Kivune kijiraa maswa gavula ku mugoongo gua imbiti, read by Franklin Inzuga

Anaasiimba yaali mulwaale hiimbi akuzi. Kijira Anaambiti si yeenyaa Anakamuuna, yaazya ku Anaasiimba.

Ni amuteeva, “Anaasiimba, Mwaami. Uhiindiri mihiga n'imihiga. Kijira ki vulwaaye vukwiitaa na Anakamuuna ni amanyi lunyaasi lwa vwo?”

Anaasiimba: “Ntigula maliva. Ovoolaa anakamuuna amanyi lunyaasi lwuvulwaaye vuunzitaa yivu?”

Anaambiti: “Kikuzu chaalira engereka, vu 'yii, yii, yii'. Mundu, 'A chaali ki gu vayaa?'. Kikuzu, 'Aa mwinyi si mukasoolanaa, Vusaambaagiru wiiti Voneere'”

Anaasiimba: “Naangiri anakamuuna hanu, vwaangu.”

Anaambiti vwaamucheera vuzwa wa Anakamuuna. Naye; “Anakamuuna.”

Anakamuuna: “You”.

Anaambiti: “Gaaluli wa anaasiimba. Mmbeezaa v'inkala. Si ukamanyaanga lyeene yili bei?”

Anakamuuna (kitamanya balwa): “Ndo mbiti. Cha na keentoonge ma na keentoonge. G'inkala gaambita mba.”

Vwaamucheera wa Anaasiimba.

Anaasiimba: “Anakamuuna.”

Anakamuuna: “You.”

Anaasiimba: “Ma lukuzu lweenyaa kuumala na yivi ni umanyi lunyaasi lwa vwo?”

Anakamuuna: “Utaamboolla mba! Mboolla. aa 'i vu okovoolee?”

Anaasiimba: “Aa Anaambiti.”

Anakamuuna: “Vutaasaamba vutali na nguza. Anaambiti mulla uyu?”

Anaasimba: “Nkovoollaa”.

Anakamuuna: “Anaambiti zana nguuya?”

Anaasiimba: “Nguyu”.

Anakamuuna: “Anaasiimba, Mwaami. Uhiindiri, mihiga n'imihiga. Ndaaliindaa galuli, Anaambiti ave ho. Ma gaaluli, na nguyu yaha. Ulunyaasi lwuvulwaaye vwoovwo yivu ni ligodo lyumugoongo gwa Anaambiti”.

Anaasiimba: “Ngumilli Anaambiti oyo”.

Mukeere wa Anaasiimba ku mugoongo gwa Anaambiti, “bug!” Ni atuliza ku ligodo.

Anaambiti: “Wooi, Wooi”.

Anakamuuna: “Kazo”.

Icho kijiraa Anaambiti lwa yaahona, maswa si gaamera ku mugoongo mba.

Luganu lwaa looheli yaho.

==========

Why there is no hair on the back of the hyena

Since Hyena did not like Rabbit, he went to Lion and asked him:

“King Lion, Live forever! Why is a disease killing you? And yet Rabbit knows its medicine.”

Lion: “Break the news to me. “Are you saying that the Rabbit knows the medicine to this disease that is killing me?”

Hyena: “The dead cried from beyond. ‘Yi! Yi! Yi!’ When asked “what is the matter”, the dead (say), “why don’t you defend each other? Vusaambaagiru has killed Voneere.”

Lion “Call Rabbit for me here, immediately”

At dawn, hyena was already at Rabbit’s home.

Hyena: “Rabbit!”

Rabbit: “Here I am.”

Hyena: “It has fermented at Lion’s. You are normally buddies. Are you not informed of it?”

Rabbit: “Let me pass. Come what may, the brew of buddies cannot pass me.”

Early next morning, he was at the home of Lion.

Lion: “Rabbit”

Rabbit: “Here I am”

Lion: “Why is it that a disease is killing me, and yet you know its medicine?”

Rabbit: “You don’t say! Tell me, who told you?”

