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Abaana abaava mu nvumbo
Children of wax
Les enfants de cire
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa
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Awo olwatuuka ne
wabaawo amaka agaali
amasanyufu ennyo.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.
Tebaalwanagananga
era baayambanga nnyo
bazadde baabwe ewaka
ne mu nnimiro.
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.
Naye tebaabaganyanga
kuliraana muliro.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.
Baakolanga emirimu
gyabwe mu budde
obw’ekiro.
Kubanga baali baakolebwa mu nvumbo.
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 !
Omu ku balenzi
yayagalanga nnyo
okugendako mu
musana.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.
Olunaku lumu, omwana
omulenzi oyo yawulira
ng’ayagala nnyo
okugenda mu musana
naye baganda be ne
bamulabula…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…
Naye omulenzi ono yali
yagenze dda mu
musana.
Omulenzi oyo era
yasaanuukira mu
musana ogwali gwaka
ennyo.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.
Baganda be ne
banakuwala nnyo olwa
muganda waabwe
okusaanuuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.
Naye ne bayiiya
okubaako kye bakola.
Olwo ne bakola
ekinyonyi okuva
nvumbo eyasaanuuka
okuva mu muganda
waabwe.
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.
Ekinyonyi ekyo kye bo
kye baalaba nga
muganda waabwe ne
bakitwala ku lusozi
oluwanvu ne bakiteeka
eyo.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.
Awo omusana bwe
gwayaka ne kibuuka
nga bwe kiyimba mu
kitangaala ky’oku
makya.
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: Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa
