. Gyp. Dad. + +Dado, s. Father. Rus. Gyp. Dado. + +Dand, s. Tooth. Sans. Danta. + +Danior, pl. Teeth. + +Dand, v. a. To bite. + +Daya / Dieya, s. Mother, properly nurse. Sans. Dhayas (fostering). +Pers. [Persian: ] Daya. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]. Rus. Gyp. Daia. +Wal. Doika. + +Deav, v. a. Give. Sans. Da. Wal. Da. + +Del. He gives. + +Del-engro, s. A kicking-horse. + +Del-oprey, v. a. To read. + +Denne, ad. Than. + +Der. An affix, by which the comparative is formed; e.g. Wafodu, bad: +wafoduder than dovor, worse than they. + +Desch, a. Ten. Sans. Dasan. Wal. Zetche. + +Desh ta yeck. Eleven. + +Desh ta dui. Twelve. + +Desh ta trin. Thirteen. + +Desh ta store. Fourteen. + +Desh ta pansch. Fifteen. + +Desh ta sho. Sixteen. + +Desh ta eft. Seventeen. + +Deshko. Eighteen (?): deshko hori, eighteenpence; properly, Desh ta +octo hori. + +Devel, s. God. Sans. Deva. Lith. Dewas. Lat. Deus. See Dibble, +Dovvel, Dubbel. + +Develeskoe, s. Holy, divine. Sans. Deva. + +Deyed, pret. of Deav. He gave. + +Dibble, s. God. See Devel. + +Dic / Dico, v. n. To look: dic tuley, look down; dicking misto, +looking well. Sans. Iksh (to see, look). Gaelic, Dearcam (to see); +dearc (eye). + +Dickimengro, s. Overlooker, overseer. + +Dicking hev, s. A window, seeing-hole. + +Die, s. Mother. Rus. Gyp. Die. See Daya. + +Dikkipen, s. Look, image. Sans. Driksha (aspect). Welsh, Drych +(aspect). + +Diklo, s. Cloth, sheet, shift. + +Dinnelo, s. A fool, one possessed by the devil. Wal. Diniele (of +the devil); louat diniele (possessed by the devil). + +Dinneleskoe, a. Foolish. + +Dinneleskoenoes. Like a fool. + +Dinnelipenes, s. pl. Follies, nonsense. + +Diverous. A Gypsy name. + +Diviou, a. Mad: jawing diviou, going mad. Sans. Deva (a god, a +fool). + +Diviou-ker, s. Madhouse. + +Diviou kokkodus Artaros. Mad Uncle Arthur. + +Divvus, s. Day. Sans. Divasa. + +Divveskoe / Divvuskoe, a. Daily: divvuskoe morro, daily bread. + +Diximengro, s. Overseer. See Dickimengro. + +Dook, v. a. To hurt, bewitch: dook the gry, bewitch the horse. +Wal. Deokira (to fascinate, bewitch). See Duke, dukker. + +Dooriya / Dooya, s. Sea. Pers. [Persian: ] Irish, Deire (the +deep). Welsh, Dwr (water). Old Irish, Dobhar. + +Dooriya durril, s. Currant, plum. Lit. Sea-berry. + +Dooriya durrileskie guyi, s. Plum pudding. + +Dori, s. Thread, lace: kaulo dori, black lace. Hin. Dora. + +Dosch / Dosh, s. Evil, harm: kek dosh, no harm. Sans. Dush (bad). + +Dosta, s. Enough. Wal. Destoul. Rus. Dostaet (it is sufficient). +See Dusta. + +Dou, imp. Give: dou mande, give me. See Deav. + +Dou dass. Cup and saucer. See Dui das. + +Dovo, pro. dem. That: dovo si, that's it. + +Dovor. Those, they: wafoduder than dovor, worse than they. + +Dov-odoy / Dovoy-oduvva, ad. Yonder. + +Dov-odoyskoenaes. In that manner. + +Doovel, s. God. See Duvvel. + +Drab / Drav, s. Medicine, poison. Pers. [Persian: ] Daru. Wal. +Otrav. + +Drab-engro / Drav-engro, s. A pothecary, poison-monger. + +Drab, v. a. To poison. Wal. Otribi. + +Drey, prep. In. + +Dubble, s. God: my dearie Dubbleskey, for my dear God's sake. + +Dude, s. The moon. + +Dudee, s. A light, a star. Sans. Dyuti. + +Dude-bar, s. Diamond, light-stone. + +Drom, s. Road. Wal. Drom. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Drom-luring, s. Highway robbery. + +Dui, a. Two. + +Duito, s. Second. + +Duito divvus, s. Tuesday. Lit. Second day. + +Dui das / Dui tas, s. Cup and saucer. + +Duke, v. a. To hurt, bewitch. Sans. Duhkha (pain). Heb. Dui +(languor, deadly faintness). + +Dukker, v. a. To bewitch, tell fortunes. Wal. Deokiea (to +fascinate, enchant). + +Dukker drey my vast. Tell my fortune by my hand. + +Dukkering, s. Fortune-telling. Wal. Deokiere (fascination). Mod. +Gr. [Greek: ] (fortune). + +Dukkipen, s. Fortune-telling. + +Dukker, v. n. To ache: my sherro dukkers, my head aches. See Duke, +dukker. + +Dum / Dumo, s. Black. Pers. [Persian: ] (tail). + +Dur, ad. Far. Sans. Dur. Pers. [Persian: ] + +Dur-dicki mengri, s. Telescope. Lit. far-seeing-thing. + +Durro, ad. Far. + +Durro-der, ad. Farther. + +Durriken, s. Fortune-telling. + +Durril, s. Any kind of berry, a gooseberry in particular. + +Durrilau / Durilyor, pl. Berries. + +Durrileskie guyi, s. Gooseberry pudding. + +Dusta, a. s. Enough, plenty: dusta foky, plenty of people. See +Dosta. + +Duvvel, s. God. + +E + +EANGE, s. Itch. + +Ebyok, s. The sea. Sans. Aapa (water). Wal. Ape. + +Eft, a. 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. + +En. A kind of genitive particle 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: e.g. +lav-en-gro, a linguist or man of words, lit. word-of-fellow; wesh-en- +gro, a forester, or one who governs the wood; gurush-en-gre, things +costing a groat, lit. groat-of-things. + +Engri. A neuter affix, 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. + +Engro. A masculine affix, 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. See +Guero. + +Escunyo, s. A wooden skewer, a pin. Span. Gyp. Chingabar (a pin). + +Escunyes, pl. Skewers. + +Escunye-mengro, s. A maker of skewers. + +Eskoe, fem. Eskie. A particle which affixed to a noun turns it into +an adjective: e.g. Duvel, God; duveleskoe, divine. It seems to be +derived from the Wal. Esk, Easkie. + +Eskey. An affix or postposition, signifying, for the sake of: e.g. +Mi-dubble-eskey, for God's sake. + +Ever-komi, ad. Evermore. + +F + +FAKE, v. a. To work, in a dishonest sense; to steal, pick pockets. + +Fakement, s. 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, St. Paul's Cathedral--what a rinkeny fakement, what a +pretty girl, what a noble church. + +Fashono, a. False, fashioned, made up. Wal. Fatche (to make); fatze +(face, surface). + +Fashono wangustis. Pretended gold rings, made in reality of brass or +copper. + +Fashono wangust engre. Makers of false rings. + +Fenella. A female Gypsy name. + +Ferreder, a. Better, more. Gaelic, Feairde. + +Feter, ad. Better. Pers. [Persian: ] Span. Gyp. Feter. + +Figis, s. Fig. + +Figis-rookh, s. Fig-tree. + +Filisen, s. Country-seat. + +Fino, a. Fine. This word is not pure Gypsy: fino covar, a fine +thing. + +Floure, s. Flower; a female Gypsy name. + +Fordel, v. a. Forgive; generally used for Artav, or Artavello, q.v., +and composed of the English 'for' and the Gypsy 'del.' + +Fordias / Fordios, part. pass. Forgiven. + +Foros, s. City. See Vauros. + +Ful, s. Dung: ful-vardo, muck cart. + +Fuzyanri, s. Fern. Hun. Fuz (willow), facska (a shrub), fuszar (a +stem). + +G + +GAD, s. A shirt: pauno gad, a clean shirt. + +Gare, v. n., v. a. To take care, beware; to hide, conceal. Sans. +Ghar, to cover. + +Garridan. You hid: luvvu sor garridan, the money which you hid. + +Garrivava, v. a. I hide or shall hide, take care: to gare his +nangipen, to hide his nakedness. + +Gav, s. A town, village. Pers. [Persian: ] + +Gav-engro, s. A constable, village officer, beadle, citizen. + +Gillie, s. A song. Sans. Kheli. + +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. + +Gilyava. I sing, or shall sing. Hin. Guywuya. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]. + +Gin, v. a. To count, reckon. Sans. Gan. Hin. Ginna. + +Ginnipen, s. A reckoning. + +Giv, s. Wheat. Sans. Yava (barley). See Jobis. + +Giv-engro, s. Wheat-fellow, figurative name for farmer. + +Giv-engro ker, s. Farmhouse. + +Giv-engro puv, s. Farm. + +Godli, s. A warrant, perhaps hue and cry. See Gudlie. Span. Gyp. +Gola (order). + +Gono, s. A sack. Hin. Gon. + +Gorgio, s. 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: ] Cojia, which signifies a gentleman, a doctor, a +merchant, etc. Span. Gyp. Gacho. + +Gorgiken rat. Of Gentile blood. + +Gorgie, s. A female Gentile or Englishwoman. + +Gorgikonaes, ad. After the manner of the Gentiles. + +Gooee, s. Pudding. See Guyi. + +Gran, s. A barn: I sov'd yeck rarde drey a gran, I slept one night +within a barn (Gypsy song). + +Gran-wuddur, s. A barn door. + +Gran-wuddur-chiriclo. Barn-door fowl. + +Grasni / Grasnakkur, s. Mare, outrageous woman: what a grasni shan +tu, what a mare you are! Grasnakkur is sometimes applied to the +mayor of a town. + +Grestur / Gristur, s. A horse. Span. Gyp. Gras, graste. + +Gry, s. A horse. Sans. Kharu. Hin. Ghora. Irish and Scottish +Gaelic, Greadh. + +Gry-choring, s. Horse-stealing. + +Gry-engro, s. Horse-dealer. + +Gry-nashing. Horse-racing. + +Gudlee / Godli, s. Cry, noise, shout. Hin. Ghooloo. Irish, Gul. +Rus. Gyl=gool (shout); Golos (voice). + +Grommena / Grovena / Grubbena, s. and v. Thunder, to thunder. Sans. +Garjana. Rus. Groin (thunder). Heb. Ream, raemah. Gaelic, Gairm (a +cry). + +Gudlo, a., s. Sweet; honey, sugar. + +Gudlo-pishen, s. Honey-insect, bee. See Bata. + +Gue. An affix, by which the dative case is formed: e.g. Man, I; +mangue, to me. + +Guero, s. A person, fellow, that which governs, operates. Sans. +Kara (a maker). Pers. [Persian: ] Welsh, Gwr (a man). In the +Spanish cant language, Guro signifies an alguazil, a kind of civil +officer. See Engro. + +Gueri, s.f. Female person, virgin: Mideveleskey gueri Mary, Holy +Virgin Mary. + +Gush / Gurush / Gurushi, a. Groat: gurushengri, a groat's worth. + +Guveni, s. Cow. Sans. Go. + +Guveni-bugnior, s. Cow-pox. + +Guveno, s. A bull. Sans. Gavaya. Gaelic, Gavuin, gowain (year-old +calf). + +Guyi, s. Pudding, black pudding. Hin. Gulgul. Span. Gyp. Golli. + +Guyi-mengreskie tan, s. Yorkshire. Lit. pudding-eaters' country; in +allusion to the puddings for which Yorkshire is celebrated. + +H + +Ha / Haw, v. a. To eat. + +Habben, s. Food, victuals. + +Hal, v. a. To eat: mande can't hal lis, I can't eat it. Sans. +Gala. + +Hanlo, s. A landlord, innkeeper. Span. Gyp. Anglano. + +Hatch, v. a. To burn, light a fire. + +Hatchipen, s. A burning. + +Hatch, v. n. To stay, stop. See Adje, atch, az. + +Hatchi-witchu, s. A hedgehog. This is a compound word from the Wal. +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. + +Hekta, s. Haste: kair hekta, make haste; likewise a leap. See +Hokta. Sans. Hat'ha (to leap). + +Heres / Heris, s. pl. Legs. Span. Gyp. Jerias. Coshtni herri (a +wooden leg). + +Hetavava, v. a. 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. Heb. Khataf (rapuit). Sans. Hat'ha (to ill-use, rapere). + +Hev, s. Hole: pawnugo hev, a water hole, a well; hev, a window; +hevior, windows. Sans. Avata. + +Heviskey, a. Full of holes: heviskey tan, a place full of holes. + +Hin, s. Dirt, ordure. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] Wal. Gounoiou. Irish, +Gaineamh (sand). + +Hin, v. a. To void ordure. Sans. Hanna. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Hindity-mengre / Hindity-mescre, s. pl. Irish. Dirty, sordid +fellows. + +Hoffeno, s. A liar. + +Hok-hornie-mush, s. A policeman. Partly a cant word. + +Hokka, v. n. To lie, tell a falsehood: hokka tute mande, if you +tell me a falsehood. + +Hokkano, s. A lie. Sans. Kuhana (hypocrisy). + +Hokta, v. a. To leap, jump. See Hekta. + +Hokta-mengro, s. Leaper, jumper. + +Hoofa, s. A cap. + +Hor / Horo, s. A penny. Span. Gyp. Corio an ochavo (or farthing). + +Horry, s. pl. Pence: shohorry, showhawry, sixpence. + +Horsworth, s. Pennyworth. + +Horkipen, s. Copper. Hun. Gyp. Harko. + +Huffeno, s. A liar. See Hoffeno. + +Hukni, s. Ringing the changes, the fraudulent changing of one thing +for another. + +I + +I, pro. She, it. + +I. A feminine and neuter termination: e.g. Yag engri, a fire-thing +or gun; coin si, who is she? so si, what is it? + +Inna / Inner, prep. In, within: inner Lundra, in London. Span. +Gyp. Enre. + +Iouzia, s. A flower. + +Is, conj. If; it is affixed to the verb--e.g. Dikiomis, if I had +seen. + +Iv, s. Snow. Hun. Gyp. Yiv. Span. Gyp. Give. + +Iv-engri / Ivi-mengri, s. Snow-thing, snowball. + +Iuziou, a. Clean. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] (sound, healthy). See +Roujio. + +J + +JAL. 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 the same words as Jol, Yule, and Ygul, and of the +same meaning--namely, the circle travelled by the sun through the +signs. + +Ja, v. imp. Go thou! + +Jal amande. I shall go. + +Jal te booty. Go to work. + +Jalno / Java / Jaw, v.a. I go. Sans. Chara. + +Jas, jasa. Thou goest: tute is jasing, thou art going. + +Jal, 3rd pers. pres. He goes. + +Jalla, f. She goes. + +Jalno ando pawni, v. a. I swim. Lit. I go in water. + +Jaw, ad. So: jaw si, so it is. See Ajaw, asa, asha. + +Jib, s. Tongue. Sans. Jihva. + +Jib, v. n. To live, to exist. Sans. Jiv. Rus. Jit. Lithuanian, +Gywenu. + +Jibben, s. Life, livelihood. Sans. Jivata (life), Jivika +(livelihood). Rus. Jivot, Tchivot. + +Jivvel, v. n. He lives: kai jivvel o, where does he live? + +Jin / Jinava, v. n. To know. Sans. Jna. + +Jinnepen, s. Wisdom, knowledge. Sans. Jnapti (understanding). + +Jinney-mengro, s. A knowing fellow, a deep card, a Grecian, a wise +man, a philosopher. + +Jinney-mengreskey rokrapenes. 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. + +Jongar, v. n. To awake. Sans. Jagri. Hin. Jugana. + +Jobis, s. Oats. Sans. Java (barley). Wal. Obia. See Giv. + +Joddakaye, s. Apron; anything tied round the middle or hips. Sans. +Kata (the hip, the loins), Kataka (a girdle). + +Ju, s. A louse. Sans. Yuka. + +Juvalo, a. Lousy. + +Juvior, s. pl. Lice. + +Juggal / Jukkal, s. Dog. Sans. Srigala (jackal). + +Jukkalor. Dogs. + +Jukkaelsti cosht, s. Dog-wood; a hard wood used for making skewers. + +Juva / Juvali, Woman, wife. + +Juvli, s. Girl. See Chavali. + +K + +KAEL, s. Cheese. + +Kaes, s. Cheese. + +Kah / Kai, ad. Where: kai tiro ker, where's your house? kai si the +churi, where is the knife? Sans. Kva. + +Kair, v. a. To do. Sans. Kri, to do; kara (doing). + +Kair misto. To make well, cure, comfort. + +Kairipen, s. Work, labour. Sans. Karman. + +Kakkaratchi, s. Magpie; properly a raven. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Kanau / Knau, ad. Now. + +Karring. Crying out, hawking goods. Span. Gyp. Acarar (to call). +See Koring. + +Kaulo, a. Black. Sans. Kala. Arab. [Arabic: ] + +Kaulo chiriclo, s. A blackbird. + +Kaulo cori, s. A blackthorn. + +Kaulo durril, s. Blackberry. + +Kaulo Gav, s. Black-town, Birmingham. + +Kaulo guero, s. A black, negro. + +Kaulo guereskey tem, s. Negroland, Africa. + +Kaulo-mengro, s. A blacksmith. + +Kaulo ratti. Black blood, Gypsy blood: kaulo ratti adrey leste, he +has Gypsy blood in his veins. + +Kaun, s. An ear. Sans. Karna. + +Kaun-engro, s. An ear-fellow, thing with long ears; a figurative +name for a hare. + +Ke, prep. Unto. Likewise a postposition--e.g. lenke, to them. + +Keir / Ker, s. A house. Sans. Griha. + +Ker / Kerey / Ken, ad. Home, homeward: java keri, I will go home. + +Keir-poggring. House-breaking. + +Keir-rakli, s. A housemaid. + +Kek, ad. a. No, none, not: kek tatcho, it is not true. + +Kekkeno, a. None, not any: kekkeni pawni, no water. + +Kekkeno mushe's poov, s. No man's land; a common. + +Kekkauvi, s.f. Kettle. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Kekkauviskey saster, s. Kettle-iron; the hook by which the kettle is +suspended over the fire. + +Kekko, ad. No, it is not, not it, not he. + +Kekkomi. No more. See Komi, Ever-komi. + +Kek-cushti. Of no use; no good. See Koshto. + +Kem, s. The sun. See Cam. + +Ken. A particle affixed in English Gypsy to the name of a place +terminating in a vowel, in order to form a genitive; e.g. Eliken bori +congri, the great church of Ely. See En. + +Ken, s. A house, properly a nest. Heb. [Hebrew: ] Kin. + +Kenyor, s. pl. Ears. See Kaun. + +Ker / Kerava v. a. To do; make: kair yag, make a fire. Sans. Kri. +Pers. [Perisan: ] Gaelic, Ceaird (a trade), ceard (a tinker). Lat. +Cerdo (a smith). English, Char, chare (to work by the day). + +Kerdo. He did. + +Kedast, 2nd pers. pret. Thou didst. + +Kedo, part. pass. Done. + +Kerri-mengro, s. Workman. + +Kerrimus, s. Doing, deed: mi-Doovel's kerrimus, the Lord's doing. +Sans. Karman (work). + +Kerrit, p. pass. Cooked, boiled. Anglo-Indian word, Curried. Fr. +Cuire. Gaelic, Greidh (to cook victuals). + +Kettaney, ad. Together. Wal. Ketziba (many). See Kisi. + +Kidda, v. a. To pluck. + +Kil, v. a. To dance, play. Hin. Kelna. Sans. Kshvel. + +Killi-mengro, s. A dancer, player. + +Kil, s. Butter. + +Kin, v. a. To buy: kinning and bikkning, buying and selling. Heb. +Kana (he bought). + +Kin aley. To ransom, redeem, buy off. + +Kinnipen, s. A purchase. + +Kinnipen-divvus, s. Purchasing-day, Saturday. + +Kindo, a. Wet. + +Kipsi, s. Basket. Span. Gyp. Quicia. + +Kinyo. Tired. Span. Gyp. Quinao. + +Kisaiya. A female Gypsy name. + +Kisi, ad. How much, to what degree: kisi puro shan tu, how old are +you? Wal. Kitze. Span. Gyp. Quichi. Sans. Kati (how many?) + +Kisseh / Kissi, s. A purse. Sans. Kosa. Pers. [Persian: ] + +Kistur, v. a. To ride. Wal. Keleri. + +Kistri-mengro / Kistro-mengro, s. Rider, horseman. + +Kitchema, s. Public-house, inn. Hun. Korcsma. Wal. Keirtchumie. + +Kitchema-mengro, s. Innkeeper. + +Klism / Klisn, s. A key. Rus. Cliotche. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] +(shutting up). + +Klism-engri, s. A lock. Lit. key-thing. + +Klism-hev, s. A keyhole. + +Klop, s. A gate, seemingly a cant word; perhaps a bell. Wal. +Klopot. + +Kokkodus. Uncle: kokkodus Artaros, Uncle Arthur. + +Komi, adv. More: ever-komi, evermore. + +Koosho, a. Good: kooshi gillie, a good song. Sans. Kusala. + +Kora / Kore, v. a. To riot. Wal. Kiorei (to cry out, bawl, make a +tumult). Heb. Kara (he convoked, cried out). + +Koring, part. pres. Rioting. Heb. Kirivah (proclamation). + +Kora-mengro, s. A rioter. + +Kore, v. a. To hawk goods about, to cry out, to proclaim. + +Koring lil, s. Hawking-licence. + +Koring chiriclo, s. The cuckoo. + +Koshto, a. Good. Pers. [Persian: ] + +Koshtipen, s. Goodness, advantage, profit: kek koshtipen in +dukkering knau, it is of no use to tell fortunes now. + +Kosko, a. Good. + +Koskipen, s. Goodness. + +Krallis, s. King. Rus. Korol. Hun. Kiraly. Wal. Kraiu. + +Kushto, a. Good: kushto si for mangui, I am content. + +L + +LA, pro. pers. Her; accusative of 'i' or ' yoi,' she. + +Laki, pro. poss. Her: laki die, her mother. + +Lasa / Lasar, With her; instrumental case of 'i.' + +Later. From her; ablative of 'i.' + +Lati. Genitive of 'i'; frequently used as the accusative--e.g. cams +tu lati, do you love her? + +Lang / Lango, a. Lame. Sans. Lang. Pers. [Persian: ] Lenk. + +Lashi / Lasho, Louis. Hungarian, Lajos, Lazlo. Scotch, Lesley. + +Latch, v. a. To find. Wal. Aphla. + +Lav, s. Word. Sans. Lapa (to speak). Eng. Lip. + +Lavior, pl. Words. + +Lav-chingaripen, s. Dispute, word-war. + +Lav-engro, s. Word-master, linguist. + +Len, pro. pers. pl. To them: se len, there is to them, the have. + +Lendar, ablative. From them. + +Lende / Lunde, gen. and acc. Of them, them. + +Lensar. With them. + +Lengue, pro. poss. Their: lengue tan, their tent. + +Les, pro. pers. To him; dative of 'yo,' he: pawno stadj se les, he +has a white hat. + +Lescro, pro. poss. His, belonging to him: lescro prala, his +brother. + +Leste. Of him, likewise him; genitive and accusative of 'yo.' + +Lester. From him. + +Leste's. His: leste's wast, his hand; properly, lescro wast. + +Lesti. Her or it: pukker zi te lesti, tell her your mind; he can't +rokkra lesti, he can't speak it. + +Leav / Ley, v. a. To take. Wal. Loua. + +Lel. He takes. + +Lel cappi. Get booty, profit, capital. + +Lennor, s. Summer, spring. + +Levinor, s. Ale; drinks in which there is wormwood. Heb. Laenah +(wormwood). Irish, Lion (ale). + +Levinor-ker, s. Alehouse. + +Levinor-engri. Hop. Lit. ale-thing. + +Levinor-engriken tem. Kent. Lit. hop-country. + +Li, pron. It: dovo se li, that's it. + +Lidan, v. a. You took; 2nd pers. pret. of Ley. + +Lil, s. Book; a letter or pass. Hun. Level. Sans. Likh (to write). +Hindustani, Likhan (to write). + +Lillai, s. Summer. Hun. Gyp. Nilei. + +Linnow, part. pass. Taken, apprehended. + +Lis, pro. dat. To it: adrey lis, in it. + +Lollo / Lullo, a. Red. Pers. [Persian: ] Lal. + +Lolle bengres, s. pl. Red waistcoats, Bow Street runners. + +Lollo matcho, s. Red herring. Lit. red fish. + +Lolli plaishta, s. A red cloak. + +Lolli, s. A farthing. + +Lon / Lun, s. Salt. Sans. Lavana. Hin. Lon. + +Lou, pro. It: oprey-lou, upon it. Wal. Lou. + +Loure, v. a. To steal. See Luripen. + +Lubbeny, s. Harlot. Rus. Liabodieitza (adultress), liobodeinoe +(adulterous). Sans. Lubha (to inflame with lust, to desire). The +English word Love is derived from this Sanscrit root. + +Lubbenipen, s. Harlotry. + +Lubbenified. Become a harlot. + +Lundra. London. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]. + +Luripen, s. Robbery, a booty. Lit. a seizure. Wal. Luare (seizure, +capture), Louarea Parizouloui (the capture of Paris). + +Lutherum, s. Sleep, repose, slumber. + +Luvvo, s. Money, currency. Rus. Lovok (convenient, handy, quick, +agile). In Spanish Gypsy, a real (small coin) is called Quelati, a +thing which dances, from Quelar, to dance. + +Luvvo-mengro, s. Money-changer, banker. + +Luvvo-mengro-ker, s. Banker's house, bank. + +M + +Ma, ad. Not; only used before the imperative: ma muk, let not. +Sans. Ma. Pers. [Persian: ] + +Maas, s. Sans. Mansa Mans. Rus. Maso. See Mas. + +Maas-engro / Maaso-mengro, s. Butcher. + +Mailla, s. Ass, donkey. Wal. Megaroul. Sans. Baluya. + +Mailla and posh. Ass and foal. + +Malleco, a. False. + +Maluno / Maloney, s. Lightning. Rus. Molniya. + +Mam, s. Mother. Wal. Moume. Welsh, Mam. Irish and Scottish +Gaelic, Muime (a nurse). + +Man, pron. pers. I; very seldom used. Hin. Muen. + +Mande, pron. pers. oblique of Man; generally used instead of the +nominative Man. + +Mander. Ablative of Man, from me: ja mander, go from me. + +Mande's. My. Mande's wast, my hand; used improperly for miro. + +Mangue. Dative of Man, to me; sometimes used instead of the +nominative. + +Mansa. With me. + +Mang, v. a. To beg. Hin. Mangna. Sans. Marg. + +Mango-mengro, s. A beggar. + +Mangipen, s. The trade of begging. Sans. Margana (begging). + +Manricley, s. A cake. Span. Gyp. Manricli. + +Manush, s. Man. Sans. Manasha. Span. Gyp. Manus. See Monish. + +Manushi, s. Woman, wife. Sans. Manushi. + +Maricli, s. A cake. See Maricley. + +Mash, s. Umbrella. A cant word. + +Matcho, s. A fish. Sans. Matsya. Hin. Muchee. + +Matcheneskoe Gav. Yarmouth. Lit. the fishy town. + +Matcheneskoe guero, s. A fisherman. + +Matchka, s.f. A cat. Hun. Macska. + +Matchko, s. m. A he-cat. + +Mattipen, s. Drunkenness. Sans. Matta (to be intoxicated). Mod. +Gr. [Greek: ] (intoxication). Welsh, Meddwy (to intoxicate). + +Matto, a. Drunk, intoxicated. Welsh, Meddw. + +Matto-mengro, s. Drunkard. + +Mea, s. Mile: dui mear, two miles. Wal. Mie. + +Mea-bar, s. Milestone. + +Medisin, s. Measure, bushel. Sans. Mana. + +Mek, v. n. Leave, let: meklis, leave off, hold your tongue, have +done. Sans. Moksh. + +Men, pr. We; pl. of Man. + +Men, s. Neck. Gaelic, Muineal. Welsh, Mwng. Mandchou, Meifen. + +Men-pangushi, s. Neckcloth. See Pangushi. + +Mengro. A word much used in composition. See Engro and Mescro. + +Mensalli, s. A table. Wal. Masi. + +Mer / Merava, v. n. To die. Sans. Mri. + +Merricley, s. A cake. See Manricley. + +Merripen, s. Death. Sans. Mara. + +Merripen, s. 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. + +Mescro. A particle which, affixed to a verb, forms a substantive +masculine:- e.g. Camo, I love; camo-mescro, a lover. Nash, to run; +nashi-mescro, a runner. It is equivalent to Mengro, q.v. + +Messalli, s. A table. Wal. Masi. + +Mestipen, s. Life, livelihood, living, fortune, luck, goodness. +Span. Gyp. Mestipen, bestipen. Wal. Viatsie. + +Mi, pron. I, my. + +Mi cocoro, pron. poss. I myself, I alone. + +Mi dearie Dubbeleskey. For my dear God's sake. + +Mi develeskie gueri, s.f. A holy female. + +Mi develeskie gueri Mary. Holy Virgin Mary. + +Mi develeskoe Baval Engro. Holy Ghost. + +Mi dubbelungo, a. Divine. + +Mi duvvelungo divvus, s. Christmas Day. + +Millior, s. Miles; panj millior, five miles. + +Minge / Mintch, s. Pudendum muliebre. + +Miro, pron. poss. My, mine. + +Miri, pron. poss. f. My, mine. + +Misto / Mistos, ad. Well. + +Misto dusta. Very well. + +Mistos amande. I am glad. + +Mitch, s. See Minge. + +Mizella. Female Gypsy name. + +Mokkado, a. Unclean to eat. Wal. Mourdar (dirty). + +Monish, s. Man. See Manush. + +Mol, s. Wine. See Mul. + +Mollauvis, s. Pewter. + +Moomli, s. Candle, taper. See Mumli. + +Moomli-mengro, s. Candlestick, lantern. + +Moar, v. a. To grind. See Morro. + +More / Morava, v. a. To kill, slay. Sans. Mri. Wal. Omori. + +Moreno, part. pass. Killed, slain. + +More, v. a. To shave, shear. Hun. Gyp. Murinow. + +Mormusti, s.f. Midwife. Wal. Maimoutsi. Rus. Mameichka (nurse). + +Moro, pron. poss. Our: moro dad, our father. + +Morro, s. Bread. Lit. that which is ground. See Moar. Span. Gyp. +Manro. Hun. Gyp. Manro, also Gheum: sin gheum manro, gheum is manro +(bread). Rus. Gyp. Morroshka (a loaf). + +Morro-mengro, s. A baker. + +Mort, s. Woman, concubine; a cant word. + +Mosco / Moshko, A fly. Lat. Musca. Wal. Mouskie. Span. Gyp. +Moscabis (fly-blown, stung with love, picado, enamorado). + +Moskey, s. A spy: to jal a moskeying, to go out spying. Fr. +Mouchard. + +Mufta, s.f. Box, chest. See Muktar. + +Mui, s. Face, mouth: lollo leste mui, his face is red. Sans. Mukha +(face, mouth). Fr. Mot (a word). Provenzal, Mo. + +Muk, v. n. To leave, let. See Mek. + +Mukkalis becunye. Let it be. + +Muktar / Mukto, s. Box, chest. + +Mul, s. Wine. Pers. Mul. + +Mul divvus. Christmas Day. Lit. wine day. + +Mul-engris, s. pl. Grapes: mul-engri tan, vineyard. + +Mulleni muktar, s. Coffin. Lit. dead-chest. + +Mullodustie mukto. Id. + +Mulleno hev, s. Grave. + +Mulleno ker, s. Sepulchre, cemetery. + +Mullo, s., a. Dead man, dead. + +Mullo mas, s. Dead meat; flesh of an animal not slain, but which +died alone. + +Mumli, s.f. Candle. + +Mumli-mescro, s. Chandler. + +Munjee, s. A blow on the mouth, seemingly a cant word. Hin. Munh, +mouth. Ger. Mund. + +Murces / Mursior, s. pl. Arms. Span. Gyp. Murciales. + +Muscro, s. Constable. See Muskerro. + +Mush, s. Man. Rus. Mouge. Finnish, Mies. Tibetian, Mi. Lat. Mas +(a male). + +Mushi, s. Woman. + +Mushipen, s. A little man, a lad. Toulousian, Massip (a young man), +massipo (a young woman). + +Muskerro, s. Constable. + +Muskerriskoe cost, s. Constable's staff. + +Mutra, s. Urine. + +Mutrava, v. a. To void urine. Sans. Mutra. + +Mutra-mengri, s. Tea. + +Mutzi, s. Skin. Span. Gyp. Morchas. + +Mutzior, s. pl. Skins. + +N + +NA, ad. Not. + +Naflipen, s. Sickness. Span. Gyp. Nasallipen. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Naflo, a. Sick. + +Nai. Properly Na hi, there is not: nai men chior, we have no girls. + +Naior, s. pl. Nails of the fingers or toes. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Nangipen, s. Nakedness. + +Nango, a. Naked. + +Narilla / Narrila, A female Gypsy name. + +Nash, v. a. To run. Span. Gyp. Najar. + +Nashimescro, s. Runner, racer. + +Nashimescro-tan, s. Race-course. + +Nash, v. a. To lose, destroy, to hang. Sans. Nasa. Span. Gyp. +Najabar (to lose). Sans. Nakha (to destroy). Eng. Nacker (a killer +of old horses). + +Nashado, part. pret. Lost, destroyed, hung. + +Nashimescro, s. Hangman. + +Nashko, part. pass. Hung: nashko pre rukh, hung on a tree. + +Nasho, part. pass. Hung. + +Nastis, a. Impossible. See Astis. + +Nav, s. Name. Hun. Nev. + +Naval, s. Thread. Span. Gyp. Nafre. + +Naes / Nes, postpos. According to, after the manner of: +gorgikonaes, after the manner of the Gentiles; Romano-chalugo-naes, +after the manner of the Gypsies. + +Ne, ad. No, not: ne burroder, no more; ne riddo, not dressed. + +Nevo, a. New. + +Nevi, a. fem. New: nevi tud from the guveni, new milk from the cow. + +Nevey Rukhies. The New Forest. Lit. new trees. + +Nevi Wesh. The New Forest. + +Nick, v. a. To take away, steal. Span. Gyp. Nicabar. + +Nick the cost. To steal sticks for skewers and linen-pegs. + +Nogo, s. Own, one's own; nogo dad, one's own father; nogo tan, one's +own country. + +Nok, s. Nose. Hin. Nakh. + +Nok-engro, s. A glandered horse. Lit. a nose-fellow. + +Nokkipen, s. Snuff. + +O + +O, art. def. The. + +O, pron. He. + +Odoi, ad. There. Hun. Ott, oda. + +Oduvvu, pron. dem. That. Span. Gyp. Odoba. + +Olevas / Olivas / Olivor, s. pl. Stockings. Span. Gyp. Olibias. +Wal. Chorapul. + +Opral / Opre / Oprey, prep. Upon, above. Wal. Pre, asoupra. + +Or. A plural termination; for example, Shock, a cabbage, pl. shock- +or. It is perhaps derived from Ouri, the plural termination of +Wallachian neuter nouns ending in 'e.' + +Ora, s.f. A watch. Hun. Ora. + +Ora, s. An hour: so si ora, what's o'clock? + +Orlenda. Gypsy female name. Rus. Orlitza (female eagle). + +Os. A common termination of Gypsy nouns. It is frequently appended +by the Gypsies to English nouns in order to disguise them. + +Owli, ad. Yes. See Avali. + +P + +PA, prep. By: pa mui, by mouth. Rus. Po. + +Padlo, ad. Across: padlo pawnie, across the water, transported. + +Pahamengro, s. Turnip. + +Pailloes, s. Filberts. + +Pal, s. Brother. + +Pal of the bor. Brother of the hedge, hedgehog. + +Palal, prep. ad. Behind, after, back again: av palal, come back, +come again: palal the welgorus, after the fair. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] +(again). Rus. Opiat (id.). + +Pali, ad. Again, back. + +Pand, v. a. To bind. Sans. Bandh. + +Pandipen, s. Pinfold, prison, pound. + +Pandlo, part. pass. Bound, imprisoned, pounded. + +Pand opre, v. a. To bind up. + +Pandlo-mengro, s. Tollgate, thing that's shut. + +Pangushi, s.f. Handkerchief. + +Pani, s. Water. See Pawni. + +Panishey shock, s. Watercress. Lit. water-cabbage. See Shok. + +Panj, a. Five. See Pansch. + +Pani-mengro, s. Sailor, waterman. + +Panni-mengri, s. Garden. + +Panno, s. Cloth. Lat. Pannus. Wal. Penzie. + +Pansch, s. Five. Hin. Panch. + +Pappins / Pappior, s. pl. Ducks. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Paracrow, v. a. To thank: paracrow tute, I thank you. + +Parava / Parra, v. a. To change, exchange. See Porra. + +Parriken, s. Trust, credit. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] (trusted goods). + +Parno, a. White. See Pauno. + +Pas, s. Half. See Posh. + +Pasherro, s. Halfpenny; pl. pasherie. Pers. [Persian: ] Pasheez +(a farthing). + +Pas-more, v. a. Half-kill. + +Patch, s. Shame. Span. Gyp. Pachi, modesty, virginity. Sans. +Putcha. + +Patnies, s. pl. Ducks. + +Patrin, s. 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. + +Pattin, s. A leaf. Span. Gyp. Patia. Sans. Patra. + +Pattinor. Leaves. + +Paub / Paubi, s. An apple. Hung. Gyp. Paboy. + +Paub tan, s. Orchard. + +Pauno, a. White. Sans. Pandu. Gaelic, Ban. + +Pauno gad. Clean shirt. + +Pauno sherro. Grey head, white head. + +Pauno, s. Flour. Lit. what is white. The Latin 'panis' seems to be +connected with this word. + +Pauno-mengro, s. A miller, white fellow. + +Pauno-mui, s. Pale face; generally applied to a vain, foolish girl, +who prefers the company of the pallid Gentiles to that of the dark +Romans. + +Pauvi, s. An apple. + +Pauvi-pani, s. Cyder, apple-water. + +Pawdel, ad. Across, over: pawdel puve and pawni, across land and +water; pawdel the chumba, over the hill. + +Pawnee / Pawni, s. Water. Sans. Paniya. Hin. Panie. Eng. Pond. +See Pani. + +Pawnugo, a. Watery: pawnugo hev, water-hole, well. + +Pazorrhus, part. pass. Indebted. See Pizarris. + +Peava, v. a. To drink. Sans. Pa. + +Pea-mengri, s. Tea-pot. Wal. Bea. Lit. drinking thing. + +Peeapen, s. Health: ako's your peeapen! here's your health! + +Pea-mengro, s. Drunkard. + +Pedloer, s. Nuts; prop. Acorns. Pers. Peleed. + +Peerdie, s. Female tramper. + +Peerdo, s. Male tramper. + +Pek'd / Pekt, part. pass. Roasted. Span. Gyp. Peco. Sans. Paka +(cooking). Pers. Pekhtan. Rus. Petsch (oven). + +Pele, s. pl. Testicles. Sans. P'hala. + +Pelengo gry / Pelengro gry, s. Stone-horse. + +Pen, a particle 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, 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, e.g. Mushipen, a +little fellow. + +Pen, s. Sister. + +Pen / Penav, v. a. To say, speak. Wal. Spoune. + +Penchava, v. n. To think. Pers. Pendashten. Sans. Vi-cit. + +Penliois, s. Nuts. See Pedloer. + +Per, s. Belly. + +Per, v. n. To fall. Span. Gyp. Petrar. Sans. Pat. + +Per tuley. To fall down. + +Perdo, a. Full. Sans. Purva, to fill. + +Pes / Pessa, v. a. To pay. Span. Gyp. Plaserar. Rus. Platit. Wal. +Pleti. Hun. Fizetni. + +Pes apopli. To repay. + +Petul, s. A horse-shoe. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] Wal. Potkoavie. Heb. +Bedel (tin). + +Petul-engro, s. Horseshoe-maker, smith, tinker; the name of a Gypsy +tribe. + +Pi, v. a. To drink. Sans. Piva (drinking). See Peava. + +Pias, s. Fun. