North Wind and the Sun

Like the Tower of Babel, this text is one that is popular for conlangers to translate. However, since it is not as well-known as the Tower of Babel, here's the the text of the story of the North Wind and the Sun in English (which I translated from):

The North Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger, when a traveller came along wrapped in a warm cloak. They agreed that the first one to succeed in making the traveller take off his cloak should be stronger than the other. Then the North Wind blew as hard as he could, but the more he blew, the closer did the traveller fold his cloak around him, and at last the North Wind gave up the attempt. Then the Sun shined out warmly, and immediately the traveller took off his cloak. And so the North Wind was obliged to confess that the Sun was the stronger of the two.

Here is the translation into Skerre in the usual interlinear format:
Skerre text
gloss
idiomatic translation back into English

Kaquehe a Were-Tsak ni Rek ya kari-te
PROG-dispute ABS Wind-North and Sun DAT self=3PL.POSS
The North Wind and the Sun were disputing with each other

esats a was saa haqua hat
  PFV-think ABS each COMP be.strong more  
— each thought it was more strong —

kiyes equeyi a srin to ka’ortsan a henak wosii.
while PFV-arrive ABS AGT-journey REL PROG-wear-TR ABS coat be.warm
      (=traveller)          
when along came a traveller who was wearing a warm coat.

Ekesorit-ti saa kihaqua hatos a watsat
PFV-AC-agree=3PL.NOM COMP IRR-be.strong most ABS first
They agreed that the strongest would be the first one

to ewatsawa ta siriihewor i srin ta henak-se.
REL PFV-succeed LOC NMLZ-CAUS-shed GEN traveller LOC coat=3SG.POSS
that succeeded in making the traveller take off his coat.

Eyan, were a Were-Tsak so hantarok
S-linker wind ABS Wind-North INST force-AUG
Then the North Wind blew with great force,

on kiyes kanes were, eketaana hat a srin so henak,
but while PROG-continue blow PFV-AC-wrap more ABS traveller INST coat
but as he continued to blow, the traveller wrapped up more with the coat,

ir kanis esonee a Were-Tsak.
and finally PFV-give.up ABS Wind-North
and finally, the North Wind gave up.

Eyan, etisot a Rek, kat wosii a wek,
S-linker PFV-shine ABS Sun resulting be.warm ABS day
Then the Sun shined, resulting in the day being warm,

ir eheworin waha a henak-se tsa srin.
and PFV-shed-TR now ABS coat=3SG.POSS ERG traveller
and presently the traveller took off his coat.

Riitar, etik saa eyik a Were-Tsak saa haqua hat a Rek.
Therefore PFV-be.necessary COMP PFV-say ABS Wind-North COMP be.strong more ABS Sun
Therefore, it was necessary for North Wind to say that Sun was stronger.


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