Collected by: Don Sybertz, Scanned by: Cephas Yao Agbemenu Edited by: Fr. Zakaria Kashinje OSA
With special thanks to Rev Joe Healey (African proverbs,Sayings and stories)
Nkima wa nsabhi umo akading’wa bhusatu, aho wabhona giki atupila bhusatu wenubho, akang’witana ng’wana wakwe nkima uyo wali umo duhu. Akantuula ha lwande lo bhulili ubho wali alalile unekela kayombele. Shiku jose nalikulomba ubhize nkima ntengeke, nane nakukulola nakugulanghana. Aha wamala kuyomba yeniyo akakundikija miso gakwe, ucha na kucha. Ujikwa mugati yi bhonde. Akana kenako kajaga bhuli lushiku kwibhonde kuli mayu wako na kulila no shiku jose. Niginigi uyo akigwa mihayo ya ng’wanina na ubhiza ntengeke kubhanhu bhose.
Uyise wakwe akantola nkima ungi, unkima mpya wali na bhana bhakima bhabhili. Nang’hwe akabhasola ha kaya yakwe bhali bhali bhasoga amahanga, hikala bhabhi mmoyo.
Ung’wana unuhi ng’wene aho lyashika ikanza lyajililo, aha bhamona duhu bhakayomba, akashinu aka nako kalihaya ki aha lugiko ulu. Ulu bhahaya kulya ungate bhandya kunkoya tame, jinjagi tame ijiliwa ja haliko, huna bhankunguja myenda yakwe imisoga bhanzwika isaninga lya mabhu. Bhansega no, bhanogeja haliko ukunu bhang’hadika kutumama milimo midito no. Nose akayumisha diyu makingilima litali ilimi lidinafuma lwande. Ulu wamisha wadaha minzi, wapemba moto, azuge na kufula.
Higulya ya genayo, bhaniki bhabhili bhene bhandya kung’wikolisha na kunuhya bhulinzila kunu bhalinseka. Ilimi ulu lililibhila nawe wanogaga, wali atina bhulili wa kulalila, na hangi walalaga mliko ha mabhu shiku jose. Waliwabhipa lubhubhu na mako. Na bhang’witanaga Kisonoko.
Sha lushiku lumo bhabha wakwe akahaya kuja mjini, akabhabhuja bhana bhanke, kinu iji bhalihaya akabhenhele. Wakwandya akayomba nene nalihaya ng’wenda nsoga gete. Wa kabhili akayomba ukanenhele lulu na lunasi. Hama lulu, bhabha umuja ng’wana wakwe uungi, nu bhebhe ulitogwa ki? Ng’wana ushosha, ntogwa bhabha, nene nalihaya unibhinzile ilitambi lya kwandya ili lilatule higulya ya ngofila yako hikanza ulishoka.
Huna bhabha wabho akaja kuboma, aho washika kwenuko, akangulila ng’wana wa kwandya myenda misoga. Uwakabhili lulu na lunasi. Na aha akabhiza alibhita ng’wilago hi kanza lya kushoka, katambi kamo ka mbalazi kakantula ha ngofila yakwe, ngofila yugwa. Akatambi kene kugwa aganchalila ng’waniki wakwe. Ng’wana akagasola akatambi, ukakahamba higulya ya jigila jang’wa nina. Akalila noyi ho, nose akatambi kupandika minzi ga jisoji jakwe. Huna kubhiza nti nsoga, bhuli lushiku akayuja ng’hangala idatu ahenaho aha nti kulila.
Hanuma jigazenga noni aha nti gwenuyo, ikabhiza ukuyomba na ng’wenuyo ung’wana akanang’hana shiku jose. Na kung’wenhela pye iji alijitogwa.
Ntemi wasi yeniyo wali na ng`wana ngosha watogagwa kutola. Kushika nose akita jigukulu na kubhabhilinga bhanhu bhose bhize hajigukulu. Kulwa giki ng’wana wakwe ize akomanye ng’wiye uyo aling’haya. Na bhoyi abhaniki bhabili bhali bhabhilingwa nabho, aho bhalihayauguja bhagang’witana uKisonoko bhung’wila bhebhe Jisonoko tusagulage nzwili jise, jibhegelejage ijilatu jise, dutungilage funga maziwa jise (shindilia), tudule kuja kujubhina hajigukulu ja ntemi.
