Ndebvu dzeShumba

Kare kare zvakako kuEthiopia, mukadzi ane mutsa ainzi Bizunesh akaroorwa nemurume aiva nemwanakomana mudiki, Abebe, aisuwa amai vake vakashaya.

A long, long time ago in Ethiopia, a kind woman named Bizunesh married a man whose little son, Abebe, missed his late mother very much.

Abebe airamba kutaura naye kana kudya chikafu chake. Akasuwa, Bizunesh akaenda kun'anga yakachenjera kunotsvaga mushonga werudo.

Abebe would not speak to her or eat her food. Feeling sad, Bizunesh went to a wise old healer to ask for a love potion.

N'anga yakati, "Ndiunzire ndebvu imwe chete yeshumba mhenyu, ndigokugadzirira mushonga wako."

The healer said, "Bring me a single whisker from a living lion, and I will make your potion."

Zuva nezuva Bizunesh aiendesa nyama kubako reshumba, achiisiya padyo zvishoma nguva imwe neimwe. Zvishoma nezvishoma shumba yakarega kudzvova.

Each day Bizunesh carried meat to the lion's cave, leaving it a little closer each time. Little by little, the lion stopped roaring.

Mushure memavhiki mazhinji, shumba yakazorora musoro wayo padivi pake ichidya. Zvinyoronyoro, akadzura ndebvu imwe chete.

After many weeks, the lion rested its head beside her as it ate. Very gently, she plucked out a single whisker.

N'anga yakakanda ndebvu mumoto. "Wakawana kuvimbwa neshumba nemoyo murefu. Shandisa moyo murefu iwoyo naAbebe."

The healer threw the whisker into the fire. "You won a lion's trust with patience. Use that same patience with Abebe."

Bizunesh akava nemoyo murefu nemutsa mazuva ose, uye nekufamba kwenguva Abebe akamubata ruoko akamudaidza kuti Amai. Ndipo pakafira sarungano.

Bizunesh was patient and kind every day, and in time Abebe took her hand and called her Mother. That is where our storyteller rests.