Alrond and the Magic Fox
Author: Evgeny A. Khvalkov
MS Date: 06-04-2021
FL Date: 12-01-2021
FL Number: FL-00007B-00
Citation: Khvalkov, Evgeny A. 2021. “Alrond and the Magic
Fox” FL-00007B-00, Fiat Lingua,
2021.
Copyright: © 2021 Evgeny A. Khvalkov. This work is
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
Fiat Lingua is produced and maintained by the Language Creation Society (LCS). For more information
about the LCS, visit http://www.conlang.org/
jan Allon en soweli loje sewi pona
jan Eveny Wako / Evgeny A. Khvalkov
The original English text of this fairy tale was published here:
https://www.facebook.com/cafedissensus/posts/4187054231356774
sina kute e toki pi jan Alon (Alrond) en soweli loje sewi pona? mi ken toki e ona tawa sina.
tan soweli loje sewi pona li awen tawa ale tawa tenpo ni suno lili linja. jan li ala ken jo e
ona, tan ona li kin wawa tawa sewi pona. en tempo ante, ni soweli loje li tawa kasi suli jelo en
pilin tan palisa monsi pi soweli e kasi, suno lili tan palisa monsi pi soweli li tawa sewi, en ona li
tawa anpa tawa ma; jan li toki e suno lili ni e suno lili tawa anpa pakala. taso kin, li kama soweli
loje sewi pona li kama tawa e kulupu pi jan. toki pi mi kama ni.
jan utala suli majuna li awen tawa nena Petali (Bertoari), en ona li jo jan lili mije pi mama
tu wan. taso jan majuna li moli, jan pata suli li kama jo tawa monsi e tomo suli en e ma ale tan
nasin, jan pata insa li kama jo e pana pi jan sewi suli, en jan pata lili, jan Alon nimi, taso li kama
jo e ilo kipisi utala pi mama en soweli tawa suli. pata suli pana jan Alon pan wan en soweli moku
wan tawa nasin en li toki tawa weka li tawa e pona tan linja weka.
Alon li sona en pilin tawa tawa Asiwin (Adtiarn) tawa tomo wawa suli pi jan lawa ma
Talalon (Tarawon)? jan li toki, ni ona li mani mute pona e jan utala suli pona en sona en wawa.
en ona li tawa tawa Asiwin.
linja anu lili, jan Alon li wile awen en wile moku, en li awen moku tawa supa pi kasi suli
jelo. ona li lukin, en sinpin nena pi soweli loje li tawa poka kasi moku loje. soweli loje li lukin
tawa jan Alon, en jan Alon li lukin tawa soweli loje. en soweli loje li toki ona:
— tenpo pona sina, jan mije lili! sina jo soweli moku pona. sina pona, sina pana e pana pi
soweli moku?
Alon li ala jo taso ni pan en soweli moku kin ala moku ante, ona li mije lili pona, ni ona li
pana soweli loje e soweli moku, en toki, ni pata li ike kepeken ona, en ni ona li tawa tawa Asiwin
tawa tomo wawa suli pi jan lawa ma Talalon.
— en ijo, — soweli loje li toki, — li ken en mi tawa li ken kama e pona kepeken sina? mi
lukin, sina jan pilin suli pona, kin mute pona, taso kin lawa sona lili, en mi sona tawa sona ale en
kama, seme li sona, ken sina e pali. en mi kama tawa Asiwin, sina tawa tawa jan utala pi jan lawa
ma Talalon, en mi tawa jan toki pi jan lipu suli Pelena (Berengar). mi sona mute toki ale: Kalekin
(Garegin), en Atenin (Adelnian), en kin toki pi Ikelu (Igeruld).
— a, — jan Alon li toki, — jan tu tawa nasin mute pona. tawa kepeken mi!
en ona li tawa tawa Asiwin. ona li kama, en jan lawa ma Talalon li jo e jan Alon mi tawa
ona tawa jan utala ona, taso jan suli lawa pi jan utala li jan pona linja pi mama moli pi mije lili,
en jan Alon en sinpin, en kon, en pilin, en wawa, en sona li kama tawa sama mama. en soweli
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loje li awen poka jan lipu suli Pelena en ale li pilin suli pona tan sona pi toki — en jan toki, en
jan suli, en jan lipu suli Pelena, en jan lawa ma li pilin suli pona en ala ken kama pilin suli pona e
sona pi soweli loje.
jan lawa ma li jo e meli lili pi jan lawa ma, meli tawa kama mije. ona li kama lukin e jan
Alon, ona li olin tawa ona tan ale pilin; taso, en mije lili li olin tawa e meli lili pi jan lawa ma.
