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Kana Kambongolo
Donkey Child
The audio for this story is currently not available.
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Kakali kasimbi kasyoonto kakasaanguna kubona cintu cakali kunyandya kumbele lyabo.
It was a little girl who first saw the mysterious shape in the distance.
Mbocakali kuyaa buswena afwaafwi, bakabona kuti wakali mukaintu wakalaa da likinkide.
As the shape moved closer, she saw that it was a heavily pregnant woman.
Aaka kana kasimbi, ansoni hyakwe pele icakutayoowa, kakaswena munsi-munsi amukaintu. “Tweelede kubagwasya akubabamba andiswe.” Eelyo bantu boonse bakazumina. “Tulababamba amwanaabo.”
Shy but brave, the little girl moved nearer to the woman.
“We must keep her with us,” the little girl’s people decided. “We’ll keep her and her child safe.”
Mwana wakali munzila kuti atumbukwe. “Tonka!” “Kamuleta mapayi.” “Amulete meenda.” “Tooonkaaaaa!”
The child was soon on its way.
“Push!”
“Bring blankets!”
“Water!”
“Puuuuussssshhh!!!”
Nibakamubona mwana, boonse bakasotokela munsi akunyandwa kapati. “Imbongolo?”
But when they saw the baby, everyone jumped back in shock.
“A donkey?!”
Boonse bakatalika kukazyanya. “Twaamba kuti tulababamba banyina amwana, aboobo mbotuticite oobo.” Bamwi bakaamba, “Kuti tubabambe, balatuletela malweza.”
Everyone began to argue.
“We said we would keep mother and child safe, and that’s what we’ll do,” said some.
“But they will bring us bad luck!” said others.
Mukaintu wakalijana alikke alimwi. Wakakatazyigwa cakucita kumwana ooyu waandeene. Wakabula cakucita mukamwini.
And so the woman found herself alone again.
She wondered what to do with this awkward child.
She wondered what to do with herself.
Limwi wakazumina kuti mwana wakwe amana mwana wakwe nimbongolo mpemunya wakali banyina mbongolo.
But finally she had to accept that he was her child and she was his mother.
Niyatakali kukomena mbongolo, nicakali kabotu. Pesi Mbongolo eyi yakakomena limwi yakatalika kukatazya kubbala kumusana wabanyina. Mbongolo yakasola pesi tiiyakacikonzya kupona mbuli muntu. Banyina bakali kukatala kapati. Ciindi coonse bakali kujanika balinyemede. Zyimwi zyiindi bakali kumupa mulimo wabanyama.
Now, if the child had stayed that same, small size, everything might have been different. But the donkey child grew and grew until he could no longer fit on his mother’s back.
And no matter how hard he tried, he could not behave like a human being. His mother was often tired and frustrated. Sometimes she made him do work meant for animals.
Mbongolo yakanyongana akunyema kapati. Yakanyema kapati akaambo kakuti tiiyakaangulukide kuti inga yakonhya kucita zimwi zintu nhyoyakali kuyanda kuchita. Bumwi buzuba, kunyema kwakaindilila, yakababbakela banyina mane bawa ansi.
Confusion and anger built up inside Donkey. He couldn’t do this and he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t be like this and he couldn’t be like that.
He became so angry that, one day, he kicked his mother to the ground.
Mbongolo yakafwa nsoni. Yakatalika kulunduka kutija kuya kule.
Donkey was filled with shame. He started to run away as far and fast as he could.
Niyakaleka kulunduka mbongolo, akali masiku, imongolo yakasweka. “Hii, hoo.” Yakang’utauhya mumudima. “Hiii hooo?” yakaongolola. Yakali iilikke mbongolo. Yakalivwunga akoona. Yakoona pele yakalipengede mumoyo maningi.
By the time he stopped running, it was night, and Donkey was lost.
“Hee haw?” he whispered to the darkness.
“Hee Haw?” it echoed back. He was alone.
Curling himself into a tight ball, he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.
Niyakabuka Mbongolo, yakajana kadaala kaiimvwi munsi munsi kakamulanga. Imbongolo yakamulanga kumeso mudaala, akubona bulangizi.
Donkey woke up to find a strange old man staring down at him. He looked into the old man’s eyes and started to feel a twinkle of hope.
Imbongolo yakaunka kukukkala amudaala ooyu. Mudaala wakayiisya Mbongolo Ibupone. Mbongolo yakamvwa alimwi akwiiya. Bakali kugwasyanya kubeleka akuseka antoomwe.
Donkey went to stay with the old man, who taught him many different ways to survive.
Donkey listened and learned, and so did the old man. They helped each other, and they laughed together.
Bumwi buzuba, mudaala wakalomba Mbongolo kuti imubbale akumutola kumulundu.
One morning, the old man asked Donkey to carry him to the top of a mountain.
Nibakasika atala akati kamakumbi, mudaala ambongolo bakoona. Mbongolo yakalota kuti banyina baciswa mpoona bakali kumwiita kuyanda lugwasyo. Naakabuka…
High up amongst the clouds they fell asleep.
Donkey dreamed that his mother was sick and calling to him.
And when he woke up…
… wakajana makumbi azimaana antoomwe amwenzyinyina, mudaala.
… the clouds had disappeared along with his friend, the old man.
Mbongolo yakacizyiba cakucita.
Donkey finally knew what to do.
Mbongolo yakajana banyina kabali balikke kabalila mwana wabo wakasweeka. Bakalangana kwaciindi cilamfwu. Nibakamana, bakakumbatana canguzu.
Donkey found his mother, alone and mourning her lost child. They stared at each other for a long time.
And then hugged each other very hard.
Mbongolo abanyina bakomena antoomwe, bakajana nzila yakupona antoomwe. Asyoonto- syoonto bantu bakatalika kuyaka maanda munsi-munsi lyabo akukkala antoomwe.
The donkey child and his mother have grown together and found many ways of living side by side.
Slowly, all around them, other families have started to settle.
Written by: Lindiwe MatshikizaIllustrated by: Meghan JudgeTranslated by: Chester Mwanza
