Kale kale ho vha hu na munna we a vha a na tshilonda tshi shushaho kha mulenzhe wawe. O vha a sa koni u ima kana u tshimbila. O vha a tshi dzula kha muṅwe muvhundu na mufumakadzi na vhana vhawe.
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.
Vhabebi avha vho vha vhe na vharwa vhararu na musidzana muthihi. Musidzana o vha a tshi pfi Nangila. O vha a tshi shuma u ṱhogomela khotsi awe. Vharwa vho vha vha tshi lima masimu na u lisa zwifuwo.
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 o vha e musidzana wa lunako. Vhadzulapo vho vha vha tshi mu tama na u mu ṱhonifha. Vhabebi vhawe vho vha vha tshi tama a tshi malwa nga munna o lugaho. Vhadzudzanya mushumo u konḓaho u itela u wana munna oteaho u mala Nangila.
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.
Muṅwe na muṅwe a ṱoḓaho u mala Nangila u ḓo tea u yo wana mushonga dzivhani ḽi re tsini na wonoyo muvhundu. Mushonga uyo u fanela u fhodza tshilonda tsha khotsi awe. Fhedzi dzivha ḽo vha ḽo ḓala mimuya i ofhisaho.
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.
Vhaṅwe vhanna vho lingedza u wana uyo mushonga fhedzi vha vhuya fhedzi. Vhaṅwe vhanna-vho vho fhedza vha songo tsha vhuya.
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 pfa a tshi vhilaela. Na khaladzi dzawe a vho ngo vhuya vha ya dzivhani. A ḓi dzudzanyela u ya u dzhia mushonga ene muṋe. Mme awe vhari, “Musidzana wanga, arali vhanna vha maanḓa vho balelwa inwi ni ḓo zwi kona?” Fhedzi Nangila a elekanya o guma.
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.
Nḓilani ya u ya dzivhani, Nangila a ṱangana na mukegulu vho hwala khuni. A thusa mukegulu u hwala khuni. Mukegulu vha takala vhukuma. Vha ri kha Nangila, “Ndi ḓo ni vhudza uri ni swika hani kha vhadzimu vha dzuvha uri ni ita mini ni tshi swika hone.”
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.”
A tshi swika khunzikhunzini ya dzivha Nangila a vhona lushaka lwa mimuya lu tshi nwa maḓi na u tshina. Nga muthihi nga muthihi mimuya ya eḓela yothe.
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.
Musi minmuya yo no eḓela yothe, Nangila a fhufhela nga ngomu dzivhani. A wana mushonga a u longa begeni yawe. A tshi khou tala u bvela nnda shangoni magabelo a hulela u mona nae.
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.
Nangila a tshi swika khunzikhunzini mimuya ya vha yo karuwa. A ofha fhedzi a imba luimbo lwe a fundedzwa nga mukegulu. “Nṋe ṅwananyana wa Wekesa, ndi bva dzivhani. Ndo ḓa ngauri vhanna vha khou ofha nga maanḓa u da. Khotsi anga vha ṱoḓa hoyu mushonga u fhodzaho tshilonda tshavho. Ndi ngazwo ndi fhano. Kha shango ḽine vhanzhi vha ofha u swika. Ngauri vho inwi ni vha vhusi.”
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.
Ipfi ḽa Nangila ḽo vha ḽi ḽavhuḓi lwe vhadzimu vha humbela uri a vha imbele u dovha na u dovha. U imba uho ho dovha ha ruma mimuya u eḓela. Zwenezwo Nagila a gidima nga luvhilo luhulu u vhuya u swika hayani.
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.
Vhathu vho vha vho lindela Nangila a tshi vhuya. O no onga tshilonda tsha muṋe wawe nga mushonga vha kona hafhu u ima. Gogo ḽoṱhe ḽa tshina ḽi tshi renda 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.
