Step one: the rhythmic balancing of the tale text

I LIBERIA II

4. Rhythmo-stylistic analysis

4.1. Step one: the rhythmic balancing of the tale text

Golizra Ie

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1 12

Yile a yuE ba ya do

13

Ye e winu fafa Iaa ble

15 e ble Zro, be peri 'sia

4

6

'wo da 'wofE nonon dran e yue va

Zro bIe, "do, fie, yaka, ..."

7 MenfE man Ie I

yan sononman Zro? Man I ble

YeebEbli Ye e 'bE bli Boli ble, "do,

fie, yaka, ..."

e 'bE zan ja Ye e 'bE 'E

Bii Boli, be nonon!

e Boli zejE

15 Ye e ble demile'bE fE nonon ki perisia e yuE ba

,

_ _ _11 10

_ _ _ _ _\12

1 . . . - - -_ _11

14

L

6

117 Ca 'ea ji dwa ble I 118 An yuE ba ya do Io?

119 Men fE man Ie ea fe do? 1 120 e winu fafa "jE a zo 21 De 'wo le 'wo

elan'wo "jE ki le

22 Ye 'wo a nonon ki peri sia fie ta ooh e 'wo ja 24 Ya fe wo IE ble wa peri sia e sia nan

1

25 ewo fafa 'jEtiti 26 e boh ji^Ielin Kwanen ta 27e ble Kwanen, be nonon! 28 [i'clin Kwanen

1

29 A vlin tEtE a

1 1

30 Ye fie, yaka,..

"blifliwiyan

1

31 IblemenfE?

I

32 Kwanen ble an ble a vlin tEtE a "blifliwiyan

1

33 ^{Yefie, yaka, ...}

I

¹

34 Be dErE peri'sia

!35

Ji

^{'ClinKw anen Golizraeli}

I

1

36 Yi le Golizra ble

37 BiidoEbwafE 38 I ze fe nonon

nononki IE kidranyen?

39 [i'clinKwanenblean

zefEnonon ki dran I 40 I "bli nonomi

yala nonomi coo coo wo man

41 A zole e fuu voh

1

42 Ye 'bE daan

Golizra"bliman manyeego

4.2. Step two: proposition level of repetition: at this level I have marked with the same colour the formulaic patterns of the propositions in the pitgamas to show the incident of repetition at that level.

Yi le ayu E ba ya do 4 'w o da'w o fE

nonon ki dran e yuE va

6 Zro ble,"do, fie, yaka, ..."

Goliz r ale

_ _----J11_2_ _

I I

13

Ye e winu fafa laa ble

1 5

^{e ble Zro,be peri 'sia}

7 Men fEman leI yan sononman Zro?

Man I ble

Vee bE bli

Bolible, "d o, fie, aka, .. ."

_ __ 1110

I

¹²

19

^{Ye e'bE'jE}

111

^{BiiBoli,benonon!}

e Bolize'jE Ye ebe bli

15 Ye e ble de mi Ie 'bE fE nononkiperi'sia e

yuE ba do ta

e 'bE zan ja

117 Ca'ca ji dwa ble 118 An yuE ba ya do Io?

22 Ye two a nononki peri 'sia fie ta ooh 24 Ya fe wo Ie ble wa

peri sia e sia nan E two ja

119 Men fE man Ie ca fe do?

I

120 e winu fafa /ljE a zo 21 De two Ie two

clan two /ljEkiIe

e wo fafa 'jEtiti e bah ji 'din Kwanen ta 27e ble Kwanen, be nonon! 28 JidinKwanen

a peri sia ble A vOO tEtE a

"bli£Iiwiyan

Yefie,yaka, ..

I ble men fE?

I

32 Kwanen ble an ble a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ vootEtE a "bli£Iiwi yan

1134

^{BedElEperi sia}

=============

I35Ji 'coo Kwanen GolizraeliI 136 Yi Ie Golizra ble 1

33

37

su

do E bwafE nonon ki IE

39 Ji'dinKwanen ble an zefEnonon ki dran I yala nonomi coo 41 A zole e fuu voh

Golizra bli man

38

40

1

42

I ze fE nonon ki dran yen?

I /lbli nonomi coo wo man Ye 'bE daan manye e go

- Repetition of formulaic pattern mainly in step two in:

* Lion giving order to the animals to count. This may be seen in blue colour in pitgamas 5, 11, 27, and 34.

* The animals taking turn to count. This may be seen in red colour in pitgamas 6, 12, 30, and 33.