Lion: “Hyena.”

Rabbit: “Let it not burn me, that has no vegetables. This very Hyena.”

Lion: “I am telling you”

Rabbit: “Where is Hyena himself.”

Lion: “Here he is.”

Rabbit: “King Lion, live forever! I was waiting for it to ferment so that hyena is present. It has fermented, and here he is. The medicine to your ailment is the skin of the back of hyena”.

Lion: “Catch Hyena for me!”

The wife of Lion pounced on Hyena’s back “[puk]” and removed some skin.

Hyena: “Wooi, Wooi!”

Rabbit: “You deserve it”

That is why when Hyena got healed, the fur did not grow on its back. That is the end of my story.

Word-analysis

anaasiimba	yááli	mʊ́ˈlwáále	híímbɪ	akúzɪ́
Lion	he-was	stative adj ‘sick’	loc-short (‘near’)	he die(subjunctive)

kɪjira	anáámbɪti	si	yéénya	anákamʊʊna
because	hyena	neg.	he-liked	rabbit

yáázya	kʊ	anaasiimba.	ni	ámʊtééva
he went	to	lion	and then	he-ask-him

“anáásiimba	mwáámi,	ʊhɪ́ɪ́ndɪ́rɪ́	mihɪ́ga n'ɪ́mihɪ́ga.
lion	king	may you grow old	for years

kɪjira kɪ́	vʊlwááye	vʊkwíítaa	na	anákamʊʊna
why	sickness	is killing you	and	rabbit

nɪ áˈmányí	lʊnyáási	lwa vwo”.
knows	medicine	of it

anaasiimba	ntigʊ́la	málíva.
lion (says)	initiate	potholes

This is a figurative expression referring to starting the mind to think a certain way, with thoughts bumping the mind like water flowing into potholes

“ovooláa	anákamuuna	amányí	lʊnyáási	lw-ʊ́vʊlwááye”
you are saying	rabbit	he knows	medicine	of sickness

vʊ́ʊ́ˈnzítáa	yɪvʊ.
which is killing me	this

anaambɪti	“kɪkúzu cháálɪ́ra	engereka	vu	‘yɪ́ɪ, yɪ́ɪ, yɪ́ɪ’.
Hyena (says)	death cried	the other side	who (short form vwahá)	(sorrowful expression)

mʊʊndʊ	á	chááli kɪ	gu	vayáa?
human	expression of wonder, implying ‘let me know’	what was it	particle requesting confirmation of what you know to be true	(expression referring to ‘people who would know’)

ɪkɪkúzu	aa	mwínyi	si mʊkasóólanaa.
the dead (say)	particle meaning “tell me”	you (pl.)	would you not protect each other whenever it happens

vʊsáámbáágɪ́rʊ́	wííti	vóneere”.
Vusaambagiru	killed	Voneere

A saying intended to encourage people to care for each other (origin obscure)

anaasiimba	“naangɪ́ri	anákamʊʊná	hano	vwaangʊ”.
Lion (says)	(pl.) call for me	rabbit	here	quickly

anaambɪti	vwáámʊ́cheera	vuzwa	wá anakamʊʊna,
hyena	it dawned on him	just	at (place) of rabbit

he arrived very early: dawn just broke on him at rabbit’s place

naye	“anakamʊʊna”.	anakamuuna	“yóu”.
and he (said)	Rabbit!	Rabbit (said)	here

anaambɪti	“gaalúlí	wá anaasiimba.	mmbeezáá	v-ɪ́ɪnkála.
Hyena (said)	it has soured. This refers to alcohol having fermented, which turns the brew sour	at (place) of lion	you pl. are being	buddies, clique (cut off from others)

si ʊ́kámányáa	lyééné yili	bei?”
wouldn’t you be knowing	this very	requesting confirmation that it is not the case (that you don’t know); also means ‘completely’

anakamuuná	(kítamányá balwá):	“ndó	ˈmbɪ́tɪ́!
rabbit (said)	something that doesn’t know a letter	give me way	I pass

