Page 153 - Arabian Studies (II)

Hunting Techniques and Practices in the Arabian Peninsula 145

Appendix: THREE NABATl HUNTING POEMS
The following arc three colloquial (Nabati) poems from Saudi Arabia. Such
poems abound among hunters and the khwiya of the Saudi amirs and those
presented below represent a small sample of this poetic genre. A frequent theme
of such poems is the tragedy of a lost hawk, the subject of two of the poems
below. The third contains a eulogy of the falconer’s bird.
It seems to us that these poems are worthy of publication here in view of
their interesting contents and language. It must be admitted, however, that our
discussion of their metric form can only be brief. As far as we are aware, there
has been no detailed scientific study of the metres of Nabatf poems. Not
unnaturally, our informants, cAjman and Dawasir, could tell us nothing
regarding the metres of the three poems below. We can say with certainty that
the metres are not classical, though poems 1 and 2 have a rhythm clearly
reminiscent of tawTlThey follow either the pattern
e.g. 1, lines 1 and 2, or
-----U------ -----U------
e.g. 1, lines 3 and 4. Poem 3 is of a different type and would seem to have been
sung or chanted rather than recited and one is reminded here of some forms of
the South Arabian zamil, a couplet composed extempore on any number of
different subjects merely for amusement.1 The metre, however, is not rajaz.
The poems were recorded from informants and were then transcribed from
the tape exactly as they had been recited. The transcribed form was then
carefully checked when it was thought that some form of metre had been
established. One or two minor adjustments were then made where it seemed that
they were necessary in order not to break the metre. We have adhered to the
prescribed system of transliteration wherever possible, though it has been
necessary to use the full range of the English vowels in order to convey the
vowel sounds and diphthongs of the original. The letter qaf, commonly
pronounced £d/in much of the Peninsula, has been so transliterated.
1. Reputed to be by Dfdan al-Fughum of Mutayr, the famous Najdf tribe:
ya ter yallf kan ‘enah sana kfr1 a
darrab ma yihyf kfufah duwamf
zandah kima laggay dalwin ‘ala bTr2
mitmashihin yisgT gifTin hiyamT3
Translation:
0 my hawk! 0 you whose eye is like the flashing of the fire!4
The striker, he does not let his victim live; his feet are covered in blood;
His leg is like the man who draws the bucket up the well,5
Stripped, he waters the thirsty herd.
2. Traditional Najdf poem. Anonymous,
ashgar wafiyah shum rfshin maghatfr6
tawwah ‘ala awwal ‘ilmitah ‘ugub lohash7
dawwaj widaj ula liga thumm khadha sser8