BASQUE SONG

  “Chorittoua, nourat houa,
    Bi hegalez airian? 
  Espanalat jouaiteco,
    Elhurra duc bortean. 
  Algarreki jouanen guiuc
    Elhurra hourtzen denian.

  “San Josefen ermita
    Desertion gora da. 
  Espanalat jouaiteco,
    Han da goure pausada. 
  Guibelerat so’guin eta
    Hasperrenak ardura?

  “Hasperrena, habiloua
    Maitiaren borthala. 
  Bihotzian sar hakio
    Houra eni becala;
  Eta guero erran izoc
    Nic igorten haidala.”

A graceful English version of the above is in existence, and will fitly complement its original: 

  “Borne on thy wings amidst the air,
    Sweet bird, where wilt thou go? 
  For if thou wouldst to Spain repair,
    The ports are filled with snow. 
  Wait, and we will fly together,
  When the Spring brings sunny weather.

  “St. Joseph’s hermitage is lone,
    Amidst the desert bare,
  And when we on our way are gone,
    Awhile we’ll rest us there;
  As we pursue our mountain track,
  Shall we not sigh as we look back?

  “Go to my love, O gentle sigh,
  And near her chamber hover nigh;
  Glide to her heart, make that thy shrine,
  As she is fondly kept in mine. 
  Then thou mayst tell her it is I
  Who sent thee to her, gentle sigh!”

—­COSTELLO.

In regard to length of words, there exist undoubtedly some surprising examples, but they are merely compound expressions and quite in analogy with those of better known and less abused tongues.  The German, for one, indulges in such with notorious yet unrebuked frequency.  One is naturally startled at encountering in Basque such imbrications as Izarysaroyarenlarrearenbarena, or Ardanzesaroyareniturricoburua, which are actual names of places in Spanish Basque-land; but they are mercifully rare, and when analyzed prove to be rational and even poetic formations, laden with a full equivalent of import,—­the first of the above two signifying “the centre of the field of the mountain of the star,” and the second, “the summit of the fountain of the mountain of the vine.”

These be scarcely fair samples, however.  Commoner words and some of their more musical phrases are instanced in the following, taken in the dialect of this region of St. Jean: 

Haran, Valley. Etchelde, Farm. Ogi, Bread. Egur, Wood. Maraza, Hatchet. Nekarsale, Workman. Aita, My father. Lo, Sleep. Etche, House. Etchetar, Household. Nerhaba, Child. Nescatcha, Maiden. Zorioneko, Happy. Ama, My mother. Neure maiteak, My loved ones.