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Habwaki Eyisere siyiwite Bweya Why hippos have no hair

Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Carol Liddiment

Amos Mubunga Kambere

Lukhonzo

Level 2

The audio for this story is currently not available.

Kiro kiwuma wakame abya inyanemulhaba okwa musike wolhusi.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.

Eyisere nayo yabanikaho, kandi iyinemulya okwa mubogha w’ebithi okwamusike wolhusi.

Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.

Eyisere muyithalangira Wakame kwaneho, neryo yamamulyathira. Neryo wakame amalhaka kutsibu, “iwe yisere mburura siwulhangire kuwamandyathira?

Hippo didn’t see that Rabbit was there and she accidentally stepped on Rabbit’s foot. Rabbit started screaming at Hippo, “You Hippo! Can’t you see that you’re stepping on my foot?”

Eyisere Mburura yamasaba wakame yekighanyiro. “Mungathekulhangira, unganyire!” Kyonga Wakame mwathahulikirira erisaba ekighanyiro n’eribugha athi, sindi wulyakikolerera iwunasi!, kiro kighuma wukendisyalebya! Wukendisyasasura isiwasi!”

Hippo apologised to Rabbit, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you. Please forgive me!” But Rabbit wouldn’t listen and he shouted at Hippo, “You did that on purpose! Someday, you’ll see! You’re going to pay!”

Wakame amaghenda neryo amabana iya Muliro neryo amamusaba ati, “wughende wukendihisya emburura, Eyisere yikalhwa omwa maghetse yikasalya okwa bithi, muyikanandyathira!” Neryo Muliro amasubamo, “aho sihali bulitho, mwanithu, ngendikolha ngokuwabirisaba.”

Rabbit went to find Fire and said, “Go, burn Hippo when she comes out of the water to eat grass. She stepped on me!” Fire answered, “No problem, Rabbit, my friend. I’ll do just what you ask.”

Kathuku kake, Eyisere yabere iyinemulya okwabithi hali okwalhusi, Neryo “irooli!” Ekirimi ky’omuliro kyamahulhukira omwabithi, neryo kyamatsuka erihisya obweya bw’Eyisere.

Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.

Neryo Eyisere yamatsuka erilhaka, nerithibitha omwamaghetse. Obweya bwayo obwosi mubwahya n’omuliro. Neryo Eyisere yamatsuka ekiriro, “obweya bwayi bwabirihya n’omuliro, obwaya bwayi obubuyanga, bwabirihya, singakyiwite bweya!”

Hippo started to cry and ran for the water. All her hair was burned off by the fire. Hippo kept crying, “My hair has burned in the fire! My hair is all gone! My beautiful hair!”

Wakame mwayisyetha athi obweya bw’emburura, Eyisere bwabirihya. Neryo ekyalekire esy’amburura isyabya sikalira okwabithi isinehakuhi namaghetse habwerisagha omuliro.

Rabbit was happy that Hippo’s hair was burned. And to this day, for fear of fire, the hippo never goes far from the water.

Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment

Translated by: Amos Mubunga Kambere

Language: Lukhonzo

Level: Level 2

Source: Why hippos have no hair from African Storybook

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.

Read more level 2 stories:

Abana b’enimba Zama Niw’amani Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa Eritwamo Tom omusuburi w’ameeru Tingi N’esyande Ekifubiro Embene, Embwa, n’Ende Andiswa omusathi owomupira Omulhume muli

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