Collected by: Don Sybertz,

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

Ikale iSub’i yalitamanile ukudima indimu kunhingo, yadimaga sagala, nulu kuligugulu yudima ho. Sha lushigu lumo yudima mbuli. Bha mayu bhalija kujudaha minzi. Huna bhandya kwiwila giki, “mbuli ya ng’wa mbati yadimagwa na Sub’i iligigila.”

Umo o bhamayu uhaya giki, “ambu kako katamanile kudima, ulu nikakadimaga kunhingo niyachaga..” kalidegeleka akasub’i kuhaya, “gashinaga nakahubhaga nashoke kudima munhingo.”

Giko lulu lushiku lungi kuyidima mbuli yingi mnhingo yucha. Bhandya kwiwila abhamayu, “gashi mihayo iyo twahayaga kigwaga.”

Sub’i yalitamanile kudima, ikalangwa na  bha mayu abhalija kujudaha minzi.

KISWAHILI: HADITHI YA CHUI

Zamani chui alikuwa hajui kushika wanyama shingoni, alikuwa akishika hovyo, hata mguuni alishika. Siku moja alishika mbuzi. Akina mama waliokuwa safarini kwenda kuteka maji. Ndipo walianza kuambiana kwamba, “mbuzi wa fulani ameshikwa na chui ndiyo maana anachechemea.”

Mmoja wa wale akina mama alisema hivi, “hako hakajui kushika wanyama, kama kangekuwa kanashika shingoni angekufa…” kachui kalikuwa kamesikiliza kakasema, “kumbe nakosea nirudi nikashike shingoni.

Hivyo basi, siku nyingine kakaishika mbuzi nyingine shingoni ikafa. Wakaanza kuambiana akina mama, “kumbe maneno yale tuliyokuwa tukiyasema, kalikuwa kakisikia.”

Chui alikuwa hajui kushika, akafundishwa na akina mama waliokuwa wakienda kuteka maji.

THE STORY OF THE LEOPARD

In the past, the leopard had no idea how to catch animals of prey in the neck. It was catching any part of the body. It could catch even the foot. One day it caught a goat. Women who were on their way to fetch water began to say that, “Somebody’s goat was caught by the leopard. e It is now limping.”

One of those women said, “The leopard does not know how to catch animals. If it caught it on the neck that goat would die…” The leopard was listening and it heard those words. It then thought, “I am wrong. Let me go back catch by the neck.”

So, one day the leopard caught another goat in the neck and it died. Those women talked to one another, “Oh, the leopard heard what we were saying.”

The leopard had no knowledge of how to properly catch animals of prey. It was taught by women who were going to fetch water.