Aesop 004: The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse
Notes
Translation by VL user Rínor in 2026. First posted on VL, on 2026-02-14; not reviewed yet.
Note: The author does not wish that this Quenya text be used to train AI.
Motto: Poverty with security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty.
Also potentially available in Sindarin at: Sindarin crash course
Text
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Alternative versions: English.
| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nyarrincë Hérostollo ar Nyarrincë Restassello | | The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse |
| 2 | -- | | -- |
| 3 | Nyarrincë Hérostollo ellumë cecennanë ressë ye marnë restassessë. | | [A] Mouse from [the] Capital once visited [a] relative who abided in the country. |
| Endematten i Nyarrincë Restassello sestanë þirpi, sulcar, noccar, ó limba ringa neno yulë opo sé. | | For lunch the Mouse from the Country set stalks, roots, and acorns, together with [a] drop of cold water to drink before her. | |
| I Nyarrincë Hérostollo mantë tittë nahtainen, tyucila titta sino ar titta tano, ar lengaleryanen tananë i mantes i þundomatta rië ná mailengaitë. | | The Mouse from the Capital ate with tiny bites, chewing [a] little of this and [a] little of that, and by her behavior showed that she ate the base-food only to be well-mannered. | |
| 4 | Apa i mat i málot quentë andavë, hya úsië i Nyarrincë Hérostollo quentë pá coiverya i hérostossë lan i Nyarrincë Restassello lastanë. | | After the meal the friends spoke at great length, or on the contrary the Mouse from the Capital spoke about her life in the city while the Mouse from the Country listened. |
| Tá cainet lorë árina haustassë i ceätiëssë ar lornet quildessë ar aþiëssë mennai arin. | | Then they lay down to sleep in [a] cozy nest in the hedgerow and slept in quiet and comfort until morning. | |
| Lan lorila i Nyarrincë Restassello ólanë Nyarrincen i nánes Nyarrincë Hérostollo ó ilyë i mairië ar elmenda mariéno hérostossesen ya melderya osetécië sán. | | While sleeping the Mouse from the Country dreamed she was [a] Mouse from the Capital with all the splendor and wonderment of living in [a] capital that her friend described to her. | |
| Epetai i neuna ressë i Nyarrincë Hérostollo iquiryanë i Nyarrincë Restassello lelya maryanna hérostossë, alaranyes quetë nása. | | Consequently the next day the Mouse from the Capital asked the Mouse from the Country to travel to her home in the capital, she was happy to say yes. | |
| 5 | Yá ananyeltë i marda yassë i Nyarrincë Hérostollo marnë, túvet i paluhtassë i latsessë matiéno i lemba matta elmendeä merendello. | | When they reached the mansion where the Mouse from the Capital lived, they found on the table in the room of dining the left behind food from [a] wonderful feast. |
| Opo sen nánë lissimattar ar piohimmar, liscorni, tyaustië tyurmi, é, i aritelyantalyë mattar yai Nyarrincë polë sana. | | Before them were pieces of confectionery, jams, sweet fried breads, aromatic cheeses, indeed, the most alluring foods that [a] Mouse can imagine. | |
| Mal vin yá i Nyarrincë Restassello nánë ferya matë nihta liscorneo, hlasses romya muilë Miuyo ar nyaþië i fennassë. | | But just when the Mouse from the Country was ready to eat [a] small piece of sweet fried bread, she heard [a] loud mew of [a] Cat and scratching at the door. | |
| Þossessë i Nyarrinci norner nómenna nurtaléo, yassë quilindet anden lúmeo, þosseä þúya. | | In fear the Mice ran to a place of hiding, where they both stayed quiet for a length of time, fearful to breathe. | |
| Yá teldavë nanwennet i merendenna, i fenna latyanë vercálavë ar núri mittaner poita i paluhta, hilina i Röanen. | | When finally they came back to the feast, the door opened suddenly and the servants came in to clean the table, followed by the Dog. | |
| 6 | I Nyarrincë Restassello sérë i eccassë Hérostollo Nyarrinciva rië faren anda napë fillannerya ar ulutelmerya. | | The Mouse from the Country stopped in the Mouse from the Capital’s den only long enough to take her sack-cloth and umbrella. |
| 7 | “Ná ten i samityë mairië ar elmendeä matta yai ú-samin,” eques lan ronganes öa, “mal tyasin þundomattanya ar þundocoiviënya i restassessë ó i calainë ar varnassë ya lenna ó sé.” | | “Be it that you have splendor and wonderful food that I don't have,” she said while she rushed away, “but I like my base-food and base-life in the country with the peace and security that comes with it. |
| 8 | -- | | -- |
| 9 | Eques: Penyalë ó varnassë ná arya epë aurië imíca þossë ar útancië. | | Saying: Poverty with security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty. |