Kerno Texts.
The Advernture of Guimier is written in an archaic style using the old Literary register of the Kerno language. Writing in this register was something like an Englishman speaking his usual Kentish or Midlands, but writing anything formal in a language more akin to that used in Chaucer's day.
Here is the story of the great meeting between King Arthur of Kemr and King Dalyd of Armorica, which tells how they became allies: The Contest . It is written in the Common register of the Kerno language, which is equivalent to the everyday spoken variety of the language.
Here follow a number of shorter texts, poems and bits and snatches of stories. The tags "LR" and "CR" - Literary and Common Registers respectively - will serve to differentiate the two strains of the language.
From the first part of the gospel of the holy St. John [CR]:
1. Bodeor 'ny phrincippes il Logos, et bodeor poz le Zeus il Logos, et bodoer il Deus il Logos. 2. Bodeor 'ny phrincippes poz le Zeus elo cest. 3. Agoueneit ar h-ysser tramper elo y thottes; et h-agoueneit ar h-ysser sens elo n' rhen nonck. Ce que-s-agoueneit ar h-ysser tramper elo eoer la gouitha, et c' esta gouitha eoer la Lucés lor omen; et h-ambilus la nduvien ce lucés, et ne nicouens pass lâ lucés la duvió. 4. Fu domithes di Zeus yn om, Ioannes. 5. Dogoueneit ell en testemoneas, ar jandicer lâ destemonea al' Lucés, que crezayas c' ollom amb li. 6. Non fu bril ell la lucés, mays dogoueneit ell ar jandicer lâ destemonea al' Lucés. 7. La Lucés gouer, la quen ambilumens c' ollom, ar gouenir 'n le munnem. 8. Bodeor en le munnem elo, et h-agoueneit ar h-ysser tramper elo il munnem, mays ne saveu bril il munnemys. Dogoueneit a que eoer il sew; mays ne corzcavus pass la teoutha la seva. 9. Mays a ells que corzcavuont-elo, deda elo la nertien di gouers-si en vappes le Deus; que fuont nathes non di sancoues gouth, non dy chorpuroer rhen, non di gouoluntate l' omen, mays di Deus. 10. Et gouerus-si en caró il Logos, et gouiveu poz nois elo cest; et couizémus nus lâ sevâ glorea, na glorea cawsi dil yen Mabos le Deus, llen di gracea et goueritate.
The Tower of Babel [LR].
1. da la nderre avu il yen ngants e il lenghedech medimos. 2. ommen durant di suil tramigravant, ys ayen ngwmme in la nderre Sennar wenont e ys alla avitavont. 3. yen om ia altoer om li dechi: "wenet, fechessemus-nus yns latoers, e cossemus-els in ndenne." e doy avuat y latoers pel pedoer e il bitu pel cemente. 4. e ys dhechiont: "wenet, fachessemus-nus yn ngiudad e yn deoer da la nghos tech y celles tann e sabifachessemus- el le nustoer nom, anteque nus per trans tot la terra foremus divissus." 5. il tigernos la ngiudade weder e la ndeoer ke hy pleint Adam fechiont detwenait. 6. il tigernos en dechi: "ua, yen at il pobel, e yen at il seu cants, e hys hyncepiont-el, e nay il deponer-els di la seva ngosillia alla-ke ys le seu lavoer finens. 7. "wenet, dewadessemus alla e commissessemus-el le seu ngant ke il yen om nel gante dol alteor homme comprwnnesset-el rhen nonck." 8. e il tigernos en los di cell locs in tot la terra dividi, e hys dil edifacher la seva ngiudade dephonivont. 9. e pher-ce-rem da ngiudade ay il nom Babel, do en tot la terra il cants fu commissu e il tigernos dalla per trans la nderre y phobelles dividi-los.
St. Rewan's Shield, or some of holy St. Rewan's prayers [CR]:
Per l' Ammland
il Pazeor ar vrent me,
il Mapos al laz me,
l' Yspiritus ymbdenter me,
y Threw am chez me.
Precurs lor nGal
Yn precurs bas, yn precurs arz, metham me tramper yspas;
amponeso.els tu methissem, a rheys la graceas!
Per y h-Ytenuroers
Otheso; Teneso; Ymmrazaso;
Zeuws l' othend; Zeuws le tenend; Zeuws l' ymmrazand;
Ar soer y gouenz, otheso.me; N' isoel cultu, careso.me; Yn noche l' oscur, ymmrazaso.me
La Pas
La Pas amb y gouecinnes; La Pas am la clanyplanta; La Pas amb y xarent;
yn l' amur le Reye la gwitha.
