Senjecas - Chapter 7 - The Riddle

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Pronunciation table

peműko
(labial)
riisűko
(dental)
muitűko
(alveolar)
vainűko
(palatal)
ṡ̨uuše̋nos
(vowels with प)
nı̋þo ṡ̨uuše̋nos
(weak vowels)
p
b f v m t d þ ð ɫ l ż s z r n k g x ƣ h ȝ š i e a ɔ o u ĭ ĕ ŭ
म़ ल़ स़ क़ ग़ स्व स्य इ ई
पि पी
ए एै
पे पै
अ आ
प पा
ऒ ॵ
पॊ पॏ
ओ औ
पो पौ
उ ऊ
पु पू
पं पऺ पॅ
/p/ /b/ /ɸ/ /β/ /m̥/ /m/ /t/ /d/ /θ/ /ð/ /l̥/ /l/ /ʦ/ /ʣ/ /s/ /z/ /ɾ̥/ /n/ /k/ /g/ /ç/ /ʝ/ /j̊/ /j/ /sʷ/ /sʲ/ /i/ /e/ /ä/ /ɒ/ /o/ /u/ /ɪ/ /ɛ/ /ʊ/


Glossing abbreviations

1s/p = 1st person singular/plural ABL = ablative suffix COL = collective F = feminine INT = intensive prefix PRV = privative prefix SUP = supine
2s/p = 2nd person singular/plural ABS = absolutive (an unmarked modifying adjective) DES = desiderative FRQ = frequentative LAT = lative suffix PST = past TRZ = transitivizer
3 = 3rd person ADV = adverb DIM = diminutive FUT = future LOC = locative suffix REV = reversive VOC = vocative particle
A(.s/p) = accusative (singular/plural) AG = agent ELIS = elision IMP = imperative M = masculine Q = interrogative particle YNG = young
G(.s/p) = genitive (singular/plural) AP = agent (active) participle ELT = elative INC = inchoative OCC = occupation suffix QUOT = direct quotation
N(.s/p) = nominative (singular/plural) AUG = augmentative EP = epenthesis IND = indicative PP = patient (past) participle RPR = recent perfective
V(.s/p) = vocative (singular/plural) CAUS = causative EQU = equative degree INS = instrument PRF = perfect SBJ = subjunctive


Chapter 7 - The Riddle - sam̃ƣe̋iso सम़्ग़े॓इसो

  • The sun was well up when he awoke.
  • The wound had ceased to throb and was already beginning to close.
  • He felt stronger and, although the effort made him wince in pain, he stood up.
  • Athnor was nowhere in sight.
  • "Athnor!" There was no response.
  • The horses were patiently standing where he had last seen them as he fell asleep last night.
  • He limped to the top of the rise to see if he could spot his brother and met him as he was coming up the other side.
  • "Where have you been?" he asked anxiously.
  • "In that oak grove I told you about. It was the strangest thing.
  • I thought I had heard mother calling but when I entered the grove there was only silence.
  • I stood there bewildered for a moment. Then I heard a hoopoe call from deeper in the grove.
  • I walked farther in until I came to a clearing.
  • There in the center, in the full sunlight he stood and said to me,
  • 'From out the dead there sprouts new birth, Provides death's remedy the earth.'
  • When I asked him what he meant, he spoke again, saying,
  • 'That greatest gift must be consumed, Ere gift most dear may be assumed.' and flew away.
  • I do not understand what it means."
  • "Nor do I," said Nestu, accepting his brothers arm for support to descend the rise.
  • As they headed for the horses and the dying fire, he looked to see the carcass of his foe.
  • What he saw, or rather did not see, stopped him dead in his tracks.
  • "Athnor, look! The wolf! His carcass is gone!"
  • As quickly as his wound would allow, he headed for the site of the struggle, Athnor still at his side.
  • The carcass had indeed disappeared and growing from the area where it had lain, was a plant the twins had never seen before.
  • Lying amidst the plants was the flint tip of the javelin.
  • "'From out the dead,'" cried Athnor. "Could this be death's remedy?" and he pulled up some of the plant.
  • A strong but not disagreeable odor filled the air.
  • Nestu pulled up several bulbs and put them in his wallet.
  • "This is a divine happening, that the carcass should disappear and this plant appear. Our power is strong."
  • "But how will it get us across the water to Sulzi?" asked Athnor.
  • "We cannot just ride the horses into the water in order to follow the tracks."
  • "The answer must be in the second riddle. But what is the greatest gift?
  • Is it a food that it is to be consumed?" And he became lost in thought.
  • The neighing of one of the horses caused Athnor to look at them and suddenly exclaim,
  • "The swift one is a great gift but the traveler warned against eating its flesh.
  • Anyhow, it would take weeks for us to consume even one of them."
  • "You are right!" cried Nestu, "It is the gift from the Sky Father and he alone can consume it, consume it by fire!
  • We will sacrifice one of the horses to him on a pyre.
  • And since I am the eldest, we will sacrifice mine."
  • The twins made a large pyre of oaken branches and led the large red stallion into the midst of it.
  • He stood there motionless without restraint as Athnor fitted an arrow to his bowstring.
  • With one arrow in the breast, he pierced the horse's heart. The great animal sank slowly to the ground as the flames began to leap up around him.
  • The pyre was still ablaze as the sun sank over the water.
  • "Brother, I hope that was the right answer to the hoopoe's riddle," said Athnor as the fire was dying to embers.
  • "I, too, hope it was right. All that we can do now is wait for the Sky Father to answer.
  • I will tend the fire and fix my javelin while you sleep tonight."
  • With the coming of dawn a wind sprang up from off the sea.
  • As Nestu put another branch on the fire he noticed an object floating out on the sea.
  • As the moments passed it came nearer and nearer and he saw that it was a bark.
  • As the bark drew nearer and the sun rose higher he saw that the bark, sail billowing in the wind was red and swan-prowed.
  • As it approached the shore Nestu woke up his brother.
  • "I think the Sky Father has answered us. Bring your mare and we will see where this bark takes us."


Senjecas - Chapter 8 - The Sea Serpent