Ambuya vaPeter ichembere. Vanogara vega. Vane huku zhinji. Vane jongwe.
Jongwe rakura. Riri kutadza kukukuridza. Riri kutadza kuudza Ambuya nguva.
Peter’s grandmother is an old woman. She lives alone. She has many chickens. She has a rooster.
The rooster is old. It is failing to crow. It is failing to tell Grandmother the time.
Rimwe zuva Peter anoshanya. Ambuya vanofara chaizvo.
Peter anofanira kubata jongwe. Ambuya vanoda kubika jongwe.
One day Peter visits. Grandmother is very happy.
Peter must catch the rooster. Grandmother wants to cook the rooster.
Jongwe rinofunga kutiza.
Richaenda kuguta guru. Richashanda. Richaimba muguta.
The rooster decides to run away.
It will go to the big city. It will work. It will sing in the city.
Jongwe rinosangana nekatsi. ‘Ndiri kutiza vatenzi vangu,’ rinodaro.
‘Vatenzi vangu vanoti ndachembera. Ndiri kutadza kubata makonzo,’ inodaro katsi. ‘Ndinoda kutiza.’
The rooster meets a cat. ‘I am running away from my owner,’ it says.
‘My owner says I am old. I am failing to catch rats,’ says the cat. ‘I want to run away.’
Jongwe nekatsi zvinosangana nembwa. ‘Tiri kutiza vanatenzi vedu,’ rinodaro jongwe.
‘Vatenzi vangu vanoti ndachembera. Ndiri kutadza kubata mbavha,’ inodaro imbwa. ‘Ndinoda kutiza.’
The rooster meets a cat. ‘I am running away from our owners,’ says the rooster.
‘My owner says I am old. I am failing to catch thieves,’ says the dog. ‘I want to run away.’
Jongwe, katsi, nembwa zvinosangana nedhongi. ‘Tiri kutiza vanatenzi vedu,’ rinodaro jongwe.
‘Vatenzi vangu vanoti ndachembera. Ndiri kutadza kutakura zvinhu zvinorema,’ rinodaro dhongi. ‘Ndinoda kutiza.’
The rooster, cat, and dog meet a donkey. ‘We are running away from our owners,’ says the rooster.
‘My owner says I am old. I am failing to carry heavy things,’ says the donkey. ‘I want to run away.’
Mhuka dzinosvika paimba usiku. Dzinonzwa ruzha mukati.
Mhuka dzinofunga kuimba. Dziri kuda kutyisidzira mbavha.
The animals get to a house at night. They hear noises inside.
The animals decide to sing. They want to scare the thieves.
Dhongi rinomira pasi.
Imbwa inomira pamusana pedhongi.
Katsi inomira pamusana pembwa.
Jongwe rinomira pamusana pekatsi.
The donkey stands on the ground.
The dog stands on the donkey’s back.
The cat stands on the dog’s back.
The rooster stands on the cat’s back.
Hi-o hi-o, dhongi rinoimba.
Hwau hwau, imbwa inoimba.
N’eu n’eu, katsi inoimba.
Kokorigo kokorigo, jongwe rinoimba.
Bray bray, the donkey sings.
Bark bark, the dog sings.
Meow meow, the cat sings.
Crow crow, the rooster sings.
Mbavha dzinovhunduka. Dzinotiza.
The thieves become frightened. They run away.
Jongwe, katsi, imbwa, nedhongi zvinopinda mumba.
Mune zvekudya zvizhinji. Mhuka dzinofara. Dzinodya. Dzinorara.
The rooster, the cat, the dog, and the donkey enter the house.
There is a lot of food. The animals are happy. They eat. They sleep.
Jongwe riri pedyo nemusuo.
Katsi iri pedyo nejongwe.
Imbwa iri pedyo nekatsi.
Bhiza riri pedyo nembwa.
The rooster is next to the door.
The cat is next to the rooster.
The dog is next to the cat.
The horse is next to the dog.
Mbavha dzinodzoka.
Mbavha inopinda mumba.
Jongwe rinojobora mbavha.
Katsi inomara mbavha.
Imbwa inoruma mbavha.
Dhongi rinoranha mbavha.
The thieves return.
A thief enters the house.
The rooster pecks the thief.
The cat scratches the thief.
The dog bites the thief.
The donkey kicks him.
Mbavha inozhamba. Inotiza.
Mbavha dzese dzinotiza.
The thief screams. He runs away.
All the thieves run away.
Mhuka dzinosara.
Dzinogara pamwe chete.
The animals stay behind.
They live together.
Jongwe rinoudza dzimwe nguva.
Katsi inouraya makonzo.
Imbwa inodzinga mbavha.
Dhongi rinotakura dzimwe.
The rooster tells the others the time.
The cat kills rats.
The dog chases away thieves.
The donkey carries the others.
