Collected by: Don Sybertz, with special thanks to Rev Joe Healey  (African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories)

Ahuli! Nyuli! Olihoi nhamhala umo uyo witanagwa Kaizani. Oli na b’ana bhadatu abho b’itanagwa Kichwa Maji, (ntweminzi), Sijali (nadadilihaga), na Masala uyo alina songo.

Lushigu lumo limi, aho bhalijidima ing’ombe jabho ng’wilago lilebhe bihi na mongo, pye bhudatu b’ob’o bhagaja gujibunha kihamo na bhadimi bhangi.

Aho bhalibunha, b’ib’i bhagajitula ing’ombe bhujijanha. Abhana bhenabho bhagashoka, bhumana igiki ilidale lyose lya ng’ombe jabho lyingikaga. Abhasumba bhenabho bhagahaya, “aise dududuja uguja ugujujichola ing’ombe, bho nduhu mashaka, jigwiza joyi duhu. Kupye iyose, aise dugutola duhu iki dudina songo.”

Abhakulu bhakwe umasala, bhagiyangula gushoka kaya, aliyo uwei uosongo agabhashokeja, “yilihambohambo gwandya gujichola ing’ombe.”

Agandya lugendo, agasiminza mpaga limibu, agalinha higulya ya linti gulala. Ntondo yaho diyu, agasiminza limibu, bho nduhu ugujibhona ing’ombe. Agalinha higulya ya linti na ulala hoi.

Diyu lushugu lo kadatu agasiminza mpaga ugashika ha numba mumasaa ga mhindi. Inumba yiniyo yalihagati ya lipolu lidito noi, ugansanga ngikulu. Agakalibhushiwa chiza, b’igisilija. Hanuma, ungikulu agamegeja jiliwa ulya na wiguta.

Aho omala ugulya ungikulu agamuja, “Nsumba, ulifuma hei na ujile hei?” Unsumba ng’wunuyo bho nduhu guhahatija nulu gub’isa, agalomela yose iyo yaliigela ahamakanza bhalijidimaga ing’ombe.

“Nyanda ng’wanone, ihaha ugulala henaha ha ng’wane. Intondo, nagugwambilija ugulidilila ilikoye lyako. Naliguwila giki ing’ombe jinijo ugujipandika.”

 Nalulu, agamegeja lwande lo gulala. Unsumba agalala, ni ntondo yaho, agadila haho aha kagikulu. Halushiku lwa kab’ili, akagikulu kung’wila, “Ng’wanone, ilelo huna lushugu logugulaga kugiki uje ugajisole ing’ombe jako.”

Ungikulu ng’wunuyo agasola jisabho wigasha na ugagolola amagulu, ung’witana unsumba na ung’wila, “Igashaga aha ng’wanone, solaga unanha uyu.”

Unyanda agagusola unanha, huna ungikulu unditilija bhugota gufuma mujisabho jakwe, na ugub’ila unanha gunuyo. Nalulu, agang’wila unyanda, “ihaha unitule lukangala lumo umu magulu gane, udizushokela nhangala ib’ili.” Unsumba agantula bho nanha gunuyo gobhugota.

Aho ontula ng’wana ombwa oza agigela umumagulu genayo. Olingosha. Ungikulu agahaya, “Ihaha opandika bhugota bhoko bho gwilanhana. Imbwa iniyi igub’iza nu bhebhe. Hosehose aho ulashige gulala, uhagigishe igiki imbwa, yilihamhelo yako, udizeleka bhung’wene.

Ubhebhe udizulinha mulinti, ibadala yaho, ulale ahasi heneho. Ugusiminza mumakanza ga shiku ib’ili limibu, na halushiku lo kadatu ugushika ha lugutu lutale noi. Umulugutu lunulo, jilihoi ing’ombe jako ni ja bhanhu bhangi. Uluushika hoi, bhagehu bhagugwanukula chiza, na bhangi bhadugwanukala ichiza. Ijiliwa ja mbwa yiniyo, mabhele duhu. Ahabhujiku aho pye abhose bhalalile ubhebhe bhukaga ni mbwa yako na ujitule ing’ombe jako jinijo na wandye lugendo gushoka kaya kubhabyaji bhako.”

Unsumba ng’wunuyo agabhuka na gwandya lugendo kihamo ni mbwa yakwe yiniyo. Bhagasiminza kushigu ib’ili ulo kadatu agashika aha lugutu ulutale noi lunulo. Umugati jalihoi ng’ombe ningi noi.

Nghana bhagehu bhadang’wanukulile chiza, na bhangi bhagang’wanukula chiza. Abhagehu bhenabho, bhagankolwa kunguno bhagabhona giki imbisila yabho yamanyikaga.

