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| Translator | Geoffrey Lewis |
| First Written | 1400 |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Origin | Turkic States |
| Publisher | Penguin Classics |
| ISBN-10 | 0140442987 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0140442984 |
| My Copy | cheap penguin |
| First Read | September 28, 2010 |
The Book of Dede Korkut
The tenth-century Orghuz Turks have a nice version of "to make a long story short:"
"The horse's hoof is fleet as the wind; the minstrel's tongue is swift as a bird."
And Dede Korkut also has this nice trick. In the middle of the story, characters frequently break into verse - but just before the poetry starts, the narrative voice does this little move:
"He took the boy and went to the boy's father, to whom he declaimed; let us see, my Khan, what he declaimed. "
Isn't that nice? Let us see, my Khan. The poetry, so improbable in real life, was going to break the narrative flow anyway. And so DK does it for us, reflexively turning your attention to the notion of storytelling. The complimentary address to the reader as 'My Khan,' is good, too.
Noted on September 28, 2010
Isn't that nice? Let us see, my Khan. The poetry, so improbable in real life, was going to break the narrative flow anyway. And so DK does it for us, reflexively turning your attention to the notion of storytelling. The complimentary address to the reader as 'My Khan,' is good, too.
Quoted on October 3, 2011
When dark death comes, may he give you a fair passage.
Quoted on October 3, 2011
And Dede Korkut also has this nice trick. In the middle of the story, characters frequently break into verse - but just before the poetry starts, the narrative voice does this little move: He took the boy and went to the boy's father, to whom he declaimed; let us see, my Khan, what he declaimed.
Quoted on October 3, 2011
The tenth-century Orghuz Turks have a nice version of to make a long story short: The horse's hoof is fleet as the wind; the minstrel's tongue is swift as a bird.
Quoted on October 3, 2011