Nekunani lubasi lone lupila ka tabo.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Basamba kuba balwane. Nebatusanga bashemi babona kwandu ni kwa masimu.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Kono nebasa lumelezwi kuya fakaufi ni mulilo.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Kakuli neba pangilwe fa bulota nebanani ku beleka misebezi yabona kaufela busihu.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Kono yomumu kwa bashimani na nyolezwi kuya mwa lizazi.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Zazi lelimu nyolelo neitoba yetuna hahulu. Balikani bahae bamufa mamela…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Kono nesekuliyehilwe! Ashengunukela mwa lizazi lene lilenga.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Bana ba bulota nebaswabile hahulu kubona muhabo inge ashengunuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Kono baba ni mulelo. Babupa nyunywani fa sikoto sa bulota bone bushengunukile.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Baisa munyenaabona wa nyunywani fa lilundu leli pahami.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Lizazi alipazula, afufa inge aopela mwa liseli la kakusasani.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
SiLozi (Zambia)
Level 2
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