Section VIII: Draconic Speech; Dialogues, Songs
and Conversations
Author: Madeline Palmer
MS Date: 03-25-2013
FL Date: 04-01-2013
FL Number: FL-000013-00
Citation: Palmer, Madeline. 2013. Section VIII: Draconic
Speech; Dialogues, Songs and
Conversations. In Srínawésin: The Language
of the Kindred: A Grammar and Lexicon of
the Northern Latitudinal Dialect of the
Dragon Tongue. FL-000013-00, Fiat Lingua,
Copyright: © 2013 Madeline Palmer. 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/
Table of Contents
For
Section VIII
Section VIII: Draconic Speech; Dialogues, Songs and Conversations………………………………………………………1
8.1. Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1
8.2. A Dialogue between Bloody Face, Howard Davis and Ash Tongue…………………………………………1
8.3. The Song of the Moon by Scatterlight………………………………………………………………………………………4
8.4. Dialogue between Bloody Face, Moonchild and Howard Davis………………………………………………5
8.5. Draconic Wise Sayings………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
8.6. The Night Mother and the Earth Father, a Traditional Draconic Song…………….…………………………10
8.7. Songbirds, by Moonchild………………………………………………………………………………………………………12
8.8. How the Shúna came to Be (A Traditional Legend told by Black Honey)…………………………………..13
8.9. O Little Deerling, by Dawnglow……………………………………………………………………………………………17
8.10. A Small Selection of Draconic Riddles and Verbal Games…………………………………………………..18
Final Thoughts and Contact Information……………………………………………………………………………………………..21
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Section VIII:
Draconic Speech
Dialogues, Songs and Conversations
8.1. Overview
This section includes a selection of dialogues, songs, poems and conversations which Davis recorded
in his notes, all of which he had with or heard from his sources. I have chosen these dialogues primarily
because they are fairly short and simplistic in their grammar and vocabulary, a perfect introduction to the
way the Kindred actually speak to one another but without being overly complex or difficult, especially for
me to translate or the reader to understand. In order to make these sections as understandable as possible I
have chosen to translate them into the closest possible colloquial English sentences rather then the exact
literal translation.
For instance the first phrase in the dialogue immediately below is “Tsyenyárú’qs, xišuthéš” which
literally translates to ‘I definitely do not know you/him/her (Class I Kindred), O one-who-is-strange-to-
himself/herself.’ Although this is technically accurate and a fair representation of what the utterance truly
means, I have translated it simply as ‘I do not know you, stranger’ to make it more understandable.
Various unspoken aspects of the conversations such as assumed or understood verbs, objects, subjects and
so forth are indicated either by ( ) or simply not at all in order to keep the flow of the English translations.
Actions, events or other notes which Howard wrote down in his notes within the dialogues are indicated by
the brackets [ ].
It is important to note that as Howard’s researches into Srínawésin continued he began to simply
record most of the songs and conversations that he heard from his sources in the original language and
neglected to provide any English translation whatsoever. Several of these selections are in the sections
below and I translated them personally. Any and all mistakes or mistranslations are my own rather then
those of Davis or his sources.
8.2. A Dialogue between Bloody Face, Howard Davis and Ash Tongue
Davis records this dialogue as happening on September 16th although he does not include the year.
He and Bloody Face were sitting on a mountainside, enjoying the autumn sun when the red dragon
suddenly sniffed the air, turned his head and glared to the east for a long time. Eventually Davis saw what
he was looking at, a small speck which slowly began to grow larger and finally assume the form of a very
large, deep-gray male dragon winging their way. The stranger landed a respectable distance from the pair
and the two dragons looked at each other for several moments before Bloody Face spoke up:
Bloody Face:
Tsyenyárú’qs, xišuthéš.
I do not know you, stranger.
Ash Tongue:
Bloody Face:
Tswałsháthunwéts unneWátsí sa Qxítsúqx tsnuhasa, shuRíhánha sa Wanáqx shuHáqsáqx
thésúqxéyéš’n.
I am called Ash Tongue, son of Obsidian Claw and Shadow.
Iš…. Anneqxíhaséš’łá. Xisráhéš nitsitsír sa xáhá nirúnáwéha ixínuwaha’x, xix?
Ah, yes. I have heard of you. You live to the north-east in the mountains along the
Great Ice, don’t you?
Ash Tongue:
Xišuthéš xi? tsiqxewáłišáha’x?
(I do.) And you, stranger? Whose land is this?
1
Bloody Face:
Ash Tongue:
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Tsišáqsúha’n. Tsnuhasa tswałsháthunwéts unneSłáya sa Snaréš. ShuŠátha sa Qxúhusu
shuTsuwášáréšáwéts thésúqxéyéš’n. Tsišáqsúha riłusárhásin sa nansíthrasu sríxéqxíqseha sa
sáthinha’n.
Mine. I am Bloody Face son of Black Honey and Stargazer. My territory is from the
dusk’s ocean over there to the edge of the plains.
Ší…annehaséš’łá, Xisłinéš. Xútsithí sa qxnéhirétsashiwéts úqxísáhátháqx sa shúnéš’łá…
[Looks at David with a sneer]…Šyałhaqsún qsyux qsinhuqsánir’n…
And I have heard of you, comrade. It has been said that you on this island often treat
with the Chatterers…[looks at Davis with a sneer]…I did not think it was true until
now.1
Bloody Face:
Saxúhá sa xesíš qxaRetsí sa Sáhátháqx’, XiWátsí sa Qxítsúqx?
Why have you flown to the Jagged Isle2, Ash Tongue?
Ash Tongue:
Xyašnarír nahú!
A Blood Hunt!
Bloody Face:
Xyašnarír’x? Xútsithí sa słéyusłáyar húłán inneqsunríš—
A Blood Hunt? I have heard this will often bleed its holder as its owner—
Ash Tongue:
Tsiłéšúrúts qxihasa łiqs! [Calms down after a moment] Tsýúxšáwáwéqx innetsérin sa
théhasłáyéš isíwašáwáqx, Innethéhałayúth isíwaqxítsúqx tsinihwán tsisíwaqsunríqséru nin!
Do not tell me these things! [Calms down after a moment] My eyes see only blood,
my tongue tastes only poison and I smell nothing but my prey!
Bloody Face:
Sssssss….axán xisłinéš, tsithéhaqsunrísu xihú?
And who—pray tell—bears this Blood Hunt against you?
Ash Tongue:
TsiSewe sa Swéhésin nin! Sníša sa Shányéš shán Qsírwanéš thésúqxéyéhuqseshá’n!
Frost Song, rodent-spawn of Glacier Dipper and Under the Claw!
Bloody Face:
Tsihuhaséš xihú! Íšhú, tsihánsé sa shaná’qs!
Frost Song! I must say I am not really very surprised!
Ash Tongue:
Tsyenyárúch? Innethéhałišáha’x?
You know of her? Her lands?
Bloody Face:
Xúnihú. Saqxéyé sa xesíš qxaRetsí sa Sáhátháqx’n…tsanheshúqx sa wáłesin na.
I do indeed. She is newly come here to the Jagged Isle…perhaps a clawful of seasons
past.
Ash Tongue:
Íšhú! Tsašathíš rałúhasa nan!
Ha! She has been fleeing from me like prey flees from a predator!
1 I have translated the phrase qsinhuqsánir as “until now” although it literally means “until this moon,” which is usually the
smallest unit of time the Shúna will keep track of.
2 Britain, on account of its shape
2
Bloody Face:
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Xinuxéš, tsyenhaqsún annesa xíšathíš riłúxúhéš wíša’qs.
I do not think that Frost Song would flee from anyone, friend3
Ash Tongue:
Tsíxétsinísu tsithéhałišáha’x? Xíshéxúwéshałets ninanłusaha’x? Innexrasúnéš xi?
Where are her lands?4 Does she have allies here? A mate?
Bloody Face:
[Snorts]
Ash Tongue:
Xyixúhísu’x? Tsixúhá sa sithšúrúts qsix? Tsisrenúš xi?
