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Abaana bepula
Watoto wa nta
Children of wax
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Agnes Chileshe Chibamba
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Patiile akantu, kwali ulupwa ulwaikeele mu mutende ne nsansa.
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Tabatalile abalwa beka-beka. Baaleeyafwa abafyashi baabo pa ŋanda na mwibala.
Hawakugombana hata kidogo. Watoto waliwasaidia wazazi nyumbani na shambani.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Nomba tabaaleebasuminisha ukupalama ku mulilo.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Baaleebomba imilimo yabo yonse ubushiku. Pantu bapangilwe ne pula.
Walifanya kazi zao zote usiku. Hii ni kwa sababu walikuwa wameumbwa kwa nta.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Nomba umo pa balumendo aaleefwaisha ukuya panse mu kasuba.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Ubushiku bumo icakufwaya ukuya pa kusuba cacilamo. Bandume yakwe baalimusokele…
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Nomba balicelelwe. Asunguluka mu kasuba kaakaba.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Abaana bepula baali no bulanda pa kumona uko ndume nabo aleesunguluka.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Nomba baalyumfwene. Baapangile icuuni ukufuma kwipula ilyasungulwike.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Baasendele ndume nabo bapangile mu cuuni pa muulu wa lupili ulutali.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Lilya akasuba katula, aalipupwike aya aleimba mu cengelo ca lucelo.
Jua lilipochomoza asubuhi, akapeperuka akiimba kwa furaha.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Agnes Chileshe Chibamba
