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Anji afa Akazavile ri
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’du alu ndra drio, aku
ayikoruni ovu ‘dale
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Eyi ndra ayikoru. Fuuni
afu eyi ma eselea ku.
Eyi ndra eyi ma ti’ba
ma azako aku alea dika
amvua.
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 eyi ma ati le ndra eyi
ma si aci ma ageia enyi
ku.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
Eyi ndra azi eyini ‘dii
nga inisi. A’dusiku ‘ba
ede eyi afa akaapi acisi
akaaka ri si.
Ka gonne ba ne ba bopilwe ka kerese!
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 mva alu agupi anzi
‘diyi ma eseleari le ndra
mu acisi etu alia.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
O’du alu, mva aluri ma
asi muzu etu aliari nde
eri ra. Eri ma adrii iri ‘dii
oga eri si.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
‘Ba oga eri ti. ‘Da koni
eri ma aza ku. E’do aka
etu drizasi.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
Anzi nde bani edele afa
akaza si ‘dii ovu
chandisi tu yini yi ma
adrii nezu akaria etusi ri
si.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
Anzi ‘dii ega ondoa alu.
Asi eyi ma adri ma odri
akazari ede aria ru.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
Anzi ‘dii ‘du yi ma adrii
ariaruri ‘be uruni ma
dria.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
Etuni e’do agaria, yima
adri ariaruri nga oli alia,
ongo be etu o’bitiniri
ma alia.
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