La Pas am l' omme et l' omme; La Pas am la gouenna et le varren; La Pas am la gouenna et-z y vannon;
la Pas le Kriste ar soer y chascyn pas.
The Story of the Shipwrecked Man [CR], which appeared in Lla Sul on 14 July, 1898 (here translated from the Brithenig).
dol' omèn il sezlonds le llongfrangeièn: Pernauigasot c' om perry vor, et durant ke domonis.se az al isel, rompus sa la sew llonga. Gouiuefas y pluzeor ans; et-z-eliverasot-el la Armada Reyal. Dondrhuasot-li il capetans: ''Quhit wye daes ye hae twae kirkes, mon?'' Savus il capetans, Albaneck, ionte a nemez y Chomrow, mays y chapeuw y zew per li yen omèn ast po en var! Doponus il wortó a-z-el yen et deckis: ''C' aquel, moniem a nemez y Zi la Sulis.'' ''An at yin thonder?'' rhuasot il capetans. ''Ay, c' aquels. Ieo n' moniem pass nonck a nemez y Zi la Sulis!''
A man was sailing upon the sea and as he approached an island, his boat wrecked. He lived several years and at last was recued by the Royal Navy. The captain asked him: "Why do you have two chapels here?" The captain, a Scot, knew that the Comro were ardent church goers, but two chapels for one man is too much! He pointed out one of them and said: "That's where I go to church of a Sunday." "And the other?" asked the captain. "Ah, that one. I don't never go there of a Sunday!"
Written when the old Literary Register was still the only form of Kerno taught at schools, this Boat Trip text was produced by a grade schooler.
Facteor celasta commyn ndonne perry meu deceme phenanne: n'itener co mmo ndadi en yen lor nustoer navi, per dinvorter-mis. nus enno yen lor nustoer navi nus pasàvon. col nnave istont y varren le deck, ceque sempoer y linnes doi mori ys dabonevens e tonck ys y linnes da nnave ys dathraens; e dois linnef saes phaisses co lorre. sudont mult. il covarru ke l'oummoersolle ys tent ys la wente do nois ys domboneus; mais n'ay speck yn nummra nen ngwenta perry varronib. werscue da-h-ay calores, sont feleich depos la mannu le morre los fer, e los fresck. mays delalchalla weneit ce nevoels duv, e desaltasont y varren ei linnes ys fertraivont; eis henny nave ys chaduont senny yen pesck; eis li navi a la mborte ys y rhammes dophonents. nonck nus al jeti nus cuinémus, e in acel moment cadu la llouvea e buasot il Taranos. ne lleisi-el outh li meu dadi, mays ay calores, e lleisi-mis mult.
A boat trip was made as a gift for my tenth year, with my Da in one of our big fishing boats. We went in one of the big boats; and with it stood ten men that always cast out the nets and hauled them up again with fish galore. They sweat a lot. The man that holds the shade makes a breeze for us; but there is no shade or breeze for the men. On account of the heat, they are happy when the cool wave strikes them and refreshes them. A black cloud came from away yonder, and the men leapt to it and hauled up the nets without any fish; and they put the boat to the harbour rowing. Now we came to the dock and at that moment the rain fell and the thunder roared; my Da didn't like it, but it was hot and I liked it a lot.
il Defugès, The Flight. [LR]
Henny cella notte, eo sich com-loccev-mis: "dom-avura la cena ce notte...?" mays ech alla!
il om dalalla a la ndomme la nustra ys weneit:
da la vamès le arte
da la naltès le regèn
da il ncabeys le bodde
da la ndoga le Albèn.
e eo la ndogge le omèn al vogge pery secar-se eo poneus in gant ys munnav-se. ys commy
cestyn mbledenne ys comedu e ys cyn ncoupe dela winne ys bevu:
da la llama la artece
da la fhruta la wenéa
da la sancuès le savature;
e ys dormi. henny die matenès le prossem, ys sich nois gavasot: "dil cel ist logge aur
defugit vus! aur en y h-acui:"
da la bana le Noán
da y dies dawhwygaint
da la mparla le profette;
"y h-acui le logge sa da-h-enoundabont; e aur il tempes le yscapar rapidment ys pas!" y
nus cynck y mharcces nus ducuason; nus en las henny vestalle le samotempe comprason-als; e
nus le omèn nus secuevon; don avu il pensar: "ystaba fatú, o fuat profeta?" Que benditúes
nois! da navu rhen y dies dew passús, e whenont y h-acui e sa la nustra ndomme e tot lor
magur ilalla sa rhummuont; ach y multh wecini ce que nus defugiements ys derhessont:
da la parla infidéz
da seplucres latéz;
ys miserablement merguont.
