Written by: Dr. Naomi Kipuri  (For English translation see her great book: Oral Literature of the Maasai)

Netii apa, nepuo ilmurran enjore, nedung’o olmurrani enamuke nejo: “Lomurran entaanyuaki.” Nejoki ilkulikae: “Nchoo kianyu olesiadi.” Naa kejoki ake ilkulikae metaanyu nejokini: “Nchoo kianyu olesiadi.” Neikoni neijia o metabau olesiadi. Nejoki olikae: “Lomurrani taanyuaki.” Nejoki olikae “Inepu iyiook amu kapik embeneyio enkoitoi nikiima teneoro nkoitoi.” Nejoki olikae, “Ayia.”

Nelo ake oladuo murrani le siadi ore ake peyie eoro nkoitoi nedung’u embeneyio nepik enkoitoi naima. Nepuo ninche. Nelotu ake osiwuo sapuk teina kata neya embeneyio ae oitoi. Ore peyie ebau oladuo murrani otudung’e enamuke neinepu embeneyio, neibung’ ina oitoi ajo ainepu ilkulikae.

Nelo ake, nelo o meshomo ainepu olapa edaa. Negira aing’or. Nejoki olapa: “Lomurrani, kaji ing’uaa naa kaji ilo tene?” Nejoki olmurrani: “Ang’ aing’uaa naa enjore kipuo paa kaing’ataitie duo ilmurran aitobirita enamuke natudung’e.” Nejoki olapa; “Amaa iyie tenikidol ijo kaji aikununo?” Nejoki olmurrani: “Meeta, ira ake sidai.” Nejoki olapa: “Shomo taa mbung’a ena oitoi naa teninepu entoki ninepua mijoki ake eneikununo, tiaaki ake kaisidai, nimiya toki tenitum, naa tenikinkilikuani tenaa kentoki sidai iyieu tenaa kentorrono, nijo entorrono.” Nejoki olmurrani, ayia, nelo.

Nelo ake olmurrani neinepu olkeju lenkare oruko. Nejo alang’ nejoki olkeju, “Lomurrani tookoki peyie kitum atalang’a.” Nejoki olmurrani: “Ntasho maatang’asa alang’ peyie aalo aok telido kekun.” Nelang’ ake nelo. Neitoki atum olkeju le kule. Ore enoshi kata ejo aitadoiki enkeju peyie elang’ nejoki olkeju enetiaaka oladuo lenkare. Neitoki ake olmurrani ajoki enatiaka oladuo keju. Ore ake peyie eidip atalang’a nelotie. Ore peyie eitoki atum olkeju lo sarge nejoki metooko, neitoki olmurrani aiko eneikuna ilkulikae, nelang’ ilkejek pokira okuni eitu eok.

Nelo ake olmurrani neitoki atum ilalema aare ooii ate. Nejoki ilalema: “Lomurrani iiyio iyiook peyie iya olopi.” Nejoki olmurrani: “Ntasho matabai ende peyie alotu aii ntae.” Negiroo ake olmurrani ilalema nelo.

Neitoki ake olmurrani alo o menoto ironkena sidan naayier ate. Nejoki ironkena olmurrani: “Lomurrani (tukurto) teyiara iyiook peyie iya enao.” Nelej ake olmurrani neing’uaa.

Nelo olmurrani neitoki ainepu ntoluo naara. Nejoki ntoluo olmurrani: “Lomurrani tirisha iyiook peyie iya nabo ayaki ng’utunyi meiperrie ilkeek.” Nejoki olmurrani: “Ntasho taa penyo maeu.” Nelotie. Nelo taa ake olmurrani naa ketum ake ae toki nelej, negiroo eitu eitaas ae. Netum ae nelej, neing’ua. Neing’uaa pooki toki.

Ore ade neitoki atum oltung’ani otii nkishu Enkai. Neeta ele tung’ani ilukuny are, neeta nkishu ilkidong’o maare. Neirorokino ake nejoki olpayian olmurrani: “Amaa iyie tenikidol ijo kaji aikununo?” Neing’or ake olmurrani nejoki: “Meeta, itiu ake anaa iltung’ana pooki.” Neitoki olpayian ajoki: “Naa kaji eikununo kuna kishu?” Nejoki olmurrani, “Etiu ake anaa nkishu pooki.” Neutaa ake olpayian olmurrrani, neoro.

