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Ilmo dameer ah Donkey Child Mtoto Punda

Written by Lindiwe Matshikiza

Illustrated by Meghan Judge

Translated by Anwar Mohamed Dirie

Read by Ibrahim Ahmed

Language Somali

Level Level 3

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


Gabar yar ayaa aragtay muuqaal aan la garaneyn oo masaafo ka muuqdo.

It was a little girl who first saw the mysterious shape in the distance.

Ilikuwa ni msichana mdogo aliyekuwa wa kwanza kuona umbo la ajabu kwa mbali.


Markii uu muuqaalki soo dhowaaday, waxa ay aragtay in ay tahay haweeney xaamilo culus ah.

As the shape moved closer, she saw that it was a heavily pregnant woman.

Kadiri umbo lilipokaribia, aliona kwamba lilikuwa ni mwanamke mwenye ujauzito mkubwa.


Xishood laakiin geesi nimo, gabadhii waxa ay ku sii dhowaatay haweeneydii. “Waa in ay nala joogtaa,” ayay gabadha dadkeedii go’aansadeen. “Iyada iyo ilmaheedaba waa aannu nabad gelinaynaa.”

Shy but brave, the little girl moved nearer to the woman. “We must keep her with us,” the little girl’s people decided. “We’ll keep her and her child safe.”

Kwa upole na ujasiri, msichana alimsogelea mwanamke yule. “Lazima tumhifadhi,” watu wa msichana yule walisema. “Tutawaweka yeye na mtoto wake salama.”


Ilmaha ayaa soo dhakhso ba wadada soo galay. “Riix!” “Bustayaal la kaalaya!” “Biyo!” “Riiiixxxxxx!!!”

The child was soon on its way. “Push!” “Bring blankets!” “Water!” “Puuuuussssshhh!!!”

Mtoto alikuwa njiani kuzaliwa si muda mrefu. “Sukuma!” “Leteni mablanketi!” “Maji!” “Suuukuuumaaaa!!!”


Laakiin markii ay ilmihii arkeen, qof walba gadaal ayuu argagax ugu booday. “Dameer?!”

But when they saw the baby, everyone jumped back in shock. “A donkey?!”

Lakini walipomwona mtoto, wote waliruka kwa mshtuko. “Punda?!”


Qof waliba muran ayuu bilaabay. “Waxa aynnu ballan qaadnay in aan ilmaha iyo hooyadaba nabad gelyo siinno, waana in aan sidaas yeelnaa,” qaar baa sidaa yiri. “Laakiin waxa ay noo horseedi doonaan nasiib darro!” qaar kale ayaa sidaa iyana yiri.

Everyone began to argue. “We said we would keep mother and child safe, and that’s what we’ll do,” said some. “But they will bring us bad luck!” said others.

Wakaanza kubishana. “Tulisema tutawaweka mama na mtoto salama, na hivyo ndivyo tutakavyofanya,” baadhi wakasema. “Lakini watatuletea mkosi!” wengine wakadai.


Sidaa darteed haweeneydii way cidlowday mar kale. Waxa ay ka la yaabaneyd wixii ay ku sameyn lahayd ilmahan qaabka daran. Waxa kale oo ay ka la yaabaneyd wixii ay iyaduna isku sameyn lahayd.

And so the woman found herself alone again. She wondered what to do with this awkward child. She wondered what to do with herself.

Kwa hiyo mwanamke yule alijikuta yuko peke yake kwa mara nyingine tena. Akajiuliza atafanya nini na mtoto huyo wa ajabu. Akajiuliza atafanya nini na yeye mwenyewe.


Aakhirkii waxa ay isku qancisay in ay aqbasho in uu ilmaheedii yahay, iyaduna ay hooyadiis tahay.

But finally she had to accept that he was her child and she was his mother.

Lakini hatimaye alikubali kwamba huyo ni mwanaye na yeye ni mama yake.


Hada, hadii uu dameerka ku joogi lahaa sidiisi,bar yaraanta,wax walbo waxaan ahaan lahaayeen si ka duwan sidan. Laakiin ilmihii dameerka ahaa wuu koray oo koray ilaa uu la ekaan waayay dhabarkii hooyadii. Si kasta oo uu isku deyay na, waa uu u dhaqmi waayey sidii dadkii oo kale. Hooyadii aad bay u daashay oo waa ay isku buuqday. Marmar waxa ay isku dayday in uu sida xayawaanka u shaqeeyo.

Now, if the child had stayed that same, small size, everything might have been different. But the donkey child grew and grew until he could no longer fit on his mother’s back. And no matter how hard he tried, he could not behave like a human being. His mother was often tired and frustrated. Sometimes she made him do work meant for animals.

Endapo mtoto huyo angebaki kuwa vilevile, na umbo dogo, labda kila kitu kingekuwa tofauti. Lakini mtoto Punda aliendelea kukua na kukua mpaka hakuweza kutoshea tena mgongoni mwa mama yake. Pamoja na kujaribu kwa bidii, hakuweza kuwa na tabia za kibinadamu. Mara nyingi mama yake alichoka na kuvunjika moyo. Wakati mwingine alimlazimisha kufanya kazi walizostahili wanyama.


Jahawareer iyo carro ayaa iskugu darsantay dameerkii. Sidan ma yeeli karo sidaana ma yeeli karo. Sidan ma noqon karo sidaana ma noqon karo. Mar uu aad u xanaaqay, ayaa uu maalin hooyadii laad ku kiciyey oo dhulka ku tuuray.

