Aesop 011: The Oak & the Reeds
Notes
Translation by VL user Rinor in 2025. First posted on VL, on 2025-12-17; not reviewed yet.
Motto: Better to yield when it is folly to resist, than to resist stubbornly and be destroyed.
Text
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| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norno ar Lisci | | The Oak & the Reeds |
| 2 | -- | | -- |
| 3 | Höa norno tarnë arë nellë yassë fimbi lisceli alder. | | A Giant Oak stood near a brook in which grew some slender Reeds. |
| Yá i·súrë þurinyë, i·höa norno tarnë valateä ar téra, ar olbaryar tuxa racanter hellenna. | | When the wind blew, the great Oak stood proudly upright with its hundred arms uplifted to the sky. | |
| Apa i·lisci cúnaner i·súrissë ar lirner lumba ar naireä lírë. | | But the Reeds bowed low in the wind and sang a sad and mournful song. | |
| 4 | “Samityë cahta nurya,” quentë i·norno. | | "You have reason to complain," said the Oak. |
| “i·Arinica hwesta i peresta palmë i·neno tyarë tye cúna, lan imma melehta norno, tarin téra ar tulca opo i·hyataila vangwë.” | | "The slightest breeze that ruffles the surface of the water makes you bow your heads, while I, the mighty Oak, stand upright and firm before the howling tempest." | |
| 5 | “Áva ñwarë os me,” quenter i·lisci. | | "Do not worry about us," replied the Reeds. |
| “i·Súri ui sacë me. | | "The winds do not harm us. | |
| Cúnalmë opo tai ar tiër ú-racimmë. | | We bow before them and so we do not break. | |
| Nannetyë i·súrë illínen valatetya ar túretya. | | You, in all your pride and strength, have so far resisted their blows. | |
| Apa i·metta túla.” | | But the end is coming." | |
| 6 | Lan i·lisci quenter, höa vangwë ettullë formello. | | As the Reeds spoke a great hurricane rushed out of the north. |
| Höa norno tarnë valateávë ar nannë i·vangwë, lan i·varila lisci cúnaner tumna. | | The Oak stood proudly and fought against the storm, while the yielding Reeds bowed low. | |
| i·Súrë olanë valca, ar i·höa norno lanteä vercalavë, i·sulcar narceáner i·hunello, ar caines imíca i·naireä lisci. | | The wind redoubled in fury, and all at once the great tree fell, torn up by the roots, and lay among the pitying Reeds. | |
| 7 | -- | | -- |
| 8 | Eques: Nás arya tyen varë yá nás auca nanya, tá nanya rondavë ar ná fehtaina. | | Motto: Better to yield when it is folly to resist, than to resist stubbornly and be destroyed. |