What? Why do you not tell me? Are you her ally?
Bloody Face:
Qsyux, tsitsítsíya’qs. Tsitsašúrú innesa tsiłíréš théhašáhínwéqx qsisa xyisa tsisayisu qsisa’qs
No, but neither am I yours. I will not tell the business of one who is not my enemy
to one who is not my friend.
Ash Tongue:
Tsitsatsira inne—
I only wish that—
Bloody Face:
Ash Tongue:
Bloody Face:
Huxhú, Xíłišáha qxitsitsír sa xłísaha nirúnáwéha shán niháxuwésu qxeyaxniyaha’łá. Xísráhéš
níxéxniyawéha xyithíxíwésu’łá. Rú tsihusna sa qsúłéš qxitsitsír sa xłísasin riłúxútsusin
tsinsárhásin nitsú tsixesíš níxéłusaha’n. Rú tsixesíš tsintsitsír sa xłísaha sa warsúwésu nitsú
iwéwáhínáqx tsihaséš’n.
However, I have heard her lands are to the north in the Land of Mountains and Lakes
[Scotland]. She lives there because there are many fields of ice there. If you fly north
from dawn to dusk you shall reach it. If you come ‘till the northern sea, you have
gone too far.
Tsihání’n, xisłinéš…
I am hungry, friend…
[More or less asking for permission to hunt]
Tsiwáhínha išáqsúha srítsitsír sa hurúha sríwáráha’n nisáthinha nyán šíxéłusaha tsiQsánir sa
Qxéyéš sa xinawéha’n. Hux niSewe sa Swéhésin sa łišáwéha tsiháqsarén tsihuxérén’łá.
My lands end to the east where the plains begin and beyond that towards the dawn
are the lands of my ally, Moonchild. But I have heard there are many deer in Frost
Song’s lands.
[More or less telling Ash Tongue to fuck off and don’t mess with Moonchild’s
hunting territory either]
Ash Tongue:
Šíhusna’n.
Then I leave.
Bloody Face:
Tsihítsá sa qsuwéts qxitsitsír sa xłísaha ríth.
Good hunting to the north.
3 I have translated the root nuxe- or “unexpected guest” as “friend” because it sounds better in English in this usage but it is far
less friendly or welcoming then the term “friend” in English.
4 The term tsíxétsinísu literally means “what horizon” instead of “where” in this context but has the meaning of “upon which
horizon is the direction her lands are in?”
3
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
[Ash Tongue flies away towards the north]
Howard:
Tsixúhár shisa šnarír sa’x?
What is a “Blood Hunt?”
Bloody Face:
Słatsú xyáwsun sa šáhínáqx xasiháqsuwéts asihéš tsanranéth na.
When a Kindred hunts another until death reaches either one or the other for some
act.
Howard:
Sahusún sa sráhéš shaSewe sa Swéhésin wáx.
Whatever Frost Song did it must have been bad.
Bloody Face:
Ssssss…saensheyets anneWátsí sa Qxítsúqx théhaxrasúnéš anneQxátsixúnéš’łá
Mmmmm….I heard it said that she slew Ash Tongue’s mate, Bone Scraper.
Howard:
Oh…innexúháqx. Tsahítsá sa sithšúrúqx na.
Ah, I see. That explains it very well!
Bloody Face:
Nahú, nan. Rú xusráhéts úsyátsú xusłeyúsłinets rúth.
It does indeed. If you want to live, then beware a dragon on a Blood Hunt.
8.3. The Song of the Moon5 by Scatterlight
Davis records this song he heard from Scatterlight one night. They had been sitting out on several
cliffs by the sea and the Sihá looked up at the full moon overhead and suddenly began to speak a soft poem,
and Davis did his best to record it. I include it in this section because it does not have a huge number of the
complex poetical Xániwésin forms noted previously in this paper.
Srínawésin
Xiqsánixráxár!
Nusułúth sa qsánir šúríhán sa hansásin’!
Rułútsúhúr qxusyáhur, rułúšáthar qxuxráxár, rułúxráxár qxušáthar’n!
Unnéxéhášér xahátséwír tsusułúth sa wáhínar,
Xútsúłárér uwášárér nuxahásusír’n,
XurŠúrir’n, šúŠátha sa Yánár’n,
Rułúsárhásin qxuxútsusin nwán rułúxútsusin qxusárhásin nuhú!
XiTsúhúr xaháYanar!
Tsusułúth sa uqshíšrír unnexahásyáhu sa snarer nun,
Tsuwáhínar šúXéryur’n!
Nuxahásusír tsuxráxá sa yátsínrér tsunyanar sa xéryur’n
Usa Xúqsuwér ShuTsúhúr nusa xutsúłár nuxahásusír úsyá,
5 Although Davis calls this The Song of the Moon, he noted that it was a wánsa- or “poem” (see §7.10. Xániwésin Poetry and Poetical
Forms for specific terminology on draconic poetic forms) and would thus not have a tune to it so it would be more accurate to
call this The Poem of the Moon, but I will retain Davis’ (or perhaps Scatterlight’s?) original title for the sake of simplicity.
4
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Nurúsa tsuqswánar nusa, Xiqxáxaxráxár, xúqsháłáthar nwán xúsłáya sa uqsłášár nu,
Tsunsa xuháłáthar shuhasar nusán xuháłátháqx uqsuwétsúhúr xahášaránáqx xyuXráxár nihú!
XiQxéyé sa Shínyír, XiHúqsa sa Šúrir shán XiSułúth sa Qsúłar!6
Tsuqxníłar rúsú! Tsutséyar rúsú! Hux xúšerná sa syáhu sa xahínar rúth,
Xyusa tsixesiwén iháqsawén ihuxéwén nisán xyusa tsixinix sa níxqsáthi nisa rúth!
English
O Silver Moon!
How quickly you change across the obsidian sky!
From dark to full, black to silver, silver to black!
Swiftly you climb the walls of heaven above,
The innumerable stars trailing behind you,
Along the Glittering Span, over the Black Pit,
From dusk ‘till dawn and from dawn ‘till dusk!
O Light of Darkness!
Swiftly you hide your bright face!
As you travel across the Hunting Trail of the Sky!
Your silver scales drop off behind you in a trail of light,
Letting the Hunting Dark follow behind,
‘Till she catches you, tears you open and kills you bloodily, Silvery One,
Until you free yourself and her jaws open wide again for you!
O New-Born Claw, Arch of White and Swift, Darting Flyer!
Tarry not! Do not rest! But grow big and round,
So the innumerable prey animals will come and I may eat!
8.4. Dialogue between Bloody Face, Moonchild and Howard Davis
This dialogue was recorded earlier in this paper, albeit in English. It regards the story of how Frost
Song drove off Stormflyer from her hunting territory and why none of the Kindred in the area did
anything or really cared about it.
Davis:
Tsishanáqx nihú! Áwsunwéš annexúháqx’?
That’s terrible. What did everyone else do?
Bloody Face: Xa?
What do you mean?
Davis:
Sawíra sa Sewe sa Swéhéqxníławéts áwsunwéš xa? TsaXuqsúłéš Rútháhéwésin xyašáhínáqx qsahú!
Tsahušáhínhaqsúnwéch?
Didn’t anyone try and stop Frost Song? She was picking on Stormflyer without a reason!
Didn’t anyone have a problem with that?
6 I have translated the term XiSułúth sa Qsúłar! as “O Quick, Darting Flyer!” but it is interesting that Scatterlight uses the root
qsúła- with implies draconic flight rather then a bird’s, bat’s or insects’ flight, implying that Scatterlight imagined or is referring to
the moon as a Sihá, which makes sense given the draconic belief that the moon was an “icy egg” of the Night Mother and thus is
a distant relative of all Shúna.
5
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Moonchild: Annesneyéqx’? SaXúQsúłéš Rútháhéwésin théhasneyéqx na! Shašawaxráxéš na!
A problem? The problem was with Stormflyer! The fool!
Davis:
Xahú!?
What!?