On some night or other, I me parleyed thus: "Shall I have supper tonight...?" but lo!
this man from somewhence or other came to our house:
in him the hungre of the bear
in him the stature of the king
in him the locks of the raven
in him the northern dress.
And I put the kilts to the hearth, and he bathed. He ate like some old wolf, and he drank
a cup of wine:
in it the hand of craft
in it the fruit of the wine
in it the blood of the saviour;
and he slept. In the morning of the next day, he spake a warning to us: "fly from this
place! for the waters:"
in them the Bane of Noah
in them the forty days
in him the words of the prophet
"the waters shall put this place to the wave; and even now the time for fleeing swiftly
passes!" We five enhorsed us; for we had boughten horses at the Summer Fair; and we follwed
after the man; but there was this thought in our minds: "is this man tetched, or is he a
prophet?" How fortunate for us! For not two days were passed, and the waters came; and
they destroyed our house and all the fields beyond. And many of our neighbours that had
laughed at us:
for them faithless speech
for them muddy graves;
they drowned most piteously.
*****
As a matter of comparisson, here follow the Brithenig translation and the original English text.
ILL GWOL (Brithenig)
Lla suir lla, eo felltaf mollt eo fanugarew mew feren can ill
The evening there, I considered whether I would-eat my supper when the
of awentif a nustr gas, ffeidus cun ill ffef di yn llub. Ys er allt, cun ill gwallt
man arrived at our house, exhausted with the hunger of a wolf. He was tall, with the hair-of-(his)-head
tint ply nir ca yn corw, dibos ill defad di clig. Dyrant ke ys si
dyed more black then a crow, after the custom of left. While he himself
lawaf eo ddefef sichar sew west per lle inawant ill ffog. Ys manugaf
washed I had-to dry his clothes for him in-front-of the fire. He ate
gulusfent e fifef yn goff di'll gwin ke si ffagef dorfir. Ill mathin
greedily and drank a cup of-the wine that him made to-sleep. The morning
proesif ys nu cheistaf laesar ill llog lla intresaeth, si llo ddilyw
next he us warned to-leave the place there immediately, as the floods
llo gotharew tempr, e sa'r gheis bly thardd yscaffar. Cinc di nu thud
it overwhelm soon, and it-was almost very late to-escape. Five of us all
weddifan syrs llo dors di llo chafal nu h-eran comprad a'll gweil yllif e seghefan
went on the backs of the horses we were bought at the festival last and followed
llo, mai rhen seint pensen certhfent seirfent di follt ys er gwerdad
him, but not without thinking fairly seriously of whether he was truth
fath. Ke si ffadad nu h-eran! Rhen dew ddiwrn ply thardd, llo h-ag ddirumperant
insane. How lucky we were! Not two day more late, the waters destroyed
nustr gas e llo champ ulltr lle, e llo ply di nustr wigin, ke nu
our house and the fields beyond it, and the more of our neighbours, who us
h-eran rhiddigliddad ffyr, erant piedusfent anogad.
were mocked to-flee, were pitiably drowned.
FLIGHT (Original text)
That evening, I was considering whether I would eat my supper when the man arrived at our house, hungry and exhausted. He was tall, with hair dyed blacker than a crow, after the custom of the North. While he was washing I had to dry his clothes for him in front of the fire. He ate voraciously and drank a cup of wine which made him sleep. The next morning he warned us to leave that place immediately, as the floods would soon overwhelm it, and it was almost too late to escape. All five of us mounted the horses we had bought at the last festival and followed him, but not without wondering fairly seriously whether he was in fact insane. How lucky we were! Not two days later, the waters destroyed our house and all the fields beyond it, and most of our neighbours, who had mocked us fleeing, were pitiably drowned.
A curious little tale of what can happen when your horse runs away.
Dos agrechul, in nacel tems, avu yn marx ke defughi. il wecens per addecher-el do li-ce forit mal ys weneit. il agrechul li addechi: "ke sava le mmath o le mal a li cella?", e dos avu la rechèz. li die le cercam, il marx reweneit, e cosicun ce yen marcca ferós e dheck, ke endurant le seu adventur ys inwenev. denew reweneit il wecens per addecher-el do li-ce forit boun, perke deis mharches. il agrechul li addechi: "ke sava le mmath o le mal a li cella?", e dos avu la rechèz. li die le cercam, il maps le agrechul cesta yen lor marcci ferós ys domav, ach h-ys cadhu ce yen lor sevas bino breich rompent. il wecens per addecher-el do li-ce forit mal weneit. il agrechul li addechi: "ke sava le mmath o le mal a li cella?", e dos avu la rechèz. li die le cercam ys yendarmi le rech pery detragher y alch lor jowcci henny ysluch ys whenont, mays ne dethraghuont rhen le mmab le agrechul, do en li avu yn mbracha rompúe. llarow, ke en sava le mmath o le mal a li?
