Chapter 11: We Learn Atvatabarese

This exclamation was a very puzzling phrase to us.

Professor Starbottle said: “It appears to me, gentlemen, before we can make any use of our prisoner we must first learn his language.”

Again the stranger smote his breast, exclaiming: “Plothoy, wayleal ar Atvatabar.”

“Well, of all the lingoes I iver heard,” said Flathootly, “this is the worst case yet. It bates Irish, which is the toughest langwidge to larn undher the sun. What langwidge do you call that, sorr?”

Professor Goldrock, besides being a naturalist, was an adept in language. He stated that our captive appeared to be either a soldier or courier or coast-guard of his country, which was evidently indicated by the last word, Atvatabar. “Let us take for granted,” said he, “that ‘Plothoy’ is his name and ‘Atvatabar’ his country. We have left the two words ‘wayleal ar.’ Now the pronunciation and grouping of the letters leads me to think that the words resemble the English language more nearly than any other tongue. The word ‘wayleal’ has the same number of letters as ‘soldier’ and ‘courier, ‘ and I note that the fourth and last letters are identical in both ‘courier’ and ‘wayleal.’ On the supposition that both words are identical we might compare them thus:

c is w
o “ a
u “ y
r “ l
i “ e
e “ i or a
r “ l

The word ‘wayleil’ or ‘wayleal’ means to us leal or strong--by the way, a very good name for a soldier.”

At this moment our mysterious friend yelled out:

“Plothoy, wayleal ar Atvatabar, em Bilbimtesirol!”

“Kape quiet, me boy,” said Flathootly, “and we’ll soon find out all about you.”

“Rather let him talk away,” said the professor, “and we’ll find out who he is much quicker. You see he has given us two new words this time, the words ‘em Bilbimtesirol.’ Now an idea strikes me--let us transpose the biggest word thus:

b is p i “ e l “ r b “ p i “ e m “ n t “ d e “ i s “ c i “ u r “ l o “ a l “ r

Here we have the word ‘perpendicular.’ What does ‘Bilbimtesirol’ as ‘perpendicular’ mean? It may mean that the interior planet is lit by a perpendicular sun, and that we are in a land of perpendicular light and shadow. See how the shadow, of every man surrounds his boots! Now, granting ‘wayleal’ means ‘courier’ and ‘Bilbimtesirol’ ‘perpendicular, ‘ we have a clue to the language of Atvatabar. It seems to me to be a miraculous transposition of the English language thus:

a is o b “ p c “ s or k d “ t e “ i or a f “ f or v g “ j h “ oh i “ e j “ g k “ c l “ r m “ n n “ m o “ a p “ b q “ v r “ l s “ c or s t “ d u “ ij v “ qu w “ y c or s x “ z y “ u or i z “ x

According to this transposition our friend means, ‘Plothoy courier of Atvatabar, in Bilbimtesirol.’ Let us see if we can so understand him.” So saying, the professor approached and said:

“Ec wayl moni Plothoy?” (Is your name Plothoy?)

“Wic cel, ni moni ec Plothoy” (Yes, sir, my name is Plothoy), promptly replied the stranger.

“Good!” said the professor; “that’s glorious! We understand each other now.”

I congratulated the professor on his brilliant discovery. It was magnificent! We could now converse with our prisoner on any subject we desired.

We had the key in our hands that would unlock the wonders of Plutusia, or rather Bilbimtesirol, the interior world.

Flathootly turned a dozen summersaults in the air to express his delight. The sailors spun upon the deck, and threw each other into the air like jugglers playing with balls, in pure excitement.

“Ec Atvatabar dofi moni ar wail saimtle?” (Is Atvatabar the name of your country?) inquired the professor of Plothoy.