TRA LA MIROR
La casa mirorida · La jardin de flores vivente · Insetos mirorida · Rococin e Rococon · Lana e acua · Ovaluna · Leon e Unicorno · “Me mesma ia inventa lo” · Un vespa perucida · Rea Alisia · Luta · Muta · Ci ia fa la sonia

Capitol 6: Ovaluna

Chapter VI. HUMPTY DUMPTY.

An tal, la ovo deveni mera sempre plu grande, e sempre plu umana: cuando Alisia veni a alga metres de lo, el vide ce lo ave oios e un nas e un boca; e cuando el veni prosima a lo, el vide clar ce lo es OVALUNA mesma. “Lo pote es no otra person!” el dise a se. “Me es tan serta sur esta como si sua nom ta es grande scriveda sur sua fas.”

However, the egg only got larger and larger, and more and more human: when she had come within a few yards of it, she saw that it had eyes and a nose and mouth; and when she had come close to it, she saw clearly that it was HUMPTY DUMPTY himself. “It can’t be anybody else!” she said to herself. “I’m as certain of it, as if his name were written all over his face.”

On ta pote scrive lo a sento veses, fasil, sur acel fas enorme. Ovaluna senta con sua gamas crusada, como un turces, sur la culmina de un mur alta—un mur tan streta ce Alisia es multe stonada ce Ovaluna pote reteni sua ecuilibra—e, car sua oios es constante fisada a la dirije oposada, intera iniorante el, Alisia pensa ce el es ultima un figur de pelux, sin duta.

It might have been written a hundred times, easily, on that enormous face. Humpty Dumpty was sitting with his legs crossed, like a Turk, on the top of a high wall—such a narrow one that Alice quite wondered how he could keep his balance—and, as his eyes were steadily fixed in the opposite direction, and he didn’t take the least notice of her, she thought he must be a stuffed figure after all.

“E el sembla tan esata un ovo!” el dise a vose, stante con sua manos preparada per catura el, car el espeta a cada momento ce el va cade.

“And how exactly like an egg he is!” she said aloud, standing with her hands ready to catch him, for she was every moment expecting him to fall.

“Lo es multe provocante,” Ovaluna dise pos un silentia longa, regardante a via de Alisia cuando el parla, “ce on nomi me un ovo—multe!”

“It’s very provoking,” Humpty Dumpty said after a long silence, looking away from Alice as he spoke, “to be called an egg—very!”

“Me ia dise ce tu sembla un ovo, senior,” Alisia esplica jentil. “E alga ovos es multe bela, tu sabe,” el ajunta, esperante cambia sua comenta a un spesie de loda.

“I said you looked like an egg, Sir,” Alice gently explained. “And some eggs are very pretty, you know,” she added, hoping to turn her remark into a sort of a compliment.

“Alga persones,” Ovaluna dise, regardante a via de el como usual, “comprende no plu ca un bebe!”

“Some people,” said Humpty Dumpty, looking away from her as usual, “have no more sense than a baby!”

Alisia no sabe como el debe responde a esta: la situa es tota no simil a un conversa, el pensa, car el parla nunca a el; en fato, sua comenta la plu resente es evidente dirijeda a un arbor—donce el sta e repete cuieta a se un poesia per enfantes:

Alice didn’t know what to say to this: it wasn’t at all like conversation, she thought, as he never said anything to her; in fact, his last remark was evidently addressed to a tree—so she stood and softly repeated to herself:—

Ovaluna senta a mur:
Ovaluna cade de sur.
Tota cavalos e omes reial
No susede repone Ovaluna an tal.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall:
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty in his place again.

“Acel linia final es multe tro longa per la poesia,” el ajunta, cuasi a vose, oblidante ce Ovaluna va oia el.

“That last line is much too long for the poetry,” she added, almost out loud, forgetting that Humpty Dumpty would hear her.

“No sta parlante a tu en acel modo,” Ovaluna dise, regardante el a la ves prima, “ma dise a me tua nom e tua intende.”

“Don’t stand there chattering to yourself like that,” Humpty Dumpty said, looking at her for the first time, “but tell me your name and your business.”

“Me nom es Alisia, ma—”

“My name is Alice, but—”

“Lo es un nom sufisinte stupida!” Ovaluna interompe nonpasiente. “Cua lo sinifia?”

