The Tale of Suto and Tato
E. B. Soane
B. Nikitin
Kurdologia Publications
The story of Suto and Tato is in no way fiction, it is a lively reality and anyone even slightiy acquainted with these far-distant, but beautiful and picturesque countries and their inhabitants, will confirm my statement. The principal actors, Shaikh Muhammad Sadiq, the Shaikh of Barzan, Tato, Osman-Suto’s elder son, are no onger alive. I am not certain about Suto himself? This old man a perfect type of a Kurdish chief ruling over the most impregnablê region of Central Kurdistan, may yet be alive. At any rate, in 1918 he was Mulla Said, the narrator vas murdered in Urumia in July 1918, by his countrymen. Peace be on him!
This man was my teacher of Kurdish. He knew his own language …
PREFACE
The tale of Suto and Tato is a Kurdish folk and historical story, which was collected in many versions, collated and translated into English by Major E. B. Soane (the British Govemor in Kurdistan) and B. Nikitin (the late Russian Ambassador in Iran) in 1923.
Major E.B. Soane and B.’Nikitin were experts in the history and politics of the Kurdish people and their language as well.
The Kurdish writers Yousuf Zangana and Jawad Mella have re-written this story in two main Kurdish dialcts Sorani and Kurmanji (i.e. the two main Southern and Northern Kurdisk dialects).
This Kurdologia edition of Suto and Tato story is the first reprint of the original text in old Kurdish with its translation together with the Sorani and Kurmanji in one book.
London 5.3.1988
Kurdologia
Introductory Note
The story of Suto and Tato is in no way fiction, it is a lively reality and anyone even slightiy acquainted with these far-distant, but beautiful and picturesque countries and their inhabitants, will confirm my statement. The principal actors, Shaikh Muhammad Sadiq, the Shaikh of Barzan, Tato, Osman-Suto’s elder son, are no onger alive. I am not certain about Suto himself? This old man a perfect type of a Kurdish chief ruling over the most impregnablê region of Central Kurdistan, may yet be alive. At any rate, in 1918 he was Mulla Said, the narrator vas murdered in Urumia in July 1918, by his countrymen. Peace be on him!
This man was my teacher of Kurdish. He knew his own language …
E. B. Soane
B. Nikitin
The Tale of Suto and Tato
Kurdologia Publications
Kurdologia Publications
Kurdologia Publications No. 7
The Tale of Suto and Tato
Collected and Translated into English by:
Major E. B. Soane annd B. Nikitin
Rewritten in Southem and Northem Kurdish by:
Yousuf Zangana amd Jawad Mella
Kurdologia Publications No. 7 - 1988
P.O. Box 607, London NW8 ODT - U.K
