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Abana b’enimba
Children of wax
Watoto wa nta
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Amos Mubunga Kambere
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Kera kera habya omuyi mughuma owabya ikere n’obutseme.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Isibalilhwa kutse eritsumangana. Abana ibakawathikaya ababuthi babo eka kandi n’omwirima.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Hawakugombana hata kidogo. Watoto waliwasaidia wazazi nyumbani na shambani.
Aliryo isibalikiriribawa erighenda hakuhi nomuliro.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
Ibakakolha emibiri yabo yomwakiro. Kusangwa babya bakolire omw’animba eyikanyegha.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Walifanya kazi zao zote usiku. Hii ni kwa sababu walikuwa wameumbwa kwa nta.
Neryo omughuma okwabalhwana abya inyanzire erighenda okwamwisi.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
Nimwanabya anzire erighenda okwamwisi, baghalha babu mubamuhabulha ambu sikiwene, kusangwa omwisi akanyeghaya enimba.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
Obuthuku buthebwabya buli, neryo mw’anyegha okwamwisi.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
Ikwa abana abenimba mubahunerera bakalhangira mughalha wabubo akany’enga neribbumbutuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
Abasighalha mubathwa obwenge. Enimba eyabbumbutukira ahisi mubathwamu erikolha ekinyonyi.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
Mubathwalha ekinyonyi kighalhakyabubo okw’akithwa.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
Neryo eryuba mulyalenga, ekinyonyi nakyo mukyaghulhuka neryimba kuhikya omwangyakya.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Jua lilipochomoza asubuhi, akapeperuka akiimba kwa furaha.
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Amos Mubunga Kambere