“It’s a stupid enough name!” Humpty Dumpty interrupted impatiently. “What does it mean?”

“Esce un nom debe sinifi alga cosa?” Alisia demanda dutosa.

“Must a name mean something?” Alice asked doubtfully.

“Natural, lo debe,” Ovaluna dise con rie corta: “Mea nom sinifia la forma cual me ave—e acel es ance un forma bon e bela. Con un tal nom como la tua, tu ta pote ave cualce forma, cuasi.”

“Of course it must,” Humpty Dumpty said with a short laugh: “My name means the shape I am—and a good handsome shape it is, too. With a name like yours, you might be any shape, almost.”

“Perce tu senta asi a estra, tota solitar?” Alisia dise, no desirante comensa un disputa.

“Why do you sit out here all alone?” said Alice, not wishing to begin an argument.

“Ma simple car nun acompania me!” Ovaluna esclama. “Esce tu ia crede ce me no sabe la responde a acel? Fa un otra demanda.”

“Why, because there’s nobody with me!” cried Humpty Dumpty. “Did you think I didn’t know the answer to that? Ask another.”

“Esce tu no crede ce tu ta es plu secur sur la tera?” Alisia continua, no per intende fa un rompetesta nova, ma simple en sua ansia amin per la creada strana. “Acel mur es tan multe streta!”

“Don’t you think you’d be safer down on the ground?” Alice went on, not with any idea of making another riddle, but simply in her good-natured anxiety for the queer creature. “That wall is so very narrow!”

“Tua rompetestas es tan estrema fasil!” Ovaluna esclama roncante. “Natural, me no crede tal! Vera, si me ta cade de sur la mur—e acel es intera nonprobable—ma si me ta cade—” Asi el rondi sua labios e aspeta tan seria e grandiosa ce Alisia pote apena evita rie. “Si me ta cade,” el continua, “la Re ia promete a me—a! ma pali si tu vole! Tu no ia suspeta ce me va dise acel, no? La Re ia promete a me—con sua propre boca mesma—ce—ce—”

“What tremendously easy riddles you ask!” Humpty Dumpty growled out. “Of course I don’t think so! Why, if ever I did fall off—which there’s no chance of—but if I did—” Here he pursed up his lips and looked so solemn and grand that Alice could hardly help laughing. “If I did fall,” he went on, “the King has promised me—ah, you may turn pale, if you like! You didn’t think I was going to say that, did you? The King has promised me—with his very own mouth—to—to—”

“Ce el va envia tota cavalos e omes reial,” Alisia interompe, alga nonsaja.

“To send all his horses and all his men,” Alice interrupted, rather unwisely.

“Ma me declara un scandal!” Ovaluna esclama, deveninte subita pasionida. “Tu ia escuta a portes—e de pos arbores—e tra ximines—car si no, tu no ta sabe acel!”

“Now I declare that’s too bad!” Humpty Dumpty cried, breaking into a sudden passion. “You’ve been listening at doors—and behind trees—and down chimneys—or you couldn’t have known it!”

“Tota no, vera!” Alisia dise multe jentil. “Lo es en un libro.”

“I haven’t, indeed!” Alice said very gently. “It’s in a book.”

“A! vide! Me permete ce tal cosas es scriveda en un libro,” Ovaluna dise en un tono plu calma. “On nomi acel un Istoria de la Mundo, serta. Aora, regarda bon me! Me es un tal ci ia parla a un Re, tu comprende: cisa tu va vide nunca un otra tal: e per mostra a tu ce me no es orgulosa, me permete un presa de manos con me!” E el surie cuasi de un orea a la otra en cuando el apoia a ante (e, en move, evita tan apena como posible cade de sur la mur) e presenta sua mano a Alisia. Alisia oserva alga ansiosa el en cuando el aseta lo. “Si el ta surie an pico plu, la lados de sua boca ta encontra se a la retro,” el pensa: “e alora me no sabe cua ta aveni a sua testa! Me teme ce lo ta fende!”