Aho pye bhamala gulala tulo, unsumba agabhuka ni mbwa yakwe, agingila mlugutu na gujitula pye gete ing’ombe na gwandya lugendo.

Intondo yaho, ab’ib’i aho bhamisha, bhumana igiki ing’ombe pye jingaga, bhandya gunhaya unsumba uombwa ungeni bhuyomba, “Ng’wabhona unsumba uombwa omalaga gwinga ni ng’ombe jise pye!”

Wangu wangu, ab’ib’i bhenabho bhagasola jilanga na gwandya gunchola unsumba ng’wunuyo.

Aho bhang’wegela imbwa iganya, na ligela lipolu liginu ilo lidadulikanile gub’itwa mo. Ab’ib’i bhiwila, “Bhabehi, dushoke dugasole mabhasa na mapanga kugiki dize dusenge ilipolu linili huna dudule gwendelea kunchola unsumba ng’winuyo.”

Bhagapela kujenha mabhasa na mapanga, b’ize bhasenge ilipolu iliginu linilo bhagendelea. Ulushigu ulolugalondela aho bhegela ugumpandika unsumba ng’wunuyo, imbwa iganya shogolo ningi noi, jandya guyubhachima. Bhagashoka gujuzwala jilatu na gwendelea na lugendo.

Kulukandala lungi imbwa iganya mbula nhale noi mpaga imyongo igasesa, malago gagokala minzi, mabhuga gub’iza na matembe nulu mabhulolo mingi ga bhabhumbi agagudima noi.

Bhagaduma ugub’ita bhuyomba, “Tulinde imyongo yume, malago gume, na mabhuga gume ku giki naise dudule kub’ita. Imyongo, malago, na mabhuga, jiguma, bhub’ita na gwendelea ku lugendo lo wangu wangu noi bhaguncholaga unsumba ng’wunuyo.

Aho bhang’wegela imbwa iganya ikunguku iginu na lyuigubija isi yose, bhuduma gete ugubhona. B’izunilija giki bhashoke kaya gujusola mapyagulilo amacheyo b’ize bhalipyagule ilikunguku. Ulugendo ulu bhadadujije nulu hadoni.

Huna bhagiyangula giki bhanomba Mulungu ku giki wenhe luyaga umusi lwize lulyinje ilikunguku kugiki abhoyi bhadule kunondeja. Nulu ichiniko, UMulungu adab’inhile ijinakulomba gobho chiniko. Bhagagema bhuli nzila, aliyo bhagaguma.

Nose bhagagwa ngholo bhuja lob’o na bhupina bhutale noi. Unsumba ng’wunuyo agajishisha ing’ombe majihumbi na majihumbi kaya kulise na nina okwe.

Agasumbilwa chiza noi na bhabyaji bhakwe kihamo na bhanhu bhangi. Bhagankumilija ku ukubhukamu na bhajamu bhokwe. Bhunkuja na gung’winha bhutemi ubhiza untemi osi ngima.

KISWAHILI: KAIZANI NA WATOTO WAKE WATATU

Paukwa! Pakawa! Kulikuwa na mzee mmoja aliyeitwa Kaizani. Alikuwa na watoto watatu walioitwa Kichwa maji, Sijali na Masala ambaye alikuwa na chongo.

Siku moja adhuhuri, walipokuwa wanachunga ng’ombe wao katika bonde fulani karibu na mto, wote watatu walikwenda kuogelea pamoja na wachungaji wengine.

Wakati walipokuwa wakiogelea, wezi waliwaswaga wale ng’ombe na kwenda zao. Watoto wale waliporudi, wakagundua kuwa kundi zima la ng’ombe limetoweka.

Wale kaka walisema, sisi hatuwezi kwenda kuwatafuta ng’ombe, bila shaka watarudi wenyewe. Iisitoshe sisi tutaowa tu, kwani hatuna chongo. Kaka zake wakaamua kurudi nyumbani, lakini yule kaka mdogo akawajibu, “ni afadhali kuanza kuwatafuta ng’ombe.” Alianza safari, alitembea mpaka jua kuchwa, akapanda juu ya mti akalala.

Kesho yake asubuhi, aliendelea mchana kutwa bila ya kuwaona wale ng’ombe. Akapanda juu ya mti na kulala. Asubuhi siku ya tatu akaendelea hadi akafika kwenye nyumba saa za jioni.

Nyumba hiyo ilikuwa katikati ya msitu mnene sana, akamkuta bibi kizee. Alikaribishwa vizuri, wakasalimiana. Halafu bibi kizee akamwandalia chakula akala na kushiba. Alipomaliza kula bibi kizee alimwuliza, “Kijana, unatoka wapi na unakwenda wapi?” Yule kijana bila ya kusita wala kuficha, alieleza mambo yote yaliyotokea wakati wakichunga ng’ombe.

