Bumwi buzuba, Sulwe wakali kweenda munsi aamulonga.
One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.
Civwubwe wakaliko awalo, kayaa kweendeenda akulya twakulya bubotu bwa nyanzabili.
Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.
Civwubwe taakalizyi kuti Sulwe wakali munsi-munsi, mpoona wakamulyata kumaulu. Sulwe wakatalika kubwentela Civwubwe, “Ebo Civwubwe, tobwene kuti wandilyata kumaulu?”
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?”
Civwubwe wakalomba kulekelelwa kuli Sulwe, “Tiindakubwene. Ndalomba kondilekelela.” Sulwe taakayanda kuteelela. “Wacita caali kundilyata! Bumwi buzuba, uyoocibona! Uya kucibbadelela ncoocita sunu.”
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!”
Sulwe wakaunka kuya kuyandaula mulilo akumwaambila kuti “Koya, umuumpe Civwubwe azwa mumeenda kuya kukucela bwizu. Wakandilyata!” Mulilo wakavwuwa, “Kwiina penzi mweenzuma. Ndilacita Mbubwenoobo.”
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.”
Civwubwe wakali kulya bwizu kule amulonga. “maawe!” Mulilo wayakisya. Mulilo wakatalika kuumpa boya bwa Civwubwe.
Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.
Civwubwe wakatalika kulila akutijaanina kumeenda. Boya bwakwe boonse bwakapya amulilo. Civwubwe wakali kuyaa bulila. “Boya bwangu bwaumpwa amulilo. Boya bwangu bwaunka. Boya bwangu bubotu.”
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!”
Sulwe wakakkomana kubona kuti boya bwa Civwubwe bwakapya. Kusikila sunu, Civwubwe taunki kule ameenda akaambo kakuyoowa mulilo.
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.
