G: RUNYANKORE-RUKIGA FOLKTALES

1. Kabananukye

Ree: AM and AT; tr. AM; perf. NR34 (Mbarara, Ankole, 10 June 2005).35

By permission of Nice Rwomushana.

Mbaganire, mbaganire!

Tebere!36

Hakaba haruho omushaija yashwera omukazi we. Batuura, batuura. Bamara emyaka mingi batarikuzara; omukazi akaba ari engumba. Baguma aho; baaza omu bafumu baraguza. Omukazi yabura kuzaara.

Ku yabaire ari aho yazaara omwaana. Omwishiki bamweeta Kabananukye. Akaba ari murungi munonga, munonga. Owabaire amureeba weena amukunda. Ku yabaire aribata aheeru, ebigyere bye birungi munonga byoona bibumbwamu eshagama, eyenda kushohora. Ishe na nyina bamugira bati, "Otarishohora. Ogume omunju."

Ku yabaire ari aho, haija abaana bagyenzi be bazanira aheeru. Bazaana, bazaana, bateera akapiira na karigobe. Beeta Kabananukye bati, "Ija tuzaane." Ayanga. Na nyentsya nikwo batyo. Bakaija n'obupiira bwingi bazaana, nawe akwatsibwa atyo ashohora, bazaana. Omuri eryo iguru, basharaho kuza kwiha obunyatsi nawe aikiriza bagyenda nawe kwonka bamuzibira kwiha obunyatsi bamugira ngu, "Iwe otaiha obunyatsi. Nituza kukwihira."

Batyo baiha obunyatsi, nawe Kabananukye bamwihira, batyo bakoma ebiba by'obunyatsi. Haza batandika kwetenga nk'oku babaire bakora buriijo. Orawe ati, "Nyowe ninyenda ngu ku ndaze kuhika omuka nshangye bagoyire oburo n'enyama." Ondijo ati, "Nyowe ninyenda ngu naza kuhika omuka nshangye maama arungire eshabwe, atekire n'ebitakuri." Batyo bagumizamu nibetenga.

Ku babaire bariyo nibetenga haija orukooko rugira ruti, "Imwe baana mwe, ninyenda omukazi w'okushwera!" Rubareeba, rubareeba, rubareeba. Aha muheru, ku ruza kutoorana, rutoorana Kabananukye owabaire ari murungi munonga.

Abaana batyo bagyenda nibairukanga bagambira abazaire ba Kabananukye ku Orukooko rwamutwara kumushwera. Nyina ati, "Hoona omwaana wangye, kandi obwo niwe nyine wenka!"

Atyo aihayo eicumu n'omuhoro airuka. Ku aba yahika omu muhanda, orukooko rumureeba rutyo rweshongora, ruti:

Iwe nyin Omwaana, nooza hi?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Oizire kwita orukooko?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Orwatwaire Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Okwate enkoni ozagurire!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Omukazi ku ahurira orukooko, atiina. Ati, "Oru rukooko ka niruza kunyita!" Atyo anaga amacumu n'omuhoro airuka agarukayo. Agambira ab'omuka ati, "Ekinareeba oku," ati, "mbwenu we Kabananukye namuhwa amatsiko!"

Ishe ati, "Hoona omwaana wangye!" Nawe aronda ebye birwaniso atyo aza kurwanisa orukooko. Orukooko ku rwamurebire hangahari, rutyo rweshongora, ruti:

Iwe ishe omwaana, nooza hi?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Oizire kwita orukooko?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Orwatwaire Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Okwate enkoni ozagurire!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Ishe wa Kabananukye ati, "Nobeiha," ati, "mpaka nkwitsire!" Ateera ebigyere bibiri omumaisho. Orukooko rwemerera omu kibuga rugaruka rweshongora, ruti:

Iwe ishe omwaana, nooza hi?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Oizire kwita orukooko?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Orwatwaire Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Okwate enkoni ozagurire!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Ku ruheza atiina, ati, "Naafa!" Agyenda agarukayo ahuruza abanyaruganda. Boona ba ishento baija kurwanisa orukooko. Orukooko ruguma nirweshongora, boona baguma nibarugayo, nibarugayo, okuhitsya boona obu barugireyo bakaremwa. Hati boona bagira ngu, "Mbwenu ogu mwaana we," ngu, "orukooko rwamutwara!"

Kwonka omuka yabo hakaba harimu akagurusi k'akamuga karikugyendesa ekibunu. Akamuga katyo kagira kati, "Hoona omwaana weitu orukooko rwamutwara, mwena mwazayo ngu mwaremwa?" Katyo kagira kati, "Mundondere amacumu, n'emihoro, n'enkoni, mubityaze nze kumuronda. Ku ndafe, nfe!"

Katyo akamuga kagyenda. Ku kaba nikatembatemba, orukooko rutyo rukareeba rweshongora, rati:

Iwe kamuga we, nooza hi?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Oizire kwita orukooko?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Orwatwaire Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Okwate enkoni ozagurire!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Akamuga kati, "Mbwenu nyowe kanafiire kare," kati, "reka ngumizemu tureebe." Orukooko kurureeba akamuga kayanga karwizira, rutyo ragaruka rweshongora, rati:

Iwe Kamuga we, nooza hi?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Oizire kwita orukooko?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Orwatwaire Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Okwate enkoni ozagurire!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Akamuga kagumizamu kaza omunju ya nyarukooko, kataaha omu kishengye. Ku kataaha omu kishengye kareeba Kabananukye. Orukooko rutetema. Ku ratetema, akamuga kakwata omuhoro karatema, karacumita n'eicumu. Ku ruba niruza kufa, rati, "Oshare aha kaara kahera oihemu byoona ebi nariire!"

Akamuga katyo kashara aha kaara kahera kaihamu ente, embuzi, abazaana, n'ebintu bingi. Katyo karucumita orukooko rufa. Akamuga katyo kebembeza ago matungo na Kabananukye. Ab'owaabo ku babaire bari aho, bareeba orushozi rwazaara abantu, rwazaara ente, rwazaara embuzi, n'ebindi bintu bingi. Batyo bareeba na Kabananukye n' akamuga kamukuratiire!

Ku ntsiga bateeka obugyenyi boona bashemereirwe, nyija kukuganira.

Kabananukye

Let me tell you a story, let me tell you a story!

Tebere!

There was once a man and he married a wife. They lived, and they lived. They spent many years without getting a child; the woman was barren. They stayed there; they went to consult medicine men. The woman failed to give birth.

Then one day she gave birth to a child. The girl was named Kabananukye. Kabananukye was very, very beautiful. Whoever saw her loved her. So her father and mother... whenever she stepped outside [of the house], because of her beautiful, delicate feet, they would swell and blood would almost come out of her veins! They said to her, "You should never go out. You should stay inside the house."

One time, children came and played outside her home. They played and they played, and they played football and karigobe, and they called her and said, "Kabananukye, come and we will play." But at home they had told her never to go out. She refused.

And the following day they came back. And they called her again. They came with many balls, and they played and she too got interested and she went outside, and they played. Then all of a sudden, they decided to go and gather some grass and she also agreed and they went with her, but they stopped her from gathering grass saying, "You should not gather the grass. We shall gather it for you."

So they gathered [grass] and after they had gathered [grass] for her, they tied [the grass] and after tying they put the grass there. Then they started making wishes like they always did. One of them said, "My wish is that when I reach home I find they have prepared millet and beef." Another one said, "For me my wish is that when I get home I find my mother has prepared eshabwe sauce and sweet potatoes." And so they continued making their wishes like that.

While they were making wishes, a beast came. It said, "You children, I want a woman to marry!" It looked at them, and it looked at them, and it looked at them. Finally, when it decided to pick one of them, it picked Kabananukye, the one who was the most beautiful.

When it took her, the children went running and they told her father and mother, saying a beast came looking for a girl to marry and it took her. The mother cried, "My child, and the only child I have!"

So she got a spear, and she got a machete and she ran. She ran and on her way, the beast saw her and when it saw her it started singing, like this:

You, mother of the child, where are you going?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

You have come to kill the beast?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The beast that took Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Get your sticks and flee!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

When the woman heard the song, she said, "This beast is going to kill me!" The machete and spears that she had she left there and ran. When she reached home she said, "What I have seen over there," she said, "I have lost all hope for Kabananukye!"

The father exclaimed, "My child!" And he also looked for his weapons, he looked for spears and he looked for machetes and he ran. When it saw him at a distance, it started singing, like this:

You, father of the child, where are you going?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

You have come to kill the beast?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The beast that took Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Get your sticks and flee!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The father of Kabananukye said, "No, that is a lie!" he said, "Not until I kill you!" And he moved two steps forward. Then the beast stood in the courtyard and again it started singing.

You, father of the child, where are you going?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

You have come to kill the beast?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The beast that took Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Get your sticks and flee!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

When it finished singing, the man thought, "I am dead!" He went and summoned all his relatives. All the uncles came to kill the beast. The beast kept singing, and they all kept coming and coming, until they all came and they gave up. Then they all said, "As for that child," they said, "the beast has taken her!"

In that home there was a small, disabled old man who crawled around the house. The disabled man said, "So our child has been taken by the beast, and you all say you went and tried and you failed?" And he said, "Get me spears and sharpen them, and look for machetes and sticks, and I will go and look for her. If I die, let me die!"

So the disabled old man went And he went and he went. As he was ascending the hilL the beast saw him. And it started singing, like this:

You, disabled man, where are you going?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

You have come to kill the beast?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The beast that took Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Get your sticks and flee!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The disabled old man said, "As for me I died a long time ago." And he kept going and kept going. When he kept going, the beast stood outside and it sang:

You disabled man, where are you going?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

You have come to kill the beast?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The beast that took Kabananukye?

Nyamiyonga tibiri

Get your sticks and flee!

Nyamiyonga tibiri

The disabled old man refused [to stop] and he kept going. And the disabled man went and entered the bedroom. When he entered the bedroom he saw Kabananukye. The beast started trembling. When it started trembling, he got a machete, cut the beast, and stabbed it with his spear. When it was about to die, it said, "Cut my little finger and remove all the things I have ever eaten!"

He cut it and when he cut it he brought out cows, brought out goats, and brought out servants, and many other things. And after the things came out, he stabbed it and it died. After it had died he took Kabananukye and the cows and servants, and goats led the way. Suddenly, the people at home saw the hill giving birth to people, and cows, and goats and Kabananukye. And the disabled old man was following behind them.

When they were feasting and happy, I left and came to tell you the story.

2. Abaana Abanagirwe Ishebo

Mbaganire, mbaganire!

Tebere!

Hakaba hariho omushaija yazaara [yashweera] omukazi we, bazaara omwaana. Bazaara omwana w'omwishiki. Bazaara ondijo w'omwoojo. Ku bahika babiri nyinabo yafa. Nyinabo ku yafiire ishebo yagyenda yaronda ondijo mukazi. Ku yagiire kumushweera yagira ati, "Nyowe waza kunshweera obanze obingye abaana baawe. Tindikubenda omuka omu!"

