XX. The Dainty China Country
| No. | Quenya | Tengwar | Means | 1 | Lan i Ornendur finyeánë rantala töanen ya túves i tauressë, Valanna cainunë ar lornë, pan nánes lumba ló i anda patië. | | While the Woodman was making a ladder from wood which he found in the forest Dorothy lay down and slept, for she was tired by the long walk. | I Rauro yú loncë insë na lorë ar Ilwë cainë ara se. | | The Lion also curled himself up to sleep and Toto lay beside him. | 2 | I Corcurco cendanë i Ornendur lan mótanes, ar equë sen: | | The Scarecrow watched the Woodman while he worked, and said to him: | 3 | “Uinyë polë sana maro sina ramba ná sissë, yola ó mana orma nás carina.” | | “I cannot think why this wall is here, nor what it is made of.” | 4 | “Á sérë sanaritya ar vátyë cimba pá i ramba,” hanquentë i Ornendur. | | “Rest your brains and do not worry about the wall,” replied the Woodman. | “Yá rétiévalvë olla sa, istuvalvë mana eä i ollë permessë.” | | “When we have climbed over it, we shall know what is on the other side.” | 5 | Apa lúmë i rantala nánë telina. | | After a time the ladder was finished. | Nemnes auqua, mal i Latúcen Ornendur nánë tanca i sa nánë turca ar veuyúvanë menestanta. | | It looked clumsy, but the Tin Woodman was sure it was strong and would answer their purpose. | I Corcurco cuitanë Valanna ar i Rauro ar Ilwë, ar quentë ten í rantala nánë férima. | | The Scarecrow waked Dorothy and the Lion and Toto, and told them that the ladder was ready. | I Corcurco rentë cas i rantala minyavë, mal nánes tallë úmaitë i maunë Valannan hilya areä ca se ar nuhta se lanta callo. | | The Scarecrow climbed up the ladder first, but he was so awkward that Dorothy had to follow close behind and keep him from falling off. | Yá oryanes carya olla i inga i rambo i Corcurco quentë, “A, ela!” | | When he got his head over the top of the wall the Scarecrow said, “Oh, my!” | 6 | “Á men' ener,” holtunë Valanna. | | “Go on,” exclaimed Dorothy. | 7 | Etta i Corcurco rentë ama ener ar harunë i ingassë i rambo, ar Valanna oryanë carya tandë ar holtunë, “A, ela!” yallë i Corcurco cáriénë. | | So the Scarecrow climbed farther up and sat down on the top of the wall, and Dorothy put her head over and cried, “Oh, my!” just as the Scarecrow had done. | 8 | Tá Ilwë tullë amba, ar ú-pusto yesentë hu, mal Valanna tyarnë se quilda. | | Then Toto came up, and immediately began to bark, but Dorothy made him be still. | 9 | I Rauro rentë i rantala ró, ar i Latúcen Ornendur tullë telda; mal yúyu holtunettë, “A, ela!” éya tirneltë olla i ramba. | ; | The Lion climbed the ladder next, and the Tin Woodman came last; but both of them cried, “Oh, my!” as soon as they looked over the wall. | Yá ilyë háraneltë rímanen i ingassë i rambo, tirneltë tal ar cenneltë aia ehten. | | When they were all sitting in a row on the top of the wall, they looked down and saw a strange sight. | 10 | Pó elvë engë velca yón restasseo ya sámë hún ta runda ar silila ar fána ve i tál alta paldo. | | Before them was a great stretch of country having a floor as smooth and shining and white as the bottom of a big platter. | Ríþimandë rimbi eär linë mardi quavë silcemna ar embainë i añcoivenquë quilelínen. | | Scattered around were many houses made entirely of china and painted in the brightest colors. | Sinë mardi náner faren nícë, i i-amalta taio anyaila rië ta orwa ve Valannava quilitsë. | | These houses were quite small, the biggest of them reaching only as high as Dorothy’s waist. | Enger aryë netyë nícë tumpoli, ó silcemnë hahtali os tai; ar linë yaxeli ar mámali ar roccor ar polcali ar porocéli, quavë silcemnë, os·táraner combelissen. | ; | There were also pretty little barns, with china fences around them; and many cows and sheep and horses and pigs and chickens, all made of china, were standing about in groups. | 11 | Mal i amaia ilquo náner i lië i marner sina aia nóressë. | | But the strangest of all were the people who lived in this queer country. | Enger ilinwendeli ar emerwendeli, ó calimávë quilië rotsencar ar laurië tixi rínavë hlappontassen; ar aranelli ó ammairië vaimar, telpinë