There was in that time a farmer whose horse ran away. His neighbour went to express his sorrow, but the farmer said to him: "Who knows the good or the bad in it?", and he was right. The next day, the horse came back and with him were eleven feral mares he'd met on his adventure. Again the neighbour went to say how happy he felt, on account of the horses. The Farmer said to him: "Who knows the good or the bad in it?", and he was right. Next day, the Farmer's son tried to tame one of the feral mares and falling he broke both his arms. The neighbour again came over to say how bad he felt; but the Farmer said to him: "Who knows the good or bad in it?", and he was right. Next day, the King's soldiers came to take away the young men into the Army, but they didn't take the Farmer's son on account of his two broken arms. Indeed: Who knows the good or the bad in it?
And in Brithenig...
Ill sencas am yn eirigl ke sew gafal cyrs a fodd.
Yn weg sa er yn eirigl ke sew gafal cyrs a fodd. Sew wigin gwenif trawers diger-llo ys sentif fal per llo, sulfent esser dith in ill torn: "Ki sab ke's fon o fal?" Sa er wer. Ill diwrn proesif ill cafal tornaf, gweninn cun yndig cafal braw ys ffew inghontrad dyrant sew ffyd awentyrus. Ill gwigin gwenif trawers ancor, lla weg ci ffelicitar ill eirigl per sew wentyr. Sulfent esser dith yn weg ancor "Ki sab ke's fon o fal?" Gwer, lla weg ci anc; ill diwrn proesif ill feil di'll eirigl profaf dofestigar yn di llo chafal fraw e gaddef, rhumpenn sew am. Sew wigin gwenif aeredr ancor yn ply weg ysprefir ke si fal ys sentif. Mai per lla drui weg tud ill eirigl tud ill eirigl a diger er: "Ki sab ke's fon o fal?" E yn weg ancor ill eirigl er gerth, per lla weg ci, ill rhui di lla der lla a lemad yn wer e'll diwrn seghenn llo sollteir wenen a buis mither llo hon hiewen in lla ysserchid, mai perch di sew ddawn ill ffeil ngweddif rhen cun lla.
There is a poetic form in Kerno called the "Poem of the Triple Treasure", which consists of three lines of three (grammatical) objects each. There are no explicit verbs or subjects; such are only obliquely hinted at through the given objects.
la canta ‘na oreil lor ndeuor
y h-uchelcoises in ceint le tenne
li peidn l’ardhea im mys la munzien
y ghreidhes li uesvri in guthlych l’alodea
Song in the ear of Gods
Sweet speech in tongue of bird;
on the feather of the heron a cleansing dew;
praise to the Evenstar in throat of songbird.
The 2002 Esteddfod winner for "fewest letters used in a poem" and second prize in "most controversial interpretation". Author: Marcus Blancq.
amaramaramaram
Several judges nearly came to blows over how best to interpret this poem. Blancq made no comment, leaving the interpretation to the individual.
A part of an old Arvorec song, long popular in Kerno speaking regions as well, details the loss of one's lover to the Sea [CR].
Ves-si ‘l mew amanz
Saut-si cun’ orienz;
Saut-si me durmienz
Revens-si pass des samones;
Secourem spech li mor
Secourem spech li mor
Retrayes-el rhen llong de ter’
Retrayes-el rhen llong de ter’.
There goes my lover
He leaves with the dawn
He leaves me sleeping
He won’t come back from out of Winter
I will not look to the sea
No ship of Earth will bring him back.
Two short philosophical texts [CR].
1. Why is life?
Per ke et la goueitha? Perry beltats et la systancea et il sons et la coleors at-sa la goueitha; ac anlechet ces cestes di tempos en tempuroers ... Per ke ne vifs rhen la dew bropeor gwieou? Per ke persecoues y rhegheolles d' alteors o vifs ar placer-els ais alteors? --Lei Zeu
For what is life? Life is for beauty and substance and sound and colour; and these things are illegal from time to time ... Why don’t you live your own life? Why do you follow the rules of others or live to please others? Lei Tsu
2. The True Bard.
Goueth il bards gouer y nevulles in ce seu papeir; persque sen ces nevulles, cressa ne bellet unill; et enound cressa ne bellet spech, fachteor ne papeir ser. Hos modd, il papeir ach y nevoul consont. Ne tens cuech ty le moutil conesser ny teu dixtcieoneir; iveri, credhem eo ke deus ystar ce la, per ce cest raison partichoeleir.
