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One very brilliant morning； as I sat at work in very good spirits；
for by this time I had actually mended in a very creditable way； as
I imagined； two kettles and a frying…pan； I heard a voice which
seemed to proceed from the path leading to the rivulet； at first it
sounded from a considerable distance； but drew nearer by degrees。
I soon remarked that the tones were exceedingly sharp and shrill；
with yet something of childhood in them。 Once or twice I
distinguished certain words in the song which the voice was
singing； the words were … but no； I thought again I was probably
mistaken … and then the voice ceased for a time； presently I heard
it again； close to the entrance of the footpath； in another moment
I heard it in the lane or glade in which stood my tent； where it
abruptly stopped； but not before I had heard the very words which I
at first thought I had distinguished。
I turned my head； at the entrance of the footpath； which might be
about thirty yards from the place where I was sitting； I perceived
the figure of a young girl； her face was turned towards me； and she
appeared to be scanning me and my encampment； after a little time
she looked in the other direction； only for a moment； however；
probably observing nothing in that quarter； she again looked
towards me； and almost immediately stepped forward； and； as she
advanced； sang the song which I had heard in the wood； the first
words of which were those which I have already alluded to。
'The Rommany chi
And the Rommany chal
Shall jaw tasaulor
To drab the bawlor；
And dook the gry
Of the farming rye。'
A very pretty song； thought I； falling again hard to work upon my
kettle； a very pretty song； which bodes the farmers much good。 Let
them look to their cattle。
'All alone here； brother？' said a voice close by me； in sharp but
not disagreeable tones。
I made no answer； but continued my work； click； click； with the
gravity which became one of my profession。 I allowed at least half
a minute to elapse before I even lifted up my eyes。
A girl of about thirteen was standing before me； her features were
very pretty； but with a peculiar expression； her complexion was a
clear olive； and her jet black hair hung back upon her shoulders。
She was rather scantily dressed； and her arms and feet were bare；
round her neck； however； was a handsome string of corals； with
ornaments of gold； in her hand she held a bulrush。
'All alone here； brother？' said the girl； as I looked up； 'all
alone here； in the lane； where are your wife and children？'
'Why do you call me brother？' said I； 'am no brother of yours。 Do
you take me for one of your people？ I am no gypsy； not I； indeed！'
'Don't be afraid； brother； you are no Roman … Roman indeed； you are
not handsome enough to be a Roman； not black enough； tinker though
you be。 If I called you brother； it was because I didn't know what
else to call you。 Marry； come up； brother； I should be sorry to
have you for a brother。'
'Then you don't like me？'
'Neither like you nor dislike you； brother； what will you have for
that kekaubi？'
'What's the use of talking to me in that unchristian way； what do
you mean； young gentlewoman？'
'Lord； brother； what a fool you are； every tinker knows what a
kekaubi is。 I was asking you what you would have for that kettle。'
'Three…and…sixpence； young gentlewoman； isn't it well mended？'
'Well mended！ I could have done it better myself； three…and…
sixpence！ it's only fit to be played at football with。'
'I will take no less for it； young gentlewoman； it has caused me a
world of trouble。'
'I never saw a worse mended kettle。 I say； brother； your hair is
white。'
〃Tis nature； your hair is black； nature； nothing but nature。'
'I am young； brother； my hair is black … that's nature： you are
young； brother； your hair is white … that's not nature。'
'I can't help it if it be not； but it is nature after all； did you
never see gray hair on the young？'
'Never！ I have heard it is true of a gray lad； and a bad one he
was。 Oh； so bad。'
'Sit down on the grass； and tell me all about it； sister； do； to
oblige me； pretty sister。'
'Hey； brother； you don't speak as you did … you don't speak like a
gorgio； you speak like one of us； you call me sister。'
