Lizazi leling’wi, Shakame neizamaya kwa munanga wa nuka.
One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.
Kubu niyona neiliteni, neiya kwa kuzamaya nikuca bucwani bo butala bo bunde.
Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.
Kubu neisikabona kuli Shakame neiliteni mi aihata fa lihutu kakusaziba. Shakame akala kuomanya Kubu, “Wena Kubu! Auboni kuli unihatile fa lihutu?”
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?”
Kubu yakupa swalelo ku Shakame. “Uniswalele. Nenisikakubona! Nakupa uniswalele luli.” Kono Shakame nasalati kuteeleza zeo mi ahuweleza Kubu,” uezize kamabomu! Lizazi lelimu ukabona! Ukalifa koto!”
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!”
Shakame yayobata mulilo nikubulela, “zamaya uyocisa Kubu aikazwa mwa mezi kuyofula bucwani, neinihatile!” Mulilo waalaba, “akuna butata wena, Shakame mulikanaka. Nikaeza kamo kupezi.”
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.”
Kasamulaho Kubu neifulela kwahule ni nuka. “Mawee!” Mulilo watuka hahulu. Malimi a mulilo akala kucisa milili ya Kubu.
Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.
Kubu yakala kulila mi yamatela mwa mezi. Milili yayona kaufela neicisizwe ki mulilo. Kubu yaekeza kulila, “Milili yaka icisizwe ki mulilo. Milili yaka kaufela iile. Milili yaka yeminde!”
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!”
Shakame neitabile kubona milili ya Kubu inge icile. Mi nikacenule, kasabo ya mulilo, Kubu aiyangi kwahule ni mezi.
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
Carol Liddiment
Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
SiLozi (Zambia)
Level 2
The audio for this story is currently not available.
