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)

Aho kale igiza nzala yitanagwa ya kundami. Nzala iyi igamala myaka idatu na nusu. Bhanhu bhagashila no, pye bhuli ndimu jashilaga. Bhanhu bhagahabhiha, abhangi bhagalekelelwa ng’holo duhu.

Waliho Ntemi witanagwa Ng’wana Nkuba osengelema. Ng’wana Nkuba wali na jisa jitale no uko bhanhu. Lushiku lumo agiza ngikulu ojinilamba gufuma Singida, ilina lyakwe wali Kabula, mbula nulu Kudema. Amina genaya alina giki ngemi wa mbula.

Ngikulu ng’wenuyo agazunilijiwa nu Ntemi kwigasha ho gupila nzala. Ngikulu ng’wene wali ngemi wa mbula. Aho wegela ugushiga ing’wa Ntemi ujibhisa ijibhiga gasegeno hado, kiya mdusaga. Ngikulu uhaya giki, “Aliyo Ntemi aliho na ng’wichane inuma nanekaga mdusaga, bihi fai.

Ngikulu ng’wene agayudima ng’holo ja Ntemi. Wadimilaga nuko wabhisila ijibhiga jakwe. Wasosejaga ijibhiga yatula mbula gabala gadoo nako kagadimilaga, ulu yatula imbula japandika bhung’welo wa minzi ing’holo jene.

Gagabhita makanza maguhi nulu shigu mpungati giki gunilila mafa kabala gadoo nako kagadimilaga duhu. Mshiku jene ng’ehu ing’holo jugaluka nu loya.

Ng’wana Nkuba ubhuja, “Hali mayu ugang’wisijaga he?” Ngikulu uhaya, “Hii! Nagang’wisijaga bho gukoya no niyo.” “Hali bhuli nadagubhonaga uko mongo?” Kaliho kalambo guko nagadimilaga.

Ng’wana Nkuba untuma munhu gugakungila bhagabhone nuko kagang’wishijaga. Ng’wambilija umo uwilwa agafade lushiku lumo nulu gachilula duhu.

Aho kachilula ubhuka nang’hwe agafadile, oja bho kwibhanda bhanda mpaga nuko kagadimilaga. Aho kegela jupela nhambo ing’holo jijile aho kabala gene.

Ng’wambilija aho oshiga ho ubhona mafa madoto, wibhanda bihi haho. Aho gashiga makanza ga gung’wisha kuja aho jibhiga gugajisoseja mbula yandya gutula, alolile duhu. Ng’holo jung’wa aminzi mpaga jutosha. Igantula pye nu ng’wei haho ibhandile.

Ng’wambilija ubhuka ajile kaya uganomela untemi. Aho ong’wila untemi ukumya no, iki chu giki gafumaga he amafa amadoto? Na gwene jigwibyalaga ing’holo jane gashi jigulyaga jashisha.

Ngikulu ng’wene utuja. Ng’wana Nkuba ubhuja, “hali mayu uli na mbula uko ugadimilaga,” Ngikulu ulema, “Nduhui unene imbula.” Ng’wana Nkuba umana kaduyomba, ugagulila ng`wenda gopi giki gadimi noi. “Jaga lulu mayu ugang’wenhe nu ng’wiyo ize kaya, obhipilile no uko masaga.”

Ngikulu uzunya nahene, kuja kugajenha ijibhiga jene mpaga hakaya. Ijibhiga nulu imbula yene yitanagwa, kabula, mbula, nulu kudema. Ng’wana Nkuba nang’hwe wandya gulangwa akabhegeje gahajibhiga, mpaga umana gete.

Ngikulu ng’wene usada ugaya, mbula yene yubhiza ya ng’wana nkuba. Ng’wana nkuba agakumuka mabala matale no na gupandika ilumbi litale no uko bhanhu.