Shaw-Script: Issue 1.5 - A SHAGGY TALE

𐑑𐑮𐑨𐑯𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑼’𐑟 𐑯𐑴𐑑

𐑞𐑰𐑟 𐑸 𐑥𐑲 𐑴𐑯 𐑑𐑮𐑨𐑯𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑦𐑐𐑖𐑩𐑯𐑟 𐑝 𐑞 𐑒𐑢𐑹𐑑𐑼𐑤𐑦 𐑡𐑻𐑯𐑩𐑤 ‘·𐑖𐑷-𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑦𐑐𐑑’, 𐑚𐑲 ·𐑮𐑪𐑯𐑩𐑤𐑛 𐑒𐑦𐑙𐑟𐑤𐑦 𐑮𐑧𐑛, 𐑞 𐑛𐑦𐑟𐑲𐑯𐑼 𐑝 𐑞 ·𐑖𐑱𐑝𐑾𐑯 𐑨𐑤𐑓𐑩𐑚𐑧𐑑. 𐑞 𐑛𐑪𐑒𐑘𐑩𐑥𐑩𐑯𐑑𐑕 𐑢𐑻 𐑛𐑬𐑯𐑤𐑴𐑛𐑩𐑛 𐑓𐑮𐑪𐑥 shavian.info. 𐑚𐑦𐑒𐑪𐑟 𐑞 𐑑𐑲𐑐𐑮𐑦𐑑𐑩𐑯 𐑕𐑒𐑨𐑯𐑟 𐑸 𐑛𐑦𐑓𐑦𐑒𐑩𐑤𐑑 𐑑 𐑮𐑰𐑛 𐑦𐑯 𐑐𐑤𐑱𐑕𐑩𐑟, 𐑲 𐑨𐑥 𐑑𐑮𐑨𐑯𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑦𐑙 𐑯 𐑐𐑳𐑚𐑤𐑦𐑖𐑦𐑙 𐑞𐑧𐑥 𐑣𐑽 𐑦𐑯 𐑦𐑯𐑕𐑑𐑷𐑤𐑥𐑩𐑯𐑑𐑕 𐑨𐑟 𐑲 𐑒𐑩𐑥𐑐𐑤𐑰𐑑 𐑞𐑧𐑥. 𐑲 𐑣𐑴𐑐 𐑞𐑨𐑑 𐑞𐑱 𐑥𐑱 𐑦𐑯𐑒𐑮𐑰𐑕 𐑞 𐑩𐑒𐑕𐑧𐑕𐑩𐑚𐑦𐑤𐑦𐑑𐑦 𐑝 𐑞𐑰𐑟 𐑣𐑦𐑕𐑑𐑪𐑮𐑦𐑒 𐑮𐑧𐑒𐑹𐑛𐑟.

𐑲 𐑣𐑨𐑝 𐑳𐑐𐑛𐑱𐑑𐑩𐑛 𐑕𐑐𐑧𐑤𐑦𐑙 𐑦𐑯 𐑕𐑦𐑤𐑧𐑒𐑑 𐑐𐑤𐑱𐑕𐑩𐑟 𐑢𐑺 𐑲 𐑕𐑩𐑕𐑐𐑧𐑒𐑑 𐑧𐑮𐑼 𐑹 𐑢𐑺 𐑲 𐑗𐑵𐑟 𐑑 𐑓𐑪𐑤𐑴 𐑞 𐑦𐑒𐑕𐑑𐑧𐑯𐑛𐑩𐑛 ·𐑮𐑰𐑛-𐑤𐑧𐑒𐑕 𐑕𐑑𐑨𐑯𐑛𐑼𐑛 𐑨𐑟 𐑦𐑥𐑐𐑤𐑦𐑥𐑧𐑯𐑑𐑩𐑛 𐑚𐑲 𐑞 ·𐑖𐑷-𐑕𐑐𐑧𐑤 𐑑𐑵𐑤 𐑓𐑮𐑪𐑥 ·𐑡𐑹𐑴. 𐑼𐑦𐑡𐑦𐑯𐑩𐑤 𐑕𐑐𐑧𐑤𐑦𐑙𐑟 𐑸 𐑐𐑮𐑦𐑟𐑻𐑝𐑛 𐑦𐑯 𐑞 𐑓𐑫𐑑𐑯𐑴𐑑𐑕.