* Lion killing the animal. This may be seen in pink colour in pitgamas 9, 13, and 16.

* Fox's trick that appeased Lion, in violet colour in pitgamas 29, 32.

4.3. Step three: words level of repetition: at this level I have marked with the same colour 'words' in the pitgamas to show the incidence of repetition at these levels.

4 'woda 'wofE nonon dran e yuE va 6 Zro ble, "d o,

fie, vaka, ...ff

L . - Ie

I

¹² Yi Ie a yuE ba yado

I

I

13

Ye e winu fafa laa ble

15

e ble Zro, be peri 'sia

Man Ible

Ye e'bE bli Boli ble, "d o,

fie, v<1 K<1, .••^ff Ye e'bE bli e 'bE zan ja

118

An yue ba ya do 107

22 Ye 'wo a nonon ki peri 's iafie ta ooh 24 Ya fe woIE blewa

pe ri sia e sia nan e 'wo ja

119 MenfEman Ie ea fedo?

I

120 e winu fafa "jE a zo

I

21 De 'wo le 'wo

elan'wo"jE kile

L----_I

e bahji ' din Kwanen ta e wo fafa "jE titi

1

L----_I

25

^I26

27ebleKwanen, be nonon! ²⁸ [i elin Kwanen aperi 'sia ble 29 ^IIAvlin tEtE a

1

30 Ye fie, yaka, ..^II

"blifliwiyan

1

31 I ble men fE?

1

32 Kwanen ble an ble a vlin tEtE a "blifliwi yan

1

33 Yefie,yaka, ...

I

1

34 Be dErE peri sia

I

^{35Ji'clinKwanen} _eli

I

^{36 Yile ble}

37 Biido E bwafE 38 IzefEnonon

nonon ki Ie ki dran yen?

39 [i'clin Kwanen ble an

40 I "bli nonomi zefEnonon ki dran I

coo woman yala nonomi coo

~1 A zo Ie e fuu voh

1

42 Ye 'bE daan Golizra "bli man manye e go

4.6. Step six: epithet level of repetition: at this level I have marked with the same colour in the pitgamas 'epithets' to show the incidence of repetition at that level.

Golizra Ie

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1 12 Yi Ie a yuE ba ya do

15 e ble Zro, be peri' sia 6 Zro ble, "do, fie, yaka, ..."

7 MenfEman IeI 8 ManI ble

yan sononman Zro?

I

1

9 Yee 'bE"jE

1

10 Ye e 'bE bli

111

Bii Boli, be nonon!

I

¹² Boli bIe, "do, fie, yaka, ..."

\13

e Boli ze 'jE

I

¹⁴ Ye e 'bE bli 15 Ye e ble de miIe 'bE fE

1

⁶ e 'bE zanja nononki peri'sia e yuEba

do ta

L..- I 118 An yuE ba ya do Io?

I

^{120 ewinu}fafa "jE a zo 22 Ye 'wo a nononki

peri'siafie taooh 119 MenfEman Ie ea fe do?

21 De 'wo Ie 'wo clan 'wo "jEkiIe 117 Ca'ea ji dwa ble

1

23 e'wo ja 24 Ya fe woIE blewa

peri sia e sia nan

1

25 ewo fafa jE titi 26 eboh ji'clin Kwanen ta 27e ble Kw anen, be nonon! ²⁸ [i'clin Kwanen

a peri siable

29 "A vlin tEtE a

"blif1iwiyan I ble men fE?

Ye fie, yaka, ...

I

32 Kwanen ble an ble a vlin tEtE a "blif1iwiyan

- - - -

___________1134

BedErE peri5;"

I35Ji'elin Kwanen GolizraeliI 136 Yi Ie Golizra ble 37 Bii do e bwa fE

nonon ki IE

38 I ze fe nonon kidran yen?

39 [i'elin Kwanen ble an 40 I/lbli nonomi zefEnononki dranI eoowoman yala nonomicoo

41

^{A zole e fuu voh}

1

42 Ye 'bE daan

Golizrabli man manye e go

- Repetition of the epithet );clin' or'clever', in step six (in red colour) appearing in pitgamas 26, 28, 35,and 39 significantly introduces Fox who is kept last of the list in the counting. To a Gouro audience, the psychodynamics of the repetition of this epithet resides in the fact that it announces Fox's eventual victory over Lion.

4.4. Step four: clamp-words: at this level I have marked with the same colour in the pitgamas the clamp-words to show the incidence of repetition at that level.