Jisonoko akabheja kiti umo wawililagwa, aho wamala kwita yeniyo atiyumiligije akalila no kunguno nu wei watogagwa kuja. Na ng’halikijo akanomba nina anzunilije aje. Nina akayomba, bhebhe Kisonoko, bhebhe utina myenda ya kuzwala na hangi utamanile nulu hadoo ukubhina nang’ho ulitogwa kuja kumbina? Kisonoko wamanulomba, nina ung’wila, “Ulu ulitogwa kuja na hene nakwita nzugo gumo gwa bhunyenya na kukusanja sanja na mabhu, ulu udula kusolela bhunyenya wenubho kwikanza lya saa ibhili, ukuja kumbina haho na haho. Huna wita nzugo gwa bhunyenya mgati ya mabhu umayu ng’wenuyo.
Haho ung’wana akapela hanze bho nyango gwa numa ng’wilago ukalila.
Wangu wangu ng`wize bha ng’wihema mnambije ng’wana nuhi, Noni japi na ndilizu wangu wangu anguhagi ng ’wize, umo nulu pye bho kugunana nzugi wangu wangu solelagi solelagi.
Huna haho gwandya jiza noni jape ibhili jigagwa higulya yidilisha lya numba ya kuzugila. Aha numa jiza hangi ibhili, hanuma ya yeniyo dunoni tudododo twikalaga ng’wi hema tulila na kutulatula manana, jugwa hasi ha mabhu jandya kutumama nimo. Jusolela ubhunyenya juditila mugati yi bhakuli na kusaja mbu duhu. Nimo pye kwenuyo kugatumang’wa kwisa limo duhu, ni noni jenijo pye julala hidilisha. Nigini akalichala ilibhakuli kuli mayu wakwe kulwa bhuyegi wa giki aguja kumbina, ikala unina uyomba nduhu, nduhu ubhebhe Kisonoko. Utina myenda ya kuzwala na utadulile kubhina udizuja. Kisonoko agongeja kulomba no, unina uyomba, ihaha ulu udula kusolela mizugo ibhili ya bunyenya kwikanza lya saa imo ukuja. Wiganika giki akudula kunoja Kisonoko, usola mizugo ibhili ya bhunyenya wisanja na mabhu wiyita. Nuwe unigini upela nhambo hanze ng’wibhonde ilo likalaga numa ya numba. Akalila kiti kwandya;
“Wangu wangu bhana bha ng’wihema, mnambilije ng’wana nuhi,
noni jaza na ndilizu, wangu wangu anguhagi ng’wize,
umo nulu pye bho kugunana nzugi, wangu wangu solelagi solelagi.
Huna bhiza bhingi kulebha abhakwandya, bhakasolela bhunyenya pye bhukaditila mgati yibhakuli, bhuleka mabhu duhu. Nimo gwenuyo kugatumang`wa hikanza iguhi, Kisonoko ukasola ibhakuli kuli nina wa bhuyegi wa kubhitila.
Wiganika giki nalibhona ihaha nduhu makoye akudula kuja. Ikala mayu wakwe ung’wila, pye iyeniyo bhuhala duhu, utudula ukuja hangi utina myenda utadulile nukubhina, na ukuditila iponda soni duhu.
Aha wamala kuyomba yeniyo winga na bhana bhakwe bhabili uja kujigukulu. Aho bhikala bhamalaga kuja pye na atasangile munhu ha kaya, Kisonoko akaja kulwa bhusunduhazu hasi ya mbalazi, akalila;
“Ibhigisage ibhigisage mbalazi,
unibhegeleje wa dhahabu, na hela na jizwalo”.
Unwani wakwe noni akalala mnti ung’wenhela jizwalo ja langi ya dhahabu na hela na jilatu jiza gete ja (halili) uzwala ubhalondeja bhaniki bhiye kujigukulu ikala bhadambadijije igiki na weyi Kisonoko, bhahayaga nkima ungi. Nguno wamanyikaga nsoga no kumyenda yakwe ya sabho.
Ngosha haho akanjila undima nkono, akigusha nawe na atigushije na munhu ungi hose hose. Nu nkono gwakwe atakulekelile gete, ulu giki alihayiwa ishinye na bhanhu bhangi, ngosha wayomba, mayu ng’wenuyo alibhina na nene duhu.
Huna lulu bhakishinya ikanza lya ng’wisho bhujiku. Kisonoko akahaya kushoka kaya, ngosha akang’wila, “Nakukushindikila mpaga kukaya”. Nguno yaho wahayaga kumana ipande ili akigishaga nigini nsoga ng’wenuyu. Ikanza lya kuja Kisonoko akipuluka wangu wangu mmakono gangosha akapela kung’wabho. Nu ngosha akankubhija, ikala Kisonoko akikindika wingila ng’wipundu itale lya ng’hulu ulugala unyango.
