temle ien il talōnti nā il ñi sāen rā sōssirja il antielen wā ñi rū xō jē nāra;
temle ien tō wā sema jatañēn to jakāe ja ñi sū japāŋŋien tō jāo ōrra ñi sāen rū āke;
wā temle janahan nā ñe jāo;
wā temle ien ew ñamma jamāra tō honahan ew ñamma sū jasōþa;
wā temle jatatēn ien ē jaliþa ñi sāen rū xō rā jatōna nō rā jasāma aþ ñi māniþa marō rū jatōna rā jasāma jaλāon mē;
te janaren ja temle ien illaniþ tema ien ñi sāen marō tō te jāo ewaþ tema jawōla to jaþīña illaniþ tema ien ñi sāen marō il tema jekīþa ien ē rēha la jalōna wījte jē nā rū xō rā annāmmi hi ñamma jatōna japōññe;

temle ien pa jatōna anhēkēl nā;
te ien la jaxūna pa anwōra sū jasāma jamāxxānwe jawīwa ōl sū jañūna ēnne jakōna āñ;
tō jāo ñi jatōna tō ñi jaxūna tō jāo;
temle ien ē tere jamārwakie mo rirōña hi alxien ñi riēn rā xō;
sū anjēlti anwīwi āñ alxien te jēta jatēspe to jampāenten to manahan sakēwīke;
tere jañūna janāra mo rirōña ē rā jāxīsse hūta pēxa ē rā jāxīsse tēsa pēxa;
ē ñi rājālme aþ rā jasīsse pē nō ñi jarūsa rā ja ñi jawae jīrān wā il antielen te jatōrreni jannarien;
temle ien te anāxkīñi anjūti nīkan jakīþīñi jakepōli jē sōta ñe anwūlīñi ñe ōrra ñi jakōni jatāri nā rā xō rū jasōþa ōl pēxa ānen anþīmme;
te jamāēþi jañīñi jajāēli jakepōli ñe jañāñeni pē ī;
temle jaþēma ien la jasāma nāra ñe jamāxxānwe ē pa jakōni ī pa anλāon nāpie ī pa jaxūna wā;

kexien tema jaxiēna ien ē rēha la jalōna wījte rā annāmmi ī te māniþa sū jahāttam ōl nīkan anhāri jānnara sū japiēþi jakīwi mē;
wā tema jawāxten illaniþ tō tema jekīþa to ja taxien la jatōna sū sahūta pa anōmen jarāŋŋi ŋō tō jāo hi ñi jarēþa rā jaþīña jahēnār taxien hi ñi jatōna japōññe il anniþen il antielen;
il jalōna wīor il antielen ōrra ñamma jarēþa ānen jatōna ja ñi japōññe wā nīkan anhāri ja ñi ankewōri ī il tema jamīra ñe ñamma sanārme jaþāla ā masāma sakū;
il aþ ñamma jahāttam jaλāta tō tūaþ tema anhāri sūjamē tō tema jāo to jaþūni ewaþ tema jañīña;
il aþ ñamma anrāki rājanō il ñamma jatōna jaxōsa āl il pa ma anrañāca nā il jalōna;

il ñi jaraxēwa il ñamma jaxōsa jōrre ānen antūtte wā il aþ ñi sāen maxēie il tema jaxiēna ien il ñi jānnalon jānne il ñamma jatōna japōññe rēha;
il ñi sāen marēwa il ē tema jahēŋŋūn nā ñe jatarōñ ja tema ōrra aþ tema jaxiēna ien ñamma jatōna japōññe anniþen hēja cī;
hi ñi jatōna japōññe hi hēja ñi sāen rājanō ānen antānre hi ñi sāen rū malō ancāllimma hīja hi pa anmārena luhañen;
ē ñi ancālli tō malō aþ ñamma jatōna jaxōsa jōrre aþ ñi sāen rā jatarūni jawēhi nō;
kexien tema jekīþa ien la þō jatarūni jawēhi tō tema jatēla ien la þō jalmēsa sū sōssirja pa anhāri wā ewaþ ñi sāen rājanō;
ē te sarōña pa ansōnen nā ñe sasōna ē il tema anhāri il ñi sāen rājanō;
il ānnalon ānen ancēxa wā il ñi sāen rā jatarūni jawēhi nō;
illorren ñamma jān japōññe ja wā ñi rū sāen pēxa;

