Aesop 136: The Miller, His Son, & the Ass
Attribution
Translated into Quenya by Laiqua in 2026. Reviewed for language by Chaered, and Rínor.
Notes
Number 721 in the Perry Aesop index. See also Wikipedia. First posted on VL, on 2026-05-27.
Motto: If you try to please all, you please none.
Also potentially available in Sindarin at: Sindarin crash course
Text
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| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Mulmar, Yondorya, i Pellopë | | The Miller, His Son, & the Ass |
| 2 | -- | | -- |
| 3 | Umaurë, andanéya, yára Mulmar ar Yondorya léleánet mancanómenna ó Pellopë ya mernettë aumanca. | | One day, a long time ago, an old Miller and his Son were on their way to market with an Ass which they hoped to sell. |
| Nirnettes lai lencavë pan namnettë i cé encë tun ambë aþaumanca se qui ambahempettë sa alima tarmessë. | | They drove him very slowly, for they thought they would have a better chance to sell him if they kept him in good condition. | |
| Lan vantaneltë ara i mallë, umë lendamor lander romyavë tenna. | | As they walked along the highway some travelers laughed loudly at them. | |
| 4 | “Yé aucië!” mo holtunë, | | "What foolishness," cried one, |
| “vanta yá ecë tun norta. | | "to walk when they might as well ride. | |
| Anauca neldiéno lá inë i mo cé apacénië.” | | The most stupid of the three is not the one you would expect it to be." | |
| 5 | I Mulmar lá tyansë yá aiquen landë senna, epetai canyanes yondoryan retë ar norta. | | The Miller did not like to be laughed at, so he told his son to climb up and ride. |
| 6 | Eléliëneltë nicë ener ara i tië yá omenneltë mancor neldë. | | They had gone a little farther along the road, when three merchants passed by. |
| 7 | “Ela, mana sissë?” holtuneltë. | | "Oho, what have we here?" they cried. |
| “Á riþë linyénië, vinyamo! | | "Respect old age, young man! | |
| Á núya pellopello ar lavë i anyáran norta.” | | Get down, and let the old man ride." | |
| 8 | Anahtai i Mulmar lánë lumba, canyanes seldon núya ar rentes amba nortiën, rië na fasta i Mancor. | | Though the Miller was not tired, he made the boy get down and climbed up himself to ride, just to please the Merchants. |
| 9 | Neuna náhandossë lahtaneltë nisseli colilë vircolcar quanta quëanen ar hyanë nati na aumanca. | | At the next turnstile they overtook some women carrying market baskets loaded with vegetables and other things to sell. |
| 10 | “Á tirë yár’ aut!” etsonganë er. | | "Look at the old fool," exclaimed one of them. |
| “Harila pá pellopë, lan möa sina almelóra seldon pata.” | | "Perched on the Ass, while that poor boy has to walk." | |
| 11 | I Mulmar fellë nicë raiqua, mal na camë canyanes seldo retë amba cata se. | | The Miller felt a bit vexed, but to be agreeable he told the Boy to climb up behind him. |
| 12 | Éya enapátiëneltë, hlassettë romya hollë hyana oliëllo mallessë. | | They had no sooner started out again than a loud shout went up from another company of people on the road. |
| 13 | “Yé ongwë”, holtunë mo, | | "What a crime," cried one, |
| “tallë colta almelóra celva! | | "to load up a poor dumb beast like that! | |
| Nemittë poloiti colë i almelóra vëo lá issë colë intë.” | | They look more able to carry the poor creature, than he to carry them." | |
| 14 | “Tulumaitië lelyëattë na aumanca i almelóra lamano helma,” equë hyë. | | "They must be on their way to sell the poor thing's hide," said another. |
| 15 | I Mulmar ar Yondorya núyanet lintavë ar, apa níca lúmë, i mancanómë valansë yá i attië túlë colila i Pellopë lingaina andulello. | | The Miller and his Son quickly scrambled down, and a short time later, the market place was thrown into an uproar as the two came along carrying the Donkey slung from a pole. |
| Rimbë ócomnë na tirë ambë arivë i hyanya ehten. | | A great crowd of people ran out to get a closer look at the strange sight. | |
| 16 | I Pellopë lá uhtanë yá mo colles, mal sillini atani túler na leptenta senna ar lala ar holtu, i yestanes lahë ar rama. | | The Ass did not dislike being carried, but so many people came up to point at him and laugh and shout, that he began to kick and bray, |
| En, lan lahtëaneltë yanta, i rappar i mahtanë se varnë, ar lantanes sírinna. | | and then, just as they were crossing a bridge, the ropes that held him gave way, and down he tumbled into the river. | |
| 17 | I almelóra Mulmar patunë sí mar. | | The poor Miller now set out sadly for home. |
| Pan rinces fasta ilquen, afastiénes alquen ar róves Pelloperya aryë. | | By trying to please everybody, he had pleased nobody, and lost his Ass besides. | |
| 18 | -- | | -- |
| 19 | Eques: Qui ricil fasta ilquen, fastuval alquen. | | Motto: If you try to please all, you please none. |