Mungaka Corner

from BCA-USA Mirror 2018

BCA-USA Pearl Anniversary Convention, Sunday morning Non-Denominational service

BCA-USA MIRROR MUNGAKA CORNER

Nyɔŋdù bô Mbǔŋù The Bee and the Pigeon

A kà bə nì mɔ’ nchu’ nyɔŋdù ghə mà no nchi maŋkə̌ŋ Once a bee went to drink water at the river bank, mɔ’ nchi, ntě, mvǔ ma nchi. Njə nchi kà lɔ’ I, ni ŋgə mɨ̌ slipped and fell into the water. It was in great danger a, à lɔ̀b miyà mbə i kà ku majɨ̌ nchi lɛ. Alɛ mɔ’ mbǔŋù, of drowning, while being carried away by the current. à kà bə nì bo tɨ a, yə nù à kǎ nta’ mà yə nyɔŋdù lɛ a, A pigeon was sitting in a tree overhead, saw the chə̌d fùtɨ, mmǎ’ mandùn nchì lɛ maŋkə̌ŋ nyɔŋdù lɛ. 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 maŋkə̌ŋ 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