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F OREWORD

Шылъэгу (Shylʺėgu ‘horse hoof’s bottom’) as a synonym of
Хьэдэпщэмыӏу (Khʹėdėpshchėmyḣu ‘turtle’, ‘tortoise’;
literally, ‘corpse-like’, ‘neckless’); Хьэмбылу (Khʹėmbylu
‘worm’) as a synonym of Щыгъыныхь (Shchygʺynykhʹ
‘caterpillar’; literally, ‘one who carries or steals clothes’), etc.
Some proper names were replaced to make them sound closer
to the Circassian reader, e.g. in Chapter Two, we replaced Ada
with Lana, and Mable with Kʺanzilia; both are common girl’s
names.
The Circassians have their own rich traditional mythology
with specific symbols, images and meanings—such as in the
Narty oral epos; its main body has been lost but even the
remaining part is a great source of material for researchers.
However, we have nothing like Alice’s Adventures in Wonde -
rland—which looks more as an intellectual game of charades
with logical riddles—and we hope that this translation, the
first of its kind, will enrich Circassian literature.

Murat Temir
Prague – Piatigorsk – Cherkessk

Murat Brat
Cherkessk

May 2019

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