Long ago, there was a man who had a very serious wound on his leg.
He could not stand or walk.
This man lived in a village with his wife and their children.
The couple had three sons and one daughter.
The daughter’s name was Nangila. Her duty was to take care of her father.
The sons worked on the land and grazed animals.
Nangila was ’n mooi meisie. Al die mense in die dorpie het van haar gehou en haar gerespekteer.
Nangila was a beautiful girl. All the villagers liked and respected her.
Her parents wanted a good husband for Nangila.
They set a difficult task in order to find the right man.
As iemand met Nangila wou trou, moes hy ’n krui uit die meer naby die dorpie gaan haal.
Anyone who wanted to marry Nangila would have to get a herb from a lake near the village.
This herb would heal her father’s wound.
But the lake was filled with dangerous spirits.
’n Paar mans het probeer, maar hulle het sonder die krui teruggekeer.
Nangila felt worried. Not even her brothers would go to the lake. She decided to fetch the herb herself.
Her mother said, “My daughter, if strong men have failed, will you succeed?” But Nangila had made up her mind.
Op pad na die meer het Nangila ’n ou vrou met ‘n bondel hout ontmoet. Sy het die vrou gehelp om die vuurmaakhout te dra.
On the way to the lake, Nangila met an old woman carrying wood. She helped the woman to carry her firewood.
The old woman was grateful. She said to Nangila, “I will tell you how to reach the spirit lake and what to do when you get there.”
Toe Nangila by die meer kom, het sy die geestefamilie gesien. Hulle het gedrink en gedans.
When she reached the shore of the lake, Nangila saw the spirit family drinking and dancing.
She waited and watched. One by one, the spirits fell asleep.
Toe die geeste almal geslaap het, het Nangila in die meer in geduik.
Kwathi xa sele zilele zonke, uNangila wantywilela echibini. Walifumana iyeza waze walifaka epokothweni yakhe. Uthe xa edada ebuyela enyeleni, suke amaza aba made ukumodlula.
Once the spirits were all sleeping Nangila dived into the lake.
She found the herb and put it in her bag.
As she swam back to land, the waves were high around her.
Die geeste was alreeds wakker toe Nangila uit die water klim. Sy was bang, maar sy het die liedjie gesing wat die ou vrou haar geleer het:
When Nangila reached the shore the spirits were awake. She was afraid, but she sang the song the old woman taught her:
I, daughter of Wekesa,
Am from the lake.
I came because men are too scared to come.
My father needs this herb to heal his wound.
That is why am here,
In the land where many are scared to reach,
For you are the rulers.
Nangila se stem was so soet dat die geeste vir haar gevra het om weer en weer vir hulle te sing.
Nangila’s voice was so sweet that the spirits asked her to sing for them again and again.
Her singing sent the spirits back to sleep.
Then Nangila ran very fast until she got to her village.
Everyone was waiting for Nangila to return.
After treating his wound with the herb her father was able to stand again.
The entire village danced and praised Nangila.
