Eli esanseko kwa varekere moyiruwo yanare ayo yikorama novantu kuna tungu kumwe. Ruveze rwina vantu kapi va kere nounankondo womundiro. Ngava li nondya dawo ado nombihu. Nyime gelike ga kere nononkondo domundiro.
This story starts in the old times when animals and people lived together. In those days people did not have the right to fire. They ate their food raw. Only Lion had the power of fire.
Vantu noyikorama yipo va wizire kumwe va ture po egano. “Yinke natu vhura kurugana yipo tu gwane mundiro ogu guna kara kwanyime yipo tu terekese ko nondya.” Yimo va pulire. Tava tokora kundindira dogoro ngurova yipo va varekere kudimba nokudimba, kusakerera nokusakerera tava lizigida navenye va ya ponge. ” Wizeni mu ya dane nose. Wizeni mu ya dane nose. Wzeni mu ya dane nose.”
The people and the animals came together to make a plan. “What can we do to get the fire from Lion so that we can cook our food?” they asked.
They decided to wait until evening and started singing and singing, clapping and clapping, calling everyone together.
“Come dance with us.
Come dance with us.
Come dance with us.”
Yikorama yoyinzi tayi tundu moyihwa yi ya lipakerere moku dana nokudimba. Nyime ta reta yiuro yendi yomundiro. Ta digi oku ta digi. Mokaruwogona kamusi taka tameke kututumuka konhi zoyiuro. Nyime ta fuda komusi nokutura ko yiwayi yimwe yoyikukutu. Kamundirogona taka moneka, makura nkenye gumwe ta reta sitare. Konyima zokaruwogona navenye tava likundurukida komundiro va dane.
Many animals came from the bush to join in the dancing and singing. Lion brought his fire sticks. He rubbed the sticks, rubbed and rubbed. Soon a little smoke appeared beneath the sticks. Lion blew on the smoke and added some dry grass.
A little flame appeared and everyone brought a piece of wood. Soon everyone was dancing around a fire.
Ndimba kwa kere noyineya age hena sikorama sokugenderera. Vantu tava mu tantere, “Siruwo esi tuna kudimba apa nyime age kuna kudana nose, ove gusa yiuro yendi yomundiro makura o duke.” Ndimba nage sili ta nyangura yiuro yanyime yomundiro ta duka. Kapi ga yi sikisire mo, morwa nyime ga mu kwete makura ta ka tengwida mundiro.
Rabbit was a cunning and fast animal. The people said to him, “While we are singing here and while Lion is dancing with us, you must take his fire sticks and run.”
So Rabbit grabbed Lion’s fire sticks and ran. He did not make it because Lion caught up with him and brought the fire sticks back.
Nyime kwa dimbire rusumo rokulikanganga. “Kwange ame kwato sikwafa. Ame kutupu udigu. Kuvhura ni ku lye nonohuki, kuvhura ni ku lye wa ha na nohuki. Kapi na kara noudigu. One namuvenye nondya dange.
The lion sang a boastful song:
“To me it does not matter.
I don’t have a problem.
I can eat you with hair,
I can eat you without hair.
I don’t have a problem.
All of you are food to me.”
Mbambi kuvhura ku duka nokuvatuka unene. Vantu tava zi va mu tantere asi, “Siruwo esi nyime ana ku dana noku dimba kumwe nose, wa kona kunyangura yiuro yendi yomundiro makura o duke.”
Springbok could run and jump very fast. The people said to him, “While Lion is dancing and singing here with us, you must grab his fire sticks and run.”
Apa va dene nokudimba, Mbambi ta nyangura yiuro yomundiro, makura ta nyorauka a ka hwilire mepya. Nye nyime ta uyunga asi, “Morwasinke nina kupira kuzuvha putuku- putuku zomakondo gaMbambi monyima zange?”
