This is original text by Luinyelle and others, first posted on VL in the Opahtielva channel around 2023-08.
The story was first told orally as a continuative story: each sentence told by a different person. It was later edited by Luinyelle for grammar and punctuation. Contributors were: Ellanto, Delle/Ranyare, Earen, Carnimóro, Vyacheslav and Chaered.
The version below is the revised version posted by Luinyelle on 2025-07-28; see https://discord.com/channels/397489292185960468/402164953529712640/1399415705622810754
Also available as a 📱narrow screen version, or for 🁰word-aligned analysis.
| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andanéya yára nér marnë erinquavë orontissen. | | Once upon a time, an old man lived alone in the mountains. |
| 2 | I nér samnë onóna indyu. | | The man had twin grandchildren. |
| 3 | I onóna indyu cecennanë se ilyë löar neldë. | | The twin grandchildren visited him every three years. |
| 4 | Cecenniën se mauyanë tu retë andavë lië tyeller aniën cöarya. | | To visit him, they had to climb many stairs for a long time to reach his house. |
| 5 | Mettassë i tyelleron tullettë náha yáwenna yassë marnë hráva yo raxeä rámalócë. | | At the end of stairs, they came to a narrow ravine where there dwelled a wild and dangerous winged dragon. |
| 6 | I vendet cólanet vinya helet haruttan an tana hrívë ringa nánë. | | The two girls were carrying a new fur-coat for their grandfather, for that winter was cold. |
| 7 | Mal i rámalócë cennë i helet ar irnë sa. | | But the dragon saw the fur-coat and wanted it. |
| 8 | Equë i ramalócë: “Lertastë auta ú mahtiéno ó ni, qui antastë nin tana helet.” | | Quoth the dragon: “You may leave without fighting me if you give me that coat.” |
| 9 | I raxeä rámalócë utwa alta utwa úvanima mal níca, linta, ulca, hloimaquanta. | | The dangerous dragon was neither big nor ugly, but small, swift, evil, and full of poison. |
| 10 | I minnóna vendë hanquentë: “Uimmë antauva i helet lyen an nás luhtaina quoriën minya colindoryava.” | | The firstborn girl answered: “We will not give you the the fur-coat, for it is enchanted to choke its first wearer.” |
| 11 | Tana lúmessë i yára nér tarnë areä aicassessë colila höa hatal ar túra þanda ar tíranë. | | At that time the old man stood on a nearby mountain peak, carrying a big spear and a great shield, and he was watching. |
| 12 | I rámalócë hanquentë i venden ó aha: “Mára ná! | | The dragon responded to the girl with rage: “All right! |
| 13 | Nauvatyë i minya colindo ar cato samuvan i helet!” | | You will be the first wearer and afterwards I shall have the coat!” |
| 14 | Tá rámalócio vinya hína empë ar quentë: “Iquin, ánin anta i helet, an mauranyes lacë. | | Then the young child of the dragon came out and spoke: “I beg you, give me the coat, for I need it direly. |
| 15 | Tá antauvan maltaina cormanya ar vestan sa qualtauvan aiquen meristë.” | | Then I will give you my golden ring and I swear that I will kill whoever you want.” |
| 16 | Mal i yára nér i táriëllo holtunë: “A etsenë i vendet, uqui meril sa ehtinya hiruva hendelya!” | | But the old man from the height called out: “Release the two girls, unless you want that my spear will find your eye!” |
| 17 | I rámalócë ollë aitaina ar quentë: “Maitulië. | | The dragon was surprised and spoke: “Welcome. |
| 18 | Qui meril mahtalë, antauvanyes lyen.” | | If you want a fight, I will give it to you.” |
| 19 | I nér reäntë ar hanquentë: “Maro, navil, samin sina hatal?” | | The man smiled and answered: “What for do you think I have this spear?” |
| 20 | I rámalócë quansë cas ar rávë. | | The dragon shook its head and roared. |
| 21 | Tá i nér palunë yána rámu, palampes, oronyë vilyannna, núnë lintiénen i rámalócinna. | | Then the man spread vast wings, flapped them, rose into the air, and descended onto the dragon with speed. |
| 22 | I nér carnë sana, an hanyanë sa nalantaita i rámalócë hatalmen cé nauva loima, pan hé né níca ar sé pennë macil. | | The man did this, for he understood that attaching the dragon with a spear will be a mistake, for that one was small and he lacked a sword. |
