Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Sho ya thiki lwopopepi negumbo, Nozibele okwi ikwata mothingo. Okwa mono kutya okwa dhimbwa ko omagwe ge gomothingo! “Kwathii ndje tu shuneni!” Osho a indile ookuume ke. Ihe ookuume ke oya tindi oshoka anuwa okwa li kwa toka noonkondo.
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.
Nozibele okwa shuna komulonga oye awike. Okwa toola po omagwe ge e ta endelele a ye kegumbo. Ashike okwa kana ondjila e ta pukile momilema.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Okwa mono uuyelele tawu ziilile mokandunda hoka ka li okanano komeho ge. Okwa endelele a ye kokandunda hoka taku zi uuyelele, e ta konkola pomweelo.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Okwa li a kumwa sho ombwa oyo ya egulula omweelo, e tayi mu pula tayi ti: “Owa hala shike?” “Onda puka notandi kongo omulalo!” Nozibele ta yamukula. “Ila mo ngele hasho otandi ku li!” Ombwa osho ya ti. Nozibele okwa yi meni.
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.
“Telekela ndje!” Ombwa osho ye mu lombwele. “Inandi telekela nale oombwa,” Nozibele ta yamukula. “Teleka, ngele hasho otandi ku li,” ombwa tayi yamukula. Nozibele okwa teleke.
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.
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.
Kehe esiku Nozibele oku na okuteleka, okukomba nokuyogela ombwa. Esiku limwe ombwa oye mu lombwele ya ti: “Nozibele, nena otandi ka talela po ookuume kandje. Sho tandi ka galuka, nandi adhe wa komba egumbo, e to teleke to yogo iinima yandje.”
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.”
Ombwa sho ya yi, mbalambala Nozibele okwa kutha oondali ndatu dhomafufu komutse gwe. Efufu limwe okwe li tula kohi yombete yombwa, limwe okwe li tula konima yomweelo nalimwe okwe li tula moshigunda. Okwa fadhuka po a dhiginina e ta yi kegumbo.
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.
Ombwa sho ya galuka oya tameke okukonga Nozibele. “Nozibele owu li peni?” Osho ya pula. “Ongame nguka kohi yombete,” efufu lyotango tali yamukula. “Ongame nguka konima yomweelo,” efufu etiyali tali yamukula. “Ongame nguka ndi li moshigunda,” efufu etitatu tali yamukula wo.
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.
Ombwa oya mono kutya Nozibele okwe yi kotokele. Oya tondoka ya landula Nozibele sigo okomukunda gwawo. Ashike aamati aamwayina yaNozibele oya adhika ye yi langela ya tya iitago iinene. Ombwa oya piluka e tayi fadhuka po. Okuza kesiku ndyoka, inayi monika we tuu nando.
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.