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] (to play). + +Pikkis / Pikkaris, s. pl. Breasts. See Birk, bark. Wal. Piept. + +Pikko, s. Shoulder. + +Pios, part. pass. Drunken. Only employed when a health is drunk: +e.g. aukko tu pios adrey Romanes, your health is drunk in Romany. + +Pire, s. pl. Feet. + +Pire, s. pl. Trampers. + +Pire-gueros, s. pl. Travellers, trampers. Lit. foot-fellows. + +Pireni, s.f. Sweetheart. + +Pireno, s. m. Sweetheart. + +Piro, v. a. To walk: pirel, he walks. + +Piro-mengro, s. Walker. + +Pirry, s. Pot, boiler. This is a west-country Gypsy word. Span. +Gyp. Piri. Sans. Pithara, patra. + +Pishen, s. Flea, any kind of insect: guldo pishen, honey-insect, +bee, honey. + +Pivli, s. A widow. + +Pivlo, s. A widower. + +Pivley-gueri, s. A widowed female. + +Pivley-guero, s. A widowed fellow. + +Pivley-raunie, s. A widow lady. + +Piya-mengro, s. Drunkard. See Pea-mengro. + +Pizarris / Pizaurus, part. pass. Trusted, credited, in debt. Sans. +Vishvas (to trust). Wal. Se bizoui (to trust, to credit). Mod. Gr. +[Greek: ] (he who has been credited). Span. Gyp. Bisarar (to owe), +bisauras (debts), pista (an account). + +Pizarri-mengro, s. A trusted person, a debtor. + +Plakta, s. Sheet: bero-rukiskie plakta, a ship's sail. + +Plashta, s. Cloak: lolli plashta, red cloak. Span. Gyp. Plata. +Plakta and plashta are probably both derived from the Wallachian +postat, a sheet. + +Plastra, v. a. To run. + +Plastra lesti. Run it; run for your life. + +Plastra-mengro, s. a. A Bow Street runner, a pursuer. In Spanish +Gypsy, Plastani means a company which pursues robbers. + +Poggado, part. pass. Broken. + +Poggado bavol-engro, s. Broken-winded horse. + +Poggado habben, s. Broken victuals. + +Poggra, v. a. To break. Wal. Pokni. + +Poggra-mengri, s. A mill. Lit. a breaking thing. + +Poknies, s. Justice of the peace. Rus. Pokoio (to pacify). + +Pokiniskoe ker, s. House of a justice of the peace. + +Pooshed / Poosheno, part. pass. Buried: mulo ta poosheno, dead and +buried. + +Por, s. Feather. Pers. Par. Sans. Parna. + +Por-engro, s. Pen-master, penman, one able to write. + +Por-engri-pen, s. Penmanship, writing. + +Porior, s. pl. Feathers. + +Pordo, a. Heavy. Wal. Povarie (a weight). Lat. Pondus. + +Porra, v. a. To exchange. + +Posh, s. Half. + +Posherro / Poshoro, s. Halfpenny. + +Possey-mengri, s. Pitchfork; improperly used for any fork. The +literal meaning is a straw-thing; a thing used for the removal of +straw. See Pus. + +Potan, s. Tinder. Wal. Postabh (sheet, cloth). Sans. Pata (cloth). + +Poov / Pov, s. Earth, ground. Sans. Bhu. + +Poov, v. To poov a gry, to put a horse in a field at night. + +Pov-engro, s. An earth thing, potato. + +Pov-engreskoe, a. Belonging to the potato. + +Povengreskoe gav. Potato town--Norwich. + +Povengreskoe tem. Potato country--Norfolk. + +Povo-guero, s. Mole, earth-fellow. + +Praio, a. Upper: praio tem, upper country, heaven. Span. Gyp. +Tarpe (heaven). See Opre. + +Prala, s. Brother. + +Pude, v. a. To blow. + +Pude-mengri, s. Blowing thing, bellows. + +Pudge, s. Bridge. Wal. Pod, podoul. Pers. Pul. Sans. Pali. + +Pukker, v. a. To tell, declare, answer, say, speak. Span. Gyp. +Pucanar (to proclaim). Hin. Pukar, pukarnar. + +Pur, s. Belly. See Per. + +Pureno, a. Ancient, old: pureno foky, the old people. Sans. Purvya +(ancient). + +Puro, a. Old. Sans. Pura. + +Puro dad, s. Grandfather. + +Purrum, s. Leek, onion. Lat. Porrum. + +Purrum / Purrun, n. pr. Lee, or Leek; the name of a numerous Gypsy +tribe in the neighbourhood of London. Wal. Pur (onion). Lat. +Porrum. Sans. Purana (ancient). + +Pus, s. Straw. Sans. Busa, chaff. + +Putch, v. a. To ask. Hin. Puchhna. + +Putsi, s. Purse, pocket. Sans. Puta, pocket. Wal. Pountsi. Old +cant, Boung. + +Putsi-lil, s. Pocket-book. + +Puvvo, s. Earth, ground. See Poov. + +Puvvesti churi, s. a. Plough. + +R + +RAIA, s. Gentleman, lord. See Rye. + +Rak, v. n. To beware, take care; rak tute, take care of yourself. +Sans. Raksh (to guard, preserve). + +Rakli, s.f. Girl. + +Raklo, s. Boy, lad. + +Ran, s. Rod: ranior, rods. Sans. Ratha (cane, ratan). + +Rarde, s. Night. Sans. Ratri. + +Rardiskey, a. Nightly. + +Rardiskey kair poggring, s. Housebreaking by night, burglary. + +Rashengro, s. Clergyman. + +Rashi, s. Clergyman, priest. Sans. Rishi (holy person). + +Rashieskey rokkring tan, s. Pulpit. + +Ratcheta, s. A goose, duck. See Retsa. + +Ratti, s. Blood. Sans. Rudhira. + +Ratniken chiriclo, s. Nightingale. + +Rawnie, s. Lady. + +Rawniskie dicking gueri, s. Lady-like looking woman. + +Rawniskie tatti naflipen, s. The lady's fever, maladie de France. + +Retza, s. Duck. Wal. Rierzoiou. See Rossar-mescro. Hun. Recze. + +Reyna. A female Gypsy name. + +Riddo, part. pass. Dressed. Span. Gyp. Vriardao. + +Rig / Riggur / Riggurava, v. a. To bear, carry, bring. + +Rig in zi. To remember, bear in mind. + +Rig to zi. To bring to mind. + +Rinkeno, a. Handsome. + +Rivipen, s. Dress. Lit. linen clothes, women's dress. Wal. Ruphe. +Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] (a tailor). In Spanish Gypsy clothes are called +Goneles, from the Wallachian Khainele. + +Rodra, v. a. To search, seek. + +Roi, s. Spoon. + +Rokra, v. a. To talk, speak. Rus. Rek (he said). Lat. Loquor. + +Rokrenchericlo, s. Parrot, magpie. + +Rokrenguero, s. A lawyer, talker. Gaelic, Racaire (a chatterer). + +Rokrengueriskey gav. Talking fellows' town--Norwich. + +Rokunyes, s. Trousers, breeches. Hun. Gyp. Roklia (gown). Mod. +Gr. [Greek: ] (cloth). + +Rom, s. A husband. Sans. Rama (a husband), Rama (an incarnation of +Vishnu), Rum (to sport, fondle). Lat. Roma (City of Rama). Gaelic, +Rom (organ of manhood). Eng. Ram (aries, male sheep). Heb. Ream +(monoceros, unicorn). + +Rommado, part. pass. s. Married, husband. + +Romm'd, part. pass. Married. + +Romano Chal / Romany Chal, A Gypsy fellow, Gypsy lad. See Chal. + +Romani chi. Gypsy lass, female Gypsy. + +Romanes / Romany, Gypsy language. + +Romaneskoenaes. After the Gypsy fashion. Wal. Roumainesk +(Roumainean, Wallachian.) + +Romano Rye / Romany Rye, Gypsy gentleman. + +Romipen, s. Marriage. + +Rook / Rukh, s. Tree. Sans. Vriksha. Hun. Gyp. Rukh. Span. Gyp. +Erucal (an olive-tree). + +Rookeskey cost. Branch of a tree. + +Rooko-mengro, s. Squirrel. Lit. tree-fellow. + +Roshto, a. Angry. Wal. Resti (to be angry). + +Rossar-mescro, s. Gypsy name of the tribe Heron, or Herne. Lit. +duck-fellow. + +Roujiou, a. Clean. See Iuziou. + +Rove, v. n. To weep. Sans. Rud. + +Rup, s. Silver. Sans. Raupya. Hin. Rupee. + +Rupenoe, a. Silver: rupenoe pea-mengri, silver tea-pots. + +Ruslipen, s. Strength. + +Ruslo, a. Strong. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] (roborabo). Rus. Rosluy +(great, huge of stature). Hun. Ero (strength), eros (strong). + +Rye, s. A lord, gentleman. Sans. Raj, Raya. + +Ryeskoe, a. Gentlemanly. + +Ryeskoe dicking guero. Gentlemanly looking man. + +Ryoriskey rokkaring keir, s. The House of Commons. Lit. the +gentlemen's talking house. + +S + +SACKI. Name of a Gypsy man. + +Sainyor, s. Pins. Span. Gyp. Chingabar (a pin). + +Sal, v. n. To laugh; properly, he laughs. Span. Gyp. Asaselarse. +Sans. Has. + +Salla. She laughs. + +Salivaris, s.f. Bridle. See Sollibari. + +Sap / Sarp, s. Snake, serpent. Wal. Sharpele. Span. Gyp. +Chaplesca. + +Sappors, s. pl. Snakes. + +Sap drey chaw. A snake in the grass: sap drey bor, a snake in the +hedge. + +Sapnis, s. Soap. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] Wal. Sipoun. + +Sar, postpos., prepos. With: mensar, with us; sar amande, with me. + +Sar, conjunct. As. + +Sar, ad. How. + +Sar shin, How are you? Sar shin, meero rye? Sar shin, meeri rawnie? +How are you, sir? How are you, madam? + +Sas. If it were. See Is. + +Sas, s. Nest. See Tass. + +Sarla, s. Evening: koshti sarla, good evening. See Tasarla. Wal. +Seara. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]. + +Saster, s. Iron. + +Saster-mengri, s. A piece of iron worn above the knee by the skewer- +makers whilst engaged in whittling. + +Saster-mengro, s. Ironmonger. + +Sasters, sastris. Nails: chokkiskey sastris, shoe-nails. + +Sau, adv. How. + +Sau kisi. How much? + +Saulohaul / Sovlehaul, v. a. To swear. + +Saulohaul bango. To swear falsely. + +Sauloholomus, s. Oath. Span. Gyp. Solaja (a curse). Arab. [Arabic: +] Salat (prayer). Lat. Solemnis. Fr. Serment. Wal. Jourirnint +(oath). + +Savo, pron. Who, that, which. + +Saw, v. n. I laugh. Sawschan tu, you laugh. + +Scamp. Name of a small Gypsy tribe. Sans. Kshump (to go). + +Scourdilla, s.f. Platter. Lat. Scutella. + +Scunyes / Scunyor, s. pl. Pins, skewers. See Escunyes. + +Se, 3rd pers. sing. pres. Is, there is: kosko guero se, he is a +good fellow; se les, there is to him, he has. + +Shab, v. a. Cut away, run hard, escape. Hun. Szabni. This word is +chiefly used by the tobair coves, or vagrants. + +Shan. You are, they are. See Shin. + +Shauvo, v. To get with child. See Shuvvli. + +Shehaury. Sixpence. See Shohaury. + +Shello, s. Rope. Span. Gyp. Jele. + +Shello-hokta-mengro, s. Rope-dancer. + +Sher-engro, s. A head-man, leader of a Gypsy tribe. + +Sher-engri, s. A halter. + +Shero, s. A head. Pers. [Persian: ] + +Sherro's kairipen, s. Learning, head-work. + +Sheshu, s. Hare, rabbit. See Shoshoi. + +Sherrafo, a. Religious, converted. Arab. Sherif. + +Shilleno / Shillero / Shillo, a. Cold: shillo chik, cold ground. + +Shillipen, s. Cold. + +Shin. Thou art: sar shin, how art thou? + +Sho, s. Thing. + +Sho, a. Six. + +Shohaury, s. Sixpence. + +Shok, s. Cabbage: shockor, cabbages. Span. Gyp. Chaja. + +Shom, v. 1st pers. pres. I am. Used in the pure Roman tongue to +express necessity: e.g. shom te jav, I must go. Lat. Sum. Hun. +Gyp. Hom. + +Shoob, s. Gown. Rus. Shoob. See Shubbo. + +Shoon, v. n. To hear. Pers. Shiniden. Sans. Sru. + +Shoonaben, s. Hearing, audience. To lel shoonaben of the covar, to +take hearing of the matter. + +Shoshoi, s. A hare or rabbit, but generally used by the Gypsies for +the latter. Sans. Sasa (a hare or rabbit). Hun. Gyp. Shoshoi. + +Shubbo, s. A gown. Rus. Shoob. Wal. Djoube. + +Shubley patnies, s. pl. Geese. + +Shun. A female Gypsy name. + +Shuvvali, a. Enceinte, with child. + +Si, 3rd pers. sing. pres. It is, she is: tatchipen si, it is truth; +coin si rawnie, who is the lady? sossi your nav, what is your name? + +Sicovar, ad. Evermore, eternally. Hun. Gyp. Sekovar. + +Si covar ajaw. So it is. + +Sig, ad. Quick, soon: cana sig, now soon. Span. Gyp. Singo. Hun. +Sieto. + +Sig, s. Haste. + +Sikker, v. a. To show: sikker-mengri, a show. + +Simen, s. a. Equal, alike. Sans. Samana. + +Simen. We are, it is we. Wal. Semeina (to resemble). + +Simmeno, s. Broth. See Zimmen. + +Simmer, v. a. Pledge, pawn. + +Simmery-mengre, s. pl. Pawnbrokers. + +Sis. Thou art: misto sis riddo, thou art well dressed. + +Siva, v. a. To sew. Sans. Siv. + +Siva-mengri, s. A needle, sewing-thing. + +Siva-mengri, s. Sempstress. + +Siva-mengro, s. Tailor. + +Skammen, s. Chair. Wal. Skaun. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Skammen-engro, s. Chair-maker. + +Skraunior, s. pl. Boots. + +Slom / Slum, v. a. Follow, trace, track. Rus. Sliedovat. + +Smentini, s. Cream. Wal. Zmentenie. Rus. Smetana. + +So, pron. rel. Which, what: so se tute's kairing, what are you +doing? + +Sollibari, s. Bridle. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Sonakey / Sonneco, s. Gold. Sans. Svarna. + +Sore / Soro, a. All, every. Sans. Sarva. + +Sorlo, a. Early. Arab. [Arabic:] Sohr, Sahr (morning, day-break). +Wal. Zorile. + +Soro-ruslo, a. Almighty. Dad soro-ruslo, Father Almighty. + +Se se? Who is it? + +So si? What is it? So si ora, what's o'clock? + +Soskey, ad. Wherefore, for what. + +Sovaharri, s. Carpet, blanket. + +Sove, v. n. To sleep. Hun. Gyp. Sovella (he sleeps). Span. Gyp. +Sobelar (to sleep). Danish, Sove (to sleep). + +Sove tuley. To lie down. + +Sovie, s. Needle. See Su. + +Soving aley. Lying down to sleep. + +Spikor, s. pl. Skewers. Wal. Spik. + +Spinyor, s. pl. Carrots. + +Spinyor, s. pl. Pins. Span. Gyp. Chingabar (a pin). + +Stadj, s. Hat. + +Stanya / Stanye, s. A stable. Hun. Sanya. Wal. Staula, steinie +(sheepfold). + +Stanya-mengro, s. Groom, stable-fellow. + +Stardo, part. pass. Imprisoned. + +Staripen, s. Prison. + +Staro-mengro, s. Prisoner. + +Stannyi / Staunyo, s. A deer. + +Stiggur, s. Gate, turnpike. Old cant, Giger (a door). + +Stiggur-engro, s. Turnpike-keeper. + +Stor, a. Four. + +Storey, s. Prisoner. + +Stuggur, s. A stack. + +Su, s. Needle. Hun. Tu. + +Subie / Subye, s. Needle: subye ta naval, needle and thread. + +Sueti, s. People. Lithuanian, Swetas. + +Sungella, v. It stinks. + +Sutta / Suttur / Suta, s. Sleep. Sans. Subta (asleep). Hin. Sutta +(sleeping). Lat. Sopitus. + +Suttur-gillie, s. Sleep-song, lullaby. + +Swegler / Swingle, s. Pipe. + +Syeira. A female Gypsy name. + +T + +Ta, conj. And. + +Talleno, a. Woollen: talleno chofa, woollen or flannel petticoat. + +Tan, s. Place, tent. Hun. Tanya. + +Tard / Tardra, v. a. To raise, build, pull, draw: the kair is +tardrad opre, the house is built; tard the chaw opre, pull up the +grass. Hin. Torna (to pluck). Wal. Tratze. Gaelic, Tarruinn. + +Tardra-mengre. Hop-pickers. + +Tas, s. Cup, nest of a bird. See Dui tas, doo das. + +Tasarla / Tasorlo, s. To-morrow. Lit. to-early. See Sorlo. + +Tasarla, s. 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). + +Tassa-mengri, s. A frying-pan. See Tattra-mengri. + +Tatchipen, s. Truth. Sans. Satyata. + +Tatcho, a. True. Sans. Sat. + +Tatti-pani / Tatti-pauni, s. Brandy. Lit. hot water. + +Tatti-pen, s. Heat. + +Tatto, a. Hot, warm. Sans. Tapta. Tap (to be hot). Gaelic, Teth. + +Tatto yeck, s. A hot un, or hot one; a stinging blow given in some +very sensitive part. + +Tattra-mengri, s. A frying-pan. + +Tawno m. / Tawnie f., a. Little, small, tiny. Sans. Tarana (young). +Wal. Tienir (young). Lat. Tener. Span. Gyp. Chinoro. + +Tawnie yecks, s. pl. Little ones, grandchildren. + +Te, prep. To: te lesti, to her; this word is not properly Gypsy. + +Te, conjunct. That: te jinnen, that they may know, an optative +word; O beng te poggar his men, may the devil break his neck. Wal. +Ci. + +Tel, v. a. imp. Hold: tel te jib, hold your tongue. + +Tem, s. Country. + +Temeskoe, a. Belonging to a country. + +Temno, a. Dark. Rus. Temnoy. Sans. Tama (darkness). + +Ten, s. See Tan. + +Tikno, s. A child. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] + +Tikno, a. Small, little. Span. Gyp. Chinoro. Lat. Tener. + +Tippoty, a. Malicious, spiteful: tippoty drey mande, bearing malice +against me. + +Tiro, pron. Thine. + +Tobbar, s. The Road; a Rapparee word. Boro-tobbarkillipen (the Game +of High Toby--highway robbery). Irish, Tobar (a source, fountain). + +Tornapo. Name of a Gypsy man. + +Tororo, s. A poor fellow, a beggar, a tramp. Sans. Daridra. + +Tove, v. a. To wash: tovipen, washing. Sans. Dhav. + +Toving divvus, s. Washing day, Monday. + +Traish, v. a. To frighten, terrify: it traishes mande, it frightens +me. + +Trihool, s. Cross: Mi doveleskoe trihool, holy cross. Span. Gyp. +Trijul. Hin. Trisool. + +Trin, a. Three. + +Tringrosh / Tringurushee, Shilling. Lit. three groats. + +Tringurushengre, s. pl. Things costing a shilling. + +Tringush, s. Shilling. + +Trito, a. Third. Sans. Tritiya. + +Truffeni. Female Gypsy name: Truffeni Kaumlo, Jack Wardomescres +dieyas nav--Truffeni Lovel, the name of John Cooper's mother. Mod. +Gr. [Greek: ] + +Truppior, s. pl. Stays. + +Trupo, s. Body. Wal. Troup. Rus. Trup + +Trushni, s. Faggot. + +Trusno, a. Thirsty, dry. Sans. Trishnaj. + +Tu, pron. Thou: shoon tu, dieya! do thou hear, mother! + +Tud, s. Milk. Sans. Duh (to milk). + +Tudlo gueri. Milkmaid. + +Tug, a. Sad, afflicted. + +Tugnipen, s. Affliction. + +Tugnis amande. Woe is me; I am sad. + +Tugno, a. Sad, mournful. + +Tule / Tuley, prep. Below, under: tuley the bor, under the hedge. +Slavonian, doly. + +Tulipen, s. Fat, grease. + +Tulo, a. Fat. + +Tute, pron. Accusative of Tu; generally used instead of the +nominative. + +Tuv, s. Smoke, tobacco. + +Tuvalo / Tuvvalo, a. Smoky. Span. Gyp. Chibalo (a cigar). + +V + +VANGUS, s. Finger. Sans. Angula. + +Vangustri, s. Ring. Sans. Angulika, anguri. See Wangustri. + +Vaneshu, s. Nothing. From the Wallachian Ba nitchi, not at all. + +Var, s. Flour: var-engro, a miller. See Waro. + +Vardo, s. Cart. See Wardo. + +Vassavo / Vassavy, a. Bad, evil. + +Vast, s. Hand. + +Vava. An affix, 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. + +Vellin, s. A bottle. + +Vauros, s. A city. Hun. Varos. Sans. Puri. Hin. Poor. Wal. +Orash. + +Venor / Vennor, Bowels, entrails. See Wendror, + +W + +WAFO, a. Another. Sans. Apara. + +Wafo divvus, s. Yesterday. Lit. the other day. + +Wafo tem. Another country, foreign land. + +Wafo temeskoe mush, s. A foreigner, another countryman. + +Wafo tem-engre. Foreigners. + +Wafodu / Wafudo, a. Bad, evil. + +Wafoduder. Worse: wafoduder than dovor, worse than they. + +Wafodu-pen, s. Wickedness. + +Wafodu guero, s. The Evil One, Satan. + +Wafodu tan, s. Hell, bad place. + +Wangar, s. Coals, charcoal. Sans. Angara. See Wongar. + +Wangustri, s. Ring. + +Warda, v. To guard, take care: warda tu coccorus, take care of +yourself. + +Wardo, s. Cart. Sans. Pattra. + +Wardo-mescro, s. Carter, cartwright, cooper, name of a Gypsy tribe. + +Waro, s. Flour. + +Waro-mescro, s. Miller. + +Wast, s. Hand. See Vast. Wastrors, hands. Gaelic, Bas (the palm +of the hand). + +Weggaulus / Welgorus / Welgaulus, s. A fair. Wal. Bieltchiou. + +Wel, v. a. He comes; from Ava. Sometimes used imperatively; e.g. +Wel adrey, come in. + +Welling pali. Coming back, returning from transportation. + +Wen, s. Winter. + +Wendror, s. pl. Bowels, inside. Wal. Pentetche. Lat. Venter. + +Wentzelow. Name of a Gypsy man. + +Werriga, s. Chain. Rus. Veriga. Wal. Verigie (bolt). + +Wesh, s. Forest, wood. Pers. [Persian: ] + +Wesh-engro, s. Woodman, gamekeeper. + +Weshen-juggal, s. Fox. Lit. dog of the wood. + +Woddrus / Wuddrus, s. Bed. Hun. Gyp. Patos. Wal. Pat. The Spanish +Gypsies retain the pure Indian word Charipe. + +Wongar, s. Coal. Also a term for money; probably because Coal in +the cant language signifies money. See Wangar. + +Wongar-camming mush, s. A miser. Lit. one who loves coal. + +Wuddur, s. Door. Span. Gyp. Burda. Wal. Poartie. + +Wuddur-mescro, s. Doorkeeper. + +Wust, v. a. To cast, throw. + +Wusto-mengro, s. Wrestler, hurler. + +Y + +YACK, s. Eye. Sans. Akshi. Germ. Auge. Rus. Oko. Lithuanian, +Akis. Lat. Oculus. + +Yackor. Eyes. + +Yag, s. Fire. Sans. Agni. Rus. Ogon. Lithuanian, Ugnis. Lat. +Ignis. Irish, An (water, fire). + +Yag-engri, s. Gun, fire-thing. + +Yag- engro / Yago-mengro, s. Gamekeeper, sportsman, fireman. + +Yag-kairepenes, s. Fireworks. + +Yag-vardo, s. Fire-car, railroad carriage. + +Yarb, s. Herb. + +Yarb-tan, s. Garden. + +Yeck, a. One. Sans. Eka. Hin. Yak. + +Yeckoro, a. Only: yeckoro chavo, only son. + +Yeckorus, ad. Once. + +Yo, pron. He. + +Yoi, pron. She. Sometimes used for La or Las, her; e.g. Mande +putch'd yoi, I asked she, her. + +Yokki, a. Clever, expert: a yokki juva, a yokki woman--a female +expert at filching, ringing the changes, telling fortunes, and other +Gypsy arts. Sans. Yoga (artifice, plan), Yuj (to combine, put +together, plan). + +Yora, s. Hour. See Ora. + +Yoro, s. An egg. Wal. Ou. + +Z + +ZI, s. The heart, mind. Hun. Sziv. Sans. Dhi. + +Zimmen, s. Broth. Wal. Zmenteni (cream). + +Zoomi, s. f. Broth, soup. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ] Wal. Zamie (juice). + +Zingaro. A Gypsy, a person of mixed blood, one who springs from +various races, a made-up person. Sans. Sangkara, compositus (made- +up). + + + +RHYMED LIST OF GYPSY VERBS + + + +To dick and jin, +To bikn and kin; +To pee and hal, +And av and jal; +To kair and poggra, +Shoon and rokra; +To caur and chore, +Heta and cour, +Moar and more, +To drab and dook, +And nash on rook; +To pek and tove, +And sove and rove, +And nash on poove; +To tardra oprey, +And chiv aley; +To pes and gin, +To mang and chin, +To pootch and pukker, +Hok and dukker; +To besh and kel, +To del and lel, +And jib to tel; +Bitch, atch, and hatch, +Roddra and latch; +To gool and saul, +And sollohaul; +To pand and wustra, +Hokta and plastra, +Busna and kistur, +Maila and grista; +To an and riggur; +To pen and sikker, +Porra and simmer, +Chungra and chingra, +Pude and grommena, +Grovena, gruvena; +To dand and choom, +Chauva and rom, +Rok and gare, +Jib and mer +With camova, +And paracrova, +Apasavello +And mekello, +And kitsi wasror, +Sore are lavior, +For kairing chomany, +In jib of Romany. + + + +BETIE ROKRAPENES--LITTLE SAYINGS + + + +If foky kek jins bute, +Ma sal at lende; +For sore mush jins chomany +That tute kek jins. + +Whatever ignorance men may show, +From none disdainful turn; +For every one doth something know +Which you have yet to learn. + + + +BETIE ROKRAPENES + + + +So must I ker, daiya, to ker tute mistos? +It is my Dovvel's kerrimus, and we can't help asarlus. +Mi Dovvel opral, dick tuley opre mande. +If I could lel bonnek tute, het-avava tute. +Misto kedast tute. +Dovey si fino covar, ratfelo jukkal, sas miro. + +The plastra-mengro sollohaul'd bango. +Me camava jaw drey the Nevi Wesh to dick the purey Bare-mescrey. +You jin feter dovey oduvu. +Will you pes for a coro levinor? +Ma pi kekomi. +Ma rokra kekomi. +Bori shil se mande. +Tatto tu coccori, pen. +Kekkeno pawni dov odoi. +Sore simensar si men. + +Tatto ratti se len. +Wafudu lavior you do pen, miry deary Dovvel. +Kair pias to kair the gorgies sal. +Nai men chior. +So se drey lis? +Misto sis riddo. +Muk man av abri. +Ma kair jaw. +Si covar ajaw. +An men posseymengri. +Colliko sorlo me deavlis. +Pukker zi te lesti. +Soving lasa. +Tatto si can. +Mande kinyo, nastis jalno durroder. +Ma muk de gorgey jinnen sore lidan dovvu luvvu so garridan. +Dui trins ta yeck ta pas. +Pes apopli. +Chiv'd his vast adrey tiro putsi. +Penchavo chavo savo shan tu. + +I'd sooner shoon his rokrapen than shoon Lally gil a gillie. +Kekkeno jinava mande ne burreder denne chavo. +Aukko tu pios adrey Romanes. + + +LITTLE SAYINGS + + +What must I do, mother, to make you well? +It is my God's doing, and we can't help at all. + +My God above, look down upon me! +If I could get hold of you, I would slay you. +Thou hast done well. +That is a fine thing, you bloody dog, if it were mine. +The Bow-street runner swore falsely. +I will go into the New Forest to see the old Stanleys. +You know better than that. +Will you pay for a pot of ale? +Don't drink any more. +Do not speak any more. +I have a great cold. +Warm thyself, sister. +There is no water there. +We are all relations: all who are with us are ourselves. +They have hot blood. +Evil words you do speak, O my dear God. +Make fun, to make the Gentiles laugh. +I have no girls. +What is in it? +Thou art well dressed. +Let me come out. +Don't do so. +The thing is so: so it is. +Bring me a fork. +To-morrow morning I will give it. +Tell her your mind. +Sleeping with her. +The sun is hot. +I am tired, I can go no farther. +Don't let the Gentiles know all the money you took which you hid. +Seven pound ten. +Pay again. +Put his hand into your pocket. +The boy is thinking who you are. + +I would rather hear him speak than hear Lally sing. +I know no more than a child. +Here's your health in Romany! + + + +COTORRES OF MI-DIBBLE'S LIL CHIV'D ADREY ROMANES +PIECES OF SCRIPTURE CAST INTO ROMANY + + + +THE FIRST DAY--Genesis i. 1, 2, 3, 4 + + +Drey the sherripen Midibble kair'd the temoprey ta the puv; +Ta the puv was chungalo, ta chichi was adrey lis; +Ta temnopen was oprey the mui of the boro put. +Ta Midibble's bavol-engri besh'd oprey the panior; +Ta Midibble penn'd: Mook there be dute! ta there was dute. +Ta Midibble dick'd that the doot was koosho-koshko. +Ta Midibble chinn'd enrey the dute ta the temnopen; +Ta Midibble kor'd the dute divvus, ta the temnopen kor'd yo rarde; +Ta the sarla, ta the sorlo were yeckto divvus. + + +THE FIFTH DAY--Genesis i. 20, 21, 22, 23 + + +Then Midibble penn'd; Mook sore the panior +Chinn tairie jibbing engris bute dosta, +Ta prey puv be bute dosta chiricles +To vol adrey the rek of the tarpe. + +Then Midibble kair'd the borie baulo-matches, +Ta sore covar that has jibbing zi adreylis, +The bute, bute tairie covars drey the panior +Sore yeck drey its genos kair'd Midibble, + +The chiricles that vol adrey the tarpe +Sore yeck drey its genos kair'd he lende: +Then Midibble dick'd that sore was koosho-koshko, +And he chiv'd his koshto rokrapen opreylen: + +Penn'd Midibble: Dey ye frute ever-komi, +Ever-komi be burreder your nummer, +Per with covars the panior ta durior, +Ta prey puv be burreder the chiricles! + +Then was sarla ta sorlo panschto divvus. + + +THE CREATION OF MAN--Genesis i. 27, 28 + + +Then Mi-dibble kair'd Manoo drey his dikkipen, +Drey Mi-dibble's dikkipen kair'd he leste; +Mush and mushi kair'd Dibble lende +And he chiv'd his koshto rokrapen opreylen: + +Penn'd Mi-dibble: Dey ye frute ever-komi, +Ever-komi be burreder your nummer; +Per with chauves and chiyor the puvo +And oprey sore the puvo be krallior, + +Oprey the dooiya and its matches, +And oprey the chiricles of the tarpe, +And oprey soro covar that's jibbing +And peers prey the mui of the puvo. + + +THE LORD'S PRAYER + + +Meery 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; ta for-dey mande mande's pizzaripenes, sar mande fordeava +wafor mushes lende's pizzaripenes; ma mook te petrav drey kek +tentacionos, but lel mande abri from sore wafodupen; for teero se o +tem, Mi-dibble, teero o ruslopen, ta yi corauni knaw ta ever-komi. +Si covar ajaw. + + +THE APOSTLES' CREED + + +Apasavello drey Mi-dovel; Dad sore-ruslo savo kerdo o praio tem, ta +cav acoi tuley: ta 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 tuley ye temno drom ke wafudo +tan, bengeskoe starriben; ta 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. + + +THE LORD'S PRAYER IN THE GYPSY DIALECT OF TRANSYLVANIA + + +Miro gulo Devel, savo hal ote ando Cheros, te avel swuntunos tiro +nav; te avel catari tiro tem; te keren saro so cames oppo puv, sar +ando Cheros. De 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. + +Te del amen o gulo Del eg meschibo pa amara choribo. + +Te vas del o Del amengue; te n'avel man pascotia ando drom, te na +hoden pen mandar. + +Ja Develehi! +Az Develehi! +Ja Develeskey! +Az Develeskey! +Heri Devlis! + + +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. + +May the sweet God give us a remedy for our poverty. + +May God help us! May no misfortune happen to me in the road, and may +no one steal anything me. + +Go with God! +Stay with God! +Go, for God's sake! +Stay, for God's sake! +By God! + + + +LIL OF ROMANO JINNYPEN + + + +The 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 opre, jal his drom, +but to mang also his artapen. + +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. + +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 wel +and pen: so's tute kairing acai? Jaw oprey, Romano juggal. + +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. + +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? + +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. + +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. + +The tatcho drom to be a jinney-mengro is to shoon, dick, and rig in +zi. + +The mush savo kek se les the juckni-wast oprey his jib and his zi is +keck kosko to jal adrey sweti. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Jack Vardomescro could del oprey dosta to jin sore was oprey the mea- +bars and the drom-sikkering engris. + +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 chinn'd aley, and the wendror's wusted +abri, 'tis a hobben dosta koshto for a crallissa to hal without lon. + +When Gorgio mushe's merripen and Romany Chal's merripen wels +kettaney, kek kosto merripen see. + +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 +pre 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. + +Does tute jin the Romano drom of lelling the wast? + +Avali, prala. + +Sikker mande lis. + +They kairs it ajaw, prala. + +A chorredo has burreder peeas than a Romany Chal. + +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 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? + +Do you nav cavacoi a weilgorus? Ratfelo rinkeno weilgorus cav acoi: +you might chiv lis sore drey teero putsi. + +Kek jinnipenskey covar se to pen tute's been bango. If tute pens +tute's been bango, foky will pen: Estist tute's a koosho koshko +mushipen, but tatchipe a ratfelo dinnelo. + +Car's tute jibbing? + +Mande's kek jibbing; mande's is atching, at the feredest; mande's a +pirremengri, prala! + +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! + +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. + +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. + +Kekkeni like Romano Will's rawnie for kelling drey a chauro. + +Cauna Constance Petulengri merr'd she was shel ta desch beshor puri. + +Does tute jin Rawnie Wardomescri? + +Mande jins lati misto, prala. + +Does tute cam lati? + +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. + +So kerella for a jivipen? + +She dukkers, prala; she dukkers. + +Can she dukker misto? + +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. + +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. + +Mande will sollohaul neither bango nor tatcho against kekkeno; if +they cams to latch abri chomoni, muk lende latch it abri their +cokkore. + +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. + +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 pire +sore along the wesh till they well'd to the rukh. + +Sau kisi foky has tute dukker'd to divvus? + +Yeck rawnie coccori, prala; dov ody she wels palal; mande jins lati +by the kaulo dori prey laki shubba. + +Sau bute luvvu did she del tute? + +Yeck gurush, prala; yeck gurush coccoro. The beng te lilly a truppy! + +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. + +Can you rokkra Romanes? +Avali, prala! +So si Weshenjuggalslomomengreskeytemskey tudlogueri? +Mande don't jin what you pens, prala. +Then tute is kek Romano lavomengro. + + + + +BOOK OF THE WISDOM OF THE EGYPTIANS + + +The 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. + +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. + +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 say: +What are you doing here? Take yourself off, you Gypsy dog. + +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. + +Do you know my old friend Mr. Stanniwix, the old gentleman that wears +a pigtail, and made fourteen thousand pounds by smuggling? + +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. + +You ask me what are patrins. Patrin 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 patrin or +patten in old Roman language means the leaf of a tree. + +The true way to be a wise man is to hear, see, and bear in mind. + +The man who has not the whip-hand of his tongue and his temper is not +fit to go into company. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Jack Cooper could read enough to know all that was upon the +milestones and the sign-posts. + +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 flung out, 'tis a food good enough for +a queen to eat without salt. + +When the Gentile way of living and the Gypsy way of living come +together, it is anything but a good way of living. + +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. + +Do you know the Gypsy way of taking the hand? +Aye, aye, brother. +Show it to me. +They does it so, brother. + +A tramp has more fun than a Gypsy. + +You have heard the word pazorrus. 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 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? + +Do you call this a fair? A very pretty fair is this: you might put +it all into your pocket. + +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. + +Where are you living? + +Mine is not living; mine is staying, to say the best of it; I am a +traveller, brother! + +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, gorgiko-like, to either. When children speak +to their parents, they say, my father, or my mother. + +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. + +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. + +No one like Gypsy Will's wife for dancing in a platter. + +When Constance Smith died, she was a hundred ten years old. + +Do you know Mrs. Cooper? + +I knows her very well, brother. + +Do you like her? + +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. + +What does she do for a living? + +She tells fortunes, brother; she tells fortunes. + +Is she a good hand at fortune-telling? + +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. + +'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. + +I will swear neither falsely nor truly against any one; if they +wishes to find out something, let them find it out themselves. + +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. + +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. + +How many fortunes have you told to-day? + +Only one lady's, brother; yonder she's coming back; I knows her by +the black lace on her gown. + +How much money did she give you? + +Only one groat, brother; only one groat. May the devil run away with +her bodily! + +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. + +Can you speak Romany? +Aye, aye, brother! +What is Weshenjuggalslomomengreskeytemskeytudlogueri? +I don't know what you say, brother. +Then you are no master of Romany. + + + +ROMANE NAVIOR OF TEMES AND GAVIOR +GYPSY NAMES OF CONTRIES AND TOWNS + + + +Baulo-mengreskey tem Swineherds' country, Hampshire +Bitcheno padlengreskey tem Transported fellows' country, Botany +Bay +Bokra-mengreskey tem Shepherds' country, Sussex +Bori-congriken gav Great church town, York +Boro-rukeneskey gav Great tree town, Fairlop +Boro gueroneskey tem Big fellows' country, Northumberland +Chohawniskey tem Witches' country, Lancashire +Choko-mengreskey gav Shoemakers' town, Northampton +Churi-mengreskey gav Cutlers' town, Sheffield +Coro-mengreskey tem Potters' country, Staffordshire +Cosht-killimengreskey tem Cudgel players' country, Cornwall +Curo-mengreskey gav Boxers' town, Nottingham +Dinelo tem Fools' country, Suffolk +Giv-engreskey tem Farmers' country, Buckinghamshire +Gry-engreskey gav Horsedealers' town, Horncastle +Guyo-mengreskey tem Pudding-eaters' country, Yorkshire +Hindity-mengreskey tem Dirty fellows' country, Ireland +Jinney-mengreskey gav Sharpers' town, Manchester +Juggal-engreskey gav Dog-fanciers' town, Dudley +Juvlo-mengreskey tem Lousy fellows' country, Scotland +Kaulo gav The black town, Birmingham +Levin-engriskey tem Hop country, Kent +Lil-engreskey gav Book fellows' town, Oxford +Match-eneskey gav Fishy town, Yarmouth +Mi-develeskey gav My God's town, Canterbury +Mi-krauliskey gav Royal town, London +Nashi-mescro gav Racers' town, Newmarket +Pappin-eskey tem Duck country, Lincolnshire +Paub-pawnugo tem Apple-water country, Herefordshire +Porrum-engreskey tem Leek-eaters' country, Wales +Pov-engreskey tem Potato country, Norfolk +Rashayeskey gav Clergyman's town, Ely +Rokrengreskey gav Talking fellows' town, Norwich +Shammin-engreskey gav Chairmakers' town, Windsor +Tudlo tem Milk country, Cheshire +Weshen-eskey gav Forest town, Epping +Weshen-juggal-slommo-mengreskey tem Fox-hunting fellows' country, +Leicestershire +Wongareskey gav Coal town, Newcastle +Wusto-mengresky tem Wrestlers' country, Devonshire + + +THOMAS ROSSAR-MESCRO + + + +Prey 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 lescre 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 pire 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 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 Roumain, 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 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 lescre +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? 