(o sona e ni → toki ni la kipisi sijelo li lon tenpo lili)
(content warning: temporary amputation)
(toki Inli li tan lipu ni)
(english from here)
· · · soweli Kisa · · ·
Kisa the Cat
· tenpo weka la jan lawa li lon · soweli ona li pimeja li jo e lukin laso li pona mute tawa ona · tenpo ale la jan lawa en soweli li lon poka · jan li tawa la soweli kin li tawa · jan li lon ilo tawa pona ona la soweli kin li lon ona ·
Once upon a time there lived a queen who had a beautiful cat, the colour of smoke, with china-blue eyes, which she was very fond of. The cat was constantly with her, and ran after her wherever she went, and even sat up proudly by her side when she drove out in her fine glass coach.
· tenpo wan la jan lawa li toki e ni → "a · soweli o · lon mi la lon sina li pona a · sina ken musi lon poka pi soweli lili sama · mi ken musi lon poka sina taso" ·
‘Oh, pussy,’ said the queen one day, ‘you are happier than I am! For you have a dear kitten just like yourself, and I have nobody to play with but you.’
· soweli li pana e luka ona lon luka jan · "o weka e pilin ike sina · pilin ike li pona e ala · mi alasa e nasin pona" ·
‘Don’t cry,’ answered the cat, laying her paw on her mistress’s arm. ‘Crying never does any good. I will see what can be done.’
· lon la soweli li alasa · ona tu li kama lon tomo la soweli li tawa ma kasi li toki e wile tawa kon wawa · tenpo poka la jan sin li kama tan jan lawa · lukin la ona li pona sama telo lete sama suno · pilin pi jan lawa li kama pona mute a · jan sin li lukin e soweli e tawa wawa ona · ona li wile ala lape lon poka ala soweli ·
The cat was as good as her word. As soon as she returned from her drive she trotted off to the forest to consult a fairy who dwelt there, and very soon after the queen had a little girl, who seemed made out of snow and sunbeams. The queen was delighted, and soon the baby began to take notice of the kitten as she jumped about the room, and would not go to sleep at all unless the kitten lay curled up beside her.
· tenpo li tawa · jan li awen sin · taso soweli li kama suli · tenpo pimeja ale la jan awen pi jan sin li alasa e soweli li pana e ona lon poki lape pi jan sin · taso tenpo wan la ona li ken ala alasa · jan pali ale li alasa wawa a tan ni → ona li kama jo e ona la jan lawa li pana e pona mute tawa ona · ona li alasa lon poki pi lili mute a · ona li alasa lon monsi lipu a · ona li alasa lon ale a · taso ona li kama ala lukin · soweli li tawa weka · ala li sona e ni → ona li wile ala wile poka sin lon tenpo kama ·
Two or three months went by, and though the baby was still a baby, the kitten was fast becoming a cat, and one evening when, as usual, the nurse came to look for her, to put her in the baby’s cot, she was nowhere to be found. What a hunt there was for that kitten, to be sure! The servants, each anxious to find her, as the queen was certain to reward the lucky man, searched in the most impossible places. Boxes were opened that would hardly have held the kitten’s paw; books were taken from bookshelves, lest the kitten should have got behind them, drawers were pulled out, for perhaps the kitten might have got shut in. But it was all no use. The kitten had plainly run away, and nobody could tell if it would ever choose to come back.
· tenpo mute a li tawa · jan sin li kama sin ala li kama lawa · ona li musi lon ma kasi kepeken sike · pakala la ona li tawa mute e sike la ona li tawa insa kasi · jan li tawa wawa tawa ona li alasa e ona la ona li kute e toki · "jan Inkipe o · jan Inkipe o · sina sona ala e mi anu seme · mi soweli olin sina Kisa" ·
Years passed away, and one day, when the princess was playing ball in the garden, she happened to throw her ball farther than usual, and it fell into a clump of rose-bushes. The princess of course ran after it at once, and she was stooping down to feel if it was hidden in the long grass, when she heard a voice calling her: ‘Ingibjorg! Ingibjorg!’ it said, ‘have you forgotten me? I am Kisa, your sister!’
· jan lawa Inkipe li toki tawa ona · "taso mi olin ala e soweli a" · ona li pilin nasa · ona li sona ala e tenpo weka ni ·
‘But I never HAD a sister,’ answered Ingibjorg, very much puzzled; for she knew nothing of what had taken place so long ago.
