“Lwasq-opaingakh qhoe kei-xhrejor ó-yenye poa,” khyéja’ Alixhlìnye tónga qríngomat ser. “Khnólas tú-xhmi-xing kúl-eîtlho! Eiqhor-tuxhwukhnema-yèfhto poel pfhaûlefhil Twàtsa pfho xhakhmìma-yan pú-xhni. Pajè-qlórt pú xhyakhikhra-yèfhto kexhe-xhrejor-ing khnereri-yàlyar ter tèrfha. Fhenísya ker ól ker tèlitkh tsàkhlat kúl.
“Ah, perhaps I might dislike them,” Alixhlìnye chanted in a soothing pitch. “Be it not that you are sullen about such! However, I wish I could exhibit our cat, Struggles, to you. I believe that you, enjoying and being delighted, could see her. The kitten, in sooth, is such an innocent and neither-quiet-nor-noisy thing.
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Alixhlìnye sixè-thuyeir thùyeir pón-e-xhmi thi sùxhmi sùxhmi wthejhuîl-atser xeqhesao-yexhyeû-xing. “Eiqhor koaqing thét xhele-pfhóror-àxhwa tlhèlkhei kóm-atser fhaqri-yàntar xhòtwu se lyeiqha-yeîlwai qthefhtern-òlkha jhinxhe-yeîlwai xhthontern-olkha-xing-èpyer khyuqhàl-exorkh kúl tqinthes-èthya kexh-ing xhnípe-yèxhyeu khriilyamat-òlkha xhnípe-yèxhyeu xaxus-òlkha xhnoike tsèrtu kexh-ing tungejheqhe-yèxhyeu tsistetsi-yòntet xhaurlro-yòntet qhúle-yòntet fhtóni wthá. Pejor pèsqint púrkh-ùkhwu taê pwankhàfha-xing ó poa!” pwaxhexhelónge tienamat-ùngpu’ ei-xhrejor Alixhlìnye qyikhersin-oaqèn-ejet khlèkhye pé-yatser Xhaurlro-yupwar-èpyer qlùkiki pajè-thothoas tlhotlho khnìrli jhpiilkhantu-yòntet xèkejhi tei-yithn-ixing. “Xuxurfhre-yòjhwas kexhe-xhrejor-ing qlutim-àlwos tú-xhni-xing khwéja suju kúl tepu-yan-eng.”
Alixhlìnye kept talking, a little to herself, as she swam about in a lackadaisical manner in the loch. “And she sits, purring, so affable by the flames of the hearth, as she licks her paws and cleans her face, and she is such a silly thing, like soft snow, for being taken care of, for being kissed, and she’s an expert for catching feathered mice and mouse squirels and leaf pigeons and kangaroo bilge rats. Alas, perhaps I’ve spoken in an inferior way, oh thrall!” cried, saying again Alixhlìnye, because the Squirrel Mouse was bristling this time here and there, and the damsel, it seemed, was certain, thinking that it surely was both taking offense and being ashamed. “If you loathe continuing talking about her, you and I shall not discuss such.”
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“Sayonexhlothelónge pfhóror khnólya tepu-yatser-axhwa!” khyefhíju pajè-xhutse Xhaûrlro-xing xhthethemet-apònya qir tìrxho qrákh xhroe khnewa-xhrepla-yòlkha-xing. “Jh-opaingakh xhlothelóngè-yejikh pejor lróse-xing kúl! Tsoti-yìngpen qlaêkh pfhaulefha-yàxhwa khwuráwaûm-epakh xhrìqni quja xhmùtso quja’ éngajo quja! Khnólas ijuxújor akhma-yùtya-xing toa pú!”
“A purring conversation shall not happen with regards to you and me, indeed!” cried, saying the Squirrel Mouse, who seemed to tremble up to the end of its tail. “I refuse to talk about such a quodlibet! My dysfunctional family happened to hate and envy cats, for they are disgusting, cominal, low caste beings! Be it not that I hear any of that name again!”
