Oldtale
Long ago, crocodile ran everyplace. Mountains, trees.
Gods gifted crocodile teeth, but each tooth cost. No more running.
Gods didn’t know crocodile so lazy, wanted stay in river forever anyway.
Crocodile always tricksy.
‘Oldtale’ is one of the shortest stories I’ve ever written. Here, it’s translated into a few different languages and written in several different scripts.
Tesyāmpa
rōamtse̱ti
tso̱ttotak yāuli kka̱mai lātsek re̱itsalau – pi̱a – tūn.
hōifuatsʊt āulyasʊstu lātsekau va̱kteive – tau – chʊ̱lataiayatsʊt va̱kte re̱i. te̱in hūqa kka̱mpei.
te̱iatsʊt le̱lo āulyasʊstu le̱uhio o̱utum lātsek, tto̱ai vāu a̱rvesasʊ re̱ikkoi tsōɫtak.
re̱ikkoi xōinitaiaye lātsek.
tale-reported-is.old
past-in is.far ran crocodile every-place-at, mountain, tree.
gifted gods crocodile-at tooth-via, but, cost-had tooth all. doesn’t continue run-act.
didn’t know gods is.lazy such-extent crocodile, anyway-did want attach-here all-time river-in.
all-time trick-have crocodile.
Modern Script
Early Script
Elanoon
imumakalíro
ahij somiv, nuyalahee mee jem assov. ayaduomma, mazya.
mamuhoyam vuaya nuyalaheeell tussav, dee hem vua tidov. ummúa assayay.
mamuhoya rooyuav nuyalahee jissaka zesima, mom oahalyos aness luamee uha lovov.
nuyalahee luamee hososoyka.
old-tale
slow-fast all place ran, far ago. sky-hills, trees.
gods teeth slow-fast-to gift-ed, but each tooth cost. more-no run-act.
gods know-didn’t slow-fast amount-such lazy, anyway move-water-in for when-all stay wanted.
slow-fast when-all trick-ish-inclined.
Xalu
leluiv
weieidiviv, skelu kapa moiosem. keltomon, veimon.
oen boav yodn skeluem, toi yodaiv caid. heikapalux.
oen heisik skelu hez dam, yai yulisalezux moidoix heiwa.
skelu moid hiqumiq.
tale-old
past-time-old-old, crocodile run all-place-to. hill-greats, plant-greats.
gods give-thing teeth crocodile-to, but tooth-each cost. not-run-continue.
gods not-know crocodile lazy which.amount, want water-go-in-continue all.time-duration regardless.
crocodile all.time trick-inclined-ish.