Golizra Ie

_________----JI

¹² Yi Ie ayu E ba ya do

13

Ye ewin u fafa Iaa ble

15

^{e ble} Zro, be peri 'sia

4

6

'wo da 'wo ^fE nonon dran e yuE va

Zro ble, ^/Ido, fie, yaka, ...^/1

Ye e 'bE bli Ye e 'bE bli Man I ble

Boli ble, ^/Ido, fie,yaka, ...^/1

e 'bE zan ja 7 Men fEman Ie I

yanson onman Zro?

11_

¹

^{° _ _}

================~I

¹²

_ _ _---J11_14 _

1 15 Ye eble de mi Ie 'bEfE 16

nononkiperisia eyu E ba do ta

19

^Yee ' bE "jE

111

^{BiiBoli,be nonon!}

113

eBoli ze'jE

/17 Ca'ca ji dwa ble

118

An yuE ba ya do Io?

e boh)1'din Kwanen ta 22 Ye 'wo a nonon ki

peri'siafie ta ooh 24 Ya fe woIE blewa

peri sia e sia nan

..

e'wo ja

ewo fafa"jE titi

1

25

1

23

119 MenfEman Ie ca fe do? 1120 e winu fafa jE a zo

21 De 'wo Ie'wo clan'w o"jE ki Ie

27eble Kwanen,be nonon! 28 Ji'clin Kwanen a peri'sia ble

29 "Avlin tEtE a

"blifliwiyan

1

30 Ye fie,yak a,.,"

I blemenfE?

I

32 Kwanen ble an ble a vlin tEtE a "blifliwiyan

'---- - - -

Yefie, yak a,...

1

33

1134

^{Be<!ErEperi sia}

' - - - -- -

I

35Ji 'clin Kwanen Golizra eli

I

1

36 Yi Ie Golizra ble

1

37 Bii doEbwa fE 38 I ze fe nonon

non on kiIE _kidran yen?

39 Ji'dinKwanen blean 40 I"bli nonomi zefEnonon ki dran I coo wo man yalanonomi coo

41 Azole efuu voh

1

42 Ye 'bE daan

Golizra "bli man man ye e go

- Repetition of the clamp-wordsyelyi in step four in red to show the sequential recall of the episodes the killing by Lion. The clamp-words in particular establish a narrative logic between the propositions, thus translating the dynamism of the plot of the story. In this text, the clamp- words ye/ yi Ie (and/then) amount to 10 in pitgamas 2, 3,6,9, 10,14, 15,22,

30,33. They mainly clamp the formulas as identified in step 2. As it can be seen in the text, the clamp-words yelyi Iealways precede a new proposition each time they appear. The ten propositions in this tale text are: 1) There was a lion. 2) He had only one eye. 3) He calls upon animals to come and

count in his presence. 4) Gazelle started who got killed. 5) Goat succeeded whogot killed too. 6) All other animals got killed. 7) Came the turn of clever

Fox. 8) Fox counts with wit.9) Fox convinces Lion. 10) Fox is spared from Lion's killing. By clamping these propositions with ye/yi Ieor land /then', the tale text can be constituted.

4.5. Step five: acconsonantisation and avocalisation: at this level I

have marked with the same colour in the pitgamas the acconsonanatisation of 'B' sound, and the avocalisation of IE' sound to show the incidence of repetition at these levels.

Man Ible Zro ble, ¹¹do,

fie, yaka, ... "

6 Golizra Ie

_________-JI 1

2 Yi Ie a yuE ba ya do 4 'woda 'wo fE

nonon dran eyuEva

13

^Yee winu fafa Iaa ble

15

^ebleZm,be peri 'sia 7 Men fEman Ie I

yan sononman Zro?

Vee 'bE bli Boli ble, lido,

fie, aka, ... "

Vee 'bE bli e 'bE zan ja

117 Ca 'caji dwa ble 118AnyuE ba ya do Io?

22 Ye'wo a nonon ki peri'siafie ta ooh 24 Ya fe wo IE blewa

peri sia e sia nan 26 e boh ji 'clin

Kwanen ta

e'woja

De'woIe'wo

elan 'wo"jEki Ie

e wo fafa "jE titi 21

1

25

1

23

119 Men fE man Ie cafe do? 1120 e winu fafa "jE a zo

27e ble Kwanen, be nonon! ₂₈ [i'clin Kwanen a peri'siable

Be dErE peri sia 130 Ye fie, yaka, .."

