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Abaana bepula
Children of wax
Les enfants de cire
Southern African Folktale
Wiehan de Jager
Agnes Chileshe Chibamba
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Patiile akantu, kwali ulupwa ulwaikeele mu mutende ne nsansa.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.
Tabatalile abalwa beka-beka. Baaleeyafwa abafyashi baabo pa ŋanda na mwibala.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Ils ne se disputaient jamais. Ils aidaient leurs parents à la maison et dans les champs.
Nomba tabaaleebasuminisha ukupalama ku mulilo.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.
Baaleebomba imilimo yabo yonse ubushiku. Pantu bapangilwe ne pula.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Ils devaient faire tout leur travail pendant la nuit. Puisqu’ils étaient faits de cire !
Nomba umo pa balumendo aaleefwaisha ukuya panse mu kasuba.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.
Ubushiku bumo icakufwaya ukuya pa kusuba cacilamo. Bandume yakwe baalimusokele…
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…
Nomba balicelelwe. Asunguluka mu kasuba kaakaba.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.
Abaana bepula baali no bulanda pa kumona uko ndume nabo aleesunguluka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.
Nomba baalyumfwene. Baapangile icuuni ukufuma kwipula ilyasungulwike.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Mais ils firent un plan. Ils façonnèrent le morceau de cire fondue en oiseau.
Baasendele ndume nabo bapangile mu cuuni pa muulu wa lupili ulutali.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.
Lilya akasuba katula, aalipupwike aya aleimba mu cengelo ca lucelo.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Et lorsque le soleil se leva, il s’envola vers la lumière du matin en chantant.
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Agnes Chileshe Chibamba