𐑞 𐑼𐑦𐑡𐑦𐑯𐑩𐑤 𐑦𐑖𐑵 𐑢𐑳𐑯 𐑒𐑨𐑯 𐑚𐑰 𐑛𐑬𐑯𐑤𐑴𐑛𐑩𐑛 𐑣𐑽.

·𐑖𐑷-𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑦𐑐𐑑

A SHAGGY TALE¹

ORVILLE L. WELLER

𐑚𐑨𐑒 𐑦𐑯 𐑞 𐑚𐑨𐑛 𐑛𐑱𐑟 𐑚𐑦𐑓𐑹 ·𐑕𐑦𐑝𐑦𐑤𐑲𐑟𐑱𐑖𐑩𐑯² 𐑒𐑱𐑥 𐑑 ·𐑨𐑓𐑮𐑦𐑒𐑩, 𐑦𐑯 𐑞 𐑛𐑱𐑟 𐑝 𐑔𐑹𐑯𐑢𐑫𐑛 𐑕𐑐𐑽𐑟 𐑯 𐑞 𐑧𐑤𐑦𐑓𐑩𐑯𐑑-𐑣𐑲𐑛³ 𐑖𐑰𐑤𐑛, 𐑞𐑺 𐑢𐑻 𐑑𐑵 𐑑𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑟 𐑤𐑦𐑝𐑦𐑙 𐑦𐑯 𐑞 𐑣𐑲 𐑐𐑤𐑨𐑑𐑴 𐑒𐑳𐑯𐑑𐑮𐑦 𐑨𐑑 𐑞 𐑣𐑧𐑛𐑢𐑷𐑑𐑼𐑟 𐑝 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴: 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕 𐑯 𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵𐑟.

𐑞𐑦𐑕 𐑢𐑪𐑟 𐑤𐑪𐑙 𐑚𐑦𐑓𐑹 𐑞 𐑑𐑲𐑥 𐑢𐑧𐑯⁴ 𐑞 ·𐑚𐑧𐑤𐑡𐑩𐑯𐑟 𐑒𐑱𐑥 𐑑 ·𐑨𐑓𐑮𐑦𐑒𐑩 𐑑 𐑑𐑰𐑗 𐑞 𐑯𐑱𐑑𐑦𐑝 𐑑𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑟𐑥𐑩𐑯⁵ 𐑣𐑬 𐑑 𐑤𐑦𐑝 𐑦𐑯 𐑐𐑰𐑕 𐑯 𐑐𐑤𐑧𐑯𐑑𐑦: 𐑕𐑴 𐑞 𐑑𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑟 𐑓𐑷𐑑. 𐑞𐑱 𐑓𐑷𐑑 𐑴𐑝𐑼 𐑣𐑵 𐑒𐑫𐑛 𐑐𐑨𐑕𐑗𐑼 𐑒𐑨𐑑𐑩𐑤 𐑪𐑯 𐑞 𐑚𐑧𐑕𐑑 𐑜𐑮𐑭𐑕⁶ 𐑩𐑤𐑪𐑙 𐑞 𐑮𐑦𐑝𐑼, 𐑣𐑵 𐑒𐑫𐑛 𐑣𐑳𐑯𐑑 𐑚𐑳𐑓𐑩𐑤𐑴 𐑪𐑯 𐑞 𐑕𐑤𐑴𐑐𐑕 𐑝 ·𐑥𐑬𐑯𐑑 ·𐑒𐑸𐑦𐑕𐑦𐑥𐑚𐑦⁷, 𐑣𐑵 𐑒𐑫𐑛 𐑓𐑦𐑖 𐑦𐑯 ·𐑤𐑱𐑒 ·𐑒𐑰𐑝𐑵⁸. 𐑞𐑰𐑟 𐑢𐑻 𐑞 𐑮𐑧𐑜𐑘𐑫𐑤𐑼 𐑓𐑲𐑑𐑕, 𐑞 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑓𐑲𐑯 𐑓𐑲𐑑𐑕 𐑢𐑦𐑞 𐑮𐑦𐑤𐑦𐑡𐑩𐑕 𐑚𐑤𐑧𐑕𐑦𐑙𐑟. 𐑞𐑧𐑯 𐑞𐑺 𐑢𐑻 𐑳𐑯𐑩𐑓𐑦𐑖𐑩𐑤 𐑓𐑲𐑑𐑕 𐑴𐑝𐑼 𐑕𐑥𐑷𐑤 𐑥𐑨𐑑𐑼𐑟, 𐑤𐑲𐑒 𐑣𐑵 𐑒𐑦𐑤𐑛 𐑣𐑵𐑟 𐑒𐑬, 𐑣𐑵 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑤 𐑣𐑵𐑟 𐑢𐑲𐑓, 𐑯 𐑣𐑵 𐑑𐑮𐑨𐑥𐑐𐑩𐑤𐑛 𐑣𐑵𐑟 𐑒𐑹𐑯.

