New Asterix Short Story -- "Lire avec Obelix"

[Overanalytix]

Have a look at Doubleclix's Blog at http://www.doubleclix-blog.com/

It says that Uderzo's newest short story, "Lire avec Obelix" (Reading with Obelix) is now available in German and -- of all the possible languages -- Finnish.

I understand that this story first appeared in a French magazine. The German translation is included in a new edition of Asterix and the Class Act (32).

Is there any news on an English translation? Or, for that matter, a published version in French? And if anyone has read it already -- how long is it?

[Christine]

If it is the story published in 'Lire', it's a short story : 1 or 2 pages. The plot is that Obelix wants to learn his letters, because he has received a letter... and does not want anybody else to know about its content.
I can dig in my cardboard boxes to find it, and provide a translation if it is of any interest to you (it may need some fine-tuning by an English native speaker afterwards, though...).

Christine

[Christine]

If it is the story published in 'Lire', it's a short story : 1 or 2 pages. The plot is that Obelix wants to learn his letters, because he has received a letter... and does not want anybody else to know about its content.
I can dig in my cardboard boxes to find it, and provide a translation if it is of any interest to you (it may need some fine-tuning by an English native speaker afterwards, though...).

Christine

[Erik]

Hello,

If it is the story published in 'Lire', it's a short story : 1 or 2 pages.

yes, it is exactly this short story. It contains 3 pages + cover.

As far as I know there are 2 French publications of it. One in "Lire hors serie" and a second one as very small hardcover-book.

Look here (for example):
http://cgi.ebay.de/ASTERIX-MINI-ALBUM-L ... dZViewItem

Regards
Erik

[jaap toorenaar]

hi,
I'm in the lucky possession of the magazine "Lire, hors-série". If you are interested, I could post a translation of all the spoken texts (three pages, 45 text-balloons). It would take some time, so I only start doing this, if you are really interested,
Jaap

[Erik]

Hello,

this short story is online now for free download on a Swiss magazine's website. This magazine published the story a short time ago (so, I guess it's legal):
http://www.20min.ch/tools/suchen/story/17966645
(just click on the "Special: «Asterix & Obelix», Teil II" to IV - links in the box below the picture)

Of course, it is the german edition and I know, that many of you don't know german language. But perhaps it'll be a pleasure as well, just to enjoy Uderzo's drawings. And if Jaap still wants to translate the whole story, you might even get the pleasure to understand the whole plot some day.

Regards
Erik

[invisifan]

this short story is online now for free download on a Swiss magazine's website. This magazine published the story a short time ago (so, I guess it's legal):
http://www.20min.ch/tools/suchen/story/17966645
(just click on the "Special: «Asterix & Obelix», Teil II" to IV - links in the box below the picture)

Of course, it is the german edition and I know, that many of you don't know german language.

So, here is an English translation - not literal, but rather in the style of the official translations (though publicly showing altered art w/new text probably infringes all sorts of legalities so I give you only the text) ... also I didn't translate the intro page which points out that this was done for Asterix' 45th anniversary (May 2004) ...

[invisifan]

Panel 1:
• Come on, Dogmatix! We'll miss the wild boar!

• Woof!


Panel 2:
• Hello Postaldistrix! No mail for me as always?!

• I've a treat for you: One addressed to you personally.


Panel 3:
• A letter? Really? For me?

• Just for you! Straight from Condatum.


Panel 4:
• From Condatum?

• Even on pink marble, engraved by one of your lovely lady friends. you sly dog!


Panel 5:
• BY THE GODS! PANACEA! PANACEA HAS WRITTEN TO ME!

• Farewell, and have fun reading it, you heartbreaker.


Panel 6:
• Obelix! Are you coming to hunt wild boar?


Panel 7:
• Oh!... No! Not today… I…

• ?!


Panel 8:
• ... I don't feel well, Asterix. Maybe I should go lie down!

• You'd better go see the Druid, Obelix. He can mix up a cure for you!


Panel 9:
• You're right, Asterix! I'll go right now!


Panel 10:
• That's odd! I don't think I've ever seen Obelix ill before.


Panel 11:
• Getafix! Would you do me a big favour?

• !?

[invisifan]

The picture-alphabet bit is the hardest to translate: in any translation the letters associated with the pictures has to change of course ... but to what?

