Part 1
| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nánë anfastima ettë mi restassë. | | It was very pleasant out in the country. |
| 2 | Nánë laireo lúmë, i ori nánë malina, i porë laica, i sardë nánë hamnainen i laicë salquenorissen, ar tassë i tópocáno ospatanë andu carnu telcuryanten ar quentë mirrandorin. | | It was summer time, the corn was yellow, the oats green, the hay was stacked down in the green meadows, and there the stork walked about on his long red legs and talked Egyptian. |
| 3 | Páriénes i lambë amilyallo. | | He had learnt the language from his mother. |
| 4 | Os i palari ar salquenóri enger altë tauri ar mi tai enger lúvi: é, nánë fastima ettë mi restassessë. | | Round the fields and meadows there were large woods and within them deep lakes: indeed, it was pleasant out in the country. |
| 5 | Aqua árissë, yára oromar tarnë, oscaitaina ló tumna celma, ar i rambaivë talallo téravë i nenenna, hoë palda-lasseä naxalaiqui olaner--tallë hallë i níca hína pollë tarë téra nu i anhöa taio. | | Full in the sunshine, an old manor house stood, surrounded by a deep moat, and from the base of the walls right down to the water great dock plants grew--so tall that a little child could stand upright under the largest of them. |
| 6 | Nánë ta eresseä imbë tai ve mí amnelca taurë; ar tás Quá háranë haustaryassë. | ; | It was as lonely in among them as in the thickest wood; and there a Duck was sitting on her nest. |
| 7 | Maunë sen lerya ohtello nícë Quainciryar mal silumë nánes amna lumba san, hapyeältë tallë anda pá sa, ar cáves mancë naþali. | | She had got to hatch out her little Ducklings, but by this time she was well nigh tired out, they took so long about it, and she had very few callers. |
| 8 | I hyanë quár tyasser oslutië i celma arya epë tulië ama ar harië nu naxalaique-lassë na nyatë óssë. | | The other Ducks preferred swimming about the moat to coming up and sitting under a dock-leaf to chat with her. |
| 9 | |||
| 10 | Yallumë, ohtë min ar enta rúviénë, ar equë: “Pip! pip!” | | At last, one egg after another cracked, and said: "Pip! pip!" |
| 11 | I ohte-maldion illi coiruyéner ar rásaner carinta. | | All the egg-yolks had come to life and were sticking their heads out. |
| 12 | |||
| 13 | “Quaqua, quaqua!” eques, ar intë aryë equë sa, ta mai ve polleltë, ar tirner ildomenna os intë nu i laicë lassi; ar amilinta lávë ten tirë ta laca ve tyasseltë, pan laica ná mára hendun. | ; | "Quack, quack!" said she, and they said it too, as well as they could, and looked all round them beneath the green leaves; and their mother let them look as much as they liked, for green is good for the eyes. |
| 14 | |||
| 15 | “Tallë alta nómë, arda ná,” equë i vinyaron illi: pan tancavë engë ten laca amba latsë sí epë yá cainiéneltë ohtessë. | | "What a big place the world is," said all the young ones: for to be sure they had a great deal more room now than when they lay in the egg. |
| 16 | |||
| 17 | “Ma quistaldë i si ná quana arda?” equë amilinta; “A, latis esta palla i tarwo hyana permë, téra mina i airimo palar--mal allumë anaiën tás. | ; | "Do you suppose this is all the world?" said their mother; "why, it stretches out far beyond the other side of the garden, right into the parson's field--but I've never been there. |
| Eldë eär illi, quistan?” ar tolunes. | | You're all there, I suppose?" and she got up. | |
| 18 | “Lá, sa lá quana; tassë caita i anhöa ohtë ena. | ; | "No, that's not all; there lies the biggest egg still. |
| Mallë anda hapyauvas? | | How long will it take? | |
| Nanwavë nanyë amba lumba san,” ar epta harunes ata. | | I'm really almost sick of it," and with that she sat down again. | |
| 19 | |||
| 20 | “Mára, mallë sí nalyë?” maquentë enwina Quá ye tullë cecenna se. | | "Well, how goes it?" asked an elderly Duck who came to call on her. |