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 cocore, 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. + + +THOMAS HERNE + + +On 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 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 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; 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. + + + +KOKKODUS ARTARUS + + + +Drey 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 laki; lescro nav +Artaros; dinnelo or diviou was O; romadi was lesgue; but the rommadi +merr'd, mukking leste yeck chavo. Artaros 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 chavo 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? + +My chavo's chavo is lell'd oprey, deya. +What's he lell'd oprey for? +For a meila and posh, deya. +Why don't you jal to dick leste? +I have nash'd my maila, deya. +O ma be tugni about your maila; jal and dick leste. + +I don't jin kah se, deya! diviou kokkodus Artaros jins, kek mande. +Ah diviou, diviou, jal amande callico. + + + +MANG, PRALA + + + +Romano 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. + +[Something like the following little anecdote is related by the +Gypsies in every part of Continental Europe.] + + +BEG ON, BROTHER + + +A Gypsy 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. + + + +ENGLISH GYPSY SONGS + + + +WELLING KATTANEY + + + +Coin si deya, coin se dado? +Pukker mande drey Romanes, +Ta mande pukkeravava tute. + +Rossar-mescri minri deya! +Vardo-mescro minro dado! +Coin se dado, coin si deya? +Mande's pukker'd tute drey Romanes; +Knau pukker tute mande. + +Petuiengro minro dado! +Purana minri deya! +Tatchey Romany si men - +Mande's pukker'd tute drey Romanes, +Ta tute's pukker'd mande. + + +THE GYPSY MEETING + + +Who's your mother, who's your father? +Do thou answer me in Romany, +And I will answer thee. + +A Hearne I have for mother! +A Cooper for my father! +Who's your father, who's your mother? +I have answer'd thee in Romany, +Now do thou answer me. + +A Smith I have for father! +A Lee I have for mother! +True Romans both are we - +For I've answer'd thee in Romany, +And thou hast answer'd me. + + +LELLING CAPPI + + +"Av, my little Romany chel! +Av along with mansar! +Av, my little Romany chel! +Koshto si for mangue." + +"I shall lel a curapen, +If I jal aley; +I shall lel a curapen +From my dear bebee." + +"I will jal on my chongor, +Then I'll pootch your bebee. +'O my dear bebee, dey me your chi, +For koshto si for mangue.' + +"'Since you pootch me for my chi, +I will dey you lati.'" +Av, my little Romany chel! +We will jal to the wafu tem: + +"I will chore a beti gry, +And so we shall lel cappi." +"Kekko, meero mushipen, +For so you would be stardo; + +"But I will jal a dukkering, +And so we shall lel cappi." +"Koshto, my little Romany chel! +Koshto si for mangue." + + +MAKING A FORTUNE + + +"Come along, my little gypsy girl, +Come along, my little dear; +Come along, my little gypsy girl - +We'll wander far and near." + +"I should get a leathering +Should I with thee go; +I should get a leathering +From my dear aunt, I trow." + +"I'll go down on my two knees, +And I will beg your aunt. +'O auntie dear, give me your child; +She's just the girl I want!' + +"'Since you ask me for my child, +I will not say thee no!' +Come along, my little gypsy girl! +To another land we'll go: + +"I will steal a little horse, +And our fortunes make thereby." +"Not so, my little gypsy boy, +For then you'd swing on high; + +"But I'll a fortune-telling go, +And our fortunes make thereby." +"Well said, my little gypsy girl, +You counsel famously." + + +LELLING CAPPI--No.2 + + +"Av, my little Rumni chel, +Av along with mansar; +We will jal a gry-choring +Pawdle across the chumba. + +"I'll jaw tuley on my chongor +To your deya and your bebee; +And I'll pootch lende that they del +Tute to me for romadi." + +"I'll jaw with thee, my Rumni chal, +If my dye and bebee muk me; +But choring gristurs traishes me, +For it brings one to the rukie. + +"'Twere ferreder that you should ker, +Petuls and I should dukker, +For then adrey our tanney tan, +We kek atraish may sova." + +"Kusko, my little Rumni chel, +Your rokrapen is kusko; +We'll dukker and we'll petuls ker +Pawdle across the chumba. + +"O kusko si to chore a gry +Adrey the kaulo rarde; +But 'tis not kosko to be nash'd +Oprey the nashing rukie." + + +MAKING A FORTUNE--No.2 + + +"Come along, my little gypsy girl, +Come along with me, I pray! +A-stealing horses we will go, +O'er the hills so far away. + +"Before your mother and your aunt +I'll down upon my knee, +And beg they'll give me their little girl +To be my Romadie." + +"I'll go with you, my gypsy boy, +If my mother and aunt agree; +But a perilous thing is horse-stealinge, +For it brings one to the tree. + +"'Twere better you should tinkering ply, +And I should fortunes tell; +For then within our little tent +In safety we might dwell." + +"Well said, my little gypsy girl, +I like well what you say; +We'll tinkering ply, and fortunes tell +O'er the hills so far away. + +"'Tis a pleasant thing in a dusky night +A horse-stealing to go; +But to swing in the wind on the gallows-tree, +Is no pleasant thing, I trow." + + +THE DUI CHALOR + + +Dui Romany Chals were bitcheney, +Bitcheney pawdle the bori pawnee. +Plato for kawring, +Lasho for choring +The putsi of a bori rawnee. + +And when they well'd to the wafu tem, +The tem that's pawdle the bori pawnee, +Plato was nasho +Sig, but Lasho +Was lell'd for rom by a bori rawnee. + +You cam to jin who that rawnie was, +'Twas the rawnie from whom he chor'd the putsee: +The Chal had a black +Chohauniskie yack, +And she slomm'd him pawdle the bori pawnee. + + +THE TWO GYPSIES + + +Two Gypsy lads were transported, +Were sent across the great water. +Plato was sent for rioting, +And Louis for stealing the purse +Of a great lady. + +And when they came to the other country, +The country that lies across the great water, +Plato was speedily hung, +But Louis was taken as a husband +By a great lady. + +You wish to know who was the lady, +'Twas the lady from whom he stole the purse: +The Gypsy had a black and witching eye, +And on account of that she followed him +Across the great water. + + +MIRO ROMANY CHl + + +As I was a jawing to the gav yeck divvus +I met on the drom miro Romany chi; +I pootch'd las whether she come sar mande, +And she penn'd tu sar wafo rommadis; +O mande there is kek wafo romady, +So penn'd I to miro Romany chi, +And I'll kair tute miro tatcho romadi +If you but pen tu come sar mande. + + +MY ROMAN LASS + + +As I to the town was going one day +My Roman lass I met by the way; +Said I: Young maid, will you share my lot? +Said she: Another wife you've got. +Ah no! to my Roman lass I cried: +No wife have I in the world so wide, +And you my wedded wife shall be +If you will consent to come with me. + + +AVA, CHI + + +Hokka tute mande +Mande pukkra bebee +Mande shauvo tute - +Ava, Chi! + + +YES, MY GIRL + + +If to me you prove untrue, +Quickly I'll your auntie tell +I've been over-thick with you - +Yes, my girl, I will. + + +THE TEMESKOE RYE + + +Penn'd the temeskoe rye to the Romany chi, +As the choon was dicking prey lende dui: +Rinkeny tawni, Romany rawni, +Mook man choom teero gudlo mui. + + +THE YOUTHFUL EARL + + +Said the youthful earl to the Gypsy girl, +As the moon was casting its silver shine: +Brown little lady, Egyptian lady, +Let me kiss those sweet lips of thine. + + +CAMO-GILLIE + + +Pawnie birks +My men-engni shall be; +Yackors my dudes +Like ruppeney shine: +Atch meery chi! +Ma jal away: +Perhaps I may not dick tute +Kek komi. + + +LOVE-SONG + + +I'd choose as pillows for my head +Those snow-white breasts of thine; +I'd use as lamps to light my bed +Those eyes of silver shine: +O lovely maid, disdain me not, +Nor leave me in my pain: +Perhaps 'twill never be my lot +To see thy face again. + + +TUGNIS AMANDE + + +I'm jalling across the pani - +A choring mas and morro, +Along with a bori lubbeny, +And she has been the ruin of me. + +I sov'd yeck rarde drey a gran, +A choring mas and morro, +Along with a bori lubbeny, +And she has been the ruin of me. + +She pootch'd me on the collico, +A choring mas and morro, +To jaw with lasa to the show, +For she would be the ruin of me. + +And when I jaw'd odoy with lasa, +A choring mas and morro, +Sig she chor'd a rawnie's kissi, +And so she was the ruin of me. + +They lell'd up lata, they lell'd up mande, +A choring mas and morro, +And bitch'd us dui pawdle pani, +So she has been the ruin of me. + +I'm jalling across the pani, +A choring mas and morro, +Along with a bori lubbeny, +And she has been the ruin of me. + + +WOE IS ME + + +I'm sailing across the water, +A-stealing bread and meat so free, +Along with a precious harlot, +And she has been the ruin of me. + +I slept one night within a barn, +A-stealing bread and meat so free, +Along with a precious harlot, +And she has been the ruin of me. + +Next morning she would have me go, +A-stealing bread and meat so free, +To see with her the wild-beast show, +For she would be the ruin of me. + +I went with her to see the show, +A-stealing bread and meat so free, +To steal a purse she was not slow, +And so she was the ruin of me. + +They took us up, and with her I, +A-stealing bread and meat so free: +Am sailing now to Botany, +So she has been the ruin of me. + +I'm sailing across the water, +A-stealing bread and meat so free, +Along with a precious harlot, +And she has been the ruin of me. + + +THE RYE AND RAWNIE + + +The rye he mores adrey the wesh +The kaun-engro and chiriclo; +You sovs with leste drey the wesh, +And rigs for leste the gono. + +Oprey the rukh adrey the wesh +Are chiriclo and chiricli; +Tuley the rukh adrey the wesh +Are pireno and pireni. + + +THE SQUIRE AND LADY + + +The squire he roams the good greenwood, +And shoots the pheasant and the hare; +Thou sleep'st with him in good green wood, +And dost for him the game-sack bear. + +I see, I see upon the tree +The little male and female dove; +Below the tree I see, I see +The lover and his lady love. + + +ROMANY SUTTUR GILLIE + + +Jaw to sutturs, my tiny chal; +Your die to dukker has jall'd abri; +At rarde she will wel palal +And tute of her tud shall pie. + +Jaw to lutherum, tiny baw! +I'm teerie deya's purie mam; +As tute cams her tud canaw +Thy deya meerie tud did cam. + + +GYPSY LULLABY + + +Sleep thee, little tawny boy! +Thy mother's gone abroad to spae, +Her kindly milk thou shalt enjoy +When home she comes at close of day. + +Sleep thee, little tawny guest! +Thy mother is my daughter fine; +As thou dost love her kindly breast, +She once did love this breast of mine. + + +SHARRAFI KRALYISSA + + +Finor coachey innar Lundra, +Bonor coachey innar Lundra, +Finor coachey, bonor coachey +Mande dick'd innar Lundra. + +Bonor, finor coachey +Mande dick'd innar Lundra +The divvus the Kralyissa jall'd +To congri innar Lundra. + + +OUR BLESSED QUEEN + + +Coaches fine in London, +Coaches good in London, +Coaches fine and coaches good +I did see in London. + +Coaches good and coaches fine +I did see in London, +The blessed day our blessed Queen +Rode to church in London. + + +PLASTRA LESTI! + + +Gare yourselves, pralor! +Ma pee kek-komi! +The guero's welling - +Plastra lesti! + + +RUN FOR IT! + + +Up, up, brothers! +Cease your revels! +The Gentile's coming - +Run like devils! + + + +FOREIGN GYPSY SONGS + + + +Oy die-la, oy mama-la oy! +Cherie podey mangue penouri. +Russian Gypsy Song. + + +THE ROMANY SONGSTRESS +FROM THE RUSSIAN GYPSY + + +Her temples they are aching, +As if wine she had been taking; +Her tears are ever springing, +Abandoned is her singing! +She can neither eat nor nest +With love she's so distress'd; +At length she's heard to say: +"Oh here I cannot stay, +Go saddle me my steed, +To my lord I must proceed; +In his palace plenteously +Both eat and drink shall I; +The servants far and wide, +Bidding guests shall run and ride. +And when within the hall the multitude I see, +I'll raise my voice anew, and sing in Romany." + + + +L'ERAJAI + + + +Un erajai +Sinaba chibando un sermon; +Y lle falta un balicho +Al chindomar de aquel gao, +Y lo chanelaba que los Cales +Lo abian nicabao; +Y penela l'erajai, "Chaboro! +Guillate a tu quer +Y nicabela la peri +Que terela el balicho, +Y chibela andro +Una lima de tun chabori, +Chabori, +Una lima de tun chabori." + + +THE FRIAR +FROM THE SPANISH GYPSY + + +A Friar +Was preaching once with zeal and with fire; +And a butcher of the town +Had lost a flitch of bacon; +And well the friar knew +That the Gypsies it had taken; +So suddenly he shouted: "Gypsy, ho! +Hie home, and from the pot! +Take the flitch of bacon out, +The flitch good and fat, +And in its place throw +A clout, a dingy clout of thy brat, +Of thy brat, +A clout, a dingy clout of thy brat." + + +MALBRUN + + +Chalo Malbrun chingarar, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Chalo Malbrun chingarar; +No se bus trutera! +No se bus trutera! + +La romi que le camela, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +La romi que le camela +Muy curepenada esta, +Muy curepenada esta. + +S'ardela a la felicha, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +S'ardela a la felicha +Y baribu dur dica, +Y baribu dur dica. + +Dica abillar su burno, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Dica abillar su burno, +En ropa callarda, +En ropa callarda. + +"Burno, lacho quirbo; +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Burno, lacho quiribo, +Que nuevas has dinar? +Que nuevas has dinar?" + +"Las nuevas que io terelo, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Las nuevas que io terelo +Te haran orobar, +Te haran orobar. + +"Mero Malbrun mi eray, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Mero Malbrun mi eray +Mero en la chinga, +Mero en la chinga. + +"Sinaba a su entierro, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Sinaba a su entierro +La plastani sara, +La plastani sara. + +"Seis guapos jundunares, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Seis guapos jundunares +Le llevaron cabanar, +Le llevaron cabanar. + +"Delante de la jestari, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Delante de la jestari +Chalo el sacrista, +Chalo el sacrista. + +"El sacrista delante, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +El sacrista delante, +Y el errajai pala, +Y el errajai pala. + +"Al majaro ortalame, +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Al majaro ortalame +Le llevaron cabanar, +Le llevaron cabanar. + +"Y ote le cabanaron +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Y ote le cabanaron +No dur de la burda, +No dur de la burda. + +"Y opre de la jestari +Birandon, birandon, birandera! +Guillabela un chilindrote; +Soba en paz, soba! +Soba en paz, soba! + + + +MALBROUK +FROM THE SPANISH GYPSY VERSION + + + +Malbrouk is gone to the wars, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +Malbrouk is gone to the wars; +He'll never return no more! +He'll never return no more! + +His lady-love and darling, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera +His lady-love and darling +His absence doth deplore, +His absence doth deplore. + +To the turret's top she mounted, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +To the turret's top she mounted +And look'd till her eyes were sore, +And look'd till her eyes were sore. + +She saw his squire a-coming, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +She saw his squire a-coming; +And a mourning suit he wore, +And a mourning suit he wore. + +"O squire, my trusty fellow; +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +O squire, my trusty fellow, +What news of my soldier poor? +What news of my soldier poor?" + +"The news which I bring thee, lady, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +The news which I bring thee, lady, +Will cause thy tears to shower, +Will cause thy tears to shower. + +"Malbrouk my master's fallen, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +Malbrouk my master's fallen, +He fell on the fields of gore, +He fell on the fields of gore. + +"His funeral attended, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +His funeral attended +The whole reg'mental corps, +The whole reg'mental corps. + +"Six neat and proper soldiers, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +Six neat and proper soldiers +To the grave my master bore, +To the grave my master bore. + +"The parson follow'd the coffin, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +The parson follow'd the coffin, +And the sexton walk'd before, +And the sexton walk'd before. + +"They buried him in the churchyard, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +They buried him in the churchyard, +Not far from the church's door, +Not far from the church's door. + +"And there above his coffin, +Birrandon, birrandon, birrandera! +There sings a little swallow: +Sleep there, thy toils are o'er, +Sleep there, thy toils are o'er." + + + + +THE ENGLISH GYPSIES + + + + +TUGNEY BESHOR + + + +The Romany Chals +Should jin so bute +As the Puro Beng +To scape of gueros +And wafo gorgies +The wafodupen. + +They lels our gryor, +They lels our wardoes, +And wusts us then +Drey starripenes +To mer of pishens +And buklipen. + +Cauna volelan +Muley pappins +Pawdle the len +Men artavavam +Of gorgio foky +The wafodupen. +Ley teero sollohanloinus opreylis! + + + +SORROWFUL YEARS + + + +The wit and the skill +Of the Father of ill, +Who's clever indeed, +If they would hope +With their foes to cope +The Romany need. + +Our horses they take, +Our waggons they break, +And us they fling +Into horrid cells, +Where hunger dwells +And vermin sting. + +When the dead swallow +The fly shall follow +Across the river, +O we'll forget +The wrongs we've met, +But till then O never: +Brother, of that be certain. + + +The 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 {3} 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 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! + + +Sar shin Sinfye? +Koshto divvus, Romany Chi! +So shan tute kairing acoi? + +Sinfye, Sinfye! how do you do? +Daughter of Rome, good day to you! +What are you thinking here to do? + + +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 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. + +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 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 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. + +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 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 brother or +sister in court, as much as to say: "Mande has gared the luvvu; +mande is kek atugni for the besh's starripen"--"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 are features so odd, so strangely droll, that +indignation against the offence is dispelled by an irresistible +desire to laugh. + +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, 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. + + + +GYPSY NAMES + + + +There 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. + +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 Vardo-mescro and Petulengro. The +first of these renderings is by no means a satisfactory one, as +Vardo-mescro 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 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 bedra-kero or +pail-maker, but bedra is not Gypsy, but Hungarian, and the English +Gypsies might with equal propriety call a cooper a pail-engro. On +the whole the English Gypsies did their best when they rendered +'cooper' into their language by the word for 'cartwright.' + +Petulengro, 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 Petulengro: it must +signify, however, either horseshoe-fellow or tinker: petali or +petala signifies in Gypsy a horseshoe, and is probably derived from +the Modern Greek [Greek: ]; engro is an affix, and is either derived +from or connected with the Sanscrit kara, to make, so that with great +feasibility Petulengro may be translated horseshoe-maker. But bedel +in Hebrew means 'tin,' and as there is little more difference between +petul and bedel than between petul and petalon, Petulengro may be +translated with almost equal feasibility by tinker or tin-worker, +more especially as tinkering is a principal pursuit of Gypsies, and +to jal petulengring 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), Petulengro may be considered as a tolerably fair rendering of +the English Smith. + +So much for the names of the Gypsies which 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:- + +BOSWELL.--The proper meaning of this word is the town of Bui. The +initial Bo or Bui 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 kempions, who won land and a home by hard blows. +The last syllable, well, is the French ville: Boswell, Boston, and +Busby all signify one and the same thing--the town of Bui--the well +being French, the ton Saxon, and the by 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 bos with buss, a +vulgar English verb not to be found in dictionaries, which signifies +to kiss, rendered the name Boswell by Chumomisto, that is, Kisswell, +or one who kisses well--choom in their language signifying to kiss, +and misto well--likewise by choomomescro, a kisser. Vulgar as the +word buss may sound at present, it is by no means of vulgar origin, +being connected with the Latin basio and the Persian bouse. + +GREY.--This is the name of a family celebrated in English history. +The Gypsies who adopted it, rendered it into their language by Gry, a +word very much resembling it in sound, though not in sense, for gry, +which is allied to the Sanscrit ghora, 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; +glas, it is true, is used to express it, but glas is as frequently +used to express green as it is to express grey. + +HEARNE, HERNE.--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 word-- +Rossar-mescro or Ratzie-mescro, and Balorengre. Rossar-mescro +signifies duck-fellow, the duck being substituted for the heron, for +which there is no word in Romany. The meaning of Balor-engre 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. + +LEE.--The Gypsy name of this tribe is Purrum, sometimes pronounced +Purrun. The meaning of Purrurn is an onion, and it may be asked what +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 Purrum, 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 +Purrun, a modification of pooro, which in the Gypsy language +signifies old, but speedily came to the conclusion that it must be +Purrum, 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 Purrum, 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 pooro, old, +belongs to Hindostan, and is connected with the Sanscrit pura, which +signifies the same. Purrum is a modification of the Wallachian pur, +a word derived from the Latin porrum, 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. + +LOVEL.--This is the name or title of an old and powerful English +family. The meaning of it is 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 Camlo or Caumlo, +that which is lovely or amiable, and also by Camomescro, a lover, an +amorous person, sometimes used for 'friend.' Camlo is connected with +the Sanscrit Cama, 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: Cama, if all tales be true, was black, black though +comely, a Beltenebros, 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 +Kaulo Camloes, 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 Caumlies, 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. + +MARSHALL.--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 adopted the name seem in translating it to +have been of opinion that it was connected with marshes, for they +rendered it by mokkado tan engre, 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 +Bungyoror and Chikkeneymengre, 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. + +STANLEY.--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 Auchinlech, 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 Baryor or Baremescre, stone-folks or +stonemasons, the other is Beshaley. 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 attempts +at translation. When they rendered Stanley by Beshaley or Beshley, +they mistook the first syllable stan for 'stand,' but for a very good +reason rendered it by besh, which signifies 'to sit, and the second +for a word in their own language, for ley or aley in Gypsy signifies +'down,' so they rendered Stanley by Beshley or Beshaley, which +signifies 'sit down.' Here, of course, it will be asked what reason +could have induced them, if they mistook stan 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 +besh, and in every Gypsy encampment all along the vast distance, +Beshley or Beshaley would be considered an invitation to sit down. + +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 Brono Aljenicato, 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: Poncio bears some resemblance to +the Spanish puente, which signifies a bridge, and is a modification +of the Latin pons, and Pilato to the Spanish pila, 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 Brono Aljenicato--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 Brono Aljenicato, of the +heterogeneous materials of which Gypsy dialects are composed: Brono +is a modification of a Hindoo or Sanscrit, Aljenicato of an Arabic +root. Brono is connected with the Sanscrit pindala, which signifies +a bridge, and Aljenicato is a modification of the Gypsy aljenique, +derived from the Arabic alain, which signifies the fountain. But of +whatever materials composed, a fine-sounding name is this same Brono +Aljenicato, 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 Poncio Pilato serves to express in Spanish, for then it would +be Pudjico Pani or Bridgewater; for though in English Gypsy there is +the word for a bridge, namely pudge, a modification of the Persian +pul, or the Wallachian podul, there is none for a fountain, which can +be only vaguely paraphrased by pani, water. + + + +FORTUNE-TELLING + + + +Gypsy 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, bocht +and dukkering. Bocht is a Persian word, a modification of, or +connected with, the Sanscrit bagya, which signifies 'fate.' +Dukkering is the modification of a Wallaco-Sclavonian word signifying +something spiritual or ghostly. In Eastern European Gypsy, the Holy +Ghost is called Swentuno Ducos. + +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 vast she dukkers, whose hand she reads, and adapts +the luck she promises. There is a ballad of some antiquity in the +Spanish language about the Buena Ventura, a few stanzas of which +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:- + + +Late rather one morning +In summer's sweet tide, +Goes forth to the Prado +Jacinta the bride: + +There meets her a Gypsy +So fluent of talk, +And jauntily dressed, +On the principal walk. + +"O welcome, thrice welcome, +Of beauty thou flower! +Believe me, believe me, +Thou com'st in good hour." + +Surprised was Jacinta; +She fain would have fled; +But the Gypsy to cheer her +Such honeyed words said: + +"O cheek like the rose-leaf! +O lady high-born! +Turn thine eyes on thy servant, +But ah, not in scorn. + +"O pride of the Prado! +O joy of our clime! +Thou twice shalt be married, +And happily each time. + +"Of two noble sons +Thou shalt be the glad mother, +One a Lord Judge, +A Field-Marshal the other." + + +Gypsy females have told fortunes to higher people than the young +Countess Jacinta: Modor--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, Pepita, the Gitana of Madrid, told the bahi 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 +sonkaype or gold-gift being, no doubt, more acceptable than the +choomape or kiss-gift to the Beltenebrosa, who, if a certain song be +true, had no respect for gorgios, however much she liked their +money:- + + +Britannia is my nav; +I am a Kaulo Camlo; +The gorgios pen I be +A bori chovahaunie; +And tatchipen they pens, +The dinneleskie gorgies, +For mande chovahans +The luvvu from their putsies. + +Britannia is my name; +I am a swarthy Lovel; +The Gorgios say I be +A witch of wondrous power; +And faith they speak the truth, +The silly, foolish fellows, +For often I bewitch +The money from their pockets. + + +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 kuhana; +for instance, it is called in Spain jojana, hokano, and in English +hukni. 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 the +poor woman than those of the upper. One of the ways, perhaps the +most artful, will be found described in another chapter. + + + +THE HUKNI + + + +The 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:- + + +O dear me! O dear me! +What dinnelies these gorgies be. + + +The above artifice is called by the English Gypsies the hukni, and by +the Spanish hokhano baro, or the great lie. Hukni and hokano were +originally one and the same word; the root seems to be the Sanscrit +huhana, lie, trick, deceit. + + + +CAURING + + + +The 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; barributer 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 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--kek yeck, kek +yeck--not one, not one. Stay, stay! What's this, what's this? So +se cavo, so se cavo? 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 trin +tringurushis, tringurushis, tringurushis. 