taso nasin li tawa ma ni, ni ala taso meli lili pi jan lawa ma li ala ken jo e mije tan pilin pi ona,
tawa ona pilin li tawa, taso en mama jan lawa ma li ala ken, ni li tawa ma ale, li pana e meli lili
tan pilin pi ona; ona li wile ken e utala musi suli, en seme li kama jan pona mute musi tawa ona,
ni li wile kama jo e luka pi meli lili pi jan lawa ma. en taso meli lili pi jan lawa ma li tawa kama
mije en ona li meli taso wan pi jan lawa ma Talalon, en ona jan lawa ma li tawa tempo majuna,
jan lipu suli en jan suli li kama toki ona, tawa ona li ken e utala musi en li pana tawa mije e meli
lili pi jan lawa ma.
— mi wile, — toki, — tawa jan lili pi jan lawa ma anu jan utala suli wawa, suli, sona en
tawa nasin ale pona li monsi sina; mi ala wile e jan lawa ma e ante!
jan lawa ma li wile en ken e utala musi. jan Alon li kama tomo ala pona, en soweli loje li
toki e ona:
— seme sina, jan pona mi, li pilin ike? seme sina ala pona, seme li tawa anpa e nena?
— seme ala li pilin ike! — jan Alon li toki. — jan lawa ma li toki e utala musi, en seme li
kama mute pona e ona, ona li kama jo e luka pi meli lili pi jan lawa ma, en meli mi olin li kama
tawa jan pi ma ante jan lili pi jan lawa ma.
— en sina ken tawa utala musi ala jo wan? — soweli loje li toki. — kin mama sina jan
utala suli pi mani lili, en sina mute pi mani lili, taso jan unpa ante en kulupu mama sina pona en
suli, ona li ala ike pi kulupu mama sin jan lawa ma. sina jo wawa en sona!
— ni ona li ni, — jan Alon li toki, — taso mi pilin, ni ijo pali ike kiwen li kama ton ala tan
ni mi sona: ala li utala tawa ilo palisa kipisi, pana palisa utala tawa kon tan ilo tan jan li pana
palisa utala tawa kon, li utala kipisi ilo kipisi utala.
— en mi sina tawa ijo kepeken? — soweli loje li toki. — mi sina ken kana ken kepeken ijo
pali ike kiwen pi jan lawa ma.
Alon li pilin, en toki pona. en soweli loje li pilin e ona tan palisa monsi pi soweli en suno
lili suno kule li tawa anpa tawa mije lili — en kin jan Alon li jan pona pi ona en ni wawa, tan
tempo ni ona li suno walo sewi pona, en wawa li kama tawa ona pi mije wawa MLL (30).
tenpo pi utala musi li kama, jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en jan utala suli
tan ma suli linja ale li kama tawa Asiwin, en jan li kama kin tan ma pi telo laso! tenpo suno tu
wan jan li kama tawa utala, alasa en moku — en tawa ale jan Alon li mute pona en jan pi ma
ante, en pi ona jan utala suli pi ma sama — en tawa utala tawa ilo palisa kipisi, en tawa utala
tawa ilo kipisi utala, en tawa pana palisa utala tawa kon tan ilo tan jan li pana palisa utala tawa
kon, en musi mute pona ale, en toki mute pona: ala mije tawa meli lili pi jan lawa ma? taso ijo
pali ike kiwen pi jan lawa ma li mute kiwen tawa musi pi jan lawa ma.
tenpo pi ijo pali ike kiwen wan li kama. jan lawa ma li toki:
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— jan suli Laken pi Molemon (Larehelm of Moremnt) li pana e kasi pan sewi pona mi
tawa tenpo sike monsi, ni li pana e alasa suli suli, en pan ni pi nasin sewi pona, ni wan wan lili
pona, tawa pana moku e jan suli. jan lipu supa mi pana e lipu supa ni kasi pan sewi pona — en
kin tawa, alasa li kama jo sewi suli. taso li ike: ijo li kama tawa tenpo pimeja en li moku e kasi
pan. en mi pana e jan utala li kama jan jo ike nasa seme ala sona, ona ale li lapu. seme pi sina,
jan utala suli pona, li lon awen e lipu supa pi mi kepeken kasi pan sewi pona, en kin seme li ken
kama jo e jan jo ike nasa seme ala sona en tawa mi kama tawa?
ale jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en jan utala suli li pilin; en kin jan Alon li
pilin. ona li kama tomo en toki soweli loje про ijo pali ike kiwen pi jan lawa ma. en soweli loje li
toki:
— mi sona, seme li jo ike e kasi pan — ni li monsuta akesi alasa ike. kute mi, lape pona, en
pimeja mi tawa kama e jan jo ike nasa. taso pini e kute sina.