32 Kwanen ble an ble a vlin tEtE a "blifliwi yan

"A vlin tEtE a

"blifliwi yan Ible men fE?

Ye fie,yaka, ...

29

_ _I

_ _ _11_

^{34 - -}

135Ji 'clin Kwanen Golizra eliI 136 Yi Ie Golizra ble 37 Bii do E bwa fE

nononki IE

38 I ze fe nonon ki dran yen?

40 I"blinonomi coowo man 39 Ji 'clin Kwanen ble an

zefEnonon ki dran I yala nonomi coo 41 A zolee fuu voh Golizra bli man

1

42 Ye'bE daan man yee go

- Avocalisation: on the on hand the vocalic sound 'e'(in blue in step 5) meaning he,_.r~ca:IHng Lion the perpetrator is repeated 14 times in the pitgamas 3,9, ~,10, 13, 14, 15, 16,20, 23, 25, 26, 41, and 42. This

avocalisatjon sends to theomni~te&~nceof Lion.

- Acconsonantisation: on the other hand the consonant sound 'B' (in red colour, and mostly in the word ble meaningto eat) appears 27 times

throughout the pitgamas. Thisacconsonantisation supports Lion's cruel intention of eating his guests.

4.7. Concuding remarks

This particular tale is presented in 21 binary schemas,that is 42 boxed propositions on either side of the spine page.

The story is constructed around Lion's intention of killing and the animals counting performance. As such,the formulas do, fie, yaka,oo. (1,2,3,,,), which is the counting process repeatedly appear in pitgamas 6, 12,30, 33.

In addition,^Ido' (one) appears in pitgamas 2,6, 12, 15, 18, 19,37. The word 'do' is indeed essential to the plot of the story. In other words, it is because Lion feels insulted with his 'one eye' that there is killing. What then becomes so memorable about do or'one' in such a story is when Lion says, men fE man Ieca fe do? (why doyou say one?). this utterance goes with a whole propositional geste including all the gestual elements that a teller performs to demonstrate Lion's aggressive attitude towards the animals.

These rhythmic qualities, which workas memory support,follow a similar pattern each time the scene is repeated with the animals who take turns to count. There are many other levels of repetition,seen in:

- Binary complementarity shows the balancing of the propositions, of ideas,or of concepts. This can furtherbe exemplified in Jousse's law of 'Bilateralism' that keeps balance of the tale characters and their respective

" .behaviours. In this tale,pairs of narrative elements can be identified as

. ". .. ' .' . ' ". ...•{:' ",': '?,<.\,.;.,. .

.• i; such; the most obvious prospect being often set through a protagonist or

.'.hero"andan antaqonist or anti-hero. In the present story,

p ~~ if~

^{'of the}

.:.~:; J.:~,.~ ~

narrative elements can be isolated as follow:

*Lion I Fox: Lion and Fox are the ultimate cmplementary figures of this narrative. fox, the trickster who wins over Lion the cruel, has the characteristic of being frail and small, a size which contrasts with the physically bigger and stronger Lion. The rationale underlying such a contrasting features is that life does not always advantage the strong over the weak. Depending on circumstances, success in overcoming difficulties in life rather involves an intellectual approach of situations. Such a rationale can significantly be seen in attributes that are mostly typical to the choice of trickster characters in oral narratives. The attitude and movement of trickster characters of tales denote intelligence and quickness of wit: "They are fast movers and good jumpers, like Hare, Fox, Mongoose, Jackal, Spider, Squirrel, etc., thus giving the impression that they cannot be easily caught or trapped. Their quick wit and nimbleness of movements is reflected in the speech form they utilise." (Canonici 1993:63)

* Gazelle I Fox: Gazelle who opens the bloody feast is believed by the Gouro to be silly. As such, the silliness of the tale opening character, Gazelle, contrasts with the cleverness of the feast-closing character, Fox.

* Lion's one sick eye I Lion's one healthy eye: This contrast is significant since it is the one from which actions arise.

* Goat I Fox: 'Goat said shaking', translates an emotional state of mind which contrasts with 'clever Fox calmly started'. The adverb 'shaking', translates the state of fear in which goat is; which is not the case with Fox who is cool headed.

* Death I Life: The killing situation initiated by Lions is intriguing for his prey who quiver with fear. But eventually this contrasts with Fox's who stays alive. So, while death is celebrated in the feast, Fox refuses, by means of a trick, to take part to the feast, and stays alive.