Ngosha akima henaho mpaga uyise wakwe akabhita kuja kung’wakwe, akang’wila, “Umayu uyo wali wamanyikaga uyo wali hajigukulu wibhisa umu mung’obho gwa ng’hulu”. Huna bhuli bhiza bhatabhonile nulu ki. Bakingila mgati ya numba huna bhumona Kisonoko alalile ha mabhu kiti umo ali shiku jose na tala ibakile.
Kunguno akingila nhambo ipundu lya ng’hulu wa nguha kushika ha mbalazi ukungula myenda yakwe imisoga ujitula hasi ya mbalazi noni jipandike kujisola, ushoka wangu wangu. Akitula mumabhu kitumo jili nhungwa jakwe.
Lushiku lwa kabhili jubhejiwa jigukulu nina na bhabha wakwe na bhakulu bhakwe aho bhaja. Kisonoko akaja hangi uko mbalazi uyomba, “Ibigisage ibigisage mbalazi, unibegeleje wa dhahabu na hela na jizwalo”. Noni yung’wenhela myenda misoga ya higulya kukila iyakwandya (ya mpango ntale). Aho washika kumbina bhuli ng’wene ujinjimala na kukumya umo ali ubhusoga bhokwe nu ngosha uyo wali wanindila, akandima nkono bhubhina. Bhuli ng’wene uyo wahaya kubhina nang’hwe ngosha wahaya. “Mayu uyu alibhina na nene”. Bhujiku aha wabhitila Kisonoko akahaya kuja lokwe, nu ngosha ukubhija kiti naho kwandya. Bhulingisilo amane numba iyo wingila.
Ikala akikindika, akapela ukibhisa ng’wibhonde numa ya numba ya ng’wa bhabha wakwe. Mugati yilago linilo likimila ichungwa kwali kubyalile machungwa mabhisi mingi. Iki Kisonoko walatamanile ipande lya kwibhisa. Akikindika ng’wichungwa nduhu kwitenda. Ngosha akima henaho mpaga bhabha wakwe ushoka kuja kaya yakwe. Akang’wila umayu uyo wamanyikaga walubhinaga na nene washepaga henaha. Uyise akiganika, azitubhiza Kisonoko? Akalamula kwenha mbasa nunti kuteng’we, ikala bhatabhonile jose jose. Aha bhaja ukuliko bhukamona kisonoko alalile kitumo jili ijitwa jakwe, akanguha kushika kulinti ukakungula myenda imisoga uzwala amagata akwe.
Lushiku lwa kadatu aho bhaja uyise, nu nina na bhakuluye, akaja hangi uko mbalazi ukalila,
“Ibhigisage ibhigisage mbalazi, unibegeleje wa dhahabu na hela na jizwalo”. Noni yakwe yung’wenhela jizwalo jisoga kubhita ija shiku ijibhili. Yung’wenhela jilatu ja dhahabu pye. Aho washika uko mbina bhuling’wene akabhiza atina kokuyomba umu bhusoga wakwe. Akabhina nu ngosha, aha ngelelo akahaya kuja lokwe nu ngosha akankubhija aliyomba mung’holo yakwe, “Ihaha na kulola azidunitoloka gete”. Kisonoko akaja nhambo gete nose ijilatu jakwe ijimo ja gugulu gwa moso jigakunguka ha ludano.
Ngosha akajikuga, nulushiku lwa kabhili uja najo kuli yise wakwe ukang’wila, “Nakumona uyo akwikola na jilatu iji”. Abhaniki abhabhili aha bigwa, imhola jenijo bhakayega no, kulwa nguno amagulu gabho gali masoga na madoo na bhiganika giki nduhu mhayo bhakudula kujizwala ijilatu jenijo. Huna uokwandya akingila mugati ya chumba umojaikalaga ijilatu ugema. Nu mayu wake aliwimilile habihi yakwe, aliyo ng’hulume jakwe jali jidi sawa. Hi giko ijilatu jigabhiza jido gete kuli wei, unina ung’winha lushu ung’wila, nduhu umhayo itinage, ulu ubhiza ngole utulolwa kulukulume kunguno uduja wa magulu. Huna lulu ung’hala ng’wenuyo akalutina ulukulume lokwe. Akashindila ijilatu akandanganya ngosha. Ngosha uninhya munhya wakwe higulya ya falasi, ulinha bhuja lobo. Aha bhalija bhakabhita habihi yali mbalazi ilo walihamba Kisonoko. Ahigulya yali yigisije inoni ahitambi, ilimba;
“Shoga hangi, shoga hangi, maninga mujilatu kokalaga,
jilatu jili jidoo gete niyo jidalenganilile,
ngosha ngosha nolage munhya wako tame,
Munhya wa ng’hana alikaya wanekaga.