Bogologolotala go ne go nale monna yo o neng a nale ntho e e botlhoko thata mo leotong la gagwe. O ne a sa kgone go ema le go tsamaya. Monna yo o ne a dula le mosadi wa gagwe le bana.
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.
Banyalani ba, ba ne ba nale barwa ba le bararo le morwadi a le mongwe. Leina la morwadiabona e ne e le Bonolo. Tiro ya gagwe e ne e le go tlhokomela rragwe. Tiro ya basimane e ne e le go lema masimo le go isa diphologolo mafulong.
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.
Bonolo e ne e le mosetsana yo montle thata. Baagi botlhe ba motse ba ne ba mo rata ebile ba mo tlotla. Batsadi ba gagwe ba ne ba batla gore a nyalwe ke monna yo o siameng. Ba ne ba baya molao o o thata gore a nyalwe ke monna yo o siameng.
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.
Mongwe le mongwe yo o neng a batla go nyala Bonolo, o ne a tshwanetse go tla ka modi kwa letsheng le le gaufi le motse. Modi o, o ne o tla fodisa ntho ya ga rragwe Bonolo. Mme fela letsha le ne le tletse ka mewa e e kotsi.
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.
Banna bangwe ba ne ba leka go tla ka modi oo, mme ba boa ba iphotlhere. Banna bangwe ba ne sa ba boe go tswa letsheng.
Amanye amadoda azama ukuya kukha eli yeza kodwa abuya elambatha. Amanye amadoda awazange abuye kwa ukubuya kwelo chibi.
Some men tried to get the herb but returned without it.
Some men did not return from the lake at all.
Bonolo o ne a tshwenyegile. Tota le bomorrwarragwe ba ne ba tshaba go ya kwa letsheng. O ne a swetsa go ya kwa letsheng. Mmagwe a re, “Morwadiake, fa go paletswe banna ba ba maatla, wena a o tla atlega?” Mme fela Bonolo o ne a feditse le mogopolo wa gagwe.
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.
Fa a le mo tseleng, Bonolo o ne a kopana le mosadimogolo a rwele dikgong. O ne a thusa mosadimogolo go rwala dikgong. Mosadimogolo o ne a leboga. O ne a re go Bonolo, “Ke tla go bolelela gore o fitlhelele jang moya o o maswe wa kwa letsheng le gore o dire eng fa o fitlha koo.”
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.”
Fa Bonolo a fitlha kwa letsheng, o ne a bona mewa e nwa e bile e bina. O ne a leta mme a bogela. Ka bongwe ka bongwe, mewa e ne ya robala.
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.
Fa mewa yotlhe e sena go robala, Bonolo o ne a itatlhela mo letsheng. O ne a bona modi mme a o tsenya mo kgetsaneng. Fa a thuma a boela kwa morago, makhubu a ne a mo dikaganyeditse.
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.
Fa Bonolo a fitlha kwa ntle ga letsha, mewa e ne e tsogile. O ne a tshogile, mme a opela pina e mosadimogolo a mo rutileng yona: Nna, morwadia motho, ke tswa kwa letsheng. Ke tlile ka ntlha ya gore banna ba tshaba go tla. Rre o tlhoka modi o, gore a alafe ntho ya gagwe. Ke ka moo ke leng fa, Mo lefatsheng le ba bantsi ba tshabang go fitlha, Ka gonne lo babusi.
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.
Lentswe la ga Bonolo le ne le le molotsana thata mo ebileng mewa e ile ya mo kopa gore a ba opelele gangwe le gape. Kopelo ya gagwe e ne ya dira gore mewa e robale gape. Ka jalo Bonolo a taboga ka lebelo go boela kwa motseng wa gagwe.
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.
Batho botlhe ba ne ba emetse Bonolo gore a boele gae. Fa a fetsa go alafa ntho ka modi, rragwe o ne a kgona go ema gape. Batho botlhe ba motse ba ne ba ne ba bina mme ba paka Bonolo.
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.
