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Eyi dha pirera mvu ghuhuki Why hippos have no hair

Written by Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by Carol Liddiment

Translated by Ruthgela Shawanga

Language Thimbukushu

Level Level 2

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Diyuwa dimweya, Kadimba gha yendaghure kumbadi dho rware.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.


Mvu ko gha karire naye koko, ghayendaghurire ghudya muhonyi gho ghutowi.

Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.


Mvu mbadi gha monine eshi Kadimba naye ko gha karire no pa dihudhi gha djatire pa dipadhi dyaKadimba. Kadimba gha kugherire kwa Mvu, “Owe Mvu! Mbadi wa kumona eshi padipadhi dyange ghuna djata?”

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?”


Mvu gha rombire mathiyerero kwaKadimba, “Dishesha. Mbadi na kumono. Nakanderera nithiyererepo!” Ene Kadimba mbadi gha tegherere kwaMvu nogha ghakugherere kwaMvu, “Wina ghuna yitendera! Diyuwa dimweya, ṅanyi wa kumone! Ṅanyi wa kuyifute!”

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!”


Kadimba gha yendire mukushana Mudiro no gha mutongwere, “Yende ghu katumeke Mvu apa sho gha shwaye mumeyu no ghadye muhonyi. Ghana nidjata!” Mudiro gha huthire, Mbadipo ghukukutu, Kadimba mushere wange. Ṅanyi nitende eyi ghuna nikumbera.”

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.”


Munyima, Mvu gha ka dyerere muhonyi kokayenda norware. Mudiro weyire no kutumeka huki dhaMvu.

Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.


Mvu gha dirire no gha tjirere mumeyu. Ghuhuki wendi dhodhiheya dha pire kumudiro. Mvu gha dirire, “Ghuhuki dhange dhina pi kumudiro! Ghuhuki wange ghuna piti! Ghuhuki wange ghu shaghuwa!”

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!”


Kadimba gha shamberere eshi ghuhuki waMvu wa pire. Kate no dyarero, pamurandu gho woma no mudiro, Mvu mbadi gha yendanga kokayenda no meyu.

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.


Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment
Translated by: Ruthgela Shawanga
Language: Thimbukushu
Level: Level 2
Source: Why hippos have no hair from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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