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Abaana bomu bulimbo
Children of wax
Watoto wa nta
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Mugoya Job Joel
The audio for this story is currently not available.
Ŋaaliŋo eyo amago
agaali ameene
amasangafu.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Abaana baamo
sibasoolanga wayire
ohuduhana. Era
baholeranga ŋalala
n’abasaaye baawe ni
babayeeda ŋango nomu
nimiro.
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.
Aye abasaaye baawe
sibafugiiriranga baana
bano ohwigerera ŋa
muliro.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
Abaana bano baholanga
emirimo mu wiire
mwoka aye nga mu
muusi bbe.
Hino hyali hityo olwohuba abaana bano
baali bababbota mu bulimbo!
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.
Cooko mulala hu
baseere gegobanga
bugali ohwota ahamwi.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
Lulala omuseere ono
gaŋagia gatiina mu
mumwi coka abalebe
babe ba mulabula…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
Aye ehyo bali oti hani
bafuŋira taama mulere
humaduha. Omusere
nga asaanuhira mu
mumwi.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
Abaana bahye abomu
bulimbo banakuŋala
bugali ohubona
owahyawe nasaanuhiye
mu mumwi
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
Ni babona owahyawe
nasaanuhire nga bahola
epulaani. Nga baŋamba
ehitole hy’obulimbo
obwowahyawe
asaanuhire
bahibbotamo enyuni.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
Ni bahena nga baŋira
muganda yaawe mu
hiseera ehyo owaali
enyuni hu lusosi olwene
oluleeŋi.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
Ni wahya eryuba ko ni
liŋwayo Muganda
yaawe oyo gaguluha
gatiinira ni gemba mu
njase yomu mugamba.
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: Mugoya Job Joel