ni ona li en pali. en tenpo pimeja insa ale jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en
jan utala suli li tawa lon awen e lipu supa, monsuta akesi alasa ike li kama tawa ona en kalama
musi linja — kin e ona e ale lape li jo. en jan Alon li pini e kute pi ona, kin soweli loje li toki
ona, en lape li ala jo e ona. taso monsuta akesi alasa ike li kama alasa tawa lipu supa jan lawa ma
— jan Alon en soweli loje li kama e monsuta akesi alasa ike! linja ona li ala ken kepeken kama,
tawa soweli loje li tawa sewi tawa akesi en pana e ilo linja tawa e monsuta.
Alon li kama tawa e monsuta akesi alasa ike tenpo suno kama sewi tawa jan lawa ma —
jan lawa ma li pilin suli pona en toki pona e jan Alon; en ike li jo e jan pi ma ante jan lawa ma,
jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en jan utala suli: ona li kama lapu e pimeja ale, tawa jan Alon en
soweli loje li kama e monsuta akesi! ona li pilin ike tawa jan Alon, taso ona li ala sitelen e sinpin.
tenpo pi ijo pali ike kiwen tu li kama. jan lawa ma li toki:
— jan lawa ma Etenan pi Tamili (Aethelstan of Damyria) li pana e kulupu pi soweli alasa
linja kiwen jelo mi tawa tenpo sike monsi. tenpo li kama kipisi e ona. soweli alasa linja kiwen
jelo li jo. linja pi ona li kin kiwen jelo pona, taso li wile toki, ni soweli alasa linja kiwen jelo ni li
ona pi nasin ike mute, en tawa ni ala wan li ala ken kipisi e ona. seme pi sina, jan utala suli pona,
li kipisi ken e soweli alasa en linja kiwen jelo en li kama tawa mi?
kin ale jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en jan utala suli li pilin; en kin jan Alon
li pilin. ona li kama tomo en toki soweli loje e ijo pali ike kiwen pi jan lawa ma. en soweli loje li
toki:
— ni, jan pona mi jan Alon, li ala kiwen. kute mi, lape pona, en tenpo suno kama mi tawa
kipisi e soweli alasa linja kiwen jelo.
tenpo suno kama li kama, en jan pi ala ma tawa luka pi meli lili pi jan lawa ma li kama
soweli suno kule, taso soweli alasa ni li kin tawa pali en pi nasin ike mute — ala wan li ala ken
kipisi en e linja kiwen jelo pi ona. tenpo pi jan Alon li kama pini. kin soweli loje, jan pona pi ona
pona, li awen tawa nena, lon li soweli alasa linja kiwen jelo li alasa, li kama jo ilo musi palisa
linja en li musi. о, sina taso ken jo e pilin, ni musi li ni! ale soweli alasa li kama sike soweli loje
en kute e musi sewi pona sama sewi, en kin jan Alon li kipisi e ona kin ala kiwen.
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seme lon soweli alasa! musi suno li sewi e jan lawa ma, e jan suli, e jan utala suli, en ale,
seme lon; ale li toki ala en kute, sama tawa sewi. soweli pi ma kasi suli li tawa tan tomo lupa pi
ona, tawa ona li kute e musi sewi pona pi soweli loje. soweli alasa suli jelo, soweli lawa ma ale,
li ala kalama, tawa ala kama awen tawa pini monsi e musi sewi pona, soweli alasa lili li ala
kalama, en soweli alasa palisa suli pi ma kasi suli li ala kalama. kin Kileta (Greta) majuna, ni li
awen anpa lupa-pi-sinpin en jo e nasin ike jaki (ona li ala ken ala tempo lili kepeken jan, tawa li
ala toki ike aki), kin ona Kileta suli li kama tawa lipu supa en kute kepeken pona. musi, ni soweli
loje li musi tan pi ona ilo musi palisa linja, li ante ale sike tawa tomo pi musi.
jan lawa ma li pilin suli pona tan ni, ni jan Alon li kama ken kepeken ijo pali ike kiwen tu,
en ona li tu pilin suli pona — tan ni, ni ona li kute ni musi sewi pona. ona li toki pona tawa jan
Alon en soweli loje, en jan pi ma ante jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en jan utala
suli li kama suli ike mute. en jan wan pi ona, jan lawa ma Keline pi Losilo (Gerneb of Lothirod),
li toki:
— pakala, jan utala suli ni li ken en ijo pali ike kiwen tu wan, ona li kama jo e meli lili pi
jan lawa ma, en mi tawa weka ala kepeken ijo, en kin en mi kama apeja jaki — tan jan utala ni pi
mani lili li kama mute pona mi, kulupu pi jan lawa ma! mi awen e ona tenpo suno kama suno
sewi tawa ijo pali ike kiwen tu wan en moli ona, en li mi ala wile jo e kulupu jaki.
ona li toki ni. taso ona li ala sona, ni soweli loje li awen poka sinpin lili tawa ni tenpo en
kama kute ale. ona li kama tomo en toki jan Alon e pilin ike jaki pi jan pi ma ante.
