Cooinaghtyn
Ayns glion Nis ta’n eayst vaarnee mollaghtagh soilshaghey dy thanney, as liorish eairkyn faasey t’ee raipey raad da’n toilshey eck trooid duillagys marrooagh billey-upas mooar. As ayns cree ny glionney raad nagh roshee soilshey erbee, ta cummaghyn garraghey nagh vel cooie da sooillyn deiney. S’rank ee glasseraght ny lhargee, raad ta raiseyderyn as çhionnagyn olkey snaue mastey claghyn plaaseyn currit mow, as lhoobey mygeayrt collooghyn brishtey as leacyn quaaghey, as girree straiddyn marmyragh va jeant ec laueyn jarroodit. As ayns biljyn ta gaase dy foawragh ayns closeyn boghlanagh ta apagyn beggey corlheimmey, as magh as stiagh ny thieyn-tashtee ta ard-nieughyn snaue, as reddyn crottylagh gyn ennym.
S’buillvollee ad ny claghyn nyn gadley fo curleidyn keynnagh hash, s’lajer ad ny boallaghyn huitt ad voue. Er son dy bragh ren masoonee ad y hroggal, as dy firrinagh t’ad jannoo shirveish braew foast, da’n beayf lheeah ta cummal foue.
Ec eer-vun ny glionney ta’n awin Theinney ny lhie, lesh ushtaghyn gleiynagh as sarkylagh. T’ee girree ass çhibbyryn follit, as roie da ooigyn fo-hallooin, as cha nel fys ec Imshee ny Glionney er yn oyr dy vel ny h-ushtaghyn jiarg, chamoo er c’raad t’ad roie.
Ren Jinnee ny goullyn eaystey loayrt rish Imshee ny Glionney, as gra: “Ta mee shenn, as ta ram jarroodit aym. Insh dou obbraghyn as cummey as ennym adsyn ren ny reddyn cloaie shoh.” As dreggyr y Imshee, “She mish Cooinaghtyn, as creeney lesh oayllys traaghyn t’er ngoll shaghey, agh ta mish shenn myrgeddin. Va ny bioee shen gollrish ushtaghyn ny h-awiney Theiney, harrish toiggal. Cha gooin lhiam ny h-obbraghyn oc; v’ad jeh’n çhallid ynrican. S’cooin lhiam dy dullyr y cummey v’oc; v’ad gollrish ny h-apagyn beggey ayns ny biljyn. S’cooin lhiam dy baghtal yn ennym oc, ny drane da ennym ny h-awiney: ny bioee jea shen, hug ad Deiney orroo.”
As jettyl y Jinnee erash da’n eayst eairkagh thanney, as yeeagh yn Imshee dy cruinn er apag veg ayns billey daase ayns close boghlanagh.
Memory
In the valley of Nis the accursed waning moon shines thinly, tearing a path for its light with feeble horns through the lethal foliage of a great upas-tree. And within the depths of the valley, where the light reaches not, move forms not meet to be beheld. Rank is the herbage on each slope, where evil vines and creeping plants crawl amidst the stones of ruined palaces, twining tightly about broken columns and strange monoliths, and heaving up marble pavements laid by forgotten hands. And in trees that grow gigantic in crumbling courtyards leap little apes, while in and out of deep treasure-vaults writhe poison serpents and scaly things without a name.
Vast are the stones which sleep beneath coverlets of dank moss, and mighty were the walls from which they fell. For all time did their builders erect them, and in sooth they yet serve nobly, for beneath them the grey toad makes his habitation.
At the very bottom of the valley lies the river Than, whose waters are slimy and filled with weeds. From hidden springs it rises, and to subterranean grottoes it flows, so that the Daemon of the Valley knows not why its waters are red, nor whither they are bound.
The Genie that haunts the moonbeams spake to the Daemon of the Valley, saying, “I am old, and forget much. Tell me the deeds and aspect and name of them who built these things of stone.” And the Daemon replied, “I am Memory, and am wise in lore of the past, but I too am old. These beings were like the waters of the river Than, not to be understood. Their deeds I recall not, for they were but of the moment. Their aspect I recall dimly, for it was like to that of the little apes in the trees. Their name I recall clearly, for it rhymed with that of the river. These beings of yesterday were called Man.”
So the Genie flew back to the thin horned moon, and the Daemon looked intently at a little ape in a tree that grew in a crumbling courtyard.
Ta'n skeealeen shoh çhyndaait ass Memory liorish yn Çhiarn Dunsany. Ta'n lioar vunneydagh ry-lhaih er Project Gutenberg.
