Early one morning Vusi’s granny
called him, “Vusi, please take this
egg to your parents. They want to
make a large cake for your sister’s
wedding.”
Ko no o foonndii to saarooɓe makko,
Wisi fotti worɓe ɗiɗo no teɓta ɓiɓɓe
leɗɗe. Go’oto maɓɓe teeti
woppaande nden e Wisi nden o fiyi
nde e lekki. Woppaande nden fusi.
On his way to his parents, Vusi met
two boys picking fruit. One boy
grabbed the egg from Vusi and shot
it at a tree. The egg broke.
“What have you done?” cried Vusi.
“That egg was for a cake. The cake
was for my sister’s wedding. What
will my sister say if there is no
wedding cake?”
Worɓe ɓen nimsitii ko ɓe toonyii
Wisi.
Go’oto maɓɓe wi’i: «Min mbaawaa
waɗude fay go’otel faro duppee on,
ammaa nanii sawru tuugordu
kokkaa bannda debbo.»
Wisi wittii e bittaaki muuɗum.
The boys were sorry for teasing
Vusi.
“We can’t help with the cake, but
here is a walking stick for your
sister,” said one.
Vusi continued on his journey.
Dow laawol, o tawi worɓe ɗiɗo no
nyiɓa suudu.
Go’oto maɓɓe ƴami: «Miɗon
mbaawa nawtoraade sawru yamru
nduu?»
Ammaa sawru ndun yamɗaa ko
nyiɓata, tan ndu heli.
Along the way he met two men
building a house. “Can we use that
strong stick?” asked one.
But the stick was not strong enough
for building, and it broke.
“What have you done?” cried Vusi.
“That stick was a gift for my sister.
The fruit pickers gave me the stick
because they broke the egg for the
cake. The cake was for my sister’s
wedding. Now there is no egg, no
cake, and no gift. What will my
sister say?”
The builders were sorry for breaking
the stick.
“We can’t help with the cake, but
here is some thatch for your sister,”
said one.
And so Vusi continued on his
journey.
Dow laawol, Wisi jom kowgol mardi
e nagge.
Nagge ngen ƴami: «Huɗo welko
koonee, miɗo waawa meeɗi
seɗɗa?»
Mbela huɗo kon waɗii ko nagge
ngen nyaami ko fuu.
Along the way, Vusi met a farmer
and a cow. “What delicious thatch,
can I have a nibble?” asked the cow.
But the thatch was so tasty that the
cow ate it all!
“What have you done?” cried Vusi.
“That thatch was a gift for my
sister. The builders gave me the
thatch because they broke the stick
from the fruit pickers. The fruit
pickers gave me the stick because
they broke the egg for my sister’s
cake. The cake was for my sister’s
wedding. Now there is no egg, no
cake, and no gift. What will my
sister say?”
But the cow ran back to the farmer
at supper time.
And Vusi got lost on his journey.
He arrived very late for his sister’s
wedding. The guests were already
eating.
“What shall I do?” cried Vusi.
“The cow that ran away was a gift,
in return for the thatch the builders
gave me. The builders gave me the
thatch because they broke the stick
from the fruit pickers. The fruit
pickers gave me the stick because
they broke the egg for the cake.
The cake was for the wedding. Now
there is no egg, no cake, and no
gift.”
Banndu debbo Wisi miijii nder
wakkatiyel nden wi’i: «Wisi banndan
gorko, dokke ɗen fuu no potu e am.
Duppee on hooƴaay hakkillo am, en
fuu ɗoo ngondu-ɗen, miɗo weltini.
Jooni kay yah wattoyi kaddule
maaɗa juulɗe.»
Wisi waɗi ko o wi’i.
Vusi’s sister thought for a while,
then she said,
“Vusi my brother, I don’t really care
about gifts. I don’t even care about
the cake! We are all here together, I
am happy. Now put on your smart
clothes and let’s celebrate this
day!”
And so that’s what Vusi did.
