Tallfellow - Drilsomb Remendi Smalnger

The elders of traditional Tallfellow-speaking communities often tell stories during communal meals, both to entertain and to impart wisdom. Many tales are about a legendary halfling hero named Drilsomb and her three traveling companions, who travel through a fantastic and highly improbable version of the ancestral halfling homeland in what is now the Kingdom of Azalia, to the south of their current home in the Patchwork. In addition to their entertainment value, the characters in Drilsomb tales and the methods they use to solve problems tell us a lot about hobind mores and their traditional way of life.

Drilsomb Remendi Smalnger!

Ho bombwes, etaro, alpar pin wan ma renó gum boln Drilslomb, frono hobind sefromban. Bolnerumb sal wan remendi wirm daru flimbor etaro dombelosumb, smalnger lohon! Eborng lawu sefro bolner brorafumb eborngemiró gwéro, ho bombwes ir ho mosne ropar!

Ingumb Selembumb mo surngung lohotar, barsuner rum mwir ir warel sul rum umbur Drilsomb. Sal rum umbur grohegar ir bomb wumbohar ir, robi nu flimbor hobind lipun dombelosumb. Moweberumb sal de rum fangi ewirundumb erendung. Digowawi, tori wumbo flimbor etaro nru ubelmb rum or esombirumb fitirung roníro. Drombo, tori dundi blesilmbohar nu ereldro lohotar brande wurle. Rawar, Malelm, barsun erma ir fribori lohotar nu nar ebobund ir erelmal le wera, molmbatar ehoblind. Ondawer rum umbur hoblibwa nu egabran lawu alfrawi wurle.

Welerumb els rum bro gwadu ropa ir regi. Ewirund rum wiri mem imo soblu swoló els bren fangi ingéro.

“Ar bren ismendo wonulumb,” Digowawi rum matro. “Li ewirm lipun tabi ar ebrupar, ebomi leto bli wan sarmbe guró etaro!”

“Hobind bren ermamo ewirmumb darurung gwadúro lawu,” Malelm rum ma. “Ar bren sarmbe swobind ri gor malflir.”

“Momewer umbur dalgosri,” Drombo rum ma. “Gwadurumumb im wondlom wan umbur munge wumbohar iro fer ronan. Ar bren flembi holer ismetri.”

“Wur,” Drilsomb rum ma. “Ar flembi gur wurle, alpar welbend gul umbur ewumbund u de wirwem endargin ir, lewamb gul umbur undoni bamb reslen.” Ehengul de rum himbrimo werngung sal ma gwehar, alpar els rum bomba “resen” umbur resmi dadris flimbor Elmbumbi engombon, nung umbur baban samo molmbatar hamblil. “Im fangore holerumb umbur gapwor la.”

Gwéro ehengul rum bomba bobur ewarníro Drilslomb ir etaro rum fangore gwaduró.

Ri de fangi egwating were de rum momito hoblibwarumb ri de ahon, “Gwa! Gwa!” Werngung wesiwir Malelm rum rama, “Gwa! Gwa!” Ir gwéro, iglibwa rum wibambe gupar ri de fangore im ahon, “Gwa! Gwa!”.

“Swar emb rum ma?” Drilsomb rum robro Malelm.

“Pin rum robro els selohar, so ren wan orno ar imo flembi bilfungim ri ar de fangi gwadurumb lerng?” Malelm rum swimbe. “Els rum ma, glan.”

“So emb robro els lawu le, smom ar sufwimo ronanerumb lohonung le?” Drombo rum ma. “Sefe ri de engormbe umbur sefon ombeg.”

Engrémo ewirund rum bro ebon. Glemb ir brimb gul rum umbur eblun rowemb ir befamur.

“Pin wan biwambu ebonum molmbatar sarmemri!” Digowawi rum matro ir, sal rum sombi guró ir rum lobum gur imo bilfen gur hahera. Gwéro sal rum sarmbe gur blunó.

Baban rum mon alfeldo holtro, POSSSSS! “Ho wur, Digowawi!” Drombo rum glato. “Emb wan hora etaro gwadurumb gwehar!”

Ir, ri sal de rum ma gwehar, nambatar befnembi ropa dadris rum wiri rowémbo. Famurleni sul rum flimbor esombir ongra ir mondemi sálo rum umbur esombir wera. Ingerumb sal rum rambi Digowawi ebrupar!

