Hapo zamani za kale, wasichana watatu walienda kukusanya kuni.
A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Kale saana, abakashana batatu baile mu kuteeba inkuni.
Ilikuwa ni siku yenye jua kali na wakaamua kwenda mtoni kuogelea. Wakaogelea huku wakicheza na kurushiana maji.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Ubo bushiku kwalikabile saana, efyo baile ku mumana mu koowa. Baaleyangala, baleesabaula ameenshi no koowa.
Ghafla waligundua kuwa muda umekwenda. Wakaharakisha kurudi nyumbani.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Basuka bamona ukuti bwaila. Baendeshe ukubwelela ku mushi.
Walipokuwa wanakaribia kufika nyumbani, Nozibele akajishika shingoni. Alikuwa amesahau shanga zake! “Tafadhali turudini!” aliwasihi rafiki zake. Lakini rafiki zake wakasema tumechelewa.
When they were nearly home,
Nozibele put her hand to her neck.
She had forgotten her necklace!
“Please come back with me!” she
begged her friends.
But her friends said it was too late.
Cilya bapalamina ku mushi, Nozibele aikete mu mukoshi. Asanga ukuti nalaba ubulungu bwamu mukoshi. Aapapeete abanankwe ati, “Napaapaata nshindikeniko!” Nomba abanankwe bamukanina abati naabwila.
Kwa hiyo Nozibele akarudi mwenyewe mtoni. Akapata shanga zake na akakimbia kurudi nyumbani. Lakini akapotea gizani.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
Nozibele epakubwekelamo ku mumana eka. Asanga ubulungu asenda atampa no kubwelela ku ŋanda. Nomba aaluba pantu kwalifiitile.
Kwa mbali akaona mwanga unatoka kwenye nyumba. Akakimbilia kwenye nyumba na kugonga mlango.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
Akatalamukila, aamwene ulubuto ulwalefuma mu kayanda. Aendesha ukuyako no kuya konkonsha pa ciibi.
Akastaajabu kumwona mbwa akifungua mlango na akasema, “Unataka nini?” “Nimepotea na ninatafuta sehemu ya kulala,” akasema Nozibele. “Ingia ndani, la sivyo nitakung’ata!” mbwa akamwambia. Nozibele akaingia ndani.
To her surprise, a dog opened the
door and said, “What do you want?”
“I’m lost and I need a place to
sleep,” said Nozibele.
“Come in, or I’ll bite you!” said the
dog.
So Nozibele went in.
Nozibele camupapwishe nganshi pa kumona Imbwa eyaisula iciibi no kumwipusha aiti, “Finshi ulefwaya?” Nozibele nao ati, “Ninduba, ndefwaya apo ningasendama.” Imbwa aiti, “Ingila nga teifyo naalakusuma!” Nozibele epakwingila.
Then the dog said, “Cook for me!”
“But I’ve never cooked for a dog
before,” she answered.
“Cook, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog.
So Nozibele cooked some food for
the dog.
Then the dog said, “Make the bed
for me!”
Nozibele answered, “I’ve never
made a bed for a dog.”
“Make the bed, or I’ll bite you!” the
dog said.
So Nozibele made the bed.
Akawa kila siku anampikia, anamfulia na kumfagilia mbwa. Siku moja mbwa akasema, “Nozibele, leo naenda kuwatembelea rafiki zangu. Fagia nyumba, pika chakula na osha vitu vyangu kabla sijarudi.”
Every day she had to cook and
sweep and wash for the dog.
Then one day the dog said,
“Nozibele, today I have to visit
some friends. Sweep the house,
cook the food and wash my things
before I come back.”
Cila bushiku aaleipikila Imbwa no kuiwashisha. Ubushiku bumo Imbwa aiti, “Nozibele, leelo mfwile ukutandalila abanandi. Upyange iŋanda, wipike ifyakulya, no kuwasha ifyakufwala fyandi fyonse ilyo nshilabwela.”
Mara baada tu ya mbwa kuondoka, Nozibele akanyofoa nywele tatu kutoka kwenye kichwa chake. Akaweka unywele mmoja chini ya kitanda, mmoja nyuma ya mlango, na mwingine akauweka kwenye uzio wa nyumba. Halafu, akakimbia kuelekea nyumbani kwa nguvu zote.
As soon as the dog had gone,
Nozibele took three hairs from her
head.
She put one hair under the bed, one
behind the door, and one in the
kraal.
Then she ran home as fast as she
could.
Cilyafye Imbwa yaaya, Nozibele anukwile umushishi utatu mu mutwe. Abiika umushishi umo panshi ya busanshi, umbi kunuma ya ciibi elyo umbi mwitanga. Elyo abutuka na maka yonse ukuya ku ŋanda.
Mbwa aliporudi akaanza kumtafuta Nozibele. “Nozibele, uko wapi?” akapiga kelele. “Niko hapa, chini ya kitanda,” unywele wa kwanza ukajibu. “Nipo hapa nyuma ya mlango,” unywele wa pili ukajibu. “Niko hapa kwenye uzio,” unywele wa tatu ukajibu.
When the dog came back, he looked
for Nozibele.
“Nozibele, where are you?” he
shouted.
“I’m here, under the bed,” said the
first hair.
“I’m here, behind the door,” said the
second hair.
“I’m here, in the kraal,” said the
third hair.
Mbwa akagundua kuwa Nozibele amemkimbia. Kwa hiyo akakimbia kuelekea kijijini. Kaka zake Nozibele walikuwa wakimsubiri na fimbo. Mbwa alipowaona akageuka na kukimbia, na hajawahi kuonekana tena.
Then the dog knew that Nozibele
had tricked him.
So he ran and ran all the way to the
village.
But Nozibele’s brothers were
waiting there with big sticks.
The dog turned and ran away and
has never been seen since.
Imbwa yaishiba ukuti Nozibele naicenjesha naafyuka. Yaabutwike ulubilo ukuya ku mushi. Nomba bandume yakwa Nozibele baleilolela ne fimiti ifikulu. Efyo Imbwa yapilibwike no kubutuka kabili ukufuma apo tayatalile aimoneka na kabili.