ar laurië ar luicarni; ar emerroli colinë ciucahampi ó néca-carnë ar maldë ar luini tarmenyë rimpi, ar laurië tangwar hyapatintassen; ar cunduli ó mírië riër carintassen, colinë heletsi ar pastalannë þennë vaimar; ar laltaulë autyar mi laupi ó solmeserési, ó cornë carni tixi carannaltassen ar hallë, tildië carpi. | ; ; ; ; | There were milkmaids and shepherdesses, with brightly colored bodices and golden spots all over their gowns; and princesses with most gorgeous frocks of silver and gold and purple; and shepherds dressed in knee breeches with pink and yellow and blue stripes down them, and golden buckles on their shoes; and princes with jeweled crowns upon their heads, wearing ermine robes and satin doublets; and funny clowns in ruffled gowns, with round red spots upon their cheeks and tall, pointed caps. | Ar, amaia ilquo, sinë lië náner quavë silcemnë, éta hampeltassen, ar náner tallë nícë í anhalla inteo lánë halla han Valannava occa. | | And, strangest of all, these people were all made of china, even to their clothes, and were so small that the tallest of them was no higher than Dorothy’s knee. | 12 | Alquen éta tirnë i ranyari minya, hequa níca luicarnë silcemna röa min ó acca-alta cas, ye tullë i rambanna ar hungë ten nípa ómanen, ar cato nornë öa ata. | | No one did so much as look at the travelers at first, except one little purple china dog with an extra-large head, which came to the wall and barked at them in a tiny voice, afterwards running away again. | 13 | “Manen andúyuvalvë?” maquentë Valanna. | | “How shall we get down?” asked Dorothy. | 14 | Túveltë í rantala tallë lunga i úneltë polë lucë sa ama, etta i Corcurco lantanë callo i ramballo ar i hyanar camper tal senna itan i sarda hún úvanë malë talintar. | | They found the ladder so heavy they could not pull it up, so the Scarecrow fell off the wall and the others jumped down upon him so that the hard floor would not hurt their feet. | Aþahanyë rícaneltë ui andorya caryassë ar cavë i pirindi talintassen. | | Of course they took pains not to light on his head and get the pins in their feet. | Yá illi náner varna hunessë, nampeltë i Corcurco, yeva hröa nánë mai-lárina, ar maxataneltë sarderya téra cantanna ata. | | When all were safely down they picked up the Scarecrow, whose body was quite flattened out, and patted his straw into shape again. | 15 | “Möa vén lahta sina aia nómë na menë i hyana rénanna,” equë Valanna, “pan é nauva alasaila ven lelya ainomenna hequa téra hyarmenna.” | | “We must cross this strange place in order to get to the other side,” said Dorothy, “for it would be unwise for us to go any other way except due South.” | 16 | Yesenter pata ter i nórë i silcemnë liéo, ar i minya nat yanna tulleltë nánë silcemna ilinwen ya túcanë ilin silcemna yaxello. | | They began walking through the country of the china people, and the first thing they came to was a china milkmaid milking a china cow. | Lan analelenyeltë, i yaxë alahorina lahtë caimenna i hanwa, i calpa, ar éta i ilinwen insë, ar illi lantaner i silcemna hunessë ó alta patacan. | | As they drew near, the cow suddenly gave a kick and kicked over the stool, the pail, and even the milkmaid herself, and all fell on the china ground with a great clatter. | 17 | Aitanë Valanna cenë í yaxë ráciénë telcurya au, ar í calpa látanë picinë nihtalínen, an i almelóra ilinwen sámë unquincë hyarma ólemeryassë. | | Dorothy was shocked to see that the cow had broken her leg off, and that the pail was lying in several small pieces, while the poor milkmaid had a nick in her left elbow. | 18 | “Ela!” holtunë i ilinwen ruxa. | | “There!” cried the milkmaid angrily. | “Á cenë mana acáriël! Yaxenya arácië telcurya, ar möa nin tulya se i apterië tammenna ar iquirya himyaitaryas himmanen ata. | | “See what you have done! My cow has broken her leg, and I must take her to the mender’s shop and have it glued on again. | Mana þelildë tuliénen sir ar þostiénen yaxenya?” | | What do you mean by coming here and frightening my cow?” | 19 | “Lai apanainan,” hanquentë Valanna. | | “I’m very sorry,” returned Dorothy. | “Iquista