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Dongighana Donkey Child Umwana Punda

Written by Lindiwe Matshikiza

Illustrated by Meghan Judge

Translated by Maria M Dikuua

Language Mbukushu

Level Level 3

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


Kwa karire mwanuke ghomushengeteya oyu gha tangire kumona mudhidhimbi ghushikonekera kokayenda.

It was a little girl who first saw the mysterious shape in the distance.

Umukashana umunoono ewabalilepo ukumona icintu cileisa akatalamukila.


Apa wa henyine mudhidhimbi popepi, aye gha monine eshi napo mbuyama ghoyirama yiwadi.

As the shape moved closer, she saw that it was a heavily pregnant woman.

Ilyo ico cintu cafikile mupepi, aamwene ukuti ni namaayo uwali pabukulu.


Honyi ene ghutjima, mukamadighana gha henyine pepi noyo mbuyama. “Atwe twa kona kukara nendi,” hapa mukamadighana ha tokorire.” Ñanyi tuwa ture mumakungero mwene naye namwanendi.”

Shy but brave, the little girl moved nearer to the woman. “We must keep her with us,” the little girl’s people decided. “We’ll keep her and her child safe.”

Nangu umukashana aali ne nsoni alishipile no kupalama mupepi na namaayo. “Tufwile twamusunga uyu namaayo,” efyalandile abantu. “Tulemusunga bwino no mwana wakwe.”


Kambututu ka karire eshi kana kumu. “Kukeme!” “Rete mangugho!” “Meyu!” “Kuuuuukemeee!!!”

The child was soon on its way. “Push!” “Bring blankets!” “Water!” “Puuuuussssshhh!!!”

Papatafye akashita kanoono umwana aba munshila. “Sunka!” “Leeta amalangeti!” “Ameenshi!” “Suunkaa!!!”


Ene apa ha monine kambututu, waheya ha reyire munyima ghuyapa. “Thidongi?!”

But when they saw the baby, everyone jumped back in shock. “A donkey?!”

Nomba ilyo baamwene umwana, bonse batolokela kunuma mu kusunguka. “Punda?”


Waheya ha tangire kukanyeka. “Twa ghambire eshi ñanyi mbotu kare nawo hanyinamunu namwana munu, nodyosho tu tende kemo,” haghambire hamwe. “Ene ñanyi haku turetere dihudhi!” haghambire hamweya.

Everyone began to argue. “We said we would keep mother and child safe, and that’s what we’ll do,” said some. “But they will bring us bad luck!” said others.

Bonse baatampile ukupaashanya. “Twacitila tulesunga umwana na nyina bwino, kanshi efyo twalacita,” efyo abantu bamo basosa. “Nomba bakatuletela ishamo!” efyo bambi baasosele.


No mbuyama yu gha karire karo pithendi. Aye gha kwipudhurire eshi yinye shogha tende koyu mwanuke ghothitetu. Aye gha kwipudhurire eshi yinye shogha kutende thinda.

And so the woman found herself alone again. She wondered what to do with this awkward child. She wondered what to do with herself.

Efyo nomba namaayo aisangile eka na kabili. Taishibe ifyakucita no mwana wa musango uyu. Taishibe ifyakucita umwine.


Ene kughuhura ghayi tamburire eshi mwanendi no aye ne yo nyina.

But finally she had to accept that he was her child and she was his mother.

Panuma aasuminafye ukuti umwana aali mwana wakwe elyo nao ali ni nyina.


Opa no, oyo mwanuke ngo gha karire kengeyo, ghumbiru, yoyiheya pamweya ngoya kutjindjire. Ene thidongighana thakurire nokukura kate mbadi wa kukona kurikanya karo mumughongo wanyokwatho. No ngambi ngepi thakondjire, mbadi wakukara yira munu ghokupara. Nyina kehe pano nga ghayanga nokumundhanyaghuka. Maruvedhe ghamweya nyina ngamu tongweranga gha rughane yirughana eyi yina rughananga yimuna.

Now, if the child had stayed that same, small size, everything might have been different. But the donkey child grew and grew until he could no longer fit on his mother’s back. And no matter how hard he tried, he could not behave like a human being. His mother was often tired and frustrated. Sometimes she made him do work meant for animals.

Nomba nga cakuti umwana taaleekula, alifye umunono, fyonse nga fyalifye bwino. Lelo uyu punda alikulile saana icakuti aleka ukukumana mu numa yaba nyina. Elyo nangu eshe shani, ificitwa fyakwe tafyali fya buntu. Inshita yonse banyina baleebafye ne cifukushi kabili abanaka. Limo-limo baaleemupeela incito sha nama.


Thidongi tha tangire kupimbana notokotoko dha tangire kukura mu mwatho. Mbadi nga thi rughananga yi noyiya temba. Mbadiko kukona thikare kenge. Tha tokotire thikuma, diyuwa dimwe, thathitire nyokwatho kate kuwera pamuve.

