The Little Prince and the Snake

vayele, lel vaya kha dana malka vayele. ya malka vayule kha bruna. brunu b-suruytu roba bakhyana vayele. lena myasa kalu kattile. roba rigavay khamuvvele kam brunu amma hech kha riga lel myasa kattile kalu. kha-yuma vara gav betet yala sura ika kat dmikhele gashukena al-gargushta khuvva tivele rishu labulule mavule yala sura biyyu tavulele.

Once upon a time there was a king. The king has a son. His son when he was young used to cry a lot. They cannot stop him making a noise. He keeps many servants to look after his son, but none of the servants could stop him making a noise. One day they go into the house where the child is lying and see that a snake is sitting on the cradle, he is moving its head back and forth, the child is playing with it.

bitayena ka-malka mara malka atkha mendi khezyekh. muila vita? ba kha khuvva tivele al-gargushtet brunukh. berkhatele, bitayele gashukele ka-brunu lel nisa. mara anget ya khuvva khal adiyya ka-bruni lel nisa, uramga pashni dakh khora katu, kalu kattile. ya khuvva bekhkhayele gu-da palatet malka. men-brunu m-uydale garvusena. brunu vayele eshta shenne.

They come to the king and say ‘King, we have seen something.’ ‘What has happened?’ ‘Well, a snake is sitting on the cradle of your son.’ He runs and comes to see his son, but (the snake) has not bitten (him). If this snake has not bitten my son up until now, let him be like a friend for him, he will stop him making a noise. The snake lives in the palace of the king. He grows up together with his son. His son becomes six years old.

kha-yuma men-khuvva tavalta gashukele al-guyda kha dana sepa. al-guyda vayela chumbelta sepa, sepet malka. beshkalele. bi de sepa vayele bi khuvva tavule, mujjar vayela men-tupru mkhayele, tupru bektayele. khuvva bekhzayele al-tupru men de marret tupru beshkalel kha-dana … bennasule. ya yalaze bezyarele, zampurele, benpalele gav b-aralleghet palata.

One day, whilst he was playing with the snake, he sees a sword on the wall. On the wall a sword is hanging, the sword of the king. He takes it. While he is playing with the sword with the snake, it happens that he strikes part of his tail. The snake looks at his tail. On account of the pain of his tail, he takes a … he bites him. The child swells up, staggers and falls down in the middle of the palace.

berkhatena kulle bitayena gashukena. khuvva liten. tupru pishele. malka mara ArmuremesArm bruni tupru kechyule avda ka-dav nisele. varena shenne. mara yala bruni mitele. lipekhva al-do khuvva. b-shop-bruni mayyen khamenne. ArmgoneArm takhrenne bruni bi dayya. kha-yuma betpakele bi kha dana khuvva tupru kechya. karbunele mara at ka-diyyi beddayet? khuvva mara he. mara di ta dur baray, kum vitela manshiyyakhkha. ana ka-diyyukh dakh bruna khamina. gu-bet-diyyi ta b-garvessennukh. mara la malka. ana gashken tupri liten. atda gashkekh barukh kat brunukh liten. at ka-diyyi pisuyta pt-odet, anada ka-diyyukh. bush spayla at ka-ganukh khush anada ka-gani.

They all run and come to look. The snake is not there. Its tail is left behind. The king says ‘So, my son has cut off its tail and it has bitten him.’ Years go by. He says ‘The child, my son, has died. We were used to that snake. I shall bring him and look after him in the place of my son. At least I shall remember my son in this way.’ One day he meets a snake, the tail of which has been cut off. He approaches and says ‘Do you know me?’ The snake says ‘Yes.’ He says ‘Well follow me back. Let us forget everything that has happened. I shall look after you like my son. Come to my house and I shall bring you up.’ It says ‘No, King. I shall see that my tail is not there. You too, if we look behind you (we shall see) that your son is no more. You will do me harm, and I to you. It is better for you to go your way and I mine.’