tema jekīþa ien la þō jatarūn jawēha to ja ñi honnarien ankēji rājamē rūjēmma rā anlāīñi jakīnte tā;
il wā ñi jatarūn jawēha ew rū xō pēxa ew jatarūnīwe il ñi sāen rā xō;
tō jāo anniþen tema jēwāri anhāri nīkan antāoni nīkan anwūlīñi anlōi ē rūjāñ ew sūjīr mo sarōña;
la anlāji anēkki ansīñi ankīþi sūjīr nīkan ankēji anñāntiwi tō tūaþ ñi ankeþāwi tō þō tō anmārwi;
sū jēwāri āñ la jamāonre nīkan ankōnōri anlūŋŋiþi anrāēli nīkan antāñi ē ansīwa ñe anlōki il jaraxēwa ī jaxōññāoni jalōnni jatēñi;

ē tema jāŋŋeren to jamāonre jalū sū jēwāri āñ ānen anlūi rū jasōþa wā mo sanārme ien ñe wā tema to anlūani to anexīmi to anxōni to ankīri mo sanārme aþ ñi sapāla sū anxūri hāl sū jēwāri nū;
il ñi sapāla sū xō il ñi mēli rū jamāonre rā jatarōn jawēha jahāwa nū nīkan anīλi nīkan antanīsi nīkan anlāni nīkan anlāsi;
ē ñi sapāla luhañen aþ temme jakekōrja ke mēla matūttōnte sū mīþi hāl ien ē se jawēra sarāpa mo jamāonre þō ī ōrra ñi makerāon manōña il jahōλen ī hēja ñatta sāen makerāon āl cī ī hēja ñi sāen rā jamāonre mē cī aþ ilwae ñi sāen manōña rēha;

ē tema jamārwakie aþ ānen anñiñēka tetme jatēmmēri aþ ānen ankewāla ñi sāen rā sāim rā anxūrimma;
ē ñatta anxūri ankōrji ē ñatta sāim matanāe rājakiē ē tetme jatēmmēri luhañen ew ñi mawae rājanū;
ē ñi sāen rā anxūri kiē aþ ñi anxūri anpōhi aþ la jatarūn jawēha nīkan jēwāri jalūi sū sāen āñ aþ se jarūlōn to jamāonre;
ē ñi sāim rū sāen āñ aþ tetme ien āl ñi jakāenala jāllōhen sū jamāonre jaþāwa jīþa;
ñi sāen rā jatarūna jawēha jēwāri anhāri tō tema jakīña ien ñi jahēŋŋūn jakewōra jē sōta ñe ñi sāen rā jāllōhen;

ē tetme ien la jāllōhen jatēwa pa anwīþþēñi rū anekiēni ja la sū anmārwi kiē rū anlāñūi rā malō nō nā ē tetme ien la anwīþþēñi pa anālhūñīki anwetēli;
ñi sāen rū sāim pēxa rā jatarūna jawēha jēwāri anhāri ī;
ñatta jacēha ja ñatta sāen rā jaþīña nō rā jatēwa jōmen nīkan jacūteni jalōi sū jēwār kiē sū ankōnōri anlūñi tā;
ñi sāen rū sāim pēxa rā jatarūni jawēhi jēwāri anhāri ī;

te macēna mahēna anīλīkimma antanīsi ānen anāste ñe marōāñēl;
ē ñi marōāñēl rā sāen ē temme jatēmmēr ien ñarra jahēña tō jatarūna jawēha anhāri wē;

