Bak inna di diez, chrii gyal pikni go kalek faiyastik.
A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Di die did at, so dem go dong a di riva fi swim. Dem ramp an splash op an swim inna di waata.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Aal af a sodn, dem riyalaiz se di taim liet. Dem ori op an go bak a di vilij.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Wen dem nieli riich uom, Nuozibele put ar an a ar nek. Shi figet ar chien! “Du, kom bak wid me!” shi beg ar fren dem. Bot ar fren dem se it did tuu liet.
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.
So Nuozibele go bak a di riva bai arself. Shi fain di chien an did a ori op go uom. Bot shi get laas inna di daaknis.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Wie out shi si lait a kom fram wahn ot. Shi ori op an go tuwaadz it an nak pan di duor.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Shi did fraitn so tel, wahn daag uopm di duor an se, “Wa yu waahn?” “Mi laas an mi niid somwe fi slip,” Nuozibele se. “Kom iihn, ar mi ago bait yu!” di daag se. So Nuozibele go iihn.
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.
Den di daag se, “Kuk fi mi!” “Bot mi neva kuk fi no daag bifuor,” shi ansa se. “Kuk, ar mi ago bait yu!” di daag se. So Nuozibele kuk som fuud fi di daag.
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.
Den di daag se, “Spred di bed fi mi!” Nuozibele ansa se, “Mi neva spred no bed fi no daag bifuor.” “Spred di bed, ar mi ago bait yu!” di daag se. So Nuozibele spred di bed.
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.
Evridie shi afi kuk an swiip an wash fi di daag. Den wan die di daag se, “Nuozibele, tide mi a go luk fi som a mi fren dem. Swiip out di ous kuk di fuud an wash mi tingz dem bifuor mi kom bak.”
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.”
Az suuhn as di daag go we, Nuozibele tek chrii schraan a ier fram outta ar ed. Shi put wan ier anda di bed, wan biyain a di duor, an wan inna di animal pen. Den shi ron go a ar yaad az faas az shi kyan.
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.
Wen di daag kom bak, im luk fi Nuozibele. “Nuozibele, we yu de?” im baal out. “Mi de ya, anda di bed,” di fos ier schraan se. “Mi de ya, biyain a di duor,” di sekan ier schraan se. “Mi de ya, inna di animal pen,” di tord ier schraan se.
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.
A da taim de, di daag riyalaiz se Nuozibele trik im op. So im ron an ron aal di wie go a di vilij. Bot Nuozibele breda dem did a wiet de pan di daag wid som big stik. Di daag ton bak an ron we an nobadi no siim sins.
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.
Tessa Welch
Wiehan de Jager
Georgette McGlashen
Jamaican Creole
Level 3
The audio for this story is currently not available.
