Nuer – Ɛ ŋu rec thilɛ lɛp (Why fish have no tongue)

Collected and written by Michael Thilyang Gatkek With special thanks to Fr Christian Carlassare and pastoral team of Holy Trinity Parish (Old Fangak) (for English translation see their great book: Nuer Folktales, Proverbs and Riddles)

Kɛ gua̠th ee ci wä rec tɛ kɛ lɛp, duŋdɛ ɣöö latɛ rieet ti jiäk kɛ jɛ. Kɛ cäŋ kɛl cuɛ ruac kɛ rɔw, cuɛ wee i rɔw, wumdu tɛ kɛ kuil ti di̠i̠t, tɛm ɛ. Cu rɔw gaak ɛlɔ̠ŋ, cuɛ wee i eey, gɔaa, wum ɛmɛ /ciɛ duŋdu, ɛ wumdä, /cä wumdä bi tɛm. Cu rɔw rec käp kä cuɛ jɛ duäc. Cu rec wiee. Min tɛɛ wi̠i̠kä cuɛ wee i rɔw kɛ kɔr nini da̠ŋ bärɔw bi liw. Kä cuɛ rɔ bar. Cu rɔw gua̠th mäthnikɛ jäl kä lärɛ jɛ kɛ, määthnikä ɣän wa̠a̠ lith ɛn tämɛ, ca lar ɛ rec, yɛn derɛ ɣä luäk? Cu mäthnikɛ ɛn rɔw wee i rec jiäkɛ, lɛpdɛ ŋuɛthɛ. Banɛ jɛ käm raar thokdɛ, kä inɔ bɛ ku thil lɛp, /cɛ naath bi nyɔk kɛ jio̠k i bia li̠w. Kɛ wäär cu rɔw kɛnɛ däkpiny waa rec wä go̠o̠r rɛy yieer. Cukɛ jɛ käp kä ka̠mkɛ lɛpdɛ raar. Kä cukɛ jɛ yuɔr rɛy yieer in di̠i̠t. Cu rec riŋ rɛy yieer, go̠o̠rɛ lɛpdɛ. Duŋdɛ ɣöö /kerɛ jɛ jek. Amäni tämɛ la go̠o̠rɛ lɛpdɛ ni ciaŋ mi cɛ bath. Jin lɛpdu jiäkɛ cetkɛ lɛp rec? Nini rɔ kɛ lɛpdu, /cu naath lar rie̠e̠t ti jiäk.

Nuer – Ɛ ŋu rec thilɛ lɛp (Why fish have no tongue)

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