Introduction.

This song is a straightforward story of a young man who, taking his dog, went hunting in the forest. Throughout, it employs the conventional language of the songs to describe the action. Practically every line can be found in other similar songs, and these conventional lines are pressed into service, even when strictly speaking, the terminology is scarcely appropriate. Thus the perfectly normal stag which was killed is described using precisely the same words and metaphors as were applied to the prodigious, unnamed creature caught by the legendary huntsman, the great Du-gha-njia in the story of long ago. (See M120 and M121).

Since the carcass of a large animal would be difficult to bring home whole over mountainous terrain, it was convenient to cut it up into pieces there where it had been killed. The interesting thing is that the first portion was carried home and used as an offering to the spirit of the great Du-gha-njia. (The name appears in this song as "the great Drao-gha-nzhang"). This appears to have been by way of a thank-offering for success in the hunting expedition.

Translation
Literal Transcription
Notes

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