Nuer – Wadhaw (A man called Wadhaw)

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)

Mëëdan tɛɛ kɛ wut mi cɔali Wadhaw tɛɛ cieŋdɛ. Kɛ ruɔ̠n kɛl ci ɣɔw te kɛ buɔth mi di̠i̠t ɛlɔ̠ŋ rɛy rööl ɛmɔ.

Cam naath ni pa̠a̠m. A ci tha̠a̠ŋ naath wä ni röli ti kɔkiɛn. Ci tha̠a̠ŋdiɛn wä dep rɛc yier. Kɛ där ma̠c mi

di̠i̠t tee ɣɔw kɛ rɛw mi näk naath amäni ley. Kɛ cäŋ kɛl cu kɛ̈w wä rɛy luaak kɛ wäär. Mëë ci ɣɔw baak,

cu Wadhaw kɛ̈w jek rɛy luaakdɛ. Cu lɔcdɛ tɛɛth ɛlɔ̠ŋ kɛ ɣöö cɛ tee kɛ ŋ

ɔ̠ɔ̠ŋ (gi̠i̠r). Cuɛ wee i cɛ gɔaa bɛɛ ku näk, kä /cä ko̠lɛ bi lɛ yiɛth, kɛ ɣöö

bɛ la tɔ̠ɔ̠cɛ kɛ ɣä. Cuɛ luakdɛ gäk, cuɛ mutdɛ ka̠n, wɛɛ kɛ̈w ŋot. Cukɛ

luak wil kɛ wuɔ̠r. Mëë cikɛ jääny cu kɛ̈w rɔ jek gua̠th, cuɛ rɔ bar raar.

Cu Wadhaw we̠e̠ i thilɛ mi bä lɛ nyɔk kɛ ŋa̠th, bä duɔ̠r liak ni cɛ muam

(cam). Ɛ jɛn la naath a wee i ɛ Wadhaw i bä liak ni cɛ muam, kɛ ɣöö cɛ ŋäth ni mi /kenɛ cam.

Nuer – Wadhaw (A man called Wadhaw)

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