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

Olihoi Ntemi uyo agabhinha bhanhu bhakwe mitihani kugiki gubhapandika abho bhalinikujo (masala). Imitihani yiniyo yaliibhalolile abhang’wi noi bha walwa, (bhalevi) na abhaduti (bhabehi) bha Njemu. Bhuli igele agalinha ng’ombe iyoilinda.

Untemi agabhawila, “Nang’winhaga ng’ombe iyoilinda bhuliigele. Mlinawiyabhi bho gwita umomutogelilwe ahigulwa ya ng’ombe iyo nang’winhaga.”

Iligele lya bhalevi bhali bhanhu mpungati. Bhagayomba, “UNtemi udinhaga ng’ombe. Duyibhulagagi ing’ombe yiniyo kugiki dulye nyama.” Nghana bhagayibhulaga ing’ombe yiniyo na bhagamfunya ung’wana (indama) bhiyiigwa gwandya guyocha indama yiniyo na yufuada gochiwa inyama yose.

Abhalevi bhenabho bhalibhazunya giki, Untemi agulilumba iligele kulwa guilya inyama yose bho nduhu gulilekeela ipande lyose lyose lya nyama yiniyo. Kunamna yiniyi iligele ligwendelea chiza noi. Nghana bhagayilya ing’ombe ngima nu ng’wana oyo. UNtemi oliabhalolile duhu kugiki abhone nani alina  masala.

Abhabehi bha njemu bhali bhatano, bhagayomba, “Dinhiwagwa ng’ombe yiyi nu Ntemi na ilinda nhale noi. Dudizuyibhulaga, duyilekagi mpaga ibyale tamu.”

Abhabehi bha njemu bhenabho bhagizunilija giko. Hanuma yaho, ing’ombe igabyala ndama. Jubhiza lulu ng’ombe ibhili, ninayo ni ndama.

Abhabehi wa njemu bhagayomba, “Dujijinje ing’ombe jiniji bho gujikabhanya na mbuli. Ulu dulajipandike imbuli, dugudula gugabhanha umubhise. Bhagadula ugukabhanya na mbuli inne.

Untemi Ng’hwaya agayomba, “Abhabehi bha njemu bhalina masala kulebha abhalevi bha walwa, ku nguno bhadayibhulagile ing’ombe iyoyalinda. Uguyibhulaga ing’ombe iyo ilinda, ilisawa na gujibhulaga ng’ombe ibhili.”

KISWAHILI: MFALME NG’HWAYA

Kulikuwepo na Mfalme (Mtemi) aliyewapa watu wake mitihani ili kuwapata wale wenye busara. Mitihani hiyo ililengwa kwa walevi na wavuta bangi. Kila kundi alilipatia ng’ombe mwenye mimba.

Mtemi aliwaambia,  “Nimewapa ng’ombe mmoja mwenye mimba kila kundi. Muko huru kufanya mpendavyo kuhusu ng’ombe niliyowakabidhi.”

Kundi la walevi lilikuwa na watu saba. Wakasema,  “Mtemi ametupatia ng’ombe. Tumwue ng’ombe huyo ili tule nyama.” Kweli walimwua yule ng’ombe na kumtoa yule mtoto (ndama). Wakakubaliana kuanza kumchoma yule ndama na ikafuatia kuchomwa nyama yote.

Walevi hao waliamini kwamba, mtemi atakishukuru kikundi, kwa kula nyama yote bila kubakiza sehemu nyingine ya mnyama huyo. Kwa jinsi hii kikundi kitaendelea vizuri zaidi. Kweli walimla ng’ombe mzima na mtoto wake. Mtemi alikuwa amewatazama tu ili aone nani ana akili.

Wavuta bangi walikuwa watano, wakasema, “Tumepewa ng’ombe huyu na Mtemi na ana mimba kubwa sana. Tusimwue, tumwache hadi azae kwanza.” Wavuta bangi hao wakakubaliana hivyo. Baadaye ng’ombe akazaa ndama. Wakawa sasa ng’ombe wawili, mama na ndama.

Wavuta bangi wakasema “Tuwauze ng’ombe hao kwa kubadilishana na mbuzi. Tukisha wapata mbuzi, tutaweza kugawana baina yetu. Walifanikiwa kubadilishana na mbuzi wanne.

Mtemi Ng’hwaya alisema, “Wavuta bangi wana akili kupita walevi wa pombe, kwa sababu hawakumwua ng’ombe mwenye mimba. Kumwua ng’ombe mwenye mimba, ni sawa na kuwaua ng’ombe wawili.”

ENGLISH: KING NG’HWAYA

There was a king who used to give his people tests to find those who were wise. These tests were directed to drunkards and marijuana smokers.  He gave to each group a pregnant cow.

Then the king told them, “I have given to each group a pregnant cow. You are free to do whatever you want with the cow that I gave you.”

A group of drunkards had seven people. They said, “The king has given us a cow. Let us kill the cow for us to eat meat.” They actually killed the cow and took the calf out. They agreed to start roasting the calf and then followed the meat of the cow.

The drunkards believed that the king would appreciate the group for eating all the meat without leaving some. In this way, they thought, they would be regarded to be wiser.  So, they ate the whole cow and the calf. The king just watched them to see which group was wise.

Marijuana smokers were five. They said to each other, “We have been given this cow with a big foetus. Let’s not slaughter her, we leave her until the calf is born first.” The marijuana smokers unanimously agreed on that. Later, the cow gave birth to a calf. There were now two cattle, a mother and a calf.

Marijuana smokers, “Let us sell those two cows by exchanging them with goats. Once we have goats, we’ll be able to divide among ourselves. They managed to exchange them with four goats.

Then King Ng’hwaya said, “Marijuana smokers are more intelligent  than drunkards because they did not kill a pregnant cow. They knew that to kill a pregnant cow is the same as killing two cattle.”