| 1 |
Amauressë i hrávë quár amavillë ar tuntaner vinya málonta. |
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In the morning the wild-duck flew up and caught sight of their new comrade. |
| 2 |
“Manima mo elyë?” maquenteltë; ar i Quaincë quernë sir ar tar, ar suilanë te ta mai ve encë sen. |
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"What sort of a chap are you?" they asked; and the Duckling turned to this side and that and greeted them as well as he could. |
| 3 |
“Natyë aqua úvanima,” equë i hrávë quár; “mal ta ui valda men quí úvalyë verya mo nossemmo.” |
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"You're precious ugly," said the wild-ducks; "but that doesn't matter to us as long as you don't marry into our family." |
| 4 |
Almelóra úna mo! |
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Poor wretch! |
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Únes sanaila laca pá vesta, lan rië ecë lavë sen caita imbë i lisci, ar yulë nicë motto nén. |
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He wasn't thinking much about marrying, as long as he could be allowed to lie among the reeds, and drink a little marsh water. |
| 5 |
Tás caines ter quanë ré atta, ar tá tuller hrávat vánu, attië hanúto: éfiénet ohtello lanéya, ar san nánettë tallë neþyu. |
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There he lay two whole days, and then came a pair of wild geese (or rather wild ganders, for they were both he's): they hadn't been hatched out very long, and so they were particularly lively. |
| 6 |
“Yé, málo,” quentettë, “nalyë tallë úvanima i faren tyasinyel. |
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"Here, mate," they said, "you're so ugly I quite like you. |
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Ma tuluvalyë arë ar nauvalyë lenwetula? |
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Will you come along and be a migrant? |
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Areä hyana mottossë eär icíti vanimë hrávë vánéli--ilyë vinyë herissi i pollë quetë Quaqua. |
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Close by in another marsh there's some sweet pretty wild geese--all young ladies that can say Quack. |
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Nalyë tallë úvanima i nai ecë lyen tuvë ecestalya óntë.” |
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You're so ugly you could make your fortune with them." |
| 7 |
Talumë engë Pán! Pán! ar i hrávat vánu lananter qualinu imbë i liscennar, ar i nén ollë serce-carnë. |
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At that moment there was a Bang! Bang! and both the wild geese fell dead among the reeds, and the water was stained blood red. |
| 8 |
Enta pán! pán! ar vánion quanë umbar viller ama i liscellon, ar engë enta pán! |
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Another bang! bang! and whole flights of geese flew up from the reeds, and there was yet another bang! |
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Nánes alta farasta. |
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a great shoot was afoot. |
| 9 |
I farastari cainer os i motto, é mo harilë ama imbë i aldaron olbar yai lanter ambela or i lisci. |
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The sportsmen were all round the marsh, some even sitting up among the branches of trees that stretched out over the reeds. |
| 10 |
I luinë quonda luntë ve lumbor, imbë i lúnë þirpi, ar linganë landavë or i nén. |
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The blue smoke drifted like clouds, in among the dark stems, and hung far out over the water. |
| 11 |
I ronyor menner falas! falas! mina i loxo, ar i lisci ar virsalqui tananter sir ar tar; þostanes i almelóra Quainciën, ye loncë langorya na cuvë sa nu rámarya, yá onallumë, areä sen, engë aica höa röa; lambarya linganë téra et antorya ar hendyat sillë hrúavë. |
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The dogs went splash! splash! into the mud, and the reeds and rushes swayed hither and thither; it was terrible for the wretched Duckling, who was bending his neck to get it under his wing, when all at once, close to him, there was a fearful big dog with his tongue hanging right out of his mouth and his eyes shining horribly. |
| 12 |
Nirnes mundorya téra na i Quaincë ar apantanes maicu carcaryat -- en -- falas! |
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He thrust his muzzle right at the Duckling and showed his sharp teeth--and then--splash! |
| 13 |
Mennes öa pen mapa se. |
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Off he went without seizing him. |
| 14 |
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| 15 |
“A, laitalë Erun,” sinquë i Quaincë; “Nanyë tallë úvanima, i aryë i röa ui yesta nacë ni!” |
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"Oh, thank goodness," sighed the Duckling; "I'm so ugly, even the dog doesn't like to bite me!" |
| 16 |
Mal tassë cainë poicavë rua lan i quahta-umbar alacanter mí lisci ar narcarma en narcarma holtanë. |
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But there he lay perfectly still while the duck shots rattled in the reeds and gun after gun banged out. |
| 17 |
Rië antelwa ressë entullë ruë, mal i colonda aiwi enwa únë verya tyulya. |
