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Abaana abaava mu nvumbo
Children of wax
Watoto wa nta
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa
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Awo olwatuuka ne
wabaawo amaka agaali
amasanyufu ennyo.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Tebaalwanagananga
era baayambanga nnyo
bazadde baabwe ewaka
ne mu nnimiro.
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.
Naye tebaabaganyanga
kuliraana muliro.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
Baakolanga emirimu
gyabwe mu budde
obw’ekiro.
Kubanga baali baakolebwa mu nvumbo.
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.
Omu ku balenzi
yayagalanga nnyo
okugendako mu
musana.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
Olunaku lumu, omwana
omulenzi oyo yawulira
ng’ayagala nnyo
okugenda mu musana
naye baganda be ne
bamulabula…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
Naye omulenzi ono yali
yagenze dda mu
musana.
Omulenzi oyo era
yasaanuukira mu
musana ogwali gwaka
ennyo.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
Baganda be ne
banakuwala nnyo olwa
muganda waabwe
okusaanuuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
Naye ne bayiiya
okubaako kye bakola.
Olwo ne bakola
ekinyonyi okuva
nvumbo eyasaanuuka
okuva mu muganda
waabwe.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
Ekinyonyi ekyo kye bo
kye baalaba nga
muganda waabwe ne
bakitwala ku lusozi
oluwanvu ne bakiteeka
eyo.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
Awo omusana bwe
gwayaka ne kibuuka
nga bwe kiyimba mu
kitangaala ky’oku
makya.
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: Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa
