Kale kale koo, basizani babalalu nebaile kwa kulwalela likota.
A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Neli lizazi lenelicisize hahulu kona kuli sebaya kwa nuka kuyotapa. Neba bapala ni kufasaula ni kutapa mwa mezi.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Hañi hañi, ba lemuha kuli lizazi neseli likezi. Sebaakufela kwahae.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Hase basutelezi kwa lapa, Nozibele aswala mwa mulala wahae. Nalibezi sifaha sahae sa mwa mulala! “Nakupa amukute nina!” akupa balikani bahae. Kono balikani bahae babulela kuli neseli busihu.
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.
Kona kuli Nozibele akuta anosi kwa nuka. Ayofumana sifaha sa hae niku akufela kwa ndu. Kono alateha mwa lififi.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Kwahule abona liseli lene lizwelela mwa situngu. Saakufela kwateñi ni kuyokokota fa sikwalo.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Kakukomokisa, nja yakwaulula sikwalo mi yabulela yali, “Kisikamañi seubata?” “Nilatehile mi nibata malobalo,” abulela Nozibele. “Kena, hakusicwalo ni kakuluma!” nja yabulela. Nozibele akena mwahali.
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.
Cwale nja yabulela yali, “Niapehele!” “Kono hanisika apehela kale nja,” aalaba. “Apeha, hakusicwalo ni kakuluma!” nja yabulela. Konakuli Nozibele saapeha lico za nja.
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.
Zazi ni zazi naapehenga, kufiyelanga ni kutapisezanga nja. Cwale lizazi leliñwi nja yabulela yali, “Nozibele, kacenu niswanela kuyopotela balikani baka. Ufiyele mwandu, uapehe lico ni kutapisa lika zaka nisikakuta kale.”
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.”
Onafo nja haseile, Nozibele azusa milili yemilalu kwa toho yahae. Abeya mulili ulimuñwi mwatasi a mumbeta, omuñwi kwa mulaho wa sikwalo mi omuñwi aubeya mwa mulaka. Ki hamatela kwandu ka bubebe mwana konela.
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.
Nja haseikutile, yabata Nozibele. “Nozibele, ukai?” ya huwa. “Kinayo mwatasi a mumbeta,” mulili wapili wabulela. “Kinayo kwa mulaho wa sikwalo,” mulili wa bubeli wabulela. “Kina yo mwa mulaka,” mulili wa bulalu wabulela.
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.
Nja seilemuha kuli Nozibele na ipumile. Kiha seimata lubilo kumatela kwa hae. Kono likezeli ba Nozibele nebailibelezi ni litupa zetuna. Nja seifetuha nikubaleha mi haisika bonwa hape kuzwelela foo.
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.
Tessa Welch
Wiehan de Jager
Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
SiLozi (Zambia)
Level 3
The audio for this story is currently not available.