temme jahāhhe ien sele jahēŋŋūn mo lekōλa;
temme ke marōāñēl ien rēha ñarra jahēña tō anwīþþēñi anmārwakiji il jāllōhen cī;
ē ñamma sāen sanōma jaþāla ā marōāñēl sakū aþ temme ien la ē anmārwakiji sū jamāonre kiē ī jacūteni jalōi;
wa jasōri pa jamārwakiji xō;
tetme jatēmmēri ñe anexīmi ke sarāpa mēli manaren ien ñi anwīþþēñi tō ankērrāoni il jānnaxili sū jamārwi jalōi jīþi rā malō nō nā;
ñi ē jaxīwi ī jaratāni tō jatarūna jawēha anhāri;

temme ke marōāñēl ien ñarra jahēña janahan tō jatarūna jawēha anhāri wē;

ē ānen ankēwa ī sakōλa jasīra ñi sāen rā jatarūna jawēha anhāri jahāwa;
tema jaxiēna ien ñamma jacērja āl;
ē temme jatasēña ke macēna sakū ī tetme jatēmmēri ewaþ ñi sāen rā anhāri anālnehi tō tūaþ ñamma sāen sawūra jarēŋŋe;
ē temme jarūlōn ān mo sasāra ke marōāñēl ī tetme japāla mo sasāra ke mēli;
il ñi sāen sawūra rā jēwār ōl il ñi jēwār jatāra rū ma pēxa;
ē ñi sāen sakū rājanō aþ anniþen ñi sāen matāra ī;
ñi jēwār jalō ē jatāra ē jatāra rū ma hāl;
ē anniþen ñi sawūrre jasōhi rū jamāonre sarāpa ī ñi sāen matāra il jahōλen ānen ansōha ānen anūri jūma ēmma;
ē ñi jēwār ē jaxēla ē jaxēla ī ē ñi sāen matāra āl;

anniþen ñi jaxēla janāra;

il ñi anlōki ī il ñi jēwār rūjapēxa ōrra il ñi sāen sū jasāma ī;
ē ōrra ñatta sāen mapōññe ā mīrāñi jērān aþ ōrra tetme annāmmi;
ē temete þō jatāen aþ tetesse mo mīþien;
ē texe jatāen jatēla mo mēlien mannarien sū sōssirja jaþāwa xō aþ texesse mo mīþien il anīstūi tēna sū jakēsti sū jalāji kiē sū jamāesi āñ;
wā texe jawōla mo mawae ien la sāen makerāon jē sarāpa;
wā sexme sawēra jīþa janahan ke sāeþ;

He said to me: It was many yesterdays ago when he came to Sōssirja, afterwards he never went from it.
He said to me: He did not like the doings in the homeland, so he went from there.
He did not say to me more than this.
He did not say to me how he made a dwelling, nor where.
He did not tell me the reason that he went one day from there along the road to the desert and became lost and alone from the road into the wide desert.
All he said to me: when first he perceived he was lost, because that it was even though he doubted his path, when first he perceived he was lost, he was certain that there were only three days from there to fresh water, if he found the road.

He said to me: the road was well made.
It seemed to be a pattern of emptiness on top of the bare wide plain of the desert between two lines of pebbles.
Because of this there was a road, from the pattern made by this.
He said to me: it was a surprising sight if you came to it suddenly.
In the middle of bare wilderness, this was unexpectedly a relic of civilization, of someone's labor.
You saw complete straightness to the horizon far to the right and to the horizon far to the left.
Cross it and a few yards along, return to where nothing was altered after the completion of all things.
He told me there was baked ground with scattered little rocks instead of sand, as if were much gravel thrown to there from a place far above.
There were a few scattered tufts of dwarfed bushes growing also.
He described to me that the whole desert was like a vast expanse of gravel, and too much width, and no pattern.

