Wan die, Rabit did a waak nier di riva.
One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.
Ipo did de-de tu, a tek taim waak an a nyam som griin graas.
Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.
Ipo neva si se Rabit di de-de an step pan Rabit fut bai aksident. Rabit staat baal aaf Ipo an se, “Yu Ipo! Yu no si se yu a step pan mi fut?”
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?”
Ipo se sari tu Rabit, “Mi riili sari. Mi neva si yu. Du beg yu paadn!” Bot Rabit udn lisn an im baal aafa Ipo, “Yu dwiit fi spait! Wan die, yu wi si! Yu gwain pie!”
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!”
Rabit go luk fi Faiya an tel im se, “Gwaan, bon op Ipo wen shi kom outa di waata fi nyam graas. Shi did step pan mi! Faiya ansa se, “No prablem, Rabit, mi fren. Mi wi du we yu aks.”
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.”
Lieta, Ipo did a nyam graas faar fram di riva wen, “Wush!” Faiya ton inna wahn big faiyabaal. Di faiya staat bon aaf Ipo ier.
Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.
Ipo staat fi baal an ron go inna di waata. Di faiya bon aaf aal a ar ier dem. Ipo no stap baal, “Mi ier get bon aaf inna di faiya! Aal a mi ier gaan! Mi priti ier!”
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!”
Rabit did glad se Ipo ier get bon aaf. An tu dis die, chuu fried fi faiya, Ipo neva stie faar fram waata.
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.
Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Carol Liddiment
Georgette McGlashen
Jamaican Creole
Level 2
The audio for this story is currently not available.