Omushaija yashoberwa. Yagyenda yakwata abaana be bagyenda. Bagyenda hare munonga, okwo hare. Akaana kamwe kakaba kaine emyaka nk'ena akandi kaine nk'etaano. Kwonka omwoojo ni we yabaire ari mukuru arikukiza omwishiki obwengye.

Ku bahikire omu muhanda, ishe yabagira ati, "Reka nze kunnya," ati, "mugume aho nyowe reka nze kunnya."

Ku aheza kunnya acumitamu orugisha omu mazi. We aburaho. Abaana baguma nibagira ngu, "Taata, taata, rahuka tugyende!"

Orugisha rugira, "Reka mbanze nnye!"

Abaana bagaruka bagira, "Taata, taata, rahuka tugyende!"

Orugisha rubagira, "Reka mbanze nnye!"

Okuhitsya abaana obu bagiire kumuronda. Bashanga omuntu atariho. Abaana bashoberwa. Ahu barikuruga tibarikuhamanya; ahu barikuza tibarikuhamanya. Batambura, batamura, ku bahika okwo babugana embwa erisize ente, ebabuuza eti, "Imwe baana mwe, nimuza hi?"

Abaana bazaho bagigambira ngu, "Twaba twiine taata ku tuhika yatunaga oku, titurikumanya ei turikuza kandi titurikumanya ahi turikuruga."

Embwa yabagira eti, "Naza kubatwaara owangye mugumeyo mborore; mugume nimureberera ebintu byangye okuhitsya obu murakure."

Bakaba bagyenzire nibakurakuramu. Embwa egira eti, "Iwe omwishiki ogume aha ogume n'otutekyera, kandi iwe omwoojo tugume nitugyenda nituriisa."

Omwishiki agumayo obwiire buba buraingwa. Embwa ehika omu bwiire bwayo bwa bukuru, ebeeta abaana ebata aho. Ebagira eti, "Kwonka nyowe ntaha n'omubazi gwangye, amasyo gangye abantu ku baija kugaiba babanza bateratera aha kantu aka." Kakaba kahanikire ahaiguru kari nk'akatemere karimu akabazi. Eti, "Iwe oteretereho oti, abashuma ente niziza kubacumitacumita, bahungye."

Hati ku ahika obwiire ayegyesa omwishiki ayegyesa n'omutsigazi boona babireeba. Embwa ehika obwiire efa. Ku eheza kufa abaana baguma omunju bonka. Abashuma baguma nibaija abaana nibakora obukodyo obwo. Ku baguma nibakora obukodyo obwo, abashuma bashoberwa eki barakore. Bati aba baana baine bwengye ki kureeba ngu nibatunanka - !

Hati aha rubaju aho hakaba hariho akakaikuru aha rubaju rw'omuhanda. Kabagira kati, "Imwe nyowe ninyija kuzayo mbagire ngu tinyine ahu ndi, tinyine ah'okutuura, reero [ntahe] nabo, reero nitwiija kumanya obwengye, ab'ente barugyeho reero mutware ezo nte zabo."

Hati obwire ku buhika, akakaikuru kaija ku kahika aho kabagambira kati, "Nyowe tinyine [butaaho], tinyine ki, mbwenu nyowe naba ninshaba ngu ntuure naimwe."

Nabo tibaba babi bagira ngu batunga omuntu w'okutuura nawe. Baguma nawe. Obwire ku buhika nyekiro bakongootaho. Hati omukaikuru aigura orwigi. Ku aheza omukaikuru akantu kariya akaihaho, kariya akantu aku babaire bateire omu keibo. Ku buhika nyekiro, kariya akantu akakaikuru kakaihamu kakatwaara.

Ku buhika nyekiro abantu baija kwiiba ente, baija baizire n'okwiita. Baimuka bateratera aha kaibo, ente zanga kubarwanisa. Bateratera aha kaibo; abashuma bataahamu. Bakwaata munyanya bamwiita. Omukaikuru agyenda. Babatwaara ahandi omu nsi endiijo; omwishiki bamuta omunju wenka ei babaire bamuteiremu. Ekaba erimu entemere nyingi z'oburo.

Ente zijuga, zijuga, ziguma nizijuga. Omwishiki arira, ente zijuga, omwishiki arira, ente zijuga. Ente zanga kurya. Omwishiki aguma aho. Omwishiki aguma omu busaasi narira atarikurya, atarikunywa.

Ku aba aryaho haija embeba nizironda oburo. Zishangamu omwishiki. Zimubuuza, "Baitu iwe mwishiki we, ka twüja aha tukashanga norira, tukaija aha tukashanga norira, hakabaho ki?"

Azaho atebeza embeba ati, "Nkaba nyine munyanyazi," ati, "abatemu bamutahirira," ati, "bamwiita." Ati, "Mbwenu obusaasi nyowe obu nyine ku ndiba ntarebire munyanyazi tindirya tindinywa!"

Ziti, "Mbwenu twamukuretera notuha ki?"

Oriya ati, "Kyona eki murikwenda ninkibaha."

Ziti, "Mbwenu nobaasa kutuha ente tukamukuretera?"

Ati, "Ningibaha!"

Abanza aziha entemere y 'oburo zigyenda. Embeba egyenda egambira ntahi zayo eti, "Twatunga okwo omushako gw'oburo!"

Hati embeba nizo zagyenzire zikarya oriya omushaija ahabw'okugira ngu bakamutsiga omunju. Embeba zamurya kuzamuherizeho zarja. Embeba egyenda eyeta ntahi zayo zona, zoona ezihumuz'aho. Eti, "Nitwenda ngu buri omwe weena eki yariire agire ata, akitanakye!"

Embeba zoona, zoona, zoona ezariireho zitanaka, zitanaka, zitanaka. Kwonka embeba eyariire omutuma yabura. Kakaba katariho. Embeba omuntu zamukora yaaz'aho kwonka yaguma atarikwimuka. Akabeba bakaronda kabura, bakahiiga kabura. Ku babaire bari aho, bakareeba. Bakareeta. Ngu, 'lwe otanakye eki wariire!"

Kati, "Nyowe tinyine eki nariire!"

Bakateera, bakateera, bakateera, kati, "Nyowe tinyine eki nariire."

Bakateera, bakateera, ku karugaho katanaka omutima. Baguta omu muntu omutima ogwo. Ku baheza kugutamu, omuntu aimuka. Ku aheza kwimuka omwishiki ashemererwa. Ente ezabaire zangire kurya zirya. Obugyenyi butaaha.

Ku ntsiga omwishiki yashemererwa na munyanya, n'ente zashemererwa, nti, "Reka nze kuganira aba Mbarara."

The Children Who Were Abandoned by Their Father

Let me tell you a story, let me tell you a story!

Tebere!

There was a man and he gave birth to [married] a wife, they gave birth to a child. They gave birth to a girl child. They gave birth to another, a boy. After she had given birth to two children the mother died. When their mother died their father went to look for another wife. When he was going to marry her she said, "Before I marry you, you have to send away those children. I do not want them here!"

The man was in a dilemma. He went and got hold of his children and they went. They went very far, very far away. One of the little children was about four years old and the other was about five. But the boy was older and was wiser than the girl.

On their way, their father said to them, "Let me go and defecate," and he said, "stay there while I go to defecate."

When he finished, he put in a talisman. And he disappeared. The children kept saying, "Father, father, hurry up and we go!"

The talisman replied, "Let me finish defecating!"

The children said again, "Father, father, hurry up and we go!"

The talisman replied, "Let me finish defecating!"

In the end the children went to look for him. They found no one was there. The children were shocked. They did not know where they were coming from, they did not know where they were going. They walked, and they walked, and when they reached somewhere they met a dog looking after cows. It asked them, "Children, where are you going?"

The children said to the dog, "We were with our father but on our way he abandoned us, and we do not know where we are going and we do not know where we are coming from."

The dog said to them, "I am going to take you to my home and you will stay with me. I will take care of you; you will take care of my property until you grow up."

The children grew older. The dog said, "I want the girl to stay here and cook for us, and as for the boy you will be going with me to look after cows."

The girl lived at home, and a long time passed. The dog grew old and one day it called the children. It said, "I have my little magic charm here; anyone who comes to steal my cows cannot take them unless they first tap and tap on this little thing." It was in a small basket hanging up on the rafter. It said, "When you tap it and tap it like this, the cows will attack them and gore them, and gore them with their horns until they flee."

After some time he taught the girl and he taught the boy and they all saw what to do. Not long after, the dog died. When it died the children lived alone in the house. Thieves kept coming and the children played tricks on them. When they kept playing tricks on them, the thieves did not know what to do. They thought: how clever these children are that they can stop us from - !

Now, close by there was an old woman who lived down the road. She said to them, ? will go there and tell the children that I am homeless, I have no where to go, and then I will live with them. Then we shall make a plan; the owners of the cows will get out of the way and you will take their cows."

When the time came, the old woman came and she said to them, "I have nowhere to live, I do not have anything, so I am asking that I live with you."

They were kind to her and they thought they had got someone to live with. They lived with her. At night they [thieves] came and knocked on the door. The old woman opened the door. Then she removed the other little magic portion, the one that was in the small basket At night she removed it and took it away.

The thieves came to steal cows, and they came to kill. They came and entered, and tapped and tapped the small basket. They got hold of her brother and killed him. The old woman went away. They took her to a far away land; they put the girl in a house alone. In that house were many baskets full of millet.

The cows kept mooing, and mooing and mooing! The girl cried, and the cows mooed, and the girl cried, and the cows mooed! The cows refused to graze. The girl stayed there. She mourned and cried, and she refused to eat or drink.

While she was crying, rats came looking for millet. They found the girl in the house. They asked her, "Young girl, whenever we come here we find you crying, every time we come we find you crying, what happened?"

She narrated the story to the rats saying, "I had a brother," she said, "then murderers broke in," she said, "and killed him." And she said, "The pain that I have, I will never eat or drink anything unless I see my brother!"

The rats said, "Suppose we bring him back to you, what will you give us?"

She said, "Whatever you want I will give it to you."

They said, "Can you give us a cow and we will bring him back to you?"

She replied, "I will give it to you!"

She first gave them a basket full of millet and they went The rats went and told other rats and said, "We have got a day's meal of millet!"

Now, the rats had gone and eaten the other young man when he was left dead in the house. The rats ate him and when they finished eating him they came. So the rat went and called all its friends, all of them, and assembled them there. Then it said, "We want everyone to vomit whatever he or she ate!"

