Nuer – Nhiär (The turtle)

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)

Nhiär ɛ ley mi cieŋ rɛy yieer. Kä kɛ tha̠a̠ŋ gua̠thni bɛ raar bä. Jɛn cetɛkɛ kuɛ̈t duŋdɛ ɣöö lenyɛ kuɛ̈t kɛ dit. Jɛn bä ɛ kar kɛl kä thok duel cieŋ guɛt tin tɔ nyaŋ, gany, ker-ker, rik-rik kɛ kuɛt bä. Kɛ cäŋ kɛl tɛ kɛ mieth mi ca rialikä ni nhiaal (puɔ̠rä). Kä caa diit diaal cɔal thin. Kä nhiär nhɔkɛ mie̠th ɛlɔ̠ŋ. Go̠o̠rɛ wä thin, riɛkdɛ ɛ jɛn ɣöö thilɛ gɔ̠k ti pär kɛ jɛ mi wä cäŋ ɛmɔ cop. Mëë cɛ guic inɛ, cuɛ duɔl kɛ diit diaal, kä jio̠kɛ kɛ i gaat maar, ɣän göörä wä gua̠th in ca yɛ cɔal thi̠n. Kä thil ɣä gɔ̠k ti bi cop kɛ ɣä. Mi luotɛ rɔ, bi dit ɔ ɣä moc kɛ jua̠t kɛl. Kä cukɛ mat, cuɔ moc juät. Cuɛ rɔ ɣɔ̠n i bɛ päär. Cu gɔaa. Cuɔ jiök i mi wɛɛ ji däk ba ji lɛ wä luäk kɛ naŋ nhial. Mëë ci cäŋ jiɛnä cop, cukɛ päär wäkɛ nhial. Min cɛ nhiär wä däk nhial, cu thaaŋ din ɛ käp ama̠ni ɣöö cikɛ cop nhial. Cukɛ nyuur. Kɛ gua̠th mi tɔt, cu läät warɛgak nööŋ kɛ ɣöö ba ciööt diin diaal gɔ̠a̠r piny kä ba pekdiɛn ŋa̠c. Bi dit ɔ ciötdɛ gɔ̠r kä kɛn diaal amäni mëë cɛ cop kä nhiär. Cuɛ ciötdɛ gɔ̠r i yɛn-diaal. Kɛ kɔɔrɛ cuɔ mieth in ca rialikä nööŋ nhiamdiɛn. Cu nhiär diit thiec i yɛn ɛ ŋu /cia miethdun cɔl ɔ? Cu diit wee i /ka̠ mie̠th ɛmɛ ɛ duŋ ŋa? Cuɛ wee i ɛ duŋdä. Cu diit läät thiec kä cu läät ɛ luoc i ɛ mie̠th kä yɛn diaal. Kä cu nhiär wee i cia liŋ? Ɛ mie̠thdä. Cu nhiär mith kɛ ri̠ŋ, liinyɛ gɔckiɛn. Mëë cɛ thuɔ̠k, cu diit tin ci duɔth kä jɛ cam kɛ ŋɛ̈ɛ̈ny. Mëë cikɛ thuɔ̠k kɛ mieth bi dit ɔ jiɛn bi jua̠tdɛ naŋ puɔ̠nydɛ amäni min cɛ duɔth lɔrä. Cu diit päär lunykɛ piny kä ci nhiär duɔth kä rɔa kɛnɛ jakɔ̠k. Cuɛ jakɔ̠k jiök i bi ciekdä wä la̠r ɣöö a jɛ rial gua̠th ikä kɛ kuicdä. A jɛ duol bieyni tin kɔc kɔac där döör. Cu jakɔk ɛ luoc i bä jɛ wä lar jɛ. Kä jiäk lɔcdɛ kɛ nhiär. Mëë cɛ cop cieŋ nhiär, cuɛ ciek wä lar ruac mi dɔŋ. Wee i riali yiethni ikä kä bi kɛ car däär döör. Iruun bi nhiär ben. Mëë ruɔ̠n cu nhiär rɔ yuɔr piny. Cuɛ pɛn piny wic yieethni. Kä cuɛ jɔkdɛ to̠l a cuɛ rɔ rɛt ni däär. Cu ciekdɛ läät wä nööŋ. Cuɛ jɔkdɛ ben kɔc. Ɛ jɛn la nɛn kɔn nhiär te jɔkdɛ kɛ tɛt amäni tämɛ kɛ köc tee ca kɔc ni jɛ.

Nuer – Nhiär (The turtle)

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