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Kine kintu byovwe kyobya bujila kwikala na booya Why hippos have no hair

Written by Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by Carol Liddiment

Translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo

Language Kaonde

Level Level 2

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Juba jimo, Kalulu waendelenga kubwipi na mukola.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.


Kyovwe naye wajinga konka, waile mukwenda nakuja nsono.

Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.


Kyovwe kechi wamwenemba kalulu uji mpoka kabiji wamunyanchile kukulu. Kalulu watendekele kupachila kyovwe,” Kechiwanoma amba wanyanta pakulu nyi?”

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?”


Kyovwe walombele lulekelo lwamamba kwi kalulu,” Napopwela Ndekeleko mambo. Kechi nakukumona ne. Pano kalulu kechi waunvwine ne, kabiji wamunenene kyovwe amba,” Wakubilatu nshiji! Jubajimo, ukamona byo nkakuba! ”

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!”


Kalulu waile kwi mujilo nekumwambila amba,” yanga ukamusoke Kyovwe inge afume mumema kuya nakuja nsono. Wakunyanta!” Mujilo waasukile amba,” Kafwako lukatazhone nsakuya nakuba byo waamba”.

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.”


Pakupita kimye, kyovwe wajilenga nsono kwalepa na mukola. Kumonatu, “fuuuuuuu!” Mujilo watendeka. Mujilo watendekele kusoka booya bwakwa Kyovwe.

Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.


Kyovwe watendekele kujila ne kunyemena ku mema. Booya bwanji bonse bwapile na mujilo. Kyovwe wajijilenga amba, “Booya bwami, booya mwami bwapya na mujilo! Booya bwami bonse bwaya! Booya bwami bwawama!”

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!”


Kalulu wasangalele pakumona amba booya bwa kyovwe bonse bwapya. Kufikatu ne jalelo, kyovwe namambo akuchina mujilo, kechi uya kwalepa na mema ne.

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.


Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment
Translated by: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
Language: Kaonde
Level: Level 2
Source: Why hippos have no hair from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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