Here, he understood that there was three days to fresh water and also he was alone atop a camel, with a quantity of water in skin containers.
He did not feel vulnerable at first, because he was certain the road was to his right more or less, and also a great many miles of length, so that if he travelled in more or less the right direction, he would find the road sooner or later.
After he had travelled for four days without the road becoming found and with the water becoming used up also then he felt a sudden fear as if the desert came to him and took hold of him with its hand.
He killed the camel then for the water inside it, so he had read in books, and got very little.
And then, he walked onwards, now searching for the road, with greater urgency as the day continued.

Night came, and he stopped searching without willingness and went to sleep with the certainty that come morning he would find the road.
When he awoke, he was thirstier that he had foreseen and understood that he must immediately find the road.
And if the road was found, he must go along it with quickness if he would escape the sun's heat and live.
And the sun's heat came, and he stopped searching for the road and started following mirages.
Of course, he knew these were mirages because he knew this part of Sōssirja has no water, yet he followed.
His eyes had more wisdom than his mind and when water was seen, he went to it.
All morning without hope, he followed mirages.
Finally, he found one that did not go away from him.

He knew that this was a mirage from all the ways that the sky came into it and out of it and went under the base of the hills.
And yet the mirage did not move away or disappear when he went there.
So that soon he saw the waters of the lakes with waves with the golden sands around it but not at back.
There at the back were tall rocky red-brown mountains and sky mixed up together so that here and the world were divided.
Among the lakes was a city with towers of white marble with flushes of pink like sunlight at twilight and also thin veins of gold.

The beauty from the city shining among the lakes with light from nowhere affected him like neither the stars nor music nor memory nor family had affected him and he wept in front of the gates beside the lakes.
While he was there weeping, people came from the city to near the edge of the mirage with cloths and decorations and greetings and welcomes.
Still he was weeping, and one with authority, in front of the rest, explained to him that this city was named sarāpa and that the king had been dead a long time and now they would make him the king and that he should come into the city and then never would he die.

He was amazed, and they called to him with eagerness, and with caution, he went to them, to their gates.
And they opened the gates and made a crowd beyond it and called to him still, but none came to this side.
He went through the gates, and the gates shut, and there was the mirage with the lakes shining around him, and a shout came from the city.
And they gathered around him and told him that his ceremony feast was now being made in another part of the city.
He went to the waters of the mirage lakes, for he wished to quench his thirst rather than go to the feast.

They told him that at the feast table there were wines from lands that are beyond the known world from valleys nearer to the sun, and they told him there were wines with unknown perfumes.
Again he went away from them to the waters of the mirage lakes.
They tried to make him go along a path to a long table with shining cups at the far side of the lake under the gleaming towers.
Again he went away from them to the waters of the mirage lakes.

There was an old woman with clothes decorated with black things like an oracle.
She came to him and called to him Do not drink the mirage water.

He sighed, I am thirsty.
And the oracle told him he would drink wondrous wines at the feast.
The oracle took hold of his wrist with her hand and told him of the wonders there were across the city and shining cups.
There are no words for those wonders.
They called to him like music, all the people of Sarāpa, telling him of wines made from magic during the evenings on other shining worlds nearer to the sun.
The mirage waters whispered and rippled.

Do not drink any of the mirage water, said the oracle.

With weariness and a dry throat, he went to the edge of the mirage water.
He knew what he was choosing.
The woman signed him warning and the people called to him, yet he went to the fortunate water in order to wet his mouth.
He heard one shout from the oracle and he heard the people wail.
As he with his mouth became over the lake, the lake fell away from him.
He with his hand went after it and soon he was falling also.
The shining lake fell and fell before him.
The voices from the city of sarāpa soon became silent and he fell for a long time with silence except for the noise of the air.
The lake became dark and dark again as he fell.

Soon it became complete darkness.

When it was light again, the lake had gone and he was in the desert again.
A group of Īrāñi had found him and given him water.
He told them this story and they told others.
All the people in that part of Sōssirja know the story and they tell it to more each year in the towns beyond the mountains, in the arable land.
Not a one of them has doubt that he is the king of sarāpa.
Among them he does not have another name.

Interlinear Analysis

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