"A Salute to Tolkein!"
- jwilliambellexcels
- Aug 10
- 3 min read
BLOGGING ABOUT WHATEVER
ENTRY - 11
TITLE: "A Salute to Tolkein!"
AUTHOUR: J. William Bell
DATE POSTED: 2025-08-10
J. R. R. Tolkein is one of my favourite writers, and I know that I am but one, of many, who can honestly say that. It might shock some Tolkein fans out there to read this: but I prefer his book, THE HOBBIT, over his more famous books; THE LORD OF THE RINGS. I am not saying that HOBBIT is superior to RINGS, I am just sharing my personal preference. I can read the former usually within the hours of one day. The other, being a series of books of great length; therefore, requires more available time. And as I get older, time becomes even more valuable.
As a salute to the good old Professor; I am going to share two poems from THE HOBBIT in this entry; written in the original English, followed by an Esperanto translation by William Auld.
ORIGINAL
Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates --
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat!
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
Splash the wine on every door!
Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
And when you've finished, in any are whole,
Send them down the hall to roll!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
So, carefully! carefully with the plates!
ESPERANTO TRANSLATION
La glasojn dissplitu, fendigxu la vazoj!
Trancxilojn difektu, kurbigu la forkojn!
Cxar Bilbon cxagrenas tiaj okazoj --
fratasu botelojn, brulumu la korkojn!
Trancxu la tukon, la grason surtetu!
Versxu la lakton jam provizej-planke!
Sur maton dorcxambran ostaron demetu!
La pordojn makulu per vin' cxiuflanke!
En akvon bolanton mergegu fajencojn;
ilin per stango pistadu skrupule;
se iuj cxefine rezistis l'atencojn,
ilin tra l'halo jxetegu disrule!
Cxar Bilbon cxagrenas tia okazoj,
zorge tre zorge traktu pri l'vazoj!
Original
Sing all ye joyful, now sing all together!
The wind's in the tree-top, the wind's in the heather,
The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower.
Dance all ye joyful, now dance all together!
Soft is the grass, and let foot be the feather!
The river is silver, the shadows are fleeting;
Merry is May-time, and merry our meeting.
Sing we now softly, and dreams let us weave him!
Wind him in slumber and there let us leave him!
The wanderer sleepeth. Now soft be his pillow!
Lullaby! Lullaby! Alder and Willow!
Sigh no more Pine, till the wind of the morn!
Fall Moon! Dark be the land!
Hush! Hush! Oak, Ash, and Thorn!
Hushed be all water, till dawn is at hand!
Esperanto Translation
Kantu gxojplenaj, en rondo amika!
Vent'blovas tra l'arboj, tra l'bedo erika,
la steloj floradas, la lun'asfodelas,
en turo de l'Nokto fenestroj brilhelas.
Dancu gxojplenaj, kunule korteze!
Molas la herbo, dancpasxu malpeze!
Argxentas rivero, la ombroj pasemas;
en gajo de Majo, ni gaje kunvenas.
Kantu mallauxte, kaj songxojn ni teksu!
Volvu vin dorme kaj ire ni eksu!
Dormas vaginto. Ripozu li kalma!
Lulkanto! Lulkanto! Salika kaj Alna!
Pinarb'ne sopiru, gxis ventos la tago!
Lun'falu! Mallumu la tero!
Cxit'! Kverko, Frakseno, Kratago!
Silentu la akvo, gxis tag-reapero!
Excelsior!
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