Nuvutani

Taken from a retelling of an Australian Aboriginal fable found in Aboriginal Myths, Legends, and Fables by A. W. Reed, ©1993, Reed New Holland. No tribal provenance given. I have, of course, changed the tale.

 

Neletani kiyumu mabededodawa Nuwu, mapodo yama sono basa, mapododusu yama wunnu kadu.

Maduya nenedini nikiyele dawuŋiyenetololo nelewa, madatotoyo duyosi mamadototutu nenowele. Mabalato maduhaŋikiyise neŋŋowele, nadisiyenihaŋitoyo malugume nadittu kiyege. Suhadittu nele nadda malalato lugume nadittu kiyege kiŋili. Nenehadittunu mamadoto nenowele, makasato hidihidi pelene wonono, dalalatoda neŋŋomuŋi yeppomo neŋŋowette yennisi neŋŋohimi pidi neŋŋomomo mudusebe.

Danittunu siyebe aŋe luwu mayedodo tada dukini. Manododohono kiyalatepe gogotepe lakatepe. Neneyosinu madoŋedo alu noleko. Yolu datenedo dalu noleko pama Nuwu. Aŋe manododo tannatanna dulu.

Masedo ŋilalikeŋi haggogo leyawa?

Nele masedo yawo. Lekasadayisi maggogo duŋeya.

Ŋidelikeŋi lesutume ŋeya kiyala sulu noleko paŋi?

Datenedayisi mallu duŋeya.

Ŋikasada hammomo mudusebe kele. Ŋiwadelikiyi lelame sulu noleko, lesututoyo haŋiŋi momo duŋeya.

Nuwunu masedo wumumu ŋiwuddaka daŋomomo. Lelalata daŋomomo duŋeya wudunadi ŋowele wekebepa maya nadiwulugototata duŋeya.

Aŋenu luwu mayedodo pesidasi, manododo dubene mede siŋi liyagi. Nele madoŋedohaŋi siyenisiyeni ŋewapa malododololo subene liyagi. Aŋe madalodo adabuhono kibibene pesibene nenette, masutodo haŋiŋi adabuhono duŋeya.

Aŋenu masalledonna ŋosese kedekele. Tana wudu dalodololo, daŋiyakedo ŋotadu keyodo duyosi, dalamodo tettadu lada. Petana tadatada datadodonna, Nuwu mameddodotoyo dulaka. Tana deni datanodonnahono, dalamodololo tekko madusiyo. Datanodo haŋiŋi dulaka, dapeppudodo ŋomuŋi yeppomo ŋowette yennisi ŋohimi pidi ŋomomo mudusebe kele. Datanodololo, dapeppudodo alaka.

Nuwu mayedodo tannatanna dubene pesibene, malododotepebadi subene liyagi. Tana datanodololo, Nuwu mapeppudododatoyo. Aŋe luwu malalodo sadame Nuwuse ama sadu dayedodo tanatana duyosi.

Nuwu manolododa dodo nuwu, dasadoladahaŋi nuwunuwu.

Translation

(This is) the story of a man named Nuwu, he has a bad head and he has habitually a bad tongue.

Dwelling with neighbors displeased him more and more, and so he went away and so dwelt with nobody. He thought that if he continued to dwell with people, they would continue to expect him to do all kinds of tasks. Several times he had spent time alone to do all kinds of tasks (that he) wanted (to do). Then through several time periods, he dwelt with nobody, and afterwards he had a very big pile made from many spears, many knives, many baskets, and many rugs (made from) skinned hide.

Then one night a star comes down to earth. He goes for a long time without warmth, without food, without shelter. Then he sees in the distance the light of a campfire. That light is this light of the campfire belonging to Nuwu. The star goes quickly to the light.

He says, “Will you give me some food?”

The man says, “No. I have only enough food for myself.”

“Will you allow that I make myself warm at your campfire?”

“There is only enough for myself.”

“You have several fine rugs. If you will not allow me to spend time at the campfire, I will put one around myself.”

Then Nuwu shouted, “Stay away from those! I made those for myself and not for lazy people who did not do for themselves.”

Then the star goes from there, he goes to a tall smooth tree. The man keeps looking expectantly at the star who goes up and up the smooth tree. The star takes a large piece of bark from the tree with a knife, and puts it around himself.

Then he starts to sing magic. The wind increases, and pushes to there many dark clouds, and covers the whole sky. Some rain begins to come down, and so Nuwu goes inside the shelter. The river begins to flow more and more and covers more and more the whole dwelling place. It flows around the shelter and washes away the many spears, the many knives, the many baskets, and the many fine rugs. It flows even more and washes away the shelter.

Nuwu goes quickly from tree to tree, and tries but fails to go up the smooth trunks. The river flows even more and so Nuwu is washed away. The star spends time hearing that Nuwu’s voice goes along into the distance.

Nuwu is changed into an owl, it continues to speak mournfully.

 

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