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Abana ba ipula
Children of wax
Les enfants de cire
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
AGNES CHIBAMBA
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Patile akantu, kwali ulupwa ulwaleikala ulwasansamuka.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.
Tabatalile abalwa bekabeka. Baleyafwa abafyashi babo pa ng’anda na mu ibala.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Ils ne se disputaient jamais. Ils aidaient leurs parents à la maison et dans les champs.
Lelo tabasuminishiwe ukupalama ku mulilo.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.
Balebomba imilimo yabo yonse ubushiku. Pantu bapangilwe na ipula.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Ils devaient faire tout leur travail pendant la nuit. Puisqu’ils étaient faits de cire !
Lelo umulumendo umo alifulwike ukuya panse mu kasuba.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.
Bushiku bumo ukufuluka kwalicililemo. Ba ndume yakwe balimucengeshe.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…
Lelo inshita yalipitile kale. Alisungulwike mu kasuba akakaba.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.
Abana ba ipula bali ababulanda pakumona uko ndume yabo alesunguluka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.
Lelo balyumfwene. Balipangile icuuni ukufuma ku ipula ilya sungulwike.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Mais ils firent un plan. Ils façonnèrent le morceau de cire fondue en oiseau.
Balisendele ndume yabo mu cuuni pa mulu walupili ulutali.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.
Elyo lintu akasuba katulile, alipupwike aleimba mu cengelo ca lucelo.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Et lorsque le soleil se leva, il s’envola vers la lumière du matin en chantant.
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: AGNES CHIBAMBA
