BCA-USA MIRROR
MUNGAKA CORNER
Nyɔŋdù bô Mbǔŋù
The Bee and the Pigeon
A kà bə nì mɔ’ nchu’ nyɔŋdù ghə mà no nchi maŋkə̌ ŋ mɔ’ nchi, ntě, mvǔ ma nchi. Njə nchi kà lɔ’ I, ni ŋgə mɨ̌ a, à lɔ̀ b miyà mbə i kà ku majɨ̌ nchi lɛ. Alɛ mɔ’ mbǔŋù, à kà bə nì bo tɨ a, yə nù à kǎ nta’ mà yə nyɔŋdù lɛ a, chə̌ d fùtɨ, mmǎ’ mandùn nchì lɛ maŋkə̌ ŋ nyɔŋdù lɛ.
Once a bee went to drink water at the river bank, slipped and fell into the water. It was in great danger of drowning, while being carried away by the current. A pigeon was sitting in a tree overhead, saw the insect’s plight, plucked a lead and dropped it on the water close to the bee.
Nyɔŋdù lɛ kɔ’ nì fǔtɨ lɛ, ti’ ni ndəŋ bub, ŋgə̌ nchě The bee climbed onto the leaf and floated safely to maŋkə̌ ŋ nchi, nyɔŋdù lɛ tum, nta bi. the bank, got out and flew off.
A ti lə’nì bə, ŋgàŋ-wě-busɨŋ to, ntam ndâm ì mà wě Soon afterwards a bird-catcher came, spread his net mbǔŋù lɛ, lâ, i ti těd njə ŋkɔ’ lɛ bə. and tried to catch the pigeon which had not seen the trap. Nyɔŋdù kà yə yò jì’tì lɛ, nswǐ, nta tu mùn lɛ i wa’ The bee, however, saw the trick and at once stung ndâm lɛ, ŋkəŋ sě. the man on his head. He dropped the net with a cry.
Yò nù ka yě bub, njě mbǔŋù lɛ tà, nti’ njə nù, à kǎ nto This frightened the pigeon and it flew away, thus bə a, ntǎ, ŋgě ndüŋ bi. saving itself.
Originally published in “Traditions, Tales and Proverbs of the Bali Nyonga” Collected and Translated by Johannes Stöckle (1996). Translated into the New Mungaka Alphabet by Jude Fokwang
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BALI CULTURAL ASSOCIATION - USA
