Aesop 033: The Tortoise & the Ducks
Attribution
Translated into Quenya by Chaered in 2026. Reviewed for language by Rínor.
Notes
First posted on VL, on 2026-06-05. Analysis posted to submissions/Aesops: VL.
Motto: Foolish curiosity and vanity often lead to misfortune.
Also potentially available in Sindarin at: Sindarin crash course
Text
Also available as a 📱narrow screen version, or for 🁰word-aligned analysis.
| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Þandanasto ar Quát | | The Tortoise & the Ducks |
| 2 | -- | | -- |
| 3 | I Þandanasto, istalyë, colë marya cattaryassë. | | The Tortoise, you know, carries his house on his back. |
| Aiandë yalca ricis, uissë polë lóya mardya. | | No matter how hard he tries, he cannot leave home. | |
| Quetir i Manwë paimetanë se tallë, pan hye nánë tandë quinqua mar·réþula i uis lelyúvanë Manweo vestalë, éta yá véravë naþyalina. | | They say that Jupiter punished him so, because he was such a lazy stay-at-home that he would not go to Jupiter's wedding, even when especially invited. | |
| 4 | Apa lië löar, Þandanasto yesentë merë i méniévanes tana vestalenna. | | After many years, Tortoise began to wish he had gone to that wedding. |
| Yá cennes yallë alasseä i aiwi viller rimbi ar yallë i Lopo ar i Rimpeccuvo ar ilyë hyanë celvar norner levítë, vorë mínë ceniën ilqua yan ecë a-cenë, i Þandanasto fellë annaireä ar úna. | | When he saw how gaily the birds flew about and how the Hare and the Chipmunk and all the other animals ran nimbly by, always eager to see everything there was to be seen, the Tortoise felt very sad and discontented. | |
| Mernes aryë cenë Ambar, ar sissë nánes ó mar cattaryassë ar naucë telqui yai hrai poller lucë se ener. | | He wanted to see the world too, and there he was with a house on his back and little short legs that could hardly drag him along. | |
| 5 | Umaurë omennes Quát ar quentes tun quanna naicelerya. | | One day he met a pair of Ducks and told them all his trouble. |
| 6 | “Polimmë alya lye cenë Ambar,” equë i Quát. “Á napë sina olba nelcelyainen ar coluvammë lye háya ama vilyanna yassë polilyë cenë quanna restassë. | | "We can help you to see the world," said the Ducks. "Take hold of this stick with your teeth and we will carry you far up in the air where you can see the whole countryside. |
| Mal á quilda hyallë apanainuvalyes.” | | But keep quiet or you will be sorry." | |
| 7 | I Þandanasto alaranyë é. | | The Tortoise was very glad indeed. |
| Nampes i olba tancavë nelceryainen, i Quát nampet sa min atwa mentessë, ar öa villentë ama öa fanyannar. | | He seized the stick firmly with his teeth, the two Ducks took hold of it one at each end, and away they sailed up toward the clouds. | |
| 8 | Vin tá Corco villë arë. | | Just then a Crow flew by. |
| Lai aitanë se i hyanya cenvaldas, ar holtunes: | | He was very much astonished at the strange sight and cried: | |
| 9 | “Si tancavë é ná i Aran Þandanastoron!” | | "This must surely be the King of Tortoises!" |
| 10 | “Ná tancavë—” yesentë i Þandanasto. | | "Why certainly—" began the Tortoise. |
| 11 | Mal yá apantanes antorya na quetë sinë aucë quettali, róves mahterya i olbassë, ar lanantes nunna hunenna, yassë palampë se mi nihtannar ondossë. | | But as he opened his mouth to say these foolish words he lost his hold on the stick, and down he fell to the ground, where he was dashed to pieces on a rock. |
| 12 | -- | | -- |
| 13 | Eques: Auca návë ceþula ar imbalateä lillumë tulya saumarto. | | Motto: Foolish curiosity and vanity often lead to misfortune. |
Extra
The translation uses Manwë as the ME localized equivalent of Jupiter.