THE STRANGE CHILD....DUS RAR BARNU
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?....VETRE
VEULIST JEU SIENEN?
VAMPIRE....VAMPAIRU
EVERYWHERE
PERSON....OLESTEDEMENCU
FAMILY OF BERBALANGS....FAMYL
BYRBELANOESOE
GARDENER....GARDENEVYRU
I WANT TO BE ME....IK VEULO IK SIENEN
THE STRANGE CHILD...............................................................DUS RAR BARNU
1e....My spouse and I wanted children very much, but doctors found that we were
infertile. Naturally, we decided to adopt a child. Before we could find a child whom
we could adopt, a strange thing happened.
1g....Potenu meen und ik krul vadelaik veulud barnuen Mar arestue findoom zeeje vier
cral sienud. Naturlaik ctimud vier duems uns barnoo ineemen. Oerec vier barnoo
finden kanudai zoo vier ineemen kanudai Paseus rare verp.
2e....One night, we were sitting on our porch. Loud tapping sounds, we heard. Was
there a woodpecker nearby? We got a flashlight, and looked for the source of the
tapping in our yard. When we looked up the tree that stood in the front yard, we saw a
huge egg in the branches. Something that was inside the egg was tapping. The egg
would hatch soon.
2g....An venast naxtas lagud vier in stoeluem an poortiekai uns. Breetuent klankuen
tikenas 'hoerud. Op lageus hetre spext fuer bie? 'Fahud fakyla Und 'baskud dat brona
dast tikenas in hofai unsyr. Anec vier auf dat booma blikud zetre in dais hofai fuer oer
standeus Augud vier roesat eeza in duems takuem. Man tikeus zetre in dais eezai lageus.
De ee utebroedeusai bold.
NOTE....To "set doot manoo" (set oneself) is to sit down. But to be sitting down
already is simply "lagen in stoelai" (be located in a chair). Hence "lagud vier in
stoeluem" translates more literally as "we were in chairs."
3e....We phoned the fire fighters. At the fire station, the fire fighters put on special
coats, hats, and boots. They stepped into their big red fire truck, and came to our house.
One fire fighter wanted to cut the tree down with an axe. But the leader of the fire
fighters decided that he would use a ladder so that he would take the egg down from the
tree. Soon, the egg was safely on the ground.
3g....Vier foonud dausevyruen. At dauspoostai antuzoom dues dausevyrue loosuent
jasuen, hautuen, und larsuen. Hue stoopoom in groosat rad dausloriza hoesoe Und
kumoom at hausa unsyr. Venus dausevyru veuleus dat booma durx beelas fuer need
cnigen. Mar dus bosevyru doesoet dausevyroesoe ctimeus dums hum zeeje hu ladyra
neutylai atec hu dat eeza need fram dat booma neemeusai. Bold sienen de ee sixyrlaik
an ardai.
NOTE....Watch out for "antuzen," which means "put on," as in "the fire fighters put
on special coats, etc." "Antuzen" is not phrasal; a more literal translation would be
"don."
4e....No one knew whose egg this was. So, we phoned the police. Two police officers
arrived in a police car. We asked them whether any big eggs had been stolen. They
asked about this with their radio. No one knew about an egg being stolen. Suddenly,
the egg cracked. Water flowed out of the cracks, and the cracks became bigger.
Suddenly, the egg fell into pieces. On the pieces lay a child.
4g....Narnu viteus voes de ee sieneus. Soo vier foonud poliesegroepa. Teuzues
poliesue inkumoom in poliesautozai. 'Fragud huem op arnues groos eezue nikivez
haboom. Hue fragoom oovyr das durx dradeloosas hoesoe. Narnu viteus oovyr eeza
nikivez sienenas. Pinklaik naleus de ee. Vodyr flieteus ut duent naluen Und dues
nalue verdoom groosmer. Pinklaik faleus de ee in brokuen. An duems brokuem lageus
barnu.
5e...."This child might be sick," said a police officer. "Let's phone an ambulance."
The ambulance arrived, and two paramedics put the child in the back seat. The
ambulance drove past houses, a school, stores, the library, the police station, the fire
station, and a church, to the hospital. Doctors and nurses examined the child, and said,
"This child seems healthy, but it is strange."
5g...."Dus barnu fyrgit donaid sienen." sagit poliesu. "Vier foon halvagena."
De halvagen inkumeus Und teuzues clephalue stedoom doot barnoo in dat zetyla fuer
boeftin. De halvagen fareus seet hausuen, sturuen, dat buekecimyla, dat
poliespoosta, dat dauspoosta, und kyrka, at halpoosta. Arestue und helphalue nagoom
doot barnoo Und 'sagoom "Dus barnu cainit hail Mar "sienit rar."
6e....The child's skin was green. On the child's face were two purple eyes. When the
child cried, blue tears ran down its cheeks. There were nostrils, which the child could
close, but no nose. Its mouth had thin lips, which hid triangular teeth and a long sticky
tongue. The child had no eyebrows or eyelashes, but each eye had a third eyelid like
that of a bird. The child's ears were pointed.
6g....Pelt doest barnoes sieneus groen. An pusai doest barnoes lagoom teuzues pyrpyl
augue. Anec dus barnu kyrmeus Flietoom blauzues tarue need kunuen hoes. Hue
lagoom nyrsloxue da dus barnu cliesen kaneusai mar narne nyrs. Bek hoes habeus
ronuent lipuen due dreebeeziguent tanduen und lonat stikiedyl tona huedoom. Dus
barnu habeus narnuent brauharuen of augharuen Mar de und ze aug habit dreezaifat
augepelta rum zast foogylas. Arue barnoes sienit piek.
NOTE....Yes, conjoined proximate and remote determiners (like singular "de und ze,"
literally "this and that") translate with the English determiner "each."
7e....The child had only three toes on each foot. Definite ankles, knees, elbows, or
wrists, the doctors could not find. Furthermore, the doctors could not find definite
joints at the shoulders and hips. No nipples had the child on its chest and no navel on its
belly. The child's arms and legs bent wherever they needed to. Did the child have
bones? Did the child have a neck? No one knew.
7g....Dus barnu habeus nur dreezuent teenuen an dais und zais spaugai. Klincuent
enkyluen, niezuen, elbooguen, of polsuen kanoom dues arestue nik finden. Und dues
arestue kanoom klincuent booguen at duems caudyruem und hyrpuem nik finden.
Narnuent speenuen habeus dus barnu an boezimai hoes und narnais navyla an byrkai
hoes. Armue und beenue hoes plaizoom verol hue nolen noodantai. Op habit dus
barnu inbeenuen? Op 'habit neka? Narnu viteus.
8e....Doctors could not tell whether the child was a boy or a girl. It had many tentacles
where its genitals would have been. It also had tentacles on its head instead of hair.
The fingers were tentacles that had suckers. There were also two rows of little tentacles
that coursed down the child's back and buttocks. One long tentacle came out of the
backbone. This was the tail.
8g....Arestue kanoom op dus barnu paklinu of meedu sieneus nik fyrnviten. Hu habeus
vaduent skuphozyruen verec vozeefue hoes lagoomai. Und 'habeus skuphozyrue an
nopyrai hoes fuer haras. Zues fingyrue sienoom skuphozyrue zue lyrkeefuen haboom.
Und hue lagoom teuzues rauzue lidyloesoet skuphozyroesoe zue need ruguem und
arseteuginuem doest barnoes flietoom. Vene lon skuphozyr kumeus ut dais ruginbeenai.
Detre sieneus de rugecadu.
9e....With the help of our lawyer, we adopted the strange child. Because the child had
recently been hatched, we knew that it was a baby. We got diapers, a crib, a blanket
and a bottle for it. We named our new baby Om, and decided that we would treat him as
a boy. When we bathed him, we used blue soap, and a blue towel.
9g....Durx helpenas doest vetemencoes unsyr ineemud vier doot rar barnoo. Inec dus
barnu frislaik utebroedivez habeus 'Vitud zeeje hu velpu sieneus. 'Fahud hum nepizuen,
kriba, deka und flesa. 'Namud dums neu velpum unsyr omun Und 'ctimud duems uns
zeeje vier hoo paklinoo handyludai. Anec vier hoo badud 'Neutud blauzat soopa und
blauzat kleendeka.
NOTE....The verb "handylen" means "treat as," and takes an object complement.
