Kalekale, kunali mtsikana wina dzina lake Rakele.
(A long time ago, there was a girl whose name was Rakele (Rachel).
Tsiku lina, Rakelo anapita kuthengo ndi anzake kukatola bowa. Ali kumeneko anaona ka njoka. Ka njokako kanali kokongola zedi.
(One day, Rakele went to the forest with her friends to pick mushrooms. While she was there, she saw a tiny snake. The little snake was very beautiful.)
Rakelo anapanga chiganizo choti akatole ka njoka kaja. Anzake anamuletsa, kummuza kuti,”Imeneyo ndi njoka. Ndi yoopsya.” Koma Rakele anachita makani, nkulongosola kuti iyeyo akatenga ka njoka kokongolako.
(Rakele decided to pick up the little snake. Her friends stopped her, telling her, “That is a snake. It is dangerous.” But Rakele was stubborn and told her friends that she would take the cute little snake.)
Rakelo anakatengadi ka njoka kaja, ndipo amakasunga mu dengu kwao. Amakadyetsa bowa. Kanjoka kanayamba kukula. Kenako nyengo ya bowa inatha. Njoka ija imanka naikulirakulirabe. Kenako Rakelo anayamba kuidyetsa ufa. Ufa ujanso unatha. Rakelo anasowa choidyetsa njoka ija, ndipo anaganiza zothawa.
(Rakele took the little snake, and kept it in the basket used for maize flour at home. She used to feed the snake mushrooms. The little snake started to grow. The mushroom season ended. The snake continued to grow. Then Rakele decided to feed it maize flour. She soon ran out of maize flour. Rakele did not know what to feed the snake, and decided to run away.)
Njoka ija imamuthamangitsa, ndipo pomuthamangitsa imaimba :
(The snake started chasing after her while singing):
Ndiii ndii ndilande ndi mtani Rakele
(what shall I do to Rakele)
Ndii ndilande
Ndiii Ndii Ndilande ndimtani Rakele
(What shall I do to Rakele)
Ndiii Ndilande
Amakantengeranji
(Why did she take me away)
Ndiii ndilande
N’nake n’nali nkwathu
(I had my own place)
Ndiii ndilande
N’nake m’madya bowa ndiii ndilande.
(I used to eat mushrooms)
Njoka ija imangoimba. Rakele anapitiriza kuthawa. Njoka inapitiriza kumuthamangira. Kenako inamupeza, ndipo inamudya.
The snake kept singing. Rakele continued to run. The snake continued to chase after her. It finally caught up with her and swallowed her.
