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Lilin nia oan sira Children of wax

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Aurelio da Costa

Read by Aurelio da Costa, Vitalina dos Santos, Criscencia R. Da Costa Viana

Language Tetum

Level Level 2

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Autoplay story


Iha tempu uluk, moris família ida-ne’ebé kontente.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.


Sira nunka baku malu. Sira ajuda sira nia inan-aman sira iha uma no iha to’os.

They never fought with each other. They helped their parents at home and in the fields.


Maibé sira hetan bandu atu labele la’o besik ahi.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.


Sira tenke halo sira nia servisu tomak iha iha kalan. Tanba sira halo husi lilin.

They had to do all their work during the night. Because they were made of wax!


Maibé labarik mane sira ne’e ida hakarak tebes atu sai durante loron.

But one of the boys longed to go out in the sunlight.


Loron ida ninia dejezu makaas tebes. Nia maun-alin sira bandu nia…

One day the longing was too strong. His brothers warned him…


Maibé sira nia esforsu tarde liu! Nia nabeen iha loron manas.

But it was too late! He melted in the hot sun.


Lilin oan sira ne’e triste tebes haree sira nia maun-alin nabeen.

The wax children were so sad to see their brother melting away.


Maibé sira halo planu. Sira halo forma foun husi lilin isin ne’ebé nabeen tiha-ona sai manu ida.

But they made a plan. They shaped the lump of melted wax into a bird.


Sira foti sira nia maun-alin ne’ebé sai ona manu ba iha foho aas ida.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.


Bainhira loron matan sa’e, nia semo dook hakfuik iha loron matan dadeer.

And as the sun rose, he flew away singing into the morning light.


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Aurelio da Costa
Read by: Aurelio da Costa, Vitalina dos Santos, Criscencia R. Da Costa Viana
Language: Tetum
Level: Level 2
Source: Children of wax from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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