Batang AsnoBatang Asno

Donkey ChildDonkey Child

Lindiwe Matshikiza Meghan Judge Karla Comanda Tagalog / English Level 3

Isang batang babae ang unang nakakitang kakaibang hugis mula sa malayo.

•••

It was a little girl who first saw themysterious shape in the distance.

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Habang papalapit nang papalapit anghugis, nakita niyang isa itong babaengnagdadalang-tao.

•••

As the shape moved closer, she saw that itwas a heavily pregnant woman.

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Mahiyain pero matapang, lumapit angbatang babae sa babaeng nagdadalang-tao. “Kailangan natin siyang panatilihindito,” napagdesisyunan ng mgakababayan ng batang babae. “Aalagaannatin ang ina at anak.”

•••

Shy but brave, the little girl moved nearerto the woman. “We must keep her withus,” the little girl’s people decided. “We’llkeep her and her child safe.”

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Sa madaling panahon ay lumabas din angbata. “Tulak pa!” “Kumot!” “Tubig!”“Kaunti na laaaaannnnnggg!”

•••

The child was soon on its way. “Push!”“Bring blankets!” “Water!”“Puuuuussssshhh!!!”

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Ngunit nasindak ang lahat nang lumabasang sanggol. “Isang asno?!”

•••

But when they saw the baby, everyonejumped back in shock. “A donkey?!”

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Nagsimulang mag-away ang lahat, “Sinabinating aalagaan natin ang ang ina at anak,at iyon ang gagawin natin,” sabi ng iba.“Pero magdadala ito ng kamalasan saatin!” sabi ng iba.

•••

Everyone began to argue. “We said wewould keep mother and child safe, andthat’s what we’ll do,” said some. “But theywill bring us bad luck!” said others.

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At muli ay mag-isa na naman ang babae.Inisip niya kung ano ang gagawin sakanyang bardagol na anak. Inisip niyakung ano ang gagawin sa sarili niya.

•••

And so the woman found herself aloneagain. She wondered what to do with thisawkward child. She wondered what to dowith herself.

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Pero sa huli ay tinanggap niya na anakniya ang asno at siya ang ina nito.

•••

But finally she had to accept that he washer child and she was his mother.

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Ngayon, kung hindi nagbago ang batangito at nanatiling maliit, marahil ay iba anglahat. Pero lumaki nang lumaki angbatang asno hanggang sa hindi