Gupar Drilsomb rum prigle bwarnd blúno ir sarmbe gapworó lirm. Befnembi rum or ir, Drilsomb rum fangore im brobwar holumumb lohotar imo noma fnendwen wumbo ombi.

“Hu, ebwarnd sildo,” Malelm rum ma. “Wonderó ren rum orno ar imo alfmeri bobunder. Ho fangi ropar.” Gwéro sal rum ma befnembiró, “Ar de sildomo alpar ar rum hifurd baginumb leng. So ar morten gur awe le?”

“Wur,” befnembi rum ma. “Emb rum nolo eblarnder pin wondehar pa, smalnger nu samwi gwaduwerumb rum bilfa pin imo bilam etaro nu fangi rugwenumb sulng olar. Pin wan mawu ren wur pa, im bilfen ren sogirmó bliró umbur gapwor gum.”

Gwéro els rum fangi guró befnembirumb pa, Drombo rum reli momalar.

Gromb gwadlu fung, bromwundumb rugwenung dadrisung, fnendwen ropa de rum nar smalngum imo maslo momre sal. “Egelolind rum wiri snosrirumb leng gum, er fahend. Etaro umbur ehobind ir, befnembirum de bilfen els aró gum.”

Smalngum wumbo rum mamblo ri de malwir mond lohon. “Rondle.”

Ridwiri befnembi rum rati Drilsomb, Digowawi ir Malelm broneberumb wumborung roparung gromb ronri. Rawar els rum hengi bromwundó ung umbur mardom wumbemon ung umbur henda, esarmben ir edrol were.

“Hu! Esmigal gwehar!” Digowawi rum ma. Gwéro befnembi rum engi belgohar. “Esmigal were flimbor im bilfen, gwadurumb mubohar ri smalng de endwemon ren. Emb bren rel im borbon momema lipun!”

Gwéro sal rum rati els mardómo olimbó henguló ung umbur esarm selohar ir, weralmban bronumb, rum woma im suti.

“Swar ar bren nar, Drilsomb?” Digowawi rum ma. “Drombo rum reli ir, holerumb umbur ebobund elbwimb u Malelm robro le imo orno ar. Swar ar bren nar?”

“Pin wan mosne,” Drilsomb rum rama.

Engremo pa gropar, ing ung smalng wan hengi imo remendi els rum ronir elwemumb sleng ir, Drilsomb rum morten ungi gwere wur.

“Ar de remendi wondehar! Hu, delmbo gwehar!” smalng rum ma, ri de hengro olimb. Wur, ubelmb sul selohar rum hengro olimb, alpar ehortomb hengul rum umbur muswi gul wur. Urhe sul rum mon delisri ir ehortomb sul rum umbur ropa molmbatar engeglo.

“Embrom,” Drilsomb rum ma. “Ar roblis selohar im fangi gwadurumb leng rimbupar. So emb wan bosram ar wur?”

“Glan,” smalng rum rama. “Pin wan nar gwehar wur. Ri ren umbur elwemumb bling, pin de wirwem imo rondlemo momewer engombe.”

“Pa, gwadurumb umbur ebwarnd nodli were, so glan?” Malelm rum ma. “De fri ar, so emb mawu els wurle?”

“Ho bombwes,” smalng rum rama, “mwiwir bli umbur wodel. Gum pin rum mawu esumbla wermitwil ir, sumblarumb tarorung, pin mawu ebwarnd dolgwes nambatar. Gropar pin rum mawu ehobind elbwimb.”

“Li emb mawu ar wur, pin wan swimbe embó wirmwir delmbo molmban wonrul nu emb rum delnur surngung,” Drilsomb rum ma.

“Emb alfurd pin wurle,” smalng rum rama. “Pin wan mawu momewer ri safri!”

Gwéro pa gropar, ri smalng de rum wirwem im range ren, sriwir rum wiri webelndumb sulng! Drombo rum wiri, ri de brawo droler desri lipun.

“Digowawi! Ho hom sralng i bronebler!” Drilsomb rum ahon ir, gupar, Digowawi rum brawo norasin sefromban imo hom sralng olímbo engombe. Ewirund taro rum rehe olímbo ir broneberumb.

“Ho mawu rondle!” Drombo rum ahon ri de wiri sriwir embegu smalngumb ir gwéro, sal rum fangore im rehe.

“Smom emb rum bro ar?” Malelm rum robro Drombo.

“Egwating rum rati pin broneberó,” Drombo rum swimbe. “Swar ar wan nar gum?”

“Mardomó!” Drilsomb rum ma.

