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Enkoko N’Ekihungu Hen and Eagle Kuku na Tai

Written by Ann Nduku

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Kabasambu Lucy

Language Rutooro

Level Level 3

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Obusumi bwaira, Enkoko ne kihungu bikaba biri binywani. Byaikaraga mubusinge nebinyonyi ebindi. Busaho nakimu ekyaharrukaga.

Once upon a time, Hen and Eagle were friends. They lived in peace with all the other birds. None of them could fly.

Hapo zamani za kale, Kuku na Tai walikuwa marafiki. Waliishi kwa amani na ndege wengine. Hakuna kati yao aliyeweza kupaa.


Ekiro kimu, Enjara ekaba egwire muno Ekihungu kyandaga hara muno kuserra ebyokulya kyagaruka kijwahire muno. Ekihungu kyagamba, “Hatekwa kubaho omulingo ogwanguhire ogwokugenda.”

One day, there was famine in the land. Eagle had to walk very far to find food. She came back very tired. “There must be an easier way to travel!” said Eagle.

Kuna siku njaa ilitokea. Ikamlazimu Tai kutembea umbali mrefu kutafuta chakula. Alirudi akiwa amechoka sana. “Lazima kuwe na njia rahisi ya kusafiri!” Tai alisema.


Obuhahingwireho ebiro, Enkoko ekatunga ekitekerezo ekyamagezi. Ekatandika kusoroza ebyoya ebyagwaga kuruga habinywani byabyo. Enkoko yagamba, “Leka tubibazirre hamu haiguru yamapapa gaitu.” Eki nikiija kutwanguhira kugenda.

After a good night’s sleep, Hen had a brilliant idea. She began collecting the fallen feathers from all their bird friends. “Let’s sew them together on top of our own feathers,” she said. “Perhaps that will make it easier to travel.”

Baada ya usingizi mnono wa usiku, Kuku alijiwa na wazo zuri sana. Akaanza kukusanya manyoya yaliyodondoka kutoka kwa ndege wenzao. “Tuyashonee haya manyoya juu ya manyoya yetu,” Kuku alisema. “Labda itaturahisishia kusafiri.”


Ekihungu nikyo kyonka ekyali kiine enkinzo mukyaro. Nikyo kyabandize kubazira. Kyayekorra amapapa amarungi kyaharuka haiguru y’enkoko. Enkoko yatiiza enkinzo baitu yajwaha bwangu temanyiire ebyokubaziirra. Enkoko ekasiga enkiinzo hakabada yagenda mukicumbiro kutekaniza ebyokulya by’Abanabe.

Eagle was the only one in the village with a needle, so she started sewing first. She made herself a pair of beautiful wings and flew high above Hen. Hen borrowed the needle but she soon got tired of sewing. She left the needle on the cupboard and went into the kitchen to prepare food for her children.

Tai pekee ndiye aliyekuwa na sindano kijijini, kwa hiyo akaanza kushona wa kwanza. Akajitengenezea mabawa mawili mazuri na akapaa juu ya kuku. Kuku aliazima sindano lakini akachoka kushona baada ya muda mfupi. Akaacha sindano kabatini na akaenda jikoni kuandaa chakula kwa ajili ya watoto wake.


Baitu ebinyonyi ebindi bikaba birozire ekihungu nikiharruka. Byasaba enkoko ebitiize enkinzo nabyo byekorre amapapa. Mukasumi kake Ebinyonyi byali nibihurruka munyanya.

But the other birds had seen Eagle flying away. They asked Hen to lend them the needle to make wings for themselves too. Soon there were birds flying all over the sky.

Lakini ndege wengine walimwona Tai akipaa. Wakamwomba Kuku awaazime sindano ili nao wajishonee mabawa pia. Muda si mrefu ndege wakawa wamepaa na kuzagaa anga zima.


