ধনৰ নৰিয়া টান,
ভাত খাইছে উধানৰ মান।
Dhanar nariyá tán,
Bhát kháichhe udhánar mán.
Dhan's illness is very serious,
But he eats a pile of rice as big as an udhán.
“Dhan” is a term of endearment sometimes applied by wives to their husband; it may be translated “ darling.”
উধান is a large clod of earth. Three such clods are used to support the cooking pot.
নুছুই ডুমুনি তুলি দিলে বোজা,
নপঢ়ি নুশুনি হল ওজা।
Nuchhui dumuni tuli dile bojá,
Napari nushuni hal ojá.
He lifted the load on to the head of the fish-wife without being
polluted by her.
Without study he became a magician.
This proverb is meant ironically. According to Assamese ideas, it would be impossible for a man to place a load on the head of a Dumni without being polluted by her. The “Dom ” caste in Assam appears to be considered of equally low status as in Bengal. ওজা (ojá) means a teacher of arts, magician, exorcist. It is in its last sense that ওজা is most frequently used, particularly amongst the semi-civilised and more ignorant people. Brian Hodgson gives an interesting account of “ ojás” on page 138 of his Collection of Essays.
নকটা খেৰৰ ন শ।
Nakatá kherar na sha.
Of uncut grass there are nine hundred bundles.