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 cauring, and by the +Spanish ustilar pastesas, or stealing with the fingers. The word +caur seems to be connected with the English cower, and the Hebrew +kara, a word of frequent occurrence in the historical part of the Old +Testament, and signifying to bend, stoop down, incurvare. + + + +METROPOLITAN GYPSYRIES--WANDSWORTH, 1864 + + + +What 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 +kekkeno mushes puv, 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 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 dukkering and +hokkering, 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. + +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, 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, chinning the cost, that is, cutting +the stick for skewers, making pegs for linen-lines, kipsimengring 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 chinning the cost, 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: + + +Can you rokra Romany? +Can you play the bosh? +Can you jal adrey the staripen? +Can you chin the cost? + +Can you speak the Roman tongue? +Can you play the fiddle? +Can you eat the prison-loaf? +Can you cut and whittle? + + +These Gypsies are of various tribes, but chiefly Purruns, +Chumomescroes and Vardomescroes, or Lees, Boswells and Coopers, and +Lees being by 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 dukker 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 statue, 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 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 tatchie romadie, 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 +dukkering. All that happened many years ago; Jack's term of +transportation, a lengthy one, has long, long been expired, but he +has not come 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 +dukker to support him if necessary. A true wife she has been to him, +a tatchie romadie, 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 Sonnakye Tem, 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 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 gillie to sing: + + +Charlotta is my nav, +I am a puro Purrun; +My romado was Jack, +The couring Vardomescro. +He muk'd me for a lubbeny, +Who chor'd a rawnie's kissi; +He penn'd 'twas he who lell'd it, +And so was bitched pawdel. + +Old Charlotte I am called, +Of Lee I am a daughter; +I married Fighting Jack, +The famous Gypsy Cooper. +He left me for a harlot, +Who pick'd a lady's pocket; +He bore the blame to save her, +And so was sent to Bot'ny. + + +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 beau +ideal 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 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 dukkering 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 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 kek tatcho, and that's what I like +least in her; there's no trusting her, neither Gorgio nor Romano can +trust her: she sells her truppos to a Rye-gorgio for five bars, and +when she has got them, and the Gorgio, as he has a right to do, +begins to kelna lasa, she laughs and asks him if he knows whom he has +to deal with; then if he lels bonnek of lati, as he is quite +justified in doing, she whips out a churi, and swears if he doesn't +leave off she will stick it in his gorlo. Oh! she's an evil mare, a +wafodu grasni, though a handsome one, and I never looks at her, +brother, without saying to myself the old words: + + +"Rinkeno mui and wafodu zee +Kitzi's the cheeros we dicks cattane." +A beautiful face and a black wicked mind +Often, full often together we find. + + +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. + +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 ranior, between four and five feet in length, and +croming or bending towards the top, are stuck in the ground at about +twenty inches from each other, a rod or two being omitted in that +part where the entrance is intended to be. The cromes 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. + +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 churi, or knife, with which to cut food. +Eating-forks they have none, and for an eating-fork they have no +word, the term pasengri signifying a straw- or pitch-fork. Spoons +are used by them generally of horn, and are called royis. They have +but two culinary articles, the kekkauvi and pirry, kettle and boiler, +which are generally of copper, to which, however, may perhaps be +added the kekkauviskey saster, 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 bedra, though it is +generally called pani-mengri, 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:- Av adrey, Romany Rye, av adrey ta besh +aley pawdle odoy! 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. + +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 +keir vardo, 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 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 +bo, 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. + +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 dandrimengreskie zimmen, +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 chin the cost, to mend chairs or make baskets; the women go +forth to hok and dukker, 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 hotchiwitches, or hedgehogs, the flesh of which is very +sweet and tender, and which their mothers are adepts at cooking. + +The Gypsies, as has been already observed, are not the sole occupiers +of Wandsworth grounds. 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:- + +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 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. Choredo, 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. + +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 kora, or karra, is by no means bad Hebrew: +kora, in the Holy Language, signifies he cried out, called, or +proclaimed: and a partridge is called in Hebrew kora, from its +continually crying out to its young, when leading them about to feed. +Koran, the name of the sacred book of the Mahomedans, is of the same +root. + +Lastly come the Hindity-mengre, or Filthy 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 +fashiono vangustengre 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 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 ring-dropping. + +What is ring-dropping? + +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 pounds 15s. "Now, sir," he +continues, "I said we 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 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--" + +Three of the most famous of the Hindity smiths have been immortalised +by the Gypsies in the following bit of verse: + + +Mickie, Huwie and Larry, +Trin Hindity-mengre fashiono vangust-engre. + +Mickie, Huwie and Larry bold, +Three Irish brothers, as I am told, +Who make false rings, that pass for gold. + + +Of these fashiono-vangust 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 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 fashiono vangusties. 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 ban +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 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 a fashiono-vangust-engro. +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 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. + + + +THE POTTERIES, 1864 + + + +The 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 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 Koromengreskoe Tan, 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. + +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 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. + +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 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, - + + +What care we, though we be so small? +The tent shall stand when the palace shall fall; + + +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. + +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, 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 +ker-vardo, 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 kral o' the tan, the rex loci, +the cock of the green. But what is he besides? Is he Gypsy, +Chorody, or Hindity mush? 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 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 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 striking 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.) + +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 esconyemengres, 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. + + + +THE MOUNT + + + +Before 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. + +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 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. + +The Gypsies of the Mount live much in the same manner as their +brethren in the other Gypsyries of London. They chin the cost, make +skewers, 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 cauring mush, whose exploits in the filching line +will be remembered as long as the venerable tribe of Purrum, or Lee, +continues in existence. + + + +RYLEY BOSVIL + + + +Ryley 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 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 hok and dukker 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 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. + +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 wafodu luvvu, 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 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, yocky being a Gypsy word, signifying 'clever.' She +could dukker--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 big hok, that is, at inducing people to put money +into her hands, in the hope of its being multiplied; and, oh dear! +how she could caur--that is, filch gold rings and trinkets from +jewellers' cases; the kind of thing which the Spanish Gypsy women +call ustilar pastesas, filching with the hands. Frequently she would +disappear, and travel about England, and Scotland too, dukkering, +hokking, and cauring, 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, to let the juggals 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 +wafodu luvvu 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:- + + +"The Gorgios seek to hang me, +The Gypsies seek to kill me: +This country we must leave." + +Shuri. + +I'll jaw with you to heaven, +I'll jaw with you to Yaudors - +But not if Lura goes." + +Lura. + +"I'll jaw with you to heaven, +And to the wicked country, +Though Shuri goeth too." + +Ryley. + +"Since I must choose betwixt ye, +My choice is Yocky Shuri, +Though Lura loves me best." + +Lura. + +"My blackest curse on Shuri! +Oh, Ryley, I'll not curse you, +But you will never thrive." + + +She then took her departure with her cart and donkey, and Ryley +remained with Shuri. + + +Ryley. + +"I've chosen now betwixt ye; +Your wish you now have gotten, +But for it you shall smart." + + +He then struck her with his fist on the cheek, and broke her jawbone. +Shuri uttered no cry or complaint, only mumbled: + + +"Although with broken jawbone, +I'll follow thee, my Ryley, +Since Lura doesn't jal." + + +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 dukkering and hokking, 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. + + +Old Gypsy. + +"Methinks I see a brother! +Who's your father? Who's your mother? +And what may be your name?" + +Ryley. + +"A Bosvil was my father; +A Bosvil was my mother; +And Ryley is my name." + +Old Gypsy. + +"I'm glad to see you, brother! +I am a Kaulo Camlo. {4} +What service can I do?" + +Ryley. + +"I'm jawing petulengring, {5} +But do not know the country; +Perhaps you'll show me round." + +Old Gypsy. + +"I'll sikker tute, prala! +I'm bikkening esconyor; {6} +Av, av along with me!" + + +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. + +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 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 of force, if +nothing else, to recommend them. One of these, addressed to Yocky +Shuri, runs as follows: + + +Tuley the Can I kokkeney cam +Like my rinkeny Yocky Shuri: +Oprey the chongor in ratti I'd cour +For my rinkeny Yocky Shuri! + + +Which may be thus rendered: + + +Beneath the bright sun, there is none, there is none, +I love like my Yocky Shuri: +With the greatest delight, in blood I would fight +To the knees for my Yocky Shuri! + + +KIRK YETHOLM + + + +There 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, 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. + +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 posada or venta. 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 +myself at last, "and I shouldn't wonder if strange things have been +done in it." + +"Come to see the Gypsy toon, sir?" said a voice not far from me. + +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. + +"A Gypsy town, is it?" said I; "why, I thought it had been Kirk +Yetholm." + +Woman.--"Weel, sir, if it is Kirk Yetholm, must it not be a Gypsy +toon? Has not Kirk Yetholm ever been a Gypsy toon?" + +Myself.--"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." + +Woman.--"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." + +Myself.--"You do not seem to be a Gypsy." + +Woman.--"Seem to be a Gypsy! Na, na, sir! I am the bairn of decent +parents, and belong not to Kirk Yetholm, but to Haddington." + +Myself.--"And what brought you to Kirk Yetholm?" + +Woman.--"Oh, my ain little bit of business brought me to Kirk +Yetholm, sir." + +Myself.--"Which is no business of mine. That's a queer-looking house +there." + +Woman.--"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 man once lived in it. Does your honour know who once lived +in that house?" + +Myself.--"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." + +Woman.--"Does your honour come from far?" + +Myself.--"A good way. I came from Strandraar, the farthest part of +Galloway, where I landed from a ship which brought me from Ireland." + +Woman.--"And what may have brought your honour into these parts?" + +Myself.--"Oh, my ain wee bit of business brought me into these +parts." + +"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." + +Myself.--"Old Will Faa!" + +Woman.--"Yes. Old Will Faa, the Gypsy king, smuggler, and innkeeper; +he lived in that inn." + +Myself.--"Oh, then that house has been an inn?" + +Woman.--"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." + +Myself.--"Is the house still kept by a Faa?" + +Woman.--"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." + +Myself.--"I really should like to see some of the blood." + +Woman.--"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." + +Myself.--"I really should like to see her." + +Woman.--"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." + +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 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." + +Myself.--"Oh, then the Gypsies of Yetholm have a language of their +own?" + +Woman.--"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." + +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. + +"There is something Gypsy in that face," said I to myself, as I +looked at her; "but I don't like those eyes." + +"A fine evening," said I to her at last. + +"Yes, sir," said the woman, with very little of the Scotch accent; +"it is a fine evening. Come to see the town?" + +"Yes," said I; "I am come to see the town. A nice little town it +seems." + +"And I suppose come to see the Gypsies, too," said the woman, with a +half smile. + +"Well," said I, "to be frank with you, I came to see the Gypsies. +You are not one, I suppose?" + +"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?" + +"Then," said I, "you must be related to her whom they call the Gypsy +queen." + +"I am, indeed, sir. Would you wish to see her?" + +"By all means," said I. "I should wish very much to see the Gypsy +queen." + +"Then I will show you to her, sir; many gentlefolks from England come +to see the Gypsy queen of Yetholm. Follow me, sir!" + +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 coro of +koshto levinor?" {7} + +She stopped her knitting for a moment, and appeared to consider, and +then resuming it, she said hesitatingly, "No, sir, no! None at all! +That is, not exactly!" + +"She is no true Gypsy, after all," said I to myself. + +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: + +"Now, sir, in what can I oblige you?" + +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: + +"Sossi your nav? Pukker mande tute's nav! Shan tu a mumpli-mushi, +or a tatchi Romany?" + +Which, interpreted into Gorgio, runs thus: + +"What is your name? Tell me your name! Are you a mumping woman, or +a true Gypsy?" + +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." + +"Gibberish!" said I; "it is no gibberish; it is Zingarrijib, Romany +rokrapen, real Gypsy of the old order." + +"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." + +"Why, they told me as how you were a Gypsy," said I. + +"And they told you the truth," said the woman; "I am a Gypsy, and a +real one; I am not ashamed of my blood." + +"If yer were a Gyptian," said I, "yer would be able to speak Gyptian; +but yer can't, not a word." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Not very civil," said the woman. + +"A pretty Gypsy!" said I; "why, I'll be bound you don't know what a +churi is!" + +The woman gave me a sharp look; but made no reply. + +"A pretty queen of the Gypsies!" said I; "why, she doesn't know the +meaning of churi!" + +"Doesn't she?" said the woman, evidently nettled; "doesn't she?" + +"Why, do you mean to say that you know the meaning of churi?" + +"Why, of course I do," said the woman. + +"Hardly, my good lady," said I; "hardly; a churi to you is merely a +churi." + +"A churi is a knife," said the woman, in a tone of defiance; "a churi +is a knife." + +"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: +churi 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." + +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. + +"Speaking Gyptianly?" said I. + +The woman nodded. + +"Whoy, I calls that yog." + +"Hm," said the woman: "and the dog out there?" + +"Gyptian-loike?" said I. + +"Yes." + +"Whoy, I calls that a juggal." + +"And the hat on your head?" + +"Well, I have two words for that: a staury and a stadge." + +"Stadge," said the woman, "we call it here. Now what's a gun?" + +"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--yag- +engro--but that is a made-up word signifying a fire-thing." + +"Then you don't know the word for a gun," said the Gypsy. + +"Oh dear me! Yes," said I; "the genuine Gypsy word for a gun is +puschca. But I did not pick up that word in England, but in Hungary, +where the Gypsies retain their language better than in England: +puschca is the proper word for a gun, and not yag-engro, which may +mean a fire-shovel, tongs, poker, or anything connected with fire, +quite as well as a gun." + +"Puschca 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 Nokkum?" + +"Nokkum," said I; "nokkum?" + +"Aye," said the Gypsy; "what is Nokkum? Our people here, besides +their common name of Romany, have a private name for themselves, +which is Nokkum or Nokkums. Why do the children of the Caungri Foros +call themselves Nokkums?" + +"Nokkum," said I; "nokkum? The root of nokkum must be nok, which +signifieth a nose." + +"A-h!" said the Gypsy, slowly drawing out the monosyllable, as if in +astonishment. + +"Yes," said I; "the root of nokkum is assuredly nok, and I have no +doubt that your people call themselves Nokkum because they are in the +habit of nosing the Gorgios. Nokkums means Nosems." + +"Sit down, sir," said the Gypsy, handing me a chair. "I am now ready +to talk to you as much as you please about Nokkum 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." + +I sat down in the chair which she handed me; she sat down in another, +and we were presently in deep discourse about matters Nokkum. 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 poggado jib, 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 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 tringurushi, 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 +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 Nokkums, 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. + +"Unless," said I, "they found the stranger knew more than +themselves." + +"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 Nokkums, in general, are a dour set, +sir." + +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 tirrehi, or +tirrehai, signifying shoes or boots, which I had heard in Spain and +in the east of Europe. Another was calches, a Wallachian word +signifying trousers. Moreover, she gave the right pronunciation to +the word which denotes a man not of Gypsy blood, saying gajo, and not +gorgio, as the English Gypsies do. After all, her knowledge of +Gentle Romany was not altogether to be sneezed at. + +Ceasing to talk to her about words, I began to 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. +"Dosta dosta," 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, 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 Drabbing bawlor, dooking gryes, cauring, and hokking, and +asked if them 'ere things were ever done by the Nokkums: and +received for answer that she believed such things were occasionally +done, not by the Nokkums, but by other Gypsies, with whom her people +had no connection. + +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. + +"Did you travel alone?" said I. + +"No," said she; "when I travelled in Scotland I was with some of my +own people, and in England with the Lees and Bosvils." + +"Old acquaintances of mine," said I; "why only the other day I was +with them at Fairlop Fair, in the Wesh." + +"I frequently heard them talk of Epping Forest," said the Gypsy; "a +nice place, is it not?" + +"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 +company, and the nightingales, and cuckoos, and Romany chals and +chies. 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 Rye of all the Romans is in the +house, seated behind the door:- + + +Romany Chalor +Anglo the wuddur +Mistos are boshing; +Mande beshello +Innar the wuddur +Shooning the boshipen." + +Roman lads +Before the door +Bravely fiddle; +Here I sit +Within the door +And hear them fiddle. + + +"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." + +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 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. + +Wishing to know her age, I inquired of her what it was. She looked +angry, and said she did not know. + +"Are you forty-nine?" said I, with a terrible voice, and a yet more +terrible look. + +"More," said she, with a smile; "I am sixty-eight." + +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. + +But withal there was hukni 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. + +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 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. + +"Is So-and-so at home?" said I. + +"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." + +"Is she gone far?" said I. + +"No," said the speaker, kicking up his heels. + +"Where is she gone to?" + +"She's gone to Cauldstrame." + +"How far is that?" + +"Just thirteen miles." + +"Will she be at home to-day?" + +"She may, or she may not." + +"Are you of her people?" said I. + +"No-h," said the fellow, slowly drawing out the word. + +"Can you speak Irish?" + +"No-h; I can't speak Irish," said the fellow, tossing up his nose, +and then flinging up his heels. + +"You know what arragod is?" said I. + +"No-h!" + +"But you know what ruppy is?" said I; and thereupon I winked and nodded. + +"No-h;" and then up went the nose, and subsequently the heels. + +"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 Nokkums +on the Green, whom it was of little more use questioning than so many +stones. + +Nevertheless, she had played me the hukni, 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 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 rinkeni rakli. The +girl whom she called rinkeni or handsome, but whom I did not consider +handsome, had much of the appearance of one of those Irish 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 rawnie they have not." + +I looked in her eyes; there was nothing of hukni 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. + + + +Footnotes: + + + +{1} A Christian. + +{2} A fox. + +{3} "Merripen" means life, and likewise death; even as "collico" +means to-morrow as well as yesterday, and perhaps "sorlo," evening as +well as morning. + +{4} A Black Lovel. + +{5} Going a-tinkering. + +{6} I'll show you about, brother! I'm selling skewers. + +{7} A cup of good ale. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Romano Lavo-Lil, by George Borrow + diff --git a/old/rmlav10.zip b/old/rmlav10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..db57c08 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rmlav10.zip diff --git a/old/rmlav10h.htm b/old/rmlav10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1e578c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rmlav10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8632 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>New File</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<br> +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Romano Lavo-Lil, by George Borrow +<br> +The Project Gutenberg Etext Romany Dictionary, by George Borrow +<br> +The Project Gutenberg Etext Gypsy Dictinary, by George Borrow +<br> +#8 in our series George Borrow <br> +<br> +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +<br> +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! +<br> +<br> +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +<br> +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +<br> +electronic path open for the next readers. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +This etext was prepared by David Price, email +ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, <br> +from the 1905 John Murray edition. <br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +ROMANO LAVO-LIL<br> +WORD-BOOK OF THE ROMANY<br> +OR, ENGLISH GYPSY LANGUAGE<br> +WITH SPECIMENS OF GYPSY POETRY, AND AN<br> +ACCONT OF CERTAIN GYPSYRIES OR<br> +PLACES INHABITED BY THEM, AND<br> +OF VARIOS THINGS RELATING TO<br> +GYPSY LIFE IN ENGLAND.<br> + <br> +<br> +by George Borrow <br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Contents:<br> + <br> +The English Gypsy Language<br> +Romano Lavo-Lil: Word-book of the Romany<br> +Rhymed List of Gypsy Verbs<br> +Betie Rokrapenes: Little Sayings<br> +Cotorres of Mi-dibble's Lil. Chiv'd Adrey Romanes: Pieces of +Scripture cast into Romany<br> +The Lord's Prayer in the Gypsy Dialect of Transylvania<br> +Lil of Romano Jinnypen: Book of the Wisdom of the Egyptians<br> +Romane Navior of Temes and Gavior: Gypsy Names of Countries and +Towns<br> +Thomas Rossar-Mescro, or Thomas Herne<br> +Kokkodus Artarus<br> +Mang, Prala: Beg on, Brother<br> +English Gypsy Songs<br> + Welling Kattaney: The Gypsy Meeting<br> + Lelling Cappi: Making a Fortune<br> + The Dui Chalor: The Two Gypsies<br> + Miro Romany Chi: My Roman Lass<br> + Ava, Chi: Yes, my Girl<br> + The Temeskoe Rye: The Youthful Earl<br> + Camo-Gillie: Love Song<br> + Tugnis Amande: Woe is me<br> + The Rye and the Rawne: The Squire and Lady<br> + Romany Suttur Gillie: Gypsy Lullaby<br> + Sharrafi Kralyissa: Our Blessed Queen<br> + Plastra Lesti: Run for it!<br> +Foreign Gypsy Songs<br> + The Romany Songstress<br> + L'Erajai: The Frair<br> + Malbrun: Malbrouk<br> +The English Gypsies<br> + Tugney Beshor: Sorrowful Years<br> + Their History<br> +Gypsy Names<br> +Fortune-Telling<br> + The Hukni<br> + Cauring<br> +Metropolitan Gypsyries<br> + Wandsworth<br> + The Potteries<br> + The Mount<br> +Ryley Bosvil<br> +Kirk Yetholm<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +"Can you rokra Romany?<br> +Can you play the bosh?<br> +Can you jal adrey the staripen?<br> +Can you chin the cost?"<br> + <br> +"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?"<br> + <br> +The 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.<br> + <br> +<p><i>December</i> 1, 1873.<br> + <br> +{Special Project Gutenberg note: In this book a lot of +non-European characters are used which cannot easily be +reproduced. Rather than omit these entirely I have commented +where they occur in the text. If there's sufficient demand I'll +try to produce an updated text with these characters. David +Price, 28 June 2000}<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +THE ENGLISH GYPSY LANGUAGE<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +The 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.<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +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, 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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 <i>sasa</i> signify both +hare and rabbit, and <i>kalya</i> tomorrow as well as +yesterday.<br> + <br> +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; 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.<br> + <br> +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><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +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 +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.<br> + <br> +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 of Gypsy grammar yet retained by the English Gypsies +will be found noted in the Dictionary.<br> + <br> +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 [Greek text: ].<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +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:-<br> + <br> + <br> +Kek man camov te jib bolli-mengreskoenaes,<br> +Man camov te jib weshenjugalogonaes.<br> + <br> +I do not wish to live like a baptized person. {1}<br> +I wish to live like a dog of the wood. {2}<br> + <br> + <br> +It is clear-sounding and melodious, and well adapted to the +purposes of poetry. Let him who doubts peruse attentively the +following lines:-<br> + <br> + <br> +Coin si deya, coin se dado?<br> +Pukker mande drey Romanes,<br> +Ta mande pukkeravava tute.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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, miro</i> like <i>meero, +zi</i> like <i>zee,</i> and <i>puro</i> as if it were written +<i>pooro.</i><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> + <br> + <br> +ROMANO LAVO-LIL - WORD-BOOK OF THE ROMANY<br> + <br> +A<br> + <br> +ABRI, <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).<br> + <br> +Acai / Acoi, <i>ad. </i> Here.<br> + <br> +Adje, <i>v. n. </i> To stay, stop. <i>See</i> Atch, az.<br> + <br> +Adrey, <i>prep. </i> Into.<br> + <br> +Ajaw, <i>ad. </i> So. <i>Wallachian,</i> Asha.<br> + <br> +Aladge, <i>a. </i> Ashamed. <i>Sans. </i> Latch, laj.<br> + <br> +Aley, <i>ad. </i> Down: soving aley, lying down; to kin aley, to +buy off, ransom. <i>Hun. </i> Ala, alat.<br> + <br> +Amande, <i>pro. pers. dat. </i> To me.<br> + <br> +An, <i>v. a. imp. </i> Bring: an lis opré, bring it +up.<br> + <br> +Ana, <i>v.</i> a. Bring. <i>Sans. </i> Ani.<br> + <br> +Ando, <i>prep. </i> In.<br> + <br> +Anglo, <i>prep. </i> Before.<br> + <br> +Apasavello, <i>v. n. </i> I believe.<br> + <br> +Apopli, <i>ad. </i> Again. <i>Spanish Gypsy,</i> Apala (after). +<i> Wal.</i> Apoi (then, afterwards).<br> + <br> +Apré, <i>ad. prep. </i> Up: kair lis apré, do it +up. <i>Vid.</i> Opré.<br> + <br> +Aranya / Araunya, <i>s. </i> Lady. <i>Hungarian Gypsy,</i> +Aranya. <i>See</i> Rawnie.<br> + <br> +Artav <i>/</i> Artavello, <i>v. a. </i> To pardon, forgive. +<i> Wal.</i> Ierta. <i>Span. Gyp. </i> Estomar.<br> + <br> +Artapen, <i>s. </i> Pardon, forgiveness.<br> + <br> +Artáros. Arthur.<br> + <br> +Asā / Asau, <i>ad. </i> Also, likewise, too: meero pal asau, +my brother also.<br> + <br> +Asarlas, <i>ad. </i> At all, in no manner.<br> + <br> +Asa. An affix used in forming the second person singular of the +present tense; <i>e.g.</i> camasa, thou lovest.<br> + <br> +Astis, <i>a. </i> Possible, it is possible: astis mangué, +I can; astis lengué, they can.<br> + <br> +Ashā / Ashaw, <i>ad. </i> So: ashaw sorlo, so early. +<i> Wal.</i> Asha. <i>See</i> Ajaw.<br> + <br> +Atch, <i>v. n. </i> To stay, stop.<br> + <br> +Atch opré. Keep up.<br> + <br> +Atraish, <i>a. part. </i> Afraid. <i>Sans. </i> Tras (to fear), +atrāsït (frightened). <i>See</i> Traish.<br> + <br> +Av, <i>imperat.</i> of Ava, to come: av abri, come out.<br> + <br> +Ava, <i>ad. </i> Yes. <i>Sans. </i> Eva.<br> + <br> +Ava, <i>v. a. </i> To come.<br> + <br> +Avata acoi. Come thou here.<br> + <br> +Avali, <i>ad. </i> Yes. <i>Wal.</i> Aieva (really).<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Aukko, <i>ad. </i> Here.<br> + <br> +Az, <i>v. n. </i> To stay.<br> + <br> +B<br> + <br> +BAL, <i>s. </i> Hair. <i>Tibetian,</i> Bal (wool). +<i>Sans. </i> Bala (hair).<br> + <br> +Baleneskoe, <i>a. </i> Hairy.<br> + <br> +Balormengro. A hairy fellow; Hearne, the name of a Gypsy +tribe.<br> + <br> +Balanser, <i>s. </i> The coin called a sovereign.<br> + <br> +Ballivas, <i>s. </i> Bacon. <i>Span. Gyp. </i> +Balibá.<br> + <br> +Bangalo, <i>a. </i> Devilish. <i>See</i> Beng, bengako.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +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.</i> +[Greek: ] (weight).<br> + <br> +Bareskey, <i>a. </i> Stony.<br> + <br> +Bark, <i>s. </i> Breast, woman's breast.<br> + <br> +Bas / Base, <i>s. </i> Pound sterling. <i> Wal.</i> Pes (a +weight, burden).<br> + <br> +Bas-engro, <i>s.</i> A shepherd. <i>Run. </i> Bacso.<br> + <br> +Bashadi, <i>s. </i> A fiddle.<br> + <br> +Bata, <i>s. </i> A bee. <i>Sans. </i> Pata.<br> + <br> +Bau, <i>s. </i> Fellow, comrade. <i>See</i> Baw.<br> + <br> +Baul, <i>s. </i> Snail. <i>See</i> Bowle.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Baulie-mas, <i>s. </i> Pork, swine's flesh.<br> + <br> +Bavano. Windy, broken-winded.<br> + <br> +Bavol, <i>s. </i> Wind, air. <i>Sans. </i> Pavana. <i>See</i> +Beval.<br> + <br> +Bavol-engro, <i>s. </i> A wind-fellow; figurative name for a +ghost.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Beano, <i>part. pass. </i> Born.<br> + <br> +Beano abri. Born out of doors, like a Gypsy or vagrant.<br> + <br> +Bebee, <i>s. </i> Aunt. <i>Rus.</i> Baba (grandmother, old +woman, hag); Baba Yagā, the female demon of the Steppes.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Bengako tan, <i>s. </i> Hell. Lit. place belonging to +devils.<br> + <br> +Bengeskoe potan. Devil's tinder, sulphur.<br> + <br> +Bengeskoe / Benglo, <i>a. </i> Devilish.<br> + <br> +Bengree, <i>s. </i> Waistcoat. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Blani. +<i> Wal.