· soweli li toki sin · "sina sona ala e tenpo lape pi mi tu anu seme · mi lon ala poka sina la sina mu tan pilin ike · a · jan li sona ala e tenpo pi sin ona sama ala soweli · mi la mi awen sona e poki lape mi · mi lon tomo la mi ken tawa ona" ·
‘Don’t you remember how I always slept in your cot beside you, and how you cried till I came? But girls have no memories at all! Why, I could find my way straight up to that cot this moment, if I was once inside the palace.’
· jan li wile sona e ni → "ni la sina kama weka tan seme" · soweli li wile toki · taso jan pali pi jan lawa li kama li lukin e soweli nasa ni la soweli li tawa kasi li weka ·
‘Why did you go away then?’ asked the princess. But before Kisa could answer, Ingibjorg’s attendants arrived breathless on the scene, and were so horrified at the sight of a strange cat, that Kisa plunged into the bushes and went back to the forest.
· jan li pilin ike mute tan ni · tenpo pimeja la ona li toki e kama tawa mama ona ·
The princess was very much vexed with her ladies-in-waiting for frightening away her old playfellow, and told the queen who came to her room every evening to bid her good-night.
· mama li toki e ni → "toki soweli li lon a · mi wile lukin sin e ona · ken la ona li kama sin lon tenpo ante · ni li kama la o tawa mi e ona" ·
‘Yes, it is quite true what Kisa said,’ answered the queen; ‘I should have liked to see her again. Perhaps, some day, she will return, and then you must bring her to me.’
· tenpo suno kama li seli mute · ni la jan lawa lili li toki e ni → ona li wile musi lon ma kasi · ona li lete tan ni → kasi li len e ma tan suno · jan awen ona li kama lon poka ona · taso ona li awen mute ala li kama lape lon poka telo · ni la jan lili li pilin pona mute li tawa weka · wile ona la ona li lukin e jan lili nasa suwi · taso ike la ni li kama ala · jan ike jaki pi suli mute li kama tan tomo lupa ona li toki e ni → jan lili o tawa lon poka ona · jan lili li pilin monsuta tan suli ona tan jaki ona · ona li wile e ni → tenpo pini la ona li weka ala tan jan awen · taso ona li kute ala e jan suli la ni li pona e ala · ni la ona li kute li tawa lon poka ·
Next morning it was very hot, and the princess declared that she must go and play in the forest, where it was always cool, under the big shady trees. As usual, her attendants let her do anything she pleased, and sitting down on a mossy bank where a little stream tinkled by, soon fell sound asleep. The princess saw with delight that they would pay no heed to her, and wandered on and on, expecting every moment to see some fairies dancing round a ring, or some little brown elves peeping at her from behind a tree. But, alas! she met none of these; instead, a horrible giant came out of his cave and ordered her to follow him. The princess felt much afraid, as he was so big and ugly, and began to be sorry that she had not stayed within reach of help; but as there was no use in disobeying the giant, she walked meekly behind.
· ona li tawa mute a · jan lili li kama wawa ala li kama mu tan pilin ike ·
They went a long way, and Ingibjorg grew very tired, and at length began to cry.
· jan suli li lukin e ona li toki tawa ona · "mu sina li ike tawa mi · taso sina wile mu la mi ken tan e pilin ike sina" · ona li kama jo e ilo kipisi li weka e anpa pi noka tu ona li poki e ona li tawa weka ·
‘I don’t like girls who make horrid noises,’ said the giant, turning round. ‘But if you WANT to cry, I will give you something to cry for.’ And drawing an axe from his belt, he cut off both her feet, which he picked up and put in his pocket. Then he went away.
· jan lili Inkipe li awen lon ma li pilin wawa e pakala noka · ona li toki e ni lon lawa → jan ala li sona e lon ona la ona li moli lon ni anu seme · tenpo mute li tawa · ona li sama tenpo sike mute a tawa ona · taso lon la ona li lon tenpo suno sama · ona li kute e sike pi ilo tawa · ni la ona li mu wawa ·
Poor Ingibjorg lay on the grass in terrible pain, and wondering if she should stay there till she died, as no one would know where to look for her. How long it was since she had set out in the morning she could not tell--it seemed years to her, of course; but the sun was still high in the heavens when she heard the sound of wheels, and then, with a great effort, for her throat was parched with fright and pain, she gave a shout.
