Dzandile ndi nkhono (Dzandile and the snail)

Padangokhala  (Once upon a time)

Tili tonse.

Padangokhala

Tili tonse.

Ku dziko lina lakutali ankadya nkhono. (There was a far-away country where people used to eat snails.)

Tili tonse.

Nde amayi ena anali ndi ana awo awiri; wamamuna ndi wamkazi. (So there was a certain woman who had two children; a son and a daughter).

Tili tonse.

Wamwamuna dzina lake anali Dzandile. (The boys name was Dzandile)

Tili tonse.

Nde anatsanzika kuti ah, tikupita ku nkhalango tikukatola nkhono. (So they asked their mother for permission to go and catch snails).

Tili tonse.

Nde amayi awo nkunena kuti, ‘Pokatola nkhono, ali yense akangotola imodziimodzi. Osakatola zambiri.’ (Their mother said, ‘When picking the snails, pick one each. Don’t pick a lot of snails.)

Tili tonse.

Basi. Ana aja, ‘Oh, chabwino.’  Nde iwo aja anapita. Anayenda munkhalango muja, nkupeza pansi pa mtengo wina wake. Panali nkhono zambiri. Nde ali, ‘Ah, titole pano.’ (So the children said, alright. Off they went. The walked around in the forest,until they found a lot of snails under a tree. At first they wanted to pick snails from that tree.)

Basi. Nde iwo aja ati, ‘Ah, basi. Poti ati titole imodzi, tiyang’ane zazikulu.’ (But then they said, ‘Since Mother said we can only pick one snail, let’s pick a large one.’)

Basi ana aja nkutola. Nde ati azibwerera, wamamuna uja nkuona chinkhono chachikulu. (So they picked one each. But as they were planning to go home, the boy saw a very big snail.)

Tili tonse.

Nde nkukanika kuti achisiye. (He found it irresistible).

Tili tonse.

Basi mlongo wake akut, ‘Paja anati titole imodzi.’ (Then his sister said, ‘Mother said we should only pick one.’ )

Nde akuti, ‘Ah, iwe mmene ililimu sitingaisiye.’ (And he said, ‘ There’s no way we can leave this snail here.)

Basi iye uja kuti aitole, nkukanilila pompaja. (When he went to pick the snail, he got stuck right where it was. )

Tiri tonse.

Mchemwali wake kuyesa kumukoka. (His sister tried to pull him).

Tili tonse.

Basi iye uja osachoka.(He couldn’t move).

Tili tonse.

 

Nde basi. Iye uja nkuthamanga. Kupita kumudzi kukanena kuti, ‘Ih, Dzandiletu wakanilila mu nkhalango. Anatola nkhono ziwiri.’ (So the sister ran to the village. She told the people, ‘Dzanadile is stuck in the forest. He picked two snails.)

Basino. Amayi anke nkubwera. Nkumaimba nyimbo. (So the boy’s mother came and started singing)

 

Dzandile Dzandile Mwanawe

Bango lamatete

Dzandile Dzandile mwanawe

Bango la matete

Suja nnakuuza mwanawe

Bango lamatete

Kuti ukatole imodzi nkhonoyo

Bango lamatete

Ukatola ziwiri wafa mwanawe.

Bango lamatete.

(Dzandile Dzandile my son,

Remember I told you to pick one snail,

If you picked two you would die, my son).

 

Ndebasi iye uja nkumayankha (And he responded)

Indedi indedi amayi

Bango lamatete

Indedi indedi amayi

Bango lamatete

Suja munandiuza amayi

Bango lamatete

Kuti ndikatole imodzi nkhonoyo

Bango lamatete

Ndikatola ziwiri ndafa amayi

Bango lamatete.

(Indeed, indeed Mother, you told me to pick one snail, and if I picked two I would die.)

Basi. Nde anthu aja anayesa kumkoka analephera. Nde anangoti ih, zinyama zingamudye. Kumumangira nyumba. Nde basi, amabwera kumazampatsira chakudya.

(So the people tried to pull him but they failed. So they said, ‘Oh, if we leave him here, the wild animals might eat him.’They built a house for him, and would bring him food.)

Ndekuti chitseko chitseguke, amaimba nyimbo imeneyiyi. (In order for the door to open, they would sing this song.)

Akayimba, akadziwa kuti, ‘Oh, ndi mawu a anthu akumudzi.’(When they sung, then he would recognise the voices of people from his village.)

Basino iye uja…chitseko chija chimatseguka iwo aja nkumupatsa chakudya. (The the door would open and people would give him food.)

Nkumakhala, kumakhala. Nde fisi, amangoona ali , “Oh, umo muli nyama.” (And life went on. Now the hyena observed all this and said to himself, ‘Oh, there is meat in there).

Basi, nde uja anabwera; (So he came)

(assuming a deep voice) Dzandile Dzandile mwanawe

(audience, imitating narrator’s deep voice): bango lamatete

Dzandile dzandile mwanawe

Bango lamatete

Suja n’nakuuza mwanawe

Bango lamatete

Bango lamatete

Kuti ukatole imodzi nkhonoyo

Bango lamatete

Ukatola ziwiri wafa mwanawe

Bango lamatete

(Dzandile Dzandile my son,

Remember I told you to pick one snail,

If you picked two you would die, my son).

Basi iye uja nkuti,  ‘Ah, amenewa si anthu akwathu.’ (So he said, ‘No, these are not my people.’)

Nde basi Fisi ali, ‘Ah, pamenepa nditani ?’ (Then the hyena wondered what he should do.)

Nde akuti panali ujeni…ife timati linthumbwi, ena amati nthumbwi. (So there were army ants in the area).

Basi akuti iye uja nkukapangitsa lilime kuti limulume. Ndiye ine koma pamenepo sindimamvetsa chifukwa chakuti after that lilime lake became light and then anaimba bwinobwino. (So he caused the army ants to bite him. Now I don’t really understand this part, but according to the story his tongue became light after that and he was able to sing.)

(Assumes a shrill voice).

Dzandile Dzandile mwanawe

Bango lamatete.

Dzandile Dzandile mwanawe

Bango lamatete.

Suja n’dakuuza mwanawe

Bango lamatete

Kuti ukatole imodzi nkhonoyo

Bango lamatete

Ukatola iwiri waafa mwanawe

Bango lamatete.

 

Basi uja wati, ‘Ah, mayi anga.’ (So he thought, ‘That’s my mother.’)

Basi kuimba naye nkutseguka chitseko. Afisi nkumudya mwana uja. (So he sang, and the door opened. Then Hyena ate him up.)

Mmene amabwera anthu akumudzi kuti adzampatse chakudya, anadzampedza wadyedwa ndi Fisi. (When the people came from the village to give him food, they found he had been eaten by Hyena).

The moral of the story:  Kumvela ndi kwabwino. Kuposa nsembe yopsyeleza. (Obedience is good. It is better than burnt sacrifice.)

 

As recounted by Dr. Hendrina Kachapila-Mazizwa