“Ah, well! They may write such things in a book,” Humpty Dumpty said in a calmer tone. “That’s what you call a History of England, that is. Now, take a good look at me! I’m one that has spoken to a King, _I_ am: mayhap you’ll never see such another: and to show you I’m not proud, you may shake hands with me!” And he grinned almost from ear to ear, as he leant forwards (and as nearly as possible fell off the wall in doing so) and offered Alice his hand. She watched him a little anxiously as she took it. “If he smiled much more, the ends of his mouth might meet behind,” she thought: “and then I don’t know what would happen to his head! I’m afraid it would come off!”

“Si, tota cavalos e omes reial,” Ovaluna continua. “Los ta sta me denova en un minuto, los! An tal, esta conversa avansa alga tro rapida: ta ce nos revade a la comenta ante la plu resente.”

“Yes, all his horses and all his men,” Humpty Dumpty went on. “They’d pick me up again in a minute, they would! However, this conversation is going on a little too fast: let’s go back to the last remark but one.”

“Me regrete ce me no pote recorda bon lo,” Alisia dise multe jentil.

“I’m afraid I can’t quite remember it,” Alice said very politely.

“En acel caso, nos recomensa,” Ovaluna dise, “e nos es a mea turno de eleje la tema—” (“El refere a lo esata como si lo ta es un jua!” Alisia pensa.) “Donce me fa aora un demanda a tu. Tu ia dise ce tu ave cuanto anios?”

“In that case we start fresh,” said Humpty Dumpty, “and it’s my turn to choose a subject—” (“He talks about it just as if it was a game!” thought Alice.) “So here’s a question for you. How old did you say you were?”

Alisia fa un calcula corta, e dise: “Sete anios e ses menses.”

Alice made a short calculation, and said “Seven years and six months.”

“Falsa!” Ovaluna esclama en vinse. “Tu ia dise nunca un tal parola!”

“Wrong!” Humpty Dumpty exclaimed triumphantly. “You never said a word like it!”

“Me ia crede ce tu intende ‘Cuanto anios tu ave?’” Alisia esplica.

“I thought you meant ‘How old are you?’” Alice explained.

“Si me ia ta intende acel, me ia ta dise lo,” Ovaluna dise.

“If I’d meant that, I’d have said it,” said Humpty Dumpty.

Alisia no desira comensa un disputa nova, donce el dise no cosa.

Alice didn’t want to begin another argument, so she said nothing.

“Sete anios e ses menses!” Ovaluna repete pensosa. “Un eda de un spesie noncomfortosa. Ma si tu ia ta demanda mea consela, me ia ta dise ‘Sesa ja a sete anios’—ma lo es aora tro tarda.”

“Seven years and six months!” Humpty Dumpty repeated thoughtfully. “An uncomfortable sort of age. Now if you’d asked my advice, I’d have said ‘Leave off at seven’—but it’s too late now.”

“Me demanda nunca conselas sur la crese,” Alisia dise ofendeda.

“I never ask advice about growing,” Alice said indignantly.

“Tro orgulosa?” la otra demanda.

“Too proud?” the other inquired.

Alisia senti an plu ofendeda a esta sujesta. “Me vole dise,” el responde, “ce un person no pote evita deveni plu vea.”

Alice felt even more indignant at this suggestion. “I mean,” she said, “that one can’t help growing older.”

“Cisa un person no pote,” Ovaluna dise, “ma du pote. Con aida conveninte, tu ia ta pote sesa ja a sete anios.”

“One can’t, perhaps,” said Humpty Dumpty, “but two can. With proper assistance, you might have left off at seven.”

“Tu porta un sintur tan bela!” Alisia comenta subita.

“What a beautiful belt you’ve got on!” Alice suddenly remarked.

(Los ia parla ja plu ca sufisinte sur la tema de eda, el pensa: e si vera los debe fa turnos de eleje temas, la turno es aora de el.) “A la min,” el coreti se, pos repensa, “un cravata, me debe dise—no, un sintur, me vole dise—pardona me!” el ajunta angusada, car Ovaluna aspeta intera ofendeda, e el comensa desira ce el no ia eleje acel tema. “Si sola me ta sabe,” el pensa a se, “cual parte es la colo e cual es la taie!”

(They had had quite enough of the subject of age, she thought: and if they really were to take turns in choosing subjects, it was her turn now.) “At least,” she corrected herself on second thoughts, “a beautiful cravat, I should have said—no, a belt, I mean—I beg your pardon!” she added in dismay, for Humpty Dumpty looked thoroughly offended, and she began to wish she hadn’t chosen that subject. “If I only knew,” she thought to herself, “which was neck and which was waist!”

