The English Gipsies and Their Language
Transcribed from the 1874 Trübner & Co. edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk
Author of “Hans Breitmann’s Ballads,” “The Music Lesson of Confucius,” Etc. Etc.
Second Edition
LONDON TRÜBNER & CO., 57 & 59 LUDGATE HILL 1874
As Author of this book, I beg leave to observe that all which is stated in it relative to the customs or peculiarities of Gipsies was gathered directly from Gipsies themselves ; and that every word of their language here given, whether in conversations, stories, or sayings, was taken from Gipsy mouths. While entertaining the highest respect for the labours of Mr George Borrow in this field, I have carefully avoided repeating him in the least detail; neither have I taken anything from Simson, Hoyland, or any other writer on the Rommany race in England. Whatever the demerits of the work may be, it can at least claim to be an original collection of material fresh from nature, and not a reproduction from books. There are, it is true, two German Gipsy letters from other works, but these may be excused as illustrative of an English one.
I may here in all sincerity speak kindly and gratefully of every true Gipsy I have ever met, and of the cheerfulness with which they have invariably assisted me in my labour to the extent of their humble abilities. Other writers have had much to say of their incredible distrust of Gorgios and unwillingness to impart their language, but I have always found them obliging and communicative. I have never had occasion to complain of rapacity or greediness among them; on the contrary, I have often wondered to see how the great want of such very poor people was generally kept in check by their natural politeness, which always manifests itself when they are treated properly. In fact, the first effort which I ever made to acquire a knowledge of English Rommany originated in a voluntary offer from an intelligent old dame to teach me “the old Egyptian language.” And as she also suggested that I should set forth the knowledge which I might acquire from her and her relatives in a book (referring to Mr Borrow’s having done so), I may hold myself fully acquitted from the charge of having acquired and published anything which my Gipsy friends would not have had made known to the public.
Charles Godfrey Leland
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PREFACE.
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY.
CHAPTER II. A GIPSY COTTAGE.
CHAPTER III. THE GIPSY TINKER.
CHAPTER IV. GIPSY RESPECT FOR THE DEAD.
CHAPTER V. GIPSY LETTERS.
TRANSLATION.
GERMAN GIPSY.
TRANSLATION.
GERMAN GIPSY.
TRANSLATION.
CHAPTER VI. GIPSY WORDS WHICH HAVE PASSED INTO ENGLISH SLANG.
CHAPTER VII. PROVERBS AND CHANCE PHRASES.
CHAPTER VIII. INDICATIONS OF THE INDIAN ORIGIN OF THE GIPSIES.
CHAPTER IX. MISCELLANEA.
“GILLI OF A RUMMANY JUVA.
TRANSLATION.
CHAPTER X. GIPSIES IN EGYPT.
ROMMANI GUDLI; OR, GIPSY STORIES AND FABLES.
GUDLO I. HOW A GIPSY SAVED A CHILD’S LIFE BY BREAKING A WINDOW.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO II. THE GIPSY STORY OF THE BIRD AND THE HEDGEHOG.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO III. A STORY OF A FORTUNE-TELLER.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO IV. HOW THE ROYSTON ROOK DECEIVED THE ROOKS AND PIGEONS.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO V. THE GIPSY’S STORY OF THE GORGIO AND THE ROMMANY CHAL.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO VI. HOW THE GIPSY BRIBED THE POLICEMAN.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO VII. HOW A GIPSY LOST THREEPENCE.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO VIII. THE STORY OF THE GIPSY’S DOG.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO IX. A STORY OF THE PRIZE-FIGHTER AND THE GENTLEMAN.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO X. OF THE GENTLEMAN AND THE OLD GIPSY WOMAN.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XI. THE GIPSY TELLS OF THE CAT AND THE HARE.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XII. OF THE GIPSY WOMAN AND THE CHILD.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XIII. OF THE GIRL THAT WAS TO MARRY THE DEVIL.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XIV. OF THE GIPSY WHO STOLE THE HORSE.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XV. THE HALF-BLOOD GIPSY, HIS WIFE, AND THE PIG.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XVI. THE GIPSY TELLS THE STORY OF THE SEVEN WHISTLERS.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XVII. AN OLD STORY WELL KNOWN TO ALL GIPSIES.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XVIII. HOW THE GIPSY WENT TO CHURCH.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XIX. WHAT THE LITTLE GIPSY GIRL TOLD HER BROTHER.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XX. HOW CHARLEY LEE PLAYED AT PITCH-AND-TOSS.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXI. OF THE TINKER AND THE KETTLE.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXII. THE STORY OF “ROMMANY JŌTER.”
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXIII. OF THE RICH GIPSY AND THE PHEASANT.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXIV. THE GIPSY AND THE “VISITING-CARDS.”
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXV. THE GIPSY IN THE FOREST.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXVI. THE GIPSY FIDDLER AND THE YOUNG LADY.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXVII. HOW THE GIPSY DANCED A HOLE THROUGH A STONE.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXVIII. STORY OF THE GENTLEMAN AND THE GIPSY.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXIX. HOW THE GIPSY WENT INTO THE WATER.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXX. THE GIPSY AND HIS TWO MASTERS.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXI. THE LITTLE GIPSY BOY AT THE SILVERSMITH’S.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXII. THE GIPSY’S DREAM.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXIII. OF THE GIRL AND HER LOVER.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXIV. THE GIPSY TELLS OF WILL-O’-THE-WISP.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXV. THE GIPSY EXPLAINS WHY THE FLOUNDER HAS HIS MOUTH ON ONE SIDE.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXVI. A GIPSY ACCOUNT OF THE TRUE ORIGIN OF THE FISH CALLED OLD MAIDS OR YOUNG MAIDS.
TRANSLATION.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXVIII. OF MR BARTLETT’S LEAP.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XXXIX. THE GIPSY, THE PIG, AND THE MUSTARD.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XL. EXPLAINING THE ORIGIN OF A CURRENT GIPSY PROVERB OR SAYING.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XLI. THE GIPSY’S FISH-HOOK.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XLII. THE GIPSY AND THE SNAKE.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XLIII. THE STORY OF THE GIPSY AND THE BULL.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XLIV. THE GIPSY AND HIS THREE SWEETHEARTS.
TRANSLATION.
GUDLO XLV. THE GIPSIES AND THE SMUGGLERS. A TRUE STORY.
TRANSLATION.
FOOTNOTES