𐑦𐑯 𐑷𐑤 𐑞𐑰𐑟 𐑓𐑲𐑑𐑕, 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑹 𐑤𐑦𐑑𐑩𐑤, 𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵𐑟 𐑢𐑻 𐑒𐑳𐑥𐑦𐑙 𐑬𐑑 𐑕𐑧𐑒𐑩𐑯𐑛 𐑚𐑧𐑕𐑑. 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕 𐑢𐑻 𐑜𐑧𐑑𐑦𐑙 𐑷𐑤 𐑞 𐑚𐑧𐑕𐑑 𐑐𐑨𐑕𐑗𐑼𐑟, 𐑞 𐑚𐑧𐑕𐑑 𐑣𐑳𐑯𐑑𐑦𐑙 𐑜𐑮𐑬𐑯𐑛𐑟, 𐑞 𐑚𐑧𐑕𐑑 𐑓𐑦𐑖𐑦𐑙 𐑕𐑑𐑮𐑰𐑥𐑟, 𐑞 𐑚𐑧𐑕𐑑 𐑚𐑰 𐑑𐑮𐑰𐑟. 𐑢𐑻𐑕𐑑 𐑝 𐑷𐑤, 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕 𐑢𐑻 𐑚𐑰𐑑𐑦𐑙 𐑞𐑺 𐑛𐑮𐑳𐑥𐑟 𐑷𐑤 𐑞 𐑢𐑱 𐑓𐑮𐑪𐑥 𐑞 𐑣𐑦𐑤𐑟 𐑝 ·𐑿𐑜𐑨𐑯𐑛𐑩 𐑑 𐑞 𐑓𐑪𐑮𐑩𐑕𐑑𐑕 𐑝 ·𐑤𐑴𐑥𐑭𐑥𐑦⁹, 𐑑 𐑕𐑱 𐑞𐑱 𐑢𐑻 𐑞 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑥𐑧𐑯, 𐑞 𐑚𐑦𐑜, 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑥𐑧𐑯.

𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵𐑟 𐑑𐑮𐑲𐑛 𐑓𐑻𐑕𐑑 𐑢𐑳𐑯 𐑔𐑦𐑙 𐑯 𐑞𐑧𐑯 𐑩𐑯𐑳𐑞𐑼 𐑑 𐑗𐑱𐑯𐑡 𐑞𐑺 𐑤𐑳𐑒. 𐑞𐑱 𐑗𐑱𐑯𐑡𐑛 𐑢𐑹-𐑐𐑱𐑯𐑑 𐑓𐑮𐑪𐑥 𐑢𐑲𐑑¹⁰ 𐑑 𐑝𐑼𐑥𐑦𐑤𐑘𐑩𐑯, 𐑞𐑱 𐑮𐑨𐑑𐑩𐑤𐑛 𐑞𐑺 𐑕𐑐𐑽𐑟 𐑩𐑜𐑧𐑯𐑕𐑑 𐑞 𐑑𐑮𐑰𐑟, 𐑞𐑱 𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑰𐑗𐑑 𐑯 𐑛𐑨𐑯𐑕𐑑 𐑯 𐑯𐑨𐑖𐑑 𐑞𐑺 𐑑𐑰𐑔; 𐑚𐑳𐑑 𐑞𐑱 𐑕𐑑𐑦𐑤 𐑒𐑫𐑛𐑩𐑯𐑑 𐑢𐑦𐑯 𐑓𐑲𐑑𐑕 𐑢𐑦𐑞 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕.