Nelo ake olmurrani ore peyie ejo abaiki enkang’ Enkai neing’ataa enkang’. Nelo maakutiti o menyaaki abaiki. Nejo tijing’a aji neing’ataa enkaji. Neitoki alo o meinepu. Nejo atonie olorika neing’ataa sii ilo. Nesuj o meinepu. Netonie. Netii duo entasat Enkai ena aji. Neirorokino ake, nenya ilomon, nejoki entasat olmurrani: “Ke kule naarropil iyieu tenaa inaaisamis?” Nejoki olmurrani: “Kaji aiko kule naarropil etii inaaisamis!” Neisho entasat inaarropil. Netoni ake ore tara neitoki entasat ajoki olmurrani: “Ke kule naaoto iyieu tenaa inaairowua?” Nejoki olmurrani: “Inaairowua.” Neishori inaaoto. Ore peyie eaku enoshi kata nadung’o nkejek olorere nejoki entasat olmurrani: “Ke erruat nakurro iyieu tenaa enemekurro?” Nejoki olmurrani: “Enemekurro.” Neishori enakurro. Nepuoi aairura.

Ore tolakira nelotu entasat ajoki olmurrani: “Totona taa tiaji naa tenining’ entoki naikurrukurr miro ake nimimpang’.” Neitirring’a olmurrani tiatua aji. Ore tenkiti kata nening’ eikurrukur o metaa keikirikira enkaji. Neitirring’a. O metaa ade nelotu entasat ajoki meipang’a. Ore peyie eipang’ neinepu olaram loonkishu o ntare o sirkon. Nejoki entasat: “Ininono taa kuna masaa pooki, terewa nilo sere.” Nereu olmurrani nkishu aimie ae oitoi neme enapa naimua nelo enkop enye.

Ore peyie eeku kebaiki ang’ neduari enterit. Etaanyutua taa apa ilkulie murran nelau nejo ebaiki neinosa ng’wesi. Neishir enkang’ enye o metigirata. Nebau entoros ereuta nkishu nemeba toki. Neikilikuani enenotie nkishu neinosaki ilkulikae pooki toki. Eshomo taa apa ilapa murran nepuo aalau nkishu.

Neinining’isho ake olmurrani ong’arie kina olikae nejo kedumunye sii ninye alo enkop Enkai peyie epuoi aaisho nkishu. Nejoki olalashe: “Milo amu mindim ataasa inataasa nanu.” Nejoki: “Meeta duo nchere keitu alo.”

Nedumunye, neilo, nelo neim enkoitoi natuutaka olalashe o meshomo ainepu olapa edaa. Neikilikuanishore olapa anaa apa olalashe. Nejoki: “Kaji aikununo?” Nejoki olmurrani: “Eitu aikata nanu adol entoki niji iyie.” Neitanap olapa anaa enapa naitanapa olalashe, neutaa aliki eneim. Nelo.

Ore ake peyie einepu olkeju lenkare nejoki olkeju metooko eton eitu eitu elang’. Negil kung’ aok. Ore peyie eidip nelang’. Neok sii olekule o olosarge, nelang’ pooki eidipa atooko. Neinepu ilalema ooii ate, ore peyie ejoki meeiyio peya olopi, neii neya olopi. Neinepu ironkena, nekurt neyer emoti nenya inaaoto. Neinepu ntoluo naara, nerish neya nabo, anaa anatiaakitia ntoluo. Nias pooki neitu eas olikae.

Ore peyie einepu olpayian oota ilukuny are otii nkishu naata ilkidong’o maare neirorie ake olapyian nejoki: “Ijo iyie kaji aikununo?” Nejoki: “Iyata ilukuny are.” Neitoki olpayian ajoki: “Kaji eikununo kuna kishu?” Nejoki: “Eeta pooki ilkidong’o maare.” Neutaa olpayian olmurrani aliki enetii enkang’ Enkai, nerrinyo airrita nkishu.

Nelo ake olmurrani ore etaa keim kishomi neing’ataa enkang’. Nenang’ torinka. Neitashe enkang’. Ore peyie ejo ajing’ enkaji neigut enkaji neosh torinka, neitashe enkaji. Nejo aton tolorika neing’ataa neosh torinka neiper, neton te nkop.

Ore peyie ekilikuan entasat tenaa ke kule naairowua eyieu tenaa ke naaisomis nejo: “Kaji aiko kule naaisomis etii inaairowua!” Neishori inaaisamis. Ore tara nejo meyieu inaairowua inaaoto eyieu, neishori inaairowua. Nejo erruat nakurro eyieu neishori enatii nkuruon. Neishori pooki toki torrono teneomonu esidai.

Ore tolakira nelotu entasat ajoki peyie eitirring’a nemeiro, nemeipang’ tenening’ enkikurrukur. Neisho ake peyie eiteru aikurrukur neitiamu, neipang’ alo aing’uraa entoki naikurrukur. Nejoki entasat metorrinyoyu aji. Neton ake ore peyie eitoki aikurrukur neilo, neipang’ boo. O metiaki ade entasat, “Shomo iyie amu miyieu imasaa.” Nerrinyo enkop enye toonkaik naarook enapita entolu, olalem, onkulie areta. Neishunye.