Lûcyan a Samosata
Kernowek © 2020 Ian Jackson
Yma Gerva orth pedn dewetha an whedhel.
An whedhel-ma yw brâs y hanow in lien an bÿs. Pell kyns ès Goethe, Dukas ha Disney, ot obma an cotha versyon a’n whedhel: onen a’n wharvosow dyvers in Caror a’n Gow, lyver i’n yêth Grêca screfys gans scornyas Assyryan, Lûcyan a Samosata (Secùnd Cansvledhen, Oosweyth Kebmyn). Rackor an whedhel yw neb Ewcratês, orth felshyp a’y gowetha.
“Pàn en vy whath yonk, yth esen vy tregys nebes termyn in Ejyp. Danvenys veuma dy gans ow thas rag dyscans. My a wrug tyby golya an Nil in bàn, dhe’n cyta Coptos, ha mos alena rag vysytya imach Memnôn, ha clôwes an son coynt a vedha ow tos mes anodho orth terry an jëdh. Moy fortydnys en vy i’m negys ages brâssa radn a’n bobel, ma nag eus ma’s lev dyscler dhe glôwes gansans. Memnôn a wrug kefrës egery y vin aragof, ha ry dhybm orakyl in seyth wheghban. Nyns yw hedna perthynek dhe’m present porpos, ytho my a vydn sevel orth devynes an gwersyow aga honen. Now, nebonen a’m kestremenysy i’n viaj o scrivynyas a’n cyta Memfys, gwas conyng dres ehen, cowl-skentyl in skians Ejyp. Ev a wrug spêna kyns, whedhlys dell o worthyf, teyr bledhen warn ugans i’n bedhow in dadn an dor, hag i’n tyller-na studhya sciencys kevrînek a wel dhe Îsys hy honen.”
“Hèm yw Pancratês, ow descajor vy, may leverta anodho!” a grias Arygnôtos in mes. “Den sansyl, dyvarf pùb dëdh, tremyn prederus warnodho, ow côwsel Grêca estrednek, tronsmùt, an gwessyow herdhys in rag, tùch tanow y arrow?”
“Eâ, Pancratês o hebma y honen. Ny wodhyen vy tra vëth in y gever orth an dallath, mès bÿth pàn wrellen ny tôwlel ancar yth esen vy pùpprës ow merkya fatell wrug ev nampyth moyha marthys – rag ensompel, y fedha ev ow marhogeth wàr geyn an cocodrylys, ha neyja mesk an vilas-ma adhedro, hag anjy ow fecla orto hag ow qwevya an lost. Nena me a wodhya convedhes den kebmyn nag o ev badna. Gans rach my a worras ow honen dhodho wàr rag, hag ow tos tabm ha tabm bys in level cuv ganso, hag amyttyes dhe gevradna in y vyster kevrînek.
“Wàr an dyweth, ev a wrug perswâdya dhybm gasa oll ow servons in Memfys ha mos ganso warbarth, heb ken onen vëth, hag ev owth afydhya na vedha fowt dhybm a dendyoryon. Awot agan omdhon i’n termyn alebma rag. Pesqweyth may teffen ny dhe westy, ev a vedha ow kemeres barr an daras, pò scub, pò hordh brêwy par hap, y wysca in dyllas, ha leva certan gorhan. Hag yth esa an daffar ow tallath walkya, may feu pùbonen sur y vos den. An dra êth ha kerhes dowr, perna ha parusy vytel, ha gonys oll dhe les. Pàn nag esa otham dhyn a’y servys na felha, y teuth gorhan aral, ha’n scub a veu scub arta, poken hordh brêwy veu an hordh.
“Bythqweth ny sowenys dynya orth ow howeth desky dhybm an worhan, lower assay kyn fe. Y gows o pòr ôpyn a bùptra aral, mès yth esa ow qwetha meur y worvyn an rin-ma. Udn jëdh wortyweth, my a wrug omgudha in cornel dewl, ha clôwes geryow an hus in dadn gel. Try ger êns y. An Ejyptyon a ros arhadow dhe’n hordh brêwy, ena mos dhe’n varhas dhe ves. Wèl, nessa jorna ev o bysy i’n varhas unweyth arta. Dhana my a gemeras an hordh brêwy, y wysca, leva an try ger hardlych in maner ow howeth, hag erhy dhodho bos dowror. Ev a dhros dhybm pycher a dhowr. Ena my a wrug leverel, Hedh! Na vëdh dowror na felha, mès hordh brêwy, dell es jy kyns! Saw ny vydna an dra gwil vry ahanaf. Yth esa va ow pêsya kerhes dowr heb cessya, bys may feu an chy lenwys anodho. Tyckly o hobma. Mar teffa Pancratês arta, serrys vedha heb dhowt (ha serrys veuva in gwir). My a gemeras bool, ha trehy an hordh brêwy dhe dhew. In sewyans yth esa an dhew hanter ow kemeres pycher, an eyl ryb y gela, ha kerhes dowr. Y’m bo dew dhowror, onen nyns o namoy. Pancratês a dhysqwedhas i’n very prës-na. Ev a welas oll an plit, ha trailya an dhowroryon dhe bredn arta. Ena ev a wrug omdedna dhyworthyf, ha mos in kerdh, na ny wodhyen py plâss.”
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, with one refinement. In this listing a middle dot following a vowel sound shows that primary stress is on that syllable (in cases where it is not the penultimate syllable); a double vertical line after a disyllabic word indicates that both syllables are more-or-less evenly stressed.
Assyryan adj/m Assyryans Assyrian
conyng adj clever
dowror m dowroryon water-carrier
dyscans m = adhyscans
dyvarvf adj beardless, close-shaved
Ejyptyon m Ejyptyons Egyptian
felshyp m fellowship, close-knit group
fecla v fawn
fortydnys adj lucky
Grêca m Greek (language)
gorvyn m jealousy
gwevya v wag
hardlych adv precisely
heb dhowt phr = heb dowt
hordh brêwy m hordhas pestle
hus m magic
kestremenyas m kestremenysy fellow-passenger
leva v utter
myster m craft
omgudha v hide intr
oosweyth m oosweythyow era
o·rakyl m oraclys oracle
pycher m pychers pitcher
rin m rînyow secret
sansyl adj holy, saintly
scornyas m scornysy satirist
scub m = scubel
tendyor m tendyoryon attendant
tronsmùt ‖ adj snub-nosed
vytel col food
walkya v walk
wàr rag phr = in rag
whedhla v tell tales
wheghban m wheghbadnow hexameter