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Babaana be buwuula
Children of wax
Les enfants de cire
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Milton Eridad Shissa
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Aabawo khaalekho,
yabawo baalebe be
muungo mutweela abe
babamenya nga
baasangaafu.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.
Abe sibasoolanakho ta.
Baayeetatsaka naabi
basaali baabwe
muungo ni mu
mikuunda.
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.
Ne shonyene ndi abe
sibafukiilisibwakho
khukhwisyeendakho
aambi ni kumulilo ta.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.
Abe bali ni
khuukholatsaka
kimilimo kyaabwe mu
shilo mwonyene.
Lwekhuuba baabuumbibwa khukhwaama
mu buwuula!
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 !
Ne mutweela khu
basooleli abo
wewotooma naabi
khuutsyakho ibulafu mu
muumu.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.
Ne lutweela
khukhwiwotooma
khuno khwaabiririra
naabi. Babaandaaye
baamureewura…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…
Ne byaba byaabirire
khaale! Nga waamalile
khaale
khuuyengukhakila mu
muumu kukwaba
kwaabilile.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.
Basooleli be buwuula
babaramile baawulila
kumutaambo,
khuubona nga
waandayaabwe
ayengukhaka awawo.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.
Ne baafunayo
shishambaaso
shishiindi. Baryo
baawumbaka buwuula
bubuyengukhakile
tsana,
baabuwumbamwo
khanywiinywi.
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.
Baayila waandaayabwe
khanywiinywi tsana khu
lukiingi luleeyi naabi.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.
Nga inyaanga niyarura,
waapamburukha
waatsya nga eemba mu
buwaanga bwe
kumutikhinyi.
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: Milton Eridad Shissa
