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Anzɨ Òdirì rʉ́ dɨ̀yɨ
Children of wax
Watoto wa nta
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Saidi Omar Dramani
The audio for this story is currently not available.
O’dú àlʉ ndrá drìó, à kʉ́
à zɨ ́nɨá ‘bá dɨ ̀yɨ ri oá yɨ
mà è sé lé á àyɨ ̀kó sɨ.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Fú nɨ ́ ndrá àfʉ́ èyɨ mà
èsé léá kʉ Èyɨ ndrá éyɨ
mà tibâ mà àzà ko à kúá
àzɨ ́nɨ ámvʉ́á
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.
Te ‘bá lè ndrà èyɨ mà cá
à cɨ ́ mà àgéɨ ́á ènyɨ ́á kʉ.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
Ànɨ ́ yɨ ndrâ à zɨ ́ yɨ vɨ ́lé
‘dɨ ̀yɨ ngá ‘íní sɨ ̀.
À’dɨsìkʉ ‘bá édé èyɨ ò di ̀ri ̀ akápɨ akáaká rɨ ̀ sɨ!
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.
Te ágúpíámvá àlʉ rɨ ̀lè
ndrá àvá sɨ ̀ mú ací rɨá
è tú alɨ ́á.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
O’dú àlʉ, mvá àlʉrɨ mà
ásí mʉzʉ́ è tú alɨ ́árɨ ̀ ndè
èrɨrá . Èrɨ mà ádrí pi ́ ìrì
‘dɨ ̀yɨ ogǎ èrɨ sɨ ̀.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
Ogatá ‘dà awɨ ́nɨ ́ è rɨ mà
àzà kó kʉ. E’dó aká è tú
drizàsɨ ̀.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
Anzɨ ndě té ò diri ̀ rʉ
akǎ pɨ akáaká ‘dà yɨ ovú
cà ndi ́ sɨ yɨ mà adrɨ ̂ nɨ
nè ri ́á akâ ri ́á .
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
Anzɨ ‘dɨ ̀yɨ ngá otʉ́tá ‘yé .
Edé ò diri ̀ akápi ̀ ‘bó ‘di ̀ rɨ
mà jó ló kò à rɨ ́á rʉ.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
Anzɨ ‘dɨ ̀yɨ jí yɨ mà adrí
à rɨ ́á rʉ́ rɨ ̀ ‘bé ʉrʉ ó nɨ ́ mà
drìá.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
Ètú nɨ ́ e’dórɨa agarɨ ́á, yɨ
mà ádrɨ ̂ à rɨ ́á rʉ́ rɨ ̀ nga òlɨ ́
álɨ ́á, ongó bé è tú ò’bɨ ́ti
nɨ ́ rɨ ̀ mà alɨ ́á.
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: Saidi Omar Dramani
Lugbarati (official orthography)
Level 2
