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Habwaki Eyisere siyiwite Bweya Why hippos have no hair Pourquoi les hippopotames n'ont pas de poils

Written by Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by Carol Liddiment

Translated by Amos Mubunga Kambere

Language Lukhonzo

Level Level 2

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


Kiro kiwuma wakame abya inyanemulhaba okwa musike wolhusi.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.

Un jour, Lapin marchait le long de la rivière.


Eyisere nayo yabanikaho, kandi iyinemulya okwa mubogha w’ebithi okwamusike wolhusi.

Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.

Hippo était là aussi pour se promener et manger de la bonne herbe verte.


Eyisere muyithalangira Wakame kwaneho, neryo yamamulyathira. Neryo wakame amalhaka kutsibu, “iwe yisere mburura siwulhangire kuwamandyathira?

Hippo didn’t see that Rabbit was there and she accidentally stepped on Rabbit’s foot. Rabbit started screaming at Hippo, “You Hippo! Can’t you see that you’re stepping on my foot?”

Hippo ne voyait pas que Lapin se trouvait là et elle piétina le pied de Lapin. Lapin cria et hurla « Hippo ! Tu vois pas que tu me piétines le pied ? »


Eyisere Mburura yamasaba wakame yekighanyiro. “Mungathekulhangira, unganyire!” Kyonga Wakame mwathahulikirira erisaba ekighanyiro n’eribugha athi, sindi wulyakikolerera iwunasi!, kiro kighuma wukendisyalebya! Wukendisyasasura isiwasi!”

Hippo apologised to Rabbit, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you. Please forgive me!” But Rabbit wouldn’t listen and he shouted at Hippo, “You did that on purpose! Someday, you’ll see! You’re going to pay!”

Hippo s’excusa à Lapin : « Je suis si désolé, mon ami. Je ne te voyais pas. Pardonne-moi, s’il-te-plaît ! » Mais Lapin n’écoutait pas et cria à Hippo : « Tu l’as fait exprès ! Un jour, tu verras ! Tu paieras pour ça ! »


Wakame amaghenda neryo amabana iya Muliro neryo amamusaba ati, “wughende wukendihisya emburura, Eyisere yikalhwa omwa maghetse yikasalya okwa bithi, muyikanandyathira!” Neryo Muliro amasubamo, “aho sihali bulitho, mwanithu, ngendikolha ngokuwabirisaba.”

Rabbit went to find Fire and said, “Go, burn Hippo when she comes out of the water to eat grass. She stepped on me!” Fire answered, “No problem, Rabbit, my friend. I’ll do just what you ask.”

Puis Lapin partit chercher Feu et lui dit : « Va brûler Hippo quand elle sort de l’eau pour manger l’herbe. Elle m’a piétiné le pied ! » Feu répondit : « Pas de souci, Lapin, mon ami. Je ferai ce que tu as demandé. »


Kathuku kake, Eyisere yabere iyinemulya okwabithi hali okwalhusi, Neryo “irooli!” Ekirimi ky’omuliro kyamahulhukira omwabithi, neryo kyamatsuka erihisya obweya bw’Eyisere.

Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.

Plus tard, Hippo mangeait l’herbe loin de la rivière lorsque soudain « ZOUM ! » Feu s’enflamma. Les flammes commencèrent à brûler les poils de Hippo.


Neryo Eyisere yamatsuka erilhaka, nerithibitha omwamaghetse. Obweya bwayo obwosi mubwahya n’omuliro. Neryo Eyisere yamatsuka ekiriro, “obweya bwayi bwabirihya n’omuliro, obwaya bwayi obubuyanga, bwabirihya, singakyiwite bweya!”

Hippo started to cry and ran for the water. All her hair was burned off by the fire. Hippo kept crying, “My hair has burned in the fire! My hair is all gone! My beautiful hair!”

Hippo se mit à pleurer et se réfugia dans l’eau. Le feu avait brûlé tous ses cheveux. Hippo continua à pleurer : « Mes poils ont brûlé. Tu as brûlé tous mes poils ! Mes poils ont disparu ! Mes si beaux poils ! »


Wakame mwayisyetha athi obweya bw’emburura, Eyisere bwabirihya. Neryo ekyalekire esy’amburura isyabya sikalira okwabithi isinehakuhi namaghetse habwerisagha omuliro.

Rabbit was happy that Hippo’s hair was burned. And to this day, for fear of fire, the hippo never goes far from the water.

Lapin était content que les poils de Hippo soient brulés. Et jusqu’à ce jour, de crainte du feu, les hippopotames ne s’éloignent jamais de l’eau.


Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment
Translated by: Amos Mubunga Kambere
Language: Lukhonzo
Level: Level 2
Source: Why hippos have no hair from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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