The old man and his wooden wife

Uku, Koko akentsi na wajuhu wahe

A wooden wife

• Uku, Koko akentsi na wajuhu wahe — At night, Grandma sat down with her grandchildren.
• Arongoa amba : « Namvulishie hadisi ya ɓako na mtrumshe wa mwiri wahe. » — She said: "Listen to the story of the old man and his wooden wife."
• Vuka mtru na ko mtru — There was a man among men.
• Ala hale mdza hale — Whoever has eaten tales gives birth to tales.
• Hale vuka ɓako na mtrumshe wahe — Long ago there was an old man and his wife.
• Waêshi vwamoja ata mtrumshe afu — They lived together until the wife died.
• Ɓako aɓaki weke ɗagoni — The old man was left alone at home.
• Aja afikiri amba : « Nitsofanya ntrini ? » — Then he wondered: "What am I going to do?"
• Vwa suku, alawa, aendre mpaharoni hule — One day, he went out and went far into the forest.
• Akantra mɓuyu, auvingi ɗagoni — He cut a baobab and brought it home.
• Aufanya mtrumshe wa mwiri — He made a wooden woman out of it.
• Autria mindru, mihono, matso na makio — He gave it feet, hands, eyes and ears.
• Aja amtria nguo ndzuzuri na dhahabu — Then he dressed her in fine clothes and gold.
• Akatibu hirizi, amtria — He wrote a charm and put it on her.
• Wakati ule, mtrumshe wa mwiri apara roho, ahimi, arongoa — At that moment the wooden woman came to life: she stood up and spoke.
• Ɓako ajiviwa, amvingi ndrani, aɓaya mlongo — The old man, delighted, took her inside and closed the door.

The king takes her

• Ata vwa suku, ɓako alawa aendre arenge maji — One day, the old man went out to fetch water.
• Djerani aviri, aɓua mlongo, amono mtrumshe wa mwiri — A neighbour passed by, opened the door and saw the wooden woman.
• Aendre ha mfalume, amwambia amba : « Tsiono mtrumshe mzuri ha ɓako. » — She went to the king and told him: "I saw a beautiful woman at the old man's house."
• Mfalume arumu boyi la handra lendre lamone — The king sent a first servant to go and see her.
• Boyi liregeya, lirongoa amba : « Ewa, kweli ! » — The servant came back and said: "Yes, it's true!"
• Mfalume amrenge mtrumshe wa mwiri, amvingi harimwa li dari lahe — The king took the wooden woman and carried her off to his tower.
• Ɓako aregeya, kampara mtrumshe wahe — The old man came back and didn't find his wife.
• Aliyi, arongoa amba : « Masikini wami ! » — He wept and said: "Poor me!"

The hawk and its song

• Aja ahiri zinyunyi piya na zinyama piya — Then he called all the birds and all the animals.
• Awambia amba : « Wana wajuhu wangu, nisitsaha munisaidie. » — He told them: "My grandchildren, I want you to help me."
• Mpaha irongoa amba : « Nyau, nyau ! » ; imbilwa amba : « Endra dzaho ! » — The cat said: "Meow, meow!" and was told: "Off you go!"
• Nkuhu, mɓwa na nyombe kazashindra wajau — The hen, the dog and the cow could not do it either.
• Ɓasi shimpanga shija — Then the falcon came.
• Shendre shitrua ha mfalume, shihimbi djimbo lasho : — He went and landed at the king's house and sang his song:
• « Mwiri, mwiri wa ɓako, regeya ɗagoni ! Ɓako asihulindra, regeya ɗagoni ! » — "Wood, wood of the old man, come back home! The old man is waiting for you, come back home!"

The wood comes home

• Mfalume akia djimbo lile, aja hasira — The king heard that song and grew angry.
• Wakati ule, mwiri ule wutrendre, wutrendre, ata uvundzu li dari — Then the wood grew and grew until it broke the tower.
• Mfalume ahiri maboyi yahe yo saba, ɓe kawashindra hukantra mwiri ule — The king called his seven servants, but they could not cut the wood.
• Mfalume aendre ha ɓako, amwambia amba : « Mwenye, tafadhwali, renga mtrumshe waho. » — The king went to the old man and said: "Sir, please, take your wife back."
• Ammbi ɓako nyombe, maguni ya ntsohole na nguo — He gave the old man cows, sacks of rice and clothes.
• Ɓako arongoa amba : « Mwiri, niɗunga ! » — The old man said: "Wood, follow me!"
• Mwiri umɗungu ɓako, waregeya ɗagoni vwamoja — The wood followed the old man, and they went home together.
• Ata leo, wasiêshi vwamoja — To this day, they live together.
• Hadisi ikomo — The story is over.

Words of the tale

The language of the story

Practice

• What does the old man make his wife from?

  From a ___.

  baobabcoconut palmmango tree

• What does Vwa suku mean?

  Vwa suku = ___

  one daytomorrowat night

Mini-quiz

You have read a tale