All the rats, all of them that had eaten something started vomiting, and they vomited and vomited. But the little rat that had eaten the heart did not show up. It was absent. The rats put together the human being again but he could not get up. They searched for the little rat but could not find it, and they hunted for it but could not find it. Suddenly, they saw the little rat. They brought it. They said, "You must vomit whatever you ate!" And it replied, "As for me, I never ate anything!" They beat it, and beat it, and beat it, but it said, "I did not eat anything!" They beat it, and beat it, and beat it, until it finally vomited the heart.

They put the heart in the human being. When they put it there, the human being stood up. When he stood up, the girl was full of joy. The cows that had refused to graze started grazing. They had a party.

When I left the girl and her brother happy, and the cows were ecstatic, I said, "Let me go and tell the story to the people of Mbarara."

3. Nshemere

Ree: AM and AT; tr. AM; perf. ST (Rugazi-Mbarara, Ankole, 10 June 2005).37

By permission of Siriva Tinkamanyire.

Mbaganire, mbaganire!

Tebere!

Hakaba hariho omushaija yagyenda yashwera, yashwera omkyara we. Batuura, batuura, bazaara abaana bashatu. Abaana bashatu abo bakaba bari abaishiki. Bakura baza aho. Mukuru wabo akaba nayetwa Nshemere. Hati, Nshemere ku yakuzire yatandika omurumo gw'okutaha amaizi ogu yabaire ayegyesiibwe nyina. Nyina akaba amanya okwegyesa abaana okukora emirimo.

Mbwenu eizoba rimwe, omuka haijayo abashaija babuuza karumuna ka Nshemere nako kabagarukamu kati, "Nshemere yaza kutaha amaizi."

Omushaija akatuma ati, "Irooko omunyetere."

Akarumuna kagyenda haihi neiziba, obwo kari kweshongora kati:

Nshemere! Nshemere!

Nshemere, maama, Nshemere

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Omuka nibakweta

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Nooha orikunyeta?

Akanyonyi, Ai!

? Omushaija nk'abandi

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Ogyende omugambire

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Akashozi ak'owaitu

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Abanze akakuure

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Akarumuna kagaruka kati, "Ou wantumaho yayanga. Ngu akashozi k'owaitu obanze okakuure."

Omushaja agyenda areeba bataahi be ati, "Mwije mugiré eki mwakwatsa." Batyo nabo baija bamuha amaani, batyo akashozi bakatahirira n'amafuka gaabo, n'amashuruuru, bakatema. Akashozi ku kaheza kuhwa, omushaija agaruka agarukayo. Agaruka atuma akarumuna aku yabaire yatumire ati, "Irooko ogambire Nshemere oti eki yabaire nayenda kyahikirira."

Akarumuna nako kagaruka kakwata omuhanda n'ekyeshongoro kyako:

Nshemere! Nshemere!

Nshemere, maama, Nshemere

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Omuka nibakweeta

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Nooha orikunyeta Nshemere?

Akanyonyi, Ai!

N Omushaija nk'abandi

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Niwe orikukwenda

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Ogyende omugambire Nshemere

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Akashozi kaahwaho

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Nibwo ndikwiija

Akanyonyi, Ai!

Akaishiki kagyenda kati, "Nshemere yayanga." Obwo karikugambira ogwo omushaija owaba natema akashozi. Omushaja ati, "Hoona wamugambira eki nakora?" Kati, "Ee," kati, "namugambira."

Ati, "Kandi shi ku orabe wamugambira yayangira ki?" Ati, "Ogarukyeyo omugambire, shana tiyakwetegyereza."

Akarumuna kagaruka kagarukayo. Kagaruka keshongora nk'oku kaaba nikeshongora kare. Hati mukuru waako Nshemere niko kukabuuza ati, "Kwonka akashozi yakaihaho?" Oriya ati, "Ee, akashozi yakaihaho."

Oriya nawe agabwa atakiine ky'okukora atungama, aija ahika omuka. Ku ahika omuka, omushaija ati, "Ruhanga nayebare!" Nshemere ayebaza omushaija. Ati, "Ruhanga owakuhaire amagyezi g'okukora nk'eki," ati, "nakusiima munonga." Ati, "Oine oburyo. Mbwenu naza kwikiriza ontware tube hamwe."

Abazaire ba Nshemere berundaana babura eky'okukora. Bagira ngu, "Baitu omwishiki waitu tiyatutsigaho!" Bagira ngu, "Kwonka Nshemere eki yamushabire ku arabe yakihikiriza, nakamutwara!" Abazaire baronda enshagarizi, Nshemere bamurondera akatimba akajwara. Batyo boona bakwata omuhanda baza owa nyamushaija.

Nanye ku ntsiga bakwata omuhanda baza owa nyamushaija, nkwata omuhanda ndaba omu rutookye rwa [marimi] rucweeka ebishansha, nyambuka ntyo ntsiga obugyenyi bwataaha!

Nshemere

Let me tell you a story, let me tell you a story!

Tebere!

There once lived a man who married a wife. They lived and lived and they gave birth to three children. The three children were girls. They grew up. The eldest girl was called Nshemere. So, when Nshemere grew up, she started going to the well to fetch water, as her mother had trained her. Her mother knew how to train children to value hard work.

One day, men came home asking [about Nshemere] and Nshemere' s young sister replied, "Nshemere has gone to the well to fetch water."

The man sent her saying, "Go and call her."

The younger sister went and stood near the well and started singing, like this:

Nshemere! Nshemere!

Nshemere, maama, Nshemere

The little bird, Ai!

At home they are calling you

The little bird, Ai!

Who is calling me?

The little bird, Ai!

He is a man like others

The little bird, Ai!

Go and tell him

The little bird, Ai!

The hill at our home

The little bird, Ai!

Let him first clear it

The little bird, Ai!

Nshemere 's young sister came back home and said, "The person you sent for has refused to come. She says you first go and clear the hill at our home!"

The man went and talked to his friends saying, "Come and help me out." They came and gave him a hand, got their hoes, pick axes, and they cleared the hill. When they finished clearing the hill the man went back. And again he sent the young sister saying, "Go and tell Nshemere that what she wanted has been accomplished."

The young sister went back and started singing her song:

Nshemere! Nshemere!

Nshemere, maama, Nshemere

The little bird, Ai!

At home they are calling you

The little bird, Ai!

Who is calling me Nshemere?

The little bird, Ai!

He is a man like others

The little bird, Ai!

He is the one who wants you

The little bird, Ai!

Go and tell him Nshemere

The little bird, Ai!

When that hill is all cleared

The little bird, Ai!

That is when I will come

The little bird, Ai!

The little girl went and said, "Nshemere has refused." She was telling the man who had cleared the hill. The man said, "Did you really tell her what I have done?" She said, "Yes," and she said, "I told her."

He said, "But if you told her why did she refuse?" And he said, "Go back and tell her, perhaps she did not understand."

The younger sister went back. And again she sang as she had sung before. Her elder sister, Nshemere, then asked her, saying, "But did he remove the hill?" The other said, "Yes, he cleared the hill."

The other had no other excuse so she got up, and went home. When she got home, the man said, "Thank God!" Nshemere also thanked the man. She said, 'It is God who gave you wisdom to do something like this and I thank you very much. You have a clear plan. So, I have accepted that you take me and I Uve with you."

Nshemere' s parents gathered and they did not know what to do. They said, "Our daughter is leaving us!" They said, "But since he accomplished what Nshemere asked him to do, then he deserves to take her!" The parents looked for bridesmaids, they got a wedding gown for Nshemere and she dressed up. And they all went to the man's home.

And when I left them on the way to the man's home, I went through my maternal uncle's banana plantation and it became dry banana leaves, I went up, and so I left when the wedding party was still going on.

4. Omuti Ogwahindukire Omwishiki

Ree: AM and AT; tr. AM; perf. ST (Rugazi-Mbarara, Ankole, 10 June 2005).38

By permission of Siriva Tinkamanyire.

Ira munonga hakaba hariho omushaija Bigambo, yagyenda yashweera omukazi we. Batuura, batuura. Kwonka eky'obusaasi tibazaara mwaana. Buri kaire bakaba nibashaba Ruhanga ngu akaabaha omwaana. Buri kaire baguma nibashaba. Bakaba baine ekibanja kihango kirimu n'emisiri mingi. Ahagati y'emisiri yabo hakaba harimu omuti murungi, omuti murungi munonga. Omuti ogwo gurikwaana ebijuma birungi munonga.

Omu kasheshe kamwe ku baba nibaza omu misiri yabo nka burijo, ku baza kureeba bareeba omuti gwahindukamu omwishiki. Omwishiki atyo yagyenda nayehuta atungama ow'enju. Bamukuratsa amaisho. Ku aza omunju nabo bagyenda bamukuratiire. Bareeba yaihayo ekyeyererezo, ayererera. Az'aho ayeyerera, ayeyerera. Ku baza kuhurira bahurira yabeeta ati, "Taata!" Agambira n'omukazi we ati, "Maama!" Boona bagwerwa akagwe. Nabo bamweeta muhara wabo.

Ku baba bakiri aho bari omu kushobangirirwa, ahabw'oburungi bw'ogwo mwishiki n'oku yabaire nashusha, ku hahweireho ebiro, becura omushaija. Ati, 'Baitu, ka ninyenda omwishiki w'okushweera."

Bamugira ngu, "Baitu shi iwe nooha okugizire ngu twiine omwishiki w'okushweera?"

Omushaija ati, "Nyowe nkirotsire!"

Ngu, "Hoona shi iwe ku okirotsire naiwe wakita omu nkora, wamanya ngu buzima niko kiri?"

Ati, "Ee," ati, "nyowe buzima niko nkirotsire kandi buzima ninteekwa kushweera omuk'egi."

Abagira ngu bamushabe kyoona eki barikwenda kandi naza kukibahereza. Omushaija n'omukazi we nabo nikwo kuza aho bakarebera okutangaara. Ku barebire byab'ebyo bamugira ngu, "Mbwenu itwe eki turi kukushaba, nitwenda ngu otuhe abazaana abarikubasa kutuhwera ahabw'okuba noreeba twiine omwishiki waitu omwe niwe turi kutuura nawe."

Omushaija ati, "Mbwenu ekyo eki mwanshaba ninza kukikora. Mbwenu reka mbashabe mumpe ebiro bina, ngyende nyetebekanise nyije nkikore."

Omushaija agarukayo, ku aheza kugarukayo, amara ebiro. Ebiro bina ku bihika agaruka omu rugyendo rwe. Omu kwija ogwo murundi aija n'ebintu bingi. Agira abashaija batahi be, agira abazaana abu bamushabire, agira n'ente, n'embuzi, n'entaama, byoona abyebembeza.

Ku babaire bari aho bamwetebekanisiize barikukimanya ngu omuka baine obugyenyi, bareeba ebintu nyamwingi byoona byareetwa aho, n'amasyo agu nagamba, aha muheru nikwo kuhika omunju.