“Swar emb de wirwem?” Digowawi rum robro, ri els de rehe olimbó mardomó.

“Wirwemim,” Drilsomb rum ma.

Werngung els hengro olimb, Digowawi rum woma im bilfen erebon mulbwa imo neri bron. Gupar Drilsomb rum rondlobro rugwin drol sul. Lotúro sal rum bilu bwarnd ir rum wigro gur rugwinó, ri gur de rum warneng imbor mablin rondlesrilil.

“EHOBINDEMI MUNGE GWEHAR! PIN WAN BRAWIR ELWEM GUM!” smalng rum ahon, ri etor sul de alglamb defangore. Digowawi rum alfor erebon ri smalng de rum hom gul i olimbil ebrupar.

Ridwiri Drilsomb de rum driln esarmben libwar ri de brawo mungomb odrof nu Drombo rum bro mardomumb. Barsun rum aldeli samawer imo ruglin.

Smalng rum fangore im hom letohar ingó nung sal sarmbe erebon ir Digowawi olimbumb mardomó rimbupar! Gupar Drilsomb rum biwambu rugwin sul hifuró sralng.

“Gur umbur wirmi,” Drilsomb rum ma.

Smalng rum wiri hars. “Ombileni bli umbur muswi ruglin wur!” Pa, mome rum umbur rondlesri gwehar imo alfor wirm wumbo.

Smalng rum grosaf imbor ir, ubelmb rum rogro imo marfmo gur. Sal rum delnur wirmwir lohar, gwéro eretar ir, engremo sal rum mawu gur engombe.

“Swar umbur deln?” Drilsomb rum robro sal.

Smalng rum wiri simo wumbo ir fahi. “Deln umbur... blesilmbo. Bwarnd rum mon rondle gwehar surngung wore.”

“Pin swimbe momema le,” Drilsomb rum ma. “Pin wan nolo rugliner emb lohotar. Pin bro hengul le dermetar pa, emomema umbur wawindumb bling selohar.”

“Pin bomba wur swar emb rum nar imo wiri edeln delmbo gwehar,” smalng rum ma. “Rom, rom. Pin wan bosram ren.” Gwéro smalng rum bilu rugwin drol Drilslomb ir rum bilfen gur mardomó.

“Wonderó, bwarnd, alpar emb rum ango la smalng,” Malelm rum ma. “Eber ho fangore.”

“So ar bren sneltor rugwin flimbor bwarnd lipun?” Digowawi rum ma.

Gwéro, Drilsomb rum fandar smalng emomema blarnd taro nu sal umbel ir, smalng rum wiri dewimend imo mawu ehobind ebrupar lohar wore. Sal rum nolo edlol libwaril mardómo els lohotar, dlol desrilil nu Drombo rum bro mubohar, imo gelolind hengul wan brawo gur saló lohar wurle. Gwéro els rum ma ho fangore smalngó ir befnembiró, ri Malelm ma gur ebwarndó taroró lawu. Etaro rum bod eberumb imo bro holumrandom browi.

Gur bendo.

Drilsomb Meets a Dragon!

Listen, everyone, for I will now tell you a tale of Drilsomb, the legendary halfling hero. In this tale she will meet the most vicious monster in the world, a dreadful dragon! Even the larks sing this tale to their larklings in the nest, so pay attention and remember it well!

In Zelev times or even before, there lived a woman whose name was Drilsomb. She was very brave and wise, and a chef who surpassed anyone in the world. On her coming-of-age journey she was traveling with three companions: Digowawi, the tallest man of all, who stood seven steps (about 5 feet) high from head to toe; Drombo, a wonderfully short and sneaky man whom even the elves could not detect; and finally, Malelm, an incredibly kind and humble woman who could speak with animals and wild plants as well as she could with people. The four of them were a team of bosom companions that the goblins themselves could not disband.

One day they came to a dark and smelly swamp. The companions had a discussion so as to decide where to go from here.

“We have nothing to fear,” Digowawi declared. “If any monsters try to attack us, my strong hands will hurl them all away!”

“One should act with kindness even toward the savage beasts of the swamp,” Malelm said. “We should not hurl anybody without a reason.”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Drombo said. “It'll be difficult to sneak around in that swamp because of the muddy ground. We should avoid this fearful place.”

“No,” Drilsomb said. “We can't avoid it, because to the west of it humans are preparing to go to war, and to the east of it is a tall cliff over the sea.” The others shuddered as she said so, for they understood that the “sea” was a lake more vast than the entire Patchwork, with water that was salty like tears. “We have no choice but to continue through here.”