| 21 | “A, sina min ohtë hapyeä nairavë anda lúmë,” equë i harila Quá; “uissë a-racë. | ; | "Oh, this one egg takes a dreadful long time," said the sitting Duck; "it won't break. |
| Mal sí möa lyen tirë i hyanar! | | But just you look at the others! | |
| Naltë i icíti Quainci i ummanan ecéniën; naltë illi poicavë ve þaura atarinta, ye allumë tulë cenitan.” | ; | They are the sweetest Ducklings I've ever seen; they're all just like their wretch of a father, who never comes to see me." | |
| 22 | |||
| 23 | “Á apanta nin i ohtë ya lá rúla,” equë i enwina Quá; “ecë lyen ná tanca i sa ná peceto ohtë. | ; | "Let me look at the egg that won't hatch," said the old Duck; "you may be sure that's a turkey's egg. |
| Néya tallë carnë inyë ve aut, ar sámen estatiënya tarastiéno ar tíreleo ó i vinyar, quetuvan lyen, pan þoryaltë i nén. | | I was made a fool of once that way, and I had my share of trouble and anxiety with the young ones, I can tell you, for they are afraid of the water. | |
| Únenyë ista tyarë te mitta! | | I couldn't get them to go in! | |
| Quanquen ar irtanen, mal sa únë alya. | | I quacked and I pecked, but it was no good. | |
| Á lavë nin cenë i ohtë. | | Let me see the egg. | |
| A, ná, sa ná peceto ohtë; ályë hehta sa caitaila ar peänta i hyanain lutië.” | ; | Ah, yes, that's a turkey's egg; you just let it lie and teach the rest to swim." | |
| 24 | |||
| 25 | “A, haruvan sassë enwa nicë ambë,” equë i Quá. | | "Oh, I'll just sit on it a bit longer," said the Duck. |
| 26 | “Aháriën tallë andavë, san mai ecë nin enetya lú!” “Sívë fastuvassel,” equë i enwina Quá, ar patanë öa. | | "As I've sat so long, I may as well give it a Whitsun week!" (1) "Just as you please," said the old Duck, and walked off. |
| 27 | |||
| 28 | Teldavë i höa ohtë palyanë. | | At last the big egg opened. |
| 29 | “Pip! pip!” equë i vinya, etepeltaila; nánes anhöa ar úvanima. | ; | "Pip! pip!" said the young one, scrambling out; he was very big and ugly. |
| 30 | I Quá tirnë se: “Sa ná nairavë höa Quaincë, ta ná,” eques. | | The Duck looked at him: "That's a fearfully big Duckling, that is," she said. |
| 31 | “I hyanaron lana nemë tallë. | | "None of the others look like that. |
| Inteänyë i ui ecë sen ná pecet hilmë! | | I suppose it can't be a turkey poult! | |
| Mára, rongo cenuvalvë; menuvas mina i nén, aryë qui möa imnin etelahë se.” | ; | Well, we'll soon see; into the water he shall go, if I have to kick him out myself." | |
| 32 | |||
| 33 | Neuna ressë i vilwis nánë ammaira: anar caldë ildomë i laicë naxalaiquennar, ar i amil Quá ar quana orenderya ettuller, ar tal i celmanna. | | Next day the weather was perfectly delicious: the sun shone all over the green docks, and the mother Duck and all her family came out, and down to the moat. |
| 34 | Falas! Mennes mina i nén. | | Splash! Into the water went she. |
| 35 | “Quaqua, quaqua!” eques, ar en Quaincë ar enta campë nenenna. | | "Quack, quack!" she said, and one Duckling after another plumped in. |
| 36 | I nén mennë or carinta, mal eppeltë ata apa þenwa ar lunteltë maitë. | | The water went over their heads, but they were up again in a moment and swam beautifully. |
| 37 | Telcuntat mótaner intunen, ar sí illi náneltë i nenessë, ar éta i úvanima þinda lútanë óntë. | | Their legs worked of themselves, and now they were all out in the water, and even the ugly grey one was swimming with them. |
| 38 | “Fó, fó, sa lá pecet,” eques. | | "No, no, that's no turkey," she said. |
| 39 | “Á cenë yallë maitevë yuhteäs telcuryat, ar yallë mai tuluhtas insë. | | "Look how nicely he uses his legs, and how well he holds himself up. |
| Sa ná onya! | | That's my own child! | |
| Nás nanwavë faren vanya yá tiril se mára. | | He's really quite handsome if you look at him properly. | |