Moonchild: Saenxinixets annesa saxesíš shaSewe sa Swéhésin xánłišáha nán sawanałwánets nasán saenqxníłets
qsaqs! Sałišátsaswéts nawx saehewánets aSewe sa Swéhésin’qs. Tsitsaqxníławéts xyixúháqx ísyáx?
She allowed Frost Song to come into her land and take her prey and did not stop her. She
lost her own land, Frost Song didn’t take it. Why would anyone want to stop that?
Davis:
Šasithšúrúts átsisa xíšernéš iwéSewe sa Swéhésin hínaXuqsúłéš Rútháhéwésin hiłasa nax?
I thought you said that Stormflyer wasn’t strong enough to fight Frost Song?
Bloody Face: Išhú! Rú sasrałéš shaXúQsúłéš Rútháhéwésin natsú saxahín sa ensrałets wáx’qs. ISewe sa Swéhésin
tsitsatsirets innesa saensrałets annewsun sa shúnéš xánranéth nasa’qs, Xísarúš qsyux tsišawéš’qs.
Hah! If she had put up a fight, Frost Song wouldn’t have pushed her too far. Not even she
would have wanted a fight to the death with another Sihá, she’s not that smart, but she isn’t
a fool.
Moonchild: Nan, rú xíłaríš hínehaséš nyán saxinix sa ensrałets qsatsú saxinix sa husnéš qxáwsunwéš nasa
xásráhawéš náxéxniyawéha nasán saxensayets’n. Unnesa xíwásúsrałéts ístisa tsihusnéš nixinaha
ríthsa, xwáłqxítsú’n!
Besides, even if she (Stormflyer) was weaker then her (Frost Song) and couldn’t face her, she
should have gone to another in the area and forged an alliance. ‘Fight an invasion by going to
a friend’s,’ I always say.
Bloody Face: Rú xánqsánir sa xłísawéha tsaensayawéts ásyá!
As if any of the others to the north would want to be her ally!
Davis:
Iš, sáwsunšáhínwéts qsax?
So no one did anything?
Bloody Face: Saxenqxnéhits7 aSewe sa Swéhésin wáx. Saehewánets annesa xúxahínha uwéłišáha húnewsunwéš sa
łišáwéha nasa’n. Tsýúsunwésłinets xyihaséš ríth! Tsiqsúła xínqsánir sa xłísaha ísyán tsíxéxniyawána
xyihasa ísyáhú!
They were probably annoyed with Frost Song. She had a territory twice as big as anyone
else’s. She better beware of the others. I wouldn’t mind flying north and taking some of
those lands for myself!
Moonchild: Nin! Tsihítsá sa hínerín, tsishúnérín, tsitsáqxúrín híłán tsiqsawínrín—8
Indeed! Great fishing, many seals and even some walrus—
7 Bloody Faces uses qxnéhi-, the same root used to refer to humans as “to annoy,” an insight into how the big red dragon saw
humanity in general.
8 Normally the terms for ‘fish, seal and walrus’ would be in Class V Aquatic but Moonchild uses Class III Large Prey Animal,
probably to emphasize their edibility rather then their aquatic nature.
6
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Bloody Face: Qsi, tsiqsawínrín tsiyašúrín’qs… [Looks at Davis] Saxésiréx shaqxnéréx xánRetsí sa Sáhátháqx nán
sarana sa níxqsuwéréx na.
No, the walruses are all gone. Ever since… [Looks at Davis] ..the Qxnéréx came to the Jagged
Isle and hunted them away.
Davis:
Both:
Davis:
Both:
Tsisithyárú ríth. Sahaqsúnwéš aSewe sa Swéhésin’x?
So let me get this straight. You don’t have a problem with what Frost Song did?
Qsi.
No.
Axá tsixenšáhínwéts innéwsun sa shúnéš ísyárú tsitsaxinixwéš wíx?
And you would do it to another Sihá if you had the chance?
Nihú.
Absolutely.
Bloody Face: Rú tsišawa sa tsaxinixets innesa tsithéhałišáwánets ýúsunéš9 nisatsú tsyenshasúš riłúthéhałišáwéha
innesa shisihá sa XúQsúłéš Rútháhéwésin nasa ríth!
If someone is so foolish to allow another to take one’s land, they deserve to be chased off just
like Stormflyer.
8.5. Draconic Wise Sayings
These sayings Davis jotted down on a single piece of paper, separate from the rest of his notes.
They also occur in several places during dialogues and the fact that Howard recorded them separately
seems to indicate that he considered them common or wise sayings amongst all the Shúna, although he
does not state this explicitly. They certainly express the particular way in which the Kindred see and
interact with the world, however. It is important to note that these sayings are often modified to include
relevant animals and plants in the speaker’s vicinity and therefore terms and class endings often change
depending upon the animals the speaker wishes to reference.
Unnełariwén xúyxíqsuwéwéts usarúwéš nux unnetsasłuwén’qs.
“The wise hunt the wounded but not the dying.”
This seems to be the draconic equivalent of “Well begun is half done.”
Xúłášáwésu uqxéhasánuwésu’n.
“All fires burn themselves out.”
Nothing lasts forever. Good things fade eventually and bad things will end.
Hixíwánawír ixráxawíł innexinsisrušawén’
“Even foolish predators sometimes catch their prey.”
Fairly obvious.
Tsinrashesu xíhíneqsuwéts rísí.
“Don’t hunt for fish in a muddy pool.”
Don’t look for something in the wrong place and expect to get a good result.
9 Ýúsunéš in this case parses as i+úsun+éš or “another dragon”
7
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Utséthéwín xúqxéqsáthiwín nux xúníxqsáthiwíł unnehítsáwén.
“Scavengers eat regularly but hunters eat well.”
Fairly obvious.
Xúqsewałets riłúłasesin utsérin sa xráxéš’n.
“Only a fool strikes from upwind.”
Also obvious.
Išawatserinwéš tsiqsáwerawéš nirú tsuxesiwér shutsitsír shuqsánir’n.
“Only fools worry if the sun and moon will rise.”
Don’t worry about things that will take care of themselves. They don’t need you and worrying
about it will get you exactly nowhere.
Rú tsihanáthéš nitsú tsiqxníłéš ríth. Srúsłinewéš xúxesir usruhir nux xúšathír rułúsyanuwéš’n.
“When in doubt, wait. Opportunity comes again to the patient but flees before the impatient.”
Obvious, although this is a biased opinion by a species that has virtually forever to wait.
Xíhítsá sa enshałets inneshaswásarúš nyux innesayaxráxéš’łá. Xýénshałets syirhítsáhen inneshaswáxráxéš
innesayasarúš nihú.
“It is better to have a wise enemy then a foolish friend. It is better still to have a foolish enemy and a wise
friend.”
A wise enemy knows not to attack foolishly so is better then a foolish friend. The second half if
pretty obvious, even to me.
Xíníšuthéwésin išathawésin innehałin sa srušił’n.
“Mist hides the prey as well as the hunter.”
What benefits you also can benefit your prey.
Unnesa tsuqxéyéwéyatsuwéhen usłéxuwéhen nusa, unnesłéyúš, unnewéyáwén, unnesáhewén unnexráxawéš…
“Mothers guarding their children, one of the Sihá on a Blood Hunt, badgers and fools…”
…Are the most dangerous things in the world to fight
Rú xúsráhéts úsyátsú xúsłeyúsłinets rúth.
“If one wants to live, beware a dragon on a Blood Hunt.”
Don’t mess with a dragon who is on a Blood Hunt.
Xíwásúsrałéts ítsisa tsihusnéš nixinaha ríthsa ríth!
“Fight an invasion by going to a friend’s!”
When in real trouble, numbers are nice.
Xíhawáłášáwéqx atsahinwéqx arisawéqx qsiwx xíshínyets łinathéharinasin xyixúhísu nihú!
“Claws and teeth do not kill one’s food but how you use your mind to stalk it!”
Strength, speed and power do not benefit someone who doesn’t use their mind.
Hux xíšathíwéš riłúyursúš qsiqs!
