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

Olihoi mayu umo uyo alinabhana bhabhili, Bhonde na Shuma. Umu bhana bhanabho uShuma oli ng’wana okwe, alu Bhonde oli ng’wana o ngoshiokwe.

Umayu ng’wunuyo aganzugila UBhonde masangi ayogaligadatwililwe nulu josejose (masangu mahulu). Aliyo aganzugila ushuma masangu ayogaligatwililwe shili na mhande (masangu gawiza gatwilile shili na mhande).

Ubhonde olinginu na hangi olinihanga lya gutogisha. UShuma olinzaifu na nkondu, ningekhi oliaguzugilagwa masangu ayogatwililwe shili na mhande kugiki gang’winhe afya yawiza. Ikiuweyi uling’witogwi ong’wa mayu okwe, olanghanagwa chiza gulebha uBhonde.

Lushiku lumo umayu ng’winuyo agasumba lugendo kihamo na bhana bhakwe abhabhili, UBhonde nu Shuma. Aho alimulugendo agatung’wana na bhanhu ubhabhuja, “Bhabehi umubhana bhane abhabhili abha, aliginehe uyo alinsoga kukila?” Abhanhu bhenabho bhaganshokeja kulyimbo:

Pye bhalibhasoga, pye bhalibhasoga, Aliyo UBhonde alinginu nginu, Aliyo UShuma aling’wumu guti lukwi.”

Aho wigwa imihayo yiniyo umayu ng’wunuyo agapelana noi. Wiyangula gushoka kaya. Aho oshika ikaya agasimba lishimo. Huna umponeja UBhonde umugati yalishimo linilo. Agang’witiila minze masebhu na gunfukila haho atali mpanga.

Aho lyakula ikanza UShuma agashoka ugufumila ukumongo gujudaya minzi. Agamuja unina, “Mayu, UBhonde ojaga hei?”

Unina aganshokeja, “Unene nadamanile ukoojaga! Ni bhuli ulinibhuja?” UShuma ahoongaiwa uilumbu lyakwe, agokalilwa na bhupina bhutale noi. UShuma adammonelile wilu UBhonde ukuwiza bhokwe, uninabho huuyo olinawilu. UShuma agandya gwimba:

Nke o ng’wa bhabha uling’wanishi one, Nke o ng’wa bhabha uling’wanishi one, Nibhuli omulagaga uilumbu lyane untale! Umu makubhi dalibhabhili, Umu minzi dalibhabhili, Umu malima dalibhabhili, Inzila yako mayu yaliidinzila ya Mulungu, Amiganiko gako galigadiga ng’wa Mulungu.”

Umayu ng’winuyo agabhulilwa ni jililo ja moyo aho oligwa ilyimbo ilo olyimbaga uShuma. Ubhabha okwe aho oshoka, UShuma aganomela pye iyoyaiilonga. Ubhabha ng’wunuyo agampeja ahakaya umayu uowilu na mulaagi ng’wunuyo.

KISWAHILI: WIVU WA MAMA

 Alikuwapo mama mmoja aliyekuwa na watoto wawili, Bhonde na Shuma. Kati ya watoto hao, Shuma  alikuwa mtoto wake, na Bhonde alikuwa mtoto wa mumewe.

Mama huyo alimpikia Bhonde kande zisizochanganywa na kitu kingine chochote (masangu mahulu). Lakini Shuma alimpikia mama yake kande zilizokuwa zimechanganywa na kunde na njugu mawe (masangu gawiza gatwilile shili na mhande). Bhonde alikuwa mnene sana. Pia alikuwa na sura ya kupendeza.

Shuma alikuwa dhaifu na mwembamba, ingawa alikuwa anapikiwa kande zilizokuwa na mseto wa kumpatia afya nzuri. Aidha, kwa vile alikuwa kipenzi cha mama, alitunzwa vizuri kuliko Bhonde.

Siku moja mama huyo alisafiri pamoja na watoto wake wote wawili, Bhonde na Shuma. Akiwa safarini, alikutana na watu akawauliza, “jamani kati ya wanangu hawa wawili ni yupi ambaye ni mrembo  zaidi? Watu walimjibu kwa wimbo

Wote ni wazuri, wote ni wazuri, Lakini Bhonde ni mnene mnene, Lakini Shuma ni mkavu kama kuni.”

Baada ya kusikia maneno hayo, yule mama alikasirika sana. Akaamua kurudi nyumbani. Alipofika nyumbani, alichimba shimo. Halafu akamtumbukiza Bhonde ndani ya lile shimo. Akamwagia maji ya moto na kumfukia akiwa bado hai.

Baada ya muda Shuma alirudi kutoka mtoni kuteka maji. Akamwuliza mama yake, “Mama, Bhonde amekwenda wapi?”

Mama akamjibu, “Mimi sijui alikokwenda! Kwa nini unaniuliza?” Shuma alipomkosa dada yake alijawa huzuni kubwa sana. Shuma hakumwonea wivu Bhonde kwa sura yake, bali wivu alikuwa nao mama yao. Shuma akaanza kuimba:

 Mke wa baba ni adui wangu, Mke wa baba ni adui wangu, Mbona umemwua dadagu mkubwa!

Kwenye mboga tulikuwa wawili, kwenye maji tulikuwa wawili, Kilimo tulikuwa  wawili. Njia yako mama haikuwa njia ya Mungu, Mawazo yako hayakuwa ya Mungu.

 Yule mama alisutwa na kilio cha moyo baada ya kuusikia wimbo aliouimba Shuma. Baba yake aliporudi, Shuma alimweleza yote yaliyotokea. Baba alimfukuza nyumbani yule mama mwenye wivu na mwuaji.

ENGLISH: THE JEALOUS MOTHER

There was a mother of two children, Bhonde and Shuma. Of these two children, Shuma was her real daughter, and Bhonde was her stepdaughter.

The mother used to cook a mixture of food known as kande (cooked maize grain) with nothing else (kande without beans) for Bhonde.  But for Shuma she cooked kande with a mixture of cowpeas and peanuts. Bhonde was a plump girl. She also had a beautiful attractive shape.

Shuma was weak and thin, although she was getting good food. In addition, Shuma was well cared for more than Bhonde.

One day, the mother traveled with her two daughters, Bhonde and Shuma. On the way, she met people and asked, “Which of these two daughters is the more beautiful?” People answered her in a song:

“They are both beautiful. But Bhonde is plump and well built. Shuma is as dry as wood.”

After hearing those words, the mother was got very angry. She decided to go back home with her daughters. When she got home, she dug a hole. Then she dropped Bhonde into that hole. Then, she poured hot water onto her while she was still alive. That is how she killed Bhonde.

After a while, Shuma came back home from the river where she had gone to fetch water. She asked her mother, “Mama, where has Bhonde gone?”

The mother replied, “I don’t know where she went! Why do you ask me?” Shuma missed her sister a lot and she was very sad. She had not been jealous of Bhonde for her good appearance and shape.It is the mother who was jealous. Then Shuma started singing:

 The wife of  my father is my enemy. The wife of my father is my enemy. Why have you killed my great sister? At the vegetables we were two. At the water well, we were two. At the farm, we were two. Your way your mother was not God’s way. Your thoughts were not thoughts of God.”

 The mother was shocked. She got heart attack after hearing the song that Shuma sang. When her father came back home, Shuma told him all that had happened. The father chased that woman away from that home.