ǀAmnǀui, ǃaohnǃang koh gea jan.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Siǃa koh ǀoa ǁ’an khoe. Te hui siǃa nǃauasi ko ǃaoh kota tzi.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Te siǃa koh ǃoa siǃa ǀ’aesi ǁ’a siǃa nǁau to’oma da’a.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Siǃa koh ǂ’aun du siǃa ǁkoa waqnsi ko gǀu. Khama siǃa koh du ǀxoa siǃa ǀ’aesi ko thobo!
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Te ǁ’a ǃarikxaomh sa ǁ’a ha nǀui koh kaice taqra ǀamtzi ku nǀanga.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
ǁ’ae nǀui okaa ǁ’a oosia sin ku u te ha ǃosin nǂai ǀxuri ha.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Te tia ǁ’ae ǂaun! Te ǀam kohre ha.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Thobo da’abiamh ǃka sih ǀoa nǀang ka siǃa se tca siǃa tshima o kohrea ǀam.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Xabe siǃa du ǂ’ang. Siǃa dua thoboa kohre ka ǀ’ae ko tzama.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Siǃa tani ua siǃa tshia toa o tzama ko nǃohmǃo.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Tca ǀam ku o gǀaia, ha koh nǃohm u te ge’ea nǃom ǁ’hasi.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Cwi Debe
Cwi Debe, Gǂkao J. B. Kxao, Kaqece Khallie N!ani, Kileni A. Fernando, Sylvia Fernandu, Tsemkxao Cwi
Ju|’hoansi
Level 2