“But no one flees before the humble!”
This was Bloody Face’s response to Howard when he (rather foolishly in my opinion) said to the
red dragon “Pride goeth before the fall.” The English words timid and humble both translate to yursu-
and are considered to be the same thing by the Shúna.
8
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Rú tsisułúth sa enhutsets nihútsú tsysithwásúts isihúsunéš10 qsiwixhú!
“Strike back swiftly and you will not be challenged later!”
This saying refers to the various types of territorial challenges which a dragon often faces from his
or her neighbors. Essentially it means don’t take any shit from anyone and you won’t get any from
anyone else.
Unneqxítsúhatháqx xútsałatse tsúnqxíyárúsyanúqx nu…
“I always find an angry tongue in a foolish head…”
I think the meaning of this if fairly obvious although when Black Honey said this Stargazer snorted
and finished by saying the phrase just below:
…Axán xútsałatséts unneyárúsyanúqx ušisihéth nun!
“…and she usually finds a foolish head on a dead dragon’s body!”
Again, obvious, although slightly terrifying.
Rú xúsúhusanúx łuxuxúłunsin uswéthax húłatsa tsínwánír iqseharił wix. Rú xúqseharsanúx łuxuhushisu
uswéthax húłatsa tsínwánír isúhił wix.
“The female rabbit who watches the sky for the diving hawk is caught by the fox. The female rabbit who
watches the forest for the fox is caught by the diving hawk.”
Davis originally thought that this meant simply that “the rabbit is just out of luck,” but Dawnglow
told him that his assumption was wrong. The saying (according to Dawnglow) simply means “the
wise rabbit watches the sky and the forest.” This phrase often occurs with different animals and
other locations depending upon the Sihá’s environment and neighboring prey animals.
Tsitsithí sa sánuréqsáthihen tsinsínisu’n.
“In the end, everything is eaten by something.”
This particularly predatory bit of draconic wisdom has some interesting features which partially
explains its meaning. I have translated the root sína- as “end” to match typical English speaking
conventions but it literally has the meaning of “being chased into a dead end without possibility of
escape.” But since it appears as tsinsínisu (tsin “at”+sína “dead end”+isu Class XIII Unknown/Varia)
it has the meaning of “At an unknown or mysterious dead end without possibility of escape” and
therefore seems to refer to death in general. It seems to mean not that everything is literally eaten
(although for dragons this is often the case) but that all things die, including dragons, and are eaten
by Death or by the Night Mother.
Hirusu sa šeréth ixítséth wix.
“Sometimes even fallen trees will flower.”
Davis recorded this saying on the corner of one of his lexicon pages and didn’t supply any
interpretation to it. My guess would be that either it means that there is hope even in bleak times or
that something can be essentially dead and not know it yet. Since this saying was spoken by Ash
Tongue I would guess the latter interpretation sounds more likely.
Hixinix sa sráhashá shithešáshá wíxux xíhúshashá qsiya xíhitsashá’qs!
“A bird with a broken wing may live but not for a long time or very well!”
I thought that this saying was fairly self explanatory but Davis—being the obsessive compulsive
type of person that he obviously was—asked Twisted Smoke what this meant and the dragon replied
10 The term isihúsunéš is parsed as i+sihá+úsun+éš or ‘another dragon’ but for sound-change reasons collapses into isihúsunéš.
9
“It means that living does not matter if you can’t be what you really are.” I am glad Howard was as
detail oriented as he was or I might have totally misunderstood this phrase.
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Xúqšáhínéts unnehúrúnar nurúsa tsuxinix sa rinawéxwéshéš nusa’n…
“Bravery is what you do when plans fail…”
I particularly like this little draconic gem of wisdom because it stresses the opinion that a true
hunter does not need to be brave but strikes quickly from a position of unassailable strength rather
then seeks to fight another creature. A hunter is looking for an meal rather then a fight. Still, I think
that it is strange that a dragon would hold this position. After all, what other creature is almost
always unassailably strong in comparison to other creatures, especially its food? I suppose that this
saying might be a reference to attacking another dragon or some other creature which might pose a
danger to a dragon (perhaps giants?), but I have no direct evidence for this.
Urinaqsúhárésin xúsihárésin unnesa tsúxnéwiréshá tsuntsúhúsin nusa’n.
“Worried thoughts are like squirrels in the wintertime.”
Davis laughed when he heard Black Honey pronounce this and when he asked what it meant she
replied “Do you know how many you have to have before you get anything good out of it?” This
appears to be Black Honey’s way of saying “Don’t worry, be happy.”
Rú tsihítséš ísyátsú tsishanéš qsiqs!
“If you want to be right, don’t be wrong!”
Literally this means “If you want to be good, don’t be bad!” but the roots hítsá- “good, tasty” and
shana- “bad, nasty” have the connotations of “right” and “wrong” respectively. I enjoy this saying
very much and I use it all the time with my husband. He hates it.
Tsyałhíšáx innešáthí sa srínasin’x? Wix…innesa atserin sa šawax tsisiháłíhúx łinasrínaxráxawéqx nisa nihú!
Xíxráxáx’, xiXútsithí sa Qxéxúnáx?
“You want to know a wise saying? Try this: Only a foolish prey-thing asks a dragon too many stupid
questions!’ Are you a fool, Always Scratching at Something?”
I think this remark from Obsidian Claw is fairly self-explanatory and certainly is a good indicator
of his “troublesome personality.”
8.6. The Night Mother and the Earth Father, a Traditional Draconic Song
Davis heard the following song from at least two different widely separated dragons so he believed
that this is a “traditional” song, one which most of the Shúna seem to know in one way or another. He did
not know who was the original author, but he believed that it was ancient (even for the Shúna), possibly
several draconic generations old, which makes it possibly half a million years old. This song is an example of
a słiši- type of song, one with a traditional set of lyrics but whose melody varies depending on the singer.
Srínawésin
Xúsánu sa sráharísu łuxuSłéxurahar húłán
UšiXałiršáthíha qsúrxniyaréha’n.
Shusrušasánurísu słúhałušaréha słúhałušarésin nuhú,
SłúhaTsúhúr xaháSłéxur xaháwášá sa tsáhírér xahášátha sa syéthur’n
SłúhaXniya nixaXałirha słúhanixaraha sa sułuthwéha słúhanixatsithí sa qxéhawésu’n
Xúsráharísu shułasurén shułasuréx shušáwáwér usíthrarésu shushúnéš’n.
XiŠúriwášár’hú! xiTsáhíríhánar’hú!
10
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Xútsithí sa sánusułuthar łunaxahásyéthurahar nu,
Xútsúhú sa qxéqsuwér unneyanar unnewášárér nu,
Rułúhasar xúqsínrar utsúhúr nwán rułúhasar xúšathíth unneranéth nuhú!
XiŠawaswéhéréha’hú! xiYaweqxéhasu’hú!
Qsúrsánurísu xútséyaha nwán hurusu sa réshúha xyuhasarísu qsuhú!
Słátsu łunahasaha xútséyarísu urúnáréha usíthrarésu’n
Xúhátha sa tsithí sa háxuha słúhaqxátsiréha nu, xiSrušasánurísu sa sušaha’hú!
Xúsánu sa sráharísu łuxuSłéxurahar húłán
UšiXałiršáthíha qsúrxniyaréha’n.
Xíqxéqsuwé qsírxahásyéthur’n, xiSłéxur,
Xíhawaréshínya rítheriwésu išinixahúnqséha’n, xiXałirha,
Xísyéthu słíhaxahánunasin sa shusu sa nunarésin’, xiTsúhúr,
Axán xítséya tsinnixasułuth sa hátha sa hawaréha’n, xiSušuha.
Xiqsuwésłéwár’hú! Xúxenshínyar unneshúnasánúš nuhú!
Rú saxenswánsar sráshúnasánúš na, xiTsúhú sa Šúrir,
Słátsa tsixenwałar wíxán tsitsaháłáthar innexahárana sa yánár wíxán.
