Tempu uluk liu ba, labarik feto nain tolu ba hili ai.
A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Loron ne’e manas ho nune’e sira ba iha mota atu nani. Sira halimar no nani no kari bee ba malu iha bee laran.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Derepente, sira realiza katak tarde ona. Sira la’o fila lalais ba suku.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Bainhira sira besik uma, Nozibele hasa’e ninia liman ba ninia kakorok. Nia haluha tiha ona ninia korrente! “Favor mai fali ho ha’u!” Nia husu ba ninia belun. Maibé ninia belun sira dehan ne’e tarde loos ona.
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.
Ho nune’e Nozibele mesak mak ba fali mota mesak. Nia hetan ninia korrente no halai fila ba uma. Maibé nia lakon iha nakukun laran.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Husi dook nia haree naroman mai husi uma du’ut ida. Nia halai ba ne’eba no dere odamatan.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Ba ninia surpreza, asu ida mak loke odamatan no dehan “Saida mak o hakarak?” “Ha’u lakon no ha’u presija fatin ida atu toba, “Nozibele hateten. “Tama mai, se lae ha’u sei tata o!” asu ne’e dehan. Entaun Nozibele tama ba laran.
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.
Depois asu ne’e dehan, “Te’in ba ha’u!” “maibé ha’u nunka te’in ba asu ida antes,” nia responde. “Te’in, se lae ha’u sei tata o!” Asu ne’e dehan. Ho nune’e Nozibele te’in hahán balun ba asu ne’e.
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.
Depois asu ne’e dehan, “Prepara ha’u nia toba fatin!” Nozibele hatan, “Ha’u nunka prepara toba fatin ida ba asu ida.” Prepara fatin ne’e, se lae ha’u sei tata o!” Asu ne’e dehan. Ho nune’e Nozibele prepara fatin toba ne’e.
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.
Loron loron nia tenke te’in no dasa rai no fó hariis asu ne’e. Hafoin loron ida asu ne’e dehan, “Nozibele, ohin loron ha’u tenke vizita kolega sira balun. Dasa uma laran, te’in hahán no fase ha’u nia sasán molok ha’u fila.”
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.”
Iha kedas momentu asu ne’e ba, Nozibele foti fuuk tolu husi ninia ulun. Nia tau fuuk ida iha kama okos, ida seluk iha odamatan kotuk no seluk ida iha Kraal (kraal= uma du’ut tradisional Afrika nian). Hafoin nia halai maka’as fila ba uma.
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.
Bainhira asu ne’e fila mai, nia buka Nozibele. “Nozibele, o iha ne’ebé?” Nia hakilar. “Ha’u iha ne’e, iha kama okos,” fuuk primeiru hatan. “Ha’u iha ne’e, iha odamatan kotuk,” fuuk segundu hatan. “Ha’u iha ne’e, iha kraal,” fuuk terseiru hatan.
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.
Depois asu ne’e hatene katak Nozibele lohi tiha ona nia. Entaun nia halai no halai ba iha suku. Maibé Nozibele ninia maun sira hein nia ho ai-sanak tolu. Asu ne’e fila no halai no nunka haree hetan dezde momentu ne’e.
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.
Written by: Tessa Welch
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Aurelio da Costa
Read by: Aurelio da Costa, Vitalina dos Santos, Criscencia R. Da Costa Viana