“Kijana mwanangu, sasa utalala hapa kwangu. Kesho, nitakusaidia kulishugulikia tatizo lako. Nakuhakikishia kwamba wale ng’ombe utawapata.” Basi, akamtayarishia mahali pa kulala. Kijana alilala, na kesho yake akashinda pale kwa bibi kizee.

Siku ya pili, bibi kizee alimwambia, “Mwanangu, leo ndiyo siku ya kukuaga ili uende kuwachukua ng’ombe wako.” Yule kikongwe alichukua kibuyu akakaa chini na kunyoosha miguu, akamwita kijana na kumwambia, “Kaa hapa mwanangu, chukua fimbo hii.” Kijana aliipokea ile fimbo, ndipo kikongwe akamimina dawa kutoka katika kibuyu chake, na kuipaka ile fimbo.

Basi akamwambia, kijana, sasa unipige safari moja kwenye miguu yangu, usirudie mara ya pili. Kijana akampiga kwa ile fimbo ya dawa. Mara alipompiga mtoto wa mbwa mwekundu akatokea kwenye ile miguu. Alikuwa mbwa dume.

Bibi kizee akasema, “Sasa umepata dawa yako ya kinga. Mbwa huyu atafuatana nawe. Mahali popote utakapofika kulala, hakikisha kwamba, mbwa analala kando yako, usimwache peke yake. Wewe usipande mtini, badala yake lala palepale chini, utatembea muda wa siku mbili kutwa, na siku ya tatu utafika kwenye zizi kubwa sana. Humo zizini kuna ng’ombe wako na wa watu wengine.

Ukisha wasili baadhi watakukaribisha vizuri na baadhi yao hawatakukaribisha vizuri. Chakula cha mbwa huyu ni maziwa tu. Usiku wakiwa wote wamelala wewe amka na mbwa wako na kuswaga wale ng’ombe wako na kuanza safari kurudi nyumbani kwa wazazi wako.”

Kijana yule aliondoka na kuanza safari pamoja na yule mbwa wake. Walisafiri muda wa siku mbili na siku ya tatu aliwasili kwenye lile zizi kubwa sana. Ndani kulikuwa na ng’ombe wengi sana.

Kweli baadhi yao, walimpokea vizuri na wengine hawakumpokea vizuri, wakamchukia kwani waliona vibaya kwa vile siri yao imegunduliwa.

Wakati wote walipokuwa wamelala usingizi kijana aliondoka na mbwa wake, akaingia zizini na kuwaswaga ng’ombe  wote kabisa na kuanza safari. Kesho yake wale wezi walipoamka, waligundua kuwa ng’ombe wote wametoweka, wakaanza kumtuhumu yule kijana mgeni wakisema, “Mnaona yule kijana mwenye mbwa amekwisha ondoka na ng’ombe wetu wote!” Hima wale wezi wakachukua silaha na kuanza kumtafuta yule kijana.

Walipokuwa wamemkaribia, mbwa alikunya msitu mnene usioweza kupitika. Wezi wakashauriana, “Jamani turudi kwenda kuchukua mashoka na mapanga ili tuje kuufyeka msitu huu ndipo tuweze kuendelea kumtafuta kijana yule.”

Wakakimbia kwenda kuleta mashoka na mapanga, wakaufyeka ule msitu mnene wakaendelea. Siku  iliyofuata, walipokuwa jirani kumpata yule kijana mbwa alikunya mbigili nyingi mno zikaana kuwachoma. Wakarudi kwenda kuvaa viatu na kuendelea na safari.

Kwa mara nyingine mbwa alikunya mvua kubwa sana mito ilifurika, mabonde yalijaa maji, nyika zikawa na tope nyingi za udongo wa mfinyanzi wenye kunata sana. Wakashindwa kupita wakasema, “Tungoje mito ikauke, mabonde yakauke, nyika zikauke ili nasi tuweze kupita. Mito, mabonde, na nyika zilipokauka, walipita na kuendelea kwa mwendo wa kasi sana wakimtafuta yule kijana.

Walipokuwa wamemkaribia mbwa alikunya ukungu mnene na kuigubika dunia nzima, wakashindwa kuona kabisa. Wakakubaliana kwamba warudi ili kwenda kuchukua mifagio ya kuweza kuufagilia ule ukungu. Safari hii hawakufanikiwa hata kidogo.

Ndipo walipokata shauri la kumwomba Mungu ili alete upepo duniani wa kuuondoa ukungu kusudi wao waweze kumfuata yule kijana. Hata hivyo, Mungu hakuwajalia ombi lao. Walijaribu kila njia, lakini walishindwa.