The true poet will see the cloud in this paper. For without a cloud there can be no rain, and without rain, trees can't grow, and if trees can't grow, there would be no paper. In this way, the paper and the cloud interare. The word interbe isn't a word you'll find in the dictionary, but I think it should be, for just this purpose.
Some curious local phrases [CR]:
Yen pub 'nel cascyn llase; et yen amdenteir, couándo vergouens-ti il souafs!
A pub on every corner, and one in between when the thirst is on
Dechont que yen teoutha san-z-en lenghedech foreth yen teoutha san-z-en corth; mays, docouant que sisura il nusteor corz?
They say that a people without a language is a people without a heart; but how long til our heart stops?
Si meys ce cats are leck denew, doponuram-als ce chatte doy meus solyes; e ne crezas ke nem fam!
If that cat pisses on the bed again, I’ll put it to the boot; and don’t think I won’t!
Meyont ys n’ ystoùfe solamènt ar sentant ys lê savoer.
They piss in the soup just find out what it tastes like.
Dedas il Dews lê cante; rezont y chonlangeor lê mezissif.
God gave language; conlangers give it back.
Siner lê brocke amb li billen.
To stretch the badger around the tree - to tell tall tales, or stretch the truth a little.
Tilitler lê mbrocke cun y zeytinnes.
To tickle the badger with your toes - to get the wrong idea about something.
in samotems, poni-ty le mment al nduvotems.
In Summer, put thy thoughts towards Winter; that is, in good times, keep the hard times in mind.
in Mays yn moroken comedh' peryn mmabh facher.
Eat a dogfish in May to make a boy.
il stans le San Agnes ys at il stans il plu bhoun le Kernow.
Saint Agnes tin is the best tin in Kernow. (The phrase ‘stans le San Agnes’ is applied to anything of high quality.)
ay kes? ao o nay mech? si ay kes, feri kes;
si nay kes mech, feris que la ys!
Is there cheese? is there or not? if there is cheese, bring cheese;
if there is no cheese, bring whatever the is!
in nawn le prims, bes e ‘mbrach;
in nawn le cerch, futur e lugh;
in nawn le ters, doferret aferret;
in nawn le cuart, do li y chornes ke l’omen aci ys ferret!
In the first year, kiss and hug;
In the second, lay and lug;
In the third year, taking and bringing;
In the fourth year, curse him who brought that man here!
parli, mays ben parli; e parlar bech at il plu bhoun.
Speak, but speak well; & to speak little is the best.
wardi-ty la ndeu mbrach ngarrue,
y theu or e hargent;
in ndun Londrews y latren y whent;
y mhatrunilli promhonens,
henny cascun mhalets;
wardi-ty le ndeu ngalets!
Watch thy laden britches,
and thy gold and silver;
in London town the thieves they go;
the whores go about,
in every filthy hole;
take care thy pecker!
il tenós mathin la ngwerm ys raph; mays il luchets le secund le nges ys comedh.
The early bird gets the worm; but the second mouse eats the cheese.
dol nommen ay trew ys dev carer: le seu ncan, le seu ndeue, la seva ngwenne.
Three things a man should love: his hound, his god, his wife.
ystranad que nouvelles Armorow / Strange as news from Armorica.
arfacont y h-inchoel l' asylum / The inmates run the asylum.
No lo fagas nez ny bysnes lor druwez / Meddle not in the affairs of druids.
En dawes pensa anteir pharlar, au demordrews la ntongete / Think twice before talking, or you'll wish you'd bite your tongue off.
Azy h-arzeor et-z-y outleor!
To the higher and farther! [Warcry of the Fourth Air Legion, Sorbadunon]
From an old translation relay game, here is the originally Teonaht text called "Verimak", "Never Hereafter":
Nunck Depossci
i.
Lê caleore la sulle ne depossci temas outh,
ne ‘l eduw la h-ira le Duvotemp,
ais ty cofathes lâ deva oficinne mortal,
ais ty adomethyw-te,
ais ty attrayes lê tew salte.
Cuomo y vappes et vreyves d' or,
cuomo y vunneores y vockes,
cuomo y dhammes le magh,
cuomo y nación la bethisèz:
donday que poneor oll in graouinne.
ii.
Lê desplacer y vaculles ne depossci temas outh,
ystas-ty ilalla des la cruzeltatte y rheges amath;
ne dongenas pass ce carón et vestementes;
soer te, biont thot o phetra o h-ackona.
