A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Hapo zamani za kale, wasichana watatu walienda kukusanya kuni.
Akasana kaali kaaka nyo so ne
bagenda ku mugga okuwuga.
Baazanya nga bwe beesammuliza
amazzi era nga bwe bawuga.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Ilikuwa ni siku yenye jua kali na wakaamua kwenda mtoni kuogelea. Wakaogelea huku wakicheza na kurushiana maji.
Tebaalwa ne balaba ng’obudde
bubayiseeko.
Baayanguwa mangu okuddayo mu
eka.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Ghafla waligundua kuwa muda umekwenda. Wakaharakisha kurudi nyumbani.
Baba banaatera okutuuka eka,
Nakku n’akwata mu bulago bwe era
n’akizuula nti yali yeerabbidde
omukuufu gwe! Ky’ava asaba banne
nti, “Bambi munnyambe tuddeyo
ffena!” Naye mikwano gye ne
bamuddamu nti obudde bwali
buyise nnyo.
When they were nearly home,
Nozibele put her hand to her neck.
She had forgotten her necklace!
“Please come back with me!” she
begged her friends.
But her friends said it was too late.
Walipokuwa wanakaribia kufika nyumbani, Nozibele akajishika shingoni. Alikuwa amesahau shanga zake! “Tafadhali turudini!” aliwasihi rafiki zake. Lakini rafiki zake wakasema tumechelewa.
Kati Nakku n’addayo ku mugga
yekka.
Omukuufu yagufuna era
n’ayanguwa okuddayo eka. Wabula
bambi ekkubo lyamubula
olw’enzikiza.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Kwa hiyo Nozibele akarudi mwenyewe mtoni. Akapata shanga zake na akakimbia kurudi nyumbani. Lakini akapotea gizani.
Bwe yatunula mu maaso gy’alaga
n’alaba ekitangaala mu kasiisira.
Yayanguwa okukatukako era
n’akonkona ku luggi.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Kwa mbali akaona mwanga unatoka kwenye nyumba. Akakimbilia kwenye nyumba na kugonga mlango.
Ekyamwewuunyisa kwe kulaba nga
Wambwa y’aggulawo oluggi era
n’amubuuza nti, “Oygala ki?” Ko
Nakku nti, “Mbuze era njagala
kufuna w’akusula!”
Wambwa n’amuddamu nti, “Yingira
awatali ekyo nja kukuluma!”
Nakku n’ayingira mu nda.
To her surprise, a dog opened the
door and said, “What do you want?”
“I’m lost and I need a place to
sleep,” said Nozibele.
“Come in, or I’ll bite you!” said the
dog.
So Nozibele went in.
Akastaajabu kumwona mbwa akifungua mlango na akasema, “Unataka nini?” “Nimepotea na ninatafuta sehemu ya kulala,” akasema Nozibele. “Ingia ndani, la sivyo nitakung’ata!” mbwa akamwambia. Nozibele akaingia ndani.
Then the dog said, “Cook for me!”
“But I’ve never cooked for a dog
before,” she answered.
“Cook, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog.
So Nozibele cooked some food for
the dog.
Then the dog said, “Make the bed
for me!”
Nozibele answered, “I’ve never
made a bed for a dog.”
“Make the bed, or I’ll bite you!” the
dog said.
So Nozibele made the bed.
Buli lunaku yalina okufumba,
okwera n’okwoleza Wambwa. Lwali
lumu Wambwa n’amugamba nti,
“Nakku, olwaleero ηηenda kukyalira
ku mikwano gyange. Yere
ennyumba, fumba emmere, era
oyoze n’ebintu byange nga
sinnadda.”
Every day she had to cook and
sweep and wash for the dog.
Then one day the dog said,
“Nozibele, today I have to visit
some friends. Sweep the house,
cook the food and wash my things
before I come back.”
Akawa kila siku anampikia, anamfulia na kumfagilia mbwa. Siku moja mbwa akasema, “Nozibele, leo naenda kuwatembelea rafiki zangu. Fagia nyumba, pika chakula na osha vitu vyangu kabla sijarudi.”
As soon as the dog had gone,
Nozibele took three hairs from her
head.
She put one hair under the bed, one
behind the door, and one in the
kraal.
Then she ran home as fast as she
could.
Mara baada tu ya mbwa kuondoka, Nozibele akanyofoa nywele tatu kutoka kwenye kichwa chake. Akaweka unywele mmoja chini ya kitanda, mmoja nyuma ya mlango, na mwingine akauweka kwenye uzio wa nyumba. Halafu, akakimbia kuelekea nyumbani kwa nguvu zote.
Wambwa bwe yakomawo,
n’anoonya Nakku. N’atandika
okuyita nti, “Nakku, Nnaku, oli ludda
wa?” Oluviiri olwasooka ne
lwanukula nti, “Ndi wano wansi
w’ekitanda.” Olw’okubir ne lugamba
nti, “Ndi mabega wano emabega
w’oluggi.”
N’oluviiri olw’okusatu ne lugamba
nti, “Ndi wano mu kiraalo.”
When the dog came back, he looked
for Nozibele.
“Nozibele, where are you?” he
shouted.
“I’m here, under the bed,” said the
first hair.
“I’m here, behind the door,” said the
second hair.
“I’m here, in the kraal,” said the
third hair.
Mbwa aliporudi akaanza kumtafuta Nozibele. “Nozibele, uko wapi?” akapiga kelele. “Niko hapa, chini ya kitanda,” unywele wa kwanza ukajibu. “Nipo hapa nyuma ya mlango,” unywele wa pili ukajibu. “Niko hapa kwenye uzio,” unywele wa tatu ukajibu.
Then the dog knew that Nozibele
had tricked him.
So he ran and ran all the way to the
village.
But Nozibele’s brothers were
waiting there with big sticks.
The dog turned and ran away and
has never been seen since.
Mbwa akagundua kuwa Nozibele amemkimbia. Kwa hiyo akakimbia kuelekea kijijini. Kaka zake Nozibele walikuwa wakimsubiri na fimbo. Mbwa alipowaona akageuka na kukimbia, na hajawahi kuonekana tena.
