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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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We need your donations. +<br> +<br> +Title: Romano Lavo-Lil <br> +<br> +Author: George Borrow <br> +<br> +July, 2001 [Etext #2733] <br> +<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> +****This file should be named rmlav10h.htm or rmlav10h.zip**** +<br> +<br> +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, rmlav10h.xxx +<br> +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, rmlav10ha.xxx +<br> +<br> +<br> +This etext was prepared by David Price, email +ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, <br> +from the 1905 John Murray edition. <br> +<br> +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple +editions, <br> +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, +unless a <br> +copyright notice is included. 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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> + + |