She believes all your lies – Ainkurunooru 267

This poem is the seventh poem of series of 10 poems from Ainkurunooru with reference to wild boar. These poems  by Kapilar speak of love and separation.

ஐங்குறுநூறு 267, கபிலர், குறிஞ்சித் திணை – தோழி தலைவியிடம் சொன்னது, சிறைப்புறத்தானாக இருந்த தலைவன் கேட்கும்படி
சிறு கண் பன்றிப் பெருஞ்சின ஒருத்தல்,
துறுகல் அடுக்கத்து வில்லோர் மாற்றி,
ஐவனம் கவரும் குன்ற நாடன்,
வண்டுபடு கூந்தலைப் பேணிப்,
பண்பு இல சொல்லும், தேறுதல் செத்தே.

 You are man from the hillock,

where an angry small eyed male pig

hides from the bowmen on the rocks

and steals wild rice !

Desiring my friend

who has hair swarmed by bees

you speak deceitful words!

And she accept your words as truth!

Poet: Kapilar

Translation : Palaniappan Vairam Sarathy

Some background:  Thaliavan would be from a different village/hill. Thalaivan and Thalaivi have met and by context of this decade looks like they have had Iyarkai Punarchi. They meet every night secretly. Now Thalaivan stops coming regularly.

Thalaivi’s friend (panki) understands the motive of Thalaivan and warn him that she knows that he is fooling Thalaivi.

The best part of the poem is Panki say’s, pig (Thalaivan) hides from the hunters (Thalaivi’s Father and brothers) and eat/enjoy wild rice (Thalaivi). This is actually a warning, you may have escaped till this time fooling this poor girl. But I am there, I know about you. Her family are bunch of hunters who massacre you like the pig if they come to know about your affair. So better get your act together and marry her formally.

Visual reference:

ஐவனம் – wild rice (mountain paddy) – மலைநெல்

Rice which is not cultivated and grows naturally in mountains

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Reference:

Ainkurunooru – Translation by P.Jyotimuthu

Learn Sangam Tamil

Tamil Lexicon – University of Madras

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சிறு கண் பன்றிப் பெருஞ்சின ஒருத்தல்,

Small – eye – pig – great anger – male

துறுகல் அடுக்கத்து வில்லோர் மாற்றி,

Rock – near/in that place – bowmen – hide/repel/rectify

ஐவனம் கவரும் குன்ற நாடன்,

Wild rice (Oryza mutica/mountain paddy) – steal – hillock – countryman

வண்டுபடு கூந்தலைப் பேணிப்,

Bee – swarm – hair – desire

பண்பு இல சொல்லும், தேறுதல் செத்தே.

Natural/manners – without – speaking, accept as true –  thinking