Siku rin’wana, Mpfundla a wu fambela etlhelo ka nambu.
One day, Rabbit was walking by the riverside.
Mpfuvu na yona a yi ri kona, a yi ri ku fambeni yi ri karhi yi dya byanyi byo saseka bya rihlaza.
Hippo was there too, going for a stroll and eating some nice green grass.
Mpfuvu a yi nga swi vonangi leswaku Mpfundla a wu ri kona, kutani hi xihoxo yi kandziya nenge wa Mpfundla. Mpfundla wu sungule ku kalakala eka Mpfuvu wu ku “Wena mpfuvu! Xana a wu swi voni leswaku u kandziye nenge wa mina?
Hippo didn’t see that Rabbit was there and she accidentally stepped on Rabbit’s foot.
Rabbit started screaming at Hippo, “You Hippo! Can’t you see that you’re stepping on my foot?”
Mpfuvu yi kombele ku rivaleriwa eka Mpfundla, yi ku “Ndzi rivaleli. A ndzi ku vonangi. Ndzi kombela u ndzi rivalela!” Kambe Mpfundla a wu yingiselangi, wu huwelele Mpfuvu wu ku “U swi endlile hi vomu! Siku rin’wana u ta swi vona! U ta hakela!
Hippo apologised to Rabbit, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you. Please forgive me!”
But Rabbit wouldn’t listen and he shouted at Hippo, “You did that on purpose! Someday, you’ll see! You’re going to pay!”
Mpfundla wu yile wu ya lava Ndzilo, kutani wu ku” Famba u ya hisa Mpfuvu loko a huma ematini a ya dya byanyi. U ndzi kandziyile!” Ndzilo wu hlamula wu ku “A ku na xiphiqo, Mpfundla, munghana wa mina. Ndzi ta endla leswi u ndzi kombelaka swona.”
Rabbit went to find Fire and said, “Go, burn Hippo when she comes out of the water to eat grass. She stepped on me!”
Fire answered, “No problem, Rabbit, my friend. I’ll do just what you ask.”
Endzaku ka nkarhi, Mpfuvu a yi ri ku dyeni ka byanyi ekule ni nambu loko Ndzilo wu pfurha. Malangavi ma sungule ku hisa misisi ya Mpfuvu.
Later, Hippo was eating grass far from the river when, “Whoosh!” Fire burst into flame. The flames began to burn Hippo’s hair.
Mpfuvu yi sungule ku rila kutani yi tsutsumela ematini. Misisi ya yona a yi hisiwile hi ndzilo. Mpfuva yi ye emahlweni no rila yi ku “Misisi ya mina yi hisiwile hi ndzilo! Misisi ya mina yi fambile hinkwayo! Misisi ya mina yo saseka!”
Hippo started to cry and ran for the water. All her hair was burned off by the fire.
Hippo kept crying, “My hair has burned in the fire! My hair is all gone! My beautiful hair!”
Mpfundla a wu tsakile hikuva misisi ya Mpfuvu a yi tshwile. Ku fikela namuntlha, hi ku chava ndzilo, mpfuvi a ya ha fambeli kule na mati.
Rabbit was happy that Hippo’s hair was burned.
And to this day, for fear of fire, the hippo never goes far from the water.