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It was well on in the day before all was quiet, but the unhappy bird dared not get up even then. |
| 18 |
Hornes lúmeli tenta, nó ostirnes, ar tá ronganes öa i mottollo ta lintië ve polles, norila lanna palari ar salquenóri, ar taitë vaiwë oronyë i engë sen mólomë na menë ener. |
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He waited several hours yet, before he looked about him, and then he hurried away from the marsh as fast as ever he could, running over fields and meadows, and such a wind got up that he had hard work to get along. |
| 19 |
Undómessë nánes areä ar' úna níca cöa, ya nánë tallë hwinda i únes sana manna atalta, san sa handë tarila. |
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Towards evening he was near a poor little cottage, so crazy was it that it didn't know which way to tumble down, so it remained standing. |
| 20 |
I vaiwë alacantë tallë valca os i Quaincë i maunë sen haru pimperyassë na termarë anat sa, ar olles urda en amurda. |
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The wind howled so fiercely round the Duckling that he had to sit down on his tail to keep facing it, and it grew worse and worse. |
| 21 |
Tá tuntanes i queren min i fenno nánë vanwa, ar sa linganë tallë raica i polles hlicë mir ter i cirissë, ar san carnes. |
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Then he noticed that one hinge of the door was gone, and it hung so crooked that he could slip indoors through the crack, and so he did. |
| 22 |
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| 23 |
Sinomë enwina nís marnë ó miuë ar holyë. |
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Here lived an old woman with a cat and a hen. |
| 24 |
I miuë, ye estanes Yonyo, pollë orta heletserya ar murra, ar aryë etehatë tinwi, mal na si maunë palta se cána. |
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The cat, whom she called Sonny, could set up his fur and purr, and also throw out sparks, but for this he had to be stroked backwards. |
| 25 |
I Holyë sámë anþennu nícu telcut, ar etta estaner “Holyë þennu telcuto”. |
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The Hen had very short little legs, and was consequently called "chicky short legs". |
| 26 |
Nosteánë márë ohti, ar i nís nánë méla ta issen ve inseo hínen. |
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She laid good eggs, and the woman was as fond of her as of a child of her own. |
| 27 |
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| 28 |
Neuna amauressë ú-pusto tuntanet i aia Quaincë, ar i miuë yesentë murra, ar i Holyë carnë cehtecet. |
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Next morning the strange Duckling was noticed at once, and the cat began to purr, and the Hen to cluck. |
| 29 |
“Mana eä?” equë i enwina nís, tirila quáquenna os insë. |
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"What's the matter?" said the old woman, looking all about her. |
| 30 |
Mal cenya lánë mára, san nóquistanes í Quaincë nánë tiuca quá ye raniénë öa. |
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But her sight wasn't good, so she took the Duckling for a fat duck that had strayed away. |
| 31 |
“Sa ná maira farna,” eques: “sí ecë nin ñetë quá ohti, au lás hanu! |
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"That's a splendid catch," she said: "now I can have duck eggs, if only it isn't a drake! |
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Möa ven carë tanca pá sana.” |
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We must make sure of that." |
| 32 |
Etta hampes i Quaincë tyastiën ter otsolar neldë, mal ohti úner tulë. |
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So the Duckling was taken in on approval for three weeks, but no eggs came. |
| 33 |
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| 34 |
I Miuë nánë i mardo heru ar i Holyë i heri, ar illumë quentettë pá “inquë ar i arda”; pan ettë nemner i nánettë ardo peresta, ar laca i arya peresta. |
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The Cat was the gentleman of the house and the Hen the lady, and they always talked of "we and the world"; for they considered that they were half the world, and much the best half. |
| 35 |
Nemnë i Quainciën i liëli nai sanar hyallë, mal i Holyë únë pollë lavë si. |
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It seemed to the Duckling that some people might think differently, but this the Hen could not tolerate. |
| 36 |
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| 37 |
“Polil yavë ohti?” maquentes. |
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"Can you lay eggs?" she asked. |
| 38 |
“Ui! San rundavë á hapë lambalya.” |
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"No! Then will you kindly hold your tongue." |
| 39 |
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| 40 |
Ar i Miuë equë: “Polil orta heletsinya, hya murra, hya hatë tinwi? |
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And the Cat said: "Can you put up your fur, or purr, or give out sparks? |
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Ui! Itas ui lyen immaro anta intya yá sailë lië quétar.” |
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No! Then you've no call to have an opinion when sensible people are talking." |