· ona li kute e toki · "mi kama" · tenpo lili la ilo li tawa kasi · soweli Kisa li lawa e ona · ona li linja monsi e soweli tawa la soweli li tawa wawa · ona Kisa li lukin e jan lili lon ma li tawa anpa tawa ona · ona li kama jo e jan li pana e ona lon ilo li tawa e ona tawa tomo lili ona ·
‘I am coming!’ was the answer; and in another moment a cart made its way through the trees, driven by Kisa, who used her tail as a whip to urge the horse to go faster. Directly Kisa saw Ingibjorg lying there, she jumped quickly down, and lifting the girl carefully in her two front paws, laid her upon some soft hay, and drove back to her own little hut.
· soweli li pali e supa lape ko tan poki ko lili · jan li moku e telo soweli li tawa supa ni tan wawa ala · soweli li kama jo e lipu kasi li telo e ona li pana e ona lon kipisi · wawa la ona li kama pana ala e pilin ike la jan li kama pilin pona ·
In the corner of the room was a pile of cushions, and these Kisa arranged as a bed. Ingibjorg, who by this time was nearly fainting from all she had gone through, drank greedily some milk, and then sank back on the cushions while Kisa fetched some dried herbs from a cupboard, soaked them in warm water and tied them on the bleeding legs. The pain vanished at once, and Ingibjorg looked up and smiled at Kisa.
· soweli li toki · "tenpo ni la o lape · mi weka lon tenpo lili · mi pini wawa e lupa la ala li ken pakala e sina" · taso jan li kama lape lon toki · soweli li kama lawa e ilo li tawa lupa pi jan suli ·
‘You will go to sleep now,’ said the cat, ‘and you will not mind if I leave you for a little while. I will lock the door, and no one can hurt you.’ But before she had finished the princess was asleep. Then Kisa got into the cart, which was standing at the door, and catching up the reins, drove straight to the giant’s cave.
· ona li awen e ilo lon poka kasi li tawa lupa tomo li kute e ni → jan suli li moku li toki tawa jan olin ona ·
Leaving her cart behind some trees, Kisa crept gently up to the open door, and, crouching down, listened to what the giant was telling his wife, who was at supper with him.
· "tenpo ken la mi o moli e ona · jan lili li ken weka tan jo mi la jan ante ale li kama pilin e ni → mi nasa li wawa ala" · jan suli en jan olin li toki mute e ike pi jan lili ni li lukin ala e ni → soweli Kisa li tawa poki pi seli moku li pana e ko namako mute mute a lon ona ·
‘The first day that I can spare I shall just go back and kill her,’ he said; ‘it would never do for people in the forest to know that a mere girl can defy me!’ And he and his wife were so busy calling Ingibjorg all sorts of names for her bad behaviour, that they never noticed Kisa stealing into a dark corner, and upsetting a whole bag of salt into the great pot before the fire.
· jan suli li moku e ona la ona li mu · "pakala · mi wile e telo mute a" ·
‘Dear me, how thirsty I am!’ cried the giant by-and-by.
· jan olin li pilin sama · "mi kin · ni li tan moku pakala ni anu seme" ·
‘So am I,’ answered the wife. ‘I do wish I had not taken that last spoonful of broth; I am sure something was wrong with it.’
· jan suli li toki sin · "mi o moku e telo · ala la mi kama moli" · ona li weka wawa tan tomo lon poka pi jan olin li tawa linja telo ·
‘If I don’t get some water I shall die,’ went on the giant. And rushing out of the cave, followed by his wife, he ran down the path which led to the river.
· soweli li kama alasa lon tomo li kama lukin e noka pi jan Inkipe lon anpa pi linja kasi · ona li pana e ona lon ilo li tawa tomo ona e ona ·
Then Kisa entered the hut, and lost no time in searching every hole till she came upon some grass, under which Ingibjorg’s feet were hidden, and putting them in her cart, drove back again to her own hut.
· jan li wile mute e kama ona · ona li ken ala lape tan pilin monsuta ·
Ingibjorg was thankful to see her, for she had lain, too frightened to sleep, trembling at every noise.
· soweli li open e lupa la jan li mu wawa · "sina lon a" · soweli li kama lon insa li jo e anpa noka jan e len ona ·
‘Oh, is it you?’ she cried joyfully, as Kisa turned the key. And the cat came in, holding up the two neat little feet in their silver slippers.