Seckeor oll le cist mezissif:
donday que poneor oll in graouinne.
iii.
Lê claze le Lucket ne depossci temas outh,
ney thempennes temeverement le Taranne.
Ne temas outh des llandeores l' amath,
oy whoudneores le contemte.
Ais ty complès cun lê tew reder et ‘l lacremar.
Persecuteores, charoes, charenz:
acazeor oll, tamben:
donday sempeor que poneor oll in graouinne.
*****
Never Hereafter
i.
Fear not hereafter the heat of the Sun,
neither the ardour of Winter's wrath,
thou have done with thy mortal office,
thou have gone home,
thou have taken thy wage.
Like the golden lads and lasses,
like the poor chimney sweep,
like the beast in the field,
like the nations of the world:
they will all be made dust.
ii.
Fear not hereafter the displeasure of lords,
thou stands beyond the cruelty of evil kings;
think not on meat and clothing;
for thee, they are rock or stone.
All must seek this same thing:
they will all be made dust.
iii.
Fear not hereafter the Sword of Lucket*,
neither the fearsome drums of Taran*.
Fear not the slanders of evil,
nor the wounds of contempt.
Thou have finished with crying and laughing.
Suitors, belovèd, lovers:
all must even fall to this:
they ever will all be made dust.
* The "Sword of Lucket" is lightning; the "Drums of Taran" are thunder.
Two old Kemrese texts.
La Newes l' Ayre. -- ‘Ny miz samotempeor sezevont y vineg le Sang Dreuand en l' echluys, sezement po is sew deliberacièn. Et couant condfablavont, gouezont ys yan newe trâsnafigant l' ayre soer y sew phednes. Couant gouezont y h-ommen la newe y vinegges po is sew deliberacièn; l' ancheor ys iazeisont. Et cazus l' ancheor do miz parcouet l' echluys; ound coenrapuont-el y vineg l' ancheor. Gouenis ce yen om desal nagouea, ninathament trâs l' ayre coueomo sis foryas l' acoua. Couant nitraiyuont-el ce l' omen, doandfasot-lis: "Per amur le Dé! -- esliberaz- me; per que vez ‘us me sumergeont!" Saldis-els l' om y vinegges syrprednes et-z-y sew deliberacièn, trâsennathament ‘nal ayre. Bouasot il chapetíns et doentraiyuont-el l' ancheor; et desnauasont desal echluys.
The Airship -- At midsummer the monks of St. Rewan were sitting in the church sitting at their deliberations. And while they were talking, they saw a ship sailing across the sky above their heads. And when the men on the ship saw the monks at their deliberations, they cast the anchor down. And the anchor fell to the middle of the mosaicked floor of the church, where the monks grasped the anchor. There came a man swimming down through the air as if it were water. When the monks drew him down, he said to them: "For the love of God! -- free me; for ye are drownding me!" He left them surprised, the monks, and their deliberations swimming up through the air. The captain hollered and the anchor was haled in, and they sailed away from the church.
*
L' Ycheor le Prefdeor. -- Moris sa l' ycheor le prefdeor le Sang Paulon, et goueniont y chladnes per a ferrer-la li sew puidet. Mays, ne puhoeiont pass en vortraiyer-la; ni yen, ni ouygaint. Po fin, rhuasont ys dis yen yscolar que devont faieir. Compenses ac consideres, et po fin lis fasot-lis: "Ferrez-me la daw ycheor le dew preofdeor. Ferruront-la li sew puidet." Dondoliasot-els, et comruasont: "Cuomoz biat ce hos?, puhoeionte ferrer-al la daw ycheor le dew preofdeor li sew puidet." Dipos goueniont la daw ycheor le dew preofdeor, lê Dafez Sant et lâ Sanc Breonton; et dotuliont-al l' ycheor le prefdeor le Sang Paulon li sew puidet. Fasot-lis l' yscolars: "N' ay pick ce yan causa di maraigoueleir, a theuta! -- per que biat hos ce: coenferronte-la la daw deyavoueilles la yan deyavouille li sew puidet."
The Priest's Wife. -- The wife of the priest of St. Pol's died; and the mob came out to bear her to her rest. But they couldn't shift her - not one, not twenty. At last, they asked this scholar what they should do. He thought and considered and at last said to them: "Bring me two priests wives. They shall bear her to her rest." They were amazed, and asked one another: "How is this!? That two women can bear the priests wife to her rest?" Afterwards, there came two priests wives, from St. Davids and from St. Brigantias; and they bore up the wife of the priest of St. Pol's to her rest. The scholar said: "There's no cause for wonderment! For it is thus: two devils carry the one devil to her rest."
