From: lyngos2@aol.com (LYNGOS 2)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.greek
Subject: FR: LYNGOS  RE:  SOUL WITHOUT SIN
Date: 12 Jan 1998 23:43:26 GMT
Lines: 153
Message-ID: <19980112234300.SAA11929@ladder01.news.aol.com>
 

The more I was reading last night the Makedonian stories by Modis, the more I was getting closer to the land back there.And some of those stories..........boy oh boy let me tell you !!!!!!

Here another one from the book under the title ---fifty fattened animals--- and the partial title "soul without sin".I am going to leave part of it's language intact with clear English translation following.Tell you the truth I couldn't translate, what was taking place, in the English language . Sorry again for the mistakes .And here it is -------Soul without sin----------.
 

                                      SOUL  WITHOUT  SIN

Peter and Michael took the decision: they were going to kill STOGIANNIS .He was the leader of the Bulgarian portion of the village.And he had fry the fish on top of their lips.(They had enough of him).He had become a new BEY.

First, became Bulgars STOGIANNIS father,and few other relatives,because of the priest.They had a fight with PAPAXRISTO and because the Bishop didn't wanted to remove him or to ordain a new one among them,they went to the Bulgarian episcopal trustee and ordained him.With the eloquence of the Komitatzides knife,the neutrals followed them.........

PAPAXRISTOS was found hanging one day from a tree with a Bulgarian note on his neck,that had the stamp of the Komittee and was saying: That's the way the traitors are punished.

Peter talk to his uncle MPARMPASTEFO who was the inspector-trustee of the Greek church.

----Why you don't lay on your eggs  grazy-PETSE?......the old man told him.

But he said it in such a way,  as to tell: if you could kill him, ten times kill him .

An early morning Peter and Michael  took their rifles out of the village. They put them in a cave.Then they went down to the village and turn to the middle one .Around evening they played KONTSINA with two older men in the caffeneion.

Once late dark, they slide outside in their shoes made of pig-skins,took their rifles and set-up an ambush.It was in a large hole on a trail.From there STOGIANNIS was going back and forth to his sheep-fold which wasn't too far. They hide behind some brushes.Peter was holding a Bulgarian Manhliher and Michael a GRA.They were waiting, ready .That night STOGIANNIS was late to go home.Some time late, he shows with a ewe on his back.Because of it they couldn't see in the dark his face.But it was his stature and his way of walking.

And after all who else would walk on his trail and so late at night?

They shot  at him .

STOGIANNIS  fell with his face down with a groan.The sheep roll-over in front of them  with a bleat.They start running right away,made a big circle around the village and with their shoes made out of pig-skins slide into their houses without anyone seeing them .

Next morning screaming and  crying .

Was found dead STAIKOS , who was Greek and second cousin of Peter! He was late at the sheep-fold because a sickness was showing among his sheeps.He took a sick one on his back and he went to two other close sheep-folds to ask if they had the same kind of sickness.In the end he went to the STOGIANNIS sheep-fold.He found only two sheep-dogs.STOGIANNIS went home early.

Peter and Michael were sreaming more than anybody else when the police arrived from Florina a YIOUMPASIS (gendarmery lieutenant) and a commissioner (of the gendarmery).

-------Arrest all  the Bulgars of the village and put them in the prison. First beat them for good to make them  tell who made the killing. They know it , even if they act that they know nothing .

Whip and axe.

Now, there is no Komitatzides.We have the HOURIET.

For the Turks,no matter ,Neo-turks or Old-turks all the --- GIAOURIDES---- were dogs, white dogs the OUROUM (Greeks), black the Bulgars.

The more were killing each other the better.

They were lucky though, with all that bitching from those "Europeans" the "Franks" and the Neo-Tourkish goverment had issue really strict orders. Well they arrested twenty "Bulgars" they tied them up, with ropes that took from their houses and send them with escort to Florina.First among all, they tied up STOGIANNIS and they kick him and whip him a couple of times. They didn't have any proofs or indications.But in the place where STOIKOS was killed was found an empty-shell of a Bulgarian Manhliher.And then they couldn't go back empty handed.Let's put them now in jail and we'll see later. The investigation  was going to clear everything slowly-slowly (Yiavas-yiavas). The Turks were getting the rabbit with the mule-cart as it was well known. This tactic wasn't that bad.Of course they  were placing into the  prison for many months the leaders and notables of one fraction in order to open their eyes and make sure that nothing was going to happen to the opposite fraction .The responsability was collective.Let's see if the Bulgars of the villages would dare to bother Greek or the Greeks a Bulgar from now on .They knew what to expect.