Ovaluna es evidente multe coler, an si el dise no cosa tra un minuto o du. Cuando el parla denova, lo es en un ronca profonda.

Evidently Humpty Dumpty was very angry, though he said nothing for a minute or two. When he did speak again, it was in a deep growl.

“Lo es un cosa—la—plu—provocante,” el dise final, “cuando persones no pote distingui un cravata e un sintur!”

“It is a—most—provoking—thing,” he said at last, “when a person doesn’t know a cravat from a belt!”

“Serta, me es multe noninstruida sur lo,” Alisia dise, en un tono tan umil ce Ovaluna sede.

“I know it’s very ignorant of me,” Alice said, in so humble a tone that Humpty Dumpty relented.

“Lo es un cravata, enfante, e un bela, como tu dise. Lo es un donada de la Re e Rea Blanca. Vide!”

“It’s a cravat, child, and a beautiful one, as you say. It’s a present from the White King and Queen. There now!”

“Vera?” Alisia dise, multe felis de trova ce el ia eleje un bon tema, an con tota.

“Is it really?” said Alice, quite pleased to find that she had chosen a good subject, after all.

“Los ia dona lo a me,” Ovaluna continua pensosa, en cuando el crusa un jeno con la otra e fisa sua manos sirca lo, “los ia dona lo a me—como un donada de nonaniversario.”

“They gave it me,” Humpty Dumpty continued thoughtfully, as he crossed one knee over the other and clasped his hands round it, “they gave it me—for an un-birthday present.”

“Pardona me, ma—” Alisia dise en un manera confondeda.

“I beg your pardon?” Alice said with a puzzled air.

“Tu no ia ofende,” Ovaluna dise.

“I’m not offended,” said Humpty Dumpty.

“Me vole demanda: cua es un donada de nonaniversario?”

“I mean, what is an un-birthday present?”

“Un donada en un dia cual no es la aniversario, natural.”

“A present given when it isn’t your birthday, of course.”

Alisia considera alga. “Me prefere donadas de aniversario,” el dise final.

Alice considered a little. “I like birthday presents best,” she said at last.

“Tu no comprende sur cua tu parla!” Ovaluna esclama. “Un anio conteni cuanto dias?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” cried Humpty Dumpty. “How many days are there in a year?”

“Tresento-sesdes-sinco,” Alisia dise.

“Three hundred and sixty-five,” said Alice.

“E tu ave cuanto aniversarios?”

“And how many birthdays have you?”

“Un.”

“One.”

“E si on sutrae un de tresento-sesdes-sinco, cua resta?”

“And if you take one from three hundred and sixty-five, what remains?”

“Tresento-sesdes-cuatro, evidente.”

“Three hundred and sixty-four, of course.”

Ovaluna aspeta dutosa. “Me ta prefere vide acel en scrive sur paper,” el dise.

Humpty Dumpty looked doubtful. “I’d rather see that done on paper,” he said.

Alisia no pote evita surie cuando el estrae sua libro de notas e scrive la calcula per el:

Alice couldn’t help smiling as she took out her memorandum-book, and worked the sum for him:

365
1
---
364
---

Ovaluna prende la libro, e regarda atendente lo. “Acel pare coreta fada—” el comensa.

Humpty Dumpty took the book, and looked at it carefully. “That seems to be done right—” he began.

“Tu teni inversada lo!” Alisia interompe.

“You’re holding it upside down!” Alice interrupted.

“Vera, tu no era!” Ovaluna dise joiosa, en cuando el turna lo per el. “Me ia opina ce lo aspeta alga strana. Como me ia es disente, acel pare coreta fada—an si me no ave la tempo per un esamina completa de lo a esta momento—e acel mostra ce on ave tresento-sesdes-cuatro dias en cual on reseta cisa donadas de nonaniversario—”

“To be sure I was!” Humpty Dumpty said gaily, as she turned it round for him. “I thought it looked a little queer. As I was saying, that seems to be done right—though I haven’t time to look it over thoroughly just now—and that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents—”

“Serta,” Alisia dise.

“Certainly,” said Alice.

“E sola un per donadas de aniversario, tu sabe. On ave ala un gloria!”