Nyineeka ati, "Twakwakiira."

Ati, "Niinye naakira."

Bareeba byoona ebi yabaire aine. Hati aho nyineka niho yagizire ati, "Abesiga Mukama, bakagira n'okugumisiriza tibahwa matsiko."

Omushaija kishweera akaba ari mutabani w'Omugabe kwonka ou babaire batari kumanya. Ku barebire ekitiinisa eki yaiziremu n'ebi babaire bamushabire, bakwata omwishiki ogwo bamumuhereza. Batyo bagyenda, batunga obushwere burungi, batunga n'okubagye, bazaara n'abaana bagira obuteeka burungi.

Nanye ku natsigire eka yatebekana ei omwishiki yashweirwemu, narugayo ninyirukanga ndaba omu rutookye rwa [marimi] rwacweeka ebishansha!

The Tree That Turned Into a Girl

Long ago there was a man called Bigambo and he went and married a wife. They lived and lived. Unfortunately they did not have a child. Every time they prayed to God to give them a child. They prayed all the time. They had a large piece of land with gardens. In the middle of the gardens there was a beautiful tree, a very beautiful tree. That tree produced nice fruit.

One morning when they were going to the garden as usual, they suddenly saw the tree turn into a girl. The girl walked very fast towards the house. They watched in disbelief as she went. When she entered the house they followed her. They saw her get a broom and she started sweeping. She swept and swept. Suddenly, they heard her calling. "Father!" she said. And she called his wife and she said, "Mother!" And they were astonished. They also called her their daughter.

While they were still in shock, amazed by the girl's beauty, a man appeared after a few days. He said, "I am looking for a girl to marry."

They said to him, "But who told you that we have a girl to give away in marriage?"

The man said, "I dreamt about it!"

They said, "So you dreamt about it and you decided to act on the dream and you believed it is really true?"

He said, "Yes, that is truly what I dreamt and I know for sure that I will marry into this home."

He asked them to tell him whatever they wanted and he would give it to them. The man and his wife stood there, watching in disbelief. When they saw what had happened they said to him, "All we want you to do is give us servants to help us because as you can see we have our only daughter and she is the one we live with."

The man said, "I will do what you have asked. I request you to give me four days to go and get ready and I will come and do it."

The man went back, and when he went back, he spent four days and then set off on his journey. When he came the second time he brought a lot of things. He came along with other men, he brought servants they had asked him to bring, he brought cows and goats, and sheep; everything was there before him.

While they were preparing to receive him, knowing they had a wedding at their home, they saw a lot of things being brought to their home including the animals I was talking about, and finally they arrived at their home.

The head of the family said, "You are welcome."

The other said: "I am most honoured."

And they saw all that he had brought. At that moment the head of the household said, "Those who trust God and have perseverance, they always have hope."

The groom was the son of the King but they did not know him. When they saw the grandeur that surrounded him and all the things they had asked him to bring, they gave him their daughter. And so they went and they had a wonderful marriage, they had a good life, gave birth to children and had a wonderful life.

And when their home had become stable, the one that the girl got married into, I came running and passed through my maternal uncle's banana plantation and it turned into dry banana leaves!

5. Kabarungi

Ree: AM and AT; tr. AM; perf. ST (Rugazi-Mbarara, Ankole, 10 June 2005).3

By permission of Siriva Tinkamanyire.

Mbaganire, mbaganire!

Tebere!

Ira munonga hakaba hariho omushaija yagyenda yashwera omukazi we. Ku yamuhikize omuka bagyenda bazaara omwaana w'omwishiki. Yagyenda yaba murungi munonga, n'eiziina bamweeta Kabarungi.

Kabarungi yakura, yakura. Eky'omugisha mubi, nyina yafa. Nyina ku yaherize kufa, Kabarungi yaguma na ishe. Obwire bwingi yaguma nahweera ishe kandi ishe nawe yaguma nawe nibahwerana, baguma bashemereirwe.

Ku hahweireho obwire, omushaija yaremwa kutuura wenka nikwo kutandika kuronda omukazi ondüjo. Tiharahweire biro bingi, yashweera ondijo mukazi. Omukazi ou yasheire nawe yaija ari eihano. Izooba rimwe yayeta omwaana ou yashangireho, ogwo ou ari muka-ishe, yagaruka yayeta noowe, bombi yabatwaara yaza kubanabisa. Ku yabanabiise babonera, omuri ako kaire yatandika kubasiiga. Yakwaata omwaana owe yamusiiga amajuta g'ente marungi, kandi yagaruka yakwaata omwaana ou yabaire ari muka-ishe yamusiiga amasha g'ente. Yabata aha muhanda bagyenda.

Ku baba bari omu muhanda nibagyenda, babugana abantu. Abantu bagira ngu, "Baitu agwo omwaana ka yaba aboneire ahabw'enki bamusiiga amasha?" Ngu, "Kandi oriya n'obu barabe bamusiiga kurungi, kwonka taboneire nk'ogu."

Omukazi atyo kyamukora kubi yagira ekiniga. Ku yagira ekiniga yagyenda yahika omuka. Ku yahika omuka yagira ati, "Iwe mwaana we, nkute hi?"

Yasharamu kumwiita. Ku yabaire ari omu kutebekanisa ngu amwiite, yaronda omusyo gwe. Orauri ako kaire haretwaho ishe w'omwishiki. Nikwo atyo yamuyabuzaho ogwo omukazi. Ati, "Kandi shi Kabarungi kanarira yaaba ata?"

Ogwo muka-ishe ati, "Omwaana tindikumanya oku ari!"

Atyo omukazi asyooka omu nju ayekiika ahaifo n'omusyo gwe ogwa lurara, omwaana amukiika enyuma y'ekiti ahu ishe yabaire atari kureeba, ati, "Reka nyije nkwiite!"

Ku yabaire naza kumwiita ahaiziba hagabwa nihareetwaho abakazi ababaire baizire kutaha amaizi. Bamukwata. Ngu, "Waba nooza kukora ki?" Bamukwata bamukiza amaani. Ku aheza kwamura, na ishe w'omwaana nawe asimuka arugayo, ati, "Baitu shi n'enki?"

Muka-ishe nikwo kumugira ati, "Nyowe omwaana k'andemire," ati, "nyowe reka mwiheho," ati, "ambereire ekindi!"

Aha muheru, abakazi bakwaata ogwo omukazi owabaire naza kushara omwaana, na ishe nawe amukwata ogwo omukazi we owabaire nayenda kwiita omwaana we, batyo bamurwanisa.

Omushaija abinga omukazi we, ati, "Ruga omu maka gangye ngume n'omwaana wangye," ati, "nkatunga obusingye ahabw'okuba omwaana wangye okashanga ndi kutuura nawe!"

Nanye ku ntsiga orutaro rwahwa Kabarungi yahona okufa, nanye ngabwa nindugayo ntsiga nyineeka yatsigara n'omuhara, omukazi yataaha.

Kabarungi

Let me tell you a story, let me tell you a story!

Tebere!

Long ago there was a man and he married a wife. He brought her home and they later on gave birth to a daughter. The girl was very beautiful and they named her Kabarungi.

Kabarungi grew up, and grew up. Unfortunately, her mother died. When her mother died, Kabarungi lived with her father. Most of the time she would help her father with work and they kept helping each other and they lived a happy life.

After some time the man found it hard to live alone, so he started looking for another wife to marry. Not many days passed, and he married another wife. The wife he married was a terrible woman.

One day, she called her step-daughter and she called her daughter, and she went to bathe both of them. After bathing them, she smeared her daughter with nice cattle ghee, and then she smeared her step-daughter with cow dung. She took them out for a walk.

As they walked down the road, they met people. People started saying, "That child is very beautiful, why did they smear her with cow dung?" And they said, "The other one, even though she is smeared with ghee, she is not as beautiful as this one."

And so the woman was very angry. When she became angry she went home. When she got home she said, "You child, where will I put you?"

She decided to kill her. As she prepared to kill her, she looked for a knife. At that time, the girl's father came. He immediately snatched her away from the woman. He said, "Kabarungi is crying, what happened to her?"

The woman said, "I do not know what has happened to that child!"

And like that the woman dashed out of the house and hid, with her machete, and she took the child behind the tree where her father would not see, and she said, "I am going to kill you!"

When she was about to kill her there came a group of women from the well. They held her, and they said, "What were you planning to do?" They overpowered her and held her down. When she screamed, the child's father also awoke and came, and he said, "What is the matter?"

The child's stepmother said, "This child has become too difficult for me to control and I have to get rid of her," and she said, "she has become something else!"

In the end, the women got hold of this woman who wanted to kill the child, the father also got hold of this woman who wanted to kill his child, and so they all fought her.

The man threw out his wife and said, "Get out of my home and leave me with my child," and he said, "perhaps I can have some peace again because you found me with this child!"

And when the conflict was over and Kabarungi survived death, it was time for me to leave, so I left the man with his daughter, and the woman went to her home.

6. Orukooko

Ree: AM and AT; tr. AM; perf. AT (Ruharo, Ankole, 18 June 2005).40

By permission of Allyce Tumwesigye.

Eira naira, hakaba hariho akakaikuru akabaire kaine abaana baako bana: Warukuba, Warugwe, Warucuncu na Wakame. Boona kakaba katura nabo omunju emwe. Abaana baako aba bakaba bakatsigaho baza kuhiiga.

Eizooba rimwe ku kabaire kari konka omu kaju kako, haija orukooko rwakabuuza nirutongyerera nirugira ruti:

Orukooko: Wakame, Wakame!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warucuncu, Warucuncu!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warugwe, Warugwe!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Rutyo rumugira rati, "Tyo reeta entemere yaawe nkunenere orye gatakahozire!"

Nikwo akakaikuru kureeta bakanenera, karya orukooko nikwo kugyenda. Abaana ku bagarukire, nyinabo yabagambira ekyabaho boona bashoberwa nOkwerarikirira kwingi kwonka ku baheza babirugaho.

Eizooba eryakuratsireho bagaruka bagyenda. Orukooko narwo rugaruka rakora nka butoosha. Rutyo rwija rweeta:

Orukooko: Wakame, Wakame!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warucuncu, Warucuncu!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warugwe, Warugwe!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Rutyo rugaruka rumugira rati, "Tyo reeta entemere yaawe nkunenere orye gatakahozire!"

Abaana ku bagarukire, kagaraka kabagambira ekyabaho ogundi murundi. Nikwo kusharaho kutsiga Wakame omuka kwenda ngu areebe ekirikuteganisa nyinabo. Orukooko rugaruka bwanyima y'abandi kugyenda. Wakame ayeshereka omunju, orukooko ratandika rabuuza akakaikuru nka butoosha. Wakame agyenda nairuka agambira bagyenzi be kuyareeba orukooko rari ruhango.