| 23 | Tá holtunë rámalócio hína: “A larta! | | Then the child of the dragon shouted: “Wait! |
| 24 | Ui mauya ve mahta. | | We do not need to fight. |
| 25 | Quenten i antauvan len mára quaptalë. | | I said that I will give you a good bargain. |
| 26 | Nán rámalócë raineva.” | | I am a dragon of good will.” |
| 27 | I nér campë ara i rámalócinna atta, ena tentaila hatalya ana i yára rámalócë ar eques: “Mára ná, á quequetta!” | | The man jumped beside the two winged dragons, still pointing his spear towards the old dragon, and said: “All right, speak on!” |
| 28 | I vinya hlócë latyanë óparya mal uia óma ui ettullë, an Orondil, i sairon orontíva, pacantë romyavë: “Úmahtalë! | | The young worm opened its mouth, but no voice came out, for Orondil, the wizard of the mountains, loudly spoke: “Nuisance! |
| 29 | Quen ricë cuita orontinyar hrívessë?” | | Does someone try to awaken my mountains in winter?” |
| 30 | Tá illi þoronyer mal i nér quernë i sairondonna ar quentë: “Moina meldo, á apsenë i tarastië, mal hravani coitar orontelyassen.” | | Then all were afraid, but the man turned to the wizard and said: “Dear friend, forgive the trouble, but wild beasts live in your mountains.” |
| 31 | I minnóna vendë holtunë: “Áva esta i rámalóci hravani, harunya, an ammoicë naltë.” | | The firstborn girl called out: “Do not call the dragons ‘wild beasts’, grandfather, for they are very cute.” |
| 32 | I sairon maquentë: “Uin hanya mamo naldë. | | The wizard asked: “I do not understand who you are. |
| 33 | Maro i nér ar i carcaranat samir rámu?” | | Why do the man and the crocodiles have wings?” |
| 34 | Holtunë i haru: “Mal elyë antanë rámunya nin. | | The grandfather shouted: “But you yourself gave my wings to me. |
| 35 | Nánettë anna yá aháþiénen mellamnelya: i alta þoron. | | They were a gift when I healed your pet: the great eagle. |
| 36 | Ma uilyë enyalë?” | | Do you not remember?” |
| 37 | “Mana þoron? | | “What eagle? |
| 38 | I reät mellamninyat rámalócë atta nát: Massë nattë?!” | | My only pets are two winged dragons: where are they?!” |
| 39 | Tá i nér quentë i rámalócin: “Þorni aryë mellamni nár.” | | Then the man said to the dragon: “Eagles are the better pets.” |
| 40 | Mal i sairon quentë: “Þorni uir márë; yenya þoron pillë hencalcunya. | ; | But the wizard said: “Eagles are no good; yesteryear an eagle stole my glasses. |
| 41 | Á entulyat rámalocinyat!” | | Let my dragons return!” |
| 42 | Ta aurë, menel urþanë ar aicë lumbor hostaner or i oronti. | | That day, the sky was raging and fell clouds gathered above the mountains. |
| 43 | Ar tá ancalimë ítar palamper i sairon ar i yára nér. | | And then glaring lightning struck the wizard and the old man. |
| 44 | I vendent nicunë i alacossë ar i minnóna vendë vainë insë i heletsessë. | | The two girls were cold in the storm and the firstborn girl clad herself in the fur-coat. |
| 45 | Tá i rámalócë, cenila sa i vendë ui quallë, holtunë: “Cuptamo!” ar þustanë nár i vendenta. | | Then the dragon, seeing that the girl had not died, cried out: “Liar!” and blew fire onto the two girls. |
| 46 | Mal Manwë tultanë turwa ulo, ya luhtyanë sana nár lintavë. | | But Manwe sent a powerful rain that extinguished that fire quickly. |
| 47 | San ralanyë i þoron ar hyé equë: “Aiya! Mana xéya?” | | Thus the eagle was returned and he quoth: “Hail! What is happening?” |
| 48 | Lan i þoron quétanë, hencalcurya lantanë cendeleryallo Orondilo cendelenna, ye eccuinuánë epë i íta ar tá hyé alasseä nánë. | | While the eagle was speaking, his glasses fell off his face onto Orondil’s face, who was awakening after the lightning and then he was glad. |
| 49 | Orondil tolunë, oscennë, hententanë i rámalócit, ta holtunë: “A mellamninyat, uþúriën tyet andavë!” | | Orondil got up, looked around, spotted the two dragons, and shouted: “Oh, my pets, long have I looked for you!” |
| 50 | Ar tá i sairon ar i hlócit menner mardar, ar i haru ó indyoryat menner mardar yú ar xítaneltë alasseä hrívë uo. | | And then the wizard and the two worms went home, and the grandfather with his two grandchildren went home as well, and they spent a happy winter together. |
—generated by quettali version 0.30.42