We see a Donkey, a Doe (or Deer) and a Dolmen ... D,D,D???

well there aren't many viable alternatives for Dolmen so it wins the D ...

Donkey could have been Ass (which as "A" fits as the first letter shown) but somehow I think we should avoid that ... so I chose Mule (they were well-known in that period) ...

if the Deer had antlers I could go with Buck of Elk or Reindeer or ... oh well, I chose Fawn (though it would like a slight retouch on the colouring) as the best representative ... Anyone have a better idea?

[invisifan]

Panel 1:
• Ah… Well… Er… I'd like you to teach me to read, Getafix.

• You've finally decided to learn, lad?

• !?


Panel 2:
• So are you finally hungry for knowledge, and not just wild boar?


Panel 3:
• It's those like you who will have future generations saying that Gauls couldn't read or write.


Panel 4:
• This is a method I developed myself, that will let you quickly learn the alphabet, Obelix.


Panel 5:
• Here is the first mnemonic: M as in Mule…


Panel 6:
• Now F as in Fawn…


Panel 7:
• B as in Bird, D as in Dolmen etc.… each letter of the alphabet is described by a picture. Do you understand, Obelix?

• I didn't know it was so easy.


Panel 8:
• Just be careful with that book! I've spent a lot of time on it!

• Yes, of course. And thank you, Getafix!


Panel 9:
• Look, Dogmatix: With Getafix' method even I can read Panacea's letter.


Panel 10:
Night falls on the little Gaulish village. Only one light still flickers under the moonlit sky

• Once more:
D like dolmen,
E like eagle,
A like ant,
R like rabbit,
O like otter,
B like blackbird,
E like eagle,
L like lion…

[invisifan]

Can anyone think of a good representative for "Y" ?? Yak springs to mind, but of course Getafix wouldn't use it -- no one then would recognize one ... I use "Yellowjacket" (a type of wasp) but I'm not happy with it ... Icicle for "I" isn't as much of a stretch, but I think I could do better there too... thoughts?

[invisifan]

Panel 1:
Early next morning…

• Let's see if the healing arts of our Druid have helped poor Obelix.


Panel 2:
• Oh! Are you still not feeing well, Obelix?

• Oooh, Asterix! I am so unhappy!


Panel 3:
• Why is that, Obelix? You know you can tell me.

• I have a huge problem. I don't know what else to do.


Panel 4:
• Panacea sent this engraving to me! So I asked Getafix to teach me to read.

• Now I understand!


Panel 5:
• I got this book from him. I've spent the whole night trying to find out what Panacea wrote, but I still don't understand it!


Panel 6:
• I read exactly what was carved in the marble... Listen: "hedgehog, ant, pig, pig, yellowjacket, bird, icicle, rabbit, tree, hedgehog, dolmen, ant, yellowjacket, dolmen, eagle, ant, rabbit, otter, bird, eagle, lion, icicle, (then something I don't understand), pig, ant, nest, ant, cow, eagle, ant."

• ?


Panel 7:
• Um… May I have a look at it?

• Bah! If you want!


Panel 8:
• Why it's quite simple! It's engraved: "Happy birthday, dear Obelix." Signed: "Panacea".

• ?!


Panel 9:
• Why didn't she send one to me? After all we have the same birthday... WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO, OBELiX??

• ?


Panel 10:
• No! Obelix, don't throw it!

SPLAT!

[Maik]

Thank you for translation invisifan.
Nice pictures. It's nice Mr. Uderzo started using Panacea /Falbala, I olso wonder was the Asterix line "Why didn't she send one to me? After all we have the same birthday... " was the referance to the confiussion the fans had obaut Asterix and Obelix birthday after "Asterix and Actress".

To bad this short story wasen't in the 32 album when the book came out in Poland. Ow, well...


Is the mialman character the same the one from "Asterix and the Normans" and "Asterix the Legionary"?

[Erik]

Hello Maik,

Is the mialman character the same the one from "Asterix and the Normans" and "Asterix the Legionary"?

yes, he is. His name is Postaldistrix (originally Pneumatix, german Rohrpostix).

But why don't you compare it yourself?

Regards
Erik

[Maik]

Thank's Eric.

I compared but the desaing of the character got difrent (not to mention the colors) so I got confused was he ment to be the same guy...