Tsisułúth sa tsawánar innesíwasráhaqx ítsisa xítsahánír wíša’n.
XiXałirtséyaha’hú! XiŠáthi sa xniyaha nixaháqsruha’hú!
Nirúsa tsisaru sa háłáthha inixasułuthwéha nisa xyihasa’n,
Axán tsisíwahawasrínáha xínqxéharésu wíx rałúsa saháłáth nasa’n
Axán xútséya tsunxniyaha nixatsúhú sa háthaha na.
Xúsánu sa sráharísu łuxuSłéxurahar húłán
UšiXałiršáthíha qsúrxniyaréha’n.
English
I have heard it said that all the innumerable things live with the Great Mother above,
And atop the Old Father in the earth below.
All the innumerable things (live) between the places of the air and the places of the land.
Between the Night Mother’s glittering scales and her black wings,
(and) between the Earth Father’s great coils and his endless flames,
Live the herds of the large and small prey animals, the Moon, the Sun, the Seas and the Shúna.
O Glittering Span! O Obsidian Scales!
Endlessly you encircle everything with your great wings,
Darkly you hunt the light and the innumerable stars,
From you the night always cowers and from you death flees!
O Singing Stones! O Fiery Heart!
Beneath all things you sleep and when you stir it is not good for those who live upon you!
For by you do the innumerable mountains and many seas sleep,
You lay everlasting and below the bones of the earth, O Foundation of all Things!
11
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
I have heard it said that all the innumerable things live with the Great Mother above
And atop the Old Father in the earth below.
I hunt many things beneath you, beneath your wings, Mother,
(And) I stalk (my) food through the brush on your back, Father.
I fly in the cold winds of your breath, Dark One,
And sleep in the deep stone of your coils, Original One.
O Awe-Inspiring Hunter! You hunt all the Kindred!
For once you gave us all (life) to ourselves, O Night Mother!
You will leap upon us and open up your deathly jaws,
Swiftly will you snatch away my life because you desire it.
O Sleeping Father! O Marrow of the Old Earth!
(Soon enough) you will open up your coils wide for me,
And pull my body back into the flames from which I came,
And I shall forever sleep in the Earth’s dark depths.
I have heard it said that all the innumerable things live with the Great Mother above
And atop the Old Father in the earth below.
8.7. Songbirds, by Moonchild
Although Moonchild had what Davis describes as ‘a difficult personality,’ she sometimes waxed
poetic and even silly, although such moments were rare and Howard was extremely careful not to mention
them lest her poetic feeling turn “poetically violent.” Davis once heard her sing a little song one fall day as
the songbirds began to make their migration to the south and Moonchild lamented their departure. This
song would technically be described as a swéhé- or ‘song’ as opposed to a poem or chant (see §7.10. Xániwésin
Poetry and Poetical Forms for discussion of different terminologies of draconic poetic forms).
Unfortunately, Davis did not note the melody to which this song was sung so its true nature is a mystery,
albeit an intriguing one.
Srínawésin
Xirihu sa suhunréshá, tsuwíłwaréshá tsuhusnaréshá qxuxúháha’x?
Tsunsa xútséyarésu uxítsarésu nusa’x? Tsunsa xúhusnar shutsitsír rułúhášer nusa’x?
Tsuhasú sa húnqxenír utsitsír rułúhasa’x?
Rułúqseqsérésin xuhú? Rułúsewerésu xuhú?
Rułútsúhúsin sa hansásin’x? Rułúnunawésin išanshusuwésin’x?
Tsuwíłwaréshá qxusa xútsitsíwéha uwéłusawéha nusa’x?
Tsunsa innexniyawéha innesíthrarésu xíqxetsitsír nisa’x?11
Tsunsa xitsitsí sa łałin sa nunarésin nisa’x?
Tsuwíłwaréshá rułútsitsír sa xłísaha iqxúswithíha qxitsitsír’x?
Riłútsúhúsin šánwáhín sa tsúhúwér tsuwáhín sa husnawéshá’x?
Xisuhurwéshá’hú! Xirihu sa swéhéréshá’hú! Xirihu sa sayaréshá’hú!
Tsuxúhá sa šathíréshá xýán tsuyaqsuswéhéwéwánawíš rułúhasa’x?
Tsitsayárúr itsitsír innesa tsuthrešár nusa słíháséyaqsuswéhéwésin łinaxúhísu’x?
11 The different tenses between the clause and the rest of the sentence indicate that Moonchild was referring to the birds leaving
right now on their cyclical journey to the south.
12
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Tsitsayárúwésu išłiwáwésu innesa tsuyarithawésu unnenarhashusuwésu nusa łinaxúhísu’x?
Tsutsunqxníła unnerihu sa suhunréshá nuhú!
Tsutsunqxníła unnesa tsuxésiréshá nusa nuhú!
English12
O Little Songbirds, where do you fly, where do you go?
When the trees go to sleep? When the Sun leaves the sky?
Does the Sun lead you to chase it away from me?
Away from the snows? Away from the frosts?
Away from the winter’s clear skies? Away from the winds’ chills?
Do you take wing to the warmer lands?
At the place where (the Sun) warms the land and the seas?
At the place where (the winds) blow warm and fragrant?
Do you fly from me, from the north towards the Sun?
Do you leave your long journey from winter’s long nights?
O Songbirds! O Little Singers! O Little Friends!
Why do you flee and take your songs away from me?
How will the Sun know when to rise without your songs?
How will the dew know when to cover the cool grasses?
I wait for you, little songbirds!
I wait for your return!
8.8. How the Shúna Came to Be (A Traditional Legend told by Black Honey)
This story is the “creation story” of the Shúna as told by Black Honey, the mother of Bloody Face.
This story is related entirely in the context of the hearsay enclitic –’łá indicating the Black Honey was not
alive to see these events herself and is relating what she was told. However, in order to keep the translation
as natural and flowing as possible I have removed the “I have heard it said” that –’łá would translate to and
simply related it as a natural narrative. Despite this, it is important to note that this story is described
wholly as hearsay and not a personal experience of Black Honey’s, despite how the English translation
reads. This story appears to be virtually universal throughout the Kindred, although there seem to be some
small alterations in the specifics. Howard heard this legend from several Shúna but he used Black Honey’s
narrative because she was one of the more patient dragons and did not mind telling him a story which
“everyone knows already.” Hers was by far the most complete version of the story so I include it here as
opposed to the disjointed version Davis records Moonchild as giving, or the nonsensical version Ash
Tongue told him.
This story is divided up into two parts, one a dialogue between Black Honey and Howard when he
initially asks her to relay the “creation story” of the Kindred to him and the second part is the story itself. I
have included the dialogue because it has several interesting features. Firstly, Black Honey apparently did
not enjoy the taste of humans as she refers to Davis as Class VI Inedible. Secondly, Davis was not fluent
at this period of time and makes several mistakes in speaking, as well as sprinkling his conversation with
12 For the sake of brevity and for the flow of the text I have removed the word ‘innumerable’ from the English translation of this
song because it would simply be too cumbersome. However it is important to note that whenever the songbirds are referred to
they are in the innumerable number rather then simply plural, indicating the totality of migrating songbirds rather then just a
few.
13
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
English words whenever he doesn’t know the appropriate Srínawésin word. Lastly, I found two different
versions of this dialogue in Davis’ notes, one of which was the original and the second which Howard
corrected and removed the various grammatical mistakes he made while speaking with Black Honey. This
is interesting for I have to wonder how many of the written conversations he recorded are the originals or
corrected versions of the originals! Since he was alive to complete his notes, he obviously did not make too
many grammatical mistakes.
Davis:
Saháłríwéš áqxúxúháýsu’x,13 xiŠátha sa Qxúhusu?
Where did dragons come/emerge from, Black Honey?
Black Honey: Áqxúshátsáqx haqsér!
From dragon-eggs obviously!
Apparently Black Honey was not very concerned about insulting Howard as she uses the qsér enclitic
repeatedly to him.
Davis:
Sanahux—!
Yes, but—!