Haven't passed forty days from STOIKOS death and one day are presenting themselves to the Bishop "Moglenon and Florinis", Peter and Michael with MPARMPASTEFO and another notable him too older.They were holding few eggs and some cheese and butter for the ""ANTETI""

-------Welcome !! Said the bishop, ordering the coffee.How come on these parts dear MPARMPASTEFO,with all of your old age ?
-------Irtame ,ntespota,na to idoume esena.Eisai kala? Na ' ntosi o Teos. Irtame na kanome esena kai ena megalo ritza,poly megalo parakalia.Na mas to kamis emas sto xorio papas.To Papagiorgis nten mporei na erti apo to xorio tou.Einai geros san ego.

  We came oh despot to see you .Are you well ? God to give.We came  to make (ask ) for a big favor,very big begging.To make it priest of the village.Papagiorgis can not keep  coming from his village.He is old like  I .

-------And whom did you find  Mparmpastefo as candidate who knows also to write and read ?

The old man indicate Peter.He had finish after -all third grade!!!!!!!.He knew more than neccessary how to write and read .

The bishop was suddened.

-----Who? Peter ? Him for priest ??  But......but ...isn't he too young ?
-------Ti na to kanome to geros,apokrithike o Mparmpastefanos.To pallikaria telome.
-----What can we do with the old one answered Mparmpastefos.We want the braveones.
---Are you married,Peter? The bishop ask.
---I have two children also your Grace.

The Bishop talk in Turkish to Mparmpastefos in order to understand better.

-----He is crazy,dear mister Stefo.Is he for the cassocks? THINK, is it proper?
-----Ai, Ntespot efenti,apokrithike.I epochi simera einai yia trellous kai ntelifisekides,Ti na tous kanoume tous fronimous ?......Tetoios einai kai o Boulgaros papas tou xoriou.Pasalos pasalo vgazei leei kai i tourkiki paroimia. Ah Bishop Efent,he answered.Today's times are calling for the crazy and the bearing arms.What can we do with the wise ones ?......Same is the Bulgar priest of the village.Pole takes out another pole according to the Turkish proverb.
-----But my child !!! Rebut the Bishop to Peter.Did you think it over ? You killed a man .And he wasn't a Bulgar either..................So many are in prison because of you unfairly.........Is it appropriate to become minister of GOD ?  Do you feel  your soul is clean,without any sins in order to be able to hold in your hands the Holy Communion ?
-------Let them be in jail Mparmpastefos yelled,Nten einai adika, is not unfair,

How many bad things the dogs have done to us!!!!!! Then he started speaking in Turkish.Let them stay and die like dogs in there.

-------Don't worry Mparmpastefo they are going to stay in jail many months,speaking in Turkish the Bishop told him  Maybe, two years, is going to take for the investigation.They told me that the other day the district attorney and the KAIMAKAMIS.But what are we going to do with that crazy one that you want him to become priest ? And is a sin.......
------The times are asking for it,Despot Efent.

Now Peter himself start talking.

------- WE, your Grace, went for STOGIANNIS said with excitement in his voice. It was him we wanted to kill, as you might know .The hands and the eyes shot STOIKO my cousin. It was because of the dark, it was because of the ewe, or maybe luck. Maybe it was written. What sin our soul should carry? Should someone carry a sin because of a mistake ?

 What could The bishop say ?

He knew also that, many, farther up, they were going to press him into ordaining him.

And so Peter or Petses became PAPAPETROS.
 

In all of Modis writings you can learn about the real Makedonia, portion of which we left behind us. For example in todays story one can see HOW and HOW easy it was for the locals to chance affiliations according to the church. At the same time one can see that the language was not important as to the national sentiments. Then the way the Turks were considering Greeks and Bulgars. And last and most important there is never mention of Makedonian or SLAVOMAKEDONIAN nationality.

Those days in the Makedonia that we left behind us ,they were existing many nationalities.Many nationalities exept one.FYROMIAN.

Regards to all.......L.
 

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