Ĩvinda ya tene na tene,
vaĩna musyĩ wekalaa na
ũtanu.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Mayaũkitanaa ene kwa
ene. Nimatetheesyaa
asyai moo musyĩ na
mĩundani.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Ĩndĩ mayanengetwe
mwanya wakũthi vakuvĩ
na mwaki.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Maĩlĩte kũthũkũma wĩa
woo w’onthe ũtukũ.
Nũndũ mĩĩ yoo yaseovetw’e na mũvũa!
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Ĩndĩ mwana ũmwe aĩ na
mea ma kũthi nza
kwĩanĩkĩa kyeni kya sua.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mũthenya ũmwe
nĩwethĩiw’e na mea asu
ma kũthi nza muno.
Ĩndĩ aamwanainya
nĩmamũkanisye…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Ũũi! Mwana ũsu
ndaatetheka.
Nĩwanyinyũkie nũndũ
wa ũvyuvu wa sua.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Syana sya mũvũa
nĩsyakwatiwe ni kyeva
nũndũ wa kwona
mwanaainya
ainyinyuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Ĩndĩ nĩmethĩiw’e na
mũvango. Nĩmosie
mũndo wa mũvũa ula
wanyinyukie maseovya
kasũni.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Nĩmosie mwanaainya
kasũni mamũlĩsya ĩũlu
wa kĩĩma kĩtũlu.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Na sua ĩkuuma
nĩwolũkile athi kũu
akwina kyeninĩ kya
kĩoko.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
