Children's Story Time

[Phyllis]

I wondered if anyone felt like having a go at a group translation again?

I'm thinking of something fairly easy (ie repetitive!) but close to my heart because it involves food

I present....The Enormous Turnip / Se ormæte næp

Once upon a time, there was a grandfather and a grandmother who lived with their grandchildren in a little house with a garden. 

On geardagum wæron ealdfæder and ealdmodor, þa wunodon mid hiera nefenan and nefan in lytele hus be wyrtgarde.

[David]

What a wonderful idea, Phyllis. I really did enjoy it last time but I do worry about copyright.

I like the translation you have done so far but would suggest a couple of changes.
Se ormǣta nǣp   rather than  se ormǣte nǣp   -  the weak adjective instead of the strong.
In lȳtelun/lȳtlum hūse    rather than   in lȳtele hūs   -  the dative with a strong adjective instead of the accusative with a weak adjective.

[Phyllis]

Copyright should not be an issue - I have written my own version in ME, not taken it from a book. The general story will be public domain.

The day after I posted I realised I had the adjectives wrong! But as I was on the bus it was Too Late. I have been so consumed lately with weak/strong nouns I let the adjective slip!

Still, such is life

Yorkshire Gesithas have a weekend away this weekend so I won't get on with the next bit immediately. However, then I have another project up my sleeve that we might try together, so I may just do this quickly - it's incredibly repetitive.

[Phyllis]

Dear all,

I'm so sorry I started this off then vanished. Crazy times at ure huse!

So today I have had a gallop through the whole thing, and therefore left in lots of lovely mistakes for you - and they will repeat all the way through because of the repetition in the text

I was struggling to finish it off - I came across wilþegu for "good meal" but it isn't very recognisable and I toyed with just saying it was "wynsum" instead. But I'm not very happy with either. Any suggestions?

Here we go:

The Enormous Turnip
Se ormæta næp

Once upon a time, there was an old man and an old woman who lived with their grandchildren in a little house with a garden.
On geardagum wæron ealdfæder and ealdmodor, þa wunodon mid hiera nefenan and nefan in lytelum huse be wyrtgarde.
One day the old man planted some turnip seeds, and he cared for the plants every day.
On anum dæge aplantode se ealdfæder næpsæd and fedde he dæghwamlice þa plantan.
Soon his turnips began to grow, but one of them grew more than all the rest.
Eftsona ongunnon his næpas growan, ac anum greow mæst.
The turnip grew and grew and grew and grew until it became a simply enormous turnip.
þes næp weox and weox and weox oþþæt hit wæs ful unmæte næp.
Eventually the old man decided to pull the turnip up for their supper.
Æt nyhstan geceos se ealdfæder þisne næp apullian swa hie hit æt æfenmete eten
He took hold of it and he pulled and pulled with all his might, but couldn't pull up the enormous turnip.
He grap hit and pullode and pullode mid eallum his mihtum, ac he ne mihte apullian þæt unmæte næp
So he called the old woman to come and help.
Swa ceallode he þa ealdmodor cuman to helpan.
The old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold of the turnip, and they pulled and pulled with all their might, but they couldn't pull up the enormous turnip.
Seo ealdmodor grap þone ealdfæder, se ealdfæder grap þæt neap, and hie pullodon and pullodon mid eallum hiere mihtum, ac hie ne mehton apullian þæt unmæte næp
So the old woman called over their granddaughter to help.
Swa ceallode seo ealdmodor hiere nefenan cuman to helpan
The granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold of the turnip, and they pulled and pulled with all their might, but they couldn't pull up the enormous turnip. 
Seo nefene grap þa ealdmodor, seo ealdmodor grap þone ealdfæder, se ealdfæder grap þæt neap, and hie pullodon and pullodon mid eallum hiere mihtum, ac hie ne mehton apullian þæt unmæte næp
So the granddaughter called over the grandson
Swa ceallode seo nefene þone nefan cuman to helpan
The grandson took hold of the granddaughter, the granddaughter  took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold of the turnip, and they pulled and pulled with all their might, but they couldn't pull up the enormous turnip. 
Se nefa grap þa nefenan, seo nefene grap þa ealdmodor, seo ealdmodor grap þone ealdfæder, se ealdfæder grap þæt neap, and hie pullodon and pullodon mid eallum hiere mihtum, ac hie ne mehton apullian þæt unmæte næp
So the grandson called over the dog.
Swa ceallode se nefa þone hund cuman to helpan
The dog took hold of the grandson, the grandson took hold of the granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold of the turnip, and they pulled and pulled with all their might, but they couldn't pull up the enormous turnip. 
Se hund grap þone nefan, se nefa grap þa nefenan, seo nefene grap þa ealdmodor, seo ealdmodor grap þone ealdfæder, se eald
fæder grap þæt neap, and hie pullodon and pullodon mid eallum hiere mihtum, ac hie ne mehton apullian þæt unmæte næp
So the dog called over the cat.
Swa ceallode se hund þone cat cuman to helpan
The cat took hold of the dog, the dog took hold of the grandson, the grandson took hold of the granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold of the turnip, and they pulled and pulled with all their might, but they couldn't pull up the enormous turnip. 
Se cat grap þone hund, se hund grap þone nefan, se nefa grap þa nefenan, seo nefene grap þa ealdmodor, seo ealdmodor grap þone ealdfæder, se ealdfæder grap þæt neap, and hie pullodon and pullodon mid eallum hiere mihtum, ac hie ne mehton apullian þæt unmæte næp
So the cat called over the mouse.
Swa ceallode se cat þa mus cuman to helpan
The mouse took hold of the cat, the cat took hold of the dog, the dog took hold of the grandson, the grandson took hold of the granddaughter, the granddaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold of the turnip, and they pulled and pulled with all their might, and at last they pulled up the enormous turnip!
Seo mus grap þone cat, se cat grap þone hund, se hund grap þone nefan, se nefa grap þa nefenan, seo nefene grap þa ealdmodor, seo ealdmodor grap þone ealdfæder, se ealdfæder grap þæt neap, and hie pullodon and pullodon mid eallum hiere mihtum, and æt nyhstan  apullodon hie þæt unmæte næp
That night they all had turnip for supper, and it was delicious.
Þissum æfenmete æton hie þisne næp and hit wæs wilþegu [wynsum]

[David]

Congratulations Phyllis – it looks good. So far I have only looked at the first 10 lines and the main problems seems to be repeats.

Originally you started off with næp being masculine but then you seem to have decided it was neuter. Therefore we get hit and ϸæt appearing in lines 5, 6, 8 and 10 when I think they should be hine and ϸone.

In line 5 I think that geceos should be geceas.

In lines 6, 8 and 10 I think that mihtum should be mihte.

In lines 7 and 9 I think that helpan should be helpanne or helpenne.

In lines 8 and 10 I think that mehton should be mihton.

[David]

Carrying on from line 11 what I said about ϸæt, mihtum and mehton still applies. Then also

In lines 11, 13, 15, and 17  I would replace ceallode cuman to helpan  by ofsende.

In lines 16, 17 and 18   I would replace cat by catt.

In line 19    I would replace ϸissum by ϸære   and   I would omit ϸisne.
      Wynsum is alright but I think that wilϸegu is fine.