In the past, reading letters was mysterious because people could know of things in Nairobi from drawings on a paper. Elders would not understand how this is possible. The expression expresses the sentiment “acting like a fool”

chá ná keentóónge ma ná keentóonge,
Idiomatic expression, lit. even if it dazzles me: “I will do it come what may”

g'ɪ́ɪˈnkálá	gaambɪ́ˈtá	mbá”.
(alcohol) of buddies	should as a rule pass me	not

vwáámʊ́cheera	vuzwa	wá anasiimba.
it dawned on him	only, just	(at home) of lion

anaasiimba	“anákamʊʊna!”	anakamʊʊna:	“yóu”.
lion (said)	‘rabbit!’	rabbit (said)	here

anaasiimba	“ma	lʊkúzu	lwéényaa	kʊ́ʊ́mala,
lion (said)	habitual	deadly disease	wants	to finish me

na	yɪvi	nɪ ʊ́ˈmányíˈ	lʊ́nyáási	lwa vwó?”
and	you	know	medicine	of it

anakamuuna	“ʊ́taambóólla	mbá!	mbóólla.
rabbit (said)	don’t tell me	neg.	tell me

“ʊ́taambóólla” is an idiom of surprise like English “You don’t say!”

áá	'i	vu	okóvoolee?”
particle expressing wonder	it is (reduction of nɪ)	who	one who told you

anaasiimba	“áa	anáámbɪti”
lion (said)	it is	hyena

anakamʊʊná	“vʊtaasáámba	vʊ́talɪ́ˈ	náá nguza.
rabbit (said)	let it not burn	that which is not	with vegetables

This stands for “vuchima that is without vegetables should not burn me”, meaning that one should not be involved in a dispute that does not concern one, lest you get hurt.

anaambɪti mʊlla ʊyʊ?”
that one hyena?

anaasimba	“nkovóóˈlláa”.
lion (said)	I am telling you

anakamʊʊná	“anaambɪti	záná	ngʊʊya?”
rabbit (said)	hyena	the one in question	it is that one

anaasiimba:	“ngʊ́yʊ́”.
lion(said)	this one here.

anakamʊʊná	“anaasiimba	mwáámi.	ʊhɪ́ɪ́ndɪ́rɪ́	mihɪ́ga n'ɪ́mihɪ́ga.
rabbit (said)	lion	king	may you grow old	for years

ndáálɪ́ɪ́ndaa	galʊ́lí.	anáámbiti	ave	hó
I waited	it sour (finish fermenting)	hyena	should be	at

má	gaaluli.	na	ngʊ́yʊ́	yaha.
and then	it has soured	and	that one	present

The metaphorical pretext of there being alcohol brewing now refers to Rabbit’s plan against hyena which is about to be served up

ʊlʊnyáási	lw-ʊ́vʊlwááye	vwóóˈvwó	yɪvʊ.
medicine	of-sickness	your	this

nɪ	ligódo	ly-ʊ́mʊgóóngo	gwá	anáámbɪti”
it is	skin	of-back	of	hyena

anaasiimba	“ngʊmílli	anáámbiti	óyo”.
lion (said)	(pl.) catch for me	hyena	that

mukéére	wa anaasiimba	kʊ mʊgóóngo	gwa anáámbɪti,	búg!
wife	of hyena	on-back	of-hyena	ideophone of pouncing
nɪ átʊlizá	ku	ligódo.
removing	some	skin

anaambɪti	“wóói, wóói”,	anakamʊʊná	“kazó”
hyena (said)	woe, woe	rabbit (said)	expression of no sympathy for one who has been hurt

ɪchó	kijiráa	anáámbɪti	lwáˈ	yááhóna,
that	is the cause	hyena	when	he healed

maswá	si gáámera	kʊ mʊgoongo	mbá.
body hairs	not grow	on-back	not

lʊganʊ	lwaa	looheli	yaho.
story	my	it is now finished	here