Collected by: Don Sybertz, Scanned by: Cephas Yao Agbemenu

With special thanks to Rev Joe Healey (African proverbs,Sayings and stories)

Bhagosha bhabhili bhidimile bhusumba bhandya kwibhuja, gete abhake bhise bhatutogilwe? Ungi uhaya giki, nke wane, anitogilwe ng’hana.

Ng’wiye uhaya, “Hene witogwa wenubho bhuli wa ng’hana?” nsumba ng’wiye unshokeja, “Nakungema nahene ulu ng’hana anitogilwe, uhaya giki nache nandegeleke.”

Lushiku lumo bhali mu numba kihamo, ngoshi na nke. Ngoshi wali ha bhulili, nu nke nang’hwe waliwigashije hihi. Huna lulu ngosha ung’wila unke, “Nke wane nacha!” Nu ngoshi wichijisha (kwiyitya kiti uchile- kujifanya).

Nkima wahayubhona ngoshi wacha uhaya, “Nite kinehe lulu? Natubhaga no, ulu nandya kulila bhakwiza bhanhu bhanizwanje nikale na nzala gete nalye nigute tame, na nize nalile.

Huna lulu wandya kuzugija, aliyo ikubhi lyalilitiho, bhuki walibhusungile ha lusungo haho na bhulili. Nkima wihamba kusungula uduma iki wali nguhi, nose umpanda ungoshi wakwe mu ng’humbi na usola bhuki.

Aho wamala kulya na kwiguta wandya lulu ugulila bhiza bhanhu. Bhingila mu numba bhumuja, “Kinehe mayu?” Nang’hwe, “Ngoshi wane wachaga.”

Nsumba ng’wiye wa ngoshi ubhawila bhanhu giki, “Fumagi mo pye, nene nanagule, namanile bhugota wa kumpija. Bhusaga ho bhabhili umu numba, wandya kumuja ng’wiye, wabhona kinehe?

Iyo nabhona ya gukamaja, aho nkima wane wanibhona nacha, uhaya, “Umo natubhilaga umu ulu nandye kulila bhakwiza bhanhu bhanizwanje nikale na nzala, hambu hambu nazuge nalye nigute tame, huna lulu wandya kuzuga bhugali, aliyo ikubhi lyalilitiho. Bhuki wali bhusungile haho na bhulili, aho wihamba kwinja ulebha, nose wandya kunipanda mu ng’humbi.

Bhandya lulu guseka, aho bhanhu bhigwa bhaliseka bhuhaya, ng’wichiswe wapilaga lulu. Huna lulu ngosha ung’wila nke, “Gashinaga witogwa wako bhuli bhudo ng’hana, nkima aho wizuka isho witaga usunduhala no.

Kiswahili: Mwanamume aliyemjaribu mke wake afahamu kama kweli anampenda.

Wanaume wawili walikuwa marafiki sana. Siku moja wakaanza kuulizana. “Wake zetu wanatupenda kweli?”  Mmoja akasema kwamba, “Mke wangu ananipenda kweli.”

Mwenzake akasema, “Upendo wenu ni wa kweli kabisa?” Mwenzake akamjibu, “Nimwangalie mke wangu kama kweli ananipenda, akasema kwamba nife nimsikilize.”

Siku moja walikuwa ndani ya nyumba pamoja mume na mwanamke. Mme alikuwa kitandani, na mkewe alikuwa amekaa karibu. Kwa hiyo mme akamwambia mkewe, “Mke wangu nimekufa.” Na mme akajifanya amekufa.

Mwanamke alipoona mmewe amekufa akasema, “Nifanye nini sasa?” Muhimu nile kwanza nishibe ndo nilie.”  Kwa hiyo akaanza kupika. Lakini hakuwa na mboga, alikumbuka kuwa kuna asali ipo juu ya dali usawa wa kitanda.

Mwanamke alijaribu kuchukua ile asali, alishindwa maana alikuwa mfupi. Mwisho akapanda kitandani, akamkanyaga mmewe tumboni, na akachukua asali. Alipomaliza kula na kushiba akatoka nje kulia.

 Wakaja majirani, wakaingia ndani, wakmuuliza vipi mama? Kuna nini? Naye akajibu mme wangu amekufa.

Rafiki yake aliwaambia tokeni ndani nimponye maana najua dawa ya kumponya. Walibaki wawili ndani, akaanza kumuuliza mwenzake umeonaje sasa? Rafiki yake alimwambia aliyoyaona, mke wangu aliponiona nimekufa aksema, nilivyo na njaa hivi nianze kulia watakuja watu wanijaze mawazo nishinde njaa, afadhali nipike nile nishibe kwanza, ndio akaanza kupika ugali, ila mboga haikuwepo. Asali ilikuwa juu ya dali karibu na kitanda, alipotaka kutoa hakufikia, sasa akaona anikanyage tumboni.

Wakaanza kucheka sasa, watu waliposikia kicheko wakasema mwenzetu amepona. Mme ndo akamwambia mkewe kwamba, “Kumbe upendo wako ni mdogo kabisa.”  Mwanamke akakumbuka kile alichokifanya na kusikitika.

ENGLISH: LET ME TEST IF MY WIFE LOVES ME

Two men were very great friends. One day they began to ask each other. “Do our wives really love us?” One of them said, “My wife loves me.”

His companion said, “Is her love  true?” His colleague replied, “I will find out if my wife really loves me. I will pretend to be deadcand listen to her.”

One day,one of the men was in the house with  his wife. A husband was in bed, and his wife was sitting next to him. The husband said to his wife, “My wife I am dead.” And he pretended to be dead.

When the woman saw that her husband is dead, she said, “What am I going to do now?” The first thing I must do is eat enough food.Then I will start crying.”So she started cooking. But she discovered that she did not have vegetables.Then she remembered that there was honey on the roof just above the bed.

The woman tried to take the honey but she failed because she was short. Finally,she went up to the bed, stood her legs on the stomach of her husband, and took honey. When she had finished eating and satisfied,she went out and started crying.

 And the neighbours came in, and asked her, “What is the matter,woman? What is there?” And she answered my husband is dead.

Her husbad’s friend told them “Come out so that I can heal him because I know the cure.”The two remained in the house, and began to ask their partner,“What did you see now?” His friend told him what he saw, “When my wife saw me dead she said, I am hungry I will start crying after eating.” She started cooking, but the was no vegetables there. Honey was on the roof on top of the bed near it.When she wanted to take the honey, she did not reach it, and she walked on my stomach.”

They started laughing now, when the people heard the laughter they realized that our colleague was healed. And he said to his wife, “That your love is very little.” The woman remembered what she had done and was sorry.