The Song of Wizardry

[Udukhaturz]

A Song of Wizardry
By Udukhatûrz

As the worldwide academic community is well aware, it was in 1953 that a packet of old documents housed in a wooden box was found in the basement of the University of Istanbul. This remarkable discovery was made purely by chance when the janitor, Selim Ünver, was about to throw the box and its contents into the university incinerator. Some of these papers were parchments of great antiquity and of inestimable cultural interest.

The accidental discovery attracted the attention of scholars from around the world. The strange, archaic text was written in bizarre script, indecipherable at first, until a team of notable scholars was organized to work on the project.

These scrolls were considered as incomprehensible as the famous Rosetta Stone was to 19th century etymologists. The Rosetta text, written in ancient hieroglyphics, was unreadable to any scholar until a link between the second hieroglyphic text on the stone and a later Greek text was determined.

Comparisons and analysis between what came to be known as the “Istanbul Corpus” and other ancient languages were undertaken. Upon the first inspection, there were thought to be some similarities in appearance between various ancient languages of the world. However, these later proved merely incidental, and upon further inspection, were found to be erroneous. After many laborious and tedious hours in both the laboratory and in the field, language experts were unable to find any connections between the corpus and any known language, either ancient or modern.

Then an amazing breakthrough came only two years ago when Dr. Ruskin Petrie of Oxford University, an eminent authority on the reported translation of the “Red Book of Westmarch,” and Dr. Antoinette LaVille of Northwestern University, outstanding scholar of ancient Scythian, combined their talents. Comparing the “Istanbul Corpus” with the “Red Book of Westmarch” and “Translations from the Elvish” showed surprising similarities. “Translations” was composed by B. Baggins, a scholar of Sûza, one of the oldest known ancient settlements in England, far predating the Roman era.

It was discovered that the “Istanbul Corpus” was identical to a portion of the “Gest of Beren son of Barahir and Lúthien the Fay called Tinúviel the Nightingale or the Lay of Leithian, Release from Bondage,” as translated by B. Baggins. However, this ancient text was written in a far different language than that of the “Gest.”

Below will follow what has become known as the “Song of Wizardry,” taken from the original, which was written in a debased form of Scathian Ghashnum.

THE SONG OF WIZARDRY

Ghashnuz-ta kandog dushatârurz-ob,
Zung-ob, badz, fûru-ob,
Baduzg, narlâz, narkrampûrz.
Raduz trosh Felagund tal gûr,
Kandoguz-ishi kandog shakrop-ob,
Mauk, lutaum gothûr-kau
Dhurum-ob atishuz, durbum lug krulkul,
Agh kaan narlagûrz, mâdûr, naratsuz;
Bhadûr-ob zna agh ozt naroloz,
Graku-ob naratsuz, lagûrz graku
Glûrug badz, gaium zamal lag.

Bakharna agh ord kuluz kandog-ulu.
Rûm, bumbullaum, ûkil durbûrz yonk
Ghashn frîghuz, Felagund maukuz,
Agh dush uk agh orka thrakuz-ta
Goluguzg-ob ishiu ghashanu-tab.

Nar-ashparûrz bûrz-ishi khlaaruz-ulu fiilu
Kandog kraat Nargothrond-ishi,
Hon dot-ob-thu,
Bot-ob aanudurz, rar-ob,
Rar-ir zaahofu-ob Goluguzg-ob.
Raduz dûmp-ishi srinkhuz; burzûm skaat

Valinor-ishi, grish karn hul
Dot-dhog, amal Golug-hai ugluz
Dotrûku, agh orsk thrakuz
Lûnt nink zhol-sha nink
Ghaash-kaaluz-ghaara stazg. Moz shiik,
Naur ulur. Starkok skoi.
Akûl gashn puz-ishi Dot-ob.
Glûru kraibag Angband-ishi blord.
Bumbullaum brumg, ghaashu ghaash-
Agh Finrod lûmpuz ulîma-ugil.

LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE ANCIENT “GHASHNUM” TEXT
Ghashnuz-ta kandog dushatârurz-ob,
Chanted-he sing wizardry-of
Zung-ob, badz, fûru-ob,
Pierce, opening, lies-of
Baduzg, narlâz, narkrampûrz.
Reveal, notcover, notloyal
Raduz trosh Felagund tal gûr,
Then sudden Felagund there tremble,
Kandoguz-ishi kandog shakrop-ob,
Sang-in song stay-of,
Mauk, lutaum gothûr-kau
fight, battle power-against,
Dhurum-ob atishuz, durbum lug krulkul,
Of secrets kept, strength like a tower,
Agh kaan narlagûrz, mâdûr, naratsuz;
And trust unbroken, freedom, notcaught;
Bhadûr-ob zna agh ozt naroloz,
Of changing shape and appearing notusual,
Graku-ob naratsuz, lagûrz graku
Of snares eluded, broken traps,
Glûrug badz, gaium zamal lag.
The prison opening, the chain that snaps.

