Khale ka khaleni, a ku ri na wanuna loyi a a ri na mbanga leyikulu enengeni wa yena. A nga koti ku famba kumbe ku yima. Wanuna loyi a tshama etikweni na nsati na vana va yena.
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.
Vatekani a va ri na majaha manharhu na nhwanyana un’we. Vito ra nhwanyana a ri Nangila. Ntirho wa yena a ku ri ku hlayisa bava wa yena. Vafana a va tirha emasin’wini na ku risa swifuwo.
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 a a ri nhwanyana wo saseka. Vaakitiko hinkwavo a va tsakela na ku n’wi xixima. Vatswari va yena a va lava nuna wa kahle wa Nangila. Va bohile mhaka yo tika leswaku ku ta kumeka wanuna wa kahle.
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.
Un’wana na un’wana loyi a fanele ku teka Nangila a a fanele ku kuma murhi ku suka etiveni ra le kusuhi. Murhi lowu a wu ta horisa xilondza xa bava wa yena. Kambe tiva a ri tele hi mimoya yo biha.
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.
Van’wana vavanuna va ringetile ku kuma murhi kambe a va vuyangi na nchumu. Van’wana vavanuna a va swi kotangi ku vuya etiveni.
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.
Nangila u ve a vilela. Hambi va ri vabuti wa yena a va zangi va ya etiveni. U tekile xiboho xo lava murhi hi yexe. Mhani wa yena u te, “Nhwanyana wa mina, u ta swi kota njhani ku humelela, loko vavanuna vo tiyela va tsandzekile?” Kambe Nangila a a tekile xiboho.
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.
Endleleni loko a ya etiveni, Nangila u hlanganile na xikhekudyana xi rhwele tihyunyi. U pfunile xikhekudyana ku xi rhwalela tihanyi. Xikhekudyana a xi tsakile. Xikhekudyana xi te eka Nangila, “Ndzi ta ku byela hilaha u nga fikelelaka tiva ra ku kwetsima hakona na leswi u faneleke ku swi endla loko u fika le.”
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.”
Loko a fika eribuweni ra tiva, Nangila u vone ndyangu wo kwetsima wu nwa na ku cina. U yimile a hlalela. Ha xinwexin’we xipuku xi khomiwile hi vurhongo.
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.
Endzhaku ka loko xipuku xi khomiwile hi vurhongo Nangila u nyuperile a nghena etiveni. U kumile murhi kutani a wu hoxa ebegeni ya yena. Loko a karhi a hlambela a tlhelela emisaveni, magandlati a ma ri lamakulu kusuhi na yena.
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.
Loko Nangila a fika eribuweni swipuku a swi phaphukile. A a chava, kambe u yimbelerile risimu leri a nga dyondzisa hi xikhekudyana. Mina, nhwanyana wa Wekesa, Ndzi huma etiveni. Ndzi tile hikuva vavanuna va chava ku ta la. Bava u lava murhi lowu ku tshungula xilondza xa yena. Hikokwalaho ndzi nga la, eka ndhawu leyi vanhu vo tala va chavaka ku fika, Ka n’wina mi nga tihosi.
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.
Rito ra Nangila a ri tsokombela ku kondza swipuku swi kala swi n’wi kombela ku swi yimbelelela nakambe. Ku yimbelela ka yena ku swi endle leswaku swipuku swi tlhelela eku etleleni. Endzhaku ka sweswo Nangila u tsutsumile hi rivilo swinene ku kondza a fika etikweni ra ka vona.
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.
Un’wana na un’wana a rindzele ku vona Nangila a vuya. Endzhaku ka loko a tshungurile xilondza xa bava wa yena u kotile ku tlhela a yima. Tiko hinkwaro ri cinile na ku themendhela Nangila.
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.
