ProZ.com translation contests »
35th Translation Contest: "Once Upon a Myth" » English to Maltese » Entry #39338

Source text in English

Translation #39338

The Pima Indians of Arizona say that the father of all men and animals was the butterfly, Cherwit Make (earth-maker), who fluttered down from the clouds to the Blue Cliffs[…] and from his own sweat made men. As the people multiplied, they grew selfish and quarrelsome, so Cherwit Make was disgusted with his handiwork and resolved to drown them all.[…]

There was one Hauk, a devil of the mountains, who stole their daughters and slew their sons. […] He silently followed him into the Superstition Mountains; he drugged the cactus wine that his daughter was to serve to him; then, when he had drunk it, Suha emerged from his place of hiding and beat out the brains of the stupefied fiend. […]

So firmly do the Pimas rely on this prophecy that they will not cross the Superstition Mountains, for there sits Cherwit Make — awaiting the culmination of their wickedness to let loose on the earth a mighty sea that lies dammed behind the range.
L-Indjani tat-tribù Pima tal-Arizona jgħidu li missier il-bnedmin u l-annimali kollha kien il-farfett, Cherwit Make (il-ħallieq tad-dinja), li niżel iperper minn ġos-sħab għal fuq l-Irdumijiet Kaħlana[...] u ħalaq lill-bnedmin mill-għaraq tiegħu stess. Hekk kif il-bnedmin bdew joktru, bdew isiru egoisti u ġellieda, għalhekk Cherwit Make beda jistmerr il-ħolqien tiegħu stess u qatagħha li jgħarraqhom ilkoll.[...]

Mela kien hemm ċertu wieħed Hauk, xitan tal-muntanji, li seraq lill-bniet u qatel lis-subien tagħhom. [...] Huwa mar warajh inkiss inkiss għal ġol-Muntanji Superstizzjużi; tefa' l-velenu gol-inbid tal-bajtar tax-xewk li kienet ser tagħtih bintu; imbagħad, wara li kien xorbu, Suha ħareġ mill-post fejn kien mistoħbi u ta xebgħa kif imiss lil dak il-mingħul imbellah [...]

Il-Pimas tant jemmnu f'din il-profezija li ħadd minnhom ma jazzarda jaqsam il-Muntanji Superstizzjużi, għaliex hemmhekk joqgħod Cherwit Make - jistenna li l-ħżunija tagħhom tilħaq il-qofol tagħha biex hu jkun jista' jxerred fuq id-dinja mewġa kbira ta' baħar li jinsab maqful ġo diga kbira wara l-muntanji.