— seme li pali? — mije lili li toki.
— pana e pilin wawa mi, — soweli loje li toki ona. — taso sona, ni mi wile tenpo suno
kama en jan ike li pakala, en li pini ijo pali ike kiwen monsi pini!
tenpo li kama pi ijo pali ike kiwen tu wan, monsi pini. jan lawa ma li toki:
— mi wile, tawa mije pi meli mi kama li pana mi moku suli pona tawa tomo suli pi ona.
taso moku li wile sama pi jan lawa ma! mi ala pana e meli pi mi jan pi ala ma.
jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en jan utala suli jan pi ma ante li kama ala
pona pilin ike. kin ona li jo e tomo suli suno pona tawa ma pi ona — taso sina ala kama jo ala e
jan lawa ma lon tenpo suno wan, ala tomo suli ni ala jo tawa Asiwin! taso, jan lawa ma pi mute
mani li kama jo e jan kiwen pali en li toki ona pali e tomo suli anpa kepeken poka tomo wawa
suli — taso ala sina pali e tomo suli tawa wan tenpo suno wan! kin jan Alon li kama ala pona
pilin ike, taso soweli loje li pilin e ona tawa poka en toki:
— mi tawa jo e tomo suli sina tawa moku tawa jan lawa ma, en sina lukin, kin li tawa tawa
alasa, awen linja tan jan pi ma ante!
en soweli loje li tawa tawa tomo suli Komokan (Cromorgan). en li wile toki, ni jan
monsuta mute ike, mute jaki li jo tomo suli ni. jan nasin mute, li tawa poka anpa tomo suli
Komokan, li pini e ale pi ona tawa uta pi jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo (troll). taso jan
monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo li moku e jan, en ala moku e soweli loje, jan sona loje pi mi
ala pilin ike; en kin tawa ni tenpo jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo li ala tomo, ona li tawa
alasa. tawa kama soweli loje li pilin weka tan jan pi jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo, ni li
awen en lon e tomo suli: e jan monsuta Kaku (Graw) pi kulupu Kano (gnoll), e jan monsuta
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Koku (Grow) pi kulupu Kopin (goblin) en e jan monsuta Kakakan (Grahaham) pi kulupu Kemin
(gremlin). soweli loje li kama tawa tawa lupa en li kalama wawa:
— o! lon! tawa weka seme ken, jan lawa ma li tawa kepeken jan utala pi ona tawa tomo
suli, en kepeken ona ala jan sewi sona pona li tawa — ona li kin seli e sina ale tan seli!
jan pi jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo li kama ala pona pilin ike. seme li pali? en
soweli loje li toki ona:
— lon! kama tawa insa, seme sona, jan lawa ma en jan utala pi ona en jan sewi sona pona
li ala lukin sina!
tan jan pi jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo li pi en pilin lili en nasa, ona li tawa
weka e sinpin pi ona ala tenpo lili ala awen. jan monsuta Kaku pi kulupu Kano li tawa insa poki
pi telo jelo, jan monsuta Koku pi kulupu Kopin li tawa insa poki pi telo loje, en jan monsuta
Kakakan pi kulupu Kemin li tawa insa poki pi telo wawa, en jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu
Tilo li olin mute e telo wawa. soweli loje pi mi pini e ona ale, li kama tawa sinpin pi tomo suli en
li weka anpa tawa lupa telo utala — li tawa telo!
kin jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo, jan suli pi tomo suli, li tawa monsi en li pilin
suli pona mute, ni jan pi ona li tawa weka, en kin en tawa tomo suli pi ona li kama ni soweli loje
jan pi ma ante li kama. taso soweli loje pi mi jan suli tawa mute pona, en li sewi e jan monsuta
ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo. ona sona, ni jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo li kin olin toki
pona, soweli loje li kama toki ale e pona pi jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo en ni, seme
sona pona li tawa pi jan monsuta tawa ale ma sike.
