In a fit of translation fervor, I decided to take on my favorite Lord Alfred Tennyson poem into Sindarin. The translation notes will be in the last chapter. If you would like some Elvish in your fanfiction, go to my forums or my website.

Disclaimer: I didn't write Alfred Tennyson's poem, and I'm making no money off this translation.

It was difficult, but I managed to make all of the lines either four or eight syllables long and rhyming, so you can sing along with Loreena Mckennett in Sindarin.

I used Sindarin in the style of the people of Doriath speakers, for the more regal feeling it has.

First is the Sindarin; then is the literal translation into English; then is the original poem.

I Chiril os Salod – The Lady of Shalott

Part I

Sindarin:

Po athrant dorthar breniel
rídhien i-thair theriel,
Hammar dawar, govenir ell;
A thrî rîdh i ven hiriel

Am marad Camelod;

Adh in gwaith dadwen a dandol,
Tired had i-ningloer lodol
Nu-din os dol,

I dol Salod.

Yrn girir, tethair nimmidar,
Hwist dithin hwiniar a thuiar
Trî i 'ol i ui-hiriar
min hirion a thol na char

Rimmad a Chamelod.

Canad raim a beraid vithrin
Orthirir i had-i-phirin,
Adh i dol dínen bauglar dîn

I chiril os Salod.

Anin hîr, dathar-'wathrannen,
I lynt lyng pennar aphannen
Ad lebyr; adh ú-huilonen
Lunt lodant nan ram ídhannen

Lodad dad a Chamelod

Dam man idír i huiloneth?
Egor den idír a henneth?
Egor the hinnen min ndórath,

I chiril os Salod?

Crithoer, crithad ne minuial,
Mi faing iau apharch orchal
Lastar 'laer veren lend iallol
Od i hirion hwiniol,

Dad ani meraid Camelod:

Nuin galad Ithil, i grithor
Brastol 'othair mi thynd na-nadhor,
Lastol pêd "Elleth e-ninglor,

I chiril os Salod."

Literal English:

On either side of the river dwells surviving
great-fields of grass flourishing,
They clothe woods, they meet the sky;
And through fields the flowing road

To the many towers of Camelot;

And the peoples go back and come back,
Seeing a place of floating water-lilies
Beneath them around an island,

The island of Shalott.

Trees quiver, willows whiten,
little breezes twirl and blow
Through the waves that ever-flow
in the great river by the island with a building

Flowing downwards to Camelot.

Four grey walls and grey towers,
Overlook the place of the winking-flowers.
And the silent isle oppresses silently

The lady of Shalott.

To the river, willow-veiled,
The heavy boat slants downwards followed
By horses; and not greeted
The boat floated with desirable wings

Floating down to Camelot:

But who saw the greeter?
Or saw her by the window?
Or is she known in all the lands,

The lady of Shalott?

Reapers, reaping in morning-twilight,
In the beards of tall, dry corn
Hears a cheerful sweet song calling
From the great river spinning,

Down to the towers of Camelot:

Under the light of Moon, the reaper
Carrying bundles of grass in the hills with pasture,
Listening, he says, "Elf-maid of the waterlily,

The Lady of Shalott."

English by Lord Alfred Tennyson:

On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And through the field the road runs by

To many-towered Camelot;

And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,

The island of Shalott.

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Through the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river

Flowing down to Camelot.

Four grey walls, and four grey towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers

The Lady of Shalott.

By the margin, willow-veiled,
Slide the heavy barges trailed
By slow horses; and unhailed
The shallop flitteth silken-sailed

Skimming down to Camelot:

But who hath seen her wave her hand?
Or at the casement seen her stand?
Or is she known in all the land,

The Lady of Shalott?

Only reapers, reaping early
In among the bearded barley,
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly,

Down to towered Camelot:

And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers "'Tis the fairy

Lady of Shalott."

Translation notes:

Some of you may be curious why I wrote "Salod" for "Shalott" and "Camelod" for "Camelot" and "Lanselod" for "Lancelot" in the translation. I was simply translating the words into Sindarin phonology. Sindarin doesn't have the "SH" sound, and P's, T's, and C's directly following a vowel at the end or within a word must become B's, D's, or G's.

"Great Fields" (rídhien) from "fields-vast/great/wide" (rîdh+iend).

"Sky" (ell) from Tolkien's earlier version of Doriathrin (gell) under the root _ƷEL_.

"Wave" (gol) from Telerin (vola).

"Greeter" (suiloneth) (suil+oneth) modeled after "bread-giver" (bassoneth).