That's why "hoo" and "paklinoo" are both accusative in "hoo paklinoo handyludai."
"Hoo" is the object and "paklinoo" is the object complement. Loosely speaking, Goesk
speakers would say "We treated her a girl" to mean "We treated her as a girl."
10e....Om's face was hard to read, but his voice was easy to understand. He cooed when
he was happy, yelled when he was angry, and cried when he as sad. When he was sleepy
or bored, he snored. When he was excited, he shivered as if he were cold.
10g....Pus omoes sienus heerd zeeje leezivez sieneusai Mar ctem hoes sieneus flot zeeje
digivez sieneusai. Hu vavazeus anec hu doot hoo gluekeus, jeleus anec hu doot hoo
zooreus, Und krymeus anec hu doot hoo truebeus. Anec hu doot hoo booreus of drol
sieneus Fenoreus hu. Anec hu doot hoo raizeus Trileus hu rumec kalt 'sieneusai.
11e....Om did not drink milk or eat eggs, bread, vegetables or meat. He refused
chicken, beef, pork, corn, potatoes, broccoli, celery, spinach, carrots or lettuce. Instead
of these, he drank juice and eat fruit. Fruit, he ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. His
triangular teeth sawed fruit into pieces that he swallowed whole. Apples were his
favorite food, but he also liked pears, oranges, and lemons. Om also ate rocks. He had
a gizzard like that of a bird.
11g....Omu drinkeus nik malka of skarfeus eezuen, brauta, groentuen, of flaica. Hu
nueleus cikinflaica, keuflaica, eufyrflaica, maisa, ardapyluen, brakyla, seldyra, spinaza,
voortyluen, of kropeslaza. Fuer doesoe drinkeus hu sapa Und 'skarfeus fruxta. Fruxta
'skarfeus fuer froeskarfa, noeneskarfa, und leeteskarfa. Dreebeezigues tandue hoes
cnigeus fruxta brokuen zuen hu clorpeus. Apylue sienoom oerkeuse eet hoes Mar aux
liekeus hu peeruen, roolefruxtuen, und sitroenuen. Omu skarfeus aux rostuen. Hu
habeus rostamoga rum zas foogylas.
NOTE....Watch out for the verb "clorpen," an onomatopoeic word meaning "to
swallow whole." The less dramatic, garden-variety "to swallow" is "gluten."
12e....Om matured quickly. Soon, he was walking through the house. He taught
himself the use of toilets. A lot of trouble, Om caused. On the bed, he jumped. He
messed up desks, and pulled books out of bookcases. He knocked over lamps. In dirt,
he played. He left it all over the couch, chairs, floor and rug. He also drew pictures on
walls and ceilings, and climbed through windows.
12g....Omu raipeus pienixelaik. Bald creedeus hu durx dat hausa. 'Lereus dums hum
dat neuta vodyrlefoesoe. Vadat stora meekeus omu. An dais bedai huspeus hu. Hu
rierozeus criebeticuen Und 'trekeus buekuen ut buekaustuen. Hu needebazeus lampuen.
In drakai speeleus hu. 'Lefeus ha brod dat drolestoela, stoeluen, dat fluza und fludeka.
Aux tekeneus hu beelduen an vauntuen und zoldyruen, Und 'klimeus durx fenestyruen.
13e....When Om was older, he caused less trouble. He learned to play in the basement
and the yard. We had a big tree in the yard. Om built a tree house in its branches. Om
was very talented. A living room, a bedroom, a dining room, and a kitchen with a stove
and an oven, his tree house had. At the base of the tree, Om built a garage for his
bicycle and his many toy cars.
13g....Anec omu eeldemer sieneus Meekeus hu veenyrat stora. 'Aleseus in dais keldyrai
und dais hofai speelen. Vier habud groosat booma in dais hofai. Omu buezeus
boom-hausa in takuem has. Omu sieneus krul jar. Setefleta, bedefleta, skarfleta, und
kuga mid oovyrkaxylai und kaxylai habeus boomhaus hoes. At dais untyrkantai dast
boomas, buezeus omu autohausa fuer dat teuviela und vaduent speelverp-autozuen hoes.
14e....Dishes and cups, Om could use. But teaching him to eat with a knife, fork, and
spoon was impossible. Om preferred to pick up food with his finger-tentacles and long
sticky tongue. At first, we were embarrassed. But after a time, we realized that this
was a most natural way for Om to eat. He picked up fruit with his tongue quickly and
neatly, and used a napkin.
14g....Cotyluen und bunuen kaneus omu neuten. Mar hoo durx mesas, forkas, und
lepylas skarfen lerenetre sieneus entekan. Omu oerkeuseus zeeje hu eeta durx
fingyr-skuphozyroesoe und lonast stikiedyl tonas hoes skupeus. Venaiflaik ferblozud
vier duent us. Mar boeftin zaitas 'digud zeeje detre naturmaiste fard fuer omu skarfena
sieneus. Hu skupeus fruxta durx tonas hoes pienixelaik und saubyrlaik Und 'neuteus
lurxina.
NOTE....Watch out for "skupen," a verb that means "to pick up."
15e....Om did not grow much. During his tenth year, he was only four feet tall (had only
four feet of height). But he became very strong, and could jump and run more quickly
than any normal person could. He also developed a strange power. The color of his
skin, Om could change. He was normally green, but he also could be purple, blue,
yellow, orange, red, brown, grey, black, or white. He could also make stripes, spots, and
other patterns from different colors.
15g....Omu lizodeus nik vadelaik. Mid tienaifast jieras hoes habeus hu nur feuzuent
spauguen hoogas. Mar hu verdeus krul deec Und 'kaneus huspen und yrnen merelaik
pienixelaik fyrnec arnus feubeezig mencu kaneus. Hu lizodeus aux rarat krafta. Dat
farba peltas hoes kaneus omu keren. Hu sieneus feubeelaik groen Mar 'kaneus aux
pyrpyl, blau, jeel, roolfarb, rad, braun, grau, covort, of vait sienen. 'Kaneus aux
streepuen, moetuen, und andyruent patronuen macen.
16e....As Om matured, he needed clothes. His feet were tough enough that he did not
need shoes. Sandals, he had for restaurants and other places where shoes are required.
Instead of undershorts, he used a cloth that he wrapped around his many tentacles. We
put special sleeves in his pants for his tail. Holes, we also put in his shirt for some of the
tentacles.
16g....Midec omu raipeus Noodeus hu riguen. Spaugue hoes sieneus naflaik stark zeeje
hu cuzuen nik noodeus. Sandyluen habeus hu fuer skarfecimyluen und andyruent
stoenuen verec cuzue oerbosivez sienoom. Fuer untyrhoozas neuteus hu lura za hu rum
vaduent skuphozyruen hoes. Vier stedud loosuent movuezuen in hoozuen fuer dat
rugecaduza hoes. Loxuen stedud vier aux in dat hemeda fuer manuen skuphozyroesoe.
17e....Om was very tough. He could fall far without being hurt. He was always
healthy. He healed quickly and never got sick. We never saw him get a cold or the flu.
He did not care whether the weather was hot or cold. Learning to speak was hard for
Om because of his strange teeth and tongue. He had to speak slowly. But doing school
work was easy for Om. Working with animals was too. Om could get along with any
animal: wild ones, tame ones, big ones, or small ones.
17g....Omu sieneus krul stark. Hu kaneus verlaik voon cmyrzivezoesoe falen. 'Sieneus
imyr hail. 'Haleus pienixelaik Und nie 'verdeus donaid. Vier augud nie zeeje hu kalta
of griepa faheus. Hu gyrneus nik op vedyr hat of kalt sieneusai. Reeden alesenetre
sieneus heerd omum in raroesoet tandoesoe und tonas hoes. Hu museus slaglaik reeden.
Mar cul-veuka tuzenetre sieneus flot omum. Mid deuzuem veukenetre sieneus aux.
Omu kaneus mid arnat deuza cmeuzen: Vildectyrnuen, nictyrnuen, groosectyrnuen, of
kleenectyrnuen.
NOTE....Watch out for "cmeuzen," a verb corrupted from English "schmooze,"
which in turn comes from Yiddish. In Goesk, it means "to get along with."