When they were dancing and singing, Springbok grabbed the fire sticks and jumped away into the veld. But Lion said, “Why do I not hear the clippety-clop clippety-clop of Springbok’s hooves behind me?”
Nyime ta setuka ta mono Mbambi kuna ku ka dukira mepya noyiuro yendi yomundiro. Simpe hena, Nyime ta dimbi rusumo rwendi roku li kanganga.
Lion turned and saw Springbok running into the veld with his fire sticks. So he ran after Springbok, caught him and came back with his fire sticks.
Again, Lion sang his boastful song.
Kutunda opo vantu tava liwowotere asi, tava uyunga asi, “Tu pureni Mpunza age mununu ntani kugenderera. “Mpunza” Tava uyunga, “Siruwo esi ana kudana nokudimba Nyime kumwe nose, wa kona kunyangura yiuro yendi yomundiro makura o duke o ze.”
Then the people whispered to each other. They said, “Let us ask Duiker. He is small and very fast.” “Duiker,” they said, “while Lion is dancing and singing here with us, you must grab his fire sticks and run away.”
Apa va dene kulikunduruka mundiro, Mpunza ta nyangura yiuro yanyime yomundiro noku dukira mepya. Nye Nyime ta tanta asi, “Yisinke nina ku dira kuzuvha Mpunza ana kugona nokugonagera konyima zange ngwendi muhowo?” Ta piruka ta ka tjida monyima zaMpunza gomununu ogu ga ka pundaukilire mepya. Nyime ta ka mu kwata ta ka tengura komundiro noyiuro yendi.
When they were dancing around the fire, Duiker grabbed Lion’s fire sticks and ran into the veld. But Lion said, “Why do I not hear Duiker snort-snorting behind me as before?”
He turned around and chased after little Duiker who was leaping into the veld. Lion caught up with him and returned to the fire with his sticks.
Ngosikwawo hena Nyime ta dimbi rusumo rwendi romalikangango. “Kwange kwato sinka. Kapi nina kara noudigu. Kuvhura ni ku lye nonohuki. Kuvhura ni ku lye wa ha na nohuki. Kapi na kara noudigu. One namuvenye nondya dange.”
Again, Lion sang his boastful song.
“To me it does not matter.
I don’t have a problem.
I can eat you with hair,
I can eat you without hair.
I don’t have a problem.
All of you are food to me.”
“Oh,” Tava ka gu reta mo vantu, “Sikorama musinke nasi tu vatera ngesi? Mpo yizo za kara nomaguru gomare kwa navenye, tu mu pureni.” Ta va fwatwilire Mpo egano, makura posiruwo esi ta nyangura yiuro yaNyime yomundiro.
“Oh,” sighed the people, “Which animal can help us now? Ostrich has the longest legs of all, let us ask him.” They explained the plan to Ostrich and he grabbed Lion’s fire sticks this time.
Nyime ta uyunga asi, “Morwasinke nina kupira kuzuvha ezwi lyoMpo lyokuzigira monyima zange hena?” ta tara-tara, ta mono Mpo makura ta mu tjida.
Lion said, “Why do I not hear Ostrich’s high singing voice behind me anymore?” He looked around, saw Ostrich and chased after him.
Konyima zosiruwo sosire, Nyime ta ka tengura nosipara seroroko, morwa Mpo kwa dukire unene kupita age. “Kutunda ezuva lyanaina,” yimo ga uyungire, “Kapi ngani siga nkenye gumwe gweni, ngani ku tjida ni ka ku lye po!” Ngesi yimo ga genda Nyime a kare nkore zankenye gumwe ntani vantu nawo yimo va gwene nonkondo domundiro.
After a long time, Lion returned with a tired face, for Ostrich ran too fast for him. “From this day on,” he said, “I will not leave any of you alone. I will hunt you and chase you and eat you!”
And this is how Lion came to be everyone’s enemy and how people got the power of fire.
Traditional San story
Manyeka Arts Trust
Alex Kasona
Rukwangali
Level 4
