Play time: 02:48 minutes. Recorded in Shiru, Kenya, February 27, 2014.

Mukere Na Vaana Munane

Hellen Makungu

Nziza kuvola lugano kuli mukere yali na vana veve munane. Mukere yali na vana veve vakana munane na yali mukere mulunji, yalonga tsinyingu. Na lwa yalonga tsinyingu, yalonga tsisiongo munane. Ni yikaliza vakana veve na avavola ndenya mukana wosi kuva mugata dave. Ndenya vakana vanyala kuginga tsisiongo vatsya mu kedoho. Vavule kwatanya ku dave.

Mukana mulala niva akatanya ku isingo iyi ndakamushile wa gunani gulatsya ku mulya. Vakana yava vamanya vavugila ndyo. Vakana vamanya vatanga kutsya mu kedaho, mukele natuli ho, mulimi navo vatigala valomba tsigasi. Vatsya mu kedaho. Vwaduka ho mugamba mulala, mukana yamanya yatanya isiongo. Lwa yatanya isiongo eyo vakana vandi vamanya vammbolela ulinde mama yitsa ummbolle watanye isingo. Yagaya mama ambolele mundu ukatanya ku isiongo, alakamushila wa gunana kulatsye kumulya.

Ku yamanya na avola inze mwene ndatsya, ndatsya ni ndeveliza ningeda ku inzira mpaka lwa nduka. Mukana oyo yamanya natanga olugendo. Yagenda kunzira agenda vagana no gunani. Atanga rimba:

Mama yalonga tsinyingu munane na vakana munane

Na avola mundu ulyatanya kalala

Ndi mushila wa gunani natali gunani

Kandi navola ogunani, kandi ku ndole

Gunani yugu kuchiling'ana. Mukana oyo avita. Kandi agenda aduka havundu kandi vagana no gundi. Kandi atanga rimba:

Mama yalonga tsinyingu munane na vakana munane

Na avola mundu ulyatanya kalala

Ndi mushila wa gunani natali gunani

Kandi navola ogunani, kandi ku ndole

Gunani yogo guvita, mukana oyo agenda kandi aduka vagana no gundi. Kandi atanga rimba:

Mama yalonga tsinyingu munane na vakana munane

Na avola mundu ulyatanya kalala

Ndi mushila wa gunani natali gunani

Kandi navola ogunani, kandi ku ndole

Kandi mukana oyo agenda. Lwa yaduka hango handi, yingila ho nanyola gunani guveho. Natanga rimba:

Mama yalonga tsinyingu munane na vakana munane

Na avola mundu ulyatanya kalala

Ndi mushila wa gunani natali gunani

Kandi navola ogunani, kandi ku ndole

Gunani yogo gwamanya gugwa kuye, gumulya. Lugano lwange lufwee hawene yahoo.

A woman with eight girls

I am going to tell a story on how a woman had her eight children. A woman had her eight children and she was a potter. And as she was molding she made eight pots. She gathered her children together and told them that she does not want lazy people. I want my girls who can carry pots of water from the well. And they should not break any.

If any girl breaks a pot I will take her to the ogre to eat her. Those girls agreed. They could go to the well, when the mother was not there, and they remained home to make things as they go to the well. One day a girl broke one pot, when she broke it the other girls asked her to wait for their mother. And tell her that she has broken the pot. Mother told me that if one breaks a pot she will take her to the ogre to eat her.

So she told them that I would go. I will go as I consult until I reach there. That girl began the journey. She walked until she met an ogre and she began to sing:

Mother molded eight pots with her eight girls

And she said whoever breaks one

I will take her to the ogre to be eaten

I will tell the ogre, then I see

The ogre was silent, that girl passed. Again she walked and reached somewhere and met another ogre. Again she began to sing:

Mother molded eight pots with her eight girls

And she said whoever breaks one

I will take her to the ogre to be eaten

I will tell the ogre, then I see

The ogre passed, the girl walked and met another ogre and she began to sing:

Mother molded eight pots with her eight girls

And she said whoever breaks one

I will take her to the ogre to be eaten

I will tell the ogre, then I see

Then the girl went on. When she arrived at one home she entered and found one ogre and began to sing:

Mother molded eight pots with her eight girls

And she said whoever breaks one

I will take her to the ogre to be eaten

I will tell the ogre, then I see

The ogre grabbed her and ate her. My story ends there.