Oldtale

a lazy crocodile

‘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.

Modern Script

Early Script

oldtale in early form of tesyāmpa 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.

oldtale in xalu script

Others



All the following passages are transliterations of the Xalu version, ‘Leluiv’, into various orthographies.

Righto

oldtale in righto script

Kaltol

oldtale in kaltol script

Lis

oldtale in lis script

Slaiss

oldtale in slaiss script
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