Wan taim, yu did av wahn api fambili.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Dem neva fait wananeda. Dem elp dem pierens a dem yaad an a grong.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Bot dem no mek dem go nier faiya.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Dem afi du aal a dem wok ina di nait. Kaaz dem mek outa waks.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Bot wan a di bwaai dem did wel waahn gout ina di dielait.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Wan die di fiilin fi gout did tuu chrang. Im breda dem waan im…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Bot it did tuu liet! Im melt out ina di son at.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Di waks pikni dem did fiil sad-sad fi si dem breda jos a melt out so.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Bot dem mek a plan. Dem shiep out di lomp a saaf waks ina a bod.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Dem kyari dem bod breda go op ina wahn ai mouhn.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Az di son kom op, im flai we an a sing ina di maanin lait.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Georgette McGlashen
Jamaican Creole
Level 2
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