𐑢𐑧𐑯¹¹ 𐑔𐑦𐑙𐑟 𐑒𐑫𐑛𐑩𐑯𐑑 𐑜𐑧𐑑 𐑢𐑻𐑕, ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴𐑡𐑹𐑦¹², ·𐑗𐑰𐑓 𐑝 𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵𐑟, 𐑒𐑷𐑤𐑛 𐑣𐑦𐑟 𐑧𐑤𐑛𐑼𐑟 𐑑𐑩𐑜𐑧𐑞𐑼¹³ 𐑦𐑯 𐑞 𐑤𐑦𐑑𐑩𐑤 𐑜𐑮𐑨𐑕 𐑖𐑨𐑒 𐑞𐑱 𐑿𐑟𐑛 𐑨𐑟 𐑞𐑺 ·𐑒𐑬𐑯𐑕𐑩𐑤 𐑣𐑬𐑕. 𐑯 ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴𐑡𐑹𐑦 — ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴, 𐑓 𐑖𐑹𐑑 — 𐑤𐑫𐑒𐑑 𐑚𐑦𐑑𐑼𐑤𐑦 𐑨𐑑 𐑣𐑦𐑟 𐑣𐑧𐑛 𐑥𐑧𐑯 𐑯 𐑚𐑦𐑜𐑨𐑯 𐑑 𐑑𐑷𐑒. 𐑣𐑰 𐑑𐑷𐑒𐑑 𐑓 𐑩 𐑛𐑱 𐑯 𐑩 𐑯𐑲𐑑¹⁴, 𐑯 𐑞𐑦𐑕 𐑦𐑟 𐑢𐑪𐑑¹⁵ 𐑣𐑰 𐑕𐑧𐑛: “𐑿 𐑒𐑷𐑤 𐑘𐑹𐑕𐑧𐑤𐑝𐑟¹⁶ 𐑥𐑧𐑯 𐑝 𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵. 𐑿 𐑸 𐑯𐑪𐑑 𐑥𐑧𐑯: 𐑿 𐑸 𐑢𐑦𐑐𐑑¹⁷ 𐑛𐑪𐑜𐑟. 𐑿 𐑸 𐑢𐑻𐑕: 𐑿 𐑸 𐑡𐑨𐑒𐑩𐑤𐑟¹⁸. 𐑡𐑨𐑒𐑩𐑤𐑟 𐑛𐑵 𐑯𐑪𐑑 𐑢𐑺 𐑒𐑬-𐑛𐑳𐑙 𐑦𐑯 𐑞𐑺 𐑣𐑺. 𐑴𐑯𐑤𐑦 𐑚𐑮𐑱𐑝𐑟 𐑢𐑺 𐑛𐑳𐑙 𐑦𐑯 𐑞𐑺 𐑣𐑺, 𐑕𐑴 𐑒𐑴𐑥 𐑦𐑑 𐑓𐑮𐑪𐑥 𐑘𐑹¹⁹ 𐑣𐑧𐑛𐑟. 𐑤𐑧𐑑 𐑯𐑳𐑯 𐑢𐑺 𐑒𐑬-𐑛𐑳𐑙 𐑩𐑯𐑑𐑦𐑤 𐑣𐑰 𐑣𐑨𐑟 𐑢𐑳𐑯 𐑚𐑨𐑒 𐑪𐑯𐑼 𐑨𐑟 𐑩 𐑥𐑨𐑯, 𐑚𐑲 𐑛𐑮𐑲𐑝𐑦𐑙 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕 𐑬𐑑 𐑝 𐑬𐑼 𐑤𐑨𐑯𐑛𐑟.”

𐑯 𐑕𐑴 𐑦𐑑 𐑒𐑱𐑥 𐑑 𐑐𐑨𐑕. 𐑚𐑲 ·𐑗𐑰𐑓²⁰ ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴’𐑟 𐑹𐑛𐑼, 𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵 𐑯𐑴 𐑤𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑼 𐑢𐑹 𐑒𐑬-𐑛𐑳𐑙. 𐑞𐑦𐑕 𐑢𐑪𐑟 𐑩 𐑕𐑽𐑾𐑕 𐑚𐑤𐑴 𐑑 𐑞𐑺 𐑝𐑨𐑯𐑦𐑑𐑦, 𐑓 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵 𐑒𐑬-𐑛𐑳𐑙 𐑣𐑨𐑛 𐑩 𐑕𐑧𐑯𐑑 𐑯𐑴𐑯 𐑓𐑸 𐑯 𐑢𐑲𐑛, 𐑯 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵 𐑥𐑱𐑤𐑟 𐑣𐑨𐑛 𐑜𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑑 𐑤𐑳𐑝 𐑦𐑑.