So it was that the others saw the wisdom of Drilsomb's words and they all continued into the swamp.

While they were traveling, many ducks gathered around the adventuring party crying, “Quack! Quack!” Having heard this, Malelm replied, “Quack! Quack!” After that, the flock immediately dispersed, still crying “Quack! Quack!”

“What did you say?” Drilsomb asked Malelm.

“I only asked them whether they would help us to avoid danger while we're traveling through their swamp,” Malelm explained. “They said yes.”

“Can you also ask them how to move about quietly in this dreadful mud?” Drombo said. “The sound of squishing is too loud.”

Soon the travelers reached a boulder. To its right and left were deep, wide rivers.

“I will lift that boulder as though it were a pebble!” Digowawi declared, and he walked over to it and seized it, carrying it easily. Then he hurled it into the river.

Water sprayed everywhere, SPLASSSSSH!

“Don't do that, Digowawi!” Drombo whispered. “You'll attract everything in the swamp that way!”

And as he said so, indeed, a huge black crocodile appeared from the deep waters. It was over forty steps long (about 30 feet) and had teeth of two steps (about a foot and a half). Then it tried to bite Digowawi!

Immediately Drilsomb grabbed a fish from the river with both her hands and hurled it into the beast's mouth. The crocodile stopped still, and Drilsomb continued, incredibly, to catch fish right there so as to feed the great hungry lizard.

“Ah, the poor fish,” Malelm said. “It means so much that you have helped us to befriend this creature. Go in peace.” Then she said to the crocodile, “We feel bad that we made such a commotion in your home. Could we work this out together?”

“No,” the crocodile said. “I'm grateful for the fish you've given me, but the dragon who lives in this swamp has commanded me to capture everyone who travels past his lair. I won't eat you, but I must bring you to my master now.”

And so they went away with the crocodile, but Drombo seemed to have disappeared.

Far beneath the swamp, in a vast cave lair, a black lizard was speaking with that dragon so as to inform him of the situation. “Intruders have appeared in your territory, O Master. They are all halflings, and the crocodile is bringing them to us now.”

The great dragon smiled, showing his awful teeth. “Wonderful.” (lit. delicious)

Meanwhile, the crocodile was leading Drilsomb, Digowawi and Malelm through a great dark tunnel beneath the earth. At last they came to a cave in which there was a magnificent treasure hoard of much gold, jewels, and magic items.

“Oh! Such treasures!” Digowawi said. At that, the crocodile laughed coldly. “More treasures than you could carry, especially through a swamp while a dragon is hunting you. You should abandon any plans you might have!”

And so he led them away from the treasure hoard to another room where there were only rocks, and, blocking the exit with his body, went to sleep.

“What should we do, Drilsomb?” Digowawi said. “Drombo has disappeared, and there are no animals here that Malelm could ask to help us. What should we do?”

“I'll think about it,” Drilsomb replied.

And yet, soon enough, the time had arrived for the dragon to come and meet them, and Drilsomb had still not solved the problem.

“A pleasure to meet you! Oh, how fascinating!” (lit. Oh, how good-tasting in a new and interesting way!) the dragon said, entering the room. No, only his head entered the room, for the rest of his body wouldn't fit. His breath smelled revolting and his body was black like tar.

“Hello,” Drilsomb said. “We only wish to pass through your swamp. Will you not release us?”

“Correct,” the dragon answered. “I will not do any such thing. While you are here, I plan to thoroughly enjoy the situation.” (but lit.: While you are on my plate, I am cooking in order to enjoy eating this meal completely.)

“But there are many fish in the swamp that are delicious (in a comfortable and familiar way), aren't there?” Malelm said. “Rather than us, couldn't you eat them?”

“Look,” the dragon replied, “my life is tedious (lit. tasteless). I have lived for (lit. eaten) a thousand years, and every year, I eat that many boring fish. But I have never eaten a single halfling.”

“If you don't eat us, I will show you a new and delicious dish like nothing you have ever tasted before,” Drilsomb said.

“You can't fool me,” the dragon replied. “I will strike while the iron is hot!” (lit. I will eat this meal while it's hot)

But then, as the dragon was preparing to devour them, a flash of light appeared in its face! Drombo appeared, wielding some sort of shining magical item.

