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Kine kintu byovwe kyobya bujila kwikala na booya Why hippos have no hair Ico imfubu ishakwatila umushishi

Written by Basilio Gimo, David Ker

Illustrated by Carol Liddiment

Translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo

Language Kaonde

Level Level 2

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Juba jimo, Kalulu waendelenga kubwipi na mukola.

One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.

Ubushiku bumo, kalulu aile aleenda mu lulamba lwa mumana.


Kyovwe naye wajinga konka, waile mukwenda nakuja nsono.

Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.

Imfubu nayo eko yaali, yaletandala no kulya umulemfwe uusuma saana.


Kyovwe kechi wamwenemba kalulu uji mpoka kabiji wamunyanchile kukulu. Kalulu watendekele kupachila kyovwe,” Kechiwanoma amba wanyanta pakulu nyi?”

Hippo didn’t see that Rabbit was there and she accidentally stepped on Rabbit’s foot. Rabbit started screaming at Hippo, “You Hippo! Can’t you see that you’re stepping on my foot?”

Imfubu tayamwene ukuti Kalulu nao eko ali, epakumunyanta pa kuulu. Kalulu ayambile ukupundilila imfubu. “Iwe Mfubu! Taulemona ukuti naunyanta pa kuulu?”


Kyovwe walombele lulekelo lwamamba kwi kalulu,” Napopwela Ndekeleko mambo. Kechi nakukumona ne. Pano kalulu kechi waunvwine ne, kabiji wamunenene kyovwe amba,” Wakubilatu nshiji! Jubajimo, ukamona byo nkakuba! ”

Hippo apologised to Rabbit, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you. Please forgive me!” But Rabbit wouldn’t listen and he shouted at Hippo, “You did that on purpose! Someday, you’ll see! You’re going to pay!”

Imfubu epakulomba ubwelelo kuli Kalulu. “Njelelako, nshacikumona. Napaapaata njelelako!” Nomba Kalulu taaleefwaya no kumfwa ifyo yaaleelanda, epakukalipila Mfubu ati, “Wacicitafye umufulo! Ubushiku bumo ukacimona, nkakulimuna!”


Kalulu waile kwi mujilo nekumwambila amba,” yanga ukamusoke Kyovwe inge afume mumema kuya nakuja nsono. Wakunyanta!” Mujilo waasukile amba,” Kafwako lukatazhone nsakuya nakuba byo waamba”.

Rabbit went to find Fire and said, “Go, burn Hippo when she comes out of the water to eat grass. She stepped on me!” Fire answered, “No problem, Rabbit, my friend. I’ll do just what you ask.”

Kalulu epakuya mukufwaya Mulilo no kumweba ati, “Kabiye oce Mfubu nga afuma mu meenshi aisa mu kulya icaani. Acinyanta!” Mulilo epakwasuka ati, “Takuli bwafya mune Kalulu, nalacita ifyo fine.”


Pakupita kimye, kyovwe wajilenga nsono kwalepa na mukola. Kumonatu, “fuuuuuuu!” Mujilo watendeka. Mujilo watendekele kusoka booya bwakwa Kyovwe.

Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.

Panuma ya kashita akanoono, imfubu yaleelya icaani ukutali na mumana, “uuuu” Mulilo abilimuka mu lubingu. Ulubingu epakwamba ukooca umushishi wakwa Mfubu.


Kyovwe watendekele kujila ne kunyemena ku mema. Booya bwanji bonse bwapile na mujilo. Kyovwe wajijilenga amba, “Booya bwami, booya mwami bwapya na mujilo! Booya bwami bonse bwaya! Booya bwami bwawama!”

Hippo started to cry and ran for the water. All her hair was burned off by the fire. Hippo kept crying, “My hair has burned in the fire! My hair is all gone! My beautiful hair!”

Imfubu epakwamba ukulila no kubutukila ku menshi. Mulilo alyoceele umushishi wakwa Mfubu onse. Mfubu akonkenyepo ukulila ati, “Umushishi wandi wapya! Umushishi wandi onse waya! Umushishi wandi ubusuma!”


Kalulu wasangalele pakumona amba booya bwa kyovwe bonse bwapya. Kufikatu ne jalelo, kyovwe namambo akuchina mujilo, kechi uya kwalepa na mema ne.

Rabbit was happy that Hippo’s hair was burned. And to this day, for fear of fire, the hippo never goes far from the water.

Kalulu alitemenwe ukuti umushishi wa mfubu walipya. Mpaka na leelo, mukutina umulilo, imfubu taiya kutali na meenshi.


Written by: Basilio Gimo, David Ker
Illustrated by: Carol Liddiment
Translated by: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
Language: Kaonde
Level: Level 2
Source: Why hippos have no hair from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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