Mwaka dakapito, pakalire lipata lyaruhafo.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Vavo kapi kava kurwanitanga. Vavo kava vateranga vakondi vavo mumundi na kumafuva.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Ngoli kapi vava pulitilire va yende pepi namundiro.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Vavo kava rughananga viruwana vyavyo navintje matiku, mukondashi kwa va tendire nalinongo!
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Ano ngoli umwe vavo vamati ka shananga kuyenda pandje pakantjenya.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Liyuva limwe shihoro shakuyenda pandje ashi kontora. Vakuru vendi vavamati ava murondora…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Ngoli kwa kalire maranga unene! Mpo a yengumukire kuupyu waliyuva.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Vanuke vano valinongo ava guvu unene pakumona mughunyavo wamumati kuna kuyengumuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Vavo ava ghungu po lighano. Ava tende mpu yalirova lyakuyengumuka likare shidira.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Ava twara mughunyavo washidira kuwiru kundundu dadire.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Makura liyuva a li pumu, a tuka aka yende okuno kuna kuyimba mushite shangurangura.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