Black Honey: Tsiqxnéhi sa hanxe sa tsałíhiš innesa áqxúxúhísu xáháłríwéqx shátsáwéqx xisa xix? [Black Honey
chortles]
Surely you’re not going to insult me by asking where dragon-eggs come from, are you?
Davis:
Qsiqs! Hux…saháłríwéš áqxúwáłeqsáhiréha áqxúwáłeqsáhirér’x? Áqxúxúhísu shasánu sa shúnéš
shashúnaháłrýéš14 xa?
No! But…from (what) innumerable earth ages and innumerable celestial ages past did (the
Kindred) emerge from? Where did all the dragons, the original dragons, come from?
Black Honey: Xíqseyárú’qs. [Snorts]
I don’t know.
Davis:
Xax? Unneqsáhi sa srínasarúwésin tsułes—shałewéts15 úqxúšáthíwéš xu?
What? Don’t you have any wise old stories from Elders (about where you came from?)
Black Honey: Xúqsér!
Of course we do and always have!
Davis:
H—!
Bu—!
Black Honey: Hux annesa “xíqseyárú” qsisa sałsrína nahwán tsihanxe sa qseyárú qsihán xásráha tsanwáłeqsáhiréha
qsaqs! Tsisrešu sa sráha’qs!
But I said “I don’t know” and I don’t know for certain because I wasn’t alive innumerable
earth ages past! I’m not that old!
13 The term áqxúxúháýsu’x is a mistake in Howard’s part. It should be áqxúxúhísu’x.
14 Another mistake. This should be shashúnaháłríš ‘original dragons (reflexive subject).’
15 Howard obviously didn’t know how to pronounce the combination of the sounds s and sh at this point so he simply pronounced
and wrote them separately. Technically it should be tsułešhalewéts.
14
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Davis:
Well…uh…hán tsixinix sa…legendšáth—
Well…uh…can you (tell me) the legend—
Black Honey: Innesa “srúnsasin” nisa tsyałsaniš’n, xiXútsithí sa Qxéxúnáx.
(The word) you’re looking for is –srúnsasin (legend,) Always Scratching at Something.
Davis:
Ah! Yes! Innesrúnsasin’hú! Tsixinix sa ałšáthích?
Ah! Yes! Legend! Can you instruct (me) about (the legend?)
Black Honey: Qsér, xisayashá.
Of course, my friend.
Again, Black Honey throws out another qsér, but this time softens it with “my friend.” Howard
noticed that from his conversations with her Black Honey was simultaneously one of the politest
dragons he ever spoke with and the most insulting to him.
[Several minutes pass and Davis sits and waits]
Davis:
Well? Tsyałšáthíts xyihasa ísyáx?
Well? Are you going to tell me (the story?)
Black Honey: Tsarusu sa srínawéreshú nan! Hiraha sa syanu sa húrúshá nihu!
I was just thinking it over! You can be so impatiently ornery sometimes!
[Several more minutes pass and she begins the story…]
Saxenqxéyéwéhen
Saxenqxéyéwéhen
tsixenyasuwéhen
áqxúrúrínsu’łán tsixenyasuwéhen nirúrúrínsu wix. Saxenqxéyéwéhen aqxútsúhúqx’łán tsixenyasuwéhen nirútsúhúqx
wix. Saxenqxéyéwéhen áqxúnunanárárésin’łán tsixenyasuwéhen nirúnunarésin wix.
nirúqxéhawésu wix.
áqxúqxéhawésu’łán
Xúsłéxutsúhúr shushúnéš thésúsłéxur, shuŠúriwášár, shuTsúhú sa Qsuwér, shuŠátha sa Yánáhanráqx nu.
XúXniya nixaXałirha shushúnéš thésúxałirha, shuYaweQxéhasu, shuŠáthi sa Tséyaha, shuRúnáréha níxínxnúyaha
nu. Xútsithí sa sułuthwísu nu, xútsithí sa šéhawísu shuhasawísu nwán xášiširésin anunarésin átsisa xátsaxésiwésu
ašawaqxéhawésu annełusarúrínáqx nasa nán xásuqxísnarésu aháłirésu narúrúrínrésu nán xáqxéharéshasúrésin
awenurésin nán xáqsáni sa hałiwałarésin anunaqxéharésin nu. Xáéhešéhar aSłéxur xáhaTsúhúr anneXniya
nixaXałirha nán xáwqšéhaha nán sashúnuwísu nasa sarúrínwéxésiwésu aqxéhawésu nasa shán nasa sałéšésiwéha
annenunanáráwésin axniyawéha nasa nán saxenráhínwéhen anneraha sa shátséš na.
Sashátsásułuthwísu aTsúhúr xaháSłéxur aXniyaha nixaXałirha nán satsayatsuwísu tsanqxeyasułuthwéqx na.
Áqxúsa sashusuwéqx ashátsáqx nasa satsaqxéhá aQsáhi sa Tséyaha nán sayaqxísnaha annesa hahusnawésu
asewewésu nasa łananixaqxéhasu nasa saxúxušathawésu nasa nán xátsithí sa tsatsitsíha’n. Áqxúsa sasrešu sa
tsatsitsíwéqx nasa sarúrín sa shátsánunar aTsúhú sa Qsuwér nán sayaswínar anneqxéhatsitsíwésu annesewewésu
narúsa saxésiwésu aháłiwésu nasa nán sashátsáshususin axahánunasin na. Satsashałewísu tsanxeryahúsharéha
słáhahasawísu nán saháxuwéqx słáhaqxéhasu słáharúrínsu na, słáhaháłisu słáhaxniyaha na, słáhanunasin
słáhałusashusur’n. Saháxuwéqx natsúhútsitsíqx nałusarúrínwér narúsa saháłáthwéqx nasa’n.
Sahúráwésin anunawésin’łá, sahašesin awenusin háłán sareshúwésu asíthrawésu háławx saháłáthwéqx háłán
saxésiwéš shaŠáthíwéš qsansráháqx’łá. Sasłéwá sa sráhašáwáwets’łá, annenatsa sa raha sa síthrawésu, annehúrá sa
qxéhawésu, annešerná sa rúnáwéha annewárá sa qxíqsewéha słáhahítsáqx słáhaháníqx’łá. Saxenqsłanéwísu aTsúhúr
xaháSłéxur aXniyaha nixaXałirha annesa tsanrúnha sa wáráwésu sasrasínwéš’łá tsanshéšusin saqsúławéš háłán
saeheswathíwéts anneXałirha nixasraníha háłasa háłán saqxełatsewéts annewanałrén annewanałréx annewanałrín
15
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
háłán sahítsá sa qxeqsuwéwéts’łá. Asusawísu sahałín sa swatsášáwáwéhen háłán annesa saháłáthwéth áwíxuhánwéth
qsárhítsewéqx qsasa’łá. Axuhánsusawéth tsaranawéth háłán átsisa sasrešu sa ananunaha aXniyaha niXałirha
anneqxéhawésu šáxuhánéth háłán sasrešu sa úxtsitsíha háłasa átsisa sasrešu sa yanunar aTsúhúr xaháSłéxur
annenunarúrínwésin šáxuhánéth háłán sasrešu sa úxshusur háłása’łá.
Saxuhánwéqsáthir annesa shaŠáthíwéš saháłáthwéš rałúhíntsewéth háłása háłán xúqšáwáwéts ushúnéš
unnexúxuqxéhar unnexúxurúrínar uqxúxéqsánir rúxéhášér nwán xwáłsháthunwéts unneTsitsír srúhasar nwán
xwáłsháthunwéts srúxúxurúrínar unneQsánir nun. RúxéthésúSłéxur xaháqsáthir xúnxéhášér xúsráhar shuraha sa
Tsitsír tsuntsitsísin nux xúsułúth sa qsánir16 shuShusu17 sa Rúrín sa Xúxur nwán xúsułúth sa sráhar uwéqsánir
húnatsitsír nu. UxúSłéxur xahásułuthar unneŠáthíwéš thésúhíntsewéth xúthšáwáwéts nwán xwáłsháthunwéts
tsnuhasawér unneShátsár nun.
