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Abantwana abenziwe ngamakhandlela
Children of wax
Les enfants de cire
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Phumy Zikode
Beauty Ngwenya
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Emandulo kwakukhona
umndeni owawuhlala
ujabule.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.
Abantwana babezwana.
Behlale besiza abazali
babo endlini kanye
nasengadini.
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
babengavunyelwe
ukusondela eduze
komlilo.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.
Kwakumele benze
yonke imisebenzi yabo
ebusuku.
Ngoba babenziwe ngamakhandlela!
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 omunye
wabafana wayekufisa
ukuphumela
ngaphandle elangeni.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.
Ngelinye ilanga
wayehalela ukuphumela
ngaphandle. Abafowabo
bamxwayisa.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…
Kodwa kwabe
sekungasasizi ngalutho!
Wancibilika elangeni
elishisayo.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.
Abafowakhe
babephatheke kabi
bebona umfowabo
encibilika ephela.
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 baveza isu.
Baphendula amafutha
ayesencibilikile
bawenza inyoni.
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.
Bamthatha umfowabo
oseyinyoni bambeka
phezulu entabeni.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.
Ngokuphuma kwelanga.
Wandiza eculela
ukukhanya
kwasekuseni.
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: Phumy Zikode
Read by: Beauty Ngwenya
Language: Zulu