18e....Om was very smart with tools. He used a hammer, saw, screwdriver, nails,
screws, and wrench. In the back yard, he made houses for many animals. These
wooden boxes were not cages. The animals could come and go whenever they wanted
to do so. They returned to their houses whenever Om arrived, and gave him gifts. Cats
brought mice, rats, and fish. Robins brought worms. Squirrels brought seeds. Dogs
brought bones, and bats brought bugs.
18g....Omu sieneus krul fes oovyr cleetyloesoe. Hu neuteus hamyra, zaga,
croefecleetyla, nagyluen, croefuen, und slyrtyluen. In dais hofai fuer boeftin 'maceus
hausuen fuer vaduems deuzuem. Dues heutemax kaustue sieneus nik keefigue. Dues
deuzue kanoom kumen und venden vaneerol nolen veuloom. 'Viedyrclepoom duent
huen at hausuen hoesoe vaneerol omu inkumeus Und 'geboom hum gebuecizuen. Katue
clepoom musuen, ratuen, und fecuen. Radeboezimue clepoom vyrmuen. Eekornue
clepoom zaduen. Hundue clepoom inbeenuen Und fingyrfluegylue clepoom kefyruen.
19e....Om was good in school. He could write neatly, read quickly, and calculate
correctly. He could do almost anything with numbers and letters. He was also a good
athlete. He could run far, jump high, and play many games.
19g....Omu sieneus good oovyr culas. Hu kaneus saubyrlaik crieben, pienixelaik leezen,
und fuer at rekonen. 'Kaneus fastat arna oovyr numyroesoe und abeezoesoe tuzen.
'Sineus aux goodus eebylvenu. 'Kaneus verlaik yrnen, hooglaik huspen, und vaduent
speeluen speelen.
20e....Om liked art. He made pots out of clay and stone. He made jewelry out of
different kinds of metals. Iron, tin, aluminum. Gold and silver too. He made coins
for imaginary countries. These countries were always on islands. Maps of these islands
he drew on paper with a pencil or pen. He kept these maps in a plastic container under
his bed.
20g....Omu liekeus kunista. Hu maceus tofuen fram leemas und rostoesoe. 'Maceus
cmuka fram odoesoet metylkoendoesoe. Iren, tin, fedyrsilvyr. Gueld und silvyr aux.
'Maceus muensuen fuer dreemdenkuent vetelantuen. Dues vetelantue sienoom imyr an
insyluem. Kartuen doesoet insyloesoe tekeneus hu an papyra durx stiefas of fedyras.
'Kuepeus duent kartuen in plastikemaxais inverpai untyr bedai hoes.
21e....During Om's seventeenth year, he was still four feet tall (still had four feet of
height). Om did not object to being small, until he tried to drive. His legs did not reach
the brakes or the accelerator, and he could not see over the dashboard. But with a
special seat and controls that he could use with his hand-tentacles, Om learned to drive.
He wanted to learn to drive trucks, trains, planes, helicopters, boats, and submarines.
21g....Mid sieventienaifast jieras omoes habeus hu noox feuzuent spauguen hoogas.
Omu kenureus nik kleen sienena naizec hu faren prauzeus. Beenuen hoes recoom nik
duent brekuen of dat vendepedyla Und 'kaneus nik oovyr dais autoboordai augen. Mar
durx loosast zetylas und hersoesoe zuen hu durx hand-skuphozyroesoe hoes neuten
kaneus aleseus omu autozuen faren. 'Veuleus lorizuen, treenuen, pleenuen, roereefuen,
bootuen, und untyrseezuen faren alesen.
22e....Om imagined a vehicle that could go to any place. This vehicle could float near
the ground, and move off roads and across any valley, hill, or mountain. It could fly in
any weather, through rain, snow, ice, or desert sun. It could move across water, or
underwater in lakes, rivers, and seas. It could move up into the sky, past clouds, and into
space to the moon, planets, and stars.
22g....Omu dreemdenkeus vendeefa zetre at arnat stoena venden kaneusai. De vendeef
kaneus nai ardai und voom vaixuen skuten und toort arnat dala, huela, of berxa. 'Kaneus
in arnais vedyrai, durx rega, vaisa, aisa, of zoona dritelantas fleemen. 'Kaneus toort
vodyra of untyr vodyrai in laxuem, trumuem, und seezuem. 'Kaneus fuer auf in zat
skueza, seet kluduen, und in ruema at dat moona, verelduen und steuduen.
23e....Om's vehicle arrived one night and took Om away. We never saw him again, but
we still wait for him.
23g....De vendeef omoes inkumeus an venast naxtas Und 'neemeus omun fuer fram.
Vier augud hoo nie viedyr Mar 'vaxtud hoo noox.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?......................................VETRE VEULIST JEU SIENEN?
1e....Why does everybody like the sun? I like days when the sky is overcast, when the
air is too cool for bugs and too warm for ice of snow. When the sun shines on the city,
the air feels dirty, the garbage smells worse, and miles of glass and concrete greet me
with glare and unwelcome heat. The sun shines on every piece of filth on the sidewalks,
and every hole in my old coat.
1g....Varum liekit olu dat zoona? Ik liekant daguen anec de skue voelkig sienit, anec de
luxt tu kool fuer kefyruem und tu veum fuer aisai of vaisai sienit. Anec de zoon an dat
byrga cienit Befuelit de luxt drakig, besmelen de utefuelt clextemer, und mielue glasas
und pelmerostas greetant mik durx glaras und entevilkumast hetas. De zoon cienit an
olat broka fueltas an duems creedesieduem und olat loxa in dais eeld jasai meen.
2e....I was a bum who happened to work. For money, I washed dishes at a cafeteria in a
local office building. The money bought me food, a room, cigarettes, coffee, and six
cheap beers every day. Thrift shops supplied me with books and clothes. I had no car,
no spouse, no children, and no ambitions. A few coffee-friends, and one beer-friend I
had. The coffee-friend moved away. The beer-friend died.
2g....Ik sieneut bumylu zu veuken pasit. Fuer skeeta 'vaceut cotyluen at skarfepoostai in
biezigais kantur-buezuecizai. De skeet biegeus mis eeta, fleta, faguen, kafeeza, und
sesuent ceup bieruen an olast dagas. Ceupesturue liefyroom mis buekuen und riguen. Ik
habeus narnat autoza, narnoot potenoo, narnuent barnuen, und narnuent noestuen.
Veenuent kafee-vienuen und venoot bier-vienoo habeut ik. Dues kafee-vienue skutoom
fuer fram. Dus bier-vienu styrveus.
3e....What did I want? Every night, I drank and smoked alone. I didn't want an
education or a better job. I didn't need the respect of my peers. My peers were
strangers who didn't care whether I lived or died. But I wanted something. I wanted to
find wonder in my life. I wanted to step out of the daylight where I felt exposed and
into the night where power and magic moved unseen.
3g....Va veuleut ik? An olast naxtas drinkeut ik und 'smokeut olvenelaik. Ik veuleut
nik culiveza of goodemerat veuka. 'Noodeut nik dat klievena feulagoesoe meen.
Dues feulague meen sienoom utemencue zue op 'leebeutezai of 'styrveutezai nik
gyrnoom. Mar ik veuleut mana. 'Veuleut vundyra in foorai meen finden. 'Veuleut ut
dat daglixta verec ik naket befueleut und in dat naxta verec kraft und tugeust
entaugivezelaik skutoom.
4e....One morning, I was too hung-over to eat breakfast. I stumbled to the coffee shop,
ordered a strong coffee, and tried to read a newspaper. I managed to read ten sentences
in fifteen minutes. Or did I do so in half an hour? What were the sentences about?
While I tried to remember, someone walked right up to my table and sat opposite me.
He had short blond hair, and wore black clothes like mine. His clothes were neater. He
was born ten years before I was.
4g....An venast moornas sieneut ik tu froz zeeje froeskarfa skarfeutai. Ik stumyreut at
kafeepoosta, 'utecozeut deecat kafeeza, Und 'prauzeut tiedeleefuen leezen. 'Herseut
tienuent sastuen mid foifetienoesoet minetoesoe leezen. Of 'noleut mid teuginast
auzyras? Oovyr vas sienoom dues sastue? Midec doot mik ctoebyren 'prauzeut
Creedeus manu bie dat tica meen Und 'seteus doot manoo gegen mis. Hu habeus ceutat
feer hara Und 'vereus covortuent riguen rum rigoesoe meen. Rigue hoes sienoom
saubyrmer. Hu sieneus an tienuems jieruem cevuesivez oerec ik sieneut.