· "tenpo lili a la noka sina li kama pona" · ona li kama wan e ona e noka kepeken linja kasi wawa pi jan suli ·
‘In two minutes they shall be as tight as they ever were!’ said Kisa. And taking some strings of the magic grass which the giant had carelessly heaped on them, she bound the feet on to the legs above.
· ona li awen toki · "sina ken ala kepeken noka ni lon tenpo poka · taso sina pali pona la ken la mi ken pana e sina lon tomo sina lon tenpo pi weka mute ala" ·
‘Of course you won’t be able to walk for some time; you must not expect THAT,’ she continued. ‘But if you are very good, perhaps, in about a week, I may carry you home again.’
· ona li ni · ilo soweli li tawa tomo lawa · mama tu pi jan lili li lukin e ona li toki e ni → "soweli o · sina weka e jan mi tan ike la mi o pana e ijo pona ale tawa sina" ·
And so she did; and when the cat drove the cart up to the palace gate, lashing the horse furiously with her tail, and the king and queen saw their lost daughter sitting beside her, they declared that no reward could be too great for the person who had brought her out of the giant’s hands.
· "ni li ken lon tenpo kama" · soweli li toki e ni taso li tawa weka ·
‘We will talk about that by-and-by,’ said the cat, as she made her best bow, and turned her horse’s head.
· jan lili li pilin ike tan weka soweli · ona li wile ala moku li wile ala e len pi pona mute tan mama ona ·
The princess was very unhappy when Kisa left her without even bidding her farewell. She would neither eat nor drink, nor take any notice of all the beautiful dresses her parents bought for her.
· mama li toki len · "ona li awen pilin ike la ona li kama moli · taso mi alasa ante e ni kepeken nasin ale anu seme li ken ala"
‘She will die, unless we can make her laugh,’ one whispered to the other. ‘Is there anything in the world that we have left untried?’
· "kepeken ala nasin olin" · mama ante li toki · ni la ona li alasa e jan mute pi pona mute li wile e ni → jan lili o olin e wan tan ona ·
‘Nothing except marriage,’ answered the king. And he invited all the handsomest young men he could think of to the palace, and bade the princess choose a husband from among them.
· ona li toki insa mute · pini la ona li kama wile e jan · lukin ona li sama telo pi ma kasi · linja lawa ona li sama mani suno · mama ona li lawa e ma poka la mama pi jan Inkipe li pilin pona tan wile ni · ona li kama e tenpo moku suli ·
It took her some time to decide which she admired the most, but at last she fixed upon a young prince, whose eyes were like the pools in the forest, and his hair of bright gold. The king and the queen were greatly pleased, as the young man was the son of a neighbouring king, and they gave orders that a splendid feast should be got ready.
· jan Inkipe li kama lon wan olin la soweli Kisa li kama a · jan lili li tawa wawa tawa ona li jo e ona ·
When the marriage was over, Kisa suddenly stood before them, and Ingibjorg rushed forward and clasped her in her arms.
· soweli li toki · "mi wile e ijo pona mi ni → tenpo pimeja ni la mi wile lape lon poka sina" ·
‘I have come to claim my reward,’ said the cat. ‘Let me sleep for this night at the foot of your bed.’
· "ni taso anu seme" · jan lili li pilin nasa tan ni ·
‘Is that ALL?’ asked Ingibjorg, much disappointed.
· "ni taso a" · lape li pini la soweli li lon ala · taso jan lawa ante pi pona mute lukin li lon ·
‘It is enough,’ answered the cat. And when the morning dawned, it was no cat that lay upon the bed, but a beautiful princess.
· ona li toki e tan · "kon wawa li soweli e mi e mama mi · mi wile kama jan la mi o pali e pona ni → jan ala li pali sama lon tenpo pini · mama mi li alasa e ijo sin li ken ala pini pona e alasa li kama moli · taso tan sina la mi ken" ·
‘My mother and I were both enchanted by a spiteful fairy,’ said she, ‘we could not free ourselves till we had done some kindly deed that had never been wrought before. My mother died without ever finding a chance of doing anything new, but I took advantage of the evil act of the giant to make you as whole as ever.’
· ni la jan ale li pilin pona mute · jan lawa sin li awen lon tomo pi jan Inkipe · tenpo kama la ona kin li kama lon wan olin li kama lawa e ma ante ·
Then they were all more delighted than before, and the princess lived in the court until she, too, married, and went away to govern one of her own.