Eizooba eryakuratsireho batsigaho Warucuncu ngu arurwanise. Batyo bagyenda baza kuhiiga nka butoosha. Nabwo nka butoosha orukooko rugaruka rweeta:

Orukooko: Wakame, Wakame!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warucuncu, Warucuncu!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warugwe, Warugwe!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Rutyo rugaruka rumugira rati, "Tyo reeta entemere yaawe nkunenere orye gatakahozire!"

Waracuncu ayeshereka areeba rwaija, areeba ebi rarikukora. Na Waracuncu aratiina, airaka agarakayo agambira abandi ku atarikubasa orukooko. Boona bashoberwa.

Ogundi murandi Warukuba aba niwe yatsigara omuka. Ebindi ku byabaire byaheza kugyenda, narwo nikwo kwija ratandika kubuuza akakaikuru:

Orukooko: Wakame, Wakame!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Waracuncu, Waracuncu!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Waragwe, Waragwe!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Orukooko: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Akakaikuru: Agiire kuhiiga

Rutyo rugaruka rumugira rati, "Tyo reeta entemere yaawe nkunenere orye gatakahozire.

Ku kabaire katandika kureeta entemere, Warukuba agurakayo arabarukira arateera, racura rati, "Nsaasira, oshare akaara kahera oihemu eby'orikwenda byoona!" Warukuba yabiihamu, yaheza yagaraka yayerenga, yarabarukira yarateera, yarwiita.

Ku natsigire barwiita, bagaigahara, baza omu busingye, nanye nti, "Reka nyije mbaganire!"

The Monster

Long, long ago, there was an old woman and she had her four children: Wakame, Waracuncu, Waragwe, and Warukuba. All of them stayed with her in the same house. Her children would leave her and go to hunt.

One day while she was alone in her tiny house, there came a monster and it asked her while chanting like this:

Monster: Wakame, Wakame!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Waracuncu, Waracuncu!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Waragwe, Waragwe!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

And so, it said to her, "All right, bring your basket and I will bite off a piece for you to eat before [the food] gets cold!"

Then the old woman brought [the basket], they gave her a piece, and she ate and the monster went. When the children came back their mother told them what had happened and all of them were surprised and very worried but after a while they forgot about it.

The following day, they went away again. The monster also came back and did as usual. And it came and started calling:

Monster: Wakame, Wakame!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warucuncu, Warucuncu!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warugwe, Warugwe!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

And once again it said to her, "All right, bring your basket and I will bite off a piece for you to eat before [the food] gets cold!"

When the children returned, she told them what had happened for the second time. So they decided to leave Wakame at home so that he would find out what was giving their mother a hard time. After the others had gone, the monster came back. Wakame hid in the house, and the monster started asking the old woman as usual. When he realized the monster was huge, Wakame ran and told his brothers.

The following day, they left behind Warucuncu to fight it, and so they went to hunt as usual. As it did every day, the monster started singing:

Monster: Wakame, Wakame!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warucuncu, Warucuncu!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warugwe, Warugwe!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

And so, it said to her once again, "All right, bring your basket and I will bite off a piece for you to eat before [the food] gets cold!"

Warucuncu hid and saw it coming, and he saw what it was doing. Warucuncu was also scared; he ran back to tell the others that he could not fight the monster. They were all worried.

Another time, it was Warukuba's turn to stay at home. When the others had gone away, it [the monster] came and started asking the old woman:

Monster: Wakame, Wakame!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warucuncu, Warucuncu!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warugwe, Warugwe!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

Monster: Warukuba, Warukuba!

Old Woman: He went to hunt

And so, it said to her once again, "All right, bring your basket and I will bite off a piece for you to eat before [the food] gets cold!"

While she was bringing the basket, Warukuba sprang up and attacked it, and hit it, and it started crying and saying, "Forgive me, cut off my last finger and remove whatever you want!"

Warukuba removed whatever he wanted and again he attacked it, and hit it and it died.

And after they had killed it, and became rich and lived in peace, I said, "Let me come here and tell you this story!"

7. Enyanga Kugambirwa Teyanga Kubona

Ree: AM and AT; tr. AM; perf. AT (Ruharo, Ankole, 18 June 2005).41

By permission of Allyce Tumwesigye.

Ira hakaba hariho omukazi Nyambogo n'omutabani Rutahigwa. Izooba rimwe, bakaimuka kare bashengyerera omushenga gw'esaano y'oburo, n'ekisisi ky'obushera buteire, n'entsimbo y'amajuta, n'enyama z'entongo z'emikaro, obwo nibaza kuzindukira muhara wabo Nyambogo otura Bwera ahu yashweirwe.

Ku babaire bari omu muhanda, Rutahigwa ayekoreire ekisisi ky'obushera akihumuza ahansi, agambira nyina ati, "Maama, nareeba amayonza gezire. Reka ngyende ncweyo ag'okurya."

Nyina ati, "Irooko, kwonka orahukye."

Yairuka yakwata aha kiti ky'okubanza, kwaba yacwaho narya areeba ekindi omu maisho nikyengyengyeta. Airuka, atakahikireho areeba aha rubaju haruho ekindi ky'enjuma zirikutukura. Ahinduka kureeba nyina ahu ari.

Nyina amweeta ati, "Cwa makye tugyende!"

Agumizamu nacwa. Ku aba yahika aho ashangaho orukooko rumugambira mti, "Webare kwereeta; natunga eky'okurya!"

Rutahigwa aborooga nayeta nyina, kwonka nyina agabwa yagyenzire. Ogwo mutabani agumizamu naborooga, ati:

Mbaire ningyenda na maama

Ku angambiire, nayanga

Mbwenu orukooko rwantwara

Nazira okutagambirwa, nareeba!

Orukooko rutyo rwayeshama rwamumira, atyo yaafa.

Nanye ku ndeeba ekyabaho, ntyo nyirukanga ndaba omu nyanya za maawe zacweeka entanga, reero nikwo kwija aha kubaganira.

The One Who Refuses Advice Does Not Refuse the Consequences

Once there lived a woman called Nyambogo and her son Rutahigwa. One day, they got up very early in the morning and prepared gifts, a basketful of millet flour, a gourd full of obushera porridge, a calabash full of ghee, and roasted meat. They were going to visit her daughter who lived in Bwera where she was married.

On their way, Rutahigwa who was carrying the gourd full of obushera put it down and said to his mother, "Mother, I have seen ripe berries. Let me go and pick some to eat."

His mother said, "Go, but be quick."

He ran to the first tree, but as soon as he had started picking and eating, he saw another tree ahead with ripe fruits. He ran, but before he could get there, he saw another tree on the side with red berries. He turned to see where his mother was.

His mother called him, saying, "Pick only a few and we will go!"

He continued picking. When he moved further, he suddenly saw a beast and it said to him, "Thank you for bringing yourself; now I have something to eat!"

Rutahigwa screamed, calling out to his mother, but his mother had already gone. Her son continued screaming, saying:

I was going with my mother

When she told me [to pick a few berries], I refused

Now the beast has taken me

I am suffering the consequences of disobedience, woe to me!

The beast then opened its mouth and swallowed him, and he died.

When I saw this happening, I ran through my mother's tomatoes and they turned bitter, and then I came here to tell you the tale.

8. Nyamushagi

Ree: AM; tr. AM; perf. AR (Nshwere, Nyabushozi, 16 August 2004).

By permission of Aida Rubabinda.

Ekigano kyangye eki ndikuza kugana nikigamba ahari Nyamushagi. Nyamushagi akaba ari omukazi kwonka akaba atarikuzaara, kandi akaba ataine mushaija. Kwonka akaba aine ente nyingi. Ente ezo yaba akaziragwa abazaire be, tindikumanya. Kwonka akaba aine ente nyingi.

Mbwenu Nyamushagi ogwo ente ze akaba aziriisa, agira n'abariisa be ababaire bamurisiza. Kwonka izooba rimwe ku yabaire ari aho, akaba aine obusaasi ahabw'obutazaara. Kwonka akaba agira ati, "Ha, mbwenu ekyakumpa nanye nkazaara omwaana!"

Mbwenu izooba rimwe ku yabaire ari aho ari omu kibuga kye nagyendagyenda, yareeba akaatika k'ensimbi. Ensimbi abantu ba kare bakaba bagikozesa omu kuragura, baguma nibazitambika aho nibaziraguza. Mbwenu areeba insimbi; kwonka areeba akaatika k'ensimbi. Mbwenu ahurira iraka eririkumugira ngu, "Omukaatika k'ensimbi aka oryaija kwihamu omwaana."

Hati akaatika k'ensimbi akatwaara akata omunju ye. Mbwenu omunju ye ku yakateiremu hagwa enjura nyingi, nyingi munonga. Enjura yagwa. Mbwenu enjura ku yagiire kutsya, yashanga aine omwaana w'omwoojo! Omwaana w'omwoojo ogwo yamweeta Karisa.

Mushengyezi: Yaruga hi?

Rubabinda: Yaruga omukatika k'ensimbi. Akaruga omukatika k'ensimbi.

Omwaana w'omwoojo ogwo yamut'aho. Mbwenu enjura kuyakyeire kandi ku bwasesire, baza kushanga bashanga aine omwaana w'omwoojo. Bamugira ngu, "Nyamushagi omwaana ogwo okamwiha hi?"

Ati, "Nkamutunga."

Baguma nibamubuuza, "Omwaana okamwiha hi? K'otaine mushaija!"

Ati, "Nkamutunga."

Baguma abantu nibamubuuza, nibamubuuza Ku barugireho bamurusya. Hagira omuntu omwe yaija yamubeihabeiha, yamuganirira, yashusha nka munywani we, yagyenda. Yagaruka yaija ogundi murundi ati, "Baitu hoona omwaana ogu okamwiha hi?" Nyamushagi ayanga kumugambira. Omwaana akamweeta Karisa.

Ati, "Baitu obwo omwaana eizina rye aba oha?"

Ati, "Eizina rye ni Karisa."

Ati, "Hoona shi okamwiha hi?"

Mbwenu Nyamushagi yamugambira amazima. Ati: "Omwaana ogu nkamwiha omu katika k'ensimbi. Enjura ekagwa, kuyagwire nashanga akaatika k'ensimbi omu kibuga kyangye omwo. Nakatwaara. Ku nahikire omunju nyekiro kahinduka omwaana. Niwe mwaana ogu, Karisa Nimwo namwihire; omukatika k'ensimbi."

Mbwenu amugambira amazima. Mbwenu aha ka ye hakaba hariho enyonyi. Enyonyi egyo nibagyeta Kanyonza. Hati enyonyi egyo ehurira ebi Nyamushagi yagambire omushaija ogwo. Etyo eguruka egwa aha rugo egamba ebi omukazi ogwo yagamba. Eti:

Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi yagamba

Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi yagamba

Karisa tindamuzaire, Nyamushagi yagamba

Nkamwiha omukaatika k'ensimbi, Nyamushagi yagamba

Mbwenu Nyamushagi ashoberwa: "Enyonyi yampurira? Hati shi imwe, nkore ki?"

