A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
O’du ‘da si etu dri tu, nga mu yi saa
yia
Avi dika oyaa yi eyi ma rua, dika
saa yi.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Coti yi ega kini angu bi`bo. E’do mvi
vile enyatia mbele mbele.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Ka mu eca aku tia inyia `bo,
Candiru `ba dri ima ombea. Eri vile
nyoro ombea ri ma e’yo avi erini
`dale.
“kirikiri ada nga mani dri vile
`dale!” `Ba matu `ima agiyi pivu.
Te eri ma agi pi kini saa di vile.
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 dri da vile yia `dale
a`dule. Esu `i vile nyoro ombelea ri
ra dika ari emvizu akua.
Te avi angu biza ma alia ra.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Ne diza jo azini ma alia engazu re.
Ari vunia `dale `dika kpo jotile.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Osu nezu kini ocee zi jotile ni dika
`y`o, “Ile a`du afani?”
“Ma avi avi dika ale ta mani pari
lazu,” Candiru nga omvi.
Mi efi joa akazu mi cizu ku,” oce
nderi nga `yo.
Candiru ngadi fi joa.
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.
Oce nga coti `yo, “Mi a`di mani
nyaka”
“Te ma a`dini nga oku nyaka oce ni
ku `di,?” Omvi eri.
“Mi a`di akazu mi cizu ku!”oce `yo.
Candiru ngadi nyaka a`di oce nderi
dri ra.
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.
Coti oce kini, “Mi ede ma vile gbolo
dri”
Candiru kini, “Ma ede nga oku drio
gbolo dri oce ni ku.”
“Mi ede gbolo dri kaniku ma mi ci
ra!”
Candiru ngadi gbolo dri edera.
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.
Ri nyaka a`di, angu we, azini afa yi
oji oce dri o`du dria. O`du azini alu,
oce nga `yo, “Candiru, ma andru
mu ma agiyipi azini yi vu omu ru. I
we jo ale, mi a`di nyaka,dika mi oji
afa yi de nga po`di ma ecani ku”
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.”
Oce ka mu dri ko mu tapu, Candiru
enze dri`bi ima dria ifi na.
`Ba dri`bi alu ri gbolo etia, aluri
jotile ngukua, dika`ba di alu ri ti
licoa.
Nga apa akua okpo ini eco ri si ra.
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.
Oco ka mu emvi `bo, e`do Candiru
ni ndaa. “Candiru, mi ngua ya?”
“Ma gbolo etia `do`i,” dri`bi aluri
`yo.
“Ma jotile etia `do ‘i,” dri`bi irizuri
kini. “Ma ti licoa `do ‘i.” dri`bi
nazuri `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.
Oce ni di coti kini Candiru ole `I `bo.
Ngadi nzu kpere enyati `da ma alia
`dale.
Te Candiru ma adripi yi ri eri dri te
abe ose be.
Oce ojati dika apara, kpere andru
`ba ne ni nga eri dika ku.
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.
