Ndhawu ya Sinyaire yi rhendzela hi swintshabyana. Tinyoka to tala ti tshama exihlahleni eka swintshabyana leswi. Nyoka leyikulu swinene vaaki a va yi vula Unyalego. Nyoka leyi a yi chavisa vanhu vo tala hikuva a yi mita hinkwato timbuti na tinyimpfu.
Sinyaire village is surrounded by
hills.
Many snakes live in the forest on
those hills.
The biggest snake was called
Unyalego by the villagers.
This snake scared many people.
It swallowed whole goats and
sheep.
Siku rin’wana, Apiyo, Ajoh na Atieno va yile exihlahleni ku ya kuva tihunyi. Kokwa wa vanhwana wa xisati u va tshinyile a ku, “Mi tivonela eka Unyalego nyoka leyikulu. Mi nga teki xin’wana exihlahleni handle ka tihunyi.” Ko va Ajoh ntsena loyi a nga yingisangiki kokwa wa yena wa xisati.
One day, sisters Apiyo, Ajoh and
Atieno were going to the forest to
fetch firewood.
The girls’ grandmother warned,
“Beware of Unyalego the big snake.
Do not take anything from the
forest except the wood.”
Only Ajoh did not pay attention to
her grandmother.
Vanhwanyana va rhwarile ntswamba, tibanana, mihlata na mati. Va tekile tintambhu to tsimba tihunyi na mabanga ya ku tsema tihunyi. Endzhaku ka sweswo, va sukile va ya exihlahleni.
The girls packed milk, bananas,
sweet potatoes and water.
They took ropes for tying firewood
and a sharp machete for chopping
the wood.
Then they left for the forest.
Endleleni, vanhwanyana va burile na ku hlekelela. Hi xihatla, Apiyo, lonkulu eka hinkwavo, u te, “Miyelani. Hi fika laha Unyalego a tshamaka kona.”
On the way, the sisters chatted
and laughed.
Suddenly, Apiyo, the eldest of
them, said, “Be quiet. We are
coming to where Unyalego lives.”
Atieno a huwelela lavan’wana, “Langutani, hi lawa meno ya nsuku ya Unyalego. A hi ma tekeni.” Apiyo u va tsundzuxile a ku, “Mi nga rivali xitsundzuxo xa kokwana wa xisati. A hi fanelangi ku teka xin’wana na xin’wana exihlahleni handle ka tihunyi.”
Atieno called to the others, “Look,
here are Unyalego’s golden teeth.
Let us take them.”
Apiyo reminded them, “Don’t forget
grandmother’s warning. We must
not take anything from the forest
except firewood.”
Ajo a ku, “A ndzi n’wi tshembi mina kokwana wa xisati. Ndzi ehleketa leswaku kahlekahle u vurile sweswo ku hi tshikisa leswi hi swi lavaka. U na mavondzo eka hina. Ndzi ta teka meno ya nsuku.” Vatati wa yena a va vilela. Ajoh a nga yingisangi.
U-Ajoh wathi, “Andiyikholelwa mna into ethethwa ngumakhulu. Ndicinga ukuba ubesitsho nje kuba engafuni ukuba sizithathele izinto esizithandayo. Unomona umakhulu. Ndiza kuwathatha mna la mazinyo egolide.” Oodadewabo bakhathazeka kakhulu ngale nto. “Ajoh, uze ungathi khange sikuxelele.” U-Ajoh akazange abahoye.
Ajoh said, “I don’t trust
grandmother. I think she said that
to stop us having what we want. I
want the golden teeth.”
Her sisters were worried. “Ajoh, we
warned you,” they said.
Ajoh did not care.
Hi nkarhi wolowo Unyalego yi tile ku ta languta meno ya yona. A yi hlundzukile hikuva a yi ma kumangi meno ya yona ya nsuku eka ndhawu yin’wana na yin’wana. Endzhaku ka sweswo, Unyalego yi twile vanhwanyana va bula na ku hlekelela. Yi tumberile ehansi ka ribye etlhelo ka gondzo laha vanhwanyana a va ta hundza hi kona.
At that moment Unyalego came
looking for his golden teeth. He was
furious when he could not find the
teeth.
Then Unyalego heard the girls
chatting and laughing. He hid under
a rock next to the road where the
girls would pass on their way back.
Vanhwanyana va rhwarile tihunyi ta vona hi tinhloko ta vona. Hi xihatla, va twile ku “Hzzzzzzzz!” Va chavile kutani va ringeta ku tumbela. A ku ri na Unyalego nomu wa yona wu ahlamile swinene, wu tiyimiserile ku luma.
The sisters were going home
carrying their firewood on their
heads.
Suddenly, they heard “Hzzzzzzzz!”
There was Unyalego with his mouth
wide open, ready to bite. The girls
were terrified.
Unyalego yi vutisile vanhwanyana yi ku, “Xana i mani loyi a nga teka meno ya mina ya nsuku?” A ku na loyi a nga hlamula. Nyoka yi tekile xiboho xo kambela vanhwana. “Un’wana na un’wana loyi a nga riki na nandzu, u ta kota ku yimbelela handle ko endla swihoxo. U ta ya ekaya na tihunyi ta yena. Kambe loyi a nga na nandzu u ta endla swihoxo. U ta va swakudya swa mina masiku manharhu lama landzelaka!”
Unyalego asked the girls, “Who
took my golden teeth?” No one
answered.
The snake decided to test the girls.
“Whoever is innocent, will be able
to sing without mistakes. She will
go home with her firewood.
But the guilty one will sing badly.
She will be my food for the next
three days!”
Apiyo u sungurile ku yimbelela hi rito ra kahle. Endzhaku ka sweswo Atieno a yimbelela risimu.
Apiyo started to sing with a clear
voice:
“Sio mimi, sio mimi aliye na meno,
Mwenye meno bado yuko nyuma.”
Then Atieno sang the song. She also
sang well.
Eku heteleleni, ku vile nkarhi wa Ajoh. A a chava. U yile emahlweni kutani a sungula ku yimbelela. Kambe ku yimbelela ka yena a ku twala ku chavisa na marito a ma nga tshamisekangi. Untalego yi bile huwa, “A wu koti ku yimbelela kahle ku fana na lavan’wana?” Nyoka a yi swi tiva leswaku Ajoh u tekile meno ya nsuku.
Lastly, it was Ajoh’s turn. She was
scared. She stepped forward and
started singing. But her singing
sounded terrible and the words
were wrong.
Unyalego shouted, “Can’t you sing
properly like the others?”
The snake knew that Ajoh took his
golden teeth.
Unyalego yi mitile Ajoh. Vatati wa yena va tsutsumile va tlhelela ekaya ku ya hlamusela mhaka leyi.
Bimbilili! U-Unyalego wamginya u-Ajoh. Oodadewabo babaleka bagoduka bayokuxela esi senzo sibi kangaka esenzekileyo.
Unyalego opened his huge jaws and
swallowed Ajoh.
Her sisters ran back to the village.
They told everyone the story of
what happened.
“I warned her, if only she had
listened,” the girls’ grandmother
said sadly.
