Kwanyani Translations
- Date:
- 2026-06-17
- Status:
- Work in Progress
- Copyright:
- Translations © 2025 Rasmus Bondesson. For the original works, see the individual texts.
The main The Kwanyani Language document is licensed under a Creative Commons license. Since the translations in this document are based on works that are protected by copyright, and I don’t have any license agreements with the original authors, I cannot release this document under a Creative Commons license. (In fact I don’t even have the permission to publish these translations, but I hope the authors don’t mind.)
Bunny Plays a Trick
- Copyright:
English version © 1937 Clara G. Dennis (from “The Elson Basic Readers Book One”)
tɕiˈnərə
Chinârâ
chi-nârâ
dim-rabbit
seˈsama
sesama
ipfv~sama
dwell
tɕa
cha
cha
at
kaˈpekʷa
kapekwa
kapekwa
hole
ˈᵑgʷawa
ngwawa
n=wawa
attr=big
ⁿtɕa
ncha
n=cha
attr=at
ˈdesa
desa
desa
underside
ˈⁿdaɸo
ndafo.
n=dafo
gen=tree
Bunny Rabbit lived in a big hole under a tree.
seˈsama
Sesama
se~sama
ipfv~dwell
lə
lâ
lâ
with
ˈmama
mama.
mama
mother
He lived with his mother.
ˈʔeka
Eka
eka
one
ˈʍələ
hwâlâ
hwâlâ
day
nuntu
nuntu
n=untu
attr=among
ˈʍələ
hwâlâ,
hwâlâ
day
tɕiˈnərə
Chinârâ
chi-nârâ
dim-rabbit
ʔaˈᵑgʷesa
angwesa
an-wesa
av-say
ʔe
e
e
quot
ˈbaⁿtse
« Banse
banse
now
ˈkomo
komo
komo
1sg
ˈwawa
wawa.
wawa
big
One day Bunny said, “Now I am a big rabbit.
Komo
komo
1sg
an-x
an-x
av-must
san-x
h=an-x
comp=av-have
tândi
tândi
home
n-x ».
n=x
attr=own
I must have my own home.”
Mama
mama
mother
x
x
rabbit
angwesa
an-wesa
av-say
e
e
quot
« x
x
yes
Chinârâ.
chi-nârâ
dim-rabbit
Mother Rabbit said, “Yes Bunny.
Wende
wende
2sg
Wânârâyâ
wa-nârâ=ya
aug-rabbit=foc
banse.
banse
now
You are a big rabbit now.
Wende
wende
2sg
an-x
an-x
av-can
sânkindi
h=an-kindi
comp=av-make
tândi
tândi
home
n-x
n=x
attr=own
You can make your own home.
Wende
wende
2sg
an-x
an-x
av-can
sânkindi
h=an-kindi
comp=av-make
oha
oha
3sg.in
x
x
there
cha
cha
at
desa
desa
underside
ndafo
n=dafo
gen=tree
ngwawa. »
n=wawa.
attr=big
You can make it over there under that big tree.”
Wânârâ
wa-nârâ
aug-rabbit
an-x-x.
an-x-x
av-dig-inch
Bunny Rabbit began to dig.
soon
3sg.an
prf
av-dig
hole
attr=big
for
home
attr=new=3sg
Soon he had made a big hole for his new home.
3sg.in
av-have
door
attr=at
front
and
back
It had a front door and a back door.
Bunny could go in the front door and come out the back door.
He could go in the back door and come out the front door.
“Now I have my own home,” he said.
One fine morning Bunny Rabbit sat in his own front door.
He said, “I must get some dinner.
I am as hungry as I can be.”
So he went down the reoad to find something to eat.
Hop, hop, hop he went.
All at once he saw a big dog.
“Oh, dear!” said Bunny.
“Here comes a big dog!
I must run home.”
Away ran Bunny Rabbit.
Away ran the big dog after him.
Soon Bunny was at his fron door.
“I will play a trick on that dog,” he thought.
In he went, hop, hop, hop!
The dog began to dig at the door.
But Bunny ran out the back door, and the dog did not find him.
“What a good trick!” said Bunny.
The North Wind and the Sun
- Copyright:
Original Greek version by Aesop (c. 620–564 BCE)
English Translation taken from David Abercombie 2013, Open Data Commons Attribution License (ODC-By)
The North Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger, when a traveler came along wrapped in a warm cloak.
They agreed that the one who first succeeded in making the traveler take his cloak off should be considered stronger than the other.
Then the North Wind blew as hard as he could, but the more he blew the more closely did the traveler fold his cloak around him;
and at last the North Wind gave up the attempt. Then the Sun shined out warmly, and immediately the traveler took off his cloak.
And so the North Wind was obliged to confess that the Sun was the stronger of the two.