mi wile toki, ni jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo ni li jo e lawa tu — en ona li toki
utala ike jaki. en soweli loje li kama pilin e ni — ona wan tawa wan li toki ale sin suli pona wan
lawa wan, wan lawa ante, tawa li ike e ona monsi pini kin, ni ona li utala tawa utala moli. soweli
loje li kama lon pi jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo li awen ilo kipisi utala, ni jan pi
soweli tu nena li utala tawa ma seli suli pi telo ala, en li kipisi e tu lawa ike jaki pi jan monsuta
ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo pi ona. en tan tenpo ni ala wan sin ala jo en ala moli en ala moku e jan
nasin tawa ma ni!
tenpo ni jan lawa ma Talalon li alasa kepeken jan suli pi ona, jan utala suli pi ona en jan pi
ma ante jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma, jan suli en jan utala suli, ni, sina suna, li pilin moli
tawa jan Alon. jan Alon li tawa kama e soweli alasa palisa suli li en tawa weka tan ale jan utala
suli en li awen wan — kin jan pi ma ante li kama ona. ilo kipisi utala pi ona li lon, ilo tan jan li
pana palisa utala tawa kon lon — en pini li kama mije lili, taso ona li jo e soweli loje!
en soweli loje, monsi kama jo e tomo suli mute pono jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu
Tilo en ona toki pali e moku lon jan lawa ma insa toto suli, tawa tawa kasi suli jelo, lon alasa li
tawa. tawa kasi suli jelo ni li tawa ni tenpo ilo nasin sewi telo suli wan kin suli tan mute tenpo.
en jan ike li kama tawa jan Alon en li kama pana palisa utala tawa kon tawa ona tan ilo tan jan li
pana palisa utala tawa kon, soweli loje — en ona li soweli loje sewi pona! — ala linja li ante e
jan pona pi ona e sijelo pi soweli loje en tawa insa lupa, en soweli loje li kama ante tawa mije lili
— sama jan Alon, sina kin ala lukin e ante! jan pi ma ante jan lawa ma, jan lili pi jan lawa ma,
jan suli en jan utala suli tawa ona, en soweli loje tawa sijelo pi jan Alon tawa anpa tan soweli
tawa en tawa по ilo nasin sewi telo majuna wan kin suli tan mute tenpo tawa ma ante. jan pi ma
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ante li pilin, ni pi ona jan Alon pi ona luka, li tawa ona tawa ilo nasin sewi telo majuna wan kin
suli tan mute tenpo, en ilo majuna li pakala, ona en pini li kama.
en jan lawa ma li wile e moku. soweli loje li kama ante jan Alon sijelo pi jan, en ona sijelo
pi soweli loje, en ona li tawa monsi tawa jan lawa ma.
— jan lawa ma suli, — soweli loje li toki pona, — jan suli jan Alon li jo e sewi pana sina e
moku tawa tomo suli pi ona.
— o, jan Alon? — jan lawa ma li pilin suli pona. — tan tomo suli pi mama sina lon tawa
weka nasin mute tenpo, en pata suli sina jo ona tan nasin jan pata suli.
— mi toki sina, jan lawa ma suli, — soweli loje li toki, — jan suli jan Alon li jo e tomo
suli, e mute ni ala tawa tomo suli suno pona.
en soweli loje li kama tawa jan Alon, jan lawa ma en ale jan utala suli pi jan lawa ma tawa
tomo suli Komokan, ni jan monsuta ike jaki suli pi kulupu Tilo jo ona, en lon jan pona pi soweli
loje, jan utala suli jan Alon jo ona. ona li kama tawa tomo suli, jan lawa ma li kama tawa mute
pona — tan tomo suli Komokan li ala lili pona tomo suli jan lawa ma; moku li lon jan lawa ma,
soweli loje en jan Alon pana e moku e jan lawa ma en e jan utala suli insa tomo suli. jan lawa ma
Talalon li pilin pona en insa moku toki pana jan Alon e meli lili pi jan lawa ma, en kin jan lawa
ma li pana jan Alon jan lili pi jan lawa ma.
а seme soweli loje sewi pona? en soweli loje, pini monsi pi musi, toki pona weka en tawa
weka tawa kasi suli jelo: ona li soweli pi ma kasi suli, taso kama en li kama tempo tawa pona pi
ona.
o, jan pona mi! jan Alon li pana ijo moku monsi, ni pi ona li jo, tawa soweli loje, en li
kama tawa pini monsi ona li kama jan lawa ma.
6
Alrond and the magic fox
Evgeny A. Khvalkov
Have you heard the story of Alrond and the magic fox? I can tell it to you.
