Kuku na TaiKuku na Tai

Hen and EagleHen and Eagle

Ann Nduku Wiehan de Jager Matteo E. Mwita Kiswahili / English Level 3

Hapo zamani za kale, Kuku na Taiwalikuwa marafiki. Waliishi kwa amani nandege wengine. Hakuna kati yaoaliyeweza kupaa.

•••

Once upon a time, Hen and Eagle werefriends. They lived in peace with all theother birds. None of them could fly.

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Kuna siku njaa ilitokea. Ikamlazimu Taikutembea umbali mrefu kutafuta chakula.Alirudi akiwa amechoka sana. “Lazimakuwe na njia rahisi ya kusafiri!” Taialisema.

•••

One day, there was famine in the land.Eagle had to walk very far to find food.She came back very tired. “There must bean easier way to travel!” said Eagle.

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Baada ya usingizi mnono wa usiku, Kukualijiwa na wazo zuri sana. Akaanzakukusanya manyoya yaliyodondokakutoka kwa ndege wenzao. “Tuyashoneehaya manyoya juu ya manyoya yetu,”Kuku alisema. “Labda itaturahisishiakusafiri.”

•••

After a good night’s sleep, Hen had abrilliant idea. She began collecting thefallen feathers from all their bird friends.“Let’s sew them together on top of ourown feathers,” she said. “Perhaps that willmake it easier to travel.”

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Tai pekee ndiye aliyekuwa na sindanokijijini, kwa hiyo akaanza kushona wakwanza. Akajitengenezea mabawa mawilimazuri na akapaa juu ya kuku. Kukualiazima sindano lakini akachoka kushonabaada ya muda mfupi. Akaacha sindanokabatini na akaenda jikoni kuandaachakula kwa ajili ya watoto wake.

•••

Eagle was the only one in the village witha needle, so she started sewing first. Shemade herself a pair of beautiful wings andflew high above Hen. Hen borrowed theneedle but she soon got tired of sewing.She left the needle on the cupboard andwent into the kitchen to prepare food forher children.

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Lakini ndege wengine walimwona Taiakipaa. Wakamwomba Kuku awaazimesindano ili nao wajishonee mabawa pia.Muda si mrefu ndege wakawa wamepaana kuzagaa anga zima.

•••

But the other birds had seen Eagle flyingaway. They asked Hen to lend them theneedle to make wings for themselves too.Soon there were birds flying all over thesky.

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Ndege wa mwisho aliporudisha sindanoaliyoazima, Kuku hakuwepo. Kwa hiyowatoto wake wakachukua sindano nawakaanza kuichezea. Walipochoka namchezo wao, wakaiacha sindano kwenyemchanga.

•••

When the last bird returned the borrowedneedle, Hen was not there. So her childrentook the needle and started playing withit. When they got tired of the game, theyleft the needle in the sand.

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Baadaye jioni Tai akarudi. Akaombasindano ili aweze kushona baadhi yamanyoya yaliyokuwa yameanza kulegeaalipokuwa safarini. Akaangalia kwenyekabati. Akaangalia jikoni. Akaangalia uani.Ila sindano haikupatikana.

•••

Later that afternoon, Eagle returned. Sheasked for the needle to fix some feathersthat had loosened on her journey. Henlooked on the cupboard. She looked in thekitchen. She looked in the yard. But theneedle was nowhere to be found.

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“Nipatie siku moja,” Kuku alimwomba Tai.“Halafu utaweza kushona bawa lako nakuruka tena kwenda kutafuta chakula.”“Siku moja tu,” alisema Tai. “Kamahutaipata sindano, itabidi unipe kimojacha vifaranga vyako kama malipo.”

•••

“Just give me a day,” Hen begged Eagle.“Then you can fix your wing and fly awayto get food again.” “Just one more day,”said Eagle. “If you can’t find the needle,you’ll have to give me one of your chicksas payment.”

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Tai aliporudi siku iliyofuata, alimkuta Kukuakichakura mchangani, ila hakukuwa nasindano. Kwa hiyo Tai alishuka kwa kasi nakukwapua kifaranga kimoja. Akaondokanacho. Tangu hapo, kila Tai anapojitokezahumkuta Kuku akichakura kwenyemchanga akitafuta sindano.

•••

When Eagle came the next day, she foundHen scratching in the sand, but no needle.So Eagle flew down very fast and caughtone of the chicks. She carried it away.Forever after that, whenever Eagleappears, she finds Hen scratching in thesand for the needle.

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Kila kivuli cha mabawa ya Taikinapoonekana ardhini, Kukuhuwatahadharisha vifaranga vyake.“Tokeni kwenye eneo la wazi.” Nawanajibu: “Sisi si wajinga. Tutakimbia.”

•••

As the shadow of Eagle’s wing falls on theground, Hen warns her chicks. “Get out ofthe bare and dry land.” And they respond:“We are not fools. We will run.”

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Storybooks CanadaStorybooks Canadastorybookscanada.ca

Kuku na TaiKuku na Tai

Hen and EagleHen and EagleWritten by: Ann Nduku

Illustrated by: Wiehan de JagerTranslated by: (sw) Matteo E. Mwita

This story originates from the African Storybook (africanstorybook.org) andis brought to you by Storybooks Canada in an effort to provide children’sstories in Canada’s many languages.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.

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