𐑚𐑳𐑑 𐑞𐑱 𐑕𐑵𐑯 𐑓𐑼𐑜𐑪𐑑 𐑞𐑦𐑕 𐑛𐑧𐑐𐑮𐑦𐑝𐑱𐑖𐑩𐑯. 𐑓 𐑷𐑤𐑥𐑴𐑕𐑑 𐑦𐑥𐑰𐑛𐑾𐑑𐑤𐑦 𐑞𐑱 𐑕𐑑𐑸𐑑𐑩𐑛 𐑑 𐑢𐑦𐑯 𐑓𐑲𐑑𐑕. 𐑞𐑺 𐑮𐑱𐑛𐑟 𐑢𐑻 𐑕𐑩𐑒𐑕𐑧𐑕𐑓𐑩𐑤. 𐑞𐑱 𐑢𐑻 𐑢𐑦𐑯𐑦𐑙 𐑚𐑨𐑒 𐑞𐑺 𐑒𐑬𐑟 𐑯 𐑞𐑺 𐑢𐑦𐑥𐑦𐑯. 𐑞𐑱 𐑒𐑫𐑛 𐑛𐑵 𐑕𐑳𐑥𐑔𐑦𐑙 𐑯𐑧𐑝𐑼 𐑛𐑳𐑯 𐑚𐑦𐑓𐑹: 𐑞𐑱 𐑒𐑫𐑛 𐑒𐑮𐑰𐑐 𐑳𐑐 𐑪𐑯 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕 𐑢𐑦𐑞𐑬𐑑 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕 𐑕𐑧𐑯𐑑𐑦𐑙 𐑞𐑱 𐑢𐑻 𐑞𐑺.

𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵𐑟 𐑢𐑻 𐑕𐑴 𐑴𐑝𐑼𐑡𐑶𐑛 𐑚𐑲 𐑞𐑦𐑕 𐑑𐑻𐑯 𐑝 𐑦𐑝𐑧𐑯𐑑𐑕 𐑞𐑨𐑑 𐑞𐑱 𐑜𐑪𐑑 𐑛𐑮𐑳𐑙𐑒 𐑯 𐑛𐑦𐑕𐑲𐑛𐑩𐑛 𐑑 𐑚𐑦𐑤𐑛 𐑞𐑺 𐑗𐑰𐑓 𐑩 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑥𐑱𐑛 𐑝 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑯 𐑑 𐑛𐑵 𐑣𐑦𐑥 𐑪𐑯𐑼 𐑯 𐑑 𐑕𐑧𐑤𐑩𐑚𐑮𐑱𐑑 𐑞 𐑗𐑱𐑯𐑡 𐑦𐑯 𐑞𐑺 𐑤𐑳𐑒. 𐑯 𐑢𐑧𐑯²¹ 𐑞 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑢𐑪𐑟 𐑓𐑦𐑯𐑦𐑖𐑑, 𐑞𐑱 𐑚𐑦𐑤𐑑 𐑩 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑯𐑿 𐑜𐑮𐑭𐑕 𐑒𐑬𐑯𐑕𐑩𐑤 𐑣𐑬𐑕 𐑓 𐑞 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑯 𐑐𐑤𐑱𐑕𐑑 𐑦𐑑 𐑞𐑺 𐑓 𐑗𐑰𐑓 ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴 𐑑 𐑕𐑦𐑑 𐑩𐑐𐑪𐑯.

