Aesop 015: The Heron
Attribution
Translated into Quenya by Chaered in 2026.
Notes
First posted on VL, on 2026-03-03; not reviewed yet. Analysis posted to submissions/Aesops: VL.
Motto: Do not be too hard to suit or you may have to be content with the worst or with nothing at all.
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【1】 Raicalango
► The Heron
【2】 --
► --
【3】 Raicalango páteánë calaina pelas siryo ráva, hendurya i liquisteä nenenna, ar anda langorya ar mixa memya feryë na mapa ama veä nat arinwatyan.
► A Heron was walking sedately along the bank of a stream, his eyes on the clear water, and his long neck and pointed bill ready to snap up a likely morsel for his breakfast.
¶ I liquisteä nenessë lingwi úmaner, mal Heru Raicalango nánë hraifasta tana arinessë.
► The clear water swarmed with fish, but Master Heron was hard to please that morning.
【4】 “Alla nícë lupsi nin,” eques. “Taitë loica matta ui valda Raicalangon.”
► "No small fry for me," he said. "Such scanty fare is not fit for a Heron."
【5】 Sí mára vinya teren lingwë luntë areä.
► Now a fine young Perch swam near.
【6】 “Fó é,” equë i Raicalango. “Úvanyë sarrerë apantiën meminya na ma ve ta!”
► "No indeed," said the Heron. "I wouldn't even trouble to open my beak for anything like that!"
【7】 Lan Anar amoronyë, i lingwi lonyer i lanúra nén areä ar' i hresta ar lunter nunna mina ringincë tumbalë endenna.
► As the sun rose, the fish left the shallow water near the shore and swam below into the cool depths toward the middle.
¶ I Raicalango únë cenë lingwi ata, ar teldavë alaranyes yá mantes titta Cöacolindo ve arinwat.
► The Heron saw no more fish, and very glad was he at last to breakfast on a tiny Snail.
【8】 --
► --
【9】 Eques: Vá ná anahraifasta, hyaqui nai mauva lyen cavë annitya hyaqui aqu' alla.
► Motto: Do not be too hard to suit or you may have to be content with the worst or with nothing at all.
Extra
Lacking a Quenya word for "perch", I just translated it as "teren lingwe" (slender fish), which does not matter much to the story.