A modern song, based on an old rhyme.
A charcat dhuv en dhuv; a charcat dhuv!
tens ty cholles le laine le laine; tens ty laine?
A vaysteor, vaysteor dhack; a vaysteoran,
trew sackes y vowghes traw; di laine llen.
Yen per li don li don; ce vowgga 'ci;
Yen per li dam li dam; il sackis 'ca;
Yen per li map li map; il l' ystrathe!
Ch:
A charcat dhuv en dhuv; a charcat dhuv!
A cant commeck-commeck; a charcat dhuv!
*
O little lamb, so black so black, o little lamb!
have you any wool, some wool, have you any wool?
O master, master good, o master dear,
three sacks, three sacks I have, all full of wool.
One for the lord, the lord, this sackfull here;
One for the lady, the lady, that sackfull there;
One for the lad, the lad, the lad in the street!
O little lamb, so black so black, o little lamb!
O sing with with me, with me, o little lamb!
That's y Vorriseor Yowenck's moderny take on the old nursery rhyme. They're a fuzió group that likes to take old material like this nursery rhyme and make new songs from it. While they're more known for fusing British and Cajun musics; they have at times turned their attentions to the truly weird.
Il Cats (Pedr ap Iwein).
A Chat! Que pens tis, nextament il tew codès?
Nisauz il Breasils*; sez ys soer el glavieres.
Youwes lê glavierys? Neuy rhen tang basès!
Nilegouanz lê peden le fierys; rhoadnons et disauz de newès.
*
The Cat.
O Cat! What are you thinking, your tail twitching?
Brasil leaps up! Sits himself on the piano.
Does he play the piano? Nothing so common!
He lifts his proud head and purrs and leaps down again.
*Brasil is ap Iwein's cat's name.
Most church prayers used in the Province are in Latin. Though Latin is still found in many churches of Kemr, Brithenig is by far the usual language of the British Rite. The usual Gospel texts are taken from the Gospel Book of St. Teliam, an eighth century Gospel book of the Celtic Church norm.
Paternoster (Latin original)
Pater noster quies incaelis sanctificeter nomentuum et ueniet regnum tuum fiat uoluntas tua sicut incaelo et interra panem nostrum cotidianum danobis odie et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos demittimus debitoribus nostris et ne nos inducas intemptemtationem sedlibera nos amalo.
Paternoster (Kerno translation)
a Phazeoir Nusteor que bias 'n y ceues; foreth noef il tew nom; gouenyes il tew camouil; foreth fès la teva gouoluntáts en lâ derra cuomo 'ny ceues; danos-el osdia le nusteor panèn cuotidièn; dimeti y nusteor dheuz cuomo dimitemus ai nusteor dheutoeres; et ne nus attrayer rhen al tentación, mays eliveránus des val.
Paternoster (Brithenig translation)
Nustr Padr, ke sia i llo chel, sia senghid tew nôn, gwein tew rheon, sia ffaeth tew wolont, syrs lla der sig i llo chel. Dun nustr pan diwrnal a nu h-eidd; e pharddun llo nustr phechad a nu, si nu pharddunan llo nustr phechad. E salw nu di'll temp di drial, mai llifr nu di'll mal. Per ill rheon, ill cofaeth e lla leir es ill tew, per segl e segl. Amen.
Ever have a hernia repaired? Chances are pretty good your surgeon dictated your operation something like the following:
" Facteor yen incisièn mezialment soer l' ernea conen llama le Nr. 10 & continuateor la dissectacièn per l' electrocauterea enposès ar 20'.
Palpateor manualment cois dheyttes l' ernea & identificateor l' oumbelecca &-z-el sacke l' ernea per côstumrea tradicional.
Arensolenteor lê sacke l' ernea cois vorceppes Trametheck, engouenteor yen defaute di 1/16" & ligateor con zereca le Nr. 0.
Resectateor lê sacke l' ernea cois vorveckes Metzenbaum & dometeor a la Pathologea per côstumrea tradicional.
Doponeor yen siste al desancouer per lâ mBovie & côensoutueor y thissues lamena per en lamena cos Vicryl le Nr. 000; facteor y sutureor le dew.
Côensutueor lê nderme cos Viscerán le catte le Nr. 0000 per en technicke enterruoetu; facteor y soutureor le oeck.
