Back to stories list
Inkéra é emánóó
Children of wax
Watoto wa nta
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Leonard Kotikash
The audio for this story is currently not available.
Nétií apá, nétií olmaréí
óbo óbokito te enchípai.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Óre inkérâ néméára
áíkata. Néret intóiwúó
enyê.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Hawakugombana hata kidogo. Watoto waliwasaidia wazazi nyumbani na shambani.
Néjokí intóiwúó énye
peê ményíkáki aké
enkímá.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
Náa kewarié éás esíaai
enyê.
Amû te emanoó eitobirúno nínche.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Walifanya kazi zao zote usiku. Hii ni kwa sababu walikuwa wameumbwa kwa nta.
Néng’uar enkáyíóní peê
élô aíj enkolóng.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
Néponári eng’uarratá.
Káke etiákitâ iláláshera
lényená peê méló aké.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
Káke eikonyáyie aló.
Óre peê édâl enkólong,
néshola.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
Néísinánuo iláláshera
lényená peê edôl
olaláshe lenyê áajo
etoshóle.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
Néígúéna. Néjo peê
eitobíru entóki
nanyaányukie emótonyî
te emanoó.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
Néílepie ínâ
kítányáányúkoto é
emótonyî áaya shúmátá
ó olkiú.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
Óre peê éílépû
enkólong, nélo te aí
érányítâ.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Jua lilipochomoza asubuhi, akapeperuka akiimba kwa furaha.
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Leonard Kotikash