“And only one for birthday presents, you know. There’s glory for you!”

“Me no sabe cua tu vole dise par ‘gloria’,” Alisia dise.

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘glory,’” Alice said.

Ovaluna surie despetosa. “Natural no—asta cuando me va dise. Me ia vole dise ‘on ave ala un bon esplica convinsente!’”

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. “Of course you don’t—till I tell you. I meant ‘there’s a nice knock-down argument for you!’”

“Ma ‘gloria’ no sinifia ‘un bon esplica convinsente,’” Alisia protesta.

“But ‘glory’ doesn’t mean ‘a nice knock-down argument,’” Alice objected.

“Cuando me usa un parola,” Ovaluna dise en un tono alga egosa, “lo ave esata la sinifia cual me eleje per lo—no plu e no min.”

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

“La demanda es,” Alisia dise, “esce on pote fa ce parolas ave tan multe sinifias diferente.”

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.”

“La demanda es,” Ovaluna dise, “cual de los governa la otra—mera acel.”

“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.”

Alisia es multe tro confondeda per responde an, donce pos un minuto Ovaluna comensa denova. “Los es de mal umor, alga de los–spesial la verbos, los es la plu orgulosas—on pote fa cualce cosa con la ajetivos, ma no la verbos—an tal, me pote maneja la colie intera! Nonpenetrablia! Acel es mea solve!”

Alice was too much puzzled to say anything, so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. “They’ve a temper, some of them—particularly verbs, they’re the proudest—adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs—however, I can manage the whole lot of them! Impenetrability! That’s what I say!”

“Tu ta clari a me, per favore,” Alisia dise, “la sinifia de acel?”

“Would you tell me, please,” said Alice, “what that means?”

“Tu parla aora como un enfante razonante,” Ovaluna dise, con aspeta vera multe plaseda. “Par ‘nonpenetrablia’, me ia vole dise ce nos ia parla ja sufisinte sur acel tema, e ce lo ta es multe bon si tu ta esplica cua tu vole fa aora, car me suposa ce tu no intende resta asi tra la resta de tua vive.”

“Now you talk like a reasonable child,” said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. “I meant by ‘impenetrability’ that we’ve had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you’d mention what you mean to do next, as I suppose you don’t mean to stop here all the rest of your life.”

“Tu fa ce un parola sinifia vera multe,” Alisia dise en un tono pensosa.

“That’s a great deal to make one word mean,” Alice said in a thoughtful tone.

“Cuando me dona un tal taxe grande a un parola,” Ovaluna dise, “me paia sempre plu a lo.”

“When I make a word do a lot of work like that,” said Humpty Dumpty, “I always pay it extra.”

“O!” Alisia dise. El es multe tro confondeda per fa cualce otra responde.

“Oh!” said Alice. She was too much puzzled to make any other remark.

“A! ta ce tu vide sua visitas a me a la notes de saturdi,” Ovaluna continua, seria secutente sua testa de un lado a la otra: “per reseta sua salarios, tu sabe.”

“Ah, you should see ’em come round me of a Saturday night,” Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely from side to side: “for to get their wages, you know.”

(Alisia no osa demanda en cual modo el paia los; e donce, tu vide, me no pote informa tu.)

(Alice didn’t venture to ask what he paid them with; and so you see I can’t tell you.)

“Tu pare multe astuta de esplica parolas, senior,” Alisia dise. “Per favore, tu ta dise a me la sinifia de la poesia nomida ‘Bocragonia’?”

“You seem very clever at explaining words, Sir,” said Alice. “Would you kindly tell me the meaning of the poem called ‘Jabberwocky’?”

“Ta ce me oia lo,” Ovaluna dise. “Me es capas de esplica tota la poesias inventada—e an multe cual ancora nun ia inventa ja.”

“Let’s hear it,” said Humpty Dumpty. “I can explain all the poems that were ever invented—and a good many that haven’t been invented just yet.”

Esta sona multe prometosa, donce Alisia repete la strofe prima:

This sounded very hopeful, so Alice repeated the first verse:

A grelia, tovas angulil
Jiruple en stendelo forna;
La borcos es tan frajeril,
E la ronios gan estorna.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Acel sufisi per comensa,” Ovaluna interompe: “on trova ala multe parolas difisil. ‘Grelia’ sinifia la ora cuatro de la posmedia—la ora cuando on comensa grili per la come de sera.”

