Reading and Translation Exercise
1. Soma olugero mu Luzungu, era ne ddamu mu Luganda:
In the month of September, many years ago, several tortoises died due to lack of water. The kingdom of Buganda had never experienced such a drought before. One day, a crested crane was passing by when a thirsty tortoise called for help. After a long discussion, the crane agreed to carry it to a wetland full of food and water, and off they went feeling jubilant as fellow tortoises on the ground waved goodbye to them. In mid air, the overjoyed tortoise waved back, and in the process, lost his grip on the crane and fell down like a heavy stone. Hence the saying, “Great joy killed the tortoise.”
Ddamu ebibuuzo:
1) Ekyatta enfudu kiki?
2) Ngaali yatwala wa enfudu? Baatukayo? Lwaki?
3) Lwaki enfudu yata ngaali?
4) Enfudu bwe yata ngaali yaba ki?
5) Ogamba Otya “Great joy killed the tortoise” mu Luganda?
6) Akagero ako katuyigiriza ki?
2. Soma olugero mu Luganda, era ne ddamu mu Luganda:
Moses yabadde agenda mu katale e Kibuye nasanga mukwano gwe Kagga. Yabadde ava mu katale e Mpigi okugula empale, naye teyasobodde kugigula kubanga ebbeeyi yempale yabadde waggulu. Buli empale yabadde egula siringi enkumi ttano ate yabadde alina enkumi ssatu. Awo Moses namugamba, “tugende e Nateete kubanga yo tebaseera.” Oluvannyuma baagenda, wabula era tebaasobodde kugula empale kubanga yabadde ku nkumi nnya. Awo Kagga nagamba nti, “nga ndabye.”
Ddamu ebibuuzo:
1) Kagga yabadde ne ssente mmeka?
2) Oyasooka, Moses yagenda mu katale ki?
3) Oluvannyuma, Mose ne Kagga baagenda wa? Lwaki?
4) Moses yayagala kugula ki?
5) Lwaki Kagga yagamba “nga ndabye?” Ekitegeeza ki?
3. Translate this story (#2) into English.
Answer Key
1. Soma olugero mu Luzungu, era ne ddamu mu Luganda:
In the month of September, many years ago, several tortoises died due to lack of water. The kingdom of Buganda had never experienced such a drought before. One day, a crested crane was passing by when a thirsty tortoise called for help. After a long discussion, the crane agreed to carry it to a wetland full of food and water, and off they went feeling jubilant as fellow tortoises on the ground waved goodbye to them. In mid air, the overjoyed tortoise waved back, and in the process, lost his grip on the crane and fell down like a heavy stone. Hence the saying, “Great joy killed the tortoise.”
Ddamu ebibuuzo:
1) Ekyatta enfudu kiki?
Ddamu: Ekyanda ekyatta enfudu mu Buganda obudde guyise.
2) Ngaali yatwala wa enfudu? Baatukayo? Lwaki?
Ddamu: Ngaali yatwala enfudu ku ettaka yabadde n’amazzi, naye tebaatykayo kubanga enfudu yata ngaali ne yagwa okuva wagulu.
3) Lwaki enfudu yata ngaali?
Ddamu: Enfudu yata ngaali kubanga yasunyuka nnyo, era ne yajengo mikwano ye wansi.
4) Enfudu bwe yata ngaali yaba ki?
Ddamu: Enfudu bwe yata ngaali, yagwa erisinga jinja yezito.
5) Ogamba Otya, “Great joy killed the tortoise” mu Luganda?
Ddamu: “Obusanyukasanyuka butta enfudu.”
6) Akagero ako katuyigiriza ki?
Ddamu: Akagero ako katuyiriza nti totikirira nga otuuka kifo ky’oyagala okugenda oba ofuna kintu ky’oyagala.
2. Soma olugero mu Luganda, era ne ddamu mu Luganda:
Moses yabadde agenda mu katale e Kibuye nasanga mukwano gwe Kagga. Yabadde ava mu katale e Mpigi okugula empale, naye teyasobodde kugigula kubanga ebbeeyi yempale yabadde waggulu. Buli empale yabadde egula siringi enkumi ttano ate yabadde alina enkumi ssatu. Awo Moses namugamba, “tugende e Nateete kubanga yo tebaseera.” Oluvannyuma, baagenda wabula era tebaasobodde kugula empale kubanga yabadde ku nkumi nnya. Awo Kagga nagamba nti, “nga ndabye.”
Ddamu ebibuuzo:
1) Kagga yabadde ne ssente mmeka?
Ddamu: Kagga yabadde ne siringi enkumi ssatu.
2) Oyasooka, Moses yagenda mu katale ki?
Ddamu: Oyasooka, Moses yagenda mu katale e Kibuye.
3) Oluvannyuma, Moses ne Kagga baagenda wa? Lwaki?
Ddamu: Oluvannyuma, Moses ne Kagga baagenda e Nateete kubanga abantu baatunda empale baaseera nnyo, era ne mu katale e Kibuye tebaseera.
4) Moses yayagala kugula ki?
Ddamu: Moses yayagala kugula empale.
5) Lwaki Kagga yagamba “nga ndabye?” Ekitegeza ki?
Ddamu: Kagga yagamba “nga ndabye” kubanga yategera nti teyabadde ne ssente yekuta. Mu Uganda kubanga abantu abamu bagamba kigambo kino okulaga bategera.
3. English translation:
Moses had gone to the market in Kibuye to meet his friend Kagga. He (Kagga) had come from the market in Mpigi to buy pants, but he could not buy them because the price of the pants were too high. Every pair of pants for sale cost five hundred shillings, and he only had three hundred shillings. That is when Moses said, “let’s go to Nateete because they don’t overcharge.” Then they went, however they could not by pants there either because they were four hundred shillings. At that, Kagga said, “I have seen it” (rough translation meaning: I recognize and I am acknowledging that we have tried and it is not possible. An idiom often used to express sympathy or assuring someone that you understand that something bad has happened).