NOTE....Goesk speakers don't read a newspaper; they read "news pages." Unless
the speaker is missing most of the paper, "tiedeleefue" stays plural.
5e...."What do you want to be," the man asked.
I smiled and said "I want to be God."
The man said "You can't be God. But you can be the person you want to be."
"A millionaire," I said. "A movie star? A family man?"
5g...."Vetre veulist jeu sienen," frageus dus camu.
Ik smileut Und 'sageut "Ik veulo godu-godetru sienen."
Dus cama sageus "Jeu kanist godu-godetru nik sienen.
Mar jeu kanist mencu sienen zu veulist jeu sienen."
"Karnegu?" 'sageut. "Film-steudu? Famyl-camu?"
NOTE...To the often polytheistic Goesk speakers, the word "godu" is generic. The
monotheistic deity has a proper name, "godu-godetru." The use of "godetru" as a parent
name reflects the self-caused nature of the monotheistic god.
6e...."You don't care about friends, family, money, sex, or love," said the stranger.
"You don't care about fame or rank. You want to be a magical creature. You want
strange abilities that aren't given to most people. You want to live forever in a body that
changes your passion into power."
6g...."Jeu gyrnist nik oovyr vienoesoe, famylas, skeetas,
vozenas, of lufenas." sageus dus utemencu. "Jeu gyrnist nik
oovyr roepas of doomestedas. Jeu veulist tugeustig cepyl
sienen. 'Veulist raruent kraftuen zetre maistuems mencuem
nik gebivez sienant. 'Veulist zaitolaik in liexemai leeben
zetre dat lusta jeuren krafta andyrit."
7e....I was now fully awake. "How do you know all these
things about my fantasies"
"All coffee house people have fantasies like yours," said the
man. "Most of them buy old books about magick, and imagine
that they are a little magical. I can give you more
than those books can give."
I was uneasy, but not impressed. "So, am I supposed to drink
your blood or sleep with you"
The man took a black book out of his coat, and slid the book
to me across the table.
"Read this, and decide what you will be."
7g....Ik sieneut jest velaik guesig. <
<
Ik sieneut dunc mar nik agie. <
Dus cama neemeus covortat bueka ut dat jasa hoes Und 'sliedeus
dat bueka mis toort dat tica.
<
8e....The book was written, not in letters, but in dreams. Each page took me to another
life.
8g....De buek sieneus nik auf abeezoesoe mar auf dreemoesoe criebivez. Ole leef
neemeus mik at andyrat foora.
VAMPIRE..................................................................................................VAMPAIRU
9e....I have a picture of me before the Change. It’s in a leather envelope, and it’s been
there for decades. That picture, I haven’t seen for years. I don’t remember what it
looks like.
9g....Ik habo beelda mid mis oer dast andyrenas. Hetre lagit in ledyremaxais rumfeuldai
Und ‘habit zeer oovyr jiertienoesoe lagen. Zat beelda habo ik oovyr jieroesoe nik augen.
Nik ‘ctoebyro dais mis vetre hetre bezaugit.
10e....My true form is the one I wake up with. Its hair is green and plentiful. Its eyes
are grey like steel and have no whites. Its skin, claws, and fangs are white like salt. In
its mouth, under its eyelids, and all over its organs, the bloodless flesh is black like tar.
10g....De vor hiv meen sienit de ven mid zai ik doot mik gueso. Har has sienit groen und
riek. Augue has sienant grau rum steelas Und ‘habant narnuent vaituen. Pelt, klavue
und beklavue sienant vait rum seultas. In zais bekai, untyr zuems augepeltuem und brod
gatuem has sienit bluteloose flaic covort rum teras.
11e....But I can change. I can’t become a wolf or a bat, but I can look like many normal
men. Red, blond, brown, or black-haired; African, European, Asian, or Indian; those
are me. Most of the time, I’m a twenty-five year-old European man with black hair. (a
European man with twenty five years and black hair) That was my appearance before
the Change.
11g....Mar ik kano doot mik andyren. Ik kano voelf of fingyrfluegyl verden nik Mar
‘kano vadues feubeezig camue bezaugen. Rad, feer, braun, of covort har; afrik,
oiroop, eesie, of venaifloite; zue sienant ik. Maistezaitelaik ‘sieno oiroopus camu mid
teuzeux-foifuems jieruem und covortuems haruem. Zetre sieneus cainhait meen oer dast
andyrenas.
12e....I can fly. Not like a bird or a plane. I think, move a little, and go. Think of a
skater who can move through the sky. I can see in the dark. To me, darkness looks like
a black and white movie. People think of me as a creature of darkness, but for me there
is always light.
12g....Ik kano fleemen. Nik rum foogylas of pleenas. Ik denko, ‘skuto veenelaik, Und
‘vendo. Ieg castevyroo zu kanit durx dat skueza skuten. ‘Kano in dais deukai augen.
Mis bezaugit deuk covorte und vaite film. Mencue iegant mik cepyla deukas Mar mis
lagit hetre imyr lixt.
13e....At night, I’m stronger than twenty men. Steel, I can bend or break in my bare
hands at night. Bones too. I also get tougher at night. When dusk starts, nothing can
harm me. Any injuries that I have suffered during the day heal instantly when the sun
goes down.
13g....An naxtas ‘sieno deecmer fyrnec teuzeuxues camue sienant. Steela ‘kano in
naket handuem meen an naxtas plaizen of breken. Inbeenuen aux. ‘Verdo aux
starkemer an naxtas. Anec gloom gienit Kanit narn mik cmyrzen. Arnues beelopue za
ik mid dagas laiden habo halant telaik anec de zoon fuer need vendit.
14e....The sun does not kill us. That’s Hollywood nonsense. But the sun weakens us a
lot. During the day, we are almost human. We don’t have to breathe, but we feel old
and tired. Our strength is normal and we can be harmed or killed. Don’t bother to use a
stake or a silver bullet against us. They don’t work at night, and any ordinary weapon
will work during the day.
14g....De zoon toetit us nik. Zetre sienit onzin filmbyrgas. Mar de zoon ferveekyrit us
vadelaik. Mid dagoesoe sienem vier fast pelmencig. ‘Ademem nik in srienas Mar
‘befuelem eeld und teurig. De deecie unsyr sienit feubee Und vier kanem cmyrzivez of
toetivez. Nik bodyr staka of silvyremaxat ceutuecixina aufan unsyr neuten. Due
siegant nik mid naxtoesoe Und arne ueb vepen siegyl mid dagoesoe.
NOTE....Devices, strategies, or powers that “work” in English “succeed” (siegen) in
Goesk.
15e....Holy things will repel some of us. That’s mostly because of religions. Some
vampires fear the signs of divinity, which might take us from the night and put us into
Hell. But vampires have different religions. Buddhist vampires will not fear a cross.
And vampires without a religion fear no holy thing.
15g....Hailigues verpue vardyl manuen unsyr. Zetre sienit maistelaik in kreedoesoe.
Manues vampairue galant duent huen oovyr beekinoesoe godhaitas detre us fram naxta
neemen und us in hela steden fyrnyl. Mar vampairue habant oduent kreeduen.
Budajoozues vampairue galant duent huen nik oovyr krosoesoe. Und vampairue voon
kreedas galant duent huen oovyr narnast hailig verpas.
16e....The one thing that repels all vampires is garlic. No one knows the reason.
16g....De vene verp zetre oluent vampairuen vardit sienit garleek. Narnu vitit dat
redena.
17e....That we need blood is true. If I don’t drink it once a week, I start to shake. After
two weeks without drinking, I feel as if worms of fire were eating me. If I still haven’t
drunk at that time, I stop remembering until I awaken with a belly that is filled with
blood.
17g....Zeeje vier blutas noodem sienit vor. Anec ik ha venelaik mid olast viekas nik
drinko Gieno ik doot mik ceeken. Boeftin teuzoesoet viekoesoe voon drinkenas
‘Befuelo rumec vyrmue fram foiras mik skarfantai. Anec ik nook nik at zast zaitas
drinken habozai ‘Haltozai ctoebyren doot mik naizec ik doot mik mid byrkai zetre durx
blutas fervelivez guesen.