“That’s enough to begin with,” Humpty Dumpty interrupted: “there are plenty of hard words there. ‘Brillig’ means four o’clock in the afternoon—the time when you begin broiling things for dinner.”

“Acel conveni multe bon,” Alisia dise: “e ‘angulil’?”

“That’ll do very well,” said Alice: “and ‘slithy’?”

“Bon, ‘angulil’ sinifia ‘ajil e melmosa’—tan melmosa como un angila. Tu vide, esta sembla un paco—on ave du sinifias pacida en un parola.”

“Well, ‘slithy’ means ‘lithe and slimy.’ ‘Lithe’ is the same as ‘active.’ You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.”

“Me comprende aora,” Alisia comenta pensosa: “e cua es ‘tovas’?”

“I see it now,” Alice remarked thoughtfully: “and what are ‘toves’?”

‘Bon, ‘tovas’ es alga simil a texones—los es alga simil a lezardos—e los es alga simil a tiratapos.”

“Well, ‘toves’ are something like badgers—they’re something like lizards—and they’re something like corkscrews.”

“Donce los es bestias de aspeta multe strana.”

“They must be very curious-looking creatures.”

“Los es tal,” Ovaluna dise: “ance, los fa sua nidos su orolojos de sol—ance, los come sola ceso.”

“They are that,” said Humpty Dumpty: “also they make their nests under sun-dials—also they live on cheese.”

“E cua es ‘jiruple’ e ‘forna’?”

“And what’s to ‘gyre’ and to ‘gimble’?”

“Si on es ‘jiruple’, on sirculi sempre como un jiroscopio. Si on ‘forna’, on fora bucos como un turnabroca.”

“To ‘gyre’ is to go round and round like a gyroscope. To ‘gimble’ is to make holes like a gimlet.”

“E un ‘stendelo’ es la erba sirca un orolojo de sol, me suposa?” Alisia dise, surprendeda a sua propre injenia.

“And ‘the wabe’ is the grass-plot round a sun-dial, I suppose?” said Alice, surprised at her own ingenuity.

“Natural. On nomi lo un ‘stendelo’, tu sabe, car lo estende longa ante la orolojo, e estende longa pos lo—’

“Of course it is. It’s called ‘wabe,’ you know, because it goes a long way before it, and a long way behind it—’

“E estende longa ultra lo a cada lado,” Alisia ajunta.

“And a long way beyond it on each side,” Alice added.

“Esata tal. Bon, plu, ‘frajeril’ es ‘frajil e misera’ (on ave ala denova un paco). E un ‘borco’ es un avia magra de aspeta gastada de cual sua plumas protende en tota dirijes—simil a un scopa de franjes, ma vivente.”

“Exactly so. Well, then, ‘mimsy’ is ‘flimsy and miserable’ (there’s another portmanteau for you). And a ‘borogove’ is a thin shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out all round—something like a live mop.”

“E alora ‘ronios gan’?” Alisia dise. “Pardona ce me dona tan multe taxes a tu.”

“And then ‘mome raths’?” said Alice. “I’m afraid I’m giving you a great deal of trouble.”

“Bon, un ‘ronio’ es un spesie de porco verde: ma me no es serta sur ‘gan’. Me crede ce lo es un corti de ‘vagante’—on vole dise ce los ia perde sua via, tu sabe.”

“Well, a ‘rath’ is a sort of green pig: but ‘mome’ I’m not certain about. I think it’s short for ‘from home’—meaning that they’d lost their way, you know.”

“E cua es la sinifia de ‘estorna’?”

“And what does ‘outgrabe’ mean?”

“Bon, un ‘estorna’ es un sona entre un ruji e un sibila, con un spesie de stornui en media: an tal, tu va oia un caso de lo, cisa—ala basa, en la bosce—e pos oia lo a un ves, tu va es intera contente. Ci ia resita acel poesia tan difisil a tu?”

“Well, ‘outgrabing’ is something between bellowing and whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle: however, you’ll hear it done, maybe—down in the wood yonder—and when you’ve once heard it you’ll be quite content. Who’s been repeating all that hard stuff to you?”

