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Candiru pi dri’biifi na ‘diyi be Nozibele and the three hairs

Written by Tessa Welch

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Aluonzi Moses

Language Lugbarati (official orthography)

Level Level 3

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.

Ndráa drɨ ̀ò ezóanzɨ na mú éjá òwùrɨá.

A long time ago, three girls went out to collect wood.

O’dú ‘dàsɨ ̀ ètú drɨ tʉ̀ ànɨ ́ sí yíá mú yí wě. Avɨ ́, òyǎ yí yɨ mà ruá àzɨ ́nɨ sǎ yí.

It was a hot day so they went down to the river to swim. They played and splashed and swam in the water.

Cotí emú esú ně kɨ ́nɨ ̀ ètú ‘de ‘bo. Arí yɨ mvɨzʉ́ àkúá.

Suddenly, they realised that it was late. They hurried back to the village.

Yɨ nɨ ́ ‘ye rɨá carɨá àkúá, Candiru jɨ drí ‘ɨ ́mà ombeléá sɨ ̀. èrɨ vɨ ́lé nyónyó om’beléá rɨ ̀ mà e’yó àvɨ ̀ dè èrɨnɨ ́ ‘dálé! “kɨ ́rɨ ́kɨ ̀rɨ ̀ àdà kɨ ́ ngà mánɨ ́ drì vɨ ́lé ‘dálé ‘dóo!” ‘Bà màtʉ́ ɨ ́mà agyípɨ ́ yɨ vʉ́. Te èrɨ mà agyípɨ ‘yó kɨ ́nɨ ̀ sâ dɨ ́ vɨ ́lé.

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.

Candiru nga drì dǎ vɨ ́lé yíá ‘dálé a’dúle. Esú ‘ɨ ́ vɨ ́lé nyórò ombeléá rɨ ̀ rá dɨ ́ká arɨ ́ ‘ɨ emvɨ ́zʉ́ àkúá. Te àngʉ̀ bɨ ̀zà drí àvɨ ̀ gèrìá rá.

So Nozibele went back to the river alone. She found her necklace and hurried home. But she got lost in the dark.

Nè dìzà rè ‘dánɨ engázʉ́ jó àzɨ ́nɨ mà alɨ ́á. Mu vʉ́nɨá ‘dálé rá kpò jótilé

In the distance she saw light coming from a hut. She hurried towards it and knocked at the door.

Òsù nèzʉ́ kɨ ́nɨ ̀ òcé zì jótilé nɨ ̀ dɨ ́ká òcó ndê ‘yo, “’ɨ ́ lè à’dʉ àfa nɨ?” “má àvɨ ̀ àvɨ ̀ àzɨ ́nɨ álèté mánɨ ́ pàrí lazʉ́,” Candiru ‘yo. “Mɨ ́ efɨ ́ jóá, ákà muzʉ́ mɨ ̀ cɨzʉ́ kʉ.” Òcó ndérɨ ̀ nga ‘yo. Candiru nga dɨ ́ fɨ ́ jóá

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.

Òcó nga cotí ‘yó, “mɨ ́ a’dɨ ́ mánɨ ́ nyaká.” “Te má a’dɨ ́ nɨ ́ ngà òku nyaká òcó nɨ ́ kʉ ‘dɨ ̀.” omvɨ èrɨ. “Mɨ ́ a’dɨ ́ ákàzʉ́ mɨ cɨzʉ́ kʉ!” òcó ‘yo. Candiru nga dɨ ́ nyaká a’dɨ ́ òcó ndê drí rá.

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.

Cotí òcó kɨ ̀nɨ ̀ “mɨ ́ edé má vɨ ́lé gbóló drì.” Candiru kɨ ̀nɨ ̀ “má edé ngà òku drɨ ̀ò gbóló drì òcó drɨ ́ kʉ” ‘mɨ ́ edé, ‘ɨ ́kà edé kʉ ma mɨ ́ cɨ.” Candiru nga dɨ ́ gbóló edé rá.

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.

Ó’dú àlʉ àlʉ vʉ́sɨ ̀ rɨ nyaká a’dɨ ́, àngʉ̀ wé àzɨ ́nɨ àfajó òjɨ ̌ òcé ‘dà drɨ ́. Ó’dú àlʉ òcó nga ‘yó Candiru ma àndrʉ̀ mú má agyípí àzɨ ́ yɨ vʉ́ òmûrʉ́. ‘ɨ ́we jó alé, mɨ ́ a’dɨ ́ nyaká diká mɨ ́ òjɨ ̀ àfa yɨ dèngà má ecánɨ ́ kʉ”

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.”

Òcó kà mú drì kó mú ‘bo, Candiru enze drì’bɨ ́ éfɨ ́ engázʉ́ ‘ɨ ́mà drɨ ̀á na. ‘Bà drì’bɨ ́ éfɨ ́ àlʉ rɨ ̀ gbóló ètɨ ́á, ‘`ba àlʉ rɨ ̀ jótilé ètɨ ́á ‘bà dɨ ́ àlʉ rɨ ̀ tí lícóá. Apá dɨ ́ óngú èrɨ mà pá nɨ ́ ecózʉ́ èrɨ jɨzʉ́ rá rɨ ̀sɨ ̀

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.

Òcó kà mú emvɨ ́ ‘bo, e’dó Candiru nɨ ndǎ. “Candiru mɨ ́ ngòá yà?” “ma gbóló ètɨ ́á ‘dò ‘ɨ ́” drì’bí òkòrɨ ̀ ‘yo. “ma jótilé ètɨ ́á ‘dò ‘ɨ ́ ” drì’bɨ ́ ìrìzú rɨ ̀ ‘yo. “ma tí lícóá ‘dò ‘ɨ ́.” drì’bɨ ́ nazʉ́rɨ ̀ ‘yo.

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.

Òcó nɨ ̀ dɨ ́ cotí kɨ ́nɨ ̀ Candiru olé ‘ɨ ‘bo. Nga dɨ ́ nzʉ́ kpere ényáti ‘dà mà alɨ ́á ‘dálé. Te Candiru mà adrípɨ ́ rɨ ́ èrɨmà drì tě àbé be. Ngà dɨ ́ apá vɨ ́lé ‘dálé. Kpere àndrʉ̀ ‘bá nè nɨ ́ ngà èrɨ dɨ ́ká kʉ.

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.

Written by: Tessa Welch
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Aluonzi Moses
Language: Lugbarati (official orthography)
Level: Level 3
Source: Nozibele and the three hairs from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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