Nuer – Guak kɛnɛ Yak kɛ tuaar (The fox, the hyena and the honey)

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)

Ni ciaŋ guak la göör kɛ jɛ ɛ yak kɛ ɣöö bɛ jɛ cam, kɛ ɣöö ci guak ɛ kɔŋ mɛt. Mëë cikɛ röm kɛnɛ guak cuɛ jɛ jiök i bi cam. Cu guak ɛ läŋ, jiökɛ jɛ i /cu ɣä cam nääran, ban wä cäŋ tɛ kɛ mi bi wä met. Cukɛ ben cäŋ, cuɛ yak moc tuar, cu yak ɛ jek i liimɛ. Cuɛ wee i jeki jɛ ni kä gat nyimaar?

Cuɛ guak ɛ loc i mi wa̠ jɛ nyuoth ji bi ɣä cam. Cu yak ɛ jiök i /cä ji bi cam. Cukɛ wä. Min cikɛ cop gua̠th tuar, cuɛ jɛ jiök i bi yiɛn kä jiath ɛmɛ, kɛ kɔrɛ mi wä ram mi te kɛ tuac mi lual ben bi jɛ cɔl, bɛ jɛ ben luony. Cu guak ɛ yiɛn kä jiath. Cuɛ jɛ jiök i bi jɛ ku tɔ̠ɔ̠ŋ kɛ taŋ. Cu yak ɛ tɔ̠ŋ. Cuɔ yak cam ɛ tuar ɛlɔ̠ŋ. Cuɛ wiee kɛ wiee mi di̠i̠t. Kɛ kɔrɛ, cu guak ben kɛ duɔp ɛmɔ a cɛ rɔ moc kɛ tuac mi lual. Cu yak ɛ cɔl i ber luäk ɣä, ɣöö wut ɛ tuac lual ɛ. Cu guak ben cuɛ yak ben luäk kä tuar, a cɛ cuuc ɛlɔ̠ŋ kɛ tuar.

Min ci yak ben piny wic jiath, cu guak rɔ bar.

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