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Waa maxay sababta aysan jeerta ulahayn timo Why hippos have no hair

Written by Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by Carol Liddiment

Translated by Abdi Muse

Read by Ibrahim Ahmed

Language Somali

Level Level 2

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Autoplay story


Maalin maalmaha ka mid ah, Bakayle ayaa socday wabiga qarkiisa.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.


Jeerta na waa ay joogtay, ayadoo u socoto damaashaad iyo cunnida xoogaa caws fiican oo cagaaran.

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


Jeerta ma aysan arkayn bakaylaha in uu joogo meeshaas waxayna si kama ah ayey ugu istaagtay cagti bakaylaha. Bakaylihii wuxuu bilaabay inuu ku qayliyo jeerta, “Adiga Jeer! Miyaadan arag in aad ku taagantahay cagtayda?”

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?”


Jeertii waxay raaligelisay Bakaylihi, “Waan ka xumahay, kuma aanan arkaynin, Fadlan i cafi!” Laakiin bakaylihii ma dhageysan oo waxuu ku qeyliyay Jeertii, “Waxaad u sameysay kas! Maalin, un waad arki doontaa, in aad guddo!”

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!”


Bakaylihii waxuu raadiyay dab, wuxuuna ku yidhi, “Orod, soo gub Jeerta marka ay banaanka uga soo baxdo biyaha si ay u cunto caws. Way igu istaagtay!” Dabka ayaa ku jawaabay, “Dhib malaha, Bakayle, saaxiibkay. Waxaan sameyn doonaa waxaad i weydiisay.”

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.”


Xoga kadib, Jeertii waxay ka cunaysay caws meel ka fog webiga marki, “bul!” Dab holac isku badalay. Dabkii waxuu bilaabay in uu gubo timihii Jeerta.

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


Jeertii waxay bilowday in ay ooydo oo u orado biyaha. Dhamaan timaheedi waxaa gubay dabki. Jeertii waa ay sii waday ooyinta, “Timahaygi waxa ay ku gubteen dabka! Timayhaygii dhamaan waay tageen, timahaygii qurux sanaa!”

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!”


Bakayluhu wuxuu ku faraxsanaa timaha Jeerta ee gubtay. Ilaa maantadan la joogo, cabsi dabka ay kaqabto, Jeerta marna kama fogaato biyaha.

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.


Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment
Translated by: Abdi Muse
Read by: Ibrahim Ahmed
Language: Somali
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.
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