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Pikni dem we mek outa waks
Children of wax
pikni dem @we mek @outa @waks
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Georgette McGlashen
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Wan taim, yu did av wahn api fambili.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
wan taɪm ju @did @av wan api @fambili
Dem neva fait wananeda. Dem elp dem pierens a dem yaad an a grong.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
dem @neva @fait @wananeda dem elp dem @pierens a dem jaːd an a gɹoŋ
Bot dem no mek dem go nier faiya.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
bot dem @no mek dem @go @nier faɪja
Dem afi du aal a dem wok ina di nait. Kaaz dem mek outa waks.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
dem @afi @du aːl a dem wok ina di naɪt kaːz dem mek @outa @waks
Bot wan a di bwaai dem did wel waahn gout ina di dielait.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
bot wan a di @bwaai dem @did @wel @waan @gout ina di @dielait
Wan die di fiilin fi gout did tuu chrang. Im breda dem waan im…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
wan dɪɛ di @fiilin fi guɔt @did tuː tʃɹaŋ im @bredda dem @waan im
Bot it did tuu liet! Im melt out ina di son at.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
bot it @did tuː lɪɛt im @melt @out ina di @son at
Di waks pikni dem did fiil sad-sad fi si dem breda jos a melt out so.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
di @wax pikni dem @did fiːl @sad-sad fi si dem @bredda @jos a @melt @out @so
Bot dem mek a plan. Dem shiep out di lomp a saaf waks ina a bod.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
bot dem mek a @plan dem @shiep @out di @lomp a saːf @waks ina a @bord
Dem kyari dem bod breda go op ina wahn ai mouhn.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
dem kjaɹi dem @bord @bredda @go op ina wan aɪ @mouhn
Az di son kom op, im flai we an a sing ina di maanin lait.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
@az di @son kom op im flaɪ @we an a sɪŋ ina di maːnin laɪt
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Georgette McGlashen
Jamaican Creole
Level 2