Mwishowe walikata tamaa, wakaenda zao kwa huzuni kubwa sana. Yule kijana aliwafikisha wale ng’ombe maelfu kwa maelfu nyumbani kwa baba na mama yake. Alilakiwa vizuri sana na wazazi wake pamoja na watu wengine. Wakamsifu kwa bidii na ujasiri wake. Wakamwenzi na kumfanya kuwa mfalme wa nchi nzima.

 

 

ENGLISH: KAIZANI WITH HIS THREE CHILDREN

Once upon a time, there was an old man called Kaizani. He had three children called Kichwamaji (Head filled with water), Sijali (I don’t care) and Masala (brain). Masala was one-eyed.

One afternoon, as they were looking after their cattle in a valley near the river, all the three boys went to swim with other pastoralists.

While they were swimming, the thieves came and took the cattle and went away with them. When the children returned from swimming, they found that the whole herd had disappeared.

The two elder brothers said, “We can’t go looking for the cattle. They will certainly come back by themselves. After all, we shall see the cattle because we are not as no one eyed as you are. Masala’s brothers decided to go back home. But Masala, the the younger brother replied, “It is better to and look for them.” He set out his journey. He walked until the Sun went down. The boy climbed over the tree and slept.

The next morning, he continued all day without seeing the cattle. Again, he climbed up the tree and slept. On the third day, Masala went on until he came to the house in the evening.

The house was in the middle of a dense forest, and there she found an old woman. He was well welcomed. The two greeted each other quite cordially. Then the old woman prepared a meal for Masala to eat. When he finished eating, old woman asked him, “Young man, where do you come from and where are you going?” The boy explained all what happened when he herded the cattle.

“My boy, now you will stay here with me. Tomorrow, I will help you deal with your problem. I assure you that you will find your cattle.” So she prepared a place for him to sleep. The boy fell asleep, and the next day he spend the whole day there with the old woman.

The following day, the old lady said to him, “My son, today is the day for you to go and look for your cattle.” The old woman took a gourd and sat down and straightened his feet, called the boy and said, “Sit here, my son, take this stick.” The young man received the stick, and the old woman sprayed the medicine from her gourd, and rubbed the stick with it.

Then she said to him, “Young man, now hit me once on my foot. Do not repeat.” The boy struck with the stick of medicine as instructed. As soon as he hit, a red dog came out of the of old woman’s legs. It was a male dog.

Then the old woman said, “Now you’ve got your immune medicine. This dog will accompany you. Wherever you go to sleep, make sure that the dog sleeps beside you, don’t leave it alone. You should not climb a tree any more. Instead, lie down on the ground. You will walk for two days. On the third day, you will come to a very big cowshed. It where your cattle and those of other people are.

When you get there, some people will welcome you cordially and while others will not. This dog’s food is only milk. At night when they are asleep, you wake up with your dog and take your cattle and start the journey back to your parents’ home.”

The boy left and started his journey with his dog. They traveled for two days and on the third day they arrived at a very cowshed. There were so many cattle in it.

Some of hosts received the boy cordially well received him while others did not receive him well. They hated him because they felt bad as their secret had been discovered.

When they were all asleep, the boy left with his dog, and went to the cowshed and took all the cattle and started the journey back home. The next day, when the thieves got up, they found that all the cattle had disappeared, and they started to accuse the young man and blaming each other saying, “You see the young boy with the dog has gone out with all of our cattle!” Then the thieves took up arms and started looking for the boy.

As they approached, the dog defecated and faeces formed a thick forest that they could not cross. The thieves advised each other, “Let’s go back to take the axes and swords so that we can clear this forest and then we can keep looking for the boy.”

They ran back home to bring the axes and swords, and they then started to cut down the thick forest. The next day, when they were about to find the boy, the dog defecated and the faeces formed  short thorns which started to pierce the thieves.They decided to go back home to wear shoes and then they went on with the journey.

Once again, the dog defecated very heavy rain. The streams got flooded, the valleys were filled with water and the earth had a lot of clay soil which was very slippery. They failed to continue with the journey and said, “Let us wait for the rivers stop flooding, the valleys to dry up. That is when we will be able to pass. Rivers, valleys, and land dried up. The thieves started running faster attempting to look for the boy.

When they approached him, the dog defecated a thick mist which covered the whole earth. They could not see. They agreed that they had to go back home to take the brooms and come back to clear the mist. This trip did not succeed at all.

Then they decided to ask God to bring the wind to the earth to remove the mist for them to follow the boy. However, God did not heed their request. They tried every way, but they failed.

Finally, they became discouraged, and they went back home with great sorrow. The young man brought the thousands of thousands cattle home. He was well very well received by his parents and other people. They praised him for his hard work and courage. They eventually made him king of their land.