牸牛

牸牛

1. (literary or dialectal) female cow

   • 臣請陳之，臣故畜牸牛生子而大，賣之而買駒，少年曰：『牛不能生馬。』遂持駒去。傍鄰聞之，以臣為愚，故名此谷為愚公之谷。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     臣请陈之，臣故畜牸牛生子而大，卖之而买驹，少年曰：『牛不能生马。』遂持驹去。傍邻闻之，以臣为愚，故名此谷为愚公之谷。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Shuoyuan, circa 1^st century BCE

     Chén qǐng chén zhī, chén gù xù zìniú shēng zǐ ér dà, mài zhī ér mǎi jū, shàonián yuē: ‘Niú bùnéng shēng mǎ.’ Suì chí jū qù. Bànglín wén zhī, yǐ chén wèi yú, gù míng cǐ gǔ wèi yúgōng zhī gǔ.

     Allow me to explain! I once raised a cow who birthed a calf, who grew up later; I sold it and bought a colt. A youth said: "A cow cannot birth a horse." Then he took the colt and left. My neighbors heard that and took me as foolish; therefore this valley is named Foolish Old Man's Valley.

   • 堅昆部落非狼種，其先所生之窟在曲漫山北。自謂上代有神與牸牛交於此窟。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     坚昆部落非狼种，其先所生之窟在曲漫山北。自谓上代有神与牸牛交于此窟。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Duan Chengshi, Youyang Zazu", published in 9th century CE

     Jiānkūn bùluò fēi láng zhǒng, qí xiān suǒshēng zhī kū zài qūmàn shān běi. Zìwèi shàngdài yǒu shén yǔ zìniú jiāo yú cǐ kū.

     The Jiankun tribe are not the wolf-kin(s) (i.e. Tujue or/and Gaoche); their ancestor had been born in a cave north of Mount Quman. They themselves say that of yore a god and a cow mated in that cave.