</i> (Blāni fur).<br> + <br> +Berro, béro, <i>s. </i> A ship, a hulk for convicts. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Bero, las galeras, the galleys; presidio, +convict garrison.<br> + <br> +Ber-engro, <i>s. </i> A sailor.<br> + <br> +Bero-rukh, <i>s. </i> A mast.<br> + <br> +Bersh / Besh, <i>s. </i> A year. <i>Sans.</i> Varsha. He could +cour drey his besh, he could fight in his time.<br> + <br> +Bershor, <i>pl. </i> Years.<br> + <br> +Besh, <i>v. n. </i> To sit: beshel, he sits.<br> + <br> +Beshaley / Beshly, Gypsy name of the Stanley tribe.<br> + <br> +Besh-engri, <i>s. </i> A chair. <i>See</i> Skammen.<br> + <br> +Beti, <i>a. </i> Little, small.<br> + <br> +Beval, <i>s. </i> Wind. <i>See</i> Bavol.<br> + <br> +Bi, <i>prep. </i> Without: bi luvvu, without money.<br> + <br> +Bicunyie, <i>a. </i> Alone, undone: meklis <i>or</i> mukalis +bicunyie, let it alone.<br> + <br> +Bikhin <i>/</i> Bin <i>v. a. </i> To sell. <i>Hin. </i> +Bikna.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Bikhnipen, <i>s. </i> Sale.<br> + <br> +Birk, <i>s. </i> Woman's breast. <i>See</i> Bark.<br> + <br> +Bis, <i>a. </i> Twenty.<br> + <br> +Bisheni, <i>s.</i> The ague.<br> + <br> +Bitch / Bitcha, <i>v. a. </i> To send. <i>Sans. </i> Bis, +bisa.<br> + <br> +Bitched / Bitcheno, <i>part. pass. </i> Sent<br> + <br> +Bitcheno pawdel. Sent across, transported.<br> + <br> +Bitti, <i>s. a. </i> Small, piece, a little. This word is not +true Gypsy.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Bob, <i>s. </i> A bean. <i> Wal.</i> Bob: <i>pl.</i> bobbis, +bobs.<br> + <br> +Boccalo, <i>a. </i> Hungry: boccalé pers, hungry +bellies.<br> + <br> +Bokht, <i>s. </i> Luck, fortune: kosko bokht, good luck. +<i>Sans.</i> Bhãgya. <i>Pers.</i> Bakht.<br> + <br> +Bokra, <i>s. </i> A sheep. <i>Hun.</i> Birka.<br> + <br> +Bokra-choring. Sheep-stealing.<br> + <br> +Bokkar-engro, <i>s. </i> A shepherd: bokkar-engro drey, the dude, +man in the moon.<br> + <br> +Bokkari-gueri, <i>s. </i> Shepherdess.<br> + <br> +Bokkeriskoe, <i>a. </i> Sheepish, belonging to a sheep: +bokkeriskey piré, sheep's feet.<br> + <br> +Bolla, <i>v. a. </i> To baptize.<br> + <br> +Bonnek, <i>s. </i> Hold: lel bonnek, to take hold.<br> + <br> +Booko, <i>s. </i> Liver. <i>See</i> Bucca.<br> + <br> +Bolleskoe divvus. Christmas-day; <i>query,</i> baptismal day. +<i> Wal.</i> Botez (baptism).<br> + <br> +Bollimengreskoenaes. After the manner of a Christian.<br> + <br> +Boogones, <i>s. </i> Smallpox, pimples. <i>See</i> Bugnior.<br> + <br> +Bor, <i>s. </i> A hedge.<br> + <br> +Boona, <i>a. </i> Good. <i>Lat.</i> Bonus. <i> Wal.</i> +Boun.<br> + <br> +Booty, <i>s. </i> Work.<br> + <br> +Bori, <i>a. fem. </i> Big with child, enceinte.<br> + <br> +Booty, <i>v. a. </i> To work, labour.<br> + <br> +Boro, <i>a. </i> Great, big. <i>Hin.</i> Bura. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> +[Greek: ] (heavy).<br> + <br> +Borobeshemeskeguero, <i>s. </i> Judge, +<i>great-sitting-fellow.</i><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Boro Gav. London, big city. <i>See</i> Lundra.<br> + <br> +Boronashemeskrutan. Epsom race-course.<br> + <br> +Bosh, <i>s. </i> Fiddle. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian: ] Bazee, baz +(play, joke), whence the English cant word 'bosh.' <i>See</i> +Bashadi.<br> + <br> +Boshomengro, <i>s. </i> Fiddler.<br> + <br> +Bosno / Boshno, <i>s. </i> A cock, male-bird. <i>Sans.</i> +Puchchin. <i> Wal.</i> Bosh (testicle). <i>Gaelic,</i> Baois +(libidinousness).<br> + <br> +Boshta, <i>s. </i> A saddle.<br> + <br> +Bostaris, <i>s. </i> A bastard.<br> + <br> +Bovalo, <i>a. </i> Rich. <i>Sans.</i> Bala (strong).<br> + <br> +Bowle, <i>s. </i> Snail. <i>See</i> Baul.<br> + <br> +Brishen / Brisheno, <i>s. </i> Rain. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Breshino. +<i>Sans.</i> Vrish. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ].<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Brisheneskey, <i>a. </i> Rainy: brisheneskey rarde, a rainy +night; brisheneskey chiros, a time of rain. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> +[Greek: ]<i>.</i><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Bucca, <i>s. </i> Liver. <i>Sans.</i> Bucca (heart). +<i> Wal.</i> Phikat.<br> + <br> +Bucca naflipen, <i>s. </i> Liver-complaint.<br> + <br> +Buchee, <i>s. </i> Work, labour. <i>See</i> Butsi.<br> + <br> +Buddigur, <i>s. </i> A shop. <i>Span. </i> Bodega.<br> + <br> +Buddikur divvus, <i>s. </i> Shopping-day: Wednesday, +Saturday.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Buklo, <i>a. </i> Hungry: buklo tan, hungry spot, a common. +<i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Buklo tan (a wilderness).<br> + <br> +Bul, <i>s. </i> Rump, buttock.<br> + <br> +Bungshoror / Bungyoror,<i>s. pl. </i> Corks.<br> + <br> +Busnis / Busnior, <i>s. pl. </i> Spurs, prickles. <i>Mod. +Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (pain, torment).<br> + <br> +Buroder, <i>ad. </i> More: <i>ad.</i> ne buroder, no more.<br> + <br> +Bute, <i>a. ad. </i> Much, very. <i>Hin. </i> Būt.<br> + <br> +Butsi / Buty, <i>s. </i> Work, labour.<br> + <br> +Butying. Working.<br> + <br> +C<br> + <br> +CAEN / Cane, <i>v. n. </i> To stink.<br> + <br> +Caenipen / Canipen, <i>s</i>. A stench.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Candelo / Cannelo, <i>a. </i> Stinking: cannelo mas, stinking +meat. <i>Sans.</i> Gandha (smell).<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Cana, <i>ad. </i> Now: cana sig, now soon. <i>See</i> Kanau, +knau.<br> + <br> +Cam, <i>s. </i> The sun. <i>Hin. </i> Khan. <i>Heb.</i> Khama +(the sun), kham (heat).<br> + <br> +Cam. To wish, desire, love.<br> + <br> +Cam / Camello / Camo,<i>v. a. </i> To love. <i>Sans. </i> Cama +(love). Cupid; from which Sanscrit word the Latin Amor is +derived.<br> + <br> +Cambori / Cambri, <i>a. </i> Pregnant, big with child.<br> + <br> +Camlo / Caumlo, Lovel, name of a Gypsy tribe. Lit. amiable. +With this word the English "comely" is connected.<br> + <br> +Camo-mescro, <i>s. </i> A lover; likewise the name Lovel.<br> + <br> +Can, <i>s. </i> The sun.<br> + <br> +Can, <i>s. </i> An ear. <i>See</i> Kaun.<br> + <br> +Cana, <i>ad. </i> Now: cana sig, now soon. <i>See</i> Kanau.<br> + <br> +Canáfi / Canapli, Turnip.<br> + <br> +Canairis. A Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Canior / Caunor, <i>s. pl. </i> Pease.<br> + <br> +Canni. A hen. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Cañi. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Cackni. <i>Gael.</i> Cearc.<br> + <br> +Cannis. Hens.<br> + <br> +Cappi, <i>s. </i> Booty, gain, fortune: to lel cappi, to acquire +booty, make a capital, a fortune.<br> + <br> +Cas, <i>s. </i> Hay: cas-stiggur, haystack; cas kairing, +hay-making.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Catches / Catsau, <i>s. pl.</i> Scissors. <i>Hun. </i> Kasza. +<i> Wal.</i> Kositsie (sickle). <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] +<i>Rus.</i> Kosa.<br> + <br> +Cato, <i>prep. </i> To; more properly From. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Cado. <i>Wal.</i> Katre (towards).<br> + <br> +Cavo, <i>pron. dem. </i> This.<br> + <br> +Cavocoi. This here.<br> + <br> +Cavocoiskoenoes. In this manner.<br> + <br> +Caur, <i>v. a. </i> To filch, steal in an artful manner by +bending down. <i>Heb.</i> [Hebrew: ] Cara, incurvavit se. +<i>Eng.</i> Cower.<br> + <br> +Cayes, <i>s. </i> Silk. <i>Pers</i>. [Persian:] <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Quequesa. <i>Sans.</i> Kauseya.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Cháro, <i>s. </i> Plate, dish.<br> + <br> +Chavali, <i>s.f. </i> Girl, damsel.<br> + <br> +Chavi, <i>s.f. </i> Child, girl, daughter.<br> + <br> +Cham, <i>s. </i> Leather: chameskie rokunies, leather breeches. +<i>Sans.</i> Charma (skin).<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Charos / Cheros, <i>s. </i> Heaven. <i> Wal.</i> Cher.<br> + <br> +Chauvo, <i>s. See</i> Chavo.<br> + <br> +Chaw, <i>s. </i> Grass.<br> + <br> +Chawhoktamengro, <i>s. </i> Grasshopper. <i>See</i> Hokta.<br> + <br> +Chee, <i>a. </i> No,none: chee butsi, no work. <i>See</i> Chi, +chichi.<br> + <br> +Chericlo, <i>s. </i> Bird. <i>See</i> Chiriclo.<br> + <br> +Chiricleskey tan, <i>s. </i> Aviary, birdcage.<br> + <br> +Chi, <i>s.f. </i> Child, daughter, girl: Romany chi, Gypsy +girl.<br> + <br> +Chi / Chichi / Chiti, <i>s. </i> Nothing.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +China-mengri, <i>s.f. </i> A letter; a thing incised, marked, +written in.<br> + <br> +China-mengro, <i>s. </i> Hatchet. Lit. cutting-thing.<br> + <br> +Chinipen, <i>s. </i> A cut.<br> + <br> +Ching / Chingaro, <i>v. a. </i> To fight, quarrel.<br> + <br> +Chinga-guero, <i>s. </i> A warrior.<br> + <br> +Chingaripen, <i>s. </i> War, strife. <i>Sans.</i> Sangara.<br> + <br> +Chingring, <i>part. pres. </i> Fighting, quarrelling.<br> + <br> +Chik, <i>s. </i> Earth, dirt. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chique. +<i>Hin.</i> Chikkar.<br> + <br> +Chiklo, <i>a. </i> Dirty.<br> + <br> +Chiriclo, <i>s. m. </i> Bird. <i>Hin.</i> Chiriya.<br> + <br> +Chiricli, <i>s.f. </i> Hen-bird.<br> + <br> +Chiros, <i>s. </i> Time. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ].<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Chiving tulipen prey the chokkars. Greasing the shoes.<br> + <br> +Chofa, <i>s.f. </i> Petticoat.<br> + <br> +Chohawni, <i>s. </i> Witch. <i>See</i> Chovahano.<br> + <br> +Chohawno, <i>s. </i> Wizard.<br> + <br> +Chok, <i>s. </i> Watch, watching.<br> + <br> +Chok-engro, <i>s. </i> Watchman.<br> + <br> +Chok, <i>s. </i> Shoe: chokkor, chokkors, shoes. <i>Hun.</i> +Czókó (wooden shoe).<br> + <br> +Choko-mengro. Shoemaker.<br> + <br> +Choka, <i>s. </i> Coat.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Chukni wast, <i>s. </i> The whip-hand, the mastery.<br> + <br> +Chollo, <i>a. s. </i> Whole.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Chong, <i>s. </i> Knee. <i>Hun.</i> Czomb. <i>Sans.</i> Chanu. +<i>Lat.</i> Genu.<br> + <br> +Chongor, <i>pl. </i> Knees.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Choomia, <i>s. </i> A kiss.<br> + <br> +Choomo-mengro, one of the tribe Boswell.<br> + <br> +Choon, <i>s. </i> Moon. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Chemut. <i>Sans.</i> +Chandra.<br> + <br> +Choot, <i>s. </i> Vinegar. <i>See</i> Chute.<br> + <br> +Chore, <i>v. a. </i> To steal. <i>Sans.</i> Chur.<br> + <br> +Chore, <i>s. </i> Thief. <i>Hin.</i> Chor.<br> + <br> +Chories, <i>pl</i>. Thieves.<br> + <br> +Chor-dudee-mengri, <i>s.</i> [Greek: ] (thieves' lantern, dark +lantern).<br> + <br> +Choredo, a. Poor, poverty stricken. <i>Sans.</i> +Dāridra.<br> + <br> +Choredi, <i>fem</i>. of Choredo.<br> + <br> +Choriness, <i>s. </i> Poverty.<br> + <br> +Choro, <i>a. </i> Poor. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chororo. <i>Hin.</i> +Shor.<br> + <br> +Chovahan, <i>v. a. </i> To bewitch.<br> + <br> +Chovahani / Chowián, <i>s.f. </i> Witch.<br> + <br> +Chovahano, <i>s. </i> Wizard.<br> + <br> +Choveno, <i>a. </i> Poor, needy, starved. Perhaps derived from +the Russian Tchernoe (black, dirty, wretched); or from the +Hungarian Csunya (hateful, frightful); whence the Chungalo of the +Hungarian, and also of the Spanish Gypsies.<br> + <br> +Choveni, <i>fem</i>. of Choveno.<br> + <br> +Choveno ker, <i>s. </i> Workhouse, poorhouse.<br> + <br> +Chukkal, <i>s. </i> Dog. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chuquel. +<i>Sans.</i> Kukkura. <i>Basque,</i> Chacurra. <i>See</i> +Juggal.<br> + <br> +Chumba, <i>s. </i> Bank, hill. <i>Russ.</i> Xolm (a hill).<br> + <br> +Chungarava / Chungra,<i>v. a. </i> To spit. <i> Wal.</i> +Ckouina. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Chudel (he spits).<br> + <br> +Churi, <i>s. </i> Knife. <i>Sans.</i> Chhuri. <i>Hin.</i> +Churi.<br> + <br> +Churi-mengro, <i>s. </i> Knife-grinder, cutler.<br> + <br> +Churo-mengro, <i>s. </i> A soldier, swordsman.<br> + <br> +Chute, <i>s. </i> Vinegar. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] <i>Wal.</i> +Otset.<br> + <br> +Chute-pavi, <i>s. </i> Cyder; perhaps a crab-apple. Lit. +vinegar-apple.<br> + <br> +Chuvvenhan, <i>s. </i> Witch. <i>See</i> Chovahani.<br> + <br> +Cinerella. Female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Cocal, <i>s. </i> Bone. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<br> + <br> +Cocalor, <i>pl. </i> Bones.<br> + <br> +Coco / Cocodus, <i>s. </i> Uncle. <i>Hin.</i> Caucau.<br> + <br> +Cocoro / Cocoros, <i>a. pro. </i> Alone, self: tu cocoro, +thyself.<br> + <br> +Coin, <i>pro. interrog. </i> Who? <i>Hin.</i> Kaun.<br> + <br> +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><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Comorrus, <i>s. </i> A room, hall. <i>Hun.</i> Kamara. +<i>Hin.</i> Cumra. <i>Ger.</i> Kammer.<br> + <br> +Cong, congl, <i>v. a. </i> To comb.<br> + <br> +Congli / Congro, <i>s.f. </i> A comb. <i>Sans.</i> Kanagata.<br> + <br> +Congri, <i>s.f. </i> A church.<br> + <br> +Coor / Coorava, <i>v. a. </i> To fight. <i>Irish,</i> Comhrac +[courac]. <i>Welsh,</i> Curaw (to beat).<br> + <br> +Coorapen, <i>s. </i> Fight, a beating: I shall lel a curapen, I +shall get a beating.<br> + <br> +Cooroboshno, <i>s. </i> A fighting cock.<br> + <br> +Cooromengro, <i>s. </i> Fighter, boxer, soldier.<br> + <br> +Coppur, <i>s. </i> Blanket. <i>Rus.</i> Kovér (a carpet). +<i> Wal.</i> Kovor, <i>id.</i><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Corauni / Corooni<i>, s. </i> A crown: mekrauliskie corauni, +royal crown. <i>Wal.</i> Coroan.<br> + <br> +Cori, <i>s. </i> Thorn. Membrum virile. <i>Span.</i> Carajo +[caraco]. <i>Gascon,</i> Quirogau.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Coro-mengro, <i>s. </i> Potter.<br> + <br> +Coro-mengreskey tem. Staffordshire.<br> + <br> +Corredo, <i>a. </i> Blind. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Corroro. +<i>Pers.</i> [Persian:]<i> Wal.</i> Kior (one-eyed).<br> + <br> +Cosht / Cost, <i>s. </i> Stick. <i>Sans. </i> Kāshtha.<br> + <br> +Cost-engres, <i>s. pl. </i> Branch-fellows, people of the New +Forest, Stanleys.<br> + <br> +Coshtno, <i>a. </i> Wooden.<br> + <br> +Covar / Covo, <i>s. </i> Thing: covars, things; +covar-bikhning-vardo, acaravan in which goods are carried about +for sale.<br> + <br> +Crafni, <i>s. </i> Button. <i>Ger.</i> Knopf.<br> + <br> +Crafni-mengro, <i>s. </i> Buttonmaker.<br> + <br> +Creeor, <i>s. pl. </i> Ants, pismires. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Ocrianse (the ant), quiria (ant).<br> + <br> +Cricni / Crookey / Crookauros <i>/</i> Crookos, <i>s. </i> Week. +<i>See</i> Curco.<br> + <br> +Cuesni, <i>s. </i> Basket. <i>See</i> Cushnee.<br> + <br> +Culvato (Gypsy name). Claude.<br> + <br> +Curaken, <i>s. </i> Fighting. <i>See</i> Coorapen.<br> + <br> +Curepen, <i>s. </i> Trouble, affliction: curepenis, +afflictions.<br> + <br> +Curkey / Curko, <i>s. </i> Week, Sunday. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: +]<br> + <br> +Curlo, <i>s. </i> Throat. <i>Pers. </i> [Persian: ] Chin his +curlo, cut his throat.<br> + <br> +Curlo-mengri, <i>s. </i> A ruff, likewise a pillow; anything +belonging to the throat or neck.<br> + <br> +Cushnee / Cushni / Cusnee, <i>s. </i> Basket. <i> Wal.</i> +Koshnitse.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +D<br> + <br> +DAD, <i>s. </i> Father. <i>Welsh,</i> Tâd. <i> Wal.</i> +Tat. <i>Rus. Gyp. </i> Dad.<br> + <br> +Dado, <i>s. </i> Father. <i>Rus. Gyp.</i> Dado.<br> + <br> +Dand, <i>s. </i> Tooth. <i>Sans.</i> Danta.<br> + <br> +Danior, <i>pl. </i> Teeth.<br> + <br> +Dand, <i>v. a. </i> To bite.<br> + <br> +Daya / Dieya, <i>s. </i> Mother, properly nurse. <i>Sans.</i> +Dhayas (fostering). <i>Pers.</i> [Persian: ] Daya. <i>Mod. +Gr.</i> [Greek: ]. <i>Rus. Gyp.</i> Daia. <i>Wal.</i> +Doika.<br> + <br> +Deav, <i>v. a. </i> Give. <i>Sans.</i> Dā. <i> Wal.</i> +Da.<br> + <br> +Del. He gives.<br> + <br> +Del-engro, <i>s. </i> A kicking-horse.<br> + <br> +Del-oprey, <i>v. a. </i> To read.<br> + <br> +Denne, <i>ad. </i> Than.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Desch, <i>a. </i> Ten. <i>Sans.</i> Dasan. <i> Wal.</i> +Zetche.<br> + <br> +Desh ta yeck. Eleven.<br> + <br> +Desh ta dui. Twelve.<br> + <br> +Desh ta trin. Thirteen.<br> + <br> +Desh ta store. Fourteen.<br> + <br> +Desh ta pansch. Fifteen.<br> + <br> +Desh ta sho. Sixteen.<br> + <br> +Desh ta eft. Seventeen.<br> + <br> +Deshko. Eighteen (?): deshko hori, eighteenpence; properly, Desh +ta octo hori.<br> + <br> +Devel, <i>s. </i> God. <i>Sans.</i> Deva. <i>Lith.</i> +Dēwas. <i>Lat.</i> Deus. <i>See</i> Dibble, Dovvel, +Dubbel.<br> + <br> +Develeskoe, <i>s. </i> Holy, divine. <i>Sans.</i> Deva.<br> + <br> +Deyed, <i>pret.</i> of Deav. He gave.<br> + <br> +Dibble, <i>s. </i> God. <i>See</i> Devel.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Dickimengro, <i>s. </i> Overlooker, overseer.<br> + <br> +Dicking hev, <i>s. </i> A window, seeing-hole.<br> + <br> +Die, <i>s. </i> Mother. <i>Rus. Gyp.</i> Die. <i>See</i> +Daya.<br> + <br> +Dikkipen, <i>s. </i> Look, image. <i>Sans.</i> Driksha +(aspect). <i>Welsh,</i> Drych (aspect).<br> + <br> +Diklo, <i>s. </i> Cloth, sheet, shift.<br> + <br> +Dinnelo, <i>s. </i> A fool, one possessed by the devil. +<i> Wal.</i> Diniele (of the devil); louat diniele (possessed by +the devil).<br> + <br> +Dinneleskoe, <i>a. </i> Foolish.<br> + <br> +Dinneleskoenoes. Like a fool.<br> + <br> +Dinnelipénes, <i>s. pl. </i> Follies, nonsense.<br> + <br> +Diverous. A Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Diviou, <i>a. </i> Mad: jawing diviou, going mad. <i>Sans.</i> +Déva (a god, a fool).<br> + <br> +Diviou-ker, <i>s. </i> Madhouse.<br> + <br> +Diviou kokkodus Artáros. Mad Uncle Arthur.<br> + <br> +Divvus, <i>s. </i> Day. <i>Sans.</i> Divasa.<br> + <br> +Divveskoe / Divvuskoe, <i>a. </i> Daily: divvuskoe morro, daily +bread.<br> + <br> +Diximengro, <i>s. </i> Overseer. <i>See</i> Dickimengro.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Dooriya / Dooya, <i>s. </i> Sea. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian: ] +<i> Irish,</i> Deire (the deep). <i>Welsh</i>, Dwr (water). +<i>Old Irish</i>, Dobhar.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Dooriya durril, s</i>. Currant, plum. Lit. Sea-berry.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Dooriya durrileskie guyi, <i>s. </i> Plum pudding.<br> + <br> +Dori, <i>s. </i> Thread, lace: kaulo dori, black lace. +<i>Hin.</i> Dora.<br> + <br> +Dosch / Dosh, <i>s. </i> Evil, harm: kek dosh, no harm. +<i>Sans.</i> Dush (bad).<br> + <br> +Dosta, <i>s. </i> Enough. <i> Wal.</i> Destoul. <i>Rus. </i> +Dostaet (it is sufficient). <i>See</i> Dusta.<br> + <br> +Dou, <i>imp. </i> Give: dou mande, give me. <i>See</i> Deav.<br> + <br> +Dou dass. Cup and saucer. <i>See</i> Dui das.<br> + <br> +Dovo, <i>pro. dem. </i> That: dovó si, that's it.<br> + <br> +Dovor. Those, they: wafodúder than dovor, worse than +they.<br> + <br> +Dov-odoy / Dovoy-oduvva, <i>ad. </i> Yonder.<br> + <br> +Dov-odoyskoenaes. In that manner.<br> + <br> +Doovel, <i>s. </i> God. <i>See</i> Duvvel.<br> + <br> +Drab / Drav, <i>s. </i> Medicine, poison. <i>Pers</i>. [Persian: +] Daru<i>. Wal.</i> Otrav<i>.</i><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Drab-engro / Drav-engro, <i>s</i>. A pothecary, +poison-monger.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Drab<i>, v. a</i>. To poison. <i>Wal</i>. Otribi.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Drey, <i>prep</i>. In.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Dubble, <i>s. </i> God: my dearie Dubbleskey, for my dear God's +sake.<br> + <br> +Dude, <i>s. </i> The moon.<br> + <br> +Dudee, <i>s. </i> A light, a star. Sans. Dyuti.<br> + <br> +Dude-bar, <i>s. </i> Diamond, light-stone.<br> + <br> +Drom, <i>s. </i> Road. Wal. Drom. Mod. Gr. [Greek: ]<br> + <br> +Drom-luring, <i>s. </i> Highway robbery.<br> + <br> +Dui, <i>a. </i> Two.<br> + <br> +Duito, <i>s. </i> Second.<br> + <br> +Duito divvus, <i>s. </i> Tuesday. Lit. Second day.<br> + <br> +Dui das / Dui tas, <i>s</i>. Cup and saucer.<br> + <br> +Duke, <i>v. a. </i> To hurt, bewitch. <i>Sans</i>. Duhkha +(pain). <i>Heb</i>. Dui (languor, deadly faintness).<br> + <br> +Dukker, <i>v. a</i>. To bewitch, tell fortunes. <i>Wal</i>. +Deokiea (to fascinate, enchant).<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Dukker drey my vast. Tell my fortune by my hand.<br> + <br> +Dukkering, <i>s. </i> Fortune-telling. <i> Wal.</i> Deokiere +(fascination). <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (fortune).<br> + <br> +Dukkipen, <i>s. </i> Fortune-telling.<br> + <br> +Dukker, <i>v. n. </i> To ache: my sherro dukkers, my head aches. +<i>See</i> Duke, dukker.<br> + <br> +Dum / Dumo, <i>s. </i> Black. <i>Pers</i>. [Persian: ] +(tail).<br> + <br> +Dur, <i>ad. </i> Far. <i>Sans.</i> Dur. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian: +]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Dur-dicki mengri, <i>s. </i> Telescope. Lit. +far-seeing-thing.<br> + <br> +Durro, <i>ad. </i> Far.<br> + <br> +Durro-der, <i>ad. </i> Farther.<br> + <br> +Durriken, <i>s. </i> Fortune-telling.<br> + <br> +Durril, <i>s. </i> Any kind of berry, a gooseberry in +particular.<br> + <br> +Durrilau / Durilyor, <i>pl</i>.<i> </i> Berries.<br> + <br> +Durrileskie guyi, <i>s. </i> Gooseberry pudding.<br> + <br> +Dusta, <i>a. s. </i> Enough, plenty: dusta foky, plenty of +people. <i>See</i> Dosta.<br> + <br> +Duvvel, <i>s. </i> God.<br> + <br> +E<br> + <br> +EANGE, <i>s. </i> Itch.<br> + <br> +Ebyok, <i>s. </i> The sea. <i>Sans.</i> Aapa (water). +<i> Wal.</i> Ape.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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; gurush-en-gre, things costing a groat, lit. +groat-of-things.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Escunyo, <i>s. </i> A wooden skewer, a pin. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chingabar (a pin).<br> + <br> +Escunyes, <i>pl. </i> Skewers.<br> + <br> +Escunye-mengro, <i>s. </i> A maker of skewers.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Ever-komi, <i>ad. </i> Evermore.<br> + <br> +F<br> + <br> +FAKE, <i>v. a. </i> To work, in a dishonest sense; to steal, pick +pockets.<br> + <br> +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, St. Paul's Cathedral - what a rinkeny +fakement, what a pretty girl, what a noble church.<br> + <br> +Fashono, <i>a. </i> False, fashioned, made up. <i> Wal.</i> +Fatche (to make); fatze (face, surface).<br> + <br> +Fashono wangustis. Pretended gold rings, made in reality of +brass or copper.<br> + <br> +Fashono wangust engre. Makers of false rings.<br> + <br> +Fenella. A female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Ferreder, <i>a. </i> Better, more. <i>Gaelic,</i> Feairde.<br> + <br> +Fetér, <i>ad. </i> Better. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian: ] +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Fetér.<br> + <br> +Figis, <i>s. </i> Fig.<br> + <br> +Figis-rookh, <i>s. </i> Fig-tree.<br> + <br> +Filisen, <i>s. </i> Country-seat.<br> + <br> +Fino, <i>a. </i> Fine. This word is not pure Gypsy: fino covar, +a fine thing.<br> + <br> +Floure, <i>s. </i> Flower; a female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +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.'<br> + <br> +Fordias / Fordios,<i>part. pass. </i> Forgiven.<br> + <br> +Foros, <i>s. </i> City. <i>See</i> Vauros.<br> + <br> +Ful, <i>s. </i> Dung: ful-vardo, muck cart.<br> + <br> +Fuzyanri, <i>s. </i> Fern. <i>Hun.</i> Füz (willow), +fácska (a shrub), füszár (a stem).<br> + <br> +G<br> + <br> +GAD, <i>s. </i> A shirt: pauno gad, a clean shirt.<br> + <br> +Gare, <i>v. n., v. a. </i> To take care, beware; to hide, +conceal. <i>Sans.</i> Ghar, to cover.<br> + <br> +Garridan. You hid: luvvu sor garridan, the money which you +hid.<br> + <br> +Garrivava, <i>v. a. </i> I hide or shall hide, take care: to gare +his nangipen, to hide his nakedness.<br> + <br> +Gav, <i>s. </i> A town, village. <i>Pers</i>. [Persian: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Gav-engro, <i>s. </i> A constable, village officer, beadle, +citizen.<br> + <br> +Gillie, <i>s. </i> A song. <i>Sans.</i> Khëli.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Gilyava. I sing, or shall sing. <i>Hin.</i> Guywuya. <i>Mod. +Gr.</i> [Greek: ].<br> + <br> +Gin, <i>v. a. </i> To count, reckon. <i>Sans.</i> Gan. +<i>Hin.</i> Ginna.<br> + <br> +Ginnipen, <i>s. </i> A reckoning.<br> + <br> +Giv, <i>s. </i> Wheat. <i>Sans.</i> Yava (barley). <i>See</i> +Jobis.<br> + <br> +Giv-engro, <i>s. </i> Wheat-fellow, figurative name for +farmer.<br> + <br> +Giv-engro ker, <i>s. </i> Farmhouse.<br> + <br> +Giv-engro puv, <i>s. </i> Farm.<br> + <br> +Godli, <i>s. </i> A warrant, perhaps hue and cry. <i>See</i> +Gudlie. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Gola (order).<br> + <br> +Gono, <i>s. </i> A sack. <i>Hin.</i> Gon.<br> + <br> +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: ] Cojia, which signifies a gentleman, +a doctor, a merchant, etc. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Gacho.<br> + <br> +Gorgiken rat. Of Gentile blood.<br> + <br> +Gorgie, <i>s. </i> A female Gentile or Englishwoman.<br> + <br> +Gorgikonaes, <i>ad. </i> After the manner of the Gentiles.<br> + <br> +Gooee, <i>s. </i> Pudding. <i>See</i> Guyi.<br> + <br> +Gran, <i>s. </i> A barn: I sov'd yeck rarde drey a gran, I slept +one night within a barn (Gypsy song).<br> + <br> +Gran-wuddur, <i>s. </i> A barn door.<br> + <br> +Gran-wuddur-chiriclo. Barn-door fowl.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Grestur / Gristur, <i>s. </i> A horse. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Gras, +graste.<br> + <br> +Gry, <i>s. </i> A horse. <i>Sans.</i> Kharu. <i>Hin.</i> +Ghora. <i>Irish</i> and <i>Scottish Gaelic,</i> Greadh.<br> + <br> +Gry-choring, <i>s. </i> Horse-stealing.<br> + <br> +Gry-engro, <i>s. </i> Horse-dealer.<br> + <br> +Gry-nashing. Horse-racing.<br> + <br> +Gudlee / Godli, <i>s. </i> Cry, noise, shout. <i>Hin.</i> +Ghooloo. <i>Irish,</i> Gúl. <i>Rus.</i> Gyl=gool +(shout); Gólos (voice).<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Gudlo, <i>a., s. </i> Sweet; honey, sugar.<br> + <br> +Gudlo-pishen, <i>s. </i> Honey-insect, bee. <i>See</i> Bata.<br> + <br> +Gué. An <i>affix,</i> by which the dative case is formed: +<i>e.g.</i> Man, I; mangué, to me.<br> + <br> +Guero, <i>s. </i> A person, fellow, that which governs, +operates. <i>Sans.</i> Kãra (a maker). <i>Pers</i>. +[Persian: ] <i>Welsh,</i> Gwr (a man). In the Spanish cant +language, Guro signifies an alguazil, a kind of civil officer. +<i>See</i> Engro.<br> + <br> +Gueri, <i>s.f. </i> Female person, virgin: Mideveleskey gueri +Mary, Holy Virgin Mary.<br> + <br> +Gush / Gurush / Gurushi, <i>a. </i> Groat: gurushengri, a groat's +worth.<br> + <br> +Guveni, <i>s. </i> Cow. <i>Sans.</i> Go.<br> + <br> +Guveni-bugnior, <i>s. </i> Cow-pox.<br> + <br> +Guveno, <i>s. </i> A bull. <i>Sans.</i> Gavaya. <i>Gaelic,</i> +Gavuin, gowain (year-old calf).<br> + <br> +Guyi, <i>s. </i> Pudding, black pudding. <i>Hin.</i> Gulgul. +<i>Span. Gyp</i>. Golli.<br> + <br> +Guyi-mengreskie tan, <i>s. </i> Yorkshire. Lit. pudding-eaters' +country; in allusion to the puddings for which Yorkshire is +celebrated.<br> + <br> +H<br> + <br> +Ha / Haw, <i>v. a. </i> To eat.<br> + <br> +Habben, <i>s. </i> Food, victuals.<br> + <br> +Hal, <i>v. a. </i> To eat: mande can't hal lis, I can't eat it. +<i>Sans.</i> Gala.<br> + <br> +Hanlo, <i>s. </i> A landlord, innkeeper. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Anglanó.<br> + <br> +Hatch, <i>v. a. </i> To burn, light a fire.<br> + <br> +Hatchipen, <i>s. </i> A burning.<br> + <br> +Hatch, <i>v. n. </i> To stay, stop. <i>See</i> Adje, atch, +az.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Hekta, <i>s. </i> Haste: kair hekta, make haste; likewise a +leap. <i>See</i> Hokta. <i>Sans.</i> Hat'ha (to leap).<br> + <br> +Heres / Heris, <i>s. pl. </i> Legs. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Jerias. +Coshtni herri (a wooden leg).<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Hev, <i>s. </i> Hole: pawnugo hev, a water hole, a well; hev, a +window; hevior, windows. <i>Sans.</i> Avata.<br> + <br> +Heviskey, <i>a. </i> Full of holes: heviskey tan, a place full of +holes.<br> + <br> +Hin, <i>s. </i> Dirt, ordure. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] +<i>Wal.</i> Gounoiou<i>. Irish,</i> Gaineamh(sand).<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Hin, <i>v. a</i>. To void ordure. <i>Sans</i>. Hanna. <i>Mod. +Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<br> + <br> +Hindity-mengré / Hindity-mescré, <i>s. pl</i>. +Irish. Dirty, sordid fellows.<br> + <br> +Hoffeno, <i>s</i>. A liar.<br> + <br> +Hok-hornie-mush, s. A policeman. Partly a cant word.<br> + <br> +Hokka, <i>v. n</i>. To lie, tell a falsehood: hokka tute mande, +if you tell me a falsehood.<br> + <br> +Hokkano, <i>s</i>. A lie. <i>Sans</i>. Kuhanã +(hypocrisy).<br> + <br> +Hokta, <i>v. a</i>. To leap, jump. <i>See</i> Hekta.<br> + <br> +Hokta-mengro, <i>s</i>. Leaper, jumper.<br> + <br> +Hoofa, <i>s</i>. A cap.<br> + <br> +Hor / Horo, <i>s</i>. A penny. <i>Span. Gyp</i>. Corio an +ochavo (or farthing).<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Horry, <i>s. pl. </i> Pence: shohorry, showhawry, sixpence.<br> + <br> +Horsworth, <i>s. </i> Pennyworth.<br> + <br> +Horkipen, <i>s. </i> Copper. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Harko.<br> + <br> +Huffeno, <i>s. </i> A liar. <i>See</i> Hoffeno.<br> + <br> +Hukni, <i>s. </i> Ringing the changes, the fraudulent changing of +one thing for another.<br> + <br> +I<br> + <br> +I, <i>pro. </i> She, it.<br> + <br> +I. A <i>feminine</i> and <i>neuter termination: e.g.</i> Yag +eng<i>ri</i>, a fire-thing or gun; coin <i>si,</i> who is she? so +<i>si,</i> what is it?<br> + <br> +Inna / Inner, <i>prep. </i> In, within: inner Lundra, in London. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Enré.<br> + <br> +Iouzia, <i>s. </i> A flower.<br> + <br> +Is, <i>conj. </i> If; it is affixed to the verb - e.g. Dikiomis, +if I had seen.<br> + <br> +Iv, <i>s. </i> Snow. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Yiv. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Give.<br> + <br> +Iv-engri / Ivi-mengri, <i>s. </i> Snow-thing, snowball.<br> + <br> +Iuziou, <i>a. </i> Clean. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (sound, +healthy). <i>See</i> Roujio.<br> + <br> +J<br> + <br> +JAL. 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 the same words +as Jol, Yule, and Ygul, and of the same meaning - namely, the +circle travelled by the sun through the signs.<br> + <br> +Já, <i>v. imp. </i> Go thou!<br> + <br> +Jal amande. I shall go.<br> + <br> +Jal te booty. Go to work.<br> + <br> +Jalno / Java / Jaw, v.a. I go. <i>Sans.</i> Chara.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Jas, jasa. Thou goest: tute is jasing, thou art going.<br> + <br> +Jal, <i>3rd pers. pres. </i> He goes.<br> + <br> +Jalla, <i>f.</i> She goes.<br> + <br> +Jalno ando pawni, <i>v. a. </i> I swim. Lit. I go in water.<br> + <br> +Jaw, <i>ad. </i> So: jaw si, so it is. <i>See</i> Ajaw, +asá, ashá.<br> + <br> +Jib, <i>s. </i> Tongue. <i>Sans.</i> Jihva.<br> + <br> +Jib, <i>v. n. </i> To live, to exist. <i>Sans.</i> Jiv. +<i>Rus.</i> Jit. <i>Lithuanian,</i> Gywenu.<br> + <br> +Jibben, <i>s. </i> Life, livelihood. <i>Sans.</i> Jivata (life), +Jivika (livelihood). <i>Rus.</i> Jivot, Tchivot.<br> + <br> +Jivvel, <i>v. n. </i> He lives: kai jivvel o, where does he +live?<br> + <br> +Jin / Jinava, <i>v. n. </i> To know. <i>Sans.</i> Jna.<br> + <br> +Jinnepen, <i>s. </i> Wisdom, knowledge. <i>Sans.</i> Jnapti +(understanding).<br> + <br> +Jinney-mengro, <i>s. </i> A knowing fellow, a deep card, a +Grecian, a wise man, a philosopher.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Jongar, <i>v. n. </i> To awake. <i>Sans.</i> Jagri. <i>Hin.</i> +Jugana.<br> + <br> +Jôbis, <i>s. </i> Oats. <i>Sans.</i> Java (barley). +<i> Wal.</i> Obia. <i>See</i> Giv.<br> + <br> +Joddakaye, <i>s. </i> Apron; anything tied round the middle or +hips. <i>Sans.</i> Kata (the hip, the loins), Kataka (a +girdle).<br> + <br> +Ju, <i>s. </i> A louse. <i>Sans.</i> Yuka.<br> + <br> +Juvalo, <i>a. </i> Lousy.<br> + <br> +Juvior, <i>s. pl. </i> Lice.<br> + <br> +Juggal / Jukkal, <i>s.</i> Dog. <i>Sans.</i> Srigãla +(jackal).<br> + <br> +Jukkalor. Dogs.<br> + <br> +Jukkaelsti cosht, <i>s. </i> Dog-wood; a hard wood used for +making skewers.<br> + <br> +Juva / Juvali, Woman, wife.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Juvli, <i>s. </i> Girl. <i>See</i> Chavali.<br> + <br> +K<br> + <br> +KAEL, <i>s. </i> Cheese.<br> + <br> +Kaes, <i>s. </i> Cheese.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Kair, <i>v. a. </i> To do. <i>Sans.</i> Kri, to do; kara +(doing).<br> + <br> +Kair misto. To make well, cure, comfort.<br> + <br> +Kairipen, <i>s. </i> Work, labour. <i>Sans.</i> Karman.