TALE THREE

Dramatis personae

Spider: Trickster and dishonest, with a tricky and assertive voice.he is responsible for Elephant's death.

Elephant: Victim of Spider's tricks. He is friendly

Doh-jE-tchetchenen: Spider's scabious son, despised by his parents,but honest character.

Colo-bu: Spider's wife

Spider's other children:They are obedient to Spider

Old woman:She borrowed her grinder to Spider's wife Colo-bu.She released Doh-jE-tchetchenen from Spider's house.

Elephant funeral attendants:They are the ones present at Elephant's funeral,and who beat Spider to death.

This is Why Spider is found in the eaves

An Ie Fiin.

My story.

ejie.

it is past.

Co/o-Ton

en

Ie.

It was Colo-the-spider.

Ye 'jE boh va.

And he was bereaved.

Yetea bee bleen Ie ki Vih yan.

And his best friend was Elephant.

Ye ego 'bE va ble And he went to him

'bE e 'colE non e IE to Borrow his skin

ego ayan 'jE ta.

to go to the funeral with.

Ye'bE yi e 'colE 'non a IE.

And Elephant gave him his skin.

Yazen eta.

He dressed in it.

E ya gona 'bE 'jE ta On his way to the funeral

ye lEEso a man zia.

it started raining.

Yi glo Iee ki da nan te 'bE e zen ta 'bE, As heavy rain was pouring over him,

ye ebE doh he caught some water

'bE yi wuo

that was drippingfrom the coat

ye ya 'dan.

and tasted it.

E ble yah!

He said delicious!

A

zo

Ie yi

e

bee vih 'colE ki nenenl

So my friend Elephant's skin tastes good!

Ego

e

'jE ta

'cte

ki

yen,

When the funeral was over

ye e da.

he came back.

Eca e dErE yie bee 'colE Iieta IEe man 10.

He did not return his friend's skin.

Yii coo, a nan coo, a Ie nen nucoo,

He,hiswife and his children,

wo yi vih 'colE bli they ate Elephant's skin

yewa yaan

zoo

till they finished it.

De vihe 'colE laa do,

Whenever Elephant asked for his skin back,

ya fe 'bE IE ble,

Spider would say to him with persuasively,

e bee, e ble con ble

"friend, I was thinking that

yiI 'colEbo ya 'zru man faa I should wash your skin

ye ya non liE.

before I give it back to you.

eki an wo bleen bE Because it is heavy

ayan Iea

'zru

ki yi

'mon

nan.

that is why the cleaning is taking too long.

I yi fie taba non e IE Give me a couple of days more

ye e daI 'colEbo pa liE.

and I will bring back your skin."

De vihe 'colE laa do,

Whenever Elephant asked for his skin back,

Tonen a fe ble Spider says,

de I bee e Ie soh non lIE when a friend gives you his cloth

be 'zruman faa you must clean it

ye be Iietaman.

before you return it.

Tonen vo vie wo nan a zo

Spider kept on lying

ye donu jE vih "jE.

until Elephant died from cold.

Wo ble wo go vih 'jE ta

As they were going to Elephant's funeral,

eIe nen nu laa, he called on baby spiders

ye

e

ble:

and said:

'Ce da!

"Come!

Yi an bee Ie e 'ga 'bE My friend who passed away,

de caa go jE te, if we go to his funeral,

ca wu vwa ca?

how will you mourn for his loss?"

Nen ki co ble

Everyone of baby Spiders said:

de caa go if we go

an wu vwa ble:

I will mourn that:

An 'tibee loa,

God rest my father's friend's soul,

an 'tibee 100.

God rest my father's friend's soul.

Colo-bu ble

. Colo-bu, Spider's wife said,

an

ze

wu vwa ble

"I will mourn:

an zran bee ¹⁰⁰

God rest my husband's friend's soul

an zran bee ^100.

God rest my husband'sfriend's soul.^Jl

e bah Doh-jE-tchetchenen ta To the turn of Doh-jE-tchetchenen,

e bte, he said slowly,

an ze wu vwa ble:

I will mourn that:

An 't; bwEa an 'ti bwE

Friend of my Father, Friend of my Father.

An 'tibwEa an 'ti bwE

Friend of my Father,Friend of my Father.

An 'ti bwE soh Ie be non an 'ti IE

Friend of my Father, the garment you gave my Father

An 'tigo 'jE wuli'jE ta

My Father to go to the esteemed funeral