Feaieor curoes lê ngouelneor cos tintura benzoini, stericinttes, 2x2 & Entegraderm per côstumrea tradicional; & domandateor il pacient do li sectièn di postciurgeoirea. "
One of the greatest literary giants of all time in any British country was Trammelpila (or Shaxepeare, as he was known in England). He wrote many now famous plays based on the royals of his native Kemr, England, Scotland and the great folk of antiquity. Surely one of the most famous soliloquies in all literature is:
Ysser, n' ysser point: cella la pregeoind:
o percue ast nob'ler 'n el beden il soulavrar
y sayttes et-z-ils avennes la Fortuna enfameós,
o contr 'y acoues engouexent l' azs-armar,
et-z-en dond-poner-lis yen fins supoer agrós?
Morir: dormir: n' mays pass; ...
[Hamlet, III.1.56]
Couant trassalis l' Ystefand trasper y vroyes,
llen la nertièn, llen la regracellès;
n' yscouta foel ar vrente lâ buckow
ne glazs point dol manow;
mer h-en yecken dol beden
ag h-en moz aris laven;
con cistes, feris-els e nicouenis-els y enemickes le Domnós.
When trod St. Steven across the lands,
full of power, full of grace;
no shield before his face
no sword in his hands;
just a fire in his head
and a word on his lips;
with these he struck and conquered them, the enemies of the Lord.
Lastly, while not in Kerno proper, the Legal Latin used in the country for many texts is of some interest here. Legal Latin is a kind of Vulgar Latin that ceased evolving in the 7th and 8th centuries. It forms the basis of British legalese, and indeed legal documents are still often written in this language. This is quite different than the high Church Latin (more or less, Classical Latin) and the Romanis spoken by Britons in the early middle ages. Following is a sample of a birth certificate.
::per le utilitate luor necessitantum, extendo ocs illes presentes triginta die Equo mmij apud civitatem Iscam Dunoro in Prouincia Duneno::
Triginta die Equo camulo Dunnoro apud Isca Dunoro maiore Marco Iowanes rege Gerontio xiij imperatore Constantino xj Bizantio, anno domino mmij anno auc mmdcclv; facetor oc:
Apud Iscam Dunoro in oc die, uenitor apud me Theodosio derwido oc omo, __Alexander Iulius-Cesar Dawies__, conductor, apud Iscam uiuens et oc faxit gnotum:
Et oc affirmot ille quid apud Iscam uiginta et tertio die Equo nonas horas ante meridianas peperciter filio mapono, tertiogenito, quis est filio mapono de matre Maria Antonia Dawies- Vasquez, desecuentimongeir, apud Iscam uiuens & de patro Alexander Iulius-Cesar Dawies, conductor, apud Iscam uiuens;
et fuit natiuitas in __domullo No. vij Ystrada Constantino in “Via Regum”__, domus de matre et patreque;
et, mici atetulit patris documento de illa obstetrice quid affirmot: natiuitas facile agitor et peperciter filio mapono de forma normale et umbilico transfixo; Elizabeth MacInnis obstetrico.
Apud Iscam, testifacio __Alexander Iulius-Cesar Dawies__; __Marco Pendrosa__; __Caratacos Gaius Pendsantos__. Oc copia est fidele originale in Libro __4__, folia __72__, actum no. __1766__. Oc copia fuit enscripta per __Julia Farario__ ante mici presente.
__Theodosios derwidos__
For convenience of whoever might have need, the Present is extended the thirtieth day of Equo at the City of Isca of the Dumnonii in the Province of Dûnein.
On the thirtieth day of Equo, in the subkingdom of Dunnow at Isca of the Dumnonii, Marcus Jones being Mayor, Gereint XIII being King under Constantine XI at Byzantium, in the year of our lord 2002, being the 2760th of the City, the following was enacted:
At Isca of the Dumnonii in this day, there came to me, priest Theodosius, a man, Alexander Julius Caesar Davies, a trolly driver, living at Esca and he made the following known:
He affirmed that at Isca on the 23rd day of Equo at nine in the morning there was born a male child, third born, who is the son of the mother Maria Antonia Davies-Vasquez, a second hand shop owner, living at Esca and son of the father Alexander Julius-Caesar Davies, a trolly driver, living at Esca;
and the birth was at a house, no. 7 Constantine Street in Via Regnum, the house of the mother and father;
and the father gave me a document from the midwife which affirms: the birth was simply done and there was born a male child of normal form and the cord was severed; Elizabeth MacInnis, midwife.
SIGNED: Alexander Julius-Caesar Davies; Marcus Pendrosa; Caratacus Gaius Pendsantos. This is a faithful copy of the original in Book 4, Page 72, Act. No. 1766. This copy was transcribed by Julia Farario, me being present: Theodosius, priest.