| 41 |
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| 42 |
Etta i Quaincë cainë neltessë ar nánë amaluitë. |
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So the Duckling lay in a corner and was in the lowest spirits. |
| 43 |
Yesentes sana pá i virya vilya ar árë, ar tallë aia xarië lutiën i nenessë tullë sen i teldavë únë pollë quilda, maunë sen nyara i Holyen. |
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He began to think of the fresh air and sunshine, and such a strange longing to swim in the water came on him that he could not help telling the Hen. |
| 44 |
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| 45 |
“Ma súta lye?” maquentes. |
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"What's the matter with you?" she asked. |
| 46 |
“Samityë munta cariéo, ta ná yallo ñetityë sinë incar; rië átyë yavë ohteli, hya murra, ar auvat.” “Mal lutië i nenessë ná tallë írima,” equë i Quaincë; “tallë fastima, ñetë sa or cas ar tumba nunna talda.” |
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"You've nothing to do, that's why you get these fancies; you just lay some eggs, or purr, and they'll pass off." "But it is so delicious to float on the water," said the Duckling; "so lovely to get it over your head and dive right down to the bottom." |
| 47 |
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| 48 |
“A náto, anfastima, aþahanyë!” equë i Holyë. |
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"Oh yes, most delightful, of course!" said the Hen. |
| 49 |
“Eë ityë ná aqua hwinda! |
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"Why, you're absolutely mad! |
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Á maquetë i Miuyen--issë ná i anfinya nér ye istan -- quima issë tyasë lutë i nenessë hya tumba nunna; ványë quetë pá imni. |
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Ask the Cat--he's the cleverest man I know--whether he enjoys floating on the water or diving down; I say nothing of myself. |
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Eë, á maquetë herityan, i enwina nís; ardassë ui eä mo ansaila epë sé -- ma quistal i issë yesta lutë ar ñetë i nén or carya?” |
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Why, ask your mistress, the old woman; there's no one in the world cleverer than her--do you suppose she wants to go swimming and getting the water over her head?" |
| 50 |
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| 51 |
“Uildë hanya ni,” equë i Quaincë. |
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"You don't understand me," said the Duckling. |
| 52 |
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| 53 |
“Mai, qui elmë uir hanya tye, san man hanyauva tye? |
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"Well, if we don't understand you, who is going to understand you, pray? |
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Allumë nauvatyë ansaila epë i Miuë ar i nís, ar an atestaniévanen imni. |
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You'll never be cleverer than the Cat and the woman, to say nothing of me. |
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Vá nenta valdar, onna, mal á hanta Ahtotya pá quana ofelmë ya lië acáriër tyen. |
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Don't give yourself airs, child, but thank your Maker for all the kindness people have done you. |
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Ma ú utúliëtyë lauca þambenna, imbë olië yallo ecë tyen parë ma? |
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Don't you live in a warm room among company you can learn something from? |
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Mal ela! Natyë alwarë engwë, ar hraië eä laltië yonávetyallo. |
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But there! You're a rubbishy thing, and there's little entertainment in your company. |
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Ecë tyen savë ni! Míneän mai tyen, ar quétan tyen naica nanwië, ar ta ná mallë ecë liën atsinta naiti málontar. |
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You may take it from me! I mean well by you, and I'm telling you home truths, and that's how people can see their true friends. |
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Sí á ricë yavë ohti, hya á parë murra hyaqui hatë tinwi.” |
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Now just do take pains to lay eggs, or learn to purr or else give sparks." |
| 54 |
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| 55 |
“Sáneän i etemenuvan mina i yána arda,” equë i Quaincë. |
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"I think I'll go out into the wide world," said the Duckling. |
| 56 |
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| 57 |
“Ilvana, á carë sa,” equë i Holyë. |
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"Very well, do," said the Hen. |
| 58 |
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| 59 |
San i Quaincë lenwentë; luntes i nenessë ar tumbanes nunna; mal ilyë celvar avanéver se pan nánes úvanima. |
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So the Duckling went off and swam on the water and dived into it; but he was looked down upon by all the creatures because of his ugliness. |
