Ifubu yosi yali awo,
niichendanga ne
niyayanga obunyasi.
Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.
Ifubu siyali niimanyire
mbu Eshituyu shiosi
shiriwo tawe na
khulwokhukorwa,
niyitsukhanira niisenere
eshirenje shie Shituyu.
Eshituyu shiakhupa
oluungu nishianza
okhwayulila ifubu, “Ewe
Ifubu, sololanga mbu
usenanga eshirenje
shianje tawe?”
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?”
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!”
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.”
Olundi ifubu yali
niyayanga ale nende
omwalo na
“Wuush!”Omuliro
kwarulira nikuchaka
okhusamba amoya ke
Ifubu.
Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.
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!”
Eshio ne shifune shichira ifubu sitsitsanga ale nende omwalo
tawe, khulwa oburi bwokhusambwa nende omuliro.
Eshimuna shiasangala sana olwa ifubu yayia nende omuliro,
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.