Bakharna agh ord kuluz kandog-ulu.
Backwards and forwards swayed their song.
Rûm, bumbullaum, ûkil durbûrz yonk
Move, foundering, as ever more strong
Ghashn frîghuz, Felagund maukuz,
The chanting swelled, Felagund fought,
Agh dush uk agh orka thrakuz-ta
And all the magic and might he brought
Goluguzg-ob ishiu ghashanu-tab.
Of Elvenesse into his words.

Softly in the gloom they heard the birds
Nar-ashparûrz bûrz-ishi khlaaruz-ulu fiilu
Singing afar in Nargothrond,
Kandog kraat Nargothrond-ishi,
The sighting of the Sea beyond,
Hon dot-ob-thu
Beyond the western world, on sand,
Bot-ob aanudurz, rar-ob,
On sand of pearls on Elvenland.
Rar-ir zaahofu-ob Goluguzg-ob.
Then in the doom gathered; darkness growing
Raduz dûmp-ishi srinkhuz; burzûm skaat

In Valinor, the red blood flowing
Valinor-ishi, grish karn hul
Beside the Sea, where the Noldor slew
Dot-dhog, amal Golug-hai ugluz
The Foamriders, and stealing drew
Dotrûku, agh orsk thrakuz
Their white ships with their white sails
Lûnt nink zhol-sha nink
From lamplit havens. The wind wails,
Ghaash-kaaluz-ghaara stazg. Moz shiik,
The wolf howls. The ravens flee.
Naur ulur. Starkok skoi.
The ice mutters in the mouths of the Sea.
Akûl gashn puz-ishi Dot-ob.
The captives sad in Angband mourn.
Glûru kraibag Angband-ishi blord.
Thunder rumbles, the fires burn-
Bumbullaum brumg, ghaashu ghaash-
And Finrod fell before the throne.
Agh Finrod lûmpuz ulîma-ugil.

THE TRANSLATION OF THE “GEST”
He chanted a song of wizardry,
Of piercing, opening, of treachery,
Revealing, uncovering, betraying.
Then sudden Felagund there swaying,
Sang in a song of staying,
Resisting, battling against power,
Of secrets kept, strength like a tower,
And trust unbroken, freedom, escape;
Of changing and shifting shape,
Of snares eluded, broken traps,
The prison opening, the chain that snaps.

Backwards and forwards swayed their song.
Reeling foundering, as ever more strong
The chanting swelled, Felagund fought,
And all the magic and might he brought
Of Elvenesse into his words.
Softly in the gloom they heard the birds
Singing afar in Nargothrond,
The sighting of the Sea beyond,
Beyond the western world, on sand,
On sand of pearls on Elvenland.

Then in the doom gathered; darkness growing
In Valinor, the red blood flowing
Beside the Sea, where the Noldor slew
The Foamriders, and stealing drew
Their white ships with their white sails
From lamplit havens. The wind wails,
The wolf howls. The ravens flee.
The ice mutters in the mouths of the Sea.
The captives sad in Angband mourn.
Thunder rumbles, the fires burn-
And Finrod fell before the throne.

NOTES FROM UDUKHATûRZ:
It is hoped that you enjoyed the introduction and my translation of the “Song of Wizardry.” I have been studying the many fan-created dialects of Black Speech for years now. My translation is based almost solely upon the Shadowlandian Dialect of Black Speech, as created by Scatha. If you are interested in this Black Speech Dialect, you can find links to grammatical lessons, as well as other dialects, at http://www.geocities.com/thequietwra...ackspeech.html

[Earniel]

Very interesting scene and nicely mixed with archeology. I was very interested to see where you were going with it. Only at the mention of the Red Book did it become clear.

[Gordis]

It is a BOMB, Udu!!!

Never seen anything like that! The Black Speech part even rhymes... Such a nice language.

Great introduction also. Sounds very Tolkienesque. Interesting that it was fund in Turkey. What was it before? Khand or Mordor?

Narnulublat for sharing!

[Udukhaturz]

Earniel, actually I did the "archeological thing" for the fun of it. What I actually was interested in was translating that part of the Lay of Luthien in Black Speech. I did this translation a couple years ago and since then I have become aware of other dialects, including Lugrekh's Red Hand Orc wordlist and the Swedish LARP Svartiska. I am considering retranslating using these other dialects for words that were missing in the original Shadowlandian Black Speech.

[Udukhaturz]

Originally Posted by Gordis

It is a BOMB, Udu!!!

Never seen anything like that! The Black Speech part even rhymes... Such a nice language.

Great introduction also. Sounds very Tolkienesque. Interesting that it was fund in Turkey. What was it before? Khand or Mordor?

Narnulublat for sharing!

Gordis, according to one Middle-earth/Europe/Asia theory, Mordor is present day Greece; according to another, Mordor is present day Turkey. Because the space of the territory involved, I am with the "Mordor is Greece/the Balkans."

Glad you liked the translation, but last I heard, Gandalf said it gave him a terrible headache. He never did have any poetic taste.

[Curubethion]

Nice! Very cool tie-in with the archeology.

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by Udukhaturz

last I heard, Gandalf said it gave him a terrible headache. He never did have any poetic taste.

No he didn't. On the other hand, imangine someone singing the Song to Elbereth to us !