Here is another delightful story from Påle’ Eric’s book Estoriåye Yo’, which our practice group read a few weeks back. It reminds me of the story The Three Princes and the Princess Nouronnihar from 1,001 Nights, which I’ve always liked since I was a kid, and I enjoyed reading a Chamorro version of this tale. The ending prompted some fun discussion in our group, as we debated (in Chamorro) which brother the woman should pick. So here’s the story, with a narration done by Jay Che’le. Hope you enjoy it!

Ginaddon Guinaiya

Tinige’ as Påle’ Eric Forbes

Tres na mañe’lu ma sen guaiya un sotterita. Nahong ha’ enao na problema, lao ha na’mås atdet i problema i ya-ña todu i tres mañe’lu i palao’an. Ti ha tungo’ håyi gi tres para u ayek. Pues ha sangåni todu i tres, “Chile’ este sien pesos. I fumåhan i mås gaibåli na kosa yan este na sien pesos para bai ayek.”

Humånao i fine’nina ya ha fåhan un såbanas ni siña kumonne’ hao maseha månu malago’-mu yanggen un binalutan ni såbanas. I segundu ha fåhan un boteyan milagroso na hånom ni siña ha åmte maseha håfa na chetnot. I tetset ha fåhan espesiåt na antihos ni siña muna’li’e’ hao maseha håfa achokka’ chågo’.

Manásodda’ i tres gi chalan annai ma bíbira siha guatu gi gima’ i sotterita. Mámaisen unu, “Ti ta tungo’ håfa tatatmanu i palao’an.” 

Manoppe’ i fumåhan i antihos, “Nangga ya bai sangåni hao,” pues ha na’setbe i antihos. Ilek-ña, “Ai lokkue’! Hu líli’e’ na umå’åsson i palao’an ya ti maolek posision-ña ya guaha mediku gi fi’on-ña!”

Ilek-ña i fumåhan i milagroso na hånom, “Yanggen siña yu’ mohon måtto chaddedek giya guiya, siña hu åmte.”

Pues ilek-ña i fumåhan i såbanas, “Ta fanbinalutan ni este na såbanas ya ta fanmåtto chaddek.”

Pues manmåtto todu i tres gi gima’ i palao’an ya maåmte. Håyi gi tres na mañe’lu mås ha merese i guinaiyan i palao’an?

A Love Puzzle

Written by Father Eric Forbes

Three brothers loved the same young lady. That was enough of a problem, but what made it worse was that the lady loved all three brothers the same. She didn’t know which of the three to pick. So she told all three, “Take these 100 dollars. The one who buys the most worthy thing with the 100 dollars is whom I will choose.”

The first went and bought a bed sheet which could take you anywhere you wanted if you wrapped it around you. The second bought a bottle of miracle water that could cure any disease. The third bought special eyeglasses that enabled you to see anything no matter how far.

The three met on the road when they were going back to the young lady’s house. One asked, “We don’t know how she is doing.”

The one who bought the eyeglasses replied, “Wait and I will tell you,” then he used the glasses.

He said, “Oh no! I see her lying down and she doesn’t look well and there is a doctor at her side!”

The one who bought the miracle water said, “If I could only get to her quickly, i can cure her.”

So the one who bought the sheet said, “Let’s wrap ourselves in this sheet and get there quickly.”

So all three got to the lady’s house and she was saved. Who of the three brothers most deserved the love of this lady?

Quizlet Study Resource

Here is my Quizlet deck where I break down each sentence into phrase chunks: Ginaddon Guinaiya