<br> + <br> +Kakkaratchi, <i>s. </i> Magpie; properly a raven. <i>Mod. +Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Kanau / Knau, <i>ad. </i> Now.<br> + <br> +Karring. Crying out, hawking goods. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Acarar +(to call). <i>See</i> Koring.<br> + <br> +Kaulo, <i>a. </i> Black. <i>Sans.</i> Kãla. <i>Arab.</i> +[Arabic: ]<br> + <br> +Kaulo chiriclo, <i>s. </i> A blackbird.<br> + <br> +Kaulo cori, <i>s. </i> A blackthorn.<br> + <br> +Kaulo durril, <i>s. </i> Blackberry.<br> + <br> +Kaulo Gav, <i>s. </i> Black-town, Birmingham.<br> + <br> +Kaulo guero, <i>s. </i> A black, negro.<br> + <br> +Kaulo guereskey tem, <i>s. </i> Negroland, Africa.<br> + <br> +Kaulo-mengro, <i>s. </i> A blacksmith.<br> + <br> +Kaulo ratti. Black blood, Gypsy blood: kaulo ratti adrey leste, +he has Gypsy blood in his veins.<br> + <br> +Kaun, <i>s. </i> An ear. <i>Sans.</i> Karna.<br> + <br> +Kaun-engro, <i>s. </i> An ear-fellow, thing with long ears; a +figurative name for a hare.<br> + <br> +Ke, <i>prep. </i> Unto. Likewise a <i>postposition - e.g.</i> +lenké, to them.<br> + <br> +Keir / Ker, <i>s. </i> A house. <i>Sans.</i> Griha.<br> + <br> +Ker / Kerey / Ken, <i>ad. </i> Home, homeward: java keri, I will +go home.<br> + <br> +Keir-poggring. House-breaking.<br> + <br> +Keir-rakli, <i>s. </i> A housemaid.<br> + <br> +Kek, <i>ad. a. </i> No, none, not: kek tatcho, it is not +true.<br> + <br> +Kekkeno, <i>a. </i> None, not any: kekkeni pawni, no water.<br> + <br> +Kekkeno mushe's poov, <i>s. </i> No man's land; a common.<br> + <br> +Kekkauvi, <i>s.f. </i> Kettle. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Kekkauviskey saster, <i>s. </i> Kettle-iron; the hook by which +the kettle is suspended over the fire.<br> + <br> +Kekko, <i>ad. </i> No, it is not, not it, not he.<br> + <br> +Kekkomi. No more. <i>See</i> Komi, Ever-komi.<br> + <br> +Kek-cushti. Of no use; no good. <i>See</i> Koshto.<br> + <br> +Kem, <i>s. </i> The sun. <i>See</i> Cam.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Ken, <i>s. </i> A house, properly a nest. <i>Heb.</i> [Hebrew: ] +Kin.<br> + <br> +Kenyor, <i>s. pl. </i> Ears. <i>See</i> Kaun.<br> + <br> +Ker / Kerava <i>v. a. </i> To do; make: kair yag, make a fire. +<i>Sans.</i> Kri. <i>Pers.</i> [Perisan: ] <i>Gaelic</i>, +Ceaird (a trade), ceard (a tinker). <i>Lat</i>. Cerdo (a +smith). English, Char, chare (to work by the day).<br> + <br> +Kerdo. He did.<br> + <br> +Kedast, <i>2nd pers. pret</i>. Thou didst.<br> + <br> +Kedo, <i>part. pass</i>. Done.<br> + <br> +Kerri-mengro, <i>s</i>. Workman.<br> + <br> +Kerrimus, s. Doing, deed: mi-Doovel's kerrimus, the Lord's +doing. <i>Sans</i>. Karman (work).<br> + <br> +Kerrit, <i>p. pass. </i> Cooked, boiled. Anglo-Indian word, +Curried. <i>Fr.</i> Cuire. <i>Gaelic,</i> Greidh (to cook +victuals).<br> + <br> +Kettaney, <i>ad. </i> Together. <i> Wal.</i> Ketziba (many). +<i>See</i> Kisi.<br> + <br> +Kidda, <i>v. a. </i> To pluck.<br> + <br> +Kil, <i>v. a. </i> To dance, play. <i>Hin.</i> Kelná. +<i>Sans.</i> Kshvel.<br> + <br> +Killi-mengro, <i>s. </i> A dancer, player.<br> + <br> +Kil, <i>s. </i> Butter.<br> + <br> +Kin, <i>v. a. </i> To buy: kinning and bikkning, buying and +selling. <i>Heb.</i> Kana (he bought).<br> + <br> +Kin aley. To ransom, redeem, buy off.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Kinnipen, <i>s. </i> A purchase.<br> + <br> +Kinnipen-divvus, <i>s. </i> Purchasing-day, Saturday.<br> + <br> +Kindo, <i>a. </i> Wet.<br> + <br> +Kipsi, <i>s. </i> Basket. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Quicia.<br> + <br> +Kinyo. Tired. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Quiñao.<br> + <br> +Kisaiya. A female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +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?)<br> + <br> +Kisseh / Kissi, <i>s. </i> A purse. <i>Sans.</i> Kosa. +<i>Pers.</i> [Persian: ]<br> + <br> +Kistur, <i>v. a. </i> To ride. <i> Wal.</i> Keleri.<br> + <br> +Kistri-mengro / Kistro-mengro, <i>s. </i> Rider, horseman.<br> + <br> +Kitchema, <i>s. </i> Public-house, inn. <i>Hun.</i> Korcsma. +<i> Wal.</i> Keirtchumie.<br> + <br> +Kitchema-mengro, <i>s. </i> Innkeeper.<br> + <br> +Klism / Klisn, <i>s. </i> A key. <i>Rus.</i> Cliotche. <i>Mod. +Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (shutting up).<br> + <br> +Klism-engri, <i>s. </i> A lock. Lit. key-thing.<br> + <br> +Klism-hev, <i>s. </i> A keyhole.<br> + <br> +Klop, <i>s. </i> A gate, seemingly a cant word; perhaps a bell. +<i>Wal.</i> Klopot.<br> + <br> +Kokkodus. Uncle: kokkodus Artáros, Uncle Arthur.<br> + <br> +Komi, <i>adv. </i> More: ever-komi, evermore.<br> + <br> +Koosho, <i>a. </i> Good: kooshi gillie, a good song. +<i>Sans.</i> Kusala.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Koring, <i>part. pres. </i> Rioting. <i>Heb.</i> Kirivah +(proclamation).<br> + <br> +Kora-mengro, <i>s. </i> A rioter.<br> + <br> +Kore, <i>v. a. </i> To hawk goods about, to cry out, to +proclaim.<br> + <br> +Koring lil, <i>s. </i> Hawking-licence.<br> + <br> +Koring chiriclo, <i>s. </i> The cuckoo.<br> + <br> +Koshto, <i>a. </i> Good. <i>Pers</i>. [Persian: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Koshtipen, <i>s. </i> Goodness, advantage, profit: kek koshtipen +in dukkering knau, it is of no use to tell fortunes now.<br> + <br> +Kosko, <i>a. </i> Good.<br> + <br> +Koskipen, <i>s. </i> Goodness.<br> + <br> +Krallis, <i>s. </i> King. <i>Rus.</i> Korol. <i>Hun.</i> +Király. <i> Wal.</i> Kraiu.<br> + <br> +Kushto, <i>a. </i> Good: kushto si for mangui, I am content.<br> + <br> +L<br> + <br> +LA, <i>pro. pers. </i> Her; accusative of 'i' or ' yoi,' she.<br> + <br> +Laki, <i>pro. poss. </i> Her: laki die, her mother.<br> + <br> +Lasa / Lasar, With her; instrumental case of 'i.'<br> + <br> +Later. From her; ablative of 'i.'<br> + <br> +Lati. Genitive of 'i'; frequently used as the accusative - e.g. +cams tu lati, do you love her?<br> + <br> +Lang / Lango, a. Lame. <i>Sans</i>. Lang. <i>Pers</i>. +[Persian: ] Lenk.<br> + <br> +Lashi / Lasho, Louis. <i>Hungarian</i>, Lajos, Lazlo. Scotch, +Lesley.<br> + <br> +Latch, <i>v. a</i>. To find. <i> Wal.</i> Aphla.<br> + <br> +Lav, <i>s</i>. Word. <i>Sans</i>. Lapa (to speak). <i>Eng</i>. +Lip.<br> + <br> +Lavior, <i>pl</i>. Words.<br> + <br> +Lav-chingaripen, <i>s</i>. Dispute, word-war.<br> + <br> +Lav-engro, <i>s</i>. Word-master, linguist.<br> + <br> +Len, <i>pro. pers</i>. <i>pl</i>. To them: se len, there is to +them, the have.<br> + <br> +Lendar, <i>ablative</i>. From them.<br> + <br> +Lende / Lunde, <i>gen. and acc. </i> Of them, them.<br> + <br> +Lensar. With them.<br> + <br> +Lengué, <i>pro. poss. </i> Their: lengue tan, their +tent.<br> + <br> +Les, <i>pro. pers</i>. To him; dative of 'yo,' he: pawno stadj +se les, he has a white hat.<br> + <br> +Lescro, <i>pro. poss. </i> His, belonging to him: lescro prala, +his brother.<br> + <br> +Leste. Of him, <i>likewise</i> him; genitive and accusative of +'yo.'<br> + <br> +Lester. From him.<br> + <br> +Leste's. His: leste's wast, his hand; properly, lescro wast.<br> + <br> +Lesti. Her <i>or</i> it: pukker zi te lesti, tell her your mind; +he can't rokkra lesti, he can't speak it.<br> + <br> +Leav / Ley, <i>v. a. </i> To take. <i> Wal.</i> Loua.<br> + <br> +Lel. He takes.<br> + <br> +Lel cappi. Get booty, profit, capital.<br> + <br> +Lennor, <i>s. </i> Summer, spring.<br> + <br> +Levinor, <i>s. </i> Ale; drinks in which there is wormwood. +<i>Heb.</i> Laenah (wormwood). <i>Irish,</i> Lion (ale).<br> + <br> +Levinor-ker, <i>s. </i> Alehouse.<br> + <br> +Levinor-engri. Hop. Lit. ale-thing.<br> + <br> +Levinor-engriken tem. Kent. Lit. hop-country.<br> + <br> +Li, <i>pron. </i> It: dovo se li, that's it.<br> + <br> +Lidan, <i>v. a. </i> You took; <i>2nd pers. pret.</i> of Ley.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Lillai, <i>s. </i> Summer. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Nilei.<br> + <br> +Linnow, <i>part. pass. </i> Taken, apprehended.<br> + <br> +Lis, <i>pro. dat. </i> To it: adrey lis, in it.<br> + <br> +Lollo / Lullo, <i>a. </i> Red. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian: ] Lal.<br> + <br> +Lolle bengres, <i>s. pl</i>. Red waistcoats, Bow Street +runners.<br> + <br> +Lollo matcho, <i>s. </i> Red herring. Lit. red fish.<br> + <br> +Lolli plaishta, <i>s. </i> A red cloak.<br> + <br> +Lolli, <i>s. </i> A farthing.<br> + <br> +Lon / Lun, <i>s. </i> Salt. <i>Sans.</i> Lavana. <i>Hin.</i> +Lon.<br> + <br> +Lou, <i>pro. </i> It: oprey-lou, upon it. <i> Wal.</i> Lou.<br> + <br> +Loure, <i>v. a. </i> To steal. <i>See</i> Luripen.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Lubbenipen, <i>s. </i> Harlotry.<br> + <br> +Lubbenified. Become a harlot.<br> + <br> +Lundra. London. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [<i>Greek</i>: ].<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Luripen, <i>s. </i> Robbery, a booty. Lit. a seizure. +<i> Wal.</i> Luare (seizure, capture), Louarea Parizouloui (the +capture of Paris).<br> + <br> +Lutherum, <i>s. </i> Sleep, repose, slumber.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Luvvo-mengro, <i>s. </i> Money-changer, banker.<br> + <br> +Luvvo-mengro-ker, <i>s. </i> Banker's house, bank.<br> + <br> +M<br> + <br> +Má, <i>ad. </i> Not; only used before the imperative: +má muk, let not. <i>Sans.</i> Mã. <i>Pers</i>. +[Persian: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Maas, <i>s. Sans.</i> Mansa Mans. <i>Rus.</i> Maso. <i>See</i> +Mas.<br> + <br> +Maas-engro / Maaso-mengro, <i>s. </i> Butcher.<br> + <br> +Mailla, <i>s. </i> Ass, donkey. <i> Wal.</i> Megaroul. +<i>Sans.</i> Baluya.<br> + <br> +Mailla and posh. Ass and foal.<br> + <br> +Malleco, <i>a. </i> False.<br> + <br> +Malúno / Maloney<i>, s. </i> Lightning. <i>Rus.</i> +Mólnïya.<br> + <br> +Mam, <i>s. </i> Mother. <i> Wal.</i> Moume. <i>Welsh,</i> Mam. +<i>Irish and Scottish Gaelic,</i> Muime (a nurse).<br> + <br> +Man, <i>pron. pers. </i> I; very seldom used. <i>Hin.</i> +Muen.<br> + <br> +Mande, <i>pron. pers. oblique</i> of Man; generally used instead +of the nominative Man.<br> + <br> +Mander. Ablative of Man, from me: jã mander, go from +me.<br> + <br> +Mande's. My. Mande's wast, my hand; used improperly for +miro.<br> + <br> +Mangue. Dative of Man, to me; sometimes used instead of the +nominative.<br> + <br> +Mansa. With me.<br> + <br> +Mang, <i>v. a. </i> To beg. <i>Hin.</i> Mangna. <i>Sans.</i> +Mãrg.<br> + <br> +Mango-mengro, <i>s. </i> A beggar.<br> + <br> +Mangipen, <i>s. </i> The trade of begging. <i>Sans.</i> +Mãrgana (begging).<br> + <br> +Manricley, <i>s. </i> A cake. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Manricli.<br> + <br> +Manush, <i>s. </i> Man. <i>Sans.</i> Mãnasha. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Manus. <i>See</i> Monish.<br> + <br> +Manushi, <i>s. </i> Woman, wife. <i>Sans.</i> Manushi.<br> + <br> +Maricli, <i>s. </i> A cake. <i>See</i> Maricley.<br> + <br> +Mash, <i>s. </i> Umbrella. A cant word.<br> + <br> +Matcho, <i>s. </i> A fish. <i>Sans.</i> Matsya. <i>Hin.</i> +Muchee.<br> + <br> +Matcheneskoe Gav. Yarmouth. Lit. the fishy town.<br> + <br> +Matcheneskoe guero, <i>s. </i> A fisherman.<br> + <br> +Matchka, <i>s.f. </i> A cat. <i>Hun.</i> Macska.<br> + <br> +Matchko, <i>s. m. </i> A he-cat.<br> + <br> +Mattipen, <i>s. </i> Drunkenness. <i>Sans.</i> Matta (to be +intoxicated). <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (intoxication). +<i>Welsh,</i> Meddwy (to intoxicate).<br> + <br> +Matto, <i>a. </i> Drunk, intoxicated. <i>Welsh,</i> Meddw.<br> + <br> +Matto-mengro, <i>s. </i> Drunkard.<br> + <br> +Mea, <i>s. </i> Mile: dui mear, two miles. <i> Wal.</i> Mie.<br> + <br> +Mea-bar, <i>s. </i> Milestone.<br> + <br> +Medisin, <i>s. </i> Measure, bushel. <i>Sans.</i> +Mãna.<br> + <br> +Mek, <i>v.</i> n. Leave, let: meklis, leave off, hold your +tongue, have done. <i>Sans.</i> Moksh.<br> + <br> +Men, <i>pr. </i> We; <i>pl</i>. of Man.<br> + <br> +Men, <i>s. </i> Neck. <i>Gaelic,</i> Muineal. <i>Welsh,</i> +Mwng. <i>Mandchou</i>, Meifen.<br> + <br> +Men-pangushi, <i>s. </i> Neckcloth. <i>See</i> Pangushi.<br> + <br> +Mengro. A word much used in composition. <i>See</i> Engro and +Mescro.<br> + <br> +Mensalli, <i>s. </i> A table. <i> Wal.</i> Masi.<br> + <br> +Mer <i>/</i> Merava, <i>v. n</i>. To die. <i>Sans.</i> Mri.<br> + <br> +Merricley, <i>s. </i> A cake. <i>See</i> Manricley.<br> + <br> +Merripen, <i>s. </i> Death. <i>Sans.</i> Mara.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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>.<br> + <br> +Messalli, <i>s. </i> A table. <i> Wal.</i> Masi.<br> + <br> +Mestipen, <i>s. </i> Life, livelihood, living, fortune, luck, +goodness. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Mestipen, bestipen. <i> Wal.</i> +Viatsie.<br> + <br> +Mi, <i>pron. </i> I, my.<br> + <br> +Mi cocoro, <i>pron. poss. </i> I myself, I alone.<br> + <br> +Mi dearie Dubbeleskey. For my dear God's sake.<br> + <br> +Mi develeskie gueri, <i>s.f. </i> A holy female.<br> + <br> +Mi develeskie gueri Mary. Holy Virgin Mary.<br> + <br> +Mi develeskoe Baval Engro. Holy Ghost.<br> + <br> +Mi dubbelungo, <i>a. </i> Divine.<br> + <br> +Mi duvvelungo divvus, <i>s. </i> Christmas Day.<br> + <br> +Millior, <i>s. </i> Miles; panj millior, five miles.<br> + <br> +Minge / Mintch,<i>s. </i> Pudendum muliebre.<br> + <br> +Miro, <i>pron. poss. </i> My, mine.<br> + <br> +Miri, <i>pron. poss. f. </i> My, mine.<br> + <br> +Misto / Mistos, <i>ad. </i> Well.<br> + <br> +Misto dusta. Very well.<br> + <br> +Mistos amande. I am glad.<br> + <br> +Mitch, <i>s. See</i> Minge.<br> + <br> +Mizella. Female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Mokkado, <i>a. </i> Unclean to eat. <i> Wal.</i> Mourdar +(dirty).<br> + <br> +Monish, <i>s. </i> Man. <i>See</i> Manush.<br> + <br> +Mol, <i>s. </i> Wine. <i>See</i> Mul.<br> + <br> +Mollauvis, <i>s. </i> Pewter.<br> + <br> +Moomli, <i>s. </i> Candle, taper. <i>See</i> Mumli.<br> + <br> +Moomli-mengro, <i>s. </i> Candlestick, lantern.<br> + <br> +Moar, <i>v. a. </i> To grind. <i>See</i> Morro.<br> + <br> +More / Morava, <i>v. a. </i> To kill, slay. <i>Sans.</i> Mri. +<i> Wal.</i> Omori.<br> + <br> +Moreno, <i>part. pass. </i> Killed, slain.<br> + <br> +More, <i>v. a. </i> To shave, shear. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Murinow.<br> + <br> +Mormusti, <i>s.f. </i> Midwife. <i> Wal.</i> Maimoutsi. +<i>Rus.</i> Mameichka (nurse).<br> + <br> +Moro, <i>pron. poss. </i> Our: moro dad, our father.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Morro-mengro, <i>s. </i> A baker.<br> + <br> +Mort, <i>s. </i> Woman, concubine; a cant word.<br> + <br> +Mosco / Moshko, A fly. <i>Lat.</i> Musca. <i> Wal.</i> Mouskie. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Moscabis (fly-blown, stung with love, +picado,enamorado).<br> + <br> +Moskey, <i>s. </i> A spy: to jal a moskeying, to go out spying. +<i>Fr.</i> Mouchard.<br> + <br> +Mufta, <i>s.f. </i> Box, chest. <i>See</i> Muktar.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Muk, <i>v. n. </i> To leave, let. <i>See</i> Mek.<br> + <br> +Mukkalis becunye. Let it be.<br> + <br> +Muktar / Mukto, <i>s. </i> Box, chest.<br> + <br> +Mul, <i>s. </i> Wine. <i>Pers.</i> Mul.<br> + <br> +Mul divvus. Christmas Day. Lit. wine day.<br> + <br> +Mul-engris, <i>s. pl. </i> Grapes: mul-engri tan, vineyard.<br> + <br> +Mulleni muktar, <i>s. </i> Coffin. Lit. dead-chest.<br> + <br> +Mullodustie mukto. <i>Id.</i><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Mulleno hev, <i>s. </i> Grave.<br> + <br> +Mulleno kêr, <i>s. </i> Sepulchre, cemetery.<br> + <br> +Mullo, <i>s., a. </i> Dead man, dead.<br> + <br> +Mullo mas, <i>s. </i> Dead meat; flesh of an animal not slain, +but which died alone.<br> + <br> +Mumli, <i>s.f. </i> Candle.<br> + <br> +Mumli-mescro, <i>s. </i> Chandler.<br> + <br> +Munjee, <i>s. </i> A blow on the mouth, seemingly a cant word. +<i>Hin.</i> Munh, mouth. <i>Ger.</i> Mund.<br> + <br> +Murces <i>/</i> Mursior, <i>s. pl. </i> Arms. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Murciales.<br> + <br> +Muscro, <i>s. </i> Constable. <i>See</i> Muskerro.<br> + <br> +Mush, <i>s. </i> Man. <i>Rus.</i> Mouge. <i>Finnish,</i> Mies. +<i>Tibetian,</i> Mi. <i>Lat.</i> Mas (a male).<br> + <br> +Mushi, <i>s. </i> Woman.<br> + <br> +Mushipen, <i>s. </i> A little man, a lad. <i>Toulousian,</i> +Massip (a young man), massipo (a young woman).<br> + <br> +Muskerro, <i>s. </i> Constable.<br> + <br> +Muskerriskoe cost, <i>s. </i> Constable's staff.<br> + <br> +Mutra, <i>s. </i> Urine.<br> + <br> +Mutrava, <i>v. a. </i> To void urine. <i>Sans.</i> Mutra.<br> + <br> +Mutra-mengri, <i>s. </i> Tea.<br> + <br> +Mutzi, <i>s. </i> Skin. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Morchas.<br> + <br> +Mutzior, <i>s. pl. </i> Skins.<br> + <br> +N<br> + <br> +NA, <i>ad. </i> Not.<br> + <br> +Naflipen, <i>s</i>. Sickness. <i>Span. Gyp. </i> Nasallipen. +<i>Mod. Gr</i>. [Greek: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Naflo, <i>a. </i> Sick.<br> + <br> +Nai. Properly Na hi, there is not: nai men chior, we have no +girls.<br> + <br> +Naior, <i>s. pl. </i> Nails of the fingers or toes. <i>Mod. +Gr</i>. [Greek: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Nangipen, <i>s. </i> Nakedness.<br> + <br> +Nango, <i>a. </i> Naked.<br> + <br> +Narilla / Narrila, A female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Nash, <i>v. a. </i> To run. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Najar.<br> + <br> +Nashimescro, <i>s. </i> Runner, racer.<br> + <br> +Nashimescro-tan, <i>s. </i> Race-course.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Nashado, <i>part. pret. </i> Lost, destroyed, hung.<br> + <br> +Nashimescro, <i>s. </i> Hangman.<br> + <br> +Nashko, <i>part. pass. </i> Hung: nashko pré rukh, hung on +a tree.<br> + <br> +Nasho, <i>part. pass. </i> Hung.<br> + <br> +Nástis, <i>a. </i> Impossible. <i>See</i> Astis.<br> + <br> +Nav, <i>s. </i> Name. <i>Hun.</i> Nev.<br> + <br> +Naval, <i>s. </i> Thread. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Nafre.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Ne, <i>ad. </i> No, not: ne burroder, no more; ne riddo, not +dressed.<br> + <br> +Nevo, <i>a. </i> New.<br> + <br> +Nevi, <i>a</i>. <i>fem. </i> New: nevi tud from the guveni, new +milk from the cow.<br> + <br> +Nevey Rukhies. The New Forest. Lit. new trees.<br> + <br> +Nevi Wesh. The New Forest.<br> + <br> +Nick, <i>v. a. </i> To take away, steal. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Nicabar.<br> + <br> +Nick the cost. To steal sticks for skewers and linen-pegs.<br> + <br> +Nogo, <i>s. </i> Own, one's own; nogo dad, one's own father; nogo +tan, one's own country.<br> + <br> +Nok, <i>s. </i> Nose. <i>Hin.</i> Nakh.<br> + <br> +Nok-engro, <i>s. </i> A glandered horse. Lit. a nose-fellow.<br> + <br> +Nokkipen, <i>s. </i> Snuff.<br> + <br> +O<br> + <br> +O, <i>art. def. </i> The.<br> + <br> +O, <i>pron. </i> He.<br> + <br> +Odoi, <i>ad. </i> There. <i>Hun.</i> Ott, oda.<br> + <br> +Oduvvu, <i>pron. dem. </i> That. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Odoba.<br> + <br> +Olevas / Olivas / Olivor, <i>s. pl. </i> Stockings. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Olibias. <i> Wal.</i> Chorapul.<br> + <br> +Opral / Opré / Oprey,<i>prep. </i> Upon, above. +<i> Wal.</i> Pre, asoupra.<br> + <br> +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.'<br> + <br> +Ora, <i>s.f. </i> A watch. <i>Hun.</i> Ora.<br> + <br> +Ora, <i>s. </i> An hour: so si ora, what's o'clock?<br> + <br> +Orlenda. Gypsy female name. <i>Rus.</i> Orlitza (female +eagle).<br> + <br> +Os. A common termination of Gypsy nouns. It is frequently +appended by the Gypsies to English nouns in order to disguise +them.<br> + <br> +Owli, <i>ad. </i> Yes. <i>See</i> Avali.<br> + <br> +P<br> + <br> +PA, <i>prep. </i> By: pá mui, by mouth. <i>Rus.</i> +Po.<br> + <br> +Padlo, <i>ad. </i> Across: padlo pawnie, across the water, +transported.<br> + <br> +Pahamengro, <i>s. </i> Turnip.<br> + <br> +Pailloes, <i>s. </i> Filberts.<br> + <br> +Pal, <i>s. </i> Brother.<br> + <br> +Pal of the bor. Brother of the hedge, hedgehog.<br> + <br> +Palal, <i>prep. ad. </i> Behind, after, back again: av palal, +come back, come again: palal the welgorus, after the fair. +<i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (again). <i>Rus.</i> Opiat +(<i>id</i>.).<br> + <br> +Pali, <i>ad. </i> Again, back.<br> + <br> +Pand, <i>v. a. </i> To bind. <i>Sans.</i> Bandh.<br> + <br> +Pandipen, <i>s. </i> Pinfold, prison, pound.<br> + <br> +Pandlo, <i>part. pass. </i> Bound, imprisoned, pounded.<br> + <br> +Pand opre, <i>v. a. </i> To bind up.<br> + <br> +Pandlo-mengro, <i>s. </i> Tollgate, thing that's shut.<br> + <br> +Pangushi, <i>s.f. </i> Handkerchief.<br> + <br> +Pãni, <i>s. </i> Water. <i>See</i> Pawni.<br> + <br> +Panishey shock, <i>s. </i> Watercress. Lit. water-cabbage. +<i>See</i> Shok.<br> + <br> +Panj, <i>a. </i> Five. <i>See</i> Pansch.<br> + <br> +Pani-mengro, <i>s. </i> Sailor, waterman.<br> + <br> +Panni-mengri, <i>s. </i> Garden.<br> + <br> +Panno, <i>s. </i> Cloth. <i>Lat.</i> Pannus. <i> Wal.</i> +Penzie.<br> + <br> +Pansch, <i>s. </i> Five. <i>Hin.</i> Panch.<br> + <br> +Pappins / Pappior,<i>s. pl. </i> Ducks. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: +]<br> + <br> +Paracrow, <i>v. a. </i> To thank: paracrow tute, I thank you.<br> + <br> +Parava / Parra, <i>v. a. </i> To change, exchange. <i>See</i> +Porra.<br> + <br> +Parriken, <i>s. </i> Trust, credit. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] +(trusted goods).<br> + <br> +Parno, <i>a. </i> White. <i>See</i> Pauno.<br> + <br> +Pas, <i>s. </i> Half. <i>See</i> Posh.<br> + <br> +Pasherro, <i>s. </i> Halfpenny; <i>pl.</i> pasherie. +<i>Pers</i>. [Persian: ] Pasheez (a farthing).<br> + <br> +Pas-more, <i>v. a. </i> Half-kill.<br> + <br> +Patch, <i>s. </i> Shame. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Pachi, modesty, +virginity. <i>Sans.</i> Putchã.<br> + <br> +Patnies, <i>s. pl. </i> Ducks.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Pattin, <i>s. </i> A leaf. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Patia. +<i>Sans.</i> Patra.<br> + <br> +Pattinor. Leaves.<br> + <br> +Paub / Paubi, <i>s. </i> An apple. <i>Hung. Gyp.</i> Paboy.<br> + <br> +Paub tan, <i>s. </i> Orchard.<br> + <br> +Pauno, <i>a. </i> White. <i>Sans.</i> Pandu. <i>Gaelic,</i> +Ban.<br> + <br> +Pauno gad. Clean shirt.<br> + <br> +Pauno sherro. Grey head, white head.<br> + <br> +Pauno, <i>s. </i> Flour. Lit. what is white. The Latin 'panis' +seems to be connected with this word.<br> + <br> +Pauno-mengro, <i>s. </i> A miller, white fellow.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Pauvi, <i>s. </i> An apple.<br> + <br> +Pauvi-pãni, <i>s. </i> Cyder, apple-water.<br> + <br> +Pawdel, <i>ad. </i> Across, over: pawdel puve and pawni, across +land and water; pawdel the chumba, over the hill.<br> + <br> +Pawnee / Pawni, <i>s. </i> Water. <i>Sans.</i> Pãniya. +<i>Hin.</i> Panie. <i>Eng.</i> Pond. <i>See</i> Pāni.<br> + <br> +Pawnugo, <i>a. </i> Watery: pawnugo hev, water-hole, well.<br> + <br> +Pazorrhus, <i>part. pass. </i> Indebted. <i>See</i> +Pizarris.<br> + <br> +Péava, <i>v. a. </i> To drink. <i>Sans.</i> +Pã.<br> + <br> +Péa-mengri, <i>s. </i> Tea-pot. <i> Wal.</i> Bea. Lit. +drinking thing.<br> + <br> +Peeapen, <i>s. </i> Health: ako's your peeapen! here's your +health!<br> + <br> +Pea-mengro, <i>s. </i> Drunkard.<br> + <br> +Pedloer, <i>s. </i> Nuts; <i>prop. </i> Acorns. <i>Pers. </i> +Peleed.<br> + <br> +Peerdie, <i>s. </i> Female tramper.<br> + <br> +Peerdo, <i>s. </i> Male tramper.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Pele, <i>s. pl. </i> Testicles. <i>Sans.</i> P'hala.<br> + <br> +Pelengo gry / Pelengro gry, <i>s. </i> Stone-horse.<br> + <br> +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, 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.<br> + <br> +Pen, <i>s. </i> Sister.<br> + <br> +Pen / Penav, <i>v. a. </i> To say, speak. <i> Wal.</i> +Spoune.<br> + <br> +Penchava, <i>v. n. </i> To think. <i>Pers.</i> Pendashten. +<i>Sans.</i> Vi-cit.<br> + <br> +Penliois, <i>s. </i> Nuts. <i>See</i> Pedloer.<br> + <br> +Per, <i>s. </i> Belly.<br> + <br> +Per, <i>v. n. </i> To fall. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Petrar. +<i>Sans.</i> Pat.<br> + <br> +Per tuley. To fall down.<br> + <br> +Perdo, <i>a. </i> Full. <i>Sans.</i> Purva, to fill.<br> + <br> +Pes <i>/</i> Pessa<i>, v. a. </i> To pay. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Plaserar. <i>Rus.</i> Platit. <i>Wal.</i> Pleti. <i>Hun.</i> +Fizetni.<br> + <br> +Pes apopli. To repay.<br> + <br> +Petul, <i>s. </i> A horse-shoe. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<i> +Wal.</i> Potkoavie. <i>Heb.</i> Bedel (tin).<br> + <br> +Petul-engro, <i>s. </i> Horseshoe-maker, smith, tinker; the name +of a Gypsy tribe.<br> + <br> +Pi, <i>v. a. </i> To drink. <i>Sans.</i> Piva (drinking). +<i>See</i> Peava.<br> + <br> +Pias, <i>s. </i> Fun. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (to play).<br> + <br> +Pikkis / Pikkaris, <i>s. pl. </i> Breasts. <i>See</i> Birk, +bark. <i> Wal.</i> Piept.<br> + <br> +Pikko, <i>s. </i> Shoulder.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Píre, <i>s. pl. </i> Feet.<br> + <br> +Pirè, <i>s. pl. </i> Trampers.<br> + <br> +Pire-gueros, <i>s. pl. </i> Travellers, trampers. Lit. +foot-fellows.<br> + <br> +Pireni, <i>s.f. </i> Sweetheart.<br> + <br> +Pireno, <i>s. m. </i> Sweetheart.<br> + <br> +Piro, <i>v. a. </i> To walk: pirel, he walks.<br> + <br> +Piro-mengro, <i>s. </i> Walker.<br> + <br> +Pirry, <i>s. </i> Pot, boiler. This is a west-country Gypsy +word. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Piri. <i>Sans.</i> Pithara, +pãtra.<br> + <br> +Pishen, <i>s. </i> Flea, any kind of insect: guldo pishen, +honey-insect, bee, honey.<br> + <br> +Pivli, <i>s. </i> A widow.<br> + <br> +Pivlo, <i>s. </i> A widower.<br> + <br> +Pivley-gueri, <i>s. </i> A widowed female.<br> + <br> +Pivley-guero, <i>s. </i> A widowed fellow.<br> + <br> +Pivley-raunie, <i>s. </i> A widow lady.<br> + <br> +Piya-mengro, <i>s. </i> Drunkard. <i>See</i> Pea-mengro.<br> + <br> +Pizarris <i>/</i> 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.</i> [Greek: ] (he +who has been credited). <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Bisarar (to owe), +bisauras (debts), pista (an account).<br> + <br> +Pizarri-mengro, <i>s. </i> A trusted person, a debtor.<br> + <br> +Plakta, <i>s. </i> Sheet: bero-rukiskie plakta, a ship's +sail.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Plastra, <i>v.</i> a. To run.<br> + <br> +Plastra lesti. Run it; run for your life.<br> + <br> +Plastra-mengro, <i>s. a. </i> A Bow Street runner, a pursuer. In +Spanish Gypsy, Plastañi means a company which pursues +robbers.<br> + <br> +Poggado, <i>part. pass. </i> Broken.<br> + <br> +Poggado bavol-engro, <i>s. </i> Broken-winded horse.<br> + <br> +Poggado habben, <i>s. </i> Broken victuals.<br> + <br> +Poggra, <i>v. a. </i> To break. <i> Wal.</i> Pokni.<br> + <br> +Poggra-mengri, <i>s. </i> A mill. Lit. a breaking thing.<br> + <br> +Poknies, <i>s. </i> Justice of the peace. <i>Rus.</i> Pokoio (to +pacify).<br> + <br> +Pokiniskoe ker, <i>s. </i> House of a justice of the peace.<br> + <br> +Pooshed / Poosheno, <i>part. pass. </i> Buried: mulo ta poosheno, +dead andburied.<br> + <br> +Por, <i>s</i>. Feather. <i>Pers.</i> Par. <i>Sans.</i> +Parna.<br> + <br> +Por-engro, <i>s. </i> Pen-master, penman, one able to write.<br> + <br> +Por-engri-pen, <i>s. </i> Penmanship, writing.<br> + <br> +Porior, <i>s. pl. </i> Feathers.<br> + <br> +Pordo, <i>a. </i> Heavy. <i> Wal.</i> Povarie (a weight). +<i>Lat. </i> Pondus.<br> + <br> +Porra, <i>v. a. </i> To exchange.<br> + <br> +Posh, <i>s. </i> Half.<br> + <br> +Posherro / Poshoro, <i>s. </i> Halfpenny.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Potan, <i>s. </i> Tinder. <i> Wal.</i> Postabh (sheet, cloth). +<i>Sans.</i> Pata (cloth).<br> + <br> +Poov / Pov, <i>s. </i> Earth, ground. <i>Sans.</i> Bhu.<br> + <br> +Poov, <i>v. </i> To poov a gry, to put a horse in a field at +night.<br> + <br> +Pov-engro, <i>s. </i> An earth thing, potato.<br> + <br> +Pov-engreskoe, <i>a. </i> Belonging to the potato.<br> + <br> +Povengreskoe gav. Potato town - Norwich.<br> + <br> +Povengreskoe tem. Potato country - Norfolk.<br> + <br> +Povo-guero, <i>s. </i> Mole, earth-fellow.<br> + <br> +Praio, <i>a</i>. Upper: praio tem, upper country, heaven. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Tarpe (heaven). <i>See</i> Opré.<br> + <br> +Prala, <i>s. </i> Brother.<br> + <br> +Pude, <i>v. a. </i> To blow.<br> + <br> +Pude-mengri, <i>s. </i> Blowing thing, bellows.<br> + <br> +Pudge, <i>s. </i> Bridge. <i> Wal.</i> Pod, podoul. <i>Pers.</i> +Pul. <i>Sans.</i> Pāli.<br> + <br> +Pukker, <i>v. a. </i> To tell, declare, answer, say, speak. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Pucanar (to proclaim). <i>Hin.</i> Pukar, +pukarnar.<br> + <br> +Pur, <i>s. </i> Belly. <i>See</i> Per.<br> + <br> +Pureno, <i>a. </i> Ancient, old: pureno foky, the old people. +<i>Sans.</i> Purvya (ancient).<br> + <br> +Puro, <i>a. </i> Old. <i>Sans.</i> Purã.<br> + <br> +Puro dad, <i>s. </i> Grandfather.<br> + <br> +Purrum, <i>s. </i> Leek, onion. <i>Lat.</i> Porrum.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Pus, <i>s. </i> Straw. <i>Sans.</i> Busa, chaff.<br> + <br> +Putch, <i>v. a. </i> To ask. <i>Hin.</i> Puchhna.<br> + <br> +Putsi, <i>s. </i> Purse, pocket. <i>Sans.</i> Putã, +pocket. <i> Wal.</i> Pountsi. <i>Old cant,</i> Boung.<br> + <br> +Putsi-lil, <i>s. </i> Pocket-book.<br> + <br> +Puvvo, <i>s. </i> Earth, ground. <i>See</i> Poov.<br> + <br> +Puvvesti churi, <i>s. a. </i> Plough.<br> + <br> +R<br> + <br> +RAIA, <i>s. </i> Gentleman, lord. <i>See</i> Rye.<br> + <br> +Rak, <i>v. n. </i> To beware, take care; rak tute, take care of +yourself. <i>Sans.</i> Raksh (to guard, preserve).<br> + <br> +Rakli, <i>s.f. </i> Girl.<br> + <br> +Raklo, <i>s. </i> Boy, lad.<br> + <br> +Ran, <i>s. </i> Rod: ranior, rods. <i>Sans.</i> Ratha (cane, +ratan).<br> + <br> +Rarde, <i>s. </i> Night. <i>Sans.</i> Rātri.<br> + <br> +Rardiskey, <i>a. </i> Nightly.<br> + <br> +Rardiskey kair poggring, <i>s. </i> Housebreaking by night, +burglary.<br> + <br> +Rashengro, <i>s. </i> Clergyman.<br> + <br> +Rashi, <i>s. </i> Clergyman, priest. <i>Sans.</i> Rishi (holy +person).<br> + <br> +Rashieskey rokkring tan, <i>s. </i> Pulpit.<br> + <br> +Ratcheta, <i>s. </i> A goose, duck. <i>See</i> Retsa.<br> + <br> +Ratti, <i>s. </i> Blood. <i>Sans.</i> Rudhira.<br> + <br> +Ratniken chiriclo, <i>s. </i> Nightingale.<br> + <br> +Rawnie, <i>s. </i> Lady.<br> + <br> +Rawniskie dicking gueri, <i>s. </i> Lady-like looking woman.<br> + <br> +Rawniskie tatti naflipen, <i>s. </i> The lady's fever, maladie de +France.<br> + <br> +Retza, <i>s</i>. Duck. <i> Wal.</i> Rierzoiou. <i>See</i> +Rossar-mescro. <i>Hun.</i> Récze.<br> + <br> +Reyna. A female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Riddo, <i>part. pass. </i> Dressed. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Vriardao.<br> + <br> +Rig / Riggur <i>/</i> Riggurava, <i>v. a. </i> To bear, carry, +bring.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Rig in zi. To remember, bear in mind.<br> + <br> +Rig to zi. To bring to mind.<br> + <br> +Rinkeno, <i>a. </i> Handsome.<br> + <br> +Rivipen, <i>s. </i> Dress. Lit. linen clothes, women's dress. +<i>Wal.</i> Ruphe. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (a tailor). In +Spanish Gypsy clothes are called Goneles, from the Wallachian +Khainele.<br> + <br> +Rodra, <i>v. a. </i> To search, seek.<br> + <br> +Roi, <i>s. </i> Spoon.<br> + <br> +Rokra, <i>v. a. </i> To talk, speak. <i>Rus.</i> Rek (he said). +<i>Lat.</i> Loquor.<br> + <br> +Rokrenchericlo, <i>s. </i> Parrot, magpie.<br> + <br> +Rokrenguero, <i>s. </i> A lawyer, talker. <i>Gaelic,</i> Racaire +(a chatterer).<br> + <br> +Rokrengueriskey gav. Talking fellows' town - Norwich.<br> + <br> +Rokunyes, <i>s. </i> Trousers, breeches. <i>Hun. Gyp. </i> +Roklia (gown). <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (cloth).<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Rommado, <i>part. pass. s. </i> Married, husband.<br> + <br> +Romm'd, <i>part. pass. </i> Married.<br> + <br> +Romano Chal / Romany Chal, A Gypsy fellow, Gypsy lad. <i>See</i> +Chal.<br> + <br> +Romani chi. Gypsy lass, female Gypsy.<br> + <br> +Romanes / Romany, Gypsy language.<br> + <br> +Romaneskoenaes. After the Gypsy fashion. <i> Wal.</i> Roumainesk +(Roumainean, Wallachian.)<br> + <br> +Romano Rye / Romany Rye, Gypsy gentleman.<br> + <br> +Romipen, <i>s. </i> Marriage.<br> + <br> +Rook / Rukh, <i>s. </i> Tree. <i>Sans.</i> Vriksha. <i>Hun. +Gyp.</i> Rukh. <i>Span.</i> <i>Gyp</i>. Erucal (an +<i>olive-tree).</i><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Rookeskey cost. Branch of a tree.<br> + <br> +Rooko-mengro, <i>s. </i> Squirrel. Lit. tree-fellow.<br> + <br> +Roshto, <i>a. </i> Angry. <i> Wal.</i> Resti (to be angry).<br> + <br> +Rossar-mescro, <i>s. </i> Gypsy name of the tribe Heron, or +Herne. Lit. duck-fellow.