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“Pei pfhu khmarniêtu pú-sur!” khwiîrlrim pejor khmùsam-ing thethelyù-yajókh tlhir Alixhlìnye paje-xhmiîyeqhe. “Xhoêm-axúng xhoêm sùlwu ker xhwáwa-yaôngi túxing?” Tqeq-opaingana tyamfhu-yòlkha Xhaûrlro kho khaômam tlhir Alixhlìnye paje-khwilìfhufhu,
“I shall not mention what you just chanted,” chanted Alixhlìnye, hastening, in fact, to change the subject in terms of the conversation. “Are you … or aren’t you … fond of … duckbilly things … duckbill platypodes?” The Squirrel Mouse did not answer, so Alixhlìnye was eager to say,
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“Fhesimpa-yufhang-ing-òjhwa khyojúxeir khreû kúl khnieqhiim-àntar qir Khwònojhe xhujhwè-yaloi keis tuqthethejhi-yàmpei tú-xhmi’ eqwàqwa kae pú-xhni! Fhesòmpa fhrùtim kei-qoas aîxas khmewuîngo xhnir thyaê syìthin qyìkhait fhèrelot kúl khne’ ei-xing!
“There is such a small, obedient cactus platypus near the tower of the Forbidden Gardens in the harem, which I would like to show you! ‘Tis a small, female quill platypus that has winedark eyen, oh! with long fur, green cymotrichous hair!
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Eiqhor-jáxe khniletlheqhe-yòlkha kei-xing pompempè-yatser qlesyon-òntet xhmàxa’ ú-yan-epyer thengpin-oâkhwen xhwáwa-yoâkhwen teiqha-póyoi pae xing qúwefha-yaîqhor ungtelónge tlhapela-yòntet euxaixíxoi kei-xhli-xing-epyer sùya lwiîkh ei-pejos khìthyu pú-xhni-sur xhnoike xhnuîrmat lwar fhesompa-yùpwar senípáto-yan-èpyer tqàqyumat kúl-ùlkha xhele-paje-fhrìmeqhe khmàqri talra-yàxhmikh-ul xhnáxeî-xing!
And, it fetches something or other, when one tosses snowballs and things, and the plantimal always kneels and always barks for its dinner, and it chances to do both cantraps and ballet, and I cannot remember half of such things, and a eunuch slave takes care of the female cactus platypus, lovely! and she claims such to be true, saying that the pet is worth many library credits!
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Paje-tiênamat kexh-ing qwèna khùrit fhtóni-yotya-yòntet qhúle-yòntet xhaurlro-yòntet tsìstetsi fhesimpà-yan-ing khnáni! Khménikh tlhae qlaêkh pú! Òrpyel éjar ei-xhrejor Alixhlìnye xhlir xhwàqhunoi khwìngqiim, “Xhnau-yùngpu xhauylro-yùpwar xhmoîxim ser pú-tlhi-xing!” Xhnoet ojóxi-yoâqen wtsorku-yèthya xhnir fhoâ kexhe-yujhwa-xing Xhaurlro-yupwar-àxhwa wthèmlamat quja fhiilra-yùtya khyi’ eûla quja xhmoxhinthè-yaloi.
She says that the cactus platypus kills all the kangaroo bilge rats, and leaf pigeons, and mouse squirrels, and feathered mice, avast! I have been dishonorable, alas!” cried Alixhlìnye, speaking in a lugubrious voice. “I, for one, am sad to have frightened off the mouse squirrel again, and I didn’t mean to!” For, the Mouse Squirrel was swimming as fleet as possible away from her, as ‘twas making a great kerfuffle, as it went in the loch.
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Angikher-ùnyie paje-tsaqnelónge xùnxhamat kei-yoaka-xing pyàkhtanga, “Aî-Xhaûrlro-xing tyaqája! Tsilúqhi-jathitt tú-xing-epyer thùyeir suju xhrir xhwáwa-yaongi-yòntet khnenya-yaôngi tepu-yant pejor lwewawa-lwasqopaingalei kei-xhrejor!”
Therefore, she called out, saying softly after it, “Oh Squirrel Mouse slave! Honor me by returning, and you and I shall talk about neither duckbill platypodes nor cats, if you mislove them, my friend!”
