Collected by: Don Sybertz,

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

Walaliho nkima akatolwa ha kaya imo, nina bhuko walatantogagwa, ulu jupya shiliwa bhumega kamo duhu. Huna ngikulu wahaya giki “Jitalulaga bhu nhumbati.” (Kiti itumbati) tukulya na ntondo, huna lulu unina bhuko ufunda shiliwa.

Ng’winga nang’hwe wingaho uja ku maji yakwe kujulala. Kakanza kadabhitile Ngikulu nang’hwe utenga shiliwa kihamo na bhana bhakwe bhandya gulya.

Nose ngoshi akamuja unke, “Bhebhe ng’wana mbati, wakondile shenishi bhuli, uli mhola ahene, nangi woyile ukulya, nulu ugusataga?” Nali mhola duhu.

Lushiku lumo bhuhaya tubhulage mbuli tulye wa nyama, ngoshi agakobha nzila ya kumana unke alikonda bhuli. Aho bhabisha ishiliwa wibhanda mu kaya umu ng’holo (how does this nelate to the buleng of the goat) alihaya giki, nanole unke wane ulu agalyaga chiza, bhumega kamo duhu, ujijiwa shiliwa, uhaya ngikulu “Jitalulaga bhu nhumbati, tukulya na ntondo.

Aho winga unke, bhutenga, huna lulu bhandya gulya gashinaga unyanda wibhandile mu ng’holo. Aho bhamala ugulya ukang’wila unke, ambu gashi udalyaga, nang’hwe unke unshokeja, nani waguwila, nabhonaga nene ng’wenekili iki nali nibhandile umu ng’holo aho winga ubhebhe bhiyo bhutenga bhandya gulya na bhana bhakwe. Unyanda ung’winjaho bhizugila ugina na gugina.

Kiswahili: Hakiwi Kichungu Kama Tumbaku

Kulikuwa na mwanamke aliolewa kwenye mji  mmoja. Mama mkwe alikuwa hampendi. Chakula kikiiva wanamega mara moja tu, huyo Mama mkwe wake anasema hivi, “Hakiwi kichungu kama tumbaku.” (kama tumbaku) tutakula na kesho. Kwa hiyo sasa Mama mkwe anatoa chakula. Mwinga wake anaogopa na kwenda kwenye nyumba yake kulala.

Muda haukupita Mama mkwe akatenga chakula pamoja na watoto wake wakaanza kula. Mwishowe mme akamuuliza mke wake, “Wewe binti fulani, kwa nini umekonda hivi? Je uko mzima kweli? Labda huli au unaumwa.” Mke wake akajibu, “Niko mzima tu.”

Siku moja wakasema, “Tuchinje mbuzi tule nyama.”  Mwanaume akatafuta njia ya kujua mke wake kwa nini anakonda. Walipoivisha chakula, alijificha ndani kwenye kondoo, akasema kwamba leo nione mke wangu kama anakula vizuri.

Walimega mara moja tu, akakatazwa chakula akisema mama mkwe, “Hakiwi kichungu kama tumbaku, tutakula na kesho.”  Alipoondoka mkwe  wakatenga ndipo wakaanza kula.

Kumbe kijana amejificha kwenye kondoo, walipomaliza kula akaenda kumwambia mke wake, “Kumbe huli? Naye mke wake akamjibu, “Nani kakwambia?”  “Nimeona mimi mwenyewe, kwa sababu nilijificha kwenye kondoo, ulipoondoka wenzako walitenga tena wakaanza kula na watoto wake.” Kijana akamuondoa, wakajipikia (wakaishi peke yao), akanenepa na kunenepa.

ENGLISH: IT DOES NOT BECOME BITTER AS TOBACCO.

There was a married woman in one family. Hermother-in-law did not like her. Whenever the food was served, her mother-in-law said, “It does not become bitter like tobacco.” (Like tobacco) we will eat tomorrow. So her mother-in-law could gives her a small quantity of food. Her daughter-in- law was full of fear. She just went to her house to sleep.

When the daughter in law went to sleep, the mother-in-law took food and she and her children began to eat. Finally, the husband asked his wife, “You daughter of somebody why have you become thin like this? Are you really fine? Maybe you don’t eat well enough or you are sick.”His wife replied,“ I’m just fine. ”

One day,the family said, “We are going to slaughter a goat.” The man was eager to to know why his wife was thinning. When they cooked food, the man was hiding among  the sheep, saying,“Today,I will see if my wife is eating well.”

As usual, the mother-in-law, took a large portion of food and  said, “It does not become bitter like tobacco, we will eat it tomorrow.” When she left the mother-in-law, began to eat.

The young man who was hiding among the sheep appeared,when they hadfinished eating.Then he said to his wife, “Oh, my wife you do not eat well enough!”His wife answered, “Who has told you?” “I saw it myself, because I decided to hide myself among the sheep.After you had left, mother and the children started eating the larger portion that they had put aside.” Because of that, the young man took his wife away.There, they could cook their own food in abundance (as they lived alone in their family).She became fat again.