After all, magic foxes still live in some corners of the world to this day. It is almost
impossible to catch them because they are very strong in magic. And sometimes, when such a
fox runs through the forest and touches the branches and bushes with his tail, sparks fly from the
tail to the sky and fall back to the ground; people call these sparks shooting stars. However,
sometimes magic foxes appear among people. This is what our story will be about.
Once upon a time, there was an old knight who lived at Cape Bertoari, and he had three
sons. When the old man died, the eldest son inherited the castle and all the land, according to the
custom, the middle son inherited the parish in the village and the post of a priest, and the
youngest, Alrond, only got his father’s sword and an old horse. The elder brother gave Alrond a
loaf of bread and a ham for the journey and told him to go away to seek his fortune somewhere
else.
Alrond got ready for the trip and thought about going to Adtiarn to the court of King
Taravon. He, people say, pays the brave and clever nobles handsomely. And Alrond went to the
city of Adtiarn.
Some time passed, Alrond grew tired and hungry and sat down to eat at the edge of the
forest. Lo and behold, a fox’s face poked out from behind a viburnum bush. The fox looks at
Alrond, and Alrond looks at the fox. And the fox said to him:
“Good afternoon, young man! Nice ham you’ve got there. Would you share a piece?”
And though Alrond had no other food left but that bread and ham, he was a good fellow, so
he gave the fox a piece of ham and told him how his brothers had treated him and that he was
going to Adtiarn to the court of King Taravon.
“Look, – said the fox, – maybe I should go with you to try my luck too? You are a good
fellow, I see, but you are very simple-minded, and I am well versed in all sorts of tricks, and
perhaps I can also serve you. And when we get to Adtiarn, you’ll join King Taravon’s guard, and
I’ll be an interpreter for Chancellor Berengar. I know all sorts of languages: Garegin, Adelnian,
and even the language of the Igerulds”.
“Well,” said Alrond, “it’s more fun to walk the road together. Come with me!”
And they went to the city of Adtiarn. Then they came, and King Taravon hired our Alrond
as his personal guard, for the captain of the guards was an old friend of the young man’s late
father, and Alrond took after his father in face, courage, and intelligence. And the fox settled
down at the chancery and surprised everyone with his knowledge of languages: the scribes, the
councilors, the chancellor, and the king himself were surprised and amazed by the fox’s wisdom.
The king had a marriageable daughter. As soon as she saw Alrond, she fell madly in love
with him; the young man was also not indifferent to the princess. But it was a custom in the
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kingdom that not only could the princess choose the man dear to her heart at her discretion, but
even the father-king himself could not, as is the case in almost all kingdoms, arrange his
daughter’s marriage according to his own opinion. There had to be a great contest, and whoever
came out victorious in it must also receive the princess’s hand. And since the princess was a
marriageable lady, and the only daughter of King Taravon, and the king himself was already in
his old age, the chancellor and the councilors began to bother him so that he would soon arrange
a contest and wed the princess to the winner.
“We want,” they said, “to have a suitable successor to you – a glorious, valiant, intelligent,
and in every way worthy prince or knight; we do not need any other kind of king!”
The king had to give in and arrange a contest. Alrond came back home from the service
sad, and the fox asks him:
“Why are you so sad, my friend? Why do you look so crestfallen?”
“How can I not be sad! – answered Alrond. – The king has declared a contest, and whoever
wins it will receive the princess’s hand, and my beloved will become a foreign prince’s or
knight’s wife”.
“Why don’t you take part in the competition? – said the fox. – Although your father was a
poor knight, and you are even poorer, but your family is noble and your ancestry is not inferior to
the kings. Moreover, you are a man of strength and ingenuity!”
“True, said Alrond, – but I feel that the trials there will not be the usual ones: not fighting
with a spear, shooting a bow or wielding a sword”.
“But you have me! I’ll help you through the royal trials”, said the fox.
Alrond gave it a thought and agreed. And the fox waved his tail, and golden sparks fell on
the young man – and although Alrond had been handsome before and such a daredevil as there
were few, now he shone with a magical light, and he had the strength of thirty strong men.
When the time came for the contest, kings, princes, dukes, counts, barons, and knights
from all over the West Coast, and some even from the islands of the Archipelago, came to
Adtiarn. The first three days were spent in tournaments, hunting, and feasting, and Alrond was
ahead of the others in all things: in spear-fighting, sword-fighting, archery, crossbow shooting,
and dancing, and he was behaving so courteously – as a true suitor for a princess! But the royal
trials were more difficult than the court dances.