apsenë elmë.” | | “Please forgive us.” | 20 | Mal i netya ilinwen nánë acca amaruxa na anta hanquenta. | | But the pretty milkmaid was much too vexed to make any answer. | Nampes i telco ruxa-pengaila ar tulyanë yaxerya öa, i almelóra laman hraipataila telquínen neldë. | | She picked up the leg sulkily and led her cow away, the poor animal limping on three legs. | Lan öantesset i ilinwen hantë linë naityaimë tihti lanna aldamorya i úmaiti aianonnar, camyaila hyanina ólemerya areä ara permerya. | | As she left them the milkmaid cast many reproachful glances over her shoulder at the clumsy strangers, holding her nicked elbow close to her side. | 21 | Valanna nánë faren naica sina útulman. | | Dorothy was quite grieved at this mishap. | 22 | “Möa ven ná lai cimbaila sinomë,” equë i méla·honda Ornendur, “hyaqui nai harnuvalvë sinë netyë nícë lië tallë i allumë ecuva ten venya.” | | “We must be very careful here,” said the kind-hearted Woodman, “or we may hurt these pretty little people so they will never get over it.” | 23 | Nit enera Valanna omennë vinya Aranel colila mimírima ohampë, ye nuhtanë insë yá cennes i aianor ar yesentë norë öa. | | A little farther on Dorothy met a most beautifully dressed young Princess, who stopped short as she saw the strangers and started to run away. | 24 | Valanna mernë amba cenë i Aranel, etta nornes ca senna. | | Dorothy wanted to see more of the Princess, so she ran after her. | Mal i silcemna vendë holtunë: | | But the china girl cried out: | 25 | “Vályë roita ni! Vályë roita ni!” | | “Don’t chase me! Don’t chase me!” | 26 | Sámes tallë þosseä níca óma i Valanna haunë ar equë, “Maro ú?” | | She had such a frightened little voice that Dorothy stopped and said, “Why not?” | 27 | “Pan,” hanquentë i Aranel, yú hautaila, varna hairië au, “cé norinyë, nai lantuvan ar hatë imni.” | | “Because,” answered the Princess, also stopping, a safe distance away, “if I run I may fall down and break myself.” | 28 | “Mal ui ecë apterya lye?” maquentë i vendë. | | “But could you not be mended?” asked the girl. | 29 | “A, þa; mal mo ná allumë tallë maireä apa apterië, istal,” hanquentë i Aranel. | ; | “Oh, yes; but one is never so pretty after being mended, you know,” replied the Princess. | 30 | “Quistan san,” equë Valanna. | | “I suppose not,” said Dorothy. | 31 | “Sí eä Heru Yairo, min autyalmaron,” cacarnë i silcemna heri, “ye illumë ríca tarë caryassë. | | “Now there is Mr. Joker, one of our clowns,” continued the china lady, “who is always trying to stand upon his head. | Aráciës insë tallë lillumë i nás apterina tuxa nómessen, ar ui nemë quano maireä. | | He has broken himself so often that he is mended in a hundred places, and doesn’t look at all pretty. | Sira tulis sí, san polilyë imlë cenë.” | | Here he comes now, so you can see for yourself.” | 32 | Eë, alastaula níca autya tullë pataila tenna, ar Valanna pollë cenë i anat netyë hamperyar ó carnë ar malda ar laiqua nánes alqua tupina hattiénen quaquenomë ar apantailë mindavë i mo táciénë se linë nómessen. | | Indeed, a jolly little clown came walking toward them, and Dorothy could see that in spite of his pretty clothes of red and yellow and green he was completely covered with cracks, running every which way and showing plainly that he had been mended in many places. | 33 | I Autya sestanë máryat mina pocolleryat, hwesentë ara carannaryat ar cúvë carya etten sempalengaitë, en eques: | | The Clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily, he said: | 34 | “Vanya herinya, | | “My lady fair, | 35 | Tall' eteminya, | | Why do you stare | 36 | Man' elyë tíra i Yairo | | At poor old Mr. Joker? | 37 | Antalya poica, | | You’re quite as stiff | 38 | Istir ammoica, | | And prim as if | 39 | Mal missë cumn' ar lairo!” | | You’d eaten up a poker!” | 40 | “Á quilda, tar!” equë i Aranel. | | “Be quiet, sir!” said the Princess. | “Ma uilyë polë cenë i sir aianor, ar möa maitulya te mirtaila?” | | “Can’t you see these are strangers, and should be treated with respect?” | 41 | “Mai, ta ná aitalë, ninya maitalë,” etequentë i Autya, ar ú-pusto tarnes