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Gedeh trilogy:
1) 9eBu GeDHu Wu-ZeH.T.u
(Forefather Gedeh a Zekheth)
2) JeKLu MeNSi `ePS.i
(Jekel of Menes of Epets)
3) QeRS^aTu
(Quersha)
Only the first legend is currently known.
The title of the third legend
"Quersha" (_Qersyatu_)
is without doubt a feminine name,
but we do not know yet
who this woman (or maybe goddess) was.
The title of the second legend
is more disputable.
The Slavonic scholars translate it as
"Jekel Menesitsh Epecov",
considering the second word to be patronymic
and the third word to be surname.
Other scholars hold the view
that Epets was Jekel's grandfather
and translate it as
"Jekel (,son ) of Menes (,son) of Epets".
They also believe that
Epets was Zekheth's son and
Quersha was Jekel's daughter;
and so they give following
list of the rulers of Gedeh kingdom:
1) Gedeh
2) Zekheth (Gedeh's brother)
3) Epets
4) Menes
5) Jekel
6) Quersha
Another opinion is that
Epets was Jekel's castle
(or maybe kingdom), thus
"Jekel (,son ) of Menes (,ruler) of Epets".
Also we should consider
that the original inscription
is not vocalised
and there are no spaces between words.
So several other parsings were offered,
using some of following words:
Ju "I"
KeL "whole"
LeMNu "bad, evil"
Mu "what"
MeN "from"
Currently, there is no plausible reconstruction
using these words,
but this possibility cannot be entirely rejected.
------
Forefather Gedeh and Zekheth
(9ebu Gedhu wu-Zext.u)
In the Lesser East Land, on the coast at the Inner Sea,
there dwelled from time immemorial numerous broods,
related by language, practices and way of life.
And it came to pass, that strives and bloody fights
for borders and towns broke between them forth.
A kin rose against a kin,
relatives were fighting against relatives
and were slaying each other.
In that time, two brothers of mighty lineage,
both dukes, Gedeh and Zeh.et.,
decided together that they will leave their native land,
unfortunate by fight. They said to themselves:
"Let us find new habitations for us,
where our kin would live at peace and look to seafaring."
They were accustomed already after their ancestors
to build ships, to sail on sea for trade, and to fish.
How they decided, so they did. Having summoned their kin
and having taken leave of the ground of their fathers,
they turned themselves to the west, into unknown parts.
So they sailed first along the shores settled by related kin,
till they passed by the Pillars of Hercules
and entered the unknown, open ocean.
Even there they found harbours,
whose dwellers were speaking like them,
and farther too on the Woody Island.
But, as they arrived to the nine Hawk Islands,
the sea was more desert
and they found harbours only few and far between,
and their dwellers were speaking by a foreign language.
Gedeh and Zekheth sailed farther, from a island to a island.
So they arrived to a great island,
and when they landed at its shores,
all crew began to complain,
that there is no end of the voyage
and the home harbour is nowhere.
Then duke Gedeh pointed to a high mountain,
which towered before them above the wide, flat coast,
and said: "Let us ascend on this mountain and see,
whether the island suits for habitations."
When they entered on the mountain and found a place,
from where to see to the country, he spoke to them such:
"Already ye will not complain,
because we have found an island,
where we will stay and will build our habitations.
See, it is this land, which ye were searching for.
I was often speaking about it to you,
and was promising, that I will introduce you into it.
This is the land full of beasts and fowl,
in waters profuse of fish.
Ye will have plenty of everything,
and it will be good defence against our enemies.
Lo, land of you will. Only it has no name;
consider, by what name it would have to be named."
"By thine! By thine let it be named!",
called like from divine inspiration
an old man of long, white beard, the oldest of all elders.
And at once all, both the elders and folk,
called like by one voice:
"By thine! By thy name! After thee let it be named!"
Duke Gedeh, pleased by the will of the whole folk,
kneeled on his knees and was kissing the earth,
the new homeland of his kin.
And having kissed it, he rose and
having raised his arms to the wide country,
called and blessed: "Welcome, o holy land!
Keep us in health, keep us without harm,
and multiple us from generation to generation forever.
------
P.A.