Nuer – Dhɔl Kɔtä (The boy of the tamarind tree)

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 run tëë ci wä, tɛ kɛ nyam mi cɔal i Nyagɔaa. Ɛ nyam mi gɔaa ɛlɔ̠ŋ rɛy nyieet diaal. Kɛ

cäŋ kɛl tɛ kɛ ruac mi cɛ la̠r ŋuɛ̈tni dhɔariɛn diaal. Cɛ wee i ram mi wa̠a̠ to̠k dɔl kɛ jɛ, ɛ jɛn

ram min bi ɣä kuɛn. Cukɛ ruac ɛmɔ mat kɛnɛ gua̠n. Kɛ runwaŋ ni ciaŋ bɛ wä nyuur thaar

kɔtä lipɛ ŋuɛ̈tni thin. Bi ram ɔ ben kä ŋuɛ̈tni kɛ ca̠a̠pkɛ, ŋotɛ thilɛ to̠k mi dɔɔlɛ, a ŋɔ̠a̠ŋ cɛ

ca̠a̠p ŋuɛ̈tni diaal thuk. Mëë wɛɛ te̠e̠ inɛ cɛ wic ŋuɛtni gäy. Cukɛ ruacdɛ päl. Kɛ cäŋ kɛl tɛ kɛ

dhɔl mi tɔt rɛy dhɔariɛn. Cuɛ gua̠n jiök i ɣän bä nyam ɛmɔ kuɛn. Cu gua̠n jiök i bi ɛ luäŋ i di

gatdä kɛ cɛ ca̠a̠p ŋuɛ̈tni diaal dhal? Cuɛ wee i bä ɛ ɣɔn. Kɛ runwaŋ cuɛ rɔ moc thacdɛ, cuɛ

wä kä nyal thaar jiaath in la nyuurɛ thin. Mëë cɛ cop cuɛ thacdɛ la̠th puɔ̠ny jiaath kä jio̠k ɛ

nyal i ber kap ɣä kɛ kɔat ɛmɛ bɛ naŋ dhɔra, a cɛ tetkɛ ka̠p puɔ̠ny jiaath. Mëë ci n

yal ɛ guic cuɛ to̠k dɔl kä larɛ jɛ i ɛ jin dhɔl mi gua̠n

kacä ɛn jiath ɛmɛ de kap ɛ raan? Cuɛ wä kä gua̠n,

laarɛ jɛ i ba ɣä kuɛn ɛ dhɔl ɛmɛ. Ɛn wanɔ cuɔ dhɔl ɛmɛ

cɔl i dhɔl kɔtä kɛ ɣöö ɛ jɛn i kapɛ kɔat kɛ kuiy ɛmɔ

/kenɛ kɔat naŋ cieeŋdiɛn duŋdɛ ɣöö cɛ nyal naŋ

cieŋdiɛn a la ciekdɛ.

Nuer – Dhɔl Kɔtä (The boy of the tamarind tree)

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