'As you call me brother； I am not an uncivil person after all；
sister。'
'I say； brother； tell me one thing； and look me in the face … there
… do you speak Rommany？'
'Rommany！ Rommany！ what is Rommany？'
'What is Rommany？ our language to be sure； tell me； brother； only
one thing； you don't speak Rommany？'
'You say it。'
'I don't say it； I wish to know。 Do you speak Rommany？'
'Do you mean thieves' slang … cant？ no； I don't speak cant； don't
like it； I only know a few words； they call a sixpence a tanner；
don't they？'
'I don't know；' said the girl； sitting down on the ground； 'I was
almost thinking … well； never mind； you don't know Rommany。 I say；
brother； I think I should like to have the kekaubi。'
'I thought you said it was badly mended？'
'Yes； yes； brother； but … '
'I thought you said it was only fit to be played at football with？'
'Yes； yes； brother； but … '
'What will you give for it？'
'Brother； I am the poor person's child； I will give you sixpence
for the kekaubi。'
'Poor person's child； how came you by that necklace？'
'Be civil； brother； am I to have the kekaubi？'
'Not for sixpence； isn't the kettle nicely mended？'
'I never saw a nicer mended kettle； brother； am I to have the
kekaubi； brother？'
'You like me then？'
'I don't dislike you … I dislike no one； there's only one； and him
I don't dislike； him I hate。'
'Who is he？'
'I scarcely know； I never saw him； but 'tis no affair of yours； you
don't speak Rommany； you will let me have the kekaubi； pretty
brother？'
'You may have it； but not for sixpence； I'll give it to you。'
'Parraco tute； that is； I thank you； brother； the rikkeni kekaubi
is now mine。 O； rare！ I thank you kindly； brother。'
Starting up； she flung the bulrush aside which she had hitherto
held in her hand； and； seizing the kettle； she looked at it for a
moment； and then began a kind of dance； flourishing the kettle over
her head the while； and singing …
'The Rommany chi
And the Rommany chal
Shall jaw tasaulor
To drab the bawlor；
And dook the gry
Of the farming rye。
Good…bye； brother； I must be going。'
'Good…bye； sister； why do you sing that wicked song？'
'Wicked song； hey； brother！ you don't understand the song！'
'Ha； ha！ gypsy daughter；' said I； starting up and clapping my
hands； 'I don't understand Rommany； don't I？ You shall see； here's
the answer to your gillie …
'The Rommany chi
And the Rommany chal；
Love Luripen
And dukkeripen；
And hokkeripen；
And every pen
But Lachipen
And tatchipen。'
The girl； who had given a slight start when I began； remained for
some time after I had concluded the song standing motionless as a
statue； with the kettle in her hand。 At length she came towards
me； and stared me full in the face。 'Gray； tall； and talks
Rommany；' said she to herself。 In her countenance there was an
expression which I had not seen before … an expression which struck
me as being composed of fear； curiosity； and the deepest hate。 It
was momentary； however； and was succeeded by one smiling； frank；
and open。 'Ha； ha； brother；' said she； 'well； I like you all the
better for talking Rommany； it is a sweet language； isn't it？
especially as you sing it。 How did you pick it up？ But you picked
it up upon the roads； no doubt？ Ha； it was funny in you to pretend
not to know it； and you so flush with it all the time； it was not
kind in you； however； to frighten the poor person's child so by
screaming out； but it was kind in you to give the rikkeni kekaubi
to the child of the poor person。 She will be grateful to you； she
will bring you her little dog to show you； her pretty juggal； the
poor person's child will come and see you again； you are not going
away to…day； I hope； or to…morrow； pretty brother； gray…haired
brother … you are not going away to…morrow； I hope？'
'Nor the next day；' said I； 'only to take a stroll to see if I can
sell a kettle； good…bye； little sister； Rommany sister； dingy
sister。'
'Good…bye； tall brother；' said the girl； as she departed； singing
'The Rommany chi；' etc。
'There's something about that girl that I don't understand；' said I
to myself； 'something mysterious。 However； it is nothing to me；
she knows not who I am； and if she did； what then？'
Late that evening as I sat on the shaft of my cart in deep
meditation； with my