Rukuru tjinene, ovasukona vetatu va ire okukatyora.
A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Oko kwa ri noupyu tjinene nu ovo arire tji va i konḓonḓu okukayova. Ovo va nyanda nu ave ṱumbu nokuyova momeva.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Tjimanga, ovo va kamuna kutja eyuva ra toko. Ovo va purukutire okuyaruka kotjirongo.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Tji mave yendere onganda, Nozibele otje riṱuna kosengo. Eye wa zembire oundjendje we! “Arikana indjee tu yaruke pamwe!” eye we rihekere komapanga we. Nungwari omapanga we ya tjere kwa toko.
When they were nearly home,
Nozibele put her hand to her neck.
She had forgotten her necklace!
“Please come back with me!” she
begged her friends.
But her friends said it was too late.
Okutja Nozibele otja yarukire erike konḓonḓu. Eye wa kamuna imbwi oundjendje we nu a hakahana okuyaruka konganda. Neye arire tja pandjara monḓorera.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Kokure ngwina a munu ondjerera ndji ri mondjuwo. Eye wa tupuka tjinene okuyenda ngo na kakongora komuvero.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Eye wa kuminwe tjinene, ombwa tji ya paturura omuvero nu ai tja, “Mo vanga tjike?” “Ami mba pandjara nu me hepa oruveze pu me rara,” Nozibele wa ziri. “Hita, poo me ku rumata!” ombwa ya tena. Nozibele arire tja hiti.
To her surprise, a dog opened the
door and said, “What do you want?”
“I’m lost and I need a place to
sleep,” said Nozibele.
“Come in, or I’ll bite you!” said the
dog.
So Nozibele went in.
Ombwa arire tji ya tja, “Ndji terekera ovikurya!” “Tjiri ami hi ya rora okuzikira ombwa,” eye wa zirire. “Tereka, poo me ku rumata!” ombwa ya tjere. Okutja Nozibele a terekere ombwa ovikurya.
Then the dog said, “Cook for me!”
“But I’ve never cooked for a dog
before,” she answered.
“Cook, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog.
So Nozibele cooked some food for
the dog.
Kuzamba ombwa ya tjere, “Yara ombete yandje!” Nozibele wa zirire, “Ami hi ya rora okuyarera ombwa ombete.” “Yara ombete, poo me ku rumata!” ombwa ya tjere. Nozibele arire tja yara indji ombete.
Then the dog said, “Make the bed
for me!”
Nozibele answered, “I’ve never
made a bed for a dog.”
“Make the bed, or I’ll bite you!” the
dog said.
So Nozibele made the bed.
Eyuva arihe eye aa ziki, aa kombo nokukohera ombwa. Okutja eyuva rimwe ombwa ya tjere, “Nozibele, ndino ami me karyangera omapanga wandje. Komba ondjuwo, zika ovikurya nu koha oviṋa vyandje ngunda ambi hi ya kotoka.”
Every day she had to cook and
sweep and wash for the dog.
Then one day the dog said,
“Nozibele, today I have to visit
some friends. Sweep the house,
cook the food and wash my things
before I come back.”
Tjimanga ombwa tji ya za po, Nozibele we ripora ozondjise ndatu motjiuru. Ondjise imwe wa twa kehi yombete, imwe wa twa kongotwe yomuvero nu yarwe a katwa motjunda. Tjazumba a tupuka hakahana pa yandera okuyaruka konganda.
As soon as the dog had gone,
Nozibele took three hairs from her
head.
She put one hair under the bed, one
behind the door, and one in the
kraal.
Then she ran home as fast as she
could.
Ombwa tji ya kotoka, ya pahere Nozibele, “Nozibele u ri pi?” oyo ya ravaera tjinene. “Owami ngwi, kehi yombete,” ondjise ondenga ya tjere. “Owami ngwi, kongotwe yomuvero,” ondjise oitjavari ya tjere. “Owami ngwi, motjunda,” ondjise oitjatatu ya tjere.
When the dog came back, he looked
for Nozibele.
“Nozibele, where are you?” he
shouted.
“I’m here, under the bed,” said the
first hair.
“I’m here, behind the door,” said the
second hair.
“I’m here, in the kraal,” said the
third hair.
Ombwa ya tjivirwe kutja Nozibele we i tjiti ovineya. Oyo otji ya tupuka nu ai tupuka okuyenda kotjirongo. Nungwari tjandje imba ovaṱena va Nozibele mave i undjire mbo noviti ovinene. Ombwa arire tji ya tanauka okuyaruka nu kai na pu ya kamunika rukwao.
Then the dog knew that Nozibele
had tricked him.
So he ran and ran all the way to the
village.
But Nozibele’s brothers were
waiting there with big sticks.
The dog turned and ran away and
has never been seen since.