Confusion and anger built up inside Donkey. He couldn’t do this and he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t be like this and he couldn’t be like that. He became so angry that, one day, he kicked his mother to the ground.

Kuchanganyikiwa na hasira vilianza kujengeka ndani mwa Punda. Alishindwa kufanya hivi wala vile. Alishindwa kuwa hivi wala vile. Alipatwa na hasira sana kiasi kwamba, siku moja, alimpiga teke mama yake mpaka akaanguka chini.


Dameerkii ceeb ayuu dareemay. Waxa aanu bilaabay in uu aad u ordo oo uu u cararo meel fog.

Donkey was filled with shame. He started to run away as far and fast as he could.

Punda alijawa na aibu. Akaanza kukimbilia mbali kwa haraka kadiri awezavyo.


Waqtigii uu joojiyay orodkii, habeen bay ahayd, Dameerkiina waa uu lumay. “Haa’i Aaa?” ayuu mugdigi uga dhex gunuunacay. “Haa’i Aaa?” ayuu mugdiga ka daba dhahay. Waaxuu ahaa mid cidloobay. Intuu isku duuduubay sidii kubad adag, ayuu la dhacay hurdo dheer oo dhiban.

By the time he stopped running, it was night, and Donkey was lost. “Hee haw?” he whispered to the darkness. “Hee Haw?” it echoed back. He was alone. Curling himself into a tight ball, he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.

Wakati aliposimama, ilikuwa ni usiku, na alikuwa amepotea. “Hii hoo?” alinong’ona gizani. “Hii hoo?” giza likatoa mwangwi. Alikuwa mwenyewe. Alijikunyata katika umbo dogo, akalala fofofo usingizi wa mang’amung’amu.


Dameerkii waxa uu toosay isaga oo oday la yaab leh hoos usoo eeegayo. Indhihi odayga ayuu eegay waxuu na billaabay inyar oo rajo ah in uu dareemo.

Donkey woke up to find a strange old man staring down at him. He looked into the old man’s eyes and started to feel a twinkle of hope.

Punda aliamka na kumkuta mzee mmoja wa ajabu akimtazama. Akamwangalia mzee yule machoni na akaanza kuhisi ishara ya matumaini.


Dameerkii waxa uu raacay si uu ula joogo odagii, kaas oo baray qaabab kala duwan oo ah sida loo noolaado. Dameerkii waxa uu noqday mid wax dhageystay oo na wax bartay, sidoo kale ayuu sameeyay odaygana. Waa ay is caawiyeen, waa ayna wada qosleen si wada jir ah.

Donkey went to stay with the old man, who taught him many different ways to survive. Donkey listened and learned, and so did the old man. They helped each other, and they laughed together.

Punda alienda kuishi na mzee yule, na mzee alimfundisha mbinu nyingi za kuishi. Punda alisikiliza na kujifunza, na mzee vivyo hivyo pia. Walisaidiana na kucheka pamoja.


Subax subaxyada ka mid ah, ayaa uu odagii weyddiistay Dameerkii in uu u qaado buur dhaladeed.

One morning, the old man asked Donkey to carry him to the top of a mountain.

Asubuhi moja, mzee alimwomba Punda ambebe hadi kwenye kilele cha mlima.


Meeel kore oo daruuraha ka mid ah ayey hurdo kula dul dhaceen. Dameerkii waxa uu ku riyooday hooyadiis oo xanuunsanaysa oo isaga u yeeraysa. Markii uu toosay na…

High up amongst the clouds they fell asleep. Donkey dreamed that his mother was sick and calling to him. And when he woke up…

Walipofika juu kwenye mawingu, walipatwa na usingizi. Punda akaota kuwa mama yake alikuwa mgonjwa na alimhitaji. Na alipoamka…


… daruurihii ayaa la libdhay asaga iyo saaxiibkiis ba, odayga duqa ahaa.

… the clouds had disappeared along with his friend, the old man.

…mawingu yalikuwa yametoweka pamoja na rafiki yake, yule mzee.


Ugu dambeyntii dameerkii waa uu ogaaday waxa in la sameeyo ah.

Donkey finally knew what to do.

Hatimaye, Punda alijua alichotakiwa kufanya.


Dameerkii waxa uu helay hooyadii, oo cidlootay una barooranaysa ilmaheedii lumay. Muddo dheer ayay is eegteen midba midka kale. Dabadeedna ihabisi siiyeen waliba si adag.

Donkey found his mother, alone and mourning her lost child. They stared at each other for a long time. And then hugged each other very hard.

Punda alimkuta mama yake akiwa peke yake huku akimwomboleza mwanaye aliyepotea. Wakaangaliana kwa muda mrefu. Na kisha wakakumbatiana kwa hisia.


Ilmihi dameerka ahaa iyo hooyadii waa ay wada koreen waxa ayna heleen qaabab badan oo ay ku wada noolaan karaan midba midka kale dhiniciisa. Tartiib tartiib, dhinacyadooda oo dhan, qoysas ayaa bilaabay in ay soo dagaan.

The donkey child and his mother have grown together and found many ways of living side by side. Slowly, all around them, other families have started to settle.

Mtoto Punda na mama yake wamekuwa kitu kimoja na kuishi kwa ushirikiano. Taratibu, familia nyingine zimeanza kuhamia na kuishi miongoni mwao.


Written by: Lindiwe Matshikiza
Illustrated by: Meghan Judge
Translated by: Anwar Mohamed Dirie
Read by: Ibrahim Ahmed
Language: Somali
Level: Level 3
Source: Donkey Child from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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