The partridge and the eagle1

By: D. Messaoudi

Once upon a time, a partridge landed near a palm tree, made her nest in the middle of weeds and
laid eggs. Some days later, the eggs gave birth to four babies and the mother had to scan the area all
the day in search of small insects to nourish them. On a high rocky mountain, near the palm tree,
lived an eagle and three of his eaglets. As time went on, he noticed the partridge’s goings and
comings and thought it was high time to start plotting against the peaceful small family.

“We’re starving, my kids. I think we should get something to eat,” said the father eagle.

“Here’s a bit of rat you’ve just hunted, dad!” replied the youngest eaglet.

“Oh, it’s not enough for all of us, and I’m getting disgusted with eating at every meal a rat meat; there
must be something better somewhere around here, don’t you think so, kids?” the father told his sons
who all looked immediately down at the partridge’s nest.

“Let’s attack the partridge below and once we’ve eaten up the flesh we’ll throw the feathers into the
sea,” suggested the eldest of the eaglets.

“That’s not a good way to hide our misdeed, sonny! Divers may come upon and encounter the
feathers floating on water and the story of an eagle that has eaten his neighbour, the partridge, will go
the round of birds’ kingdom,” said the father eagle bitterly.

“We may attack her and burry her feathers low underground,” proposed the elder eaglet.

“That’s not very brainy, kid; at shortage time everyone will go back to his hiding place to dig up his
food, and if someone comes upon the feathers, all the birds will soon hear about the eagle who
attacked his neighbour, the partridge,” said again the father eagle disappointedly.

“So to avoid any possible risk, we’ve to eat her flesh and her feathers, daddy,” said the youngest
eaglet that was listening to and analysing his brothers’ answers during the conversation.

“That’s a good idea, sonny! When an eagle eats a partridge, he mustn’t leave a feather of her in
nature” Said the father eagle proudly. “If I die and leave an idiot as a successor, I’ll be for ever lost in
people’s memory,” he added looking disdainfully at his two elder sons who were looking down as they
were ashamed of themselves.

_____________________________

1. This is Kabylian tale; it was rewritten as a song by the famous Kabyle singer, Idir, In the 1970s.
Here is the text of the above mentioned song:

TAMACAHUT

A sidi bab uγanim,

Ay-uḥdiq fhem ḥesses !
Tella tezdayt di sseḥra
Akkenni γezzif yixef-is;
Lbaz iεac s ufella-s
Tasekkurt deg’ ẓuran-is.
Iqqim armi d yiwen wass
Imcawar d warraw-is;

Inṭeq umeqwran deg-sen

U inna deg wawal-is :
Efk-iyi-tt a baba ad tt-ččeγ!
Di lebḥer ar neγbu rric-is!

Inna-yas gedhas mimmi,

Mačči d ṣyada n wukyis.
Ad d-alin iεewwamen,
Ad d-mlilen d rric-is,
Ad yaweḍ lexbar leḍyur:
Lbaz ičča taǧaret-is.

Inṭeq ulemmas deg-sen

U inna deg wawal-is :
Efk-iyi-tt a baba ad tt-ččeγ!
Di tesraft ar neγbu rric-is!

Inna-yas gedhas mimmi,

Mačči d ṣṣyada n wukyis.
Ad yaweḍ lweqt n rrxa,
Kul wa issefqed tasraft-is.
Ad yaweḍ lexbar leḍyur:
Lbaz ičča taǧart-is.

Inṭeq umecṭuḥ deg-sen,

U inna deg wawal is:
Efk-iyi-tt a baba ad tt-ččeγ!
Ad zwireγ di rric-is!

Inna-yas gedhas mimmi,

D tagi d ṣṣyada n wukyis!
W' iččan tasekkurt ar tt-ifak
Isuk talaba f yimi-s;
Ma mmuteγ ǧǧiγ-d εmara:
Baba-k irgel umkan-is.
*****
Lien vers la chanson en vidéo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g3ooRYVNTA