caryassë. | | “Well, that’s respect, I expect,” declared the Clown, and immediately stood upon his head. | 42 | “Áva lasta Heru Yairon,” equë i Aranel Valannan. | | “Don’t mind Mr. Joker,” said the Princess to Dorothy. | “Sen tallë mi carya hattiër entë i harya catt' iër pentë.” | | “He is considerably cracked in his head, and that makes him foolish.” | 43 | “A, uis tarasta nin nit,” equë Valanna. | | “Oh, I don’t mind him a bit,” said Dorothy. | “Mal nalyë tallë mirya,” cacarnes, “i nanyë tanca i nai poluvanyel melë valdavë. | | “But you are so beautiful,” she continued, “that I am sure I could love you dearly. | Nai lauvalyë i nan·colitanyal Hyarveästanna, ar sesta lye ruimen-palustassë Voriël Peramílo? | | Won’t you let me carry you back to Kansas, and stand you on Aunt Em’s mantel? | Ecë nin colë lye vircolcanyassë.” | | I could carry you in my basket.” | 44 | “Ta caruva ni amangayanda,” hanquentë i silcemna Aranel. | | “That would make me very unhappy,” answered the china Princess. | “Cenil, sinomë nórelmassë elmë coita alasseávë, ar polë quetë ar levë rimbi ve yestalmë. | | “You see, here in our country we live contentedly, and can talk and move around as we please. | Mal quië haita mo elveo öa, limiryar ú-pusto olir taryë, ar rië polilvë tarë téra ar nemë mairië. | | But whenever any of us are taken away our joints at once stiffen, and we can only stand straight and look pretty. | Aþahanyë ta ná ilqua ya maura men carë yá marilmë pá ruimen-palustar ar hauri ar lauleþambion paluhtalissen, mal epë ta coiviëlmar nár amë anfastimë sinomë véra nórelmassë.” | | Of course that is all that is expected of us when we are on mantels and cabinets and drawing-room tables, but our lives are much pleasanter here in our own country.” | 45 | “Úvanyë carë lye angayanda na quana arda!” holtunë Valanna. | | “I would not make you unhappy for all the world!” exclaimed Dorothy. | “Etta nán quetuvan namárië.” | | “So I’ll just say good-bye.” | 46 | “Namárië,” hanquentë i Aranel. | | “Good-bye,” replied the Princess. | 47 | Pataneltë añcimbaila ter i silcemna nórë. | | They walked carefully through the china country. | I nícë lamni ar ilyë lië hótuller meneltallo, þoryailë í aianor racúvaner te, ar apa harivë lúmë i ranyari ananyer i hyana pelma i nóreo ar tuller enta silcemna rambanna. | | The little animals and all the people scampered out of their way, fearing the strangers would break them, and after an hour or so the travelers reached the other side of the country and came to another china wall. | 48 | Sa lánë ta orwa ve i minya, aimanen, ar tariénen to i Rauro catta, ilyë pollentë retë i inganna. | | It was not so high as the first, however, and by standing upon the Lion’s back they all managed to scramble to the top. | Tá i Rauro hostanë telcuryar nu insë ar campë i rambanna; mal vin yá campes, perestanë silcemna corda pimperyanen ar láranë sa aqua mi nihtannar. | ; | Then the Lion gathered his legs under him and jumped on the wall; but just as he jumped, he upset a china church with his tail and smashed it all to pieces. | 49 | “Ta lánë nainaima,” equë Valanna, “mal naitië savin i almë engë ven i únelvë carë sinë nícë liën amba harnalë han racë yaxeo telco ar corda. | | “That was too bad,” said Dorothy, “but really I think we were lucky in not doing these little people more harm than breaking a cow’s leg and a church. | Ilyë naltë tallë rácula!” | | They are all so brittle!” | 50 | “Naltë, é,” equë i Corcurco, “ar nanyë hantaitë i nanyë sardeo ar lanyë aþa·harna. | | “They are, indeed,” said the Scarecrow, “and I am thankful I am made of straw and cannot be easily damaged. | Ear nati ardassë feldë epë ná Corcurco.” | | There are worse things in the world than being a Scarecrow.” |
|---|
Extra
The little rhyme by Mr. Joker on lines 34-39 is not a literal translation,
but a mocking rhyme in Quenya that tries to capture the same intent.
The back-translation would be:
My fair lady, /
so prominent, /
Why are you staring at the Joker?
Your face [is] so proper, /
[your] countenance gentle, /
but [your] inside void and [that] of a shady one!