Sidhaisin:

The Fatherquest -- an Elven poem

A sample of Sidhas free verse, followed by its translation into English. For more information on Sidhaisin, click here.

O Isoseth Ad O Vosand

Se iethas lontathel authrera,
Se leyantimera aud orraisel;
Se atharera so ethelaal sethas
Illea venasho se leyantesso ::

Ille venas aradhel kurura,
Dran ille o ythla gaiso adhasa,
Ille venas sathrosel raura,
Dran othas sathrosel liresha ::

"Isosa-fa jal, raman ad rinua,
Iplasa ilasa nuthindel falas isoseth-aila jal?"
"Se o vadoshaeha isosa, selas vosand,
Auth thas lyladhas ainadhe" ::

"Iera fa thas isosa,
Fathasa amadhlatu-fa tha?"
"Tha ma-las throntaal maudrera,
Auth fal yrras kienel maudrera" ::

"Es o imadhlate sulie fa la,
O vadoshaeha ad Nelarai tha syrera ::
Es o imadhlate sulie fa la,
O vadoshaeha ad Nelarai tha syrera" ::

So ha othis, tha
Ethrasa hashasa dasosera.
Tha thas dorennel kerera //
Os thas ausale si thas thimau ::

// os o naidhra ad Thenerail Aushathosa

"The Father-Quest"

I have passed high towers,
Navigated through storms;
I landed on foreign shores
Where no one knew me.

Where no cocks crow,
nor where it ever dawned,
Where no lions roar,
nor lionesses respond.

"What do you seek, son of man,
What is your quest within these vineyards?"
"I seek the king, my father,
And his royal crown."

"Since you are searching for him,
How would you describe him?"
"He was seventy years old
And had white hair."

"By the description you give,
The Orcish king must have killed him.
By the description you give,
The Orcish king must have killed him."

Having heard this,
He cried most bitterly.
He rent his garments --
From his cloak to his shirt.

-- from the pen of Thenerail Aushathosa

This page was created on November 7, 1997.
Last modified March 12, 2011.