“Digowawi! Push the dragon into the tunnel!” Drilsomb shouted, and immediately, Digowawi used his legendary strength to push the dragon out of the room altogether. All the traveling companions ran out of the room and through the tunnel.

“Have a nice day!” (lit. Eat something delicious!) Drombo yelled as he produced another flash of light around the dragon, and then he continued running.

“How did you find us?” Malelm asked Drombo.

“The ducks led me to the tunnel,” Drombo explained. “What are we going to do now?”

“To the treasure hoard!” Drilsomb said.

“What are you planning (lit. cooking)?” Digowawi asked, as they ran toward the treasure room.

“Cookery,” Drilsomb said.

After they had entered the room, Digowawi began to carry nearby boulders so as to block the entrance. Immediately Drilsomb pulled out her magical cooking pot. From her backpack she took a fish and put it into the pot, while it filled itself with delicious-smelling broth.

“SUCH DIFFICULT (lit. crunchy) LITTLE HALFLINGS! NOW I SHALL FINISH THIS! (lit. Now I will clean the plate!)” the dragon shouted, and the sound of its voice drew closer and closer. Digowawi held the boulders still as the dragon tried to push them into the room.

Meanwhile Drilsomb was crushing some gems, using a magical hammer that Drombo had found in the dragon hoard. She sprinkled the powder into the pot.

The dragon kept pushing forcefully until he hurled the boulders and Digowawi clear across the room and into the hoard! Immediately Drilsomb lifted her pot to the dragon's nose.

“It's ready,” Drilsomb said.

The dragon snarled. “My hunger knows no bounds!” (lit. My hunger does not fit in a pot!) But the meal smelled so good that it stopped the great beast in his tracks.

The dragon hesitated, and lowered his head to have a taste of it. He tasted the dish again, then a third time, and soon he had eaten it completely.

“How's it taste?” Drilsomb asked him.

The dragon let out a great, long sigh. “It tastes... delicious. Fish have never tasted this good before.”

“I can show you the recipe,” Drilsomb said. “I'll even give you this cooking pot. I can surely find another, but the recipes are only in my mind (lit. stomach).”

“I don't understand what you did to make the flavors so new and delicious,” the dragon said. “Fine, fine. I'll let you go.” Thereupon the dragon took Drilsomb's magic cooking pot and carried it to the hoard.

“Thank you, fish, for you have saved us from the dragon,” Malelm said. “Farewell.”

“Shouldn't we miss the cooking pot more than some fish?” Digowawi said.

And so, Drilsomb taught the dragon all the fish recipes she knew, and the dragon made a promise never to try to eat halflings again. He even gave them a few magic items from the hoard, notably the shining magic item that Drombo had found, so that another invader wouldn't be able to use it against him again. And so they all said goodbye to the dragon and the crocodile (and Malelm said it to all the fish as well). They all set out on the road to find a new adventure.

The end.

Translation with Gloss

(in progress!)

In the glosses below I use an abbreviation I made up to handle Tallfellow's two gerunds. GER1 refers to the practice gerund (warel brawom), which turns a verb into a noun that describes a general action or practice, e.g. "I hate flying". GER2 refers to the event gerund (warel wirim), which describes a specific instance of an action, as in "I missed my flight".

Drilsomb	remendi	smalng-er
Drilsomb	meet	dragon-PROX

"Drilsomb meets a dragon!"

ho	bombwes	e-taro	alpar	pin	wan	ma	ren-ó	gum	boln	Drils<l>omb	frono	hobind	sefromban
IMP	pay_attention	PL-all	because	1SG	FUT	say	2PL-ALL	now	tale	Drilsomb<GEN>	hero	halfling	legendary

"Listen, everyone, for I will now tell you a tale of Drilsomb, the legendary halfling hero."

boln-er-umb	sal	wan	remendi	wirm	daru	flimbor	e-taro	dombelos-umb	smalng-er	lohon
tale-PROX-LOC	3SG.AN	FUT	meet	monster	vicious	exceed	PL-all	world-LOC	dragon-PROX	dreadful

"In this tale she will meet the most vicious monster in the world, a dreadful dragon!"

e-borng	lawu	sefro	boln-er	broraf-umb	e-borng-emi-ró	gwéro	ho	bombwes	ir	ho	mosne	ropar
PL-lark	also	sing	tale-PROX	plains_nest-LOC	PL-lark-DIM-ALL	thus	IMP	listen	and	IMP	remember	good.ADV

"Even the larks sing this tale to their larklings in the nest, so pay attention and remember it well!"