Home
About
How to use this website Contact us
Download PDF
Back to stories list

Kubera iki invubu zitagira umusatsi Why hippos have no hair Kwa nini Viboko Hawana Nywele

Written by Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by Carol Liddiment

Translated by Patrick Munyurangabo

Language Kinyarwanda

Level Level 2

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.

Umunsi umwe, urukwavu rwariruri kugenda kunkengero z’umugezi.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.

Siku moja, Sungura alikuwa akitembea pembeni ya mto.

Invubu yari yo nayo, igiye kwitemberera no kurya ibyatsi byiza byicyatsi.

Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.

Kiboko alikuwepo pia, akitembea huku akila majani mazuri ya kijani.

Invubu ntiyabonye urukwavu ikandagira itabishaka ku ikirenge cy’urukwavu. Urukwavu rutangira gusakuza ku invubu, “Wowe Nvubu! Ntureba ko uhagaze ku ikirenge cyange?”

Hippo didn’t see that Rabbit was there and she accidentally stepped on Rabbit’s foot. Rabbit started screaming at Hippo, “You Hippo! Can’t you see that you’re stepping on my foot?”

Kiboko hakumwona Sungura na kwa bahati mbaya akaukanyaga mguu wa Sungura. Sungura akaanza kumpigia Kiboko kelele. “We Kiboko huoni kama umeukanyaga mguu wangu?”

Invubu yasabye imbabazi urukwavu, “Mbabarira cyane. Sinigeze nkubona. Ihangane umbabarire!” Ariko urukwavu ntidwunvise rukomeza gusakuriza invubu, “Wabikoze kubushake! Umunsi umwe uzabona! Uzabyishyura!”

Hippo apologised to Rabbit, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you. Please forgive me!” But Rabbit wouldn’t listen and he shouted at Hippo, “You did that on purpose! Someday, you’ll see! You’re going to pay!”

Kiboko akamwomba Sungura msamaha, “Samahani, sikukuona, tafadhali nisamehe!” Lakini Sungura hakukubali na akaendelea kumbwatukia Kiboko, “Umefanya makusudi! Kuna siku utakiona, na nitakulipizia!”

Urukwavu rwaragiye gushaka umuriro ruravuga, “genda utwike invubu niva mu amazi kurya ibyatsi. Yarangandagiye!” Umuriro warasubishe, “Ntakibazo, rukwavu, nshuti yange. Nzakora icyo unsabye.”

Rabbit went to find Fire and said, “Go, burn Hippo when she comes out of the water to eat grass. She stepped on me!” Fire answered, “No problem, Rabbit, my friend. I’ll do just what you ask.”

Sungura alienda kumtafuta moto na akamwambia, “Nenda, ukamchome Kiboko akitoka majini kuja kula majani. Alinikanyaga!” Moto ukajibu, “Hakuna tatizo, rafiki yangu Sungura, nitafanya ulichoniomba kufanya.”

Nyuma, invubu yaririmo kurya ibyatsi kure hitaruye umugezi ubwo, “Whoosh!” Umuriro wagurumanaga. Ibirimi byatangiye gutwika umusatsi w’invubu.

Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.

Baadaye, Kiboko alikuwa akila majani mbali na mto, aliposhtuka moto umelipuka. Miale ya moto ikaanza kuzichoma nywele za Kiboko.

Invubu yatangiye kurira iriruka isanga amazi. Umusatsi wose wari watwitswe n’umuriro. Invubu yakomeze kurira, “Umusatsi wange watwitswe n’umuriro! Umusatsi wange wose wagiye! Umusatsi wange mwiza!”

Hippo started to cry and ran for the water. All her hair was burned off by the fire. Hippo kept crying, “My hair has burned in the fire! My hair is all gone! My beautiful hair!”

Kiboko akaanza kulia na kukimbilia kwenye maji. Nywele zake zote zilikuwa zimeungua na moto. Kiboko aliendelea kulia, “Nywele zangu zimeungua na moto! Nywele zangu zote zimeisha! Nywele zangu nzuri!”

Urukwavu rwari rwishimye kubera ko umusatsi w’invubu wahiye. No kugeza uyumunsi, kubw’ubwoba bw’umuriro, invubu ntijya ijya kure hitaruye amazi.

Rabbit was happy that Hippo’s hair was burned. And to this day, for fear of fire, the hippo never goes far from the water.

Sungura alikuwa na furaha kwa kuwa nywele za Kiboko ziliungua. Hadi leo kwa kuogopa moto, Kiboko hawezi kwenda mbali na maji.

Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment
Translated by: Patrick Munyurangabo
Language: Kinyarwanda
Level: Level 2
Source: Why hippos have no hair from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
Read more level 2 stories:
Options
Back to stories list Download PDF