18e....Out of the amount of blood I drink, I could never get the energy that I need to fly or
bend steel with in my bare hands. So I know that I’m supernatural. The principle isn’t
food and energy. What I take is an offering to a piece of evil that became a part of me.
The thing inside gives me strength in return for the offering.
18g....Ut dat getyla blutas za ik drinko kano ik dat futa nie fahen za ik noodo atec ik
fleemen und steela durx naketoesoet handoesoe meen plaizen kanozai. Soo ik vito zeeje
ik hudu sieno. De groend sienit nik eet und fut. Va ik neemo sienit lak at broka leedas
zetre dal meen verdeus. De verp in mis gebit mis deecieza bie dast lakas.
19e....I don’t have to kill when I drink. Just a little blood, I can take. My victim
doesn’t object. I’m better than heroin. After one visit with me, the victim needs me.
If I leave my victim, he or she will forget me, so I won’t leave a trail of bodies.
19g....Ik toeto nik in srienas anec ik drinko. Nur veenat bluta kano ik neemen. Dus
byrtu meen kenurit nik. Ik sieno goodemer fyrnec herozin sienit. Boeftin venast
naikumas mid mis noodit dus byrtu mik. Anec ik lefo doot byrtoo meen Speesyl hu mik
Soo ik lefyl nik spoora liexemoesoe.
20e....But occasionally, I need a feast. Occasionally, I kill people. Why not? People
die regardless. When we kill, death is quick and merciful. Cancer and old age are a lot
slower. People who are afraid of us should be more afraid of old age.
20g....Mar selenelaik noodo ik meeloexteza. Selenelaik toeto ik mencuen. Varum nik?
Mencue styrvant arneheulaik. Anec vier toetem Sienit de deet pienix und milistevel.
Kansyr und eeldehait sienant vadelaik slagemer. Mencue zue duent huen oovyr unsyr
galant spoostant duent huen oovyr eeldehaitas merelaik galen.
21e....Anyway, people are more evil than we are. Your dictators and serial killers are
worse than any vampire. Also, your decent majority elects governments whose wars kill
and maim many people.
21g....Arneheulaik sienant mencue leedemer fyrnec vier sienem. Zues ctimevyrue und
serizylues toetevyrue ier sienant clextemer fyrnec arnus vampairu sienit. Aux kiezit dus
kyrig maisteloitezu regyruen gudue zoesoe vaduent mencuen toetant und lemant.
22e....Yes, I prey on people. Why not? If you knew the number of sickos I’ve killed,
you’d give me a medal. Maybe you’d want to become one of us.
22g....Ja vangesto ik mencuen. Varum nik? Anec jeu dat numyra ratemencoesoe zuen
ik toeten habo vitoosai Gebistai jeu mis penika. Keen veulistai jeu ven unsyr verden.
23e....Making new vampires can be hard. If we take too much blood, the victim dies.
If we take too little blood, the victim remains human. But if we take the correct amount
of blood, the victim begins to change.
23g....Neuzoot vampairoo macenetre kanit heerd sienen. Anec vier tu vadat bluta
neememai Styrvit dus byrtu. Anec tu veenat bluta ‘neememai Nooxit dus byrtu
pelmencig. Mar anec dat getyla blutas fuer at ‘neememai Gienit dus byrtu andyren.
24e....First, the doctors discuss mono. Cancer, they try to find after that. Next, they
hide their ignorance with a bogus name like “non-specific degenerative metabolic
disorder.” Finally, you wake up in a morgue and fly to the next state so that you won’t
drink the blood of your friends and family.
24g....Venaiflaik oovyrcozant arestue manooza. Kansyra prauzant hue boeftin zas
finden. Nextelaik huedant hue dat nuethaita hoesoe durx boogesast namas rum
“entespesifigast unelizodig eeldoreflusig glicas.” Meeglaik guesist jeu doot jeuv in
moorgai Und ‘fleemist at nextat lanta atec jeu dat bluta doesoet vienoesoe und doest
famyloes jeuren nik drinkylai.
25e....Yes, I took the correct amount of blood from you. You will become one of us.
Don’t try to fight it.
25g....Ja ‘neemeut dat getyla bloodas fuer at ut jeuv. Jeu verdyl ven unsyr. Nik prauz
za feuten.
26e....After the Change, you’ll feel supremely alive. Your power will thrill you every
night. But a lifetime of killing will change that. You’ll realize that your power doesn’t
really keep you young, but only prevents you from rotting. You’ll realize that nothing
has meaning for you except blood. You’ll realize that you don’t eat, breathe, or love.
You’ll realize that you’re dead.
You’ll get used to it.
26g....Boeftin dast andyras befuezyl jeu olvenaiflaik eeldorig. Kraft jeuren fueryl jeuv
an olast naxtas. Mar foorzait toetenas andyryl za. Jeu digyl zeeje kraft jeuren jeuv nik
gonzelaik jeun kuepit Mar ‘oerhaltit nur zeeje jeu rotistai. Jeu digyl zeeje narn meenena
jees ut blutas habit. Jeu digyl zeeje jeu nik skarfist, nik ademist, und nik lufist.
Jeu digyl zeeje jeu deetig sienist.
Jeu viedyrfuegyl doot jeuv mid dai.
EVERYWHERE PERSON.................................................................OLESTEDEMENCU
27e....I met a woman at a business-gathering in Seattle. Her name was Lila, and she
wanted to buy me. First, she bought me dinner at an expensive restaurant. Next, she
bought me enough clothes to fill a closet. Five rings and an expensive watch, she bought
me next. Finally, she rented a room at an expensive inn for a week, and invited me to
join her. I was bought and I was happy.
27g....Ik meeteut frauzoo at bishait-gadrisai in siejadylbyrgai. De nam hoes sienit laila
Und hu veuleus mik biegen. Venaiflaik ‘biegeus mis leeteskarfa at toirais skarfecimylai.
Nextelaik ‘biegeus mis nafuent riguen zeeje klozet fervelivez kaneusai. Foifuent rinuen
und toirat kloxina ‘biegeus mis nextelaik. Meeglaik ‘rendeus fleta at toirais inai Und
‘lureus mik in hoo bindena. Ik sieneus biegivez Und ik gluekeus doot mik.
28e....After a month, Lila and I were married. We had an expensive condo. I didn’t
have to work anymore. Lila paid all the bills. Money, she never ran out of. She always
had more in her purse and pockets.
28g....Boeftin moonatas sienoom laila und ik vedivez. Vier habud toirat kandooza. Ik
veukeus nik in srienas jest. Laila biegeus oluent slipuen. Skeeta bafeus hu nie. Hu
habeus imyr mera in pyrsai und pooxinuem hoes.
NOTE....Watch out for “bafen,” which means “run out of” or “use up.” Also,
“biegen” can translate as “buy,” “pay for,” or “pay (bills).”
29e....One day, she told me that she wanted to visit her parents, who lived in the country.
She drove me to a place in the forest. I asked her why we stopped. When she stepped
out of the car, my wife became a being with moss and leaves for skin and eyes like
gigantic dew drops. Other beings like her came out of the forest. I realized that my
wife was an Everywhere Person.
29g....An venais dagai teleus hu mis zeeje hu audyruen hoes naikumen veuleus due in
kroplantum hameus. Hu fareus mik at steda in dais boomegroepai. Ik frageut hum
varum vier haltud. Anec hu ut dat autoza stoopeus Verdeus vifu meen zienu mid mosai
und lefuem fuer peltas und auguem rum groosoexteoesoet deuctoiboesoe. Andyrues
zienue rum hoes kumoom ut dat boomegroepa. Ik digeut zeeje vifu meen
oledstedemencu sieneus.
NOTE....Goesk has two verbs that translate as “live.” One, “hamen” means “to live
(somewhere)” or “to dwell.” The other, “leeben,” means “live,” i.e. be alive.
30e....The Everywhere People can live in all places. Their bodies change when they
travel to different places. In seas and lakes, they have silvery scales, and breathe as fish
do. Thick white fur they have on the peaks of mountains, where they feed themselves
with rocks and snow. In deserts, their bodies are dry bones that live on the light of the
sun. In forests, they are vegetable-things that feed on sticks, water, and small animals.
In cities, they are beautiful people and money appears in their pockets.