𐑯𐑬 ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴 𐑕𐑴 𐑤𐑳𐑝𐑛 𐑣𐑦𐑟 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑯 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑞𐑨𐑑 𐑣𐑰 𐑔𐑷𐑑 𐑳𐑐 𐑷𐑤 𐑒𐑲𐑯𐑛𐑟 𐑝 𐑦𐑒𐑕𐑒𐑿𐑟𐑩𐑟 𐑑 𐑚𐑰 𐑕𐑰𐑯 𐑕𐑰𐑑𐑩𐑛 𐑞𐑺. 𐑥𐑹𐑯𐑦𐑙 𐑨𐑓𐑑𐑼 𐑥𐑹𐑯𐑦𐑙 𐑣𐑰 𐑕𐑳𐑥𐑩𐑯𐑛 𐑣𐑦𐑟 𐑢𐑪𐑮𐑽𐑟 𐑑 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑬𐑯𐑕𐑩𐑤 𐑣𐑬𐑕 𐑑 𐑐𐑤𐑨𐑯 𐑯𐑿 𐑮𐑱𐑛𐑟 𐑪𐑯 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕. 𐑨𐑓𐑑𐑼 𐑕𐑳𐑥 𐑥𐑳𐑯𐑔𐑕 𐑝 𐑞𐑦𐑕, 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕 𐑣𐑨𐑛 𐑣𐑨𐑛 𐑦𐑯𐑳𐑓. 𐑞𐑱 𐑐𐑨𐑒𐑑 𐑳𐑐 𐑯 𐑝𐑨𐑯𐑦𐑖𐑑. 𐑯 𐑞 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵𐑟 𐑣𐑨𐑛 𐑞 𐑤𐑨𐑯𐑛 𐑑 𐑞𐑧𐑥𐑕𐑧𐑤𐑝𐑟 𐑓𐑮𐑪𐑥 𐑞 𐑚𐑨𐑙𐑒𐑕 𐑝 𐑞 𐑜𐑮𐑱𐑑 𐑮𐑦𐑝𐑼 𐑑 𐑞 𐑕𐑳𐑞𐑼𐑯 𐑕𐑤𐑴𐑐𐑕 𐑝 ·𐑥𐑬𐑯𐑑 ·𐑒𐑪𐑮𐑩𐑕𐑦𐑥𐑚𐑩.

𐑯 𐑯𐑬 ·𐑥𐑬𐑤𐑵𐑟 𐑢𐑻 𐑞 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑥𐑧𐑯: 𐑚𐑦𐑜, 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑥𐑧𐑯, 𐑚𐑦𐑜𐑼 𐑚𐑲 𐑓𐑸 𐑞𐑨𐑯 𐑧𐑯𐑦 ·𐑒𐑪𐑐𐑑𐑳𐑒𐑕. 𐑕𐑴 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑢𐑻 𐑞𐑱 𐑞𐑨𐑑 𐑯𐑳𐑔𐑦𐑙 𐑢𐑫𐑛 𐑛𐑵 𐑚𐑳𐑑 𐑑 𐑚𐑦𐑤𐑛 𐑩 𐑚𐑦𐑜𐑼, 𐑚𐑧𐑑𐑼 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑯 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑓 ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴. 𐑞𐑱 𐑢𐑻𐑒𐑑 𐑓 𐑥𐑳𐑯𐑔𐑕: 𐑞𐑱 𐑣𐑿𐑛 𐑯 𐑒𐑳𐑑 𐑯 𐑗𐑦𐑟𐑩𐑤𐑛 𐑯 𐑒𐑸𐑝𐑛. 𐑢𐑧𐑯²² 𐑦𐑑 𐑢𐑪𐑟 𐑛𐑳𐑯 𐑞𐑱 𐑣𐑨𐑛 𐑩 𐑥𐑨𐑜𐑯𐑦𐑓𐑦𐑕𐑩𐑯𐑑 𐑯𐑿 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯. 𐑞𐑱 𐑣𐑷𐑤𐑛 𐑦𐑑 𐑑 𐑞 ·𐑒𐑬𐑯𐑕𐑩𐑤 𐑣𐑬𐑕 𐑯 𐑕𐑧𐑑 𐑦𐑑 𐑳𐑐 𐑓 𐑞𐑺 𐑗𐑰𐑓. 𐑯 𐑩𐑚𐑳𐑝 𐑞 𐑯𐑿 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑞𐑱 𐑥𐑱𐑛 𐑩 𐑐𐑤𐑨𐑑𐑓𐑹𐑥 𐑢𐑺 𐑞𐑱 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑛 𐑞 𐑻𐑤𐑽 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑨𐑟 𐑩 𐑥𐑩𐑥𐑹𐑾𐑤 𐑓 𐑤𐑱𐑑𐑼 𐑡𐑧𐑯𐑼𐑱𐑖𐑩𐑯𐑟.

