Nuer – Nyakuoth-Gɛɛr kɛnɛ Guɛk kɛ Jak-gɛ̈r-gɛ̈ɛ̈r (The hoopoe, the frog and the white stork)

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)

Nyakuoth-gɛɛr ɛ dit mi te kɛ maan rɛy din diaal. Kä jɛn luomkɛ jɛ ɛ guɛk kɛnɛ jak-gɛ̈r-gɛ̈ɛ̈r. Kä guɛk däkɛ jak-gɛ̈r-gɛ̈ɛ̈r, nhɔakɛ ni jɛ ɛ nyakuoth-gɛɛr. Mëë cɛ jak-gɛ̈r-gɛ̈ɛ̈r wicdɛ gäc, cuɛ guak cɔl. Mëë ci guak ben cuɛ jɛ jiök i ɣän cä cuuc kä nyakuoth-gɛɛr kɛnɛ guɛk, bä ŋu lɛl? Cu guak wee i jin bi jiɛn bi wäl wa̠ nööŋ ni kä caay (Ji Maba̠n). Biɛ nööŋ ɛn wälɛ mɔ, biɛ ben la̠th köl guɛ̈k. Ba cu käp ɛ tob. Cu jak-gɛ̈r-gɛ̈ɛ̈r ɛ liŋ. Cuɛ jiɛn wɛɛ wäl wä nööŋ. Mëë cɛ luny jɔk, cuɛ köl guɛ̈k moc wäl in cɛ nööŋ. Niɛ wanɔ cuɔ guɛk käp ɛ tob. Cuɛ puɔ̠nydɛ moc buɔ̠ɔ̠t kä mocɛ jɛ jiöny mi di̠i̠t. A ŋɔ̠a̠ŋ cuɛ nuän a cu wäŋkɛ tee ni raar. Mëë cɛ wicdɛ gäc cuɛ wä kä nyakuoth-gɛɛr, cuɛ jɛ la̠r min ci tuok kä jɛ. Cuɛ wee i ɣän bä rɔ woc bä wä yier. Cu nyakuoth-gɛɛr kuoth pal kɛ kuicdɛ. Jio̠kɛ jɛ i cu guɛk näk mi wɛ wä yier a jɛ la bee raar wic piini. Ɛ jɛn la nɛn kɔn guɛk bɛ wic piini kä bɛ luoc piny. Cu guɛk te rɛy yieer amäni wa̠lɛ a ci puɔ̠nydɛ la nyaŋ kɛ tob ee ci jɛ käp. Cu jak-gɛ̈r-gɛ̈ɛ̈r a luum nyakuoth-gɛɛr amäni wälɛ.

Nuer – Nyakuoth-Gɛɛr kɛnɛ Guɛk kɛ Jak-gɛ̈r-gɛ̈ɛ̈r (The hoopoe, the frog and the white stork)

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