Likumbi limwe, mbwanda apwile nakutambuka kungenge yakalwiji.
One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.
Nguvu nayikhiye apwile kuze, nakupasala nakulya tumwila twaushindeshinde.
Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.
Nguvu kamwene nge mbwanda kwapwile kuzeko shikaho amulyachile hachipundo. Mbwanda aputukile kutetemuka, “Ove Nguvu! Kawamweneko ngwove unangulyate hachipundo?”
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?”
Nguvu alikonekelele kuli Mbwanda, “Ngukonekeleko. Kangwakumonangako. Ngukonekeleko ove mukwetu!” Oloze Mbwanda kamvwilileko shikaho amutambakanyine Nguvu, “Wachilingilangamo kaha! Likumbi limwe, naukachimona! Naukafweta!”
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!”
Mbwanda ayile nakuwana kakahya nakwamba ngwenyi, “Yako, umwoche Nguvu omu mwafuma mumeya nakutonda kulya mwila. Angulyatanga!” Kakahya akumbulwile ngwenyi, “Ukalu wauchi, Mbwanda, sepa lyami. Nangulinga nge omu unangulweze.”
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.”
Lwola lwekha, Nguvu apwile nakulya mwila kwakusuku nakalwiji omu evwile, “Epu-u!” milangi yakahya inepuka. Milangi yaputukile kwocha ungona wa Nguvu.
Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.
Nguvu aputukile kulila nakuthuchila kumeya. Ungona wosena wawemene nakakahya. Nguvu atwalilileho kulila, “Ungona wami unaweme nakakahya! Ungona wami wosena unayi! Ungona wami wamwaza ngachize!”
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!”
Mbwanda awahililile hakuwema chaungona wa Nguvu. Nakulelo lino ngana, hawoma wakakahya, Nguvu kaya kwakusuku nameyako.
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.
