Aesop 025: The Hare & the Tortoise
Attribution
Translated into Quenya by Chaered in 2026.
Notes
First posted on VL, on 2026-05-14; not reviewed yet. Analysis posted to submissions/Aesops: VL.
Motto: The race is not always to the swift.
Also potentially available in Sindarin at: Sindarin crash course
Elcoar
This text is also available at the Elvish composition archive.
Text
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| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lopo ar Þandanasto | | The Hare & the Tortoise |
| 2 | -- | | -- |
| 3 | Lopo yaiteánë Þandanasto umaurë pan hye nánes tallë lenca. | | A Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being so slow. |
| 4 | “Ma ailumë anyalyë aianna?” maquentes yaitaitë laliénen. | | "Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked with a mocking laugh. |
| 5 | “Náto,” hanquentë i Þandanasto, “ar anyanyë tanna ron epë ya quistalyë. | | "Yes," replied the Tortoise, "and I get there sooner than you think. |
| Noruvanyë olyë normessë an iltanuvanyes.” | | I'll run you a race and prove it." | |
| 6 | I Lopo analaltaina ló tenna normeo anat i Þandanasto, mal so tyaliën þáquentes. | | The Hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of the thing he agreed. |
| Epetai i Rusco, ye þáquétiénë ná námo, sarnë i hairië ar tentanë i noruvailant patuë. | | So the Fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off. | |
| 7 | I Lopo nánë ron palan han cen, ar na carë i Þandanasto felë lai yallë yaitima nánë ricitarya norë anat Lopo, serunes ara i nortië na þenna lorë mennai i Þandanasto oroitúvanë. | | The Hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the Tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a Hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the Tortoise should catch up. |
| 8 | Hapallumë i Þandanasto cacarranë menë lenca mal voron, ar, apa lúmë, tulles xië i nómë yassë i Lopo lóranë. | | The Tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the place where the Hare was sleeping. |
| Mal i Lopo ambë lornë assérinqua; ar yá teldavë eccuinunes, i Þandanasto nánë amna i mettassë. | | But the Hare slept on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up, the Tortoise was near the goal. | |
| I Lopo sí hlintes ampolliëryanen, mal únes polë oroita i Þandanasto faren ron. | | The Hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not overtake the Tortoise in time. | |
| 9 | -- | | -- |
| 10 | Eques: Normë ú illumë manya i linta. | | Motto: The race is not always to the swift. |