Hati, ente ezabaire zisetukire Nyamushagi ategyereza zibura kutaaha. Enyonyi egumizamu neyeshongora, neyeshongora, negamba Nyamushagi ku yagamba, Karisa ku ataramuzaire, ku yamwihire omukaatika k'ensimbi.

Hati ente ezabaire zisetukire zibura. Hati ente tizataaha. Ente zabura kutaaha. Kwonka ente ku zabuzire kutaaha, Karisa yaija. Hati kuyaizire yagambira nyina ku ente zamuburira. Ati, "Naronda ente ezi naba ndisize, nazironda, zabura."

Enyonyi egaruka eyeshongora. Nyamushagi ati, "Ai bambe, enyonyi ka yaba enyonyi!"

Ku eyeshongora, ahabwokuba ekagamba enaama ya Nyamushagi, Karisa nawe agyenda ngu agiire kuronda ente nawe abura. Atyo Nyamushagi atsigara omu mukyeno gwe. Ente igyenda n'omwaana nawe abura. Byoona, byoona bigyenda bihwaho hatsigara Nyamushagi wenka omu bunaku bwe nk'oku yabaire ari n'omu butazaara bwe. Hati nabwo ente tarazitungire - nangwa kare kayabaire aine ente ze. Ente tiyazitunga na Karisa omwaana we yagyenda.

Nyamushagi aguma omu busaasi bwe, yarugaho yafeera omu busaasi bwe ataine kindi eki atungire.

Nyamushagi

My folktale that I am going to tell you is about Nyamushagi. Nyamushagi was a barren woman and she was not married. But she had many cows. Whether she inherited the cows from her father, I do not know. But she had many cows.

Now, Nyamushagi used to look after her cows, and she had herdsmen who used to help her look after them. One day as she sat there, she felt very sad for not being able to bear a child. She used to say, "Hm, if only I could get an opportunity to bear a child!"

And so one day while she was walking around her kraal she suddenly saw a broken shell. In the olden days people used broken shells for fortune-telling; they could throw them on the ground as they engaged in fortune-telling. So she saw the shell, she saw the broken shell. And she heard a voice saying to her, 'Out of this broken shell you will get a child."

Well, she took the broken shell and put it in the house. So when she put it in the house it rained heavily, very heavy rain. It rained. When the rain stopped, she found she had a baby boy! They named that baby boy Karisa.

Mushengyezi: Where did he come from?

Rubabinda: He came from the broken shell. He came out of the broken shell.

She put the baby boy right there. So when the rain stopped in the morning, they found her with a baby boy. People said to her, "Nyamushagi, where did you get that child?"

She replied, "I got him."

They kept asking her, "Where did you get that child? You have no husband!"

She said, "I got him."

People kept asking her, asking her. In the end she was tired of their questions. Then one person came and tricked her, and told her all kinds of stories, pretending to be her friend and he went away. Then he came back another time and said, "But where did you get that child?" Nyamushagi refused to tell him. She had named the child Karisa.

He asked, "And what is the boy's name?"

"His name is Karisa," she said.

He said, "But where did you get him?"

And so Nyamushagi told him the truth. She said, "I got that child from a broken shell. It rained, and when it rained I found a broken shell in my kraal over there. I took it. When I put it in the house at night it turned into a child. That is the child, Karisa. That is where I got him, from a broken shell."

So she told him the truth. Near the house there was a bird. That bird was called Kanyonza. Now, that bird heard what Nyamushagi told the man. And like that, it jumped and landed on the hedge and repeated what the woman had said. It said:

Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi has said

Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi, Nyamushagi has said

I did not give birth to Karisa, Nyamushagi has said

I got him out of a broken shell, Nyamushagi has said

And so Nyamushagi was worried: "This bird heard what I said? My dear, what will I do?"

Now, Nyamushagi waited for the cows that had gone to the grazing fields but they did not come home. The bird continued singing and singing, narrating how Nyamushagi had said that she did not give birth to Karisa, that she got him from a broken shell.

Suddenly, the cows that were grazing in the fields disappeared. They did not return home. The cows did not come back home. But when the cows did not return home, Karisa came. He told his mother that the cows had disappeared. He said, "I looked for the cows that I was grazing, I looked for them, but I could not find them."

The bird started singing again. When it sang, because it had disclosed Nyamushagi' s secret, Karisa pretended to be going to look for cows and he, too, vanished. And like that, Nyamushagi remained alone with no one to help her. The cows disappeared and the child disappeared. Everything, everything was no more, and Nyamushagi remained alone in her misery and childlessness. She even lost her cows - at least she had her cows previously. She did not have cows anymore, and also Karisa went.

Nyamushagi lived on in her sorrow until she died in misery and destitution.

9. Nzima na Njungu

Ree: AM; tr. AM; perf. AR (Nshwere, Nyabushozi, 16 August 2004).

By permission of Aida Rubabinda.

Ekigano eki ndikuza kugana nikigamba ahari Nzima na Njunju. Bakaba bazairwe kumwe kwonka Nzima nyina yafa. Hatsigaraho [nyina Njunju]. Nzima ogwo muka-ishe yaguma namubonabonesa, namuteera, amwima amate, amwiita kubi. Mbwenu Njunju ku yabaire ateekateeka omurumuna arira. Omu kurira akaba arira nagamba ebigambo nk'ebyo.

Kwonka muka-ishe ogwo, akaguririra abashaija batwaara Nzima bamuta omu kirukuru bamutwara bamuta omu kiti, tibamwiita. Haza mbwenu Njunju ogwo ku yabaire aba namuronda akaba agamba ebigambo ebi:

Ninshora obushoro bwa Nzima ataribimanya akangaya

Ninshora obushoro bwa Nzima ataribimanya akangaya

Nzan' ebizaano bya Nzima ataribimanya akangaya

Nrunz' enyena nka Nzima ataribimanya akangaya

Mbwenu ku yabaire aba nayeshongora nyina amuronda. Ku yabaire amushanga narira narizibwa omurumuna Nzima, amuteera amugarura omuka amuha amate ngu anywe. Omwaana ayeshongora nagira ati:

Tindikunywa amate ntakabweine Nzima

Tindikunywa amate ntakabweine Nzima

Tindikunywa amate ntakabweine Nzima

Ninshora obushoro bwa Nzima ataribimanya akangaya

Mbwenu omukazi ku yashobeirwe yagyenda yaguririra abashaija abu yabaire agambiire ngu bamuhanikire Nzima omu kishaka, bagyenda bamuhanura bamureeta. Kwonka akaba amazire ebiro bingi enjara eri ey'okumwiita. Kandi na Njunju nawe hoona akaba aine enjara eri ey'okumwiita, ahabwokuba ku batwaire Nzima bamuhanika omu muti, Njunju nawe aguma atarikurya. Kwonka ku bamuretsire, Njunju yashemererwa na Nzima yashemererwa bagaruka omu mizaano yabo babagye.

Okwiha obwo, omukazi akatandika kukunda Nzima ahabwokuba akareeba ngu okwiha obu Nzima yagyenda omwaana we nawe akaba yaza kufa. Boona yabakunda yaguma nabareberera kumwe nk'oku yabaire nareberera omwaana owe.

Nzima na Njunju baguma bashemereirwe kwiha obwo.

Nzima and Njunju

This folktale I am going to tell you is about Nzima and Njunju. They were brothers [stepbrothers] but Nzima's mother had died. Only [Njunju's mother] was alive. Nzima's stepmother always mistreated him, beating him, refusing to give him milk, abusing him. And so whenever Njunju thought about his brother [stepbrother] he wept. As he cried he would say [sorrowful] words.

Then his stepmother paid a group of men to take Nzima and put him in a granary, and they went and hung it in a tree, but they did not kill him. And so, whenever Njunju looked for him, he would say these words:

I am tossing Nzima's billiards lest he knows and is disappointed with me

I am tossing Nzima's billiards lest he knows and is disappointed with me

I will play Nzima's games lest he knows and is disappointed with me

I will care for calves like Nzima did lest he knows and is disappointed with me

And so, whenever he sang the song, his mother would look for him. Whenever she found him crying, crying because of his brother [stepbrother] Nzima, she would beat him, take him home, and give him milk to drink. The child would sing, like this:

I will not drink milk before I see Nzima

I will not drink milk before I see Nzima

I will not drink milk before I see Nzima

I am tossing Nzima's billiards lest he knows and is disappointed with me

So the woman became worried, and she went and paid the group of men she had told to go and hang Nzima in the bush, and she told them to bring him back. He had spent so many days without food and he was starving. And likewise, Njunju was starving because when they took away Nzima and hung him in the tree, Njunju also did not eat anything. But when they brought him, Njunju was very happy and Nzima was also very happy, and they started playing their games.

From that day the woman started liking Nzima because she realized that from the day Nzima went away her child was also about to die. She loved both of them and took care of them just as she was taking care of her own child.

Nzima and Njunju remained happy ever after.

10. Omwishiki Owayetengire Omukira Gw'enkorokombi

Ree: AM and DK; tr. AM; perf. AR (Kikatsi, Nyabushozi, 16 July 2005).

By permission of Isirairi Katuka.

Omushaija akaba aine omukazi we bazaara abaana munaana b'aboojo, kwonka owa mwenda yazaarwa ari akarema. Kwonka bazaara omwishiki wa ikumi. Mbwenu abaana abo bakura. Ku bakura, omwishiki ogwo akaba aine bagyenzi be, ku bahika okwo aine bagyenzi be bayetenga.

Ondijo ayetenga ari, "Nyowe nkahenwa ki nshwerwa omushaija haza ngira mazaara, haza ngira tatazaara, haza ngira ibanyi, haza agabwa aine omurumuna, ngira muramu wangye tuguma nituzaana, haza nkitwaara nzigaija omwaana w'omwojo!"

Ondijo asheka ati, "Nkahenwa nshwerwa, nshwerwa omushaija w'emanzi w'omukama!"

Onu ati, "Nyowe nkahenwa nshwerwa omushaija w'ente igana." Ente igana zikaba ziri ihano.

Omweija ati, "Nkahenwa nkuratanisa abaana aba. . .babiri, b'aboojo!"

Ngu, "Ka twiheyo enyana tutaahe."

Ogwo omwishiki ayanga kwetenga. Ngu, "Iwe shi k'otayetenga?" Ngu, "Nitukuteera!" Ngu, "Nayenda kuza kutubeiherera ku twayetenga." Ngu, "Nayenda kutaaha omuka kutubeiherera." Ngu, "Nitukuteera!"

