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Aesop 020: The Fox & the Leopard

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Attribution

Translated into Quenya by Chaered in 2026. Reviewed for language by Luinyelle, and Raccoon.

Notes

First posted on VL, on 2026-03-15; not reviewed yet. Analysis posted to submissions/Aesops: VL.

Motto: A fine coat is not always an indication of an attractive mind.

Also potentially available in Sindarin at: Sindarin crash course

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No. Quenya Tengwar Means
1 Rusco ar Picara    The Fox & the Leopard
2 --  --
3 Rusco ar Picara, serilar quinquavë apa láreä þinyemat, laltaner intu costiénen pá vanima nemestatta.                  A Fox and a Leopard, resting lazily after a generous dinner, amused themselves by disputing about their good looks.
I Picara nánë anvalateä pá silwa, vaxeä heletserya ar quentë yaiwë pá i Rusco, yeva nemesta, eccannes, nánë faren sitina.                          The Leopard was very proud of his glossy, spotted coat and made disdainful remarks about the Fox, whose appearance he declared was quite ordinary.
4 I Rusco sámë laca valatë pá maira fineä pimperya ó fána menterya, mal nánes faren saila i cennes i únë ecë sen ráta i Picaráva nemesta.                             The Fox prided himself on his fine bushy tail with its tip of white, but he was wise enough to see that he could not rival the Leopard in looks.
Aivë lanquentes ener andavë yaiwenen, rië na popóluë finyalerya ar alarya costiénen.               Still he kept up a flow of sarcastic talk, just to exercise his wits and to have the fun of disputing.
Arivë i Picarallo ussë aharya yá i Rusco harunë, hácala quinquavë.              The Leopard was about to lose his temper when the Fox got up, yawning lazily.
5 “É, aryalyë anfinwa helet,” eques, “mal tarmelya lai arya quíta nánelyë nicë ambë finwa mi carelya ar undë pá amboraxostalya, yallë inyë ná.                             "You may have a very smart coat," he said, "but you would be a great deal better off if you had a little more smartness inside your head and less on your ribs, the way I am.
Ta ná ya estanyë naitë vanessë.”        That's what I call real beauty."
6 --  --
7 Eques: Maira helet ui illumë tana lúceärwa sanar.           Motto: A fine coat is not always an indication of an attractive mind.

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