Old Tamil Poetry

Ainkurunooru – 60

You,from the town where the junglefowl
crows in fields to lure its hen! I say:
You always come after the house is asleep;
Aren’t you afraid of her dad’s spear?

பழனக் கம்புள் பயிர்ப்பெடை அகவும்
கழனி ஊர! நின் மொழிவல்: என்றும்
துஞ்சு மனை நெடு நகர் வருதி;
அஞ்சாயோ, இவள் தந்தை கை வேலே?

Poem no. 60 from Ainkurunooru. Her friend admonishes him for coming to visit her in the night and warns him of her dad’s anger. The junglefowl crowing to attract the female is equated to him wooing her.

Ainkurunooru – 173

He who’s afflicted by the braided hairdo
that smells of Thondi’s scented flowers,
can’t sleep peacefully even at night,
as if suffering from snake bite.

இரவினானும் இன் துயில் அறியாது
அரவு உறு துயரம் எய்துப தொண்டித்
தண் நறு நெய்தல் நாறும்
பின் இருங் கூந்தல் அணங்குற்றோரே.

His friend bemoans him as he goes to see her at night. “Her black braided hair is like a snake that has bit him. Because of that he is unable to sleep even at night and has gone to meet her now”. Thondi was the prosperous coastal town of Chera Kingdom.

துயில் – sleep; அரவு – snake; தண் – cool; நறு – fragrant; நெய்தல் – (Lily) Flowers; இருங் கூந்தல் – beautiful braid; அணங்கு – misery / suffering