Ku bamuteera, ati, "Nimurerere kunteera," ati, "nanye reka nyetengye!"

Ngu, "Naiwe yetengye! Noyenda kuza kutubeiherera ku twayetenga ngu nitwenda kushwerwa, ngu nitwenda kuzaara!"

Ati, "Nyowe nkahenwa ki - " Enyamaishwa etaaha Tanzania bagyeta enkorokombi, kwonka omu kugihindura niyo ntwiga. Ee, entwiga. Kwonka omu biro ebyo ekaba neyetwa enkorokombi. Ati, "Nyowe nkahenwa nkikira omukira gw'enkorokombi."

Mbwenu omwishiki ogwo yarira. Yayetura omuka narira. Abaishiki bagamba enaama yabo. Ngu, "Mbwenu twayetenga," ngu, "kwonka we ku yaza kwetenga, yagira ngu 'nkahenwa nkikira omukira gw'enkorokombi.'"

Ngu, "Nogamba oku wayetenga!"

Omwishiki ati, "Banyanyanya batuura munaana, akaremarema kabo ka mwenda," ati, "abandi baketenga ebirungi nyowe nayetenga omukira gw'enkorokombi."

Banyanya baimuka. Ngu, "Nituza kumusharira omukira gw'enkorokombi!"

Batyo. Akarema kabaza aha kibunu. Ku barara nka Kayonza, karaara aha. [Basheka]. Nyencakare kagyenda... [Tibirikuhururwa gye]. Ku baraara Mbarara, karaara omu Biharwe. [Basheka]. Bayetuura Tanzania. Bagira omwishiki ngu, "Kyo yetenga!"

Omwishiki ari, "Banyanya batuura munaana, akaremarema kabo ka mwenda, abandi baketenga ebirungi nyowe nayetenga omukira gw'enkorokombi."

Haija enkorokombi! N'enyamaishwa y'enkambwe. Ku eba nemukiriza munyanya agiteera icumu. Ngu, "Kyo gira!"

Ati, "Abandi baketenga ebirungi nyowe nayetenga omukira gw'enkorokombi. Banyanyazi batura munaana, akaremarema kabo ka mwenda - "

Haija enkorokombi! Munyanya yagiteera icumu. Batyo munaana boona yabamira!

[Akarema] kagabwa kaizire. Kati, 'Ori aha wenka? Banyanyoko enyamaishwa ekabamira?" Omwishiki ku ahikaho akareeba arira.

Kati, "Gyete!" Kati, "Aga n'amacumu gabo?"

Omwishiki agyeta, n'akagaya ati, "mbwenu shi iwe - !"

Kati, "F'okugyeta!"

Ati, "Abandi baketenga ebirungi nyowe nayetenga omukira gw'enkorokombi. Banyanyazi batura munaana, akaremarema kabo ka mwenda!"

Haija enkorokombi. Ku yabaire neija yakakwata yakamira, kagiretwa omu kibunu! Kagiteera icumu!" Kati, "Gyete!"

Omwishiki enkorokombi yagyeta. Ati, "Banyanya batuura munaana, akaremarema kabo ka mwenda, abandi baketenga ebirungi nyowe nayetenga omukira gw'enkorokombi."

Yaija enkorokombi yakamira kagiretwa omu kibunu! Aha icumu rya ikumi na mukaaga enkorokombi eti, "Aa-a!" Kahwa ahansi. [Tibirikuhururwa gye]. Enkorokombi yakwata icumu rya mukuru wako. Yarikuura ku yarikuura yagitema omukira, yagyenda. Ee!

AM: Omukira yaguta hi?

IK: Yaguha omwishiki, yaguha munyanya. He! Omukira gw'enkorokombi okugutema baitu harugamu ki? Harugamu amasyo g'ente, harugamu - Baitu obwo byona byaruga omu mukira gw' enyamaishwa egi? Harugamu ente, harugamu abazaana, harugamu... Okuhereruka harugamu omutsigazi murungi. N'ekigagara. Omutsigazi ogwo niwe waizire kushwera omwishiki ogwo!

Aho niho nabaire mbigaira: anti, "Hoona ebintu birungi ibi byona bikaruga omu mukira omu?"

The Girl Who Wished for a Giraffe's Tail

A man had a wife and they gave birth to eight boys, but the ninth was disabled. However, their tenth child was a girl. The children grew up. When they grew up, one day the girl went somewhere with her friends and they started making wishes.

One of them made a wish and said, "I wish I could marry a man and have a mother-in-law, and have a father-in-law, and have a husband with a brother, and then I would have a brother-in-law to play games with, and then when I become pregnant I will give birth to a son!"

Another one laughed and said, "I wish I could get married, and get married to a brave man who is a king!"

The other said, "My wish is that I marry a man with a hundred herds of cattle!" [Having] a hundred cows was something amazing.

And yet another said, "I wish I could give birth to this number of children. . .two, both of them boys!"

And they said, "Let us go and get the calves and go home."

The other girl refused to make a wish. They said, "Why did you not make a wish?" they said, "We are going to beat you!" And they said, "She wants to go and gossip that we have been making wishes," they said, "she wants to go home and gossip about us." They said, "We are going to beat you!"

When they beat her she said, "Do not beat me," she said, "Let me also make a wish!"

They said, "You make a wish also! You want to go and gossip that we have been making wishes, that we want to get married, that we want to have children!"

She said, "My wish is that - " There is an animal found in Tanzania called enkorokombi, also known as a giraffe. Ee, a giraffe. But in those days it was called enkorokombi. She said, "I wish I could carry a giraffe's tail on my lap!"

And so the girl started crying. She went home crying. The girls had to disclose their secret. They said, "We made wishes," they said, "but when she made her wish, she said, ? wish I could carry a giraffe's tail on my lap! '"

They said to her, "You must tell us the wish that you made!"

The girl replied, "My brothers are eight, the disabled one is the ninth," she said, "others made wishes for good things but I wished for a giraffe's tail."

Her brothers stood up. They said, "We are going to cut off a giraffe's tail and give it to her!"

They went. The disabled one followed them. If they spent a night, say, in Kayonza, he would spend a night here. [Laughter]. The following day he would set off. . . [Not clear]. If they spent a night, say, in Mbarara, he would spend a night in Biharwe. [Laughter]. They arrived in Tanzania. They said to the girl, "Go ahead and make a wish, then!"

The girl said, "My brothers are eight, the disabled one is the ninth, others made wishes for good things but I wished for a giraffe's tail."

Suddenly, a giraffe came! It is a very aggressive animal. As it was lifting her up her brother speared it. Then he said to her, "Go ahead!"

She said, "Others made wishes for good things but I wished for a giraffe's tail. My brothers are eight, the disabled one is the ninth - "

Suddenly, a giraffe came! Her brother speared it. And like that, it swallowed all the eight!

[The lame one] came. He said, "You are here all alone? Your brothers were swallowed by the animal?"

When the girl got there and saw him she cried. He said, "Go ahead and call it!" He said, "Are these their spears?"

The girl called it, but she despised him saying, "But what can you - !"

He said, "Just go ahead and call it!"

She said, "Others made wishes for good things but I wished for a giraffe's tail. My brothers are eight, the disabled one is the ninth!"

Suddenly, the giraffe came. As soon as it came, it grabbed him and swallowed him, but he came out through its anus. He speared it! Then he said, "Go ahead and call it!"

The girl called the giraffe. She said, "My brothers are eight, the disabled one is the ninth, others made wishes for good things but I wished for a giraffe's tail."

The giraffe came and swallowed him, but he came out through its anus. When he threw the sixteenth spear, it said, "No-o!" He was all over it. [Not clear]. The giraffe grabbed his brother's spear. When it grabbed it he cut off its tail, and he went. Ee!

AM : Where did he put the tail?

IK: He gave it to the girl, he gave it to his sister. Aha! And once he cut off the giraffe's tail what came out? Out came herds of cattle, out came - And all these things came out of this animal's tail? Out came cows, out came servants, and out came... Finally, a handsome young man came out. And a stretcher. It was that young man who married the girl!

That is when I told them, and I said, "Can you imagine all these good things came out ofthat tail?"

11. Omwana Owatambire Mukuruwe Owahutaire

Ree: AM and DK; tr. AM; perf. YK42 (Rushere, Nyabushozi, 15 July 2005).

By permission of Yoweri Kyeishe.

Omushaija akaba aine abakazi babiri. Abakazi abo ba...bazaa...ow'okubanza yazaara owaana w'omwoojo. N'owakabiri nawe yaija yazaara omwaana w'omwoojo. [Hariho ebirikuyomba omu kiyungu; Kyeishe akora omw 'iraka]. Mbwenu kwonka oriya omukazi omukuru akaba ayenda ngu omwoojo ow'omukazi omuto afe atakaahungura ebintu n'oriya omutabani. [Hariho ebirikwehonda omu kiyungu]. Akiza owa nyina, nyina amnhabura amarogo g'okwija kwita Ebirikuyomba omu kiyungu byayeyongyera; Kyeishe ahunamaho kakyé\ omwaana ogwo.

Kwonka kandi we akaba aine rukundo, aine embabazi. [Ebirikwehonda omu kiyungu byayeyongyera]. Mbwenu, nyina azaho amu...amuhabura ati - [ebirikuyomba omu kiyungu byayeyongyera]

Omuky. Kyeishe [Tiyahurira gye; amuew'ekirimi]: Owabaire aine rukundo, nooha?

Kyeishe [Akora omw'iraL·]: N'omukazi. Kwonka nyina we akaba amuhabura ngu aronde omubazi aguheereze ou ari muka-ishe, afe, reero ente aije omutabani azihungure wenka. We omukazi akaba atakiine, kwonka kinwe nyin'omukazi.

Mbwenu amufuutira omubazi -

Omuky. Kyeishe [Ashoborora]: - Mbwenu nyinenkuru w'omwaana niwe wabaire akiine.

Kyeishe: Eee. Amufutira omubazi gwokuhereza ou ari muka-ishe ngu afe. Agureeta. Amuragirira n'oku aragumuhe. [Hariho ebirikwehonda omu kiyungu]. Mbwenu kuyabaire ahik'aho, akiba naija yahika omu muhanda, agureeba, agwaata. [Hariho ebirikuyomba omu kiyungu; Kyeishe ahunama]. Aija ataaha. Akimara omwanya yazayo, ati, [obwo nagamba narahukiriza, omw 'iraka rikye] "okagumuha?"

Onu ati, "Un-huuh."

Ati, "Akafa?"

Onu ati, "Ariho!"

Ati, ati..., "Iwe mwaana neihano, akagunywa?" Ati, "Unh-unh," ati, "toragumuhaire gye!"

Mbwenu amukorera, amufutira, amuragirira oku. . .ati, "Torikugumuha!"

