Likande le likala kakuzwelela mwalinako zakale lifolofolo ni batu hane lipila hamoho. Mwamazazi awo batu nebasina tukelo yamulilo mi kacwalo nebaca lico zesika buzwa. Mulilo ne ufumanwa feela ku Tau.
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.
Batu ba kopana ni lifolofolo kuba ni mulelo. “Luka eza sikamañi ku tau kuli lufumane mulilo luapehe lico zaluna?” Kiha babuza hane bakopani? Balitela kufitela manzibwana mi bakala kuopela, kukamba ni kubizana. “Taha ubapale ni luna. Taha ubapale ni luna. Taha ubapale ni luna.”
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.”
Lifolofolo zeñata zazwa mwamushitu nikuto kena mwakubina. Tau atisa tukota twahae twa mulilo. Acakula ni kucakula hape, hakusikalyeha musi wakala kubonahala kwatukota. Tau a fuzela fa musi ni kubeya fateni bucwañi bobuomile. Kalilonyana katobonahala kuli mane yomuñwi ni yomuñwi atisa kota. Kasamulaho kaufela bona bakala kubina inge bapotoloha mulilo.
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.
Shakame natalifile ni bunyamenyame. Batu nebali kuyena, “halunze luopela kwanu mi Tau inge abina niluna, wena unge tukota twahae twamulilo ni kumata.” Kacwalo Shakame anga tukota twaTau twamulilo ni kumata. Nasika ya kwahule kakuli Tau namulelekisize ni kumuswala. Tau a kutisa tukota twahae twa mulilo.
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.
Tau a kala kuopela pina ya kuitumba: “Kuna hakubilaezi. Hanina butata. Nikona ku kuca ni milili, ni kona ku kuca kusina milili. Hanina butata. Mina kamukana mulico zeni kona kuca.”
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.”
Folofolo yebibwa sipuliñiboki ne ikona kumata ni kutula kabubebe. Batu bali kuyona, “Tau ha inze ibapala ni kuopela ni luna fa, Ulukela kunga tukota twahae twamulilo ni kumata.”
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.”
Hane babapala cwalo ni kuopela, Sipuliñiboki a swala tukota twamulilo ni kutulela mwasibaka sa bucwani. Tau ali, “Kiñi hanisika utwa misindo ya litaku za Sipuliñiboki kwamulaho waka?”
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?”
Tau a temuna ni kubona Sipuliñiboki hana matela mwabucwañi ni tukota twahae twamulilo. Ki ha imata mwamulaho wa Sipuliñiboki, yamuswala kunga tukota twamulilo ni kukuta ni tona. Hape tau yazwelapili kuopela lipina za kuitumba.
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.
Batu kiha bakala kuishobotela. Bali, “lubuze Puti Kiyo munyinyani kono umata kakuitahanela.” Bali ku Puti, “Tau ha ibina ni kuopela ni luna, wena Puti ulukela kunga tukota twahae twamulilo ni kumata.”
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.”
Hane babapala inge bapotoloha mulilo, Puti aswala tukota twamulilo twaTau ni kumatela mwabucwañi. Kono tau ali, “Kiñi hanisikautwa Puti kubuyela kamuhono sina sapili?” Tau a fetuha ni kulelekisa Puti yana matela mwabucwañi. Tau ya mata kuyo muswala ni kukutisa tukota twamulilo.
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.
Tau hape a opela pina yahae ya kuitumbaeta. Kuna ha kuna sesibilaeza. Hanina butata bobukana. Nikona kumica inge muna ni milili kapa mane ni hamusina. Kaufela mina mufetuha kuba sico saka.
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.”
“Oo!” kwa komoka batu, ki folofolo mañi yekona kulutusa mwanako yacwale? Mpyee ina ni mautu a matelele hahulu, lukupe tuso kuyena. Batolokela Mpyee mulelo wa bona miya yonga tukota twamulilo tonetuli twaTau.
“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.
Tau ali, “Ki kabakalañi hanisikautwa Mpyee ha opela kamuhuwo mwamulaho waka?” Aitemuna ni kubona Mpyee mi ailelekisa mwamulaho.
Lion said, “Why do I not hear Ostrich’s high singing voice behind me anymore?” He looked around, saw Ostrich and chased after him.
Kasamulaho a nako yetelele, Tau ya kuta kakubonahala kukatala fasifateho, kakuli Mpyee ne imata kabubebe kufita Tau. “Kuzwa lizazi leo” yali: “Hakuna yenikasiya kumina hape anosi. Nika mizuma, kumilelekisa ni kumica!” Ki kamokutezi kuli Tau ibe sila ku mañi ni mañi ni kamo batu bafumanezi mulilo.
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.