<br> + <br> +Roujiou, <i>a. </i> Clean. <i>See</i> Iuziou.<br> + <br> +Rove, <i>v. n. </i> To weep. <i>Sans.</i> Rud.<br> + <br> +Rup, <i>s. </i> Silver. <i>Sans.</i> Raupya. <i>Hin.</i> +Rupee.<br> + <br> +Rupenoe, <i>a. </i> Silver: rupenoe péa-mengri, silver +tea-pots.<br> + <br> +Ruslipen, <i>s. </i> Strength.<br> + <br> +Ruslo, <i>a. </i> Strong. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] (roborabo). +<i>Rus.</i> Rosluy (great, huge of stature). <i>Hun.</i> +Erö (strength), erös (strong).<br> + <br> +Rye, <i>s. </i> A lord, gentleman. <i>Sans.</i> Raj, +Rayã.<br> + <br> +Ryeskoe, <i>a. </i> Gentlemanly.<br> + <br> +Ryeskoe dicking guero. Gentlemanly looking man.<br> + <br> +Ryoriskey rokkaring keir, <i>s. </i> The House of Commons. +<i>Lit</i>. the gentlemen's talking house.<br> + <br> +S<br> + <br> +SACKI. Name of a Gypsy man.<br> + <br> +Sainyor, <i>s. </i> Pins. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chingabar (a +pin).<br> + <br> +Sal, <i>v. n. </i> To laugh; properly, he laughs. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Asaselarse. <i>Sans.</i> Has.<br> + <br> +Salla. She laughs.<br> + <br> +Salivaris, <i>s.f. </i> Bridle. <i>See</i> Sollibari.<br> + <br> +Sap / Sarp, <i>s. </i> Snake, serpent. <i> Wal.</i> +Sharpelé. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chaplesca.<br> + <br> +Sappors, <i>s. pl. </i> Snakes.<br> + <br> +Sap drey chaw. A snake in the grass: sap drey bor, a snake in +the hedge.<br> + <br> +Sapnis, <i>s. </i> Soap. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ] <i>Wal.</i> +Sipoun.<br> + <br> +Sar, <i>postpos., prepos. </i> With: mensar, with us; sar amande, +with me.<br> + <br> +Sar, <i>conjunct. </i> As.<br> + <br> +Sar, <i>ad. </i> How.<br> + <br> +Sar shin, How are you? Sar shin, meero rye? Sar shin, meeri +rawnie? How are you, sir? How are you, madam?<br> + <br> +Sas. If it were. <i>See</i> Is.<br> + <br> +Sas, <i>s. </i> Nest. <i>See</i> Tass.<br> + <br> +Sarla, <i>s. </i> Evening: koshti sarla, good evening. +<i>See</i> Tasarla. <i> Wal.</i> Seara. <i>Mod. Gr</i>. [Greek: +].<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Saster, <i>s. </i> Iron.<br> + <br> +Saster-mengri, <i>s. </i> A piece of iron worn above the knee by +the skewer-makers whilst engaged in whittling.<br> + <br> +Saster-mengro, <i>s. </i> Ironmonger.<br> + <br> +Sasters, sastris. Nails: chokkiskey sastris, shoe-nails.<br> + <br> +Sau, <i>adv. </i> How.<br> + <br> +Sau kisi. How much?<br> + <br> +Saulohaul / Sovlehaul, <i>v. a. </i> To swear.<br> + <br> +Saulohaul bango. To swear falsely.<br> + <br> +Sauloholomus, <i>s. </i> Oath. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Solája +(a curse). <i>Arab.</i> [Arabic: ] Salat (prayer). <i>Lat.</i> +Solemnis. <i>Fr.</i> Serment. <i>Wal.</i> Jourirnint +(oath).<br> + <br> +Savo, <i>pron. </i> Who, that, which.<br> + <br> +Saw, <i>v. n. </i> I laugh. Sawschan tu, you laugh.<br> + <br> +Scamp. Name of a small Gypsy tribe. <i>Sans.</i> Kshump (to +go).<br> + <br> +Scourdilla, <i>s.f. </i> Platter. <i>Lat.</i> Scutella.<br> + <br> +Scunyes / Scunyor, <i>s. pl. </i> Pins, skewers. <i>See</i> +Escunyes.<br> + <br> +Se, <i>3rd pers. sing. pres. </i> Is, there is: kosko guero se, +he is a good fellow; se les, there is to him, he has.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Shan. You are, they are. <i>See</i> Shin.<br> + <br> +Shauvo, <i>v. </i> To get with child. <i>See</i> Shuvvli.<br> + <br> +Shehaury. Sixpence. <i>See</i> Shohaury.<br> + <br> +Shello, <i>s. </i> Rope. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Jele.<br> + <br> +Shello-hokta-mengro, <i>s. </i> Rope-dancer.<br> + <br> +Sher-engro, <i>s. </i> A head-man, leader of a Gypsy tribe.<br> + <br> +Sher-engri, <i>s. </i> A halter.<br> + <br> +Shero, <i>s. </i> A head. <i>Pers.</i> [Persian: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Sherro's kairipen, <i>s. </i> Learning, head-work.<br> + <br> +Sheshu, <i>s. </i> Hare, rabbit. <i>See</i> Shoshoi.<br> + <br> +Sherrafo, <i>a. </i> Religious, converted. <i>Arab.</i> +Sherif.<br> + <br> +Shilleno / Shilleró / Shillo, <i>a. </i> Cold: shillo +chik, cold ground.<br> + <br> +Shillipen, <i>s. </i> Cold.<br> + <br> +Shin. Thou art: sar shin, how art thou?<br> + <br> +Sho, <i>s. </i> Thing.<br> + <br> +Sho, <i>a. </i> Six.<br> + <br> +Shohaury, <i>s. </i> Sixpence.<br> + <br> +Shok, <i>s. </i> Cabbage: shockor, cabbages. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chaja.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Shoob, <i>s. </i> Gown. <i>Rus.</i> Shoob. <i>See</i> +Shubbo.<br> + <br> +Shoon, <i>v. n. </i> To hear. <i>Pers.</i> Shiniden. +<i>Sans.</i> Sru.<br> + <br> +Shoonaben, <i>s. </i> Hearing, audience. To lel shoonaben of the +covar, to take hearing of the matter.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Shubbo, <i>s. </i> A gown. <i>Rus.</i> Shoob. <i> Wal.</i> +Djoube.<br> + <br> +Shubley patnies, <i>s. pl. </i> Geese.<br> + <br> +Shun. A female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +Shuvvali, <i>a. </i> Enceinte, with child.<br> + <br> +Si, <i>3rd 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?<br> + <br> +Sicovar, <i>ad. </i> Evermore, eternally. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> +Sekovar.<br> + <br> +Si covar ajaw. So it is.<br> + <br> +Sig, <i>ad. </i> Quick, soon: cana sig, now soon. <i>Span. +Gyp.</i> Singó. <i>Hun.</i> Sietö.<br> + <br> +Sig, <i>s. </i> Haste.<br> + <br> +Sikkér, <i>v. a. </i> To show: sikker-mengri, a show.<br> + <br> +Simen, <i>s. a. </i> Equal, alike. <i>Sans.</i> +Samãna.<br> + <br> +Simen. We are, it is we. <i> Wal.</i> Semeina (to resemble).<br> + <br> +Simmeno, <i>s. </i> Broth. <i>See</i> Zimmen.<br> + <br> +Simmer, <i>v. a. </i> Pledge, pawn.<br> + <br> +Simmery-mengré, <i>s. pl. </i> Pawnbrokers.<br> + <br> +Sis. Thou art: misto sis riddo, thou art well dressed.<br> + <br> +Siva, <i>v. a. </i> To sew. <i>Sans.</i> Siv.<br> + <br> +Siva-mengri, <i>s. </i> A needle, sewing-thing.<br> + <br> +Siva-mengri, <i>s. </i> Sempstress.<br> + <br> +Siva-mengro, <i>s. </i> Tailor.<br> + <br> +Skammen, <i>s. </i> Chair. <i> Wal.</i> Skaun. <i>Mod. Gr</i>. +[Greek: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Skammen-engro, <i>s. </i> Chair-maker.<br> + <br> +Skraunior, <i>s. pl. </i> Boots.<br> + <br> +Slom / Slum, <i>v. a. </i> Follow, trace, track. <i>Rus.</i> +Sliedovat.<br> + <br> +Smentini, <i>s. </i> Cream. <i> Wal.</i> Zmentenie. <i>Rus.</i> +Smetána.<br> + <br> +So, <i>pron. rel. </i> Which, what: so se tute's kairing, what +are you doing?<br> + <br> +Sollibari, <i>s. </i> Bridle. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<br> + <br> +Sonakey / Sonneco, <i>s. </i> Gold. <i>Sans.</i> Svarna.<br> + <br> +Sore / Soro, <i>a. </i> All, every. <i>Sans.</i> Sarva.<br> + <br> +Sorlo, <i>a. </i> Early. <i>Arab</i>. [Arabic:]Sohr, Sahr +(morning, day-break). <i> Wal.</i> Zorile.<br> + <br> +Soro-ruslo, <i>a</i>. Almighty. Dad soro-ruslo, Father +Almighty.<br> + <br> +Se se? Who is it?<br> + <br> +So si? What is it? So si ora, what's o'clock?<br> + <br> +Soskey, <i>ad</i>. Wherefore, for what.<br> + <br> +Sovaharri, <i>s</i>. Carpet, blanket.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Sove tuley. To lie down.<br> + <br> +Sovie, <i>s. </i> Needle. <i>See</i> Su.<br> + <br> +Soving aley. Lying down to sleep.<br> + <br> +Spikor, <i>s. pl. </i> Skewers. <i> Wal.</i> Spik.<br> + <br> +Spinyor, <i>s. pl. </i> Carrots.<br> + <br> +Spinyor, <i>s. pl. </i> Pins. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chingabar (a +pin).<br> + <br> +Stadj, <i>s. </i> Hat.<br> + <br> +Stanya / Stanye, <i>s. </i> A stable. <i>Hun.</i> Sanya. +<i> Wal.</i> Staula, steiníe(sheepfold).<br> + <br> +Stanya-mengro, <i>s. </i> Groom, stable-fellow.<br> + <br> +Stardo, <i>part. pass. </i> Imprisoned.<br> + <br> +Staripen, <i>s. </i> Prison.<br> + <br> +Staro-mengro, <i>s. </i> Prisoner.<br> + <br> +Stannyi / Staunyo, <i>s</i>. A deer.<br> + <br> +Stiggur, <i>s. </i> Gate, turnpike. <i>Old cant,</i> Giger (a +door).<br> + <br> +Stiggur-engro, <i>s. </i> Turnpike-keeper.<br> + <br> +Stor, <i>a. </i> Four.<br> + <br> +Storey, <i>s. </i> Prisoner.<br> + <br> +Stuggur, <i>s. </i> A stack.<br> + <br> +Su, <i>s. </i> Needle. <i>Hun.</i> Tü.<br> + <br> +Subie / Subye, <i>s. </i> Needle: subye ta naval, needle and +thread.<br> + <br> +Sueti, <i>s. </i> People. <i>Lithuanian,</i> Swetas.<br> + <br> +Sungella, <i>v. </i> It stinks.<br> + <br> +Sutta / Suttur / Suta, <i>s</i>. Sleep. <i>Sans.</i> Subta +(asleep). <i>Hin.</i> Sutta (sleeping). <i>Lat.</i> +Sopitus.<br> + <br> +Suttur-gillie, <i>s. </i> Sleep-song, lullaby.<br> + <br> +Swegler / Swingle, <i>s. </i> Pipe.<br> + <br> +Syeira. A female Gypsy name.<br> + <br> +T<br> + <br> +Tã, <i>conj. </i> And.<br> + <br> +Talleno, <i>a. </i> Woollen: talleno chofa, woollen or flannel +petticoat.<br> + <br> +Tan, <i>s. </i> Place, tent. <i>Hun.</i> Tanya.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Tardra-mengre. Hop-pickers.<br> + <br> +Tas, <i>s. </i> Cup, nest of a bird. <i>See</i> Dui tas, doo +das.<br> + <br> +Tasarla / Tasorlo, <i>s. </i> To-morrow. Lit. to-early. +<i>See</i> Sorlo.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Tassa-mengri, <i>s. </i> A frying-pan. <i>See</i> +Tattra-mengri.<br> + <br> +Tatchipen, <i>s. </i> Truth. <i>Sans.</i> Satyata.<br> + <br> +Tatcho, <i>a. </i> True. <i>Sans.</i> Sat.<br> + <br> +Tatti-pãni / Tatti-pauni, <i>s. </i> Brandy. Lit. hot +water.<br> + <br> +Tatti-pen, <i>s. </i> Heat.<br> + <br> +Tatto, <i>a. </i> Hot, warm. <i>Sans.</i> Tapta. Tap (to be +hot). <i>Gaelic,</i> Teth.<br> + <br> +Tatto yeck, <i>s. </i> A hot un, or hot one; a stinging blow +given in some very sensitive part.<br> + <br> +Tattra-mengri, <i>s. </i> A frying-pan.<br> + <br> +Tawno <i>m.</i> / Tawnie <i>f., a. </i> Little, small, tiny. +<i>Sans.</i> Tarana (young). <i>Wal.</i> Tienir (young). +<i>Lat.</i> Tener. <i>Span. Gyp</i>. Chinoro.<br> + <br> +Tawnie yecks, <i>s. pl. </i> Little ones, grandchildren.<br> + <br> +Te, <i>prep. </i> To: te lesti, to her; this word is not properly +Gypsy.<br> + <br> +Te, <i>conjunct. </i> That: te jinnen, that they may know, an +optative word; O beng te poggar his men, may the devil break his +neck. <i> Wal.</i> Ci.<br> + <br> +Tel, <i>v. a. imp. </i> Hold: tel te jib, hold your tongue.<br> + <br> +Tem, <i>s. </i> Country.<br> + <br> +Temeskoe, <i>a. </i> Belonging to a country.<br> + <br> +Temno, <i>a. </i> Dark. <i>Rus.</i> Temnoy. <i>Sans.</i> Tama +(darkness).<br> + <br> +Ten, <i>s. See</i> Tan.<br> + <br> +Tikno, <i>s. </i> A child. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<br> + <br> +Tikno, <i>a. </i> Small, little. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Chinoro. +<i>Lat.</i> Tener.<br> + <br> +Tippoty, <i>a. </i> Malicious, spiteful: tippoty drey mande, +bearing malice against me.<br> + <br> +Tiro, <i>pron. </i> Thine.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Tornapo. Name of a Gypsy man.<br> + <br> +Tororo, <i>s. </i> A poor fellow, a beggar, a tramp. +<i>Sans.</i> Daridrã.<br> + <br> +Tove, <i>v. a. </i> To wash: tovipen, washing. <i>Sans.</i> +Dhav.<br> + <br> +Toving divvus, <i>s. </i> Washing day, Monday.<br> + <br> +Traish, <i>v. a. </i> To frighten, terrify: it traishes mande, it +frightens me.<br> + <br> +Trihool, <i>s. </i> Cross: Mi doveleskoe trihool, holy cross. +<i>Span. Gyp.</i> Trijul. <i>Hin.</i> Trisool.<br> + <br> +Trin, <i>a. </i> Three.<br> + <br> +Tringrosh / Tringurushee, Shilling. Lit. three groats.<br> + <br> +Tringurushengre, <i>s. pl. </i> Things costing a shilling.<br> + <br> +Tringush, <i>s. </i> Shilling.<br> + <br> +Trito, <i>a. </i> Third. <i>Sans.</i> Tritïya.<br> + <br> +Trufféni. Female Gypsy name: Trufféni Kaumlo, Jack +Wardomescrés dieyas nav - Truffeni Lovel, the name of John +Cooper's mother. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<br> + <br> +Truppior, <i>s. pl. </i> Stays.<br> + <br> +Trupo, <i>s. </i> Body. <i> Wal.</i> Troup. <i>Rus.</i> Trup<br> + <br> +Trushni, <i>s. </i> Faggot.<br> + <br> +Trusno, <i>a. </i> Thirsty, dry. <i>Sans.</i> Trishnaj.<br> + <br> +Tu, <i>pron. </i> Thou: shoon tu, dieya! do thou hear, +mother!<br> + <br> +Tud, <i>s. </i> Milk. <i>Sans.</i> Duh (to milk).<br> + <br> +Tudlo gueri. Milkmaid.<br> + <br> +Tug, <i>a. </i> Sad, afflicted.<br> + <br> +Tugnipen, <i>s. </i> Affliction.<br> + <br> +Tugnis amande. Woe is me; I am sad.<br> + <br> +Tugno, <i>a. </i> Sad, mournful.<br> + <br> +Tulé / Tuley, <i>prep. </i> Below, under: tuley the bor, +under the hedge. <i>Slavonian,</i> dóly.<br> + <br> +Tulipen, <i>s. </i> Fat, grease.<br> + <br> +Tulo, <i>a. </i> Fat.<br> + <br> +Tute, <i>pron. </i> Accusative of Tu; generally used instead of +the nominative.<br> + <br> +Tuv, <i>s. </i> Smoke, tobacco.<br> + <br> +Tuvalo / Tuvvalo, <i>a. </i> Smoky. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> +Chibaló (a cigar).<br> + <br> +V<br> + <br> +VANGUS, <i>s. </i> Finger. <i>Sans.</i> Angula.<br> + <br> +Vangustri, <i>s. </i> Ring. <i>Sans.</i> Angulika, anguri. +<i>See</i> Wangustri.<br> + <br> +Vaneshu, <i>s. </i> Nothing. From the Wallachian Ba nitchi, not +at all.<br> + <br> +Var, <i>s. </i> Flour: var-engro, a miller. <i>See</i> Waro.<br> + <br> +Vardo, <i>s. </i> Cart. <i>See</i> Wardo.<br> + <br> +Vassavo / Vassavy,<i>a. </i> Bad, evil.<br> + <br> +Vast, <i>s. </i> Hand.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Vellin, <i>s. </i> A bottle.<br> + <br> +Vauros, <i>s. </i> A city. <i>Hun.</i> Város. +<i>Sans.</i> Puri. <i>Hin.</i> Poor. <i> Wal.</i> Orash.<br> + <br> +Vénor / Vennor, Bowels, entrails. <i>See</i> Wendror,<br> + <br> +W<br> + <br> +WAFO, <i>a. </i> Another. <i>Sans.</i> Apara.<br> + <br> +Wafo divvus, <i>s. </i> Yesterday. Lit. the other day.<br> + <br> +Wafo tem. Another country, foreign land.<br> + <br> +Wafo temeskoe mush, <i>s. </i> A foreigner, another +countryman.<br> + <br> +Wafo tem-engre. Foreigners.<br> + <br> +Wafodu / Wafudo, <i>a. </i> Bad, evil.<br> + <br> +Wafodúder. Worse: wafodúder than dovor, worse than +they.<br> + <br> +Wafodu-pen, <i>s. </i> Wickedness.<br> + <br> +Wafodu guero, <i>s. </i> The Evil One, Satan.<br> + <br> +Wafodu tan, <i>s. </i> Hell, bad place.<br> + <br> +Wangar, <i>s. </i> Coals, charcoal. <i>Sans.</i> Angara. +<i>See</i> Wongar.<br> + <br> +Wangustri, <i>s. </i> Ring.<br> + <br> +Warda, <i>v. </i> To guard, take care: warda tu coccorus, take +care of yourself.<br> + <br> +Wardo, <i>s. </i> Cart. <i>Sans.</i> Pattra.<br> + <br> +Wardo-mescro, <i>s. </i> Carter, cartwright, cooper, name of a +Gypsy tribe.<br> + <br> +Waro, <i>s. </i> Flour.<br> + <br> +Waro-mescro, <i>s. </i> Miller.<br> + <br> +Wast, <i>s. </i> Hand. <i>See</i> Vast. Wastrors, hands. + <i>Gaelic,</i> Bas (the palm of the hand).<br> + <br> +Weggaulus / Welgorus / Welgaulus, <i>s. </i> A fair. <i> Wal.</i> +Bieltchiou.<br> + <br> +Wel, <i>v. a. </i> He comes; from Ava. Sometimes used +imperatively; <i>e.g.</i> Wel adrey, come in.<br> + <br> +Welling páli. Coming back, returning from +transportation.<br> + <br> +Wen, <i>s. </i> Winter.<br> + <br> +Wendror, <i>s. pl. </i> Bowels, inside. <i> Wal.</i> Pentetche. +<i>Lat.</i> Venter.<br> + <br> +Wentzelow. Name of a Gypsy man.<br> + <br> +Werriga, <i>s. </i> Chain. <i>Rus.</i> Veriga. <i> Wal.</i> +Verigie (bolt).<br> + <br> +Wesh, <i>s. </i> Forest, wood. <i>Pers</i>. [Persian: ]<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +Wesh-engro, <i>s. </i> Woodman, gamekeeper.<br> + <br> +Weshen-juggal, <i>s. </i> Fox. Lit. dog of the wood.<br> + <br> +Woddrus / Wuddrus,<i>s. </i> Bed. <i>Hun. Gyp.</i> Patos. +<i> Wal.</i> Pat. The Spanish Gypsies retain the pure Indian +word Charipé.<br> + <br> +Wongar, <i>s. </i> Coal. Also a term for money; probably because +Coal in the cant language signifies money. <i>See</i> +Wangar.<br> + <br> +Wongar-camming mush, <i>s. </i> A miser. Lit. one who loves +coal.<br> + <br> +Wuddur, <i>s. </i> Door. <i>Span. Gyp.</i> Burda. <i> Wal.</i> +Poartie.<br> + <br> +Wuddur-mescro, <i>s. </i> Doorkeeper.<br> + <br> +Wust, <i>v. a. </i> To cast, throw.<br> + <br> +Wusto-mengro, <i>s. </i> Wrestler, hurler.<br> + <br> +Y<br> + <br> +YACK, <i>s. </i> Eye. <i>Sans.</i> Akshi. <i>Germ.</i> Auge. +<i>Rus.</i> Oko. <i>Lithuanian,</i> Akis. <i>Lat.</i> +Oculus.<br> + <br> +Yackor. Eyes.<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> +Yag-engri, <i>s. </i> Gun, fire-thing.<br> + <br> +Yag- engro / Yago-mengro, <i>s. </i> Gamekeeper, sportsman, +fireman.<br> + <br> +Yag-kairepénes, <i>s. </i> Fireworks.<br> + <br> +Yag-vardo, <i>s. </i> Fire-car, railroad carriage.<br> + <br> +Yarb, <i>s. </i> Herb.<br> + <br> +Yarb-tan, <i>s. </i> Garden.<br> + <br> +Yeck, <i>a. </i> One. <i>Sans.</i> Eka. <i>Hin.</i> Yak.<br> + <br> +Yeckoro, <i>a. </i> Only: yeckoro chavo, only son.<br> + <br> +Yeckorus, <i>ad. </i> Once.<br> + <br> +Yo, <i>pron. </i> He.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Yokki, <i>a. </i> Clever, expert: a yokki juva, a yokki woman - a +female expert at filching, ringing the changes, telling fortunes, +and other Gypsy arts. <i>Sans.</i> Yoga (artifice, plan), Yuj +(to combine, put together, plan).<br> + <br> +Yora, <i>s. </i> Hour. <i>See</i> Ora.<br> + <br> +Yoro, <i>s. </i> An egg. <i> Wal.</i> Ou.<br> + <br> +Z<br> + <br> +ZI, <i>s. </i> The heart, mind. <i>Hun.</i> Sziv. <i>Sans.</i> +Dhi.<br> + <br> +Zimmen, <i>s. </i> Broth. <i> Wal.</i> Zmenteni (cream).<br> + <br> +Zoomi, <i>s. f. </i> Broth, soup. <i>Mod. Gr.</i> [Greek: ]<i> +Wal.</i> Zamie (juice).<br> + <br> +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).<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +RHYMED LIST OF GYPSY VERBS<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +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> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +BETIE ROKRAPENES - LITTLE SAYINGS<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +If foky kek jins bute,<br> +Mà sal at lende;<br> +For sore mush jins chomany<br> +That tute kek jins.<br> + <br> +Whatever ignorance men may show,<br> +From none disdainful turn;<br> +For every one doth something know<br> +Which you have yet to learn.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +BETIE ROKRAPENES<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +So must I ker, daiya, to ker tute mistos?<br> +It is my Dovvel's kerrimus, and we can't help asarlus.<br> +Mi Dovvel opral, dick tuley opré mande.<br> +If I could lel bonnek tute, het-avava tute.<br> +Misto kedast tute.<br> +Dovey si fino covar, ratfelo jukkal, sas miro.<br> + <br> +The plastra-mengro sollohaul'd bango.<br> +Me camava jaw drey the Nevi Wesh to dick the purey +Bare-mescrey.<br> +You jin feter dovey oduvu.<br> +Will you pes for a coro levinor?<br> +Mā pi kekomi.<br> +Mā rokra kekomi.<br> +Bori shil se mande.<br> +Tatto tu coccori, pen.<br> +Kekkeno pawni dov odoi.<br> +Sore simensar si men.<br> + <br> +Tatto ratti se len.<br> +Wafudu lavior you do pen, miry deary Dovvel.<br> +Kair pias to kair the gorgies sal.<br> +Nai men chior.<br> +So se drey lis?<br> +Misto sis riddo.<br> +Muk man av abri.<br> +Ma kair jaw.<br> +Si covar ajaw.<br> +An men posseymengri.<br> +Colliko sorlo me deavlis.<br> +Pukker zi te lesti.<br> +Soving lasa.<br> +Tatto si can.<br> +Mande kinyo, nastis jalno durroder.<br> +Mã muk de gorgey jinnen sore lidan dovvu luvvu so +garridan.<br> +Dui trins ta yeck ta pas.<br> +Pes apopli.<br> +Chiv'd his vast adrey tiro putsi.<br> +Penchavo chavo savo shan tu.<br> + <br> +I'd sooner shoon his rokrapen than shoon Lally gil a gillie.<br> +Kekkeno jinava mande ne burreder denne chavo.<br> +Aukko tu pios adrey Romanes.<br> + <br> + <br> +LITTLE SAYINGS<br> + <br> + <br> +What must I do, mother, to make you well?<br> +It is my God's doing, and we can't help at all.<br> + <br> +My God above, look down upon me!<br> +If I could get hold of you, I would slay you.<br> +Thou hast done well.<br> +That is a fine thing, you bloody dog, if it were mine.<br> +The Bow-street runner swore falsely.<br> +I will go into the New Forest to see the old Stanleys.<br> +You know better than that.<br> +Will you pay for a pot of ale?<br> +Don't drink any more.<br> +Do not speak any more.<br> +I have a great cold.<br> +Warm thyself, sister.<br> +There is no water there.<br> +We are all relations: all who are with us are ourselves.<br> +They have hot blood.<br> +Evil words you do speak, O my dear God.<br> +Make fun, to make the Gentiles laugh.<br> +I have no girls.<br> +What is in it?<br> +Thou art well dressed.<br> +Let me come out.<br> +Don't do so.<br> +The thing is so: so it is.<br> +Bring me a fork.<br> +To-morrow morning I will give it.<br> +Tell her your mind.<br> +Sleeping with her.<br> +The sun is hot.<br> +I am tired, I can go no farther.<br> +Don't let the Gentiles know all the money you took which you +hid.<br> +Seven pound ten.<br> +Pay again.<br> +Put his hand into your pocket.<br> +The boy is thinking who you are.<br> + <br> +I would rather hear him speak than hear Lally sing.<br> +I know no more than a child.<br> +Here's your health in Romany!<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +COTORRES OF MI-DIBBLE'S LIL CHIV'D ADREY ROMANES<br> +PIECES OF SCRIPTURE CAST INTO ROMANY<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +THE FIRST DAY - Genesis i. 1, 2, 3, 4<br> + <br> + <br> +Drey 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE FIFTH DAY - Genesis i. 20, 21, 22, 23<br> + <br> + <br> +Then 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.<br> + <br> +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,<br> + <br> +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:<br> + <br> +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!<br> + <br> +Then was sarla tá sorlo panschto divvus.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE CREATION OF MAN - Genesis i. 27, 28<br> + <br> + <br> +Then 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:<br> + <br> +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,<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE LORD'S PRAYER<br> + <br> + <br> +Meery 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE APOSTLES' CREED<br> + <br> + <br> +Apasavello 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE LORD'S PRAYER IN THE GYPSY DIALECT OF TRANSYLVANIA<br> + <br> + <br> +Miro 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.<br> + <br> +Te del amen o gulo Del eg meschibo pa amara choribo.<br> + <br> +Te vas del o Del amengue; te n'avel man pascotia ando drom, te na +hoden pen mandar.<br> + <br> +Ja Develehi!<br> +Az Develehi!<br> +Ja Develeskey!<br> +Az Develeskey!<br> +Heri Devlis!<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +May the sweet God give us a remedy for our poverty.<br> + <br> +May God help us! May no misfortune happen to me in the road, and +may no one steal anything me.<br> + <br> +Go with God!<br> +Stay with God!<br> +Go, for God's sake!<br> +Stay, for God's sake!<br> +By God!<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +LIL OF ROMANO JINNYPEN<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +The 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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 wel and pen: so's tute kairing acai? Jaw oprey, Romano +juggal.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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?<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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. <br> + <br> +The tatcho drom to be a jinney-mengro is to shoon, dick, and rig +in zi.<br> + <br> +The mush savo kek se les the juckni-wast oprey his jib and his zi +is keck kosko to jal adrey sweti.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Jack Vardomescro could del oprey dosta to jin sore was oprey the +mea-bars and the drom-sikkering engris.<br> + <br> +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 chinn'd aley, +and the wendror's wusted abri, 'tis a hobben dosta koshto for a +crallissa to hal without lon.<br> + <br> +When Gorgio mushe's merripen and Romany Chal's merripen wels +kettaney, kek kosto merripen see.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Does tute jin the Romano drom of lelling the wast?<br> + <br> +Avali, prala.<br> + <br> +Sikker mande lis.<br> + <br> +They kairs it ajaw, prala.<br> + <br> +A chorredo has burreder peeas than a Romany Chal.<br> + <br> +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 +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?<br> + <br> +Do you nav cavacoi a weilgorus? Ratfelo rinkeno weilgorus cav +acoi: you might chiv lis sore drey teero putsi.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Car's tute jibbing?<br> + <br> +Mande's kek jibbing; mande's is atching, at the feredest; mande's +a pirremengri, prala!<br> + <br> +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!<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Kekkeni like Romano Will's rawnie for kelling drey a chauro.<br> + <br> +Cauna Constance Petulengri merr'd she was shel tã desch +beshor puri.<br> + <br> +Does tute jin Rawnie Wardomescri?<br> + <br> +Mande jins lati misto, prala.<br> + <br> +Does tute cam lati?<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +So kerella for a jivipen?<br> + <br> +She dukkers, prala; she dukkers.<br> + <br> +Can she dukker misto?<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Mande will sollohaul neither bango nor tatcho against kekkeno; if +they cams to latch abri chomoni, muk lende latch it abri their +cokkoré.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Sau kisi foky has tute dukker'd to divvus?<br> + <br> +Yeck rawnie coccori, prala; dov ody she wels palal; mande jins +lati by the kaulo dori prey laki shubba.<br> + <br> +Sau bute luvvu did she del tute?<br> + <br> +Yeck gurush, prala; yeck gurush coccoro. The beng te lilly a +truppy!<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Can you rokkra Romanes?<br> +Avali, prala!<br> +So si Weshenjuggalslomomengreskeytemskey tudlogueri?<br> +Mande don't jin what you pens, prala.<br> +Then tute is kek Romano lavomengro.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +BOOK OF THE WISDOM OF THE EGYPTIANS<br> + <br> + <br> +The 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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 say: What are you doing here? Take yourself off, you Gypsy +dog.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Do you know my old friend Mr. Stanniwix, the old gentleman that +wears a pigtail, and made fourteen thousand pounds by +smuggling?<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +You ask me what are <i>patrins. 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.<br> + <br> +The true way to be a wise man is to hear, see, and bear in +mind.<br> + <br> +The man who has not the whip-hand of his tongue and his temper is +not fit to go into company.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Jack Cooper could read enough to know all that was upon the +milestones and the sign-posts.<br> + <br> +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 flung out, 'tis a food +good enough for a queen to eat without salt.<br> + <br> +When the Gentile way of living and the Gypsy way of living come +together, it is anything but a good way of living.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Do you know the Gypsy way of taking the hand?<br> +Aye, aye, brother.<br> +Show it to me.<br> +They does it <i>so,</i> brother.<br> + <br> +A tramp has more fun than a Gypsy.<br> + <br> +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 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?<br> + <br> +Do you call this a fair? A very pretty fair is this: you might +put it all into your pocket.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Where are you living?<br> + <br> +Mine is not living; mine is staying, to say the best of it; I am +a traveller, brother!<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +No one like Gypsy Will's wife for dancing in a platter.<br> + <br> +When Constance Smith died, she was a hundred ten years old.<br> + <br> +Do you know Mrs. Cooper?<br> + <br> +I knows her very well, brother.<br> + <br> +Do you like her?<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +What does she do for a living?<br> + <br> +She tells fortunes, brother; she tells fortunes.<br> + <br> +Is she a good hand at fortune-telling?<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +'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.<br> + <br> +I will swear neither falsely nor truly against any one; if they +wishes to find out something, let them find it out +themselves.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +How many fortunes have you told to-day?<br> + <br> +Only one lady's, brother; yonder she's coming back; I knows her +by the black lace on her gown.<br> + <br> +How much money did she give you?<br> + <br> +Only one groat, brother; only one groat. May the devil run away +with her bodily!<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Can you speak Romany?<br> +Aye, aye, brother!<br> +What is Weshenjuggalslomomengreskeytemskeytudlogueri?<br> +I don't know what you say, brother.<br> +Then you are no master of Romany.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +ROMANE NAVIOR OF TEMES AND GAVIOR<br> +GYPSY NAMES OF CONTRIES AND TOWNS<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Baulo-mengreskey tem Swineherds' country, +Hampshire<br> +</p> + +<p>Bitcheno padlengreskey tem Transported fellows' country, +Botany Bay<br> +</p> + +<p>Bokra-mengreskey tem Shepherds' country, Sussex<br> +</p> + +<p>Bori-congriken gav Great church town, York<br> +</p> + +<p>Boro-rukeneskey gav Great tree town, Fairlop<br> +</p> + +<p>Boro gueroneskey tem Big fellows' country, +Northumberland<br> +</p> + +<p>Chohawniskey tem Witches' country, Lancashire<br> +</p> + +<p>Choko-mengreskey gav Shoemakers' town, +Northampton<br> +</p> + +<p>Churi-mengreskey gav Cutlers' town, Sheffield<br> +</p> + +<p>Coro-mengreskey tem Potters' country, +Staffordshire<br> +</p> + +<p>Cosht-killimengreskey tem Cudgel players' country, +Cornwall<br> +</p> + +<p>Curo-mengreskey gav Boxers' town, Nottingham<br> +</p> + +<p>Dinelo tem Fools' country, Suffolk<br> +</p> + +<p>Giv-engreskey tem Farmers' country, +Buckinghamshire<br> +</p> + +<p>Gry-engreskey gav Horsedealers' town, +Horncastle<br> +</p> + +<p>Guyo-mengreskey tem Pudding-eaters' country, +Yorkshire<br> +</p> + +<p>Hindity-mengreskey tem Dirty fellows' country, +Ireland<br> +</p> + +<p>Jinney-mengreskey gav Sharpers' town, Manchester<br> +</p> + +<p>Juggal-engreskey gav Dog-fanciers' town, Dudley<br> +</p> + +<p>Juvlo-mengreskey tem Lousy fellows' country, +Scotland<br> +</p> + +<p>Kaulo gav The black town, Birmingham<br> +</p> + +<p>Levin-engriskey tem Hop country, Kent<br> +</p> + +<p>Lil-engreskey gav Book fellows' town, Oxford<br> +</p> + +<p>Match-eneskey gav Fishy town, Yarmouth<br> +</p> + +<p>Mi-develeskey gav My God's town, Canterbury<br> +</p> + +<p>Mi-krauliskey gav Royal town, London<br> +</p> + +<p>Nashi-mescro gav Racers' town, Newmarket<br> +</p> + +<p>Pappin-eskey tem Duck country, Lincolnshire<br> +</p> + +<p>Paub-pawnugo tem Apple-water country, +Herefordshire<br> +</p> + +<p>Porrum-engreskey tem Leek-eaters' country, Wales<br> +</p> + +<p>Pov-engreskey tem Potato country, Norfolk<br> +</p> + +<p>Rashayeskey gav Clergyman's town, Ely<br> +</p> + +<p>Rokrengreskey gav Talking fellows' town, +Norwich<br> +</p> + +<p>Shammin-engreskey gav Chairmakers' town, Windsor<br> +</p> + +<p>Tudlo tem Milk country, Cheshire<br> +</p> + +<p>Weshen-eskey gav Forest town, Epping<br> +</p> + +<p>Weshen-juggal-slommo-mengreskey tem Fox-hunting fellows' +country, Leicestershire<br> +</p> + +<p>Wongareskey gav Coal town, Newcastle<br> +</p> + +<p>Wusto-mengresky tem Wrestlers' country, +Devonshire<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +THOMAS ROSSAR-MESCRO<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Prey 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 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 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? 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THOMAS HERNE<br> + <br> + <br> +On 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 +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 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; +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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +KOKKODUS ARTARUS<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Drey 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?<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +I don't jin kah se, deya! diviou kokkodus Artáros jins, +kek mande. Ah diviou, diviou, jal amande callico.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +MANG, PRALA<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Romano 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.<br> + <br> +[Something like the following little anecdote is related by the +Gypsies in every part of Continental Europe.]