It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Betsulila mbu efise fiwele.
Nibaalalasia okhutsia ingo.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Olwa bali busa ambi nende ingo,
Prisca nara omukhono kwe mwikosi
lie. Yali niyebirire eshiuma shie!
“Bayie chame khukalusheyo!”
naomberesia abashie.
Nabo abashie nibaboola mbu efise
fiwere muno.
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.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Ale kho, yalola obulafu okhurula
mukhatili.
Yayuchilisia okhutsiayo ne
nakhong’onda khu muliango.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Okhumuwuchisia, okubwa
nokwekula omuliango nikumureba,
“Wenya shi?”
“Engorire ne ndikomba mbu
enyoole kho abundu engone.”
“Injira, nomba ekhulume!” okubwa
oko nikumuboolera.
Kho Prisca niyenjira.
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.
Bwangu bwangu okubwa oko
nikumuboolela, “Yalikhao ufuchile!”
“Esie eshili okhufuchilakho imbwa
ta,” Prisca nakukalusia.
“Fuka bwangu nomba ekhunyanye,”
Okubwa oko nikumubuurulira.
Kho Prisca nakufuchila obusuma.
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.
Khandi okubwa oko nikumuboolela
kuri, “Nzalila eshitali!”
Prisca nakuboolela ari, “Esie eshiri
okhwalira kho imbwa ta.”
“Nzalila bwangu nomba
ekhunyanye!” Okubwa oko
nikumubuurulira.
Kho Prisca nakwalira eshitali.
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.
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.”
Olwa okubwa oko kwali
nikwakhatsia, Prisca yakhunyula
obushinga butaru okhurula
khumurwe kwe.
Yara olushinga lulala mulwalo
weshitali, olundi inyuma wo
muliango, nolundi mulukaka.
Mana niyelukha tsimbilo bwangu
bwangu natsia ewabu.
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.
Olwa okubwa oko kwakalukha,
kwakhaaba Prisca.
“Prisca, oli yena?” nikubuurula,
ng’eee.
“Endi ano, mulwalo weshitali,”
olushinga lwa mbeli nilukalusia.
“Endi ano inyuma womuliango,”
olushinga lwakhabili nilukalusia.
“Nga endi ano, mulukaka,“
olushinga lwa khataru niluboola.
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.
Bulano okubwa oko nikumanya mbu
Prisca yali nakubayire omubayo.
Kho nikwirukha khandi nikwirukha
tsimbiro, okhuula mwitala liabu
Prisca.
Nabo abasiani babu Prisca bali
nibakulindileyo busa nemilabushi
emikhongo.
Okubwa oko olwa kwabalola,
nikushukhana tsimbiro. Ne okhurula
olwenolo, kushiri okhulolokhakho
mwitala omo khandi.
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.