“Me ia leje lo en un libro,” Alisia dise. “Ma me ia oia un resita de poesia, multe plu fasil ca acel, par—Rococon, me crede.”

“I read it in a book,” said Alice. “But I had some poetry repeated to me, much easier than that, by—Tweedledee, I think it was.”

“En refere a poesias, tu sabe,” Ovaluna dise, estendente un de sua manos grande, “me es tan capas de resita poesias como otra persones, cuando lo deveni nesesada—”

“As to poetry, you know,” said Humpty Dumpty, stretching out one of his great hands, “I can repeat poetry as well as other folk, if it comes to that—”

“O! ta ce lo no deveni nesesada!” Alisia dise fretosa, esperante preveni ce el comensa.

“Oh, it needn’t come to that!” Alice hastily said, hoping to keep him from beginning.

“La obra cual me va resita,” el continua sin nota sua comenta, “ia es scriveda mera per diverti tu.”

“The piece I’m going to repeat,” he went on without noticing her remark, “was written entirely for your amusement.”

Alisia senti ce, en acel caso, el debe vera escuta lo, donce el senta se e dise alga triste: “Grasias”.

Alice felt that in that case she really ought to listen to it, so she sat down, and said “Thank you” rather sadly.

En campos de inverno blanca,
Me plase tu con esta canta—

In winter, when the fields are white,
I sing this song for your delight—

“An tal, me no canta lo,” el ajunta per esplica.

“Only I don’t sing it,” he added, as an explanation.

“Me vide ce no,” Alisia dise.

“I see you don’t,” said Alice.

“Si tu pote vide esce me canta o no, tua oios es plu agu ca la usuales,” Ovaluna comenta sever. Alisia es silente.

“If you can see whether I’m singing or not, you’ve sharper eyes than most,” Humpty Dumpty remarked severely. Alice was silent.

En verdes de la primavera,
Tu va comprende, me espera.

In spring, when woods are getting green,
I’ll try and tell you what I mean.

“Multe grasias,” Alisia dise.

“Thank you very much,” said Alice.

En dias de estate bela,
La canta furni un revela:

In summer, when the days are long,
Perhaps you’ll understand the song:

E en auton’ la folias brinca;
Tu scrive lo con pen e inca.

In autumn, when the leaves are brown,
Take pen and ink, and write it down.

“Me va scrive lo, si me recorda ancora lo,” Alisia dise.

“I will, if I can remember it so long,” said Alice.

“Tu no nesesa fa ancora tal comentas,” Ovaluna dise: “los no es pratical, e los disturba me.”

“You needn’t go on making remarks like that,” Humpty Dumpty said: “they’re not sensible, and they put me out.”

A l’ pexes me fa un sujesta:
“Mea desir’ es sola esta.”

I sent a message to the fish:
I told them “This is what I wish.”

La pexes peti sur un paje
Responde a acel mesaje.

The little fishes of the sea,
They sent an answer back to me.

La pexes peti de la mar
Responde: “Nos no pote, car—”

The little fishes’ answer was
“We cannot do it, Sir, because—”

“Me regrete ce me no comprende completa,” Alisia dise.

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand,” said Alice.

“Lo va deveni plu fasil a pos,” Ovaluna responde.

“It gets easier further on,” Humpty Dumpty replied.

A los me envia un letera:
“Me vole ce vos obedi mera.”

I sent to them again to say
“It will be better to obey.”

La pexes dise suriente:
“Ma tu es tan nonpasiente!”

The fishes answered with a grin,
“Why, what a temper you are in!”

An pos repete de la cosa,
Los no escuta la proposa.

I told them once, I told them twice:
They would not listen to advice.

Me prende un caldera vasta;
Per lo cual me va fa, lo basta.

I took a kettle large and new,
Fit for the deed I had to do.

Con cor dansante, tan lejera;
Me pone acua en caldera.

My heart went hop, my heart went thump;
I filled the kettle at the pump.

Un mesajor dis’: “En efeto
La pexes peti es en leto.”

Then some one came to me and said,
“The little fishes are in bed.”

A el me dona un labora:
“Tu debe velia los aora.”

I said to him, I said it plain,
“Then you must wake them up again.”

Me dise multe clar l’ idea;
Me cria lo en sua orea.

I said it very loud and clear;
I went and shouted in his ear.

