Aesop 043: The Shepherd Boy & the Wolf
Notes
Translation by VL user Chaered in 2026. First posted on VL, on 2026-02-24; not reviewed yet. Analysis posted to submissions/Aesops: LINK .
Motto: Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth.
Also potentially available in Sindarin at: Sindarin crash course
Text
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| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emerro Yondo ar Ñarmo | | The Shepherd Boy & the Wolf |
| 2 | -- | | -- |
| 3 | Emerro Yondo rittë heruryavë Mámar ara ulca taurë, ú palan i opelello. | | A Shepherd Boy tended his master's Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. |
| Ron túves laulë nesselessë amalenca. | | Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. | |
| Ilqua yan encë lalta se nánë quetië röaryan hya licindië þimpanen. | | All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd's pipe. | |
| 4 | Umaurë lan háranes ar tíranes i Mámar ar i quilda taurë, ar sannes ya ecë sen carë cenai cenis Ñarmo, naunes panwë na lalta insë. | | One day as he sat watching the Sheep and the quiet forest, and thinking what he would do should he see a Wolf, he thought of a plan to amuse himself. |
| 5 | Herurya peäntaniénë sen holtuë þámen qui cé Ñarmo nalanta i lamnarë, ar i Opeléo Lië alatyauvaner hye öa. | | His Master had told him to call for help should a Wolf attack the flock, and the Villagers would drive it away. |
| San sí, anahtai uiénes cenë aima ya aiandë veältanë Ñarmo, nornes i opelenna, holtuila telusta ómaryanen, “Ñarmo! Ñarmo!” | | So now, though he had not seen anything that even looked like a Wolf, he ran toward the village shouting at the top of his voice, "Wolf! Wolf!" | |
| 6 | Onal ve ohóriës, i Opeléo Lië i hlasser i hollë hehtaner mólenta ar norner avaldavë i nesselenna. | | As he expected, the Villagers who heard the cry dropped their work and ran in great excitement to the pasture. |
| Mal yá ananyeltë tassë túveltë i Yondo ye cúnanë laliénen pá i fintalë ya tyáliénes anat te. | | But when they got there they found the Boy doubled up with laughter at the trick he had played on them. | |
| 7 | Apa réli i Emerro Yondo ata holtunë, “Ñarmo! Ñarmo!” | | A few days later the Shepherd Boy again shouted, "Wolf! Wolf!" |
| Ata i Opeléo Lië norner na aþya se, mal rië cáveltë lalië ata. | | Again the Villagers ran to help him, only to be laughed at again. | |
| 8 | Tá uma undómessë yá Anar núteánë cata i taurë ar halar hlícaner lá i nesselë, Ñarmo naitië campë i nuñgaldasello ar nalanantë i Mámar. | | Then one evening as the sun was setting behind the forest and the shadows were creeping out over the pasture, a Wolf really did spring from the underbrush and fall upon the Sheep. |
| 9 | Anþosseä, i Yondo nornë i opelenna, holtuila “Ñarmo! Ñarmo!” | | In terror the Boy ran toward the village shouting "Wolf! Wolf!" |
| Mal anahtai i Opeléo Lië hlasser i hollë, úneltë norë na aþya se ve cáriéneltë fai. | | But though the Villagers heard the cry, they did not run to help him as they had before. | |
| “Uissë polë cupta me ata,” quenteltë. | | "He cannot fool us again," they said. | |
| 10 | I Ñarmo qualtanë hrimi i Yondovë mámaron ar an ussë i taurenna. | | The Wolf killed a great many of the Boy's sheep and then slipped away into the forest. |
| 11 | -- | | -- |
| 12 | Eques: Cuptamo úva sapta equi quétas naitë. | | Motto: Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth. |