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Abantwana bekhandlela
Children of wax
Les enfants de cire
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Ntombizodwa Gxowa-Dlayedwa
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Kudala, kwakuhlala
usapho olonwabileyo.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.
Abazange balwe omnye
nomnye. Babebanceda
abazali babo ekhaya
nasemasimini.
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.
Kodwa babengavumelekanga ukuba
basondele emlilweni.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.
Kwakufuneka benze
wonke umsebenzi wabo
ebusuku.
Kuba babenziwe ngekhandlela!
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 !
kodwa omnye
wamakhwenkwe
wayelangazelela
ukuphuma phandle
elangeni.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.
Ngenye imini
ulangazelelo lwakhula
ngamandla.
Abantakwabo
bamlumkisa…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…
k Ngenye imini
ulangazelelo lwakhula
ngamandla.
Abantakwabo
bamlumkisa…
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.
Abantwana
bekhandlela baba lusizi
kakhulu ukubona
untakwabo enyibilike
waphela.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.
Kodwa, benza icebo.
Babumba igaqa
lekhalindlela laba
yintaka.
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.
Bathatha umntakwabo
oyintaka, bamsa phezu
kwentaba
ephakamileyo.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.
Njengoko ilanga
liphuma, wabhabhela
kude evuma
kukukhanya kwakusasa.
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: Ntombizodwa Gxowa-Dlayedwa