It was time for the first contest. And the king said:
“Last year, the Duke Larhelm of Moremont gave me some wonderful seeds that produce a
harvest of five hundred, and bread made from that wheat has such wonderful properties that one
small piece is enough to feed an adult man. My peasants sowed this miraculous grain in the
fields, and indeed, the harvest was unprecedented. But what a misfortune: someone comes at
night and eats the wheat. And when I send the guards to catch the unknown thief, they all fall
asleep. Which of you, glorious knights, will protect my fields of wonder wheat and at the same
time, catch the mysterious robber and bring him to me?”
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All the kings, princes, dukes, earls, barons, and knights were perplexed, and so was
Alrond. He came home and told the fox about the royal mission. And the fox said:
“I know who steals the wheat – it’s the proboscis monster. Follow my advice, get a good
night’s sleep, and let’s go watch the thief at night. Just don’t forget to plug your ears”.
So they did. And when at night all the kings, princes, dukes, counts, barons, and knights
went out to guard the field, the proboscis monster came up to it and trumpeted his trunk – then
everybody fell asleep. Alrond covered his ears, as the fox had told him, and did not fall asleep.
As soon as the thief began to graze on the royal fields, Alrond and the fox began to catch the
proboscis monster. For a long while, they could not cope with it until the fox jumped on the
monster and threw a rope on it.
In the morning, Alrond brought the proboscis monster to the king. The king was surprised,
and praised and thanked Alrond. The foreign kings, princes, dukes, counts, barons and knights
became envious: they slept all night while Alrond and the fox caught the monster! And they
plotted against Alrond, but they did not show it.
It was time for the second contest. And the king said:
“Last year King Aethelstan of Damyria gave me a flock of golden-fleeced sheep. Now it’s
time to shear them. Their wool is pure gold, but I must say that these sheep are very skittish, and
so far no one has managed to shear them. Which of you, glorious knights, can shear the sheep
and gather the golden wool and bring it to me?”
All the kings, princes, dukes, earls, barons, and knights were perplexed, and so was
Alrond. He came home and told the fox about the royal mission. And the fox said:
“That is not difficult, my friend Alrond. Follow my advice, get a good night’s sleep, and
tomorrow we’ll go and shear the golden-fleeced sheep”.
In the morning, the pretenders to the princess’s hand began to catch the golden-fleeced
sheep, but they were very quick and skittish, and no one managed to cut a piece of golden wool
from them. It was Alrond’s turn at last. Then the fox, his faithful friend, sat down on the hillock
where the sheep were grazing, took out his flute, and began to play. Oh, if you could only
imagine what kind of music it was! All the sheep gathered around the fox and listened to the
magic music as if they were enchanted, and now it was easy for Alrond to shear them.
And not only the sheep were enchanted! The clear sound of that music enchanted the king,
the courtiers, the retinue, and everybody who were there; they all fell silent and listened as if in a
daze. Wild forest animals came out of their holes and dens to listen to the wonderful music of the
fox. The lion, the king of all beasts, dared not growl lest he should interrupt the wondrous music,
the wolf forgot his howl, and the aurochs forgot his roar. Even old Greta, who lives at the Break-
in-the-Moat and is famous for the worst character (she can’t do without scolding others even for
one minute), so even old Greta herself came out and listened to the music. The melody that the
fox produced from his flute turned everything into a temple of music.
The King was thrilled that Alrond had completed the second task and doubly thrilled that
he had heard such magical music. He sincerely thanked Alrond and the fox, and the foreign
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kings, princes, dukes, counts, barons, and knights almost burst with envy and anger. And one of
them, King Gerneb of Lothirod, said:
“If this knight passes the third contest, he will have the princess, and we will leave
unrewarded and even disgraced, and some poor soldier will be higher than us, crowned heads!
We’ll ambush him tomorrow morning before the third trial and kill him, and thus we won’t have
to suffer dishonor”.
They all decided to do so. But they did not know that the fox was standing behind the
curtain all that time and heard everything. He came home and told Alrond about the insidious
plans of the foreigners.
“What should I do then?” – said the young man.
“Trust me”, the fox replied, “but just remember that tomorrow we have to both defeat our
enemies and to pass the last contest!”
It was time for the third and final contest. And the king said:
“I want my future son-in-law to treat me to a sumptuous dinner in his own castle, and this
reception has to be royal! I will not marry my daughter to a beggar”.
Foreign kings, princes, dukes, counts, barons, and knights were alarmed. Of course, they
had magnificent palaces and castles in their region – but you can’t take a king there in one day,
nor can you bring these palaces and castles to Adtiarn, no matter how hard you work! However,
the four richest kings hired a hundred masons each and ordered them to build castles near the
capital at once – but you can’t build a castle in a day! Alrond looked sad, too, but the fox nudged
him and said:
“I’ll go and get you a castle for the king’s party, and when you go hunting now, keep away
from the foreigners!”