𐑦𐑓 ·𐑒𐑬𐑯𐑕𐑩𐑤𐑟²³ 𐑢𐑻 𐑤𐑧𐑕 𐑢𐑹𐑤𐑲𐑒 𐑨𐑑 𐑤𐑰𐑕𐑑 𐑞𐑱 𐑢𐑻 𐑨𐑟 𐑓𐑮𐑰𐑒𐑢𐑩𐑯𐑑 𐑯 𐑥𐑹 𐑕𐑐𐑤𐑧𐑯𐑛𐑦𐑛. 𐑞𐑺 𐑪𐑯 𐑣𐑦𐑟 𐑯𐑴𐑚𐑩𐑤 𐑯𐑿 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯 𐑕𐑨𐑑 ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴 𐑚𐑦𐑯𐑰𐑔 𐑞𐑨𐑑 𐑕𐑲𐑤𐑩𐑯𐑑 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑯 𐑮𐑦𐑥𐑲𐑯𐑛𐑼 𐑝 𐑣𐑬 𐑞𐑱 𐑜𐑮𐑵 𐑑 𐑚𐑰 𐑚𐑦𐑜, 𐑚𐑦𐑜 𐑥𐑧𐑯. 𐑯𐑬 𐑞 𐑜𐑮𐑱𐑑 𐑑𐑷𐑒 𐑢𐑪𐑟 𐑚𐑦𐑑𐑢𐑰𐑯 𐑴𐑤𐑛 𐑥𐑧𐑯 𐑦𐑗𐑦𐑙 𐑑 𐑮𐑦𐑕𐑑𐑹 𐑞 𐑤𐑳𐑝𐑛 𐑒𐑬-𐑛𐑳𐑙 𐑑 𐑞𐑺 𐑣𐑧𐑛𐑟, 𐑯 𐑞 𐑘𐑳𐑙 𐑚𐑮𐑱𐑝𐑟 𐑣𐑵 𐑯𐑿 𐑑𐑵 𐑢𐑧𐑤 𐑦𐑑 𐑢𐑫𐑛 𐑚𐑮𐑦𐑙 𐑦𐑤-𐑤𐑳𐑒 𐑩𐑜𐑧𐑯 𐑯 𐑥𐑱𐑒 𐑡𐑨𐑒𐑩𐑤𐑟 𐑝 𐑞𐑧𐑥.

𐑨𐑑 𐑞 𐑣𐑲𐑑 𐑝 𐑞𐑦𐑕 𐑛𐑦𐑚𐑱𐑑 𐑢𐑳𐑯 𐑛𐑱, 𐑩 ·𐑛𐑳𐑙-𐑐𐑸𐑑𐑦 𐑧𐑤𐑛𐑼, 𐑤𐑻𐑗𐑦𐑙 𐑦𐑒𐑕𐑲𐑑𐑩𐑛𐑤𐑦 𐑑 𐑣𐑦𐑟 𐑓𐑰𐑑, 𐑕𐑑𐑨𐑜𐑼𐑛 𐑩𐑜𐑧𐑯𐑕𐑑 𐑩 𐑕𐑩𐑐𐑹𐑑-𐑐𐑴𐑕𐑑 𐑦𐑯 𐑞 ·𐑜𐑮𐑱𐑑 ·𐑜𐑮𐑭𐑕 ·𐑣𐑬𐑕, 𐑯 𐑛𐑬𐑯 𐑓𐑮𐑪𐑥 𐑦𐑑𐑕 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑦𐑡-𐑐𐑤𐑨𐑑𐑓𐑹𐑥 𐑒𐑮𐑨𐑖𐑑 𐑞 𐑪𐑯𐑼𐑛 𐑕𐑑𐑴𐑯 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯. …“𐑞𐑦𐑕 𐑦𐑟 𐑞 𐑪𐑓𐑑-𐑑𐑴𐑤𐑛 𐑕𐑑𐑹𐑦, 𐑝 ·𐑚𐑦𐑜-𐑗𐑰𐑓 ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴𐑡𐑹𐑦, 𐑐𐑳𐑤𐑐𐑑 𐑢𐑺²⁴ 𐑣𐑰 𐑕𐑨𐑑 𐑦𐑯 𐑜𐑤𐑹𐑦”… 𐑯 𐑣𐑬 𐑦𐑑 𐑦𐑥𐑐𐑮𐑧𐑕𐑩𐑕 𐑞 𐑴𐑤𐑛 𐑥𐑪𐑮𐑩𐑤, 𐑞𐑨𐑑 —

