An Logosen, an Edhen, ha'n Selsygen

Devyn mes a Whedhlow Jacob ha Wilhelm Grimm

Lymnans gans Robert Anning Bell

I’n termyn eus passys y feu logosen, edhen, ha selsygen kescowetha, ow sensy mêny kebmyn, ow pewa cosel brav, hag owth encressya marthys aga dâ. Gweyth an edhen o neyja pùb jorna aberth i’n coos ha dry cunys tre. Res o dhe’n logosen don dowr, cuna an tan, ha settya an bord, mès res o dhe’n selsygen kegy.

Seul a vo re wydn aga bÿs, y fedhons y prest hirethek warlergh neptra nowyth. Udn jëdh an edhen a vetyas gans ken edhen, ha whedhla y cyrcùmstancys bryntyn ha bôstya anodhans. An edhen aral, bytegyns, a’n crias gocky fol dre rêson y ober cales, in dadn leverel fatell esa dhe’n dhew chy negys êsy. Rag pàn wrug an logosen hy than solabrës ha don hy dowr, y fedha hy ow mos ajy dh’y rom bian ha powes erna ve hy gelwys dhe settya an bord. Gortos ryb an pot a wre an selsygen, ow qwetyas bos an vytel kegys yn tâ, ha, pàn o prës ogatty kynyewel, y fedha hy ow rolya hy honen unweyth hag arta der an bros pò dre’n losow hag indella amanydnys vowns y, sellys, ha parys. Pàn o an edhen devedhys tre ha’y vegh gorrys dhe’n leur, yth esens y owth esedha rag debry, ha wosa y dhe worfedna an boos, y fedhens y ow cafos gwalgh a gùsk bys i’n nessa myttyn, ha spladn o aga bêwnans.

Ternos an edhen, kentrydnys gans an edhen aral, ny veu whensys dhe neyja i’n coos, hag ev ow leverel y vos servont nans o termyn hir lowr, ha’y vos mockyes gansans, ha dell o res dhedha keschaunjya wortyweth, ha whelas araya an dra in ken maner. Ha kynth esa an logosen ha’n selsygen kefrës ow pesy pòr dhywysyk, stowt veu an edhen, ha leverel bos res y brevy. Anjy a dôwlys predn in y gever, ha’n predn a godhas wàr an selsygen dhe dhon cunys, y feu an logosen an kegynores, ha res o dhe’n edhen dry dowr.

Pandra wharva? An selsygen vian êth in mes tro ha’n coos, an edhen bian a wrug cuna an tan, an logosen a waityas ryb an pot ha, hy honen oll, gortos bys may teffa Selsygednyk Deg tre, ow try cunys rag an nessa jorna. Saw an selsygen vian a strechyas mar hir wàr an fordh, mayth esa own dhedhans y oll aga dew bos nampyth amyss, hag in ebron y whrug an edhen neyja pols in mes rag hy metya. Bytegyns, ev a vetyas wàr an fordh, ha nyns o napell, certan ky a wrug assaultya an selsygen druan kyns, avell pray lafyl, ha’y sêsya ha’y hollenky. An edhen a gùhudhas an ky a dhrog-ladrynsy noth, saw euver o geryow, rag an ky a leverys ev dhe gafos an selsygen dell esa ow ton lytherow fugys, ha rag hedna hy bêwnans o kellys orto.

Yn trist an edhen a gùntellas an cunys in bàn, neyja tre, ha derivas pùb pëth a welas ev ha’y glôwes. Troblys êns y yn frâs, mès unverhës dell vydnens y gwil oll aga ehen ha remainya warbarth. Ytho an edhen a settyas an bord, ha’n logosen a wrug obery an vytel, ha porposys veu hy dh’aga farusy, ha dhe worra hy honen i’n pot dell o an selsygen ûsys dhe wil, ha dhe rolya ha dhe gramyas i’n losow rag aga hemysky; saw kyns ès hy dhe dhrehedhes bys i’ga cres hy a veu lettyes, ha kellys o hy crohen ha’y bêwnans i’n assay.

Pàn dheuth an edhen rag don an kydnyow ajy, nyns esa kegynores dhe weles. In y awhêr an edhen a wre tôwlel an cunys obma ha dy, gelwel ha sarchya, mès nyns o kegynores vëth dhe drouvya! Drefen y fowt preder, an cunys a gemeras tan, may feu faclyans uthyk; an edhen a fystenas rag kerhes dowr, saw an kelorn a dhroppyas i’n pith, hag ev ow codha aberveth ganso, ha ny ylly scappya, mès res o dhodho budhy i’n tyller-na.

GERVA

GLOSSARY

Definitions have generally been confined to those relevant for the story. To keep the glossary to a manageable length the listing excludes the most common words. These are best looked up in Gerlyver Kescows – A Cornish Dictionary for Conversation (Ian Jackson, Agan Tavas 2017), for which an up-to-date spell-checker is available on the Vocabulary tab at www.skeulantavas.com. If you need grammar, by far the most helpful book is Desky Kernowek (Nicholas Williams, Evertype 2012).

The format and abbreviations in the glossary are the same as in Gerlyver Kescows.

amanydna v butter

amy·ss adv wrong, amiss

awhê·r m distress

begh m behow burden

collenky v swallow [whole]

cuna v set light to (fuel)

dâ m possessions

drog-ladrynsy m robbery

droppya v drop

encressya v increase

faclyans m conflagration

fugya v fake, forge

gwalgh m fill

gwil oll y ehen phr do one’s best

kegynores f kegynoresow cook (female)

kentrydna v spur, prompt

kynyewel v dine

nape·ll adv a long time with express negative

pray m prey

predn m prednyer lot

salla v salt

sarchya v search for

selsygednyk f selsygednygow little sausage

sêsya v seize

stowt adj stubborn

tôwlel predn phr cast lots

vytel col food

whedhla v tell, relate