A popular book for children has just been translated into Cornish, or Kernewek, as a handy aid to adults hoping to encourage youngsters to become interested in the Duchy’s own ancient Celtic language.

Agan Tavlas – The Campaign for the Cornish Language – has announced the release of Julia Donaldson’s illustrated story The Gruffalo as translated by the campaign’s own secretary, Ray Chubb. Ray said of the new edition, entitled An Gruffalo: “Translating the book presented a bit of a challenge because the English version is in rhyme and the Cornish therefore had to be made to rhyme. I wish that books of this quality had been available when I was bringing up two boys bilingually.”

The Cornish translation joins 105 other language versions of the story about a cunning mouse which tricks a series of larger animals before meeting the eponymous fearsome-looking tusked monster, including an edition in another Celtic language undergoing a recent revival: Manx or Isle of Man Gaelic. Entitled Yn Gruffalo, that edition, published in 2012, was highlighted by TV presenter Julia Bradbury in one of her recent ITV walking programmes filmed in the Irish Sea island.

The new Cornish translation will soon be available in bookshops or on the Agan Tavlas website via https://www.agantavas.com/product/an-gruffalo-the-gruffalo-in-cornish/