<br> + <br> + <br> +BEG ON, BROTHER<br> + <br> + <br> +A Gypsy 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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +ENGLISH GYPSY SONGS<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +WELLING KATTANEY<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Coin si deya, coin se dado?<br> +Pukker mande drey Romanes,<br> +Ta mande pukkeravava tute.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE GYPSY MEETING<br> + <br> + <br> +Who's your mother, who's your father?<br> +Do thou answer me in Romany,<br> +And I will answer thee.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +LELLING CAPPI<br> + <br> + <br> +"Av, my little Romany chel!<br> +Av along with mansar!<br> +Av, my little Romany chel!<br> +Koshto si for mangue."<br> + <br> +"I shall lel a curapen,<br> +If I jal aley;<br> +I shall lel a curapen<br> +From my dear bebee."<br> + <br> +"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.'<br> + <br> +"'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:<br> + <br> +"I will chore a beti gry,<br> +And so we shall lel cappi."<br> +"Kekko, meero mushipen,<br> +For so you would be stardo;<br> + <br> +"But I will jal a dukkering,<br> +And so we shall lel cappi."<br> +"Koshto, my little Romany chel!<br> +Koshto si for mangue."<br> + <br> + <br> +MAKING A FORTUNE<br> + <br> + <br> +"Come 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."<br> + <br> +"I should get a leathering<br> +Should I with thee go;<br> +I should get a leathering<br> +From my dear aunt, I trow."<br> + <br> +"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!'<br> + <br> +"'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:<br> + <br> +"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;<br> + <br> +"But I'll a fortune-telling go,<br> +And our fortunes make thereby."<br> +"Well said, my little gypsy girl,<br> +You counsel famously."<br> + <br> + <br> +LELLING CAPPI - No.2<br> + <br> + <br> +"Av, my little Rumni chel,<br> +Av along with mansar;<br> +We will jal a gry-choring<br> +Pawdle across the chumba.<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"'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."<br> + <br> +"Kusko, my little Rumni chel,<br> +Your rokrapen is kusko;<br> +We'll dukker and we'll petuls ker<br> +Pawdle across the chumba.<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> + <br> +MAKING A FORTUNE - No.2<br> + <br> + <br> +"Come 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.<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"'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."<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"'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."<br> + <br> + <br> +THE DUI CHALOR<br> + <br> + <br> +Dui 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE TWO GYPSIES<br> + <br> + <br> +Two 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +MIRO ROMANY CHl<br> + <br> + <br> +As 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +MY ROMAN LASS<br> + <br> + <br> +As 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +AVA, CHI<br> + <br> + <br> +Hokka tute mande<br> +Mande pukkra bebee<br> +Mande shauvo tute -<br> +Ava, Chi!<br> + <br> + <br> +YES, MY GIRL<br> + <br> + <br> +If 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE TEMESKOE RYE<br> + <br> + <br> +Penn'd 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE YOUTHFUL EARL<br> + <br> + <br> +Said 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +CAMO-GILLIE<br> + <br> + <br> +Pawnie 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +LOVE-SONG<br> + <br> + <br> +I'd 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.<br> + <br> + <br> +TUGNIS AMANDE<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +WOE IS ME<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE RYE AND RAWNIE<br> + <br> + <br> +The 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.<br> + <br> +Oprey the rukh adrey the wesh<br> +Are chiriclo and chiricli;<br> +Tuley the rukh adrey the wesh<br> +Are pireno and pireni.<br> + <br> + <br> +THE SQUIRE AND LADY<br> + <br> + <br> +The 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +ROMANY SUTTUR GILLIE<br> + <br> + <br> +Jaw 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +GYPSY LULLABY<br> + <br> + <br> +Sleep 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +SHARRAFI KRALYISSA<br> + <br> + <br> +Finor coachey innar Lundra,<br> +Bonor coachey innar Lundra,<br> +Finor coachey, bonor coachey<br> +Mande dick'd innar Lundra.<br> + <br> +Bonor, finor coachey<br> +Mande dick'd innar Lundra<br> +The divvus the Kralyissa jall'd<br> +To congri innar Lundra.<br> + <br> + <br> +OUR BLESSED QUEEN<br> + <br> + <br> +Coaches fine in London,<br> +Coaches good in London,<br> +Coaches fine and coaches good<br> +I did see in London.<br> + <br> +Coaches good and coaches fine<br> +I did see in London,<br> +The blessed day our blessed Queen<br> +Rode to church in London.<br> + <br> + <br> +PLASTRA LESTI!<br> + <br> + <br> +Gare yourselves, pralor!<br> +Mã pee kek-komi!<br> +The guero's welling -<br> +Plastra lesti!<br> + <br> + <br> +RUN FOR IT!<br> + <br> + <br> +Up, up, brothers!<br> +Cease your revels!<br> +The Gentile's coming -<br> +Run like devils!<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +FOREIGN GYPSY SONGS<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Oy die-la, oy mama-la oy!<br> +Cherie podey mangue penouri.<br> +</p> + +<p>Russian Gypsy Song.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> + <br> +THE ROMANY SONGSTRESS<br> +FROM THE RUSSIAN GYPSY<br> + <br> + <br> +Her 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."<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +L'ERAJAI<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Un 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> +Ynicabela 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."<br> + <br> + <br> +THE FRIAR<br> +FROM THE SPANISH GYPSY<br> + <br> + <br> +A Friar<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."<br> + <br> + <br> +MALBRUN<br> + <br> + <br> +Chaló Malbrun chingarár,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Chaló Malbrun chingarár;<br> +No sé bus truterá!<br> +No sé bus truterá!<br> + <br> +La romi que le caméla,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +La romi que le camela<br> +Muy curepeñada está,<br> +Muy curepeñada está.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Dicá abillar su burno,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Dicá abillar su burno,<br> +En ropa callardá,<br> +En ropa callardá.<br> + <br> +"Burno, lacho quirbó;<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Burno, lacho quiribó,<br> +Que nuevas has diñar?<br> +Que nuevas has diñar?"<br> + <br> +"Las nuevas que io térelo,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Las nuevas que io terélo<br> +Te haran orobar,<br> +Te haran orobar.<br> + <br> +"Meró Malbrun mi eráy,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Meró Malbrun mi eráy<br> +Meró en la chingá,<br> +Meró en la chingá.<br> + <br> +"Sinaba ásu entierro,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Sinaba á su entierro<br> +La plastani sará,<br> +La plastani sará.<br> + <br> +"Seis guapos jundunáres,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Seis guapos jundunáres<br> +Le lleváron cabañar,<br> +Le lleváron cabañar.<br> + <br> +"Delante de la jestári,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Delante de la jestári<br> +Chaló el sacristá,<br> +Chaló el sacristá.<br> + <br> +"El sacristá delante,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +El sacristá delante,<br> +Y el errajai palá,<br> +Y el errajai palá.<br> + <br> +"Al majaro ortaláme,<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Al majaro ortaláme<br> +Le lleváron cabañar,<br> +Le lleváron cabañar.<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"Y opré de la jestári<br> +Birandón, birandón, birandéra!<br> +Guillabéla un chilindróte;<br> +Sobá en paz, sobá!<br> +Sobá en paz, sobá!<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +MALBROUK<br> +FROM THE SPANISH GYPSY VERSION<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Malbrouk 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!<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +"O squire, my trusty fellow;<br> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br> +O squire, my trusty fellow,<br> +What news of my soldier poor?<br> +What news of my soldier poor?"<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"His funeral attended,<br> +Birrandón, birrandón, birrandéra!<br> +His funeral attended<br> +The whole reg'mental corps,<br> +The whole reg'mental corps.<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +THE ENGLISH GYPSIES<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +TUGNEY BESHOR<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +The Romany Chals<br> +Should jin so bute<br> +As the Puro Beng<br> +To scape of gueros<br> +And wafo gorgies<br> +The wafodupen.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Cauna volélan<br> +Muley pappins<br> +Pawdle the len<br> +Men artavàvam<br> +Of gorgio foky<br> +The wafodupen.<br> +Ley teero sollohanloinus opreylis!<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +SORROWFUL YEARS<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +The 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 {3} 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 +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!<br> + <br> + <br> +Sar shin Sinfye?<br> +Koshto divvus, Romany Chi!<br> +So shan tute kairing acoi?<br> + <br> +Sinfye, Sinfye! how do you do?<br> +Daughter of Rome, good day to you!<br> +What are you thinking here to do?<br> + <br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +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 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 +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.<br> + <br> +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 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; 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 are features so odd, so +strangely droll, that indignation against the offence is +dispelled by an irresistible desire to laugh.<br> + <br> +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, 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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +GYPSY NAMES<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +There 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.<br> + <br> +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 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.'<br> + <br> +</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 [Greek: ]; <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, 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.<br> + <br> +So much for the names of the Gypsies which 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:-<br> + <br> +BOSWELL. - 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 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><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +GREY. - 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.<br> + <br> +HEARNE, HERNE. - 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 - Rossar-mescro</i> or +<i>Ratzie-mescro,</i> and <i>Balorengre. 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.<br> + <br> +LEE. - 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 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.<br> + <br> +LOVEL. - This is the name or title of an old and powerful English +family. The meaning of it is 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.<br> + <br> +MARSHALL. - 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 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.<br> + <br> +STANLEY. - 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 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.<br> + <br> +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>, 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; 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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +FORTUNE-TELLING<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Gypsy 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. +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><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +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 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:-<br> + <br> + <br> +Late rather one morning<br> +In summer's sweet tide,<br> +Goes forth to the Prado<br> +Jacinta the bride:<br> + <br> +There meets her a Gypsy<br> +So fluent of talk,<br> +And jauntily dressed,<br> +On the principal walk.<br> + <br> +"O welcome, thrice welcome,<br> +Of beauty thou flower!<br> +Believe me, believe me,<br> +Thou com'st in good hour."<br> + <br> +Surprised was Jacinta;<br> +She fain would have fled;<br> +But the Gypsy to cheer her<br> +Such honeyed words said:<br> + <br> +"O cheek like the rose-leaf!<br> +O lady high-born!<br> +Turn thine eyes on thy servant,<br> +But ah, not in scorn.<br> + <br> +"O pride of the Prado!<br> +O joy of our clime!<br> +Thou twice shalt be married,<br> +And happily each time.<br> + <br> +"Of two noble sons<br> +Thou shalt be the glad mother,<br> +One a Lord Judge,<br> +A Field-Marshal the other."<br> + <br> + <br> +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 <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:-<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +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, +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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +THE HUKNI<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +The 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:-<br> + <br> + <br> +O dear me! O dear me!<br> +What dinnelies these gorgies be.<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +CAURING<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +The 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 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, kek yeck -</i> notone, not +one. Stay, stay! What's this, what's this? <i>So se cavo, 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, tringurushis, 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><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> + <br> + <br> +METROPOLITAN GYPSYRIES - WANDSWORTH, 1864<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +What 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 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.<br> + <br> +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, 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:<br> + <br> + <br> +Can you rokra Romany?<br> +Can you play the bosh?<br> +Can you jal adrey the staripen?<br> +Can you chin the cost?<br> + <br> +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?<br> + <br> + <br> +These Gypsies are of various tribes, but chiefly Purruns, +Chumomescroes and Vardomescroes, or Lees, Boswells and Coopers, +and Lees being by 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 statue, 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 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 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 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:<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> +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 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 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</i> +<i>grasni</i>, though a handsome one, and I never looks at her, +brother, without saying to myself the old words:<br> + <br> + <br> +"Rinkeno mui and wafodu zee<br> +Kitzi's the cheeros we dicks cattanē."<br> +A beautiful face and a black wicked mind<br> +Often, full often together we find.<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +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, 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, Romany Rye, 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.<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +The Gypsies, as has been already observed, are not the sole +occupiers of Wandsworth grounds. 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:-<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Lastly come the Hindity-mengre, or Filthy 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 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><br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +What is ring-dropping?<br> + <br> +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 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 - "<br> + <br> +Three of the most famous of the Hindity smiths have been +immortalised by the Gypsies in the following bit of verse:<br> + <br> + <br> +Mickie, Huwie and Larry,<br> +Trin Hindity-mengre fashiono vangust-engre.<br> + <br> +Mickie, Huwie and Larry bold,<br> +Three Irish brothers, as I am told,<br> +Who make false rings, that pass for gold.<br> + <br> + <br> +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 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 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 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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +THE POTTERIES, 1864<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +The 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 +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.<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +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 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, -<br> + <br> + <br> +What care we, though we be so small?<br> +The tent shall stand when the palace shall fall;<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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, 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 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 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.)<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +THE MOUNT<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Before 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.<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +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, 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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +RYLEY BOSVIL<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Ryley 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 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 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.<br> + <br> +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 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, 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, 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:-<br> + <br> + <br> +"The Gorgios seek to hang me,<br> +The Gypsies seek to kill me:<br> +This country we must leave."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Shuri.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +I'll jaw with you to heaven,<br> +I'll jaw with you to Yaudors -<br> +But not if Lura goes."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Lura.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"I'll jaw with you to heaven,<br> +And to the wicked country,<br> +Though Shuri goeth too."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Ryley.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"Since I must choose betwixt ye,<br> +My choice is Yocky Shuri,<br> +Though Lura loves me best."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Lura.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"My blackest curse on Shuri!<br> +Oh, Ryley, I'll not curse you,<br> +But you will never thrive."<br> + <br> + <br> +She then took her departure with her cart and donkey, and Ryley +remained with Shuri.<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +</p> + +<p>Ryley.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"I've chosen now betwixt ye;<br> +Your wish you now have gotten,<br> +But for it you shall smart."<br> + <br> + <br> +He then struck her with his fist on the cheek, and broke her +jawbone. Shuri uttered no cry or complaint, only mumbled:<br> + <br> + <br> +"Although with broken jawbone,<br> +I'll follow thee, my Ryley,<br> +Since Lura doesn't jal."<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +</p> + +<p>Old Gypsy.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"Methinks I see a brother!<br> +Who's your father? Who's your mother?<br> +And what may be your name?"<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Ryley.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"A Bosvil was my father;<br> +A Bosvil was my mother;<br> +And Ryley is my name."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Old Gypsy.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"I'm glad to see you, brother!<br> +I am a Kaulo Camlo. {4}<br> +What service can I do?"<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Ryley.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"I'm jawing petulengring, {5}<br> +But do not know the country;<br> +Perhaps you'll show me round."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p>Old Gypsy.<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"I'll sikker tute, prala!<br> +I'm bikkening esconyor; {6}<br> +Av, av along with me!"<br> + <br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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 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 of force, if +nothing else, to recommend them. One of these, addressed to +Yocky Shuri, runs as follows:<br> + <br> + <br> +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!<br> + <br> + <br> +Which may be thus rendered:<br> + <br> + <br> +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!<br> + <br> + <br> +KIRK YETHOLM<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +There 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, 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.<br> + <br> +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 myself at last, "and I shouldn't wonder if +strange things have been done in it."<br> + <br> +"Come to see the Gypsy toon, sir?" said a voice not far from +me.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +"A Gypsy town, is it?" said I; "why, I thought it had been Kirk +Yetholm."<br> + <br> +</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?"<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "You do not seem to be a Gypsy."<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "And what brought you to Kirk Yetholm?"<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Woman</i>. - "Oh, my ain little bit of business brought me +to Kirk Yetholm, sir."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "Which is no business of mine. That's a +queer-looking house there."<br> + <br> +</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 man once lived in it. Does your honour +know who once lived in that house?"<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Woman.</i> - "Does your honour come from far?"<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Woman.</i> - "And what may have brought your honour into +these parts?"<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "Oh, my ain wee bit of business brought me +into these parts."<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "Old Will Faa!"<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Woman.</i> - "Yes. Old Will Faa, the Gypsy king, smuggler, +and innkeeper; he lived in that inn."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "Oh, then that house has been an inn?"<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "Is the house still kept by a Faa?"<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "I really should like to see some of the +blood."<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "I really should like to see her."<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +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 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."<br> + <br> +</p> + +<p><i>Myself.</i> - "Oh, then the Gypsies of Yetholm have a +language of their own?"<br> + <br> +</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."<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +"There is something Gypsy in that face," said I to myself, as I +looked at her; "but I don't like those eyes."<br> + <br> +"A fine evening," said I to her at last.<br> + <br> +"Yes, sir," said the woman, with very little of the Scotch +accent; "it is a fine evening. Come to see the town?"<br> + <br> +"Yes," said I; "I am come to see the town. A nice little town it +seems."<br> + <br> +"And I suppose come to see the Gypsies, too," said the woman, +with a half smile.<br> + <br> +"Well," said I, "to be frank with you, I came to see the +Gypsies. You are not one, I suppose?"<br> + <br> +"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?"<br> + <br> +"Then," said I, "you must be related to her whom they call the +Gypsy queen."<br> + <br> +"I am, indeed, sir. Would you wish to see her?"<br> + <br> +"By all means," said I. "I should wish very much to see the +Gypsy queen."<br> + <br> +"Then I will show you to her, sir; many gentlefolks from England +come to see the Gypsy queen of Yetholm. Follow me, sir!"<br> + <br> +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>?" {7}<br> + <br> +She stopped her knitting for a moment, and appeared to consider, +and then resuming it, she said hesitatingly, "No, sir, no! None +at all! That is, not exactly!"<br> + <br> +"She is no true Gypsy, after all," said I to myself.<br> + <br> +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:<br> + <br> +"Now, sir, in what can I oblige you?"<br> + <br> +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:<br> + <br> +"Sossi your nav? Pukker mande tute's nav! Shan tu a +mumpli-mushi, or a tatchi Romany?"<br> + <br> +Which, interpreted into Gorgio, runs thus:<br> + <br> +"What is your name? Tell me your name! Are you a mumping woman, +or a true Gypsy?"<br> + <br> +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."<br> + <br> +"Gibberish!" said I; "it is no gibberish; it is Zingarrijib, +Romany rokrapen, real Gypsy of the old order."<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +"Why, they told me as how you were a Gypsy," said I.<br> + <br> +"And they told you the truth," said the woman; "I am a Gypsy, and +a real one; I am not ashamed of my blood."<br> + <br> +"If yer were a Gyptian," said I, "yer would be able to speak +Gyptian; but yer can't, not a word."<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +"Not very civil," said the woman.<br> + <br> +"A pretty Gypsy!" said I; "why, I'll be bound you don't know what +a <i>churi</i> is!"<br> + <br> +The woman gave me a sharp look; but made no reply.<br> + <br> +"A pretty queen of the Gypsies!" said I; "why, she doesn't know +the meaning of <i>churi</i>!"<br> + <br> +"Doesn't she?" said the woman, evidently nettled; "doesn't +she?"<br> + <br> +"Why, do you mean to say that you know the meaning of +<i>churi</i>?"<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"Why, of course I do," said the woman.<br> + <br> +"Hardly, my good lady," said I; "hardly; a <i>churi</i> to you is +merely a <i>churi</i>."<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"A <i>churi</i> is a knife," said the woman, in a tone of +defiance; "a <i>churi</i> is a knife."<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +"Speaking Gyptianly?" said I.<br> + <br> +The woman nodded.<br> + <br> +"Whoy, I calls that <i>yog</i>."<br> + <br> +"Hm," said the woman: "and the dog out there?"<br> + <br> +"Gyptian-loike?" said I.<br> + <br> +"Yes."<br> + <br> +"Whoy, I calls that a <i>juggal</i>."<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"And the hat on your head?"<br> + <br> +"Well, I have two words for that: a <i>staury</i> and a +<i>stadge</i>."<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"<i>Stadge</i>," said the woman, "we call it here. Now what's a +gun?"<br> + <br> +"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</i>-<i>engro</i> - but that is a made-up word +signifying a fire-thing."<br> + <br> +"Then you don't know the word for a gun," said the Gypsy.<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +"<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>?"<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"<i>Nokkum</i>," said I; "<i>nokkum</i>?"<br> + <br> +"Aye," said the Gypsy; "what is <i>Nokkum</i>? Our people here, +besides their common name of 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>?"<br> + <br> +"<i>Nokkum</i>," said I; "<i>nokkum</i>? The root of +<i>nokkum</i> must be <i>nok,</i> which signifieth a nose."<br> + <br> +"A-h!" said the Gypsy, slowly drawing out the monosyllable, as if +in astonishment.<br> + <br> +"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>."<br> +</p> + +<p> <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +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 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 +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.<br> + <br> +"Unless," said I, "they found the stranger knew more than +themselves."<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +Ceasing to talk to her about words, I began to 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, 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, dooking +gryes, 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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +"Did you travel alone?" said I.<br> + <br> +"No," said she; "when I travelled in Scotland I was with some of +my own people, and in England with the Lees and Bosvils."<br> + <br> +"Old acquaintances of mine," said I; "why only the other day I +was with them at Fairlop Fair, in the Wesh."<br> + <br> +"I frequently heard them talk of Epping Forest," said the Gypsy; +"a nice place, is it not?"<br> + <br> +"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 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:-<br> + <br> + <br> +Romany Chalor<br> +Anglo the wuddur<br> +Mistos are boshing;<br> +Mande beshello<br> +Innar the wuddur<br> +Shooning the boshipen."<br> + <br> +Roman lads<br> +Before the door<br> +Bravely fiddle;<br> +Here I sit<br> +Within the door<br> +And hear them fiddle.<br> + <br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +Wishing to know her age, I inquired of her what it was. She +looked angry, and said she did not know.<br> + <br> +"Are you forty-nine?" said I, with a terrible voice, and a yet +more terrible look.<br> + <br> +"More," said she, with a smile; "I am sixty-eight."<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> +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 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.<br> + <br> +"Is So-and-so at home?" said I.<br> + <br> +"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."<br> + <br> +"Is she gone far?" said I.<br> + <br> +"No," said the speaker, kicking up his heels.<br> + <br> +"Where is she gone to?"<br> + <br> +"She's gone to Cauldstrame."<br> + <br> +"How far is that?"<br> + <br> +"Just thirteen miles."<br> + <br> +"Will she be at home to-day?"<br> + <br> +"She may, or she may not."<br> + <br> +"Are you of her people?" said I.<br> + <br> +"No-h," said the fellow, slowly drawing out the word.<br> + <br> +"Can you speak Irish?"<br> + <br> +"No-h; I can't speak Irish," said the fellow, tossing up his +nose, and then flinging up his heels.<br> + <br> +"You know what <i>arragod</i> is?" said I.<br> + <br> +"No-h!"<br> + <br> +"But you know what <i>ruppy</i> is?" said I; and thereupon I +winked and nodded.<br> + <br> +"No-h;" and then up went the nose, and subsequently the +heels.<br> + <br> +"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.<br> + <br> +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 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."<br> + <br> +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.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +Footnotes:<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +{1} A Christian.<br> + <br> +{2} A fox.<br> + <br> +{3} "Merripen" means life, and likewise death; even as "collico" +means to-morrow as well as yesterday, and perhaps "sorlo," +evening as well as morning.<br> + <br> +{4} A Black Lovel.<br> + <br> +{5} Going a-tinkering.<br> + <br> +{6} I'll show you about, brother! I'm selling skewers.<br> + <br> +{7} A cup of good ale.<br> + <br> + <br> + <br> + <br> +End of the Project Gutenberg eText Romano Lavo-Lil<br> +</p> +</body> +</html> + + diff --git a/old/rmlav10h.zip b/old/rmlav10h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..db9108a --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rmlav10h.zip |