30g....Dues olestedemencue kanant at oluems steduem hamen. Liexemue hoesoe
andyrant anec hue at odat steda rievant. In seezuem und laxuem habant hue
silvyrfarbuent cupuen Und ‘ademant rumec fecue nolant. Fikat vait fela ‘habant an
duems spestuem berxoesoe verec hue duent huen durx rostoesoe und vaisas dineetant.
At dritelantuem sienant liexemue hoesoe dritues inbeenue zue durx lixtas dast zoonas
leebant. In boomegroepuem sienant hue groent-verpue zue duent huen durx stikoesoe,
vodyras, und kleenoesoet deuzoesoe dineetant. In byrguem sienant hue freuzues mencue
Und skeet doerit in pooxinuem hoesoe.
31e....Lila said “Live with us. We will give you food and shelter.” Her friends
interrupted her. They said “Come. Another friend is giving birth.” We went to a cave
where an Everywhere Woman lay. When we arrived, she bore her children.
31g....Laila sageus “Ham mid uns. Vier gebyl jees eeta und cupina.” Vienue hoes
stoereus hoo. Hue sagoom “Kum. Andyrus vienu cevuesit.” Vier vendud at hiela
verec olestedefrauzu cmelzeus. Anec vier inkumud, cevueseus hu barnuen hoes.
NOTE....The verb “cevuesen” can be intransitive (give birth) or transitive (bear, give
birth to).
32e....She bore more than one baby. A big crowd of tiny Everywhere Children came out
of her. Every child was like a tiny adult. They scrambled all over and tried to run away.
My wife picked up a few, and ate them. She picked up more of them, and asked me “Do
you want to eat some children?”
32g....Hu cevueseus venat und meruent velpuen. Groos meng lidyloextezoesoet
olestede-barnoesoe kumeus ut hoo. Olus barnu sienit rum lidyloextezoest vaxtoes.
Hue kletyroom fuer brod Und ‘prauzoom fuer fram yrnen. Dus vifu meen skupeus
veenuen hoesoe Und skarfeus huen. ‘Skupeus meruen hoesoe Und ‘frageus mis “Op
veulist jeu manuent barnuen skarfen?”
NOTE...Also, “more than one” is “ven und mer” (literally “one and more”) as in
“venat und meruent velpue” (more than one baby). The singular agreement suffix in
“venat” suggests that that latter Goesk phrase is derived by omitting singular “velpu”
from “venat velpu und meruent velpue” (one baby and more babies). “More than two”
would be “teu und mer,” and so on.
33e....Few children, human couples bear. These few need a lot of care, so most humans
love their children more than they love life. But Everywhere People always bear crowds
of children who can live alone from birth without the help of adults. Everywhere People
control their children’s numbers by eating some of them.
33g....Veenuent barnuen cevuesant pelmencues teucreedue. Dues veenue noodant vadat
gyrna Soo maistues pelmencue lufant barnuen hoesoe merelaik fyrnec foora ?lufant.
Mar olestedemencue cevuesant imyr menguen barnoesoe zue olvenelaik fram cevuesenas
voon helpas vaxtoesoe leeben kanant. Olestedemencue hersant duent numyruen
barnoesoe hoesoe durx manuen zoesoe skarfenoesoe.
34e....This frightened me. I put some of the children in my backpack, not so that I could
eat them afterward, but so I could prevent their deaths. My wife, I fled. When I returned
to the city, I opened the backpack. I had expected to find tiny humans in there. But rats
scrambled out. In these forms, my Everywhere Children fled into the city. If they stay in
the city, they will look human and will always have money when they mature.
34g....Detre galeus mik. Ik stedeut manue doesoet barnoesoe in dat pooxa meen nik atec
ik huen fuer boeftin skarfen kaneutai mar atec deetuen hoesoe ?oerhalteutai. Vifoo
meen fleuzeut ik. Anec ik doot mik at dat byrga viedyrclepeut Openeut ik dat pooxa.
?Habeut lidyloextezuent pelmencuen zeer in finden vaxten. Mar ratue kletyroom zeer ut.
Mid duems hivuem fleuzoom olestedebarnue meen in dat byrga. Anec hue in dais
byrgai baidylai Bezaugyl hue pelmencig Und habyl hue imyr skeeta anec hue raipyl.
35e....?Lila? turned out to be a false name. If my wife has a permanent human identity, I
will never know it. Lila had given me some money as a gift. I put in it in a bank and
returned to my job as an accountant.
35g....?Laila? unvaindeus bame nam. Anec vifu meen daurigat pelmencig selfhaita
habitai Vityl nie ik ha. Laila habeus manat skeeta mis at gebuecizas geben. Ik stedeut
da in skeethausa Und ?viedyrclepeut doot mik at dat veuka meen at skeetemencoes.
NOTE....Watch out for the verb ?unvainden.? Derived from English ?unwind,? it
means ?turn out to be.? ?Unvainden? is a linking verb, so ?bame nam? in a predicate
nominative in the first sentence of the later paragraph, 35g..
36e....Lila and I are waiting now. I am waiting for a real woman. I want to marry and
have children. Lila is waiting with all of the other the Everywhere People. They are
waiting for the last plague, the last war, or the last judgment. They are waiting for all
humans to die, so that they can rule instead.
36f....Laila und ik vaxtem jest. Ik vaxto gonzoot frauzoo. Ik veulo veden Und ?veulo
barnuen haben. Laila vaxtit mid oluem andryoesoet olestedemencoesoe. Hue vaxtant
meegat zoixa, meegat guda, of meegat dooma. Hue vaxtant olues pelmencue styrvena
atec hue regyren fuer fuer kanylai.
FAMILY OF BERBALANGS................................................FAMYL BYRBELANOESOE
37e....Our grandparents came from the South Pacific, but we speak and dress as most
Americans do. The language of our grandparents, we have forgotten. We still have our
family language, but speak it only at night during our ceremonies.
37g....Dues oerzaudyrue unsyr kumoom fram dat sutepasifiklanta Mar vier reedem und
rapem duent us rumec maistues koolalantejoozue nolant. Dat jaka oerzaudyroesoe unsyr
habem vier speesen. Vier habem noox dat jaka famyloes unsyr Mar ‘reedem ha nur an
naxtoesoe mid speloesoe unsyr.
38e....During the day, Dad works as a freelance counselor. During the day, Mom works
as a freelance writer. That my parents don’t have any bosses is good. Too many
questions, bosses ask.
38g....Mid dagoesoe veukit fadyru at frielansoest radevyroes. Mid dagoesoe veukit
mudyru at frielansoest criebvyroes. Zeeje audyrue meen narnuent bosevyruen habant
sienit good. Tu vaduent fraguen askant bosevyrue.
39e....My younger sister and I go to high school. We are not stars, but have a few good
friends whom we visit on weekends. School and friends, we need, because being
accepted as normal people is important to us. It helps to keep us safe.
39g....Jeunemerus cestyru meen und ik vendem at toecula. Vier sienem nik steudue
Mar ?habem veenuent good vienuen zuen vier an viekendoesoe naikumem. Cula und
vienuen noodem vier inec at feubeezoesoet mencoesoe indenkivezetre vixtig uns sienit.
Hetre helpit us sixyr kuepen.
40e....We have to be careful. During the day, eating is hard for us. We eat enough that
we can socialize with people. Our friends say that we eat like birds. That’s not true.
We eat a lot at night.
40g....Vier musem reedig sienen. Mid dagoesoe sienit skarfenetre heerd uns. Vier
skarfem nafa zeeje vier mid mencuem viedyrmeeten kanem. Vienue unsyr sagant zeeje
vier rum foogyloesoe skarfen. Za sienit nik vor. Vier skarfem vada an naxtoesoe.
41e....We also have to be careful about lime juice. Our family has always been allergic
to it. Several popular beverages have a lot of it. It’s poison to us. Drinking it can kill
us. A blade dipped in lime juice can kill us even at night.
41g....Vier musem aux reedig oovyr sapas liemonas sienen. Dus famylu unsyr habit imyr
ha frazen Bidylues steudig drinkuecizue habant vadat ha. Hetre sienit gift uns. Ha
drinkenetre kanit us toeten. Blad za in sapas liemonas duepivez sienit kanit us efenlaik
an naxtoesoe toeten.
NOTE....The verb ?frazen? means ?be allergic to.? Though it translates with English
?be,? it is a transitive verb in Goesk, so in 38g. it takes the object ?ha,? not the
complement ?hetre.?