| Quaqua, quaqua! Á tulë ara onyë ar ettulyauvan le mina i arda ar sítauvan le i quá-santan, mal riþá ar reþá areä ar' inyë itan alquen patuva lessë, ar ná tirítë pá i miuë.” | | Quack, quack! Come along with me and I'll take you out into the world and introduce you to the duck-yard, but mind and keep close to me so that nobody can tread on you, and do look out for the cat." | |
| 40 | |||
| 41 | San menneltë mina i quá-santa. | | So they went into the duck-yard. |
| 42 | Engë romya mahtalë tassë, pan nossë atta costeáner pá lingwileucava cas -- ya i miuë ñentë teldavë. | | There was a terrible commotion there, for two families were quarrelling over an eel's head--which the cat got after all. |
| 43 | |||
| 44 | “Á tirë, sa ná yallë arda menë,” equë i amil Queä--ó nicë recca memessë, pan issë insë tyáþiévanë i lingwileucava cas. | | "Look, that's the way the world goes," said the mother Duck--her beak watering a little, for she would have liked the eel's head herself. |
| 45 | “Aryë sí, yuhtá telculdat,” eques; “riþá ar nemá coivë, ar cuvá langolda i enwina Quán entassë, issë ná i ammirtaina illio sissë; nás Hyarnúna Nórello, san nás minima, ar cená, cólas carnë seres os telcurya. | ; ; | "Now then, use your legs," she said; "mind and look alive, and stoop your necks to the old Duck over there, she's the most distinguished person here; she's of Spanish descent, so she's something special, and you see she's got a red rag round her leg. |
| Sa ná ammaira engwë, i anhöa orhalië ya ecë quán harya; teäs í lië yestar hapë se, ar möa atsinta se cuivain yo atanin. | ; | That is an extraordinarily splendid thing, the greatest distinction any duck can have; it means that people can't do without her, and she must be recognized by animals and men alike. | |
| Silumë, nemá coivë! Vá querë pireldar mitta! | | Now then, look alive! Don't turn your toes in! | |
| Quaincë ye ná máravë oltaina hapë telcuryat palan permenta, ve atar ar amil. | | A duckling that's properly brought up keeps its legs wide apart, like father and mother. | |
| Ríþë! Áldë sí! Cará cungorda ar quetá quaqua.” | | Look here! Now then! Make a bow and say quack." | |
| 46 | |||
| 47 | Tallë carneltë; mal i hyanë quár os te tirner te ar equë, faren romyavë, “Á tirë tar! | ; | So they did; but the other ducks round them looked at them and said, quite loud, "Look there! |
| Sí mén uvas sana quana úmë ambë, vequi únë tensi eä faren elmeo; ar fó, mallë nemë tana quaincë! | ; | Now we've got to have all this mob on the top of us, as if there weren't enough of us already; and poof! what an object that duckling is! | |
| Úvalmë lavë sen eä”; ar quá alacantë senna ar nancë se langoryassë. | ; | We can't stand him"; and a duck rushed at him and bit him in the neck. | |
| 48 | |||
| 49 | “Á lavë se serë,” equë amilya; “cáras allë.” “Náto, mal nás acca höa ar aia,” equë i quá ye náciénë se; “tallë möa sen a-palpa.” | ; ; | "Let him be," said his mother; "he isn't doing any harm." "Yes, but he's too big and odd altogether," said the duck who had bitten him; "so he's got to be smacked." |
| 50 | |||
| 51 | “Tanar nár vanimë quainci, i amil samë,” equë i enwina Quá ó i seres telcuryassë; “ilyë faren vanimë enga tana, alaiës hrityula. | ; | "Those are pretty ducklings that mother has," said the old Duck with the rag on her leg; "all quite pretty except that one. He hasn't been a success; |
| Mériévanen í amil polë vista se.” | | I could wish the mother would alter him." | |
| 52 | |||
| 53 | “Sa únat, a heri,” equë i amil Quá. | | "That can't be done, your grace," said the mother Duck. |
| 54 | “Lás vanya, mal nás máre-honda, ar lutis ta mai ve ilya hyanaron, hya, sillë veryan quetë, nit arya. | | "He's not handsome, but he has a really good disposition, and swims as nicely as any of the rest, even better, I venture to say. |
| Savin i oluvas vanya, hya nai tuluryassë oluvas nicë tiura; acainiës acca anda mi i ohtë, ar san uiës anya mára canta.” | ; | I believe he will grow handsome, or perhaps in time he will grow even somewhat smaller; he has lain too long in the egg, and so has not acquired a proper shape." | |