Hux saranaqx ałanín sa xúxúqx qsawx sashusu sa rusu sa hunłúqx háłán satsasułuthha aXałirha háłán
satsaqxéhaha háłán tsaqxéhawéreshúha xyasa tsaxinix sa xúxutsitsíha háłasa xyáséSłéxur xahánunashusuwésin’łá.
Tsitsayatsuha łinanixasułuthwéqx híłán tsíxétsaqxéhá tsinsa tsitséyaha híłasa háłán tsitsaqsáheha innesa tsiháłátháqx
axán tsixésíš shithésúsłatséš híłasa’łá. Xúsráharísu shushúnéš shusa xútsithí sa qxéqsáthiwéts unnehasarén
unnehasaréx unnehasarín nusa urúnha sa síthrawésu urúrínrésu uqsusérésin uhasharésin uxúłunwésin shusánurísu
słúhanása sa Šúriwášár słúhahátha sa Xałirqsáhiha háłán qsúrXałirha tsusráháqx uxúxuhunłúqx. UšithésúXałirha
shushúnéš xúsráhawéš nwán xúqxéqsuwéwéts’án xúxenshúnuwéts’án xúqsuławéš’án xútséyawéš słúhaSłéxur
xahánunarésin nuhún!
English
The Kindred were born of fire and will one day be returned to the flames. The Kindred were born of ice and
one day will be returned to the ice. The Kindred were born of darkness and will one day be returned to the darkness.
The Kindred were born from the roaring winds and one day will be returned to the winds.
The Night Mother is the Mother of the Kindred, the Glittering Span, the Dark Hunter, the Black Yawning
Mouth. The Earth Father is the Father of the Kindred, the Flaming Heart, the Old Sleeper, and the Sleeping Place of
the Innumerable Mountains. They always coil ‘round each other, always encircling themselves as the innumerable
winds continually hissed as burning rock met frozen void and steam became frost and lightning chased flame and
burning winds mercurially leapt upon boiling water. The Mother of the Night curled ‘round the Earth Father and he
around her and where the frosts met the flames and where the earth met the roaring winds they mated and made a
great clutch of eggs.
The Night Mother and Earth Father wrapped around the eggs and kept them safe within their coils. When the
eggs grew cold the Old Sleeper breathed fire upon them and banished the frost that grew upon them with his flames and
always kept them warm. When the eggs grew too warm the Dark Hunter blew (her) icy breath on them, mixing
warm flames and frosts until steam came forth and she cooled them with her breath. For many long life-ages of the
world they (the Night Mother and Earth Father) kept them between themselves, and they (the eggs) lay between fire
and ice, between boiling water and earth, between the wind and the void. They lay in the warm darkness and the icy
void and then they burst forth and hatched.
Winds thundered, lightning danced (whirled about) and the seas trembled but they (the eggs) hatched and the
Elders came forth into the world. (The Elders) beheld the world with wonder, (looking) on the great and cool seas, the
rushing flames, the mighty mountains and the wide open plains with delight and desire. The Night Mother and Earth
Father intently watched as the Elders dove into the deep seas, flew in the stormy skies and searched the depths of the
Father and soon they found an abundance of large and small prey creatures and fish (to eat) and hunted well. But
16 This entire sentence is an example of the lyrical nature of Srínawésin’s storytelling use and the creative ways the structure of
the language works is used to create word-plays by its speakers. Xúsułúth sa qsánir translates to “the celestial thing habitually and
cyclically changes itself” in reference to Shusu sa Rúrín sa Xúxur “the Cold, Icy Egg” or the Moon. However –qsánir “It-Changes”
is the root of “The Moon” so although the true-verb reads as “changing” it in fact incorporates the draconic word for “Moon”
into it, cleverly creating a double-reference to the Moon, which the sentence is all about.
17 Normally this word would be spoken shusu reducing the two identical syllables shu+shusu into one word. This appears to be an
exception to the rule, perhaps because it is a proper name, a form of address or simply in order to be formal and lyrical.
16
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
when the pair looked back to the clutch of eggs (they saw) that several eggs had not hatched there among the broken
eggs. A pair of unhatched eggs were dead, (one) because the Earth Father had breathed too much fire upon it and had
heated it up too much, (the other one) because the Night Mother had breathed too much of her icy breath upon it and
had cooled it down too much.
(The Night Mother) swallowed the broken shells from which the Elders had emerged and the dead, unhatched
eggs and from that time (from that moon) the Kindred have seen and shall always see the fiery egg which (we) call the
Sun and the icy egg we call the Moon. The Great Sun moves through (our) Mother’s belly and across and through the
unreachable vault of the sky every year but the cold, icy egg changes quickly (through the sky) and the Moon moves
much faster then the Sun. The broken eggs of the Elders are now always seen next to the Mother’s coils and they are
called by the Kindred “the Clutch of Celestial Eggs.”
But the remaining egg was not dead but only cold and sickly therefore the Father coiled around it and breathed
fire upon it, stoking (mixing) (his) fires to that he could keep it warm from the Mother’s cold breath. He still guards it
within his coils and breathes on it (deep within him) while he sleeps and waits for it to hatch and for (our) hatch-mate
to come forth. The Shúna, the innumerable large prey animals, the innumerable small prey animals, the fish (we eat),
the deeps seas, the ice, the rains the weather, the skies and all (other) things live between the Glittering Span above
and the Old Father below and beneath the Father is the fiery but sickly egg. The Kindred live, hunt, mate and sleep
upon (our) Father and fly with (our) mother’s breath as we always have and we always shall!
8.9. O Little Deerling, by Dawnglow
This song is an interesting example of draconic whimsy as well as being the only song (to my
knowledge anyway) to which Howard wrote down the basic melody in musical notation, making it the
only draconic song which anyone might have access to without going to see a dragon themselves, which is a
very risky business to say the least. I have had some difficulty in getting this piece of music arranged into a
workable sheet music format to present and I would like to include the melody for other people to enjoy at
some point but since my own musical skills is restricted to knowing all the lyrics to every AD/DC song
ever made, I cannot reproduce this piece at the moment. I have one of my more musically inclined friends
helping me but his time is limited so XiRihu sa Shahúx’hú ‘O Little Deerling’ will have to remain lyrics for
just the moment. Even once I figure out how to organize the sheet music for this song I doubt it will ever
be on the Top 40 hit-list, although I don’t think Dawnglow would really care one way or the other. This
song is technically a swéhé- ‘song’ as it has a set melody and lyrics although it also might be a qsłáru-
‘traditional melody with differing lyrics’
Srínawésin
Tsišathíx ríth xirihu sa shahúx’hú!
Nísułúth sa háłáthax rítherirésu ríth!
Słíhasłaswewéha ríthán šísesuwésu ríth’hú!
Tsišathíx ríth, xiháqsa sa haxíx’hú!
Xíhansí sá qxíxúxhanríx innéwítsewíwéth rísí!
Níshashi sa xéryuxíryáx nisánhíha híła,
Tsitsitsax łinašusaha łinašáłaha ríth,
Tsihusu sa husnax tsnihusłéhunłúréth ríth!
Xishahúhúxháx’hú!
Xisłinesłanex’hú!
Xinaširnašinréqx’hú
Nítsitsax níšathíx ríth,
Xisłíháséhuxéqx’hú!
Tsisrísax tsixínéxax,
17
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Tsishane sa xwésháx ríth!
Ítsisa tsinanínshínya tsnitsitsexéryúqx nisa’n
Axán inneqsuwehítsáx ísyáhú!
English
Run away, O Little Deerling!
Swiftly burst out of the low brush!
Between the many hills and by the many creeks!
Run away, Weary Leaping One!
Do not keep looking at these old tracks behind you with excitement!
Rustling, I hear you have suddenly left your trail behind at the hollow!
So escape through the field of broken stone and by the valley!
May you go over the sickly, fallen leaves with a whisper!
O Laughing Deerling, O Sweet-Fleshed Cautious One!
