Back to stories list
Abaana bomu bulimbo
Children of wax
Les enfants de cire
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Mugoya Job Joel
The audio for this story is currently not available.
Ŋaaliŋo eyo amago
agaali ameene
amasangafu.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.
Abaana baamo
sibasoolanga wayire
ohuduhana. Era
baholeranga ŋalala
n’abasaaye baawe ni
babayeeda ŋango nomu
nimiro.
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.
Aye abasaaye baawe
sibafugiiriranga baana
bano ohwigerera ŋa
muliro.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.
Abaana bano baholanga
emirimo mu wiire
mwoka aye nga mu
muusi bbe.
Hino hyali hityo olwohuba abaana bano
baali bababbota mu bulimbo!
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 !
Cooko mulala hu
baseere gegobanga
bugali ohwota ahamwi.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.
Lulala omuseere ono
gaŋagia gatiina mu
mumwi coka abalebe
babe ba mulabula…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…
Aye ehyo bali oti hani
bafuŋira taama mulere
humaduha. Omusere
nga asaanuhira mu
mumwi.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.
Abaana bahye abomu
bulimbo banakuŋala
bugali ohubona
owahyawe nasaanuhiye
mu mumwi
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.
Ni babona owahyawe
nasaanuhire nga bahola
epulaani. Nga baŋamba
ehitole hy’obulimbo
obwowahyawe
asaanuhire
bahibbotamo enyuni.
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.
Ni bahena nga baŋira
muganda yaawe mu
hiseera ehyo owaali
enyuni hu lusosi olwene
oluleeŋi.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.
Ni wahya eryuba ko ni
liŋwayo Muganda
yaawe oyo gaguluha
gatiinira ni gemba mu
njase yomu mugamba.
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: Mugoya Job Joel