“𐑐𐑰𐑐𐑩𐑤 𐑣𐑵 𐑤𐑦𐑝 𐑦𐑯 𐑜𐑮𐑭𐑕 𐑣𐑬𐑟𐑩𐑟 𐑖𐑫𐑛 𐑯𐑪𐑑 𐑕𐑑𐑴 𐑔𐑮𐑴𐑯𐑟!”²⁵

A shaggy dog story is a mid-20th-century comedic storytelling trope defined by a long, highly detailed, and seemingly serious narrative that exists solely to set up an absurd, anticlimactic, or groan-worthy punchline. The humor relies on subverting narrative expectations: getting the reader invested in elaborate lore and world-building, only to deflate the drama with a silly pun (here, an epic account of African tribal warfare crafted entirely to deliver the line “People who live in grass houses should not stow thrones!”). The term comes from an old joke about an owner searching the globe for a missing shaggy dog, only to find it and casually remark, “He isn’t so shaggy.” ↩︎
𐑚𐑦𐑓𐑹 ·𐑕𐑦𐑝𐑦𐑤𐑦𐑟𐑱𐑖𐑩𐑯: Read included a namer-dot (·) before “Civilisation” as a personification, and typed 𐑦 instead of 𐑲 (𐑕𐑦𐑝𐑦𐑤𐑲𐑟𐑱𐑖𐑩𐑯). ↩︎
𐑧𐑤𐑩𐑓𐑩𐑯𐑑-𐑣𐑲𐑛 ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑧𐑯 (aspirated WH). Modern ReadLex/shaw-spell defaults to 𐑢𐑧𐑯. ↩︎
𐑑𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑥𐑧𐑯 ↩︎
𐑜𐑮𐑨𐑕 ↩︎
Mount Karisimbi (·𐑥𐑬𐑯𐑑 ·𐑒𐑸𐑦𐑕𐑦𐑥𐑚𐑦, typed by Read as ·𐑒𐑮𐑦𐑕𐑦𐑥𐑚𐑩). An inactive stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ↩︎
Lake Kivu (·𐑤𐑱𐑒 ·𐑒𐑰𐑝𐑵). One of the African Great Lakes, located on the border between the DRC and Rwanda. ↩︎
Lomami River (·𐑤𐑴𐑥𐑭𐑥𐑦). A major tributary of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑲𐑑 (white). Modern standard is 𐑢𐑲𐑑. ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑧𐑯 (when). ↩︎
·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑴𐑡𐑹𐑦 (omitting 𐑜). Given Read’s spelling of ·𐑒𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴 (Congo) earlier in the same piece, ·𐑚𐑪𐑙𐑜𐑴𐑡𐑹𐑦 represents the standard ReadLex/shaw-spell phonetics (/ˈbɒŋɡoʊ/). ↩︎
𐑑𐑫𐑜𐑧𐑞𐑼 (together). ReadLex standard uses 𐑑𐑩𐑜𐑧𐑞𐑼. ↩︎
𐑯𐑱𐑑 (nate) — a clear typo in Read’s original typing for 𐑯𐑲𐑑 (night). ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑪𐑑 (what). Modern standard is 𐑢𐑪𐑑. ↩︎
𐑘𐑫𐑼𐑕𐑧𐑤𐑝𐑟 ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑦𐑐𐑑 (whipped). Modern standard is 𐑢𐑦𐑐𐑑. ↩︎
𐑡𐑨𐑒𐑷𐑤𐑟 ↩︎
𐑘𐑫𐑼 ↩︎
·𐑖𐑰𐑓 (sheef) — a typo in Read’s original typing for ·𐑗𐑰𐑓 (chief). ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑧𐑯 (when). ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑧𐑯 (when). ↩︎
·𐑒𐑬𐑯𐑕𐑩𐑟 — a typo missing 𐑤 for ·𐑒𐑬𐑯𐑕𐑩𐑤𐑟 (counsels / councils). ↩︎
𐑣𐑢𐑺 (where). ↩︎
The climax pun of the story, spoofing the proverb: “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” ↩︎

𐑑𐑮𐑨𐑯𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑼’𐑟 𐑯𐑴𐑑#

·𐑖𐑷-𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑦𐑐𐑑#

A SHAGGY TALE1#

𐑑𐑮𐑨𐑯𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑲𐑚𐑼’𐑟 𐑯𐑴𐑑

·𐑖𐑷-𐑕𐑒𐑮𐑦𐑐𐑑

A SHAGGY TALE¹