[Ati,] "Nafa!"

Omukazi akiija yahika omu muhanda yareeba omwaana, hmm, [nayorekyereza n'engaro] agwaata. Okuhitsya obu yagizire omukazi, nyina, ati "omwaana neihano andemire!"

Mbwenu bwanyima baza aha rutaro; kandí orutaro manya ti rwa hati. Barwaana -

Omuky. ? ye ? s ? e : - Abo bari abaana?

Kyeishe: Abaana abo bari abashaija, bari abatsigazi. Baza omu rutaro - obwo noshusha oti nibwo babaire nibeeta obweemi - barwaana Ku barwaana, oriya ou... ou nyina... ou nyinenkuru yabaire ahabura ngu baite omurumuna, bamuhutaaza yahutaara. Bamucumita. Ku bamucumita [Omuky. Kyeishe eki yagamba tikyahururwa], yagwa, ku yagwa omurumuna yaija yamubandaguzaho yamutasya omu kishaka. [Omuky. Kyeishe aine ou arikugamba nawe kwonka tikyahururwa. Kyeishe akora omw'iraka]. Kwonka bariya engabo ezabaire nirwana, bakahereera oriya yagwa, bamwiita. [Hariho abarikugambira omu biho].

Engabo itabaruka itaaha. Kuzitandika nihik'aho bababuuza. Ngu, "Tukareeba nanka nibamucumita yagwa." Ngu, "Noshusha oti akafa," ngu "noshusha oti n'omurumuna nawe bakamwiita!" Ngu, "Tukabaherera obwo."

Kunu we ataaha nawe omu kishaka.

Omuky. Kyeishe [Amucw'ekirimi]: Bagira bata? Onsaasire -

Kyeishe: Abarugire omu rutaro bababuuza bagira ngu tukareeba bamwiita. Ngu noshusha oti yaaba n'omurumuna nawe bamwitsire. Ahabw'okuba bakaba bacumita omuntu bamurasha akumbagara okwo mbwenu batyo, mbwenu nk'orutaro hoona. Bahwa amatsiko bamanya ngu akafa.

Aza nawe omu kishaka. Agumamu nawe.

Omuky. Kyeishe: Mukuruwe?

Kyeishe: Omurumuna.

Omuky. Kyeishe: Agumamu na mukuruwe -

Kyeishe: - agumamu na mukuruwe. Mbwenu, arugaho aha kiro ky'aka... [obwo nayoreka engaro ibiri] amuta aha mabega. Aija amuhekire nakururuka, namukurura, amuremire-e-e. Mbwenu, aha kiro kya kashatu bareeba yareetwa nk'aho eruguru omwishaazi-i-i, amuheekire. [Abantu nibagamba mpora, nibatangaara].

Mbwenu, ku amureeba, nyina ogwo kihutaara - oriya ou yabaire aheereza omubazi ngu aguheereze ogu [Abantu nibagamba mpora, nibatangaara], ogu oizire ahekire mukuruwe, akanga akagwaata - mbwenu kuyamurebire ati, "Ai bambe!" Ati, "Nkagaata garikaatika!" Ati, "Nkagashesha garikashesheka!" Amanya ngu kuri yamuhaire amarogo akafa -

Omuky. Kyeishe: akafa -

Kyeshe : - ogwo omutabani -

Omuky. Kyeishe : - akaba ataine kireberera -

KYEISHE : - akaba naija kufa agwa omu kishaka.

Omuky. Kyeishe : Akaba naija kufa kubi.

Mishi amureeta. Kwonka mbwenu ahuga omutima. Bashoberwa n'ekyamubaho. Agumize ati, "Nkagaata garikatika!" Ati, "Nkagashesha garikashesheka!" Ati, "Ai bambe," ati, "Nkagaata garikaatika!" Ati, "Nkagashesha garikashesheka!"

Amureeta. Mishi bamwomoora bagira, omushaija akira. Mbwenu abatekyerereza oku nyina yabaire amugirira, n'oku yabaire agaata. Mbwenu okukunda oku yabaire nakunda omwaana ou ari muka-ishe, kwamuretera kwija kutambira omutabani mukuru we. Kuri nogira ngu taragizire mbabazi, akanga amarogo akagaata, oriya akafa kare, n'ogu akaba naija kufa ajundira omu kishaka -

Omuky. Kyeishe: Nawe akaba naija kufa -

Kyeishe: - afa agwerayo. Kwonka rukundo y'omukazi eyamwatiise amarogo -

Omuky. Kyeishe: Yatambira omutabani -

Mushengyezi: Omutabani -

Kyeishe: - yaija yatambira owabaire naija kufa [Abantu nibagamba mpora, nibatangaara].

The Boy Who Saved His Wounded Stepbrother's Life

A man had two wives. Those wives were. . .were. . .the first one gave birth to a son. And the second one also gave birth to a son. [A clanging sound in the kitchen; Kyeishe raises his voice]. Now, but the elder wife wanted the son of the younger wife to die so that he would not inherit the property with the stepbrother. [A bang in the kitchen]. Whenever he went to his mother's house, his mother would advise him on what poison would kill [more clanging noises; Kyeishe pauses] that child.

But for him he had love, he was kind. [More clanging noises]. Now, his mother would... finally she advised him and said - [Louder noise from the kitchen].

Mrs Kyeishe [Cannot hear clearly; interrupts]: The one who had love, who was it?

Kyeishe [Raises his voice]: It is the woman. But her mother would advise her to look for poison and give it to the stepson, and he dies, so that her son would inherit the cows alone. The woman did not have it [jealousy], but the woman's mother had it.

So she prepared a poisonous potion -

Mrs Kyeishe [Qarifies the mix-up}. So the child's grandmother is the one who had it [jealousy] -

KYEISHE: Eee. She prepared a potion to give to her stepson so that he dies. She brought it. She explained how he would give it to him. [A clanging sound from the kitchen]. Now, every time he would reach there, on his way, he would look at it [the poison], and he would pour it. [Noise in the kitchen; Kyeishe pauses]. Then he would come back home. After some time he would go there, and she would ask him, saying [speaks very fast, in a high-pitched tone], "Did you give it to him?"

He said, "Un-huuh."

And she said, "Did he die?"

He said, "He is alive!"

She said... she said, "You child, this is terrible, did he drink it?" She said, "Unh-unh," and she said, "you did not give it to him in the right way!"

So she did it again for him, prepared the potion, and explained how to. . .and she said, "You did not give it to him!"

[He said to himself,] "I am dead!"

Whenever [the boy] went and saw the other child on his way, hmm, [motions with his hands] he would pour it [the poison]. Then one day he told the woman, his mother, and said, "That child is amazing, I have failed to trick him!"

Now, after some time they went to fight in a war - you see, war is not something that has started today. They fought -

Mrs Kyeishe: The other children?

Kyeishe: Those children, they were men, they were young men. They went to war - that is what they used to call obweemi - and they fought. When they fought in the war, the other one... whose grandmother was advising that they kill his stepbrother, they injured him. They speared him. When they speared him [inaudible comment from Mrs Kyeishe], he fell, and when he fell the stepbrother came, grabbed him and put him in a bush. [Mrs Kyeishe, inaudible, talks to someone. Kyeishe raises his voice]. But the other warriors who were fighting, they saw him fall down, dead. [Inaudible voices].

The warriors returned home. As soon as they got there they asked them. They said, "We saw so-and-so when he was wounded and he fell down." And they said, "It seems he died"; and they added, "it seems even his younger brother [stepbrother] was also killed!" They said, "That is when we last saw them." They did not know he was with him in the bush.

Mrs Kyeishe [Interjects]: What did they say? I beg your pardon -

Kyeishe: Those who returned from the battle were asked and they said, "We saw him being killed." And they said, "It seems even his younger brother [stepbrother] was also killed."

Those days they would spear someone and shoot him and he would fall down just like that, like it happens in any war. People would lose hope knowing someone had died.

He took him into the bush. He stayed with him.

Mrs Kyeishe: His elder brother [stepbrother]?

Kyeishe: The younger brother [stepbrother].

Mrs Kyeishe: He stayed with his elder brother [stepbrother] -

Kyeishe: He stayed with his elder brother [stepbrother]. Now, later on this. . . [he flashes two fingers] day he put him on his shoulders. He came carrying him on his back, trudging on, dragging him, too heavy for him to carry. So, on the third day they suddenly saw him emerge. . .like from there on the upper side of the cattle kraal, carrying him on his back. [Inaudible voices, sighs from audience].

So, when she saw him, the mother of the wounded one - the one she used to give poison to give to this one, this one who came carrying his elder brother [stepbrother] and he refused and poured it [the poison] - so when she saw him she said, "Oh dear!" and she said, "I poured it, may it get poured all over!" and she said, "I splashed it, may it get splashed all over!" She realized that if he had given him poison and he died -

Mrs Kyeishe: -andhedied

Kyes ? e : - her son -

Mrs Kyeishe : - he would have had no one to take care of him -

KYEISH E : - he would have died in the bush.

Mrs Kyeishe: He would have died a miserable death.

Kyeishe: Anyway, they brought him. But she [the woman] was just overwhelmed and confused. They wondered what had had happened to her. She kept saying, "I poured it, may it get poured all over!" and she said, "I splashed it, may it get splashed all over!" And again she said, "Oh dear!" she said, "I poured it, may it get poured all over!" and she said, "I splashed it, may it get splashed all over!"

He brought him. Anyway, they treated his wounds and the young man recovered. So he narrated to them what his mother used to do, and how he used to pour it [poison]. So, the love he had for his stepmother's child made him save the life of her son, his brother [stepbrother]. Had he not been kind and rejected the poison and poured it, and the other one died long ago, he would have also died and rotted in the bush -

Mrs Kyeishe: He too would have died -

Kyeishe: - and died over there [in the bush]. But the woman's [mother's] love that made him pour the poison -

Mrs Kyeishe: Saved her son -

MushenGyezi: Herson-

KYEISHE: - and it saved the son who was going to die. [Murmurs and sighs from audience].

Footnote

34 Nice Rwomushana, performer.

35 Allyce Tumwesigye assisted me in recording this folktale and transcribing it.

36 The audience repeats 'tebere' at every breath stop in the narration, as indicated in the transcript by a comma or period.

Footnote

37 I worked with Allyce Tumwesigye to record and transcribe this folktale.

Footnote

28 I worked with Allyce Tumwesigye during the process of recording and transcribing this folktale.

Footnote

39 Allyce Tumwesigye assisted me in recording and transcribing this folktale.

Footnote

40 I worked with Allyce Tumwesigye to record and transcribe the folktale.

Footnote

41 Allyce Tumwesigye assisted in recording and transcribing this story.

Footnote

42 Yoweri Kyeishe, performer and expert in Ankole oral tradition, is a farmer in Burimbi, Nyabushozi.