O’dú àlʉ Ètóó rɨ ací yí àra mà tiásɨ̀.
One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.
Ròbí nɨ dè vɨ́nɨ ‘dǎ cɨ́, acírɨá è’yere èrɨ́bí àrǒpɨ pkàcɨ̀ ‘dɨ̀yɨ ocɨ́rɨá.
Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.
Ròbí awɨ́nɨ́ Ètóó nɨ ‘dǎ cɨ́ yàrɨ̀ ně kʉ ànɨ́ drìléònzɨ́ sɨ̀ ‘bà ‘ɨ́mà pá Ètóó mà pá drìá.
Ètóó tre rɨɨ díká e’dó tré ròbí mà drìá kɨ́nɨ̀ “Mɨ ‘ɨ́ Ròbí!
Mɨ́ ecó nɨ́ ně kɨ́nɨ̀ ‘ɨ́’bà mɨ̂ pá mâ pá drìá rɨ̀ kʉʉ́?”
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?”
Ròbí a’ɨ́ trʉ̀tá Ètóó vʉ́ kɨ́nɨ̀, “má ovʉ càndɨ́sɨ̀, mâ ágyí. Ánè nɨ́ té mɨ kʉ yé fô. Kɨ́rɨ́kɨ̀rɨ̀sɨ̀ ‘ɨ́ trʉ̀ má rá.”
Te Ètóó gà e’yó ‘dà erɨkósɨ̀. Otré Ròbí mà drìá kɨ́nɨ̀ “mɨ́ ‘ye e’yó ‘dà àkàsɨ̀! O’dú àlʉ mɨ nga nèrá. Mɨ̀ nga e’yó mɨ́nɨ́ ‘yé ‘dɨ̀ mà pángá esúu rá.”
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!”
Ètóó ko drì mú Àcɨ́ vʉ́ ‘yo èrɨ nɨ́ kɨ́nɨ̀ “’ɨ́mú mɨ́ evé Ròbí nɨ sâ èrɨnɨ́ èfʉ̀zʉ́ yíá rɨ̀sɨ̀ àmvé èríbí nyarɨá rɨ̀sɨ̀ rá.
‘Bà ndráa pá ma pá drìá!”
Àcɨ́ omvɨ kɨ́nɨ̀, “E’yó àzɨ́nɨ yo, mâ ágyí Etóó. Mà nga ‘ye kò’bò kò’bò mɨ́nɨ́ ‘yolé rɨ̀lé.”
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.”
Drozi ‘diniRobiriiribinyayiaratiarisi re cotilu “wuuu!”
Drózɨ́ ‘dɨ́nɨ, Ròbí nɨ́ ìríbí nyarɨ́á yí àra vʉ́ rɨ̀sɨ̀ rè ‘dánɨ́, “wáalele”
Àcɨ́ ko ti lèkù lèkù rá evé Ròbí mà ‘bɨ́ko yɨ tékètékè.
Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.
Ròbɨ e’dó óngú àwʉ́ be nzʉzʉ́ yíá ‘dálé.
De esú àcɨ́ ve èrɨ mà ‘bɨ́ko dé tékètékè ‘bo.
Ròbí owʉ́ sɨrɨ sɨrɨ kɨ́nɨ̀, mâ ‘bɨ́ko ve àcɨ́ sɨ̀ tè yò!
Mɨ́ evé mâ ‘bɨ́ko tékètékè!
Mâ ‘bɨ́ko dɨ́ yo yò
Mâ ‘bɨ́ko àlátárá ndrɨ̀zà rɨ̀ ‘ɨ ‘dóo!
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!”
E’yo ‘disiRobiefuniyi vu risiamve ‘dapikuoriacidririsi.
Ayikofu di ndraEtoonikayiRobiniveleacisirisi, kini, “Esu ma dri ‘bo!”
Àyɨ̀kò fu dɨ́ Ètóó nɨ káyɨ̀ Ròbínɨ́ velérɨ̀sɨ̀, kɨ́nɨ̀, “ Má òfè mâ àrɨ́óti ‘bo.”
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.
Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Little Zebra Books, Carol Liddiment
Doris Maandebo
Lugbarati (official orthography)
Level 2
The audio for this story is currently not available.
