Long, long ago there was a king
called Kayanja. He lived in a palace
with the queen and their daughter,
princess Apenyo.
Princess Apenyo was such a
beautiful young woman that every
man wanted to marry her. But king
Kayanja demanded a very high
bride price for the princess.
Naby Koning Kaja se kasteel het hoofman Aloeda die Grote gebly. Hy is “Die Grote” genoem omdat almal in die buurt hom gehoorsaam het. (Hy was baie wreed as iemand nie na hom geluister het nie!)
Near king Kayanja’s palace lived a
chief called Aludah the Great. He
was called “the Great” because
everybody in the neighbourhood
obeyed him. (He was very violent to
anyone who disobeyed him!)
Chief Aludah’s wife had recently
died of malaria and he wanted
another wife.
Die vet ou hoofman gaan uiteindelik na Koning Kaja toe om ’n bruidskat vir die jong prinses aan te bied.
So the fat old chief went to king
Kayanja to offer bride wealth for the
young princess.
While the two men were discussing
the price, the maid Kakembo
overheard their conversation. Maid
Kakembo was very close to princess
Apenyo.
Hoofman Aloeda het ingestem om die helfte van sy rykdom aan Koning Kaja te gee. Dit het ’n naald ingesluit wat ook deel van die bruidskat sou wees.
Chief Aludah agreed to give half of
his wealth to king Kayanja,
including a needle, which was also
part of the bride price.
Preparations were made in secret
for the wedding between chief
Aludah and princess Apenyo. The
king knew that his daughter would
not be happy with this decision.
’n Week voor die koninklike bruilof het Kembo na Prinses Apenyo toe gegaan.
One week before the royal wedding
day, maid Kakembo approached
Apenyo.
“My dear princess, your father has
organised your wedding with Chief
Aludah, and it will take place in one
week,” said Kakembo.
Prinses Apenyo was geskok. Sy het nie geweet wat om te doen nie.
Princess Apenyo was shocked and
at first didn’t know what to do. Then
she thought, “I will never marry
chief Aludah, that fat old man.
Never! I must hurry to Trevor and
see what he can do before it’s too
late.”
Trevor was princess Apenyo’s
boyfriend.
Daardie aand sluip Apenyo uit die paleis uit. As haar pa uitvind waarheen sy gaan, sou hy baie kwaad wees.
That night Apenyo crept out of the
palace. If her father discovered
where she was going he would be
very angry.
She ran through the thick, dark
forest over rocks and shrubs, until
she finally reached her Trevor. When
she arrived at his house she was
tired, hungry, and thirsty.
“My lief, waarom het jy so ver gehardloop? Alleen, hierdie tyd van die nag?” het Trevor gevra.
“My love, why have you run all this
long distance alone and at such a
time of night?” asked Trevor. He
fetched drinking water for her and
allowed her to rest.
Trevor could not settle down while
he waited for Apenyo to talk.
“My liewe prinses, wat is fout?” het Trevor gevra.
“My dear princess, what is the
problem?” asked Trevor.
Apenyo breathed heavily and said
sadly, “My father wants to marry
me off to chief Aludah the Great.
But I can’t marry that horrible man.
Trevor, I want to marry you even if
you are poor. I am ready to suffer. I
love you.”
“Maar prinses, ek het niks om vir jou bruidskat te gee nie. Jy weet ek is ’n arm man,” het Trevor gesê.
“Kodwa manje nkosazana, mina anginalutho, ukukhokhela ilobolo lakho. Wazi kahle, ngimpofu,” kuzikhalela uThando. UNaledi wamphendula wathi, “Ngiyakwazi loko, kodwa nguwe kuphela engingakugana.” Wake wathula isikhashana, wabe esethi, “Nginecebo, masigijimele ku Kwanda, indoda le yesikebhe asiweze sibalekele ngale komfula. Ngaleyo ndlela singeqa, ubaba angasitholi.”
“But princess, I have nothing to pay
as your bride price, you know I’m a
poor boy.” cried Trevor.
Apenyo replied, “I know, but it’s
only you I can get married to.”
She thought for a while and said,
“Let’s go to Kategga the boat man
to sail us to the other side of the
river. That way we can escape and
my father will never find us.”
By die paleis, het Koning Kaja van die prinses se verdwyning uitgevind. Hy het sy onderdane beveel om oral in die dorp na haar te gaan soek. Die koning se wagte, soldate en al die ander mense het gesoek, maar hulle kon die prinses nêrens kry nie.
Back at the palace, king Kayanja
had discovered Princess Apenyo’s
disappearance and ordered his
subjects to search for her
everywhere in the village.
The king’s guards, soldiers, and
everyone else searched, but they
couldn’t find Princess Apenyo.
They went back to the King and told
him Apenyo was nowhere to be
seen. “Then go to the bush and
search,” King Kayanja ordered. He
was very annoyed.
Soos Prinses Apenyo en Trevor na die rivier toe gehardloop het, het donker wolke in die lug begin saampak. ’n Groot storm was op pad.
Kategga the boatman was mooring
his boat when the young couple
approached him. Trevor asked
Kategga to row them across the
river.
Kategga refused to accept,
explaining that a heavy storm was
fast approaching, and it would be
too dangerous.
Trevor het daarop aangedring en verduidelik hoekom hulle anderkant moes kom. Hy steek toe sy hand diep in sy sak en haal ’n muntskulp uit om vir Kategga te gee.
Trevor insisted and explained to
Kategga why they must cross. He
then put his hand deep in his
pocket and took out a cowrie shell
to give to Kategga.
When Kategga heard their story and
saw the beautiful shell, he felt sorry
for them. He agreed to row them
across the river in spite of the
weather.
Kategga het die boot nader gesleep en gesê hulle moet inklim. Hy tel toe sy spane op en begin roei.
Kategga pulled the boat near the
bank and told them to get in. He
then picked his oars and began
rowing.
When king Kayanja and chief
Aludah reached the bank, they saw
the three people in the boat. They
realised that the young lovers had
escaped.
Swaar winde het die boot geskommel. Kategga kon dit naderhand nie meer beheer nie. Koning Kaja het uitgeroep, “Apenyo, kom asseblief terug! Ek het jou vergewe en sal julle nie straf nie.” Maar dit was te laat. Die boot het omgekantel en al drie die mense het in die rowwe water geval en verdrink.
Heavy winds rocked the boat and
Kategga could no longer control it.
King Kayanja shouted: “Apenyo,
please come back! I have forgiven
you and will never punish you or
Trevor.”
But it was too late. The boat tipped
over and the three people were
thrown into the wild water. They all
drowned.
After that day, everyone in king
Kayanja’s kingdom could marry
anyone they wanted, rich or poor.
