Download PDF
Back to stories list

Wa mek Ipo no av no ier Why hippos have no hair wa mek @ipo @no @av @no ɪɛɹ

Written by Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by Carol Liddiment

Translated by Georgette McGlashen

Language Jamaican Creole

Level Level 2

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.

Autoplay story


Wan die, Rabit did a waak nier di riva.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.

wan dɪɛ @rabit @did a waːk @nier di @riva


Ipo did de-de tu, a tek taim waak an a nyam som griin graas.

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

@ipo @did @de-de tu a tek taɪm waːk an a ɲam som gɹiːn @graas


Ipo neva si se Rabit di de-de an step pan Rabit fut bai aksident. Rabit staat baal aaf Ipo an se, “Yu Ipo! Yu no si se yu a step pan mi fut?”

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?”

@ipo @neva si se @rabit di @de-de an @step @pan @rabit fut baɪ @aksident @rabit staːt baːl aːf @ipo an se ju @ipo ju @no si se ju a @step @pan mi fut


Ipo se sari tu Rabit, “Mi riili sari. Mi neva si yu. Du beg yu paadn!” Bot Rabit udn lisn an im baal aafa Ipo, “Yu dwiit fi spait! Wan die, yu wi si! Yu gwain pie!”

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!”

@ipo se @sari tu @rabit mi ɹiːli @sari mi @neva si ju @du @beg ju paːdn̩ bot @rabit @udn lisn̩ an im baːl @aafa @ipo ju dwiːt fi @spait wan dɪɛ ju wi si ju @gwain pɪɛ


Rabit go luk fi Faiya an tel im se, “Gwaan, bon op Ipo wen shi kom outa di waata fi nyam graas. Shi did step pan mi! Faiya ansa se, “No prablem, Rabit, mi fren. Mi wi du we yu aks.”

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.”

@rabit @go luk fi faɪja an tel im se @gwaan bon op @ipo @wen @shi kom @outa di waːta fi ɲam @graas @shi @did @step @pan mi faɪja ansa se @no pɹablem @rabit mi @fren mi wi @du @we ju @aks


Lieta, Ipo did a nyam graas faar fram di riva wen, “Wush!” Faiya ton inna wahn big faiyabaal. Di faiya staat bon aaf Ipo ier.

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

lɪɛta @ipo @did a ɲam @graas faːɹ @fram di @riva @wen @wush faɪja ton @inna wan @big @faiyabaal di faɪja staːt bon aːf @ipo ɪɛɹ


Ipo staat fi baal an ron go inna di waata. Di faiya bon aaf aal a ar ier dem. Ipo no stap baal, “Mi ier get bon aaf inna di faiya! Aal a mi ier gaan! Mi priti ier!”

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!”

@ipo staːt fi baːl an ɹon @go @inna di waːta di faɪja bon aːf aːl a aɹ ɪɛɹ dem @ipo @no @stap baːl mi ɪɛɹ @get bon aːf @inna di faɪja aːl a mi ɪɛɹ @gaan mi @priti ɪɛɹ


Rabit did glad se Ipo ier get bon aaf. An tu dis die, chuu fried fi faiya, Ipo neva stie faar fram waata.

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.

@rabit @did @glad se @ipo ɪɛɹ @get bon aːf an tu dis dɪɛ tʃuː @fried fi faɪja @ipo @neva stɪɛ faːɹ @fram waːta


Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment
Translated by: Georgette McGlashen
Language: Jamaican Creole
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.
Options
Back to stories list Download PDF