And the fox ran in the direction of Cromorgan Castle. And I must say that this castle was
owned by a terrible troll, most despicable, evil and cruel. Many travellers who passed by
Cromorgan Castle ended up in the teeth of that ugly ogre. But the troll ate humans and not foxes,
so our dodger had nothing to fear; besides, the troll was not at home at that time – he had gone
out to hunt. First of all, the fox decided to get rid of the troll’s servants who guarded the castle;
those were gnoll Graw, goblin Grow and gremlin Grahaham. He ran to the gate and shouted:
“Alarm! Run for your lives! Here comes the king with his army and brings with him a
hundred wizards: they will burn you all to ashes with their lightnings!”
The troll’s servants were alarmed. What should they do? And the fox told them:
“Hide quickly; maybe the king and his army and wizards will not notice you!”
The troll’s servants were cowardly, so they left their guard posts without a moment’s delay.
The gnoll Graw hid in a beer keg, the goblin Grow hid in a wine barrel, and the gremlin
Grahaham hid in a cask of calvados (the troll was very fond of calvados). Then our fox closed
them all up, rolled them out on the fortress wall and threw them into the moat – let them swim
there!
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Meanwhile, the evil troll, the master of the house, returned and was quite surprised that his
servants are gone and that a strange fox had appeared out of nowhere in his own castle. But our
fox was an extremely courteous gentleman, so he had no difficulty in charming the troll.
Knowing that the troll is very fond of flattery, the fox began to describe in every possible way
the merits of the troll and his glorious fame in all the surrounding kingdoms.
I must add that this troll had two heads, and they often quarreled with each other. And
here’s what the fox came up with – he repeatedly paid more and more colorful compliments to
one head or the other, until finally they got into a big quarrel and locked in a deadly battle. Then
the fox crept softly to where the troll kept his sharp, curved sabers, like those which camelmen
use in the desert for a fight, and with a deft blow cut off both of the evil troll’s quarrelsome
heads. And since then, no one has ever captured or killed travelers in those parts!
Meanwhile, King Taravon hunted with his courtiers, retinue, and foreign kings, princes,
dukes, earls, barons, and knights, who, as you will remember, plotted to kill Alrond. In pursuit of
a deer, Alrond broke away from the entire retinue and was left alone, and then the foreigners
began chasing him. Their swords were drawn, their crossbows loaded, and that would have been
the end of the young man if he hadn’t had his fox!
And the fox, after taking possession of the magnificent castle of the villainous troll and
ordered to prepare a real royal feast, hurried to the forest where the hunt was going on. At that
time, there was a very old, dilapidated bridge in this forest. So, when the enemies were chasing
Alrond and shooting at him with crossbows, the fox (and he was a magic fox, after all!) briefly
transformed his friend into a fox and hid him in a burrow, while the fox himself turned into a
young man, just like Alrond – you wouldn’t even tell one from another! The foreign kings,
princes, dukes, earls, barons, and knights rushed after him, and the fox in the guise of Alrond
leapt from his horse and ran across the old bridge to the other side. The foreigners, thinking that
their victim was in their hands, rushed after him to the dilapidated bridge, and the bridge
collapsed, so they all perished.
Meanwhile, the king was hungry and was waiting for dinner. The fox restored Alrond to
his human form and himself to his fox form, and they returned to the king.
“Your Majesty”, the fox said courteously, “Sir Alrond has the honor to invite you to dine at
his castle.
The king was surprised. “How come, Alrond? Your father’s castle is ten days’ ride from
here, and it belongs to your elder brother by right of the entail”.
“I assure you, Your Majesty”, the fox hastened to say, “that Sir Alrond has a castle, and a
most magnificent one”.
And the fox led Alrond, the king, and the entire king’s retinue to the castle of Cromorgan,
which had once belonged to the evil troll, and now it belonged to the fox’s friend, knight Alrond.
When they reached the castle, the king was overjoyed, for Cromorgan Castle was as good as a
royal palace, and the reception that the fox and Alrond provided for the king and his retinue there
was truly royal. The king was quite charmed, and at the same dinner he announced the betrothal
of Alrond and the Princess, and appointed Alrond as heir to the throne.
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What about the magic fox? And the fox, when the wedding was over, took his leave and
ran off into the forest; after all, he was still a wild animal, although later he sometimes came to
visit his friend.
That’s it, my friends! Alrond did not spare the last thing he had for the fox, and in the end
he became king.
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