42e....You have guessed it. Night is important to us. Our friends don’t realize that we
don’t need to sleep. At night, we feed instead. First, Mother, Father, Sister, and I go to
the attic. The attic is clean and empty except for a few crates. Our clothes, Mother,
Father, Sister, and I take off. We are not naked, because we still have our flesh. We
are not indecent, because we think only about our family meal.
42g....Jeu habist da gesen. Naxt sienit vixtig uns. Vienue unsyr digant nik zeeje vier
nik drolen noodem. An naxtoesoe dineetem vier fuer fuer. Venaiflaik vendem mudyru,
fadyru, cestyru, und ik at dat daxefleta. De daxeflet sienit klien und ametig ut
veenoesoet kiestoesoe. Rigue unsyr neemem fuer voon mudyru, fadyru, cestyru und ik.
Vier sienem nik naket inec flaica unsyr vier noox habem. Vier sienem nik entekyrig
inec vier nur oovyr meelas famyloes unsyr denkem.
43e....We sit in a circle. Father lights a small candle and puts it at the center. Mother
prays to the gods of darkness. By waving her hands slowly, sister tells us how we are
supposed to breathe together. I gesture towards the candle with the old signs. We work
together patiently and skillfully like an island ancestor who makes fire with a bow and
drill. Soon, we are hungry. While we become more hungry, the candle flame turns
black. I see my family’s eyes glow with yellow light. I see smoke go up from their
bodies.
43g....Vier setem duent unsyr in syrkylai. Fadyru lixtit kleenat kandyla Und stedit ha at
dat sentyra. Mudyru betit goduem deukas. Durx handuen hoes slaglaik vafenas telit
cestyru uns heu vier olmidelaik ademen spoostem. Ik handevafo mid dat kandyla durx
doesoet eeld beekinoesoe. Vier veukem olmidelaik duldelaik und skilvelaik rum
bronemencoes insylas zu foira durx bogas und drilas macit. Bold ‘sienem hungyrig.
Midec vier hungyrigemer verdem Verdit de foir dast kandylas covort. Ik augo zeeje
augue famyloes meen mid jeelais lixtai gloozant. Ik augo zeeje smok fuer auf fram
liexemuen doesoe vendit.
44e....My hunger turns to freedom. The smoke goes up from my flesh, and now I am
truly naked. Now I am smoke. My family’s dead bodies lay on the floor, and my dead
body lays below me. Our living souls are smoke. We fly through a tiny attic window,
into the night sky, and look for a meal.
44g....De hungyr meen verdit frai. De smok vendit fuer auf fram flaica meen Und
‘sieno jest vorlaik naket. Jest ‘sieno smok. Deetigues liexemue doest famyloes meen
lagant an dais fluzai Und deetige liexem meen lagit need mis. Eeldorigues geustue unsyr
sienant smok. Vier fleemem durx lidyloexte fenestyra daxefletas in skueza naxtas Und
?baskem meela.
45e....Our meal is a worthless man who has fainted from the wine. No one can see him
in the alley except for us. I let him breathe me for a moment, and he awakens.
Because he’s startled, he looks all over. He squints and sees little clouds. Four of
them. He hears us sing. Voices, our naked souls have. When he hears them, the man
shakes and tries to run.
45g....De meel unsyr sienit veuteloosus camu zu in vainas soovoogen habit. Narna kanit
hoo in dais gasazai ut unsyr. Ik laso hoo in mik oovyr zaitexinas ademenas Und hu
guesit doot hoo. Inec hu doot hoo stertylit ?Blikit fuer brod. ?Cielit Und ?augit lidyluent
kluduen. Feuzie hoesoe. Hu hoerit zeeje vier kruenem. Ctemuen habant naketues
geustue unsyr. Anec hu huen hoerit Ceekit dus camu doot hoo Und ?prauzit yrnen.
46e....Claws and teeth, our naked souls have. My sister slashes the man’s leg, and that
man falls. He throws an old box at my sister, but misses. The man can see us. He sees
four clouds. But he can’t see our true locations. We are never where we seem to be.
In the darkness, we can attack however we want to.
46g....Klavuen und tanduen habant naketues geustue unsyr. Cestyru meen clistit beena
camuzoes Und zus camu falit. Zu travit eeldat kausta mid cestyroo meen Mar ?misit.
Zus camu kanit us augen. Zu augit feuzuent kluduen. Mar zu kanit nik voruent steduen
unsyr augen. Vier sienem nie ver vier cainem. In deukai kanem vier takylen heuzol
vier nolen veulem.
NOTE....Goesk has two words for “place” or “location.” A “stoen” is an
environment, while a “sted” is a place or position within some assumed or specified
environment. In 46g, the “sted” is some place within the alley-environment.
47e....Mother likes legs. Father likes the chest and the arms. The belly and other soft
parts, my sister and I like to share. The head and throat, we save for the end. We like to
see a man’s face when he knows that we are eating him. When the man is almost dead,
Mother starts to suck the eyes out.
47g....Mudyru liekit beenuen. Fadyru liekit boezima und armuen. Byrka und andyruent
nic daluen liekem cestyru und ik ceeren. Nopyra und troota sparem vier fuer dat enda.
‘Liekem pusa camoes augen anec hu vitit zeeje vier hoo skarfem. Anec dus camu fast
deetig sienit Gienit mudyru zuent auguen fuer ut lyrken.
48e....When we finish, nothing remains. Every drop of blood has been licked up. Every
bone has been gnawed and eaten. The clothes go into a container for garbage. No one
will find them.
48g....Anec vier clusem Nooxit narn. Ole blutectoib habit fuer auf likivez. Ole inbeen
habit tandivez und skarfivez. Duet rigue vendant in inverpa fuer utefuelta. Narna findyl
huen.
49e....We return to the attic, and dress ourselves in flesh again. I go into my body
through the eyes, nose, and mouth. Our bodies awaken. Our bellies feel full. We
look at each other and smile. We are satisfied.
49g....Vier viedyrclepem duent us at daxefleta Und ‘rapem duent us in flaicai viedyr. Ik
vendo in liexema meen durx augoesoe, nyrsas, und bekas. Liexemue unsyr guesant
duent huen. Byrkue unsyr befuelant vel. Vier blikem eezect Und ‘smilem. Vier
habem duen us saden.
50e....In the morning, Mother is working in the den. Father is going to his office. Sister
and I prepare for school. We are not bad people. Our family is normal. We live in a
nice neighborhood. Who cares whether we dream about killing in the big city? Those
victims don’t live nearby. We don’t know them. No one will miss them.
They don’t even have souls.
Not like ours.
50g....Mid moornuem veukit mudyru in dais denai. Fadyru vendit at kantura hoes.
Cestyru und ik oertuzud fuer cula. Vier sienit nik clextues mencue. Dus famylu unsyr
sienit feubee. Vier hamem in lekyrais burtai. Vu gyrnit op vier oovyr in groosais
byrgai toetenas dreemem? Zues byrtue hamant nik fuer bie. Vier vitem huen nik.
Narna misyl huen.
Hue habit nik efenlaik geustuen.
Nik rum zoesoe unsyr.
GARDENER...................................................................................GARDENEVYRU
51e....I had dated rough men, but they were too rough for me. One of them is in jail
now. The other married another woman. I decided to change how I look at men.
When I met Gardener at my reading group, I knew that I had found a different kind of
man.
51g....Ik habeut ruxuent camuen koerten Mar hue sienoom tu rux mis. Venu hoes sienit
in fengecimylai jest. Dus andyru vedeus andyroot frauzoo. Ik ctimeut dums mis heu ik
at camuem bliko andyren. Anec ik gardenevyroo at groepa fuer leezena meen meeteut
‘Viteut zeeje ik habeut odat camekoenda finden.
52e....He was slight and not very masculine. I was surprised when I learned that he was
almost thirty. His chin looked too smooth to shave. But his eyes looked beautiful and
he was helpful in many little ways (by means of many little favors). Doors, he always
opened for me, and dinner, he always bought for me. He helped me wash dishes and
clean my apartment when he visited. When I talked, he listened attentively. We
became very intimate. His hands were soft. When it came to love, he was
inexperienced, but considerate and sweet. We made love every week.