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Pei pfhu tlheûxha xhaurlro-yàtser-ing tsarna-yòntet jhkheîke fhufhòrkhpoma kexhe-yutakh-ing Xhaûrlro-xing xhnir xhthontèrn-ing pfhesya-yèmpai. “Khmùthuthu khmanìt-atlhui kei,” pajè-khmenein Alixhlìnye. Eiqhor-paje-xhmòqlu xhwaqhunoî-xing èmfhitt trém sae kei-xing, “Xhmíxo-yáxeus fhùryeqhe koa-qoas fhreûyuir tsena-khixhrì-yatser pú-xhrejor ó poa tepu-yan-eng-epyer paje-jhìmpe xú-yàlyir-ing kei-xhmoas xhrúfha pú-yaqwa jáxe tsoti-yòlkha qlaêkh pfho pejor xhwáwa-yaôngi khnenya-yatser-aôngi.”
Hearing what was just chanted, the Squirrel Mouse both turned around and swam slowly towards her, with its very pale face. “It grows pale from mania,” Alixhlìnye thought. And it chanted in a deep, trembling voice, “Let’s you and I go towards the shore, where I may weave my tale, my history, and perhaps you will understand why I, ‘tis, that, in general, hate and envy duckbill platypodes and cats.”
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Ptár ei xèler kú-xeng pejor s-opaingate qhiirkhyoma-yùlkha khyi pràyatsa pejor pèra qofhà-yatser fhelta-yapònya khlaxàk-aloi. Ólu Quqúqa xhnoe Tájo’ Èngeil xhnoe Jàntethul Àtsaqi xhnoe Ptíxi-xing aqhus khmén stìle pfho. Lreîkhta tnaqnasta-yòtya Lwòthyos Alixhlinye-yèpyer qrákay-ùpwarn khorn-àqoxho lrarfheso-yùtakh-ing.
‘Twas timely for both of them to go, for the loch was becoming very crowded with archæopteryces and plantimals that seem to have fallen into the water. There were a Quetzal Cinnamon Bird, and a Dodo Scholar, and a Flying Cœlacanth Fish, and an Ice Pterodon, and several amusing creatures, among others. Princess Alixhlìnye chanced to led all things, and the entire host swam to the beach.
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Hurray! Chapter Two is done! Dance for joy!
Before I turn to Chapter Three (which looks longer and will have a more difficult poem to translate), I’d like to share a few thoughts on Chapter Two, for any interested in translating this text into their own language.
If your language is spoken by aliens, do your people shed tears? Are those tears salty? Is there salt water in your world? If your people do not weep, like Klingons, I suppose they could sweat out a pool of sweatdrops. But … ewww …
William the Conquerer is a bit of a challenge, especially since he ties in with the line in French. If your world has no William the Conquerer, does it have anyone at all like Alexander the Great or Cyrus or even King Arthur? Keep him in mind, because William the Conquerer gets mentioned in Chapter Three.
Alice remembers seeing the Latin vocative case in her Brother’s book. There aren’t a lot of vocative jokes out there, so use them when you can.
There are some very specific things from Alice’s life mentioned here. There are “bathing machines” by the shore and railway stations. I think there’s room for a great deal of creativity here. Perhaps your people live in mountains or in clouds – surely there’s some place they’ve visited before.
There has to be a mouse or a mouse like creature who is afraid of both cats and dogs or their equivalent. Mice were mentioned in the first chapter, as well as Dinah, so there should be away to tie them all together.
How do your people write down directions for post? How would they send a present to their feet (or tentacles or pseudopods)?
The Crocodile Poem is a parady of a real poem of course. It mentions the Nile. I try to use phrases from the original poems, but transform them for humorous reasons.
Does your world have Christmas? And do girls gets boots for Christmas (for their feet?)
Alice knows at least two other girls – so be sure to know some other names in your language.
The White Rabbit mentions the Duchess who will be furious with him. You may want to think about Duchesses and Queens and the like. In this version, the White Jackalope mentions the Twin Duchesses, since the Twin Duchesses are figures in the mythology that Princess Alixhlìnye knows.
Finally this chapter ends with a Duck, a Dodo, a Lory, and an Eaglet. What type of birds or other winged folk does your world have? The Duck, Dodo, Lory, and Eaglet continue in the next chapter.
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