Ekinyonyi ekyokumalirra obukyagarwire enkinzo, Enkoko ekaba entaroho. Obwana bwayo bwatwara enkiinzo bwatandika kugizanisa. Obubwajwahire omuzaano, bwasiga enkinzo mumusenyi.

When the last bird returned the borrowed needle, Hen was not there. So her children took the needle and started playing with it. When they got tired of the game, they left the needle in the sand.

Ndege wa mwisho aliporudisha sindano aliyoazima, Kuku hakuwepo. Kwa hiyo watoto wake wakachukua sindano na wakaanza kuichezea. Walipochoka na mchezo wao, wakaiacha sindano kwenye mchanga.


Iraho mwihangwe, ekihungu kyagaruka kyakaguza enkiinzo kuteraniza ebyoya ebyali bisumurrukire murugendo. Enkoko yarora hakabada, yarora mukicumbiro, yarora muzigati, baitu enkinzo ekaba ekakuzooka.

Later that afternoon, Eagle returned. She asked for the needle to fix some feathers that had loosened on her journey. Hen looked on the cupboard. She looked in the kitchen. She looked in the yard. But the needle was nowhere to be found.

Baadaye jioni Tai akarudi. Akaomba sindano ili aweze kushona baadhi ya manyoya yaliyokuwa yameanza kulegea alipokuwa safarini. Akaangalia kwenye kabati. Akaangalia jikoni. Akaangalia uani. Ila sindano haikupatikana.


Mpayo ekiro kimu, Nukwo orateraniza amapapa gawe aharruke ogende kuserra ebyokulya omurundi ogundi. Ekihungu kyagamba Ekiro ekimu kyonka, Obworaba otazoire enkinzo, noija kumpa akana kawe kamu kunsasura.

“Just give me a day,” Hen begged Eagle. “Then you can fix your wing and fly away to get food again.” “Just one more day,” said Eagle. “If you can’t find the needle, you’ll have to give me one of your chicks as payment.”

“Nipatie siku moja,” Kuku alimwomba Tai. “Halafu utaweza kushona bawa lako na kuruka tena kwenda kutafuta chakula.” “Siku moja tu,” alisema Tai. “Kama hutaipata sindano, itabidi unipe kimoja cha vifaranga vyako kama malipo.”


Ekihungu obukyagarukire ekiro ekyahondiireho kikasanga enkoko nerahiza mumusenyi, baitu busamu nkiinzo. Ekihungu kika garuka kyagwa hansi bwangu kyakwata akaana kamu kyakatwara. Kuruga obu ekihungu buli kwiija kisanga enkoko nerahiza mumusenyi neserra enkinzo.

When Eagle came the next day, she found Hen scratching in the sand, but no needle. So Eagle flew down very fast and caught one of the chicks. She carried it away. Forever after that, whenever Eagle appears, she finds Hen scratching in the sand for the needle.

Tai aliporudi siku iliyofuata, alimkuta Kuku akichakura mchangani, ila hakukuwa na sindano. Kwa hiyo Tai alishuka kwa kasi na kukwapua kifaranga kimoja. Akaondoka nacho. Tangu hapo, kila Tai anapojitokeza humkuta Kuku akichakura kwenye mchanga akitafuta sindano.


Ekituru kyamapapa g’ekihungu obukigwa ha’Itaka hansi Enkoko ehabura obwana bwayo, “Mwesereke kihungu aizire.” Nabwo bugarukamu, “Tituli badoma nitwija kwiruka.”

As the shadow of Eagle’s wing falls on the ground, Hen warns her chicks. “Get out of the bare and dry land.” And they respond: “We are not fools. We will run.”

Kila kivuli cha mabawa ya Tai kinapoonekana ardhini, Kuku huwatahadharisha vifaranga vyake. “Tokeni kwenye eneo la wazi.” Na wanajibu: “Sisi si wajinga. Tutakimbia.”


Written by: Ann Nduku
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Kabasambu Lucy
Language: Rutooro
Level: Level 3
Source: Hen and Eagle from African Storybook
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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