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Emperor Russia as yn Major
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The Emperor of Russia and the Major
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Va Emperor Russia keayrt shooyl mygeayrt ny lomarcan. Haink eh gys balley beg nagh row monney oayl echey er as smooinaght rish hene dy jinnagh eh jeeaghyn mygeayrt dy akin c’red va’n balley goll rish. Ny lomarcan as coamrit lesh cooat sidoor, fegooish cowrey erbee jeh y stayd ooasle trooid ny straidyn gys haink eh gys daa chassan, fer goll gys yn laue yesh as fer gys yn laue chiare, as cha row fys echey quoi jeu dy ghoaill. Honnick eh dooinney ny hassoo ec dorrys thie, as goll seose huggey dooyrt yn Emperor, “My charrey, nod shiu ginsh dou quoi jeh ny raaidyn shoh shegin dou goaill dy gheddyn gys Killanga?” Va’n dooinney ayns slane coamrey sidoor as goaill tayrn dy phipe. As ayns yindys dy jinnagh troaltagh ayns coamrey moal goaill er dy loayrt rish cha oaylagh.
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The Emperor of Russia was walking around alone. He came to a small town he was very well acquainted with and (was) thinking to himself that he would look around to see what the town was like, alone and dressed in a soldier’s coat, without any sign at all of his noble status, through the streets until he came to two paths, one going to the righthand side and one to the lefthand side, and he didn’t know which one to take. He saw a man standing at the door of a house, and going up to him the emperor said “My friend, can you tell me which of these roads I have to take to get to Killanga. The man was in full soldier’s uniform and taking a draw of a pipe. And in wonder that a traveller in miserable clothing would presume to speak to him so familiarly.
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“Gys yn laue yesh.” dooyrt eh.
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“To the right-hand side” he said.
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“Pardoon shiu mee.” dooyrt yn Emperor “lhig dou loayrt fockle elley my salliu.”
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“Pardon me,” said the emperor, “let me speak another word, please.”
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“Cre?” dooyrt eshyn.
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“What?” he said.
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“C’red ta’n stayd eu ayns yn çheshaght-chaggee?”
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“What is your rank in the army?”
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“Yess.” dooyrt eh.
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“Guess.” he said.
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“Lieutenant?” dooyrt yn Emperor.
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“Lieutenant?” said the emperor.
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“Seose.” dooyrt eshyn dy moyrnagh.
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“Up.” He said proudly.
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“Captan?”
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“Captain?”
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“Ny syrjey. Major.” ec yn jerrey dooyrt eshyn.
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“Higher. Major” he finally said.
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Ren yn Emperor croymmey dy injil da’n dooinney ooasle as cur ammys da. “Nish” dooyrt yn Major, “Lhig dou briaght c’red ta’n stayd euish ayns yn çheshaght chaggee.” Myr v’eh coontey eh hene dooinney ard loayrt rish troaltagh ayns garmad moal, as ve coontey ny sinshley na eh hene.
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The emperor bowed low to the noble man and gave deference to him. “Now,” said the major, “Let me ask what rank you have in the army.” As he was reckoning himself an important man speaking to a traveller in miserable garb, he was considering lower (in status) than himself.
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“Yess.” dooyrt yn Emperor.
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“Guess.” said the emperor.
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“Lieutenant?”
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“Lieutenant?”
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“Seose.”
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“Up.”
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“Captan?”
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“Captain?”
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“Ny syrjey.”
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“Higher.”
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“Major?”
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“Major?”
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“Gow er.”
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“Go on.”
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“Colonel.”
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“Colonel?”
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“Reesht.” dooyrt Alexander.
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“Again.” said Alexander.
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“Ta shiu eisht general?”
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“Are you then a general?”
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“Ta shiu çheet er gerrey da!”
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“You are coming close to it.”
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Hug yn Major y laue gys y edd, “Ta shiu yn ard general?” Ec yn traa shoh v’an voyrn echey er jeet sheesh. Ren goan yn throaltagh cur lesh eh gys stayd dy aggle.
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The major put his hand to his hat. “You are the chief general?” This time his pride had come down. The words of the traveller brought him to a state of fear .
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“Keayrt elley, my Vajor mie!” dooyrt yn Emperor.
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“Another go, my good major!” said the emperor.
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“E onnor dy ooashley yn Emperor?” dooyrt yn Major ayns yindys, lhiggey da’n phipe tuittym er y thalloo.
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“His honour of excellency the emperor?” said the major in wonder, letting the pipe fall on the ground.
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“Eh hene dy jarroo.” dooyrt yn Emperor as ren eh smooir gearey er yn chaghlaa va er jeet ayns eddin yn Major.
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“Himself, indeed.” said the emperor and he smiled and laughed at the change that had come upon the face of the major.
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“Pardoon shiu mee.” dooyrt yn Major, tuittym er e ghlooinyn.
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“Pardon me.” said the major falling on his knees.
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“As c’red t’ayn dy pardooney?” dooyrt yn Emperor. “Cha vel shiu er yannoo aggair erbee. Ren mish briaght son y raad as ren shiu ginsh dou. Booise diu” Agh cha ren yn Major rieau jarrood yn lessoon.
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“And what is there to pardon?” said the emperor. “You haven’t done anything wrong. I asked for the way and you told me, praise to you.” But the major never forgot the lesson.
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