| 55 | Ar lampes langoryassë ar pastanë se. | | And she picked at his neck and smoothed him down. |
| 56 | “Entë, nás yondo,” an eques, “san sa ui valda tallë laca; | ; | "Besides, he's a drake," she went on, "so it doesn't matter quite so much. |
| savin i turyauvas, ar mai voruvas.” | | He has, I believe, a good constitution and will win through in the end." | |
| 57 | |||
| 58 | “I hyanë quainci nár lúceärwë,” equë i enwina heri. | | "The other ducklings are charming," said the old lady. |
| 59 | “Mai, á carë imlë maryë, ar qui nai túvaldë lingwileucava cas, ecë len tulya sa nin.” | | "Well, make yourselves at home, and if you happen to find an eel's head, you can bring it to me." |
| 60 | |||
| 61 | San carneldë intë maryë. | | So they made themselves at home: |
| Mal pá i almelóra Quaincë ye túliénë métima et i ohtello ar nemnë tallë úvanima, i holyer yo i quár hapaldë nancer se ar áner nistar sen ar yaitar se ve aut. | | but the poor Duckling who had come last out of the egg and looked so ugly, was bitten and buffeted and made to look a fool by the hens and the ducks alike. | |
| 62 | “Nás acca höa,” ilyar equë; ar i pecet-hollo, ye óniénë ó tal-necelu, ar ye siro nemnë insë ná tararan, hwesentë insë ve cirya véluyéla ilyë velunti ar mennë téra i Quaincinna, lan pecet-ómanen quanquë ar caranyanes cas. | ; | "He's too big," they all said; and the turkey cock, who was born with spurs, and considered himself an emperor on the strength of it, blew himself up like a ship under full sail and went straight at the Duckling, gobbling and getting quite red in the head. |
| 63 | I almelóra Quaincë únë ista yassë serë hya yanna menë, nánes tallë angayanda pan nánes úvanima ar cávë yaiwë i quana quá-santallo. | | The poor Duckling didn't know where to stay or which way to go, he was so miserable at being ugly and the butt of the whole duck-yard. |
| 64 | |||
| 65 | Sa nánë i minya ré, ar lan lúteánes sa ollë urra en amurra. | | That was the first day, and as time went on it got worse and worse. |
| 66 | Ilquen roinë i nainaima Quaincë, ar éta amilya ar néþaryar náner olcë sen, ar quequettaner: “Merin í miuë atuva tye, ityë úvanima rauco.” | | The wretched Duckling was chased about by everybody, and even his mother and sisters were nasty to him, and kept saying: "I wish the cat would get you, you ugly devil." |
| 67 | Ar amilya equë: “Merin naitatya haiya”; ar i quár nancer se ar i holyer irtaner se, ar i wendë yen möa matya i celvar laccë senna. | ; | And his mother said: "I wish you'd get right away"; and the ducks bit him and the hens pecked him, and the maid who had to feed the creatures kicked at him. |
| 68 | Etta nornë öa, ar villë lanna i peltas. | | So he ran away, and flew over the fence. |
| 69 | I nícë aiwi i tussassen amaviller vilyanna þosseávë. | | The little birds in the bushes shot up in the air in a fright. |
| 70 | “Sa ná pan nanyë tallë úvanima,” i Quaincë sannë, ar holtanë hendyat, mal nornë ener immal, mennai ananyë ettë mina i yána motto yassë i hrávë quár máreáner; ar tassë caines ter quana lómë, pan nánes amalumba ar angayanda. | ; | "That's because I'm so ugly," the Duckling thought, and shut his eyes, but ran on all the same, till he got out into the wide marsh where the wild-duck lived; and there he lay all night, for he was very tired and very unhappy. |
Extra
Wordplay:
The so-called Spanish duck is called "svær" which means both "heavy" and "great". It may refer to raising her for Seville-style paella. // (original Dan>Eng translation note) (1) This needs a note, for the gist of which I have to thank kind friends in Denmark. 'Whitsun week' is meant to render 'Dyrehavstid', which should be 'Dyrehavsbakketid'. Dyrehavsbakken is a place of amusement near Klampenborg, which used to have a 'season' from Midsummer Day (June 24), to the feast of the Visitation (July 2).