Confusion and anger built up inside Donkey. He couldn’t do this and he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t be like this and he couldn’t be like that. He became so angry that, one day, he kicked his mother to the ground.

Punda alifye awakalipa, taishibe ifyakucita kabili aatampile ukumfwa icifukushi. Teti acite icili conse. Teti abe ifili fyonse. Alifulilwe saana icakuti, ubushiku bumo, alipantile banyina bapona na panshi.


Thidongi thakufire honyi. Ghotha tjirere kokayenda thikuma.

Donkey was filled with shame. He started to run away as far and fast as he could.

Punda alyumfwile insoni. Aatampile ukubutuka ukuya ukutali saana.


Opa tha ka shayekire kutjira, ne ghuthiku, nothayongarire. “Oioi?” thahohotire mumakokore. “Oioi?” Tha kuyuvire thatinda. Pithatho thakarire. Thakuhengaghurire thathinda nokukupeterera yira dikosho, ghotha porokerire muturo.

By the time he stopped running, it was night, and Donkey was lost. “Hee haw?” he whispered to the darkness. “Hee Haw?” it echoed back. He was alone. Curling himself into a tight ball, he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.

Ilyo Punda alekele ukubutuka, ninshi nakufiita, taishiibe uko aali. “Hee haw?” efyo aitootoosha mumfifi. “Hee Haw?” aumfwa iciunda. Ali eka. Aipeta, apona na mutulo utwinetwine utwamalangulushi.


Apa tha pindukire thidongi tha momine katughuru ghomukurupe ghana kuthinunguruka. Tha nungurukire natho katughuru ghomukurupe mumeho notha tangire kukuyuva eshi thina kushutuka.

Donkey woke up to find a strange old man staring down at him. He looked into the old man’s eyes and started to feel a twinkle of hope.

Punda ukubuuka asanga shikulu-bantu uo ashaishibe aleemulolesha. Alolesha mu menso yakwa shikulu-bantu amona ukuti kuti amwafwilisha.


Thidongi tha yendire thikatunge namukurupe ghokatughuru, oyu gha mu hongire mandhira ghomengi ghokupara. Dongi gha tegherere noghakuhongire, nothikadyo naye katughuru ghomukurupe. Nga ha kughamwenanga, no ngaha hekanga pofotji.

Donkey went to stay with the old man, who taught him many different ways to survive. Donkey listened and learned, and so did the old man. They helped each other, and they laughed together.

Punda aile mu kwikala na shikulu-bantu, uwamufundile inshila sha kwikalilamo ishingi. Punda aaleumfwa no kusambilila, shikulu-bantu nao wine aaleesambilila. Baleyafwana no kusekela pamo.


Mathikuthiku ghamweya, katughuru ghomukurupe ghakumberire Thidongi thi mutware kumutuya ghodirundu.

One morning, the old man asked Donkey to carry him to the top of a mountain.

Ubushiku bumo, shikulu-bantu aipwishe punda ukumusenda pa muulu wa lupili.


Haka porokere muturo kumutuya ghodirundu pepi nomavuyi. Thidongi tharotire eshi nyokwatho ne kuna kukorwa noghamwithire. no apa tha pindukire…

High up amongst the clouds they fell asleep. Donkey dreamed that his mother was sick and calling to him. And when he woke up…

Pa muulu mu makumbi basendama. Punda aalotele ukuti banyina nabalwala kabili balemwita. Ilyo abukile…


… mavuyi gha dhongonokire pofotji namushere wendi, katughuru ghomukurupe.

… the clouds had disappeared along with his friend, the old man.

… asangile amakumbi nayaluba pamo no munankwe, shikulu- bantu.


Kughuhura thidongi tha dimukire eshi yipi sho thi tende.

Donkey finally knew what to do.

Panuma Punda alishibe ifyakucita.


Thidongi thaka wanine nyokwatho, pithendi nokuna kudira ghuthiyana ghokuyongaritha mwanendi. Ha tangire kukununguruka rure. Munyimadhopo ghoha kundhondhere.

Donkey found his mother, alone and mourning her lost child. They stared at each other for a long time. And then hugged each other very hard.

Punda aasangile banyina, beka baleeloosha umwana uwalubile. Baliloleshanya akashita akatali. Elyo bakumbatana saana.


Dongighana nanyina hakurire pofotji nohawanine mandhira ghomengi ghoruparitho. Kate kandhi- kate kandhi, hakama paraghumbo ghamwe nawo ha tangire kutunga.

The donkey child and his mother have grown together and found many ways of living side by side. Slowly, all around them, other families have started to settle.

Umwana Punda na banyina balikulila pamo elyo kabili balisanga inshila ishingi ishakwikalilamo bwino pamo. Panoono-panoono, bonse ababashinguluka, na balupwa balitampa ukwikala bwino.


Written by: Lindiwe Matshikiza
Illustrated by: Meghan Judge
Translated by: Maria M Dikuua
Language: Mbukushu
Level: Level 3
Source: Donkey Child from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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