Kumwaka yamunyuma, bana bakazhi ba satu baile muku keba nkunyi.
A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Jajinga juba jakaba saana poba yile kumukola mukowa. Ba kaile nekusala mu mema.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Muku kaya balangulukilemba bwaila. Ba endeshele nekubwela kumuzhi.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Mubwipi nakufika kunzubo, Nozibele wakwachile munshigo. Walubileko bulungo bwanji! “Nshijikinyaiko!” Keapopwele ba kwabo. Pano ba kwabo bamubulamba byaila.
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.
Nozibele wabwelele bunke kumukola. Wa taine bulungo bwanji naku bwela bukiji kunzubo. Walubijilemo mu mfishi.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Palepa wamwene kweya kufumina muka kunka. Wa endeshele na kufika mubwipi.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
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.
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.
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.
Moba onse waipikilenga ne kupyanga ne kuwasha. Juba jiba kabwa wabujile Nozibele amba, “Lelo mbenakuya mukupempula bakwami. Pwanga munzubo, uteke bwakuja uwashe byonse ponkwange kubwela.”
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.”
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.
Kabwa poabwelele, wakebele Nozibele. “Nozibele ujipi!?” wapunjile. “Njimunshi wa mwanya,” lusuki lwalutampi lwaaswike. “Nji kunyuma ya chinzhilo,” lusuki lwamukibiji lwaaswike,” nji pano lusuki lwamukisatu lwaaswike.
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.
Kabwa poayukile mba Nozibele wa mubepa. Wanyemene kufika nekumuzhi. Pano balongo banji bamupepelenga na bichi bikatampe. Kabwa wanyeme kufuma popo kebamumwenepo njikwabo ne.
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.