52g....Hu sieneus slaixt und nik krul camig. Ik raceut doot mik anec ik aleseut zeeje hu
fast dreezeuxuent jieruen habeus. Cin hoes bezaugeus tu smood zeeje hetre ceufivez
sieneusai. Mar augue hoes bezaugeus freu und hu sieneus helpevel durx vadoesoet kleen
lekyrtoesoe. Pratuen openeus imyr hu mis Und leeteskarfa biegeus imyr hu mis.
‘Helpeus mik in cotyluen vacena und in dat rendefleta klienena anec hu naikumeus.
Anec ik cozeut ‘Luesneus augrapiedylaik. Vier verdud krul intim. Dues handue
sienoom nic. Oovyr lufas sieneus hu nugroen mar denkevel und seeveet. Vier vozud
mid olast viekas.
53e....Last winter, I learned that I had lung cancer. I didn’t know why. I never smoked.
But the doctors said that my cancer could not be cured. I would die during the next few
years.
53g....Mid dast lestast vintyras aleseut ik zeeje ik kansyra lunas habeut. Ik viteut nik
varum. Ik smokeut nik. Mar dues arestue sagoom zeeje kansyr meen nik halivez
kaneus. Ik styrvylai mid nextoesoet veenoesoet jieroesoe.
54e....I told Gardener about my cancer when he visited. I expected him to leave me. My
shoulder, Gardener touched tenderly. He said that he would never leave me. I cried in
his arms. While he held me, he said “I can help you. Trust me. I am a healer.”
54g....Ik teleut gardenevyru oovyr kansyras meen anec hu naikumeus. Ik vaxteut zeeje
hu mik lefeusai. Caudyra meen ruereus gardenevyru saneftelaik. Hu sageus zeeje hu
mik nie lefylai. Ik krymeus in armuen hoes. Midec hu mik fengeus ‘Sageus “Ik kano
jeuv helpen. Traust mik. Ik sieno halvyru.”
55e....I felt faint. Everything seemed like a dream. I felt Gardener’s hand below my
right breast. I felt his fingers push into me. A strange pressure parted my skin, and
blood flowed down my belly, but there was no pain. I felt Gardner’s hand grab
something inside me, and heard sucking sounds when he pulled it out.
55g....Ik befueleut soovoogig. Ol caineus dreem. Ik fueleut handa gardenevyroes need
dais rext breustai. Ik fueleut zeeje fingyrue hoes in mik skaldoom. Rare druek daleus
pelta meen Und blut flieteus need byrka meen Mar hetre lagit narne laid. Ik fueleut zeeje
hand gardenevyroes mana in mis glomeus Und ‘hoereut klankuen lyrkenas anec hu ha
fuer ut trekeus.
56e....Gardener asked me to sleep. When I lay down, I saw a remarkable thing, a person
one foot tall. It was naked, wrinkly and bloody all over. The little person ran away.
56g....Gardenevyru bideus mik in drolena. Anec ik doot mik fuer need lieceut Augeut ik
utuebat verpa--menca mid venais spaugai hoogas. Hetre sieneus naket, runzelvel, und
blutig fuer brod. Dus lidyl mencu yrneus fuer fram.
57e....The next day, I felt better. When I went to the doctors, they told me that my
cancer had vanished. I was happy, until I read the newspaper. A man across town told a
strange story. A little person who was one foot tall had attacked him. That wrinkly
bloody person had dived into the man’s chest. This story, no one believed. But the man
now had lung cancer.
57g....An nextast dagas befuelt ik goodemer. Anec ik at arestuen vendeut ‘Teloom
mik zeeje kansyr meen klooken habeus. Ik gluekeut doot mik naizec ik tiedeleefuen
leezeut. Camu toort byrgai unsyr teleus rarat talula. Lidylus mencu mid venais spaugai
hoogas habeus hoo takylen. Zus runzelvel blutig mencu habeus in dat boezima camoes
duvendeus. Dat talula glooveus narna. Mar dus camu habeus jest kansyra lunas.
58e....When Gardener visited, I told him that I was afraid. Gardener’s touch relaxed me.
I put my head onto his lap and he stroked my temples. A strange pressure penetrated my
brain. When the pressure had gone, I sat up and saw a little person in front of me.
58g....Anec gardenevyru naikumeus ‘Teleut hoo zeeje ik doot mik galeut. De ruer
gardenevyroes mildeus mik. Ik stedeut nopyra meen an zeuzuen hoes Und hu kozeus
cleefuen meen. Rare druek dringeus bragina meen. Anec de druek habeus venden
Seteut ik doot mik fuer auf Und ‘augeut lidylat menca oer mis.
NOTE....Goesk has no word for the “lap” that we put our napkins in. The napkin
goes “an zeuzuen” (on thighs).
59e....My fear was one foot tall and white like snow. Little black eyes, it had on its face
and the back of its head. It shook for a few seconds, and ran away more quickly than my
eyes could follow it. Since that time, I have never been afraid.
59g....Ze gal meen habeus venat spauga hoogas Und ‘sieneus vait rum vaisas.
Kleenuent covort auguen habeus hetre an pusai und rugai nopyras has. Hetre ceekeus
dat ha oovyr veenoesoet sekendoesoe Und ‘yrneus fuer fram pienixemer fyrnec dues
augue meen ha folgen kaneus. Seet zast zaitas, ‘galo doot mik nie.
60e....Gardner touched me on other nights. I was angry about his taking out my fear, so
his fingers went into my head again. My anger walked with its knuckles as an ape does.
It had skin like hot tar and claws like white-hot hooks. On the night when my anger
escaped, my former boyfriends died horribly.
60g....Gardenevyru ruereus mik an andryoesoet naxtoesoe. Ik zooreut doot mik oovyr hu
gala meen fuer ut neemenas Soo fingyrue hoes vendeus in nopyra meen viedyr. De zoor
meen creedeus durx nokyloesoe hoes rumec ap nolit. Hetre habeus pelta rum hatast
teras und klavuen rum vait-hatoesoet hookoesoe. An zast naxtas anec zoor meen
utefleuzeus Styrvoom lufecamue fuer fram meen clextoextelaik.
61e....I let Gardener visit me again because I was not afraid or angry. I put my head onto
his lap, and let him take away my pain. I don’t know who has my pain now. Gardener
also took one kidney and one lung. He said that he needed space for seeds that he put
inside me. After a month, holes began to form in my chest and belly. They grew and
became slits that I could fit my hands into.
61g....Ik laso gardenevyroo in mik viedyr naikumena inec ik nik galeut of zooreut doot
mik. Ik stedeut nopyra meen an zeuzuen hoes Und ‘laso hoo in fuer fram laida meen
neemena. Ik vito nik vu laida meen jest habit. Gardenevyru neemeus aux venat neuda
und venat luna. Hu sageus zeeje hu ruema fuer zaduen noodeus zuen hu in mik stedeus.
Boeftin moonatas gienoom loxue in boezimai und byrkai meen hiven. Hue lizodoom
Und verdoom slitue in zuen ik handuen fuegen kaneut.
62e....After two months, two little creatures came out of the holes. When they were
born, they did not cry. They smiled sweetly. They had opened their big beautiful eyes.
Those eyes looked exactly like Gardener’s.
62g....Boeftin teuzoesoet moonatoesoe kumoom teuzues lidyl cepylue ut duent loxue.
Anec hue cevuesivez sienoom ‘Kyrmoom nik. Hue smiloom seeveetelaik. ‘Haboom
groosuent freu auguen hoesoe openen. Zues augue bezaugoom genaulaik gardenevyroes.
63e....When Gardener left me, I had fewer organs, no fear, no anger, and no pain.
I believe he took other pieces of my body and mind, but I can’t remember what they
were. Now I lie on the couch, stare at the television, and wait for more Gardeners to
come out of me.
I don’t want to do anything else.
I never will.
63g. Anec gardenevyru mik lefeus Habo ik veenyruent gatuen, narnat gala, narnat
zoora, und narnat laida. Ik gloovo zeeje hu andyruent brokuen liexemas und geustas
meen neemeus Mar ik kano nik dums mis vue zue sienoom ctoebyren. Jest ik cmelzo
an dais drolestoelai, ‘staro tievieza Und ‘vaxto merues gardenevyrue ut mik kumena.
Ik veulo nik arnat andyrat verpa tuzen.
Ik nozyl nie.