Ovaluna forti sua vose a cuasi un xilia en cuando el resita esta strofe, e Alisia pensa con un trema, “Me no ta vole es la mesajor an per cualce recompensa!”

Humpty Dumpty raised his voice almost to a scream as he repeated this verse, and Alice thought with a shudder, “I wouldn’t have been the messenger for anything!”

Ma el es tan egos’ rijida:
“No cria, me no es stupida!”

But he was very stiff and proud;
He said “You needn’t shout so loud!”

E el es tan rijid’ egosa:
“Me pote sola velia los a—”

And he was very proud and stiff;
He said “I’d go and wake them, if—”

Con tiratapo de l’ caxeta,
Me vad’ per velia los direta.

I took a corkscrew from the shelf:
I went to wake them up myself.

Me trov’ un porte cual impedi,
Me tira, puia, bate, pedi.

And when I found the door was locked,
I pulled and pushed and kicked and knocked.

Me trov’ un porte e me grima,
Me turna la manico, si, ma—

And when I found the door was shut,
I tried to turn the handle, but—

Un pausa longa aveni.

There was a long pause.

“Acel es tota?” Alisia demanda timida.

“Is that all?” Alice timidly asked.

“Acel es tota,” Ovaluna dise. “Adio.”

“That’s all,” said Humpty Dumpty. “Good-bye.”

Esta es alga subita, Alisia pensa: ma, pos un indica tan multe forte ce el debe parti, el senti ce el ta es apena sivil si el ta resta. Donce el sta, e estende sua mano. “Adio, asta nosa revide!” el dise tan joiosa como posible.

This was rather sudden, Alice thought: but, after such a very strong hint that she ought to be going, she felt that it would hardly be civil to stay. So she got up, and held out her hand. “Good-bye, till we meet again!” she said as cheerfully as she could.

“Me no ta reconose tu an si nos ta revide nos,” Ovaluna responde en un tono noncontente, presentante un de sua ditos per la presa de manos; “tu es tan esata simil a otra persones.”

“I shouldn’t know you again if we did meet,” Humpty Dumpty replied in a discontented tone, giving her one of his fingers to shake; “you’re so exactly like other people.”

“On usa la fas per distingui, normal,” Alisia comenta en un tono pensosa.

“The face is what one goes by, generally,” Alice remarked in a thoughtful tone.

“E sur esta me cexa,” Ovaluna. “Tua fas es la mesma como lo de cadun—la du oios, tal—” (el indica sua locas en la aira con sua diton) “la nas en media, la boca a su. Lo es sempre la mesma. Ma si tu ta ave la du oios a la mesma lado de la nas, per esemplo—o la boca super los—acel ta aida alga.”

“That’s just what I complain of,” said Humpty Dumpty. “Your face is the same as everybody has—the two eyes, so—” (marking their places in the air with his thumb) “nose in the middle, mouth under. It’s always the same. Now if you had the two eyes on the same side of the nose, for instance—or the mouth at the top—that would be some help.”

“Lo no ta aspeta bela,” Alisia oposa. Ma Ovaluna fa no plu ca clui sua oios e dise: “No judi ante proba.”

“It wouldn’t look nice,” Alice objected. But Humpty Dumpty only shut his eyes and said “Wait till you’ve tried.”

Alisia espeta tra un minuto per vide esce Ovaluna va parla denova, ma car el abri nunca sua oios o persepi an denova el, el dise “Adio!” a un ves nova, e, pos reseta no responde a esta, el pasea cuieta a via: ma el no pote evita dise a se en cuando el parti, “De tota la persones noncontentinte—” (el repete esta a vose, car un parola tan longa per dise es un consola grande) “de tota la persones noncontentinte ci me ia encontra ja—” El fini nunca la frase, car a esta momento un pum forte secute la foresta de un fini a la otra.

Alice waited a minute to see if he would speak again, but as he never opened his eyes or took any further notice of her, she said “Good-bye!” once more, and, getting no answer to this, she quietly walked away: but she couldn’t help saying to herself as she went, “Of all the unsatisfactory—” (she repeated this aloud, as it was a great comfort to have such a long word to say) “of all the unsatisfactory people I ever met—” She never finished the sentence, for at this moment a heavy crash shook the forest from end to end.