O Brown Haired One, O Red-Tendoned One!
Escape, flee! O Hornless One!
Shy away, dodge, escape!
For I am stalking you not far away on your trail,
And I want a good hunt!
8.10. A Small Selection of Draconic Riddles and Verbal Games
This section is rather interesting not only because it deals specifically with certain aspects of
Xániwésin or ‘wordplay’ but because it is an interesting window into how dragons think and what they
consider to be what humans would call síya- or ‘amusing.’ Many of these questions follow the format of “I
am (question)…what am I?” which is interesting linguistically because since the 1st Person suffix is either
technically a null-suffix (Ø) or the subject or reflexive suffixes –hí and rú respectively, it alleviates the need
to ask a question and have the class suffix on the true-verb give away part of the answer (what class the
answer is at least). Davis’ notes that these questions are often asked with the class suffix attached when
speaking to younglings (or humans!) in order to make the question somewhat easier to answer by giving
away part of the answer in the question.
Howard hated this, apparently.
Tsiłihúsin’: Xíšisił łinasa tsisułuthréshá nisawx tsíséyáná’n. 18 Xíxúhá’x?
Tsiyesisin’: Tsisa tsinunarésin xínxitsarésu nisa’n!
Question: I hiss like innumerable snakes but I have no mouth. What am I?
Answer: The wind through the trees!
The answer to this riddle obviously refers to the sound of the wind rustling leaves although it seems
a little opaque to most humans to whom I have asked the question.
Tsiłihúsin’: Tsiqxúshúrú tsisa xúxinix sa šushu qsisa’n, hixyéstsurú hišátharú hixísrírú’n xúshinsu
łúnahaxłarésin’.19 Xíxúhárú’x?
18 This sentence is strange because it used the infix `-sé ‘but not…’ to indicate a negative meaning in the phrase tsíséyáná’n? ‘but I
do not (have) a mouth?’ It is possible that `-sé ‘but not…’ once had a wider usage in Srínawésin which has been reduced in all but
formalistic senses or sentences with patterns such as riddles, but I have no direct information for this.
19 Many of these questions employ the rarely used 1st Person suffixes –rú and –hí, probably to just cause a little less confusion.
18
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Tsiyesisin’: Tsíxéhášér nin!
Question:
I am a robin’s egg that never breaks, sometimes blue, sometimes black, sometimes gray and
sprinkled with innumerable grains of sand. What am I?
The sky high above!
Answer:
This visually interesting riddle describes the sky as a upturned robin’s egg and the differing colors
refer to the different colors of the sky due to weather (black is night, blue is a clear day and gray is a
cloudy day) while the “innumerable grains of sand” is a reference to the stars. I have yet to have a
single person guess the answer correctly.
Tsiłihúsin’: Tsununarú nux tsusnúhirú’qs. Xíxuhárú’x?
Tsiyesisin’: Xínunarésin’!
Question:
Answer:
This is a somewhat simplistic riddle even though I believe that it could also be the reverse: “What
breathes in but never out?”
I breathe out but never in. What am I?
The wind!
Tsiłihúsin’: Tsinašin sa qsłáwurú słíhasa tsuxitsaréqx xúreshúréqx nusa tsinnunarésin nyux tsixitsarésu
qsyux tsuxinix sa narharú qsu. Xíxúhárú’x?
Tsiyesisin’: Tsinaránaširréqx nin! Tsitsitsenaširréqx nin!20
Question:
I am a brown forest of innumerable sticks always blowing this way and that in the innumerable
winds and yet I have no trees and I never turn green. What am I?
The fur of an animal!
Answer:
This is a fairly easy riddle and somewhat obvious to someone who is constantly outside and deal
with animals on a similarly constant basis but again I have yet to have a single human guess the
answer correctly. Either draconic riddles are essentially difficult to understand for humans or the
culture gap between nearly immortal elemental creatures and modern humans is just too far.
Tsiłihúsin’: Tsisíwayánárisaréqx nyux xúłésqxítsúhí’qs.
Tsisíwaqsáthirínłéqx nyux xúsyurarú’qs.
Tsishuxu nyux xútsaqsáthihí’qs. Tsiyísarú nyux xúsušurú’qs. Xíxúhá’x?
Tsiyesisin’: Xúqxíxniyaha!21
Question:
I have innumerable fanged mouths but never speak. I have a rumbling stomach but am never
hungry. I vomit but never eat. I roll but never walk. What am I?
The earth!
Answer:
This riddle refers to caves as fanged mouths (stalagmites and stalactites), the rumbling of the earth
is the sound of a rumbling stomach, the earth vomits out lava and the reference to rolling is the
motion of the earth during particularly bad earthquakes which move like waves. I have had at least
one person say that each question could be answered separately but the pivotal connection is that
they are all “of the earth” and so refer back to the earth. I have only had one person guess this riddle
correctly and she is ten years old.
Tsiłihúsin’: Xúqxéqsáthihí unnesa tsusrušarísu tsunsíwarásháha nusa nyux xúxúšyułrahí unnetserin sa
sréhušátharéth’n. Xúxúhárú’x?
Tsiyesisin’: Xúqxéharésu’n!
Question:
I eat everything in my path but leave only black shit behind. What am I?
20 The answer to this question plays with the similarity of the descriptive adjective našin- ‘brown’ and našir- ‘fur.’ Also,
technically the translation to the answer should be ‘The fur of a large prey animal! The fur of a small prey animal!’ but I have
translated it simply as ‘the fur of an animal’ to keep things simpler.
21 The term Xúqxíxniyaha nun! literally means ‘The earth right here all around!’ as if to drive home the fact the answer was right
there the entire time. Nobody ever said dragons couldn’t be sadistic jerks.
19
Answer:
I think this riddle is fairly self-explanatory.
Fire!
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Tsiłihúsin’: Xúhusnarú qxulusarésin’, qxuxáhisin, qxuxnáłasin, qxusúthunsin, qxunásrísin hinyux
qxunašasin’, xúšúrirú qxúxéxyétsusin ni. Xúxúhá’x?
Tsiyesisin’: Tsuwašinsin’!
Question:
I fly to many places in the sky, sometimes to the upper right front, sometimes to the upper left
front, sometimes to the upper right back and sometimes to the upper left back but always up,
reaching high up into the turquoise-like sky above. What am I?
Smoke!
Answer:
Again, I think this riddle is pretty self-evident although the riddle itself translates into English very
poorly.
Tsiłihúsin’: Tsushusu sa tsúhúrú tsunsa tsutséya nusa nwán tsutsitsí sa łéłathrú tsunsa xúthrešárú nusa’n.
Xúxúhá’x?
Tsiyesisin’: Tsušerásin šantsitsíqx’n!
Question:
Answer:
I believe the logic behind this riddle is that spring days are warm like the summertime but frosty
and cold in the wintertime. The answer is “day” in the sense of “a 24-hour period” rather then
“day” as when the sun is up.
I am like winter’s cold when asleep and like summer’s warmth when awake. What am I?
A spring day!
20
Srínawésin: The Language of the Kindred
Final Thoughts and Contact Information
For questions, comments, criticisms, concerns, queries, corrections or anything else regarding
Srínawésin and this fascinating language and those who speak it anyone may feel free to contact me at:
E-mail:
I will do my best to answer any e-mails because if there is one thing I enjoy talking about it is
draconic language and dragons in general.
Honestly, as I write these final words, I do not know what to think or feel. I have spent so long on
this project all I can think of is that a real work of the heart is never truly done, one only stops working on
it. I suppose that is true for both me and Howard Davis, wherever he is, and for whatever reason he
worked so long and so hard on writing his notes. Personally, I do not care whether he was a madman, an
imaginative and lonely person or somehow what he wrote was true and the Shúna do in fact exist in this
world. Whatever the answer is, I am glad that his work and mine can be read by others, whether they
laugh, and get excited or never think about it. It will not be lost.
But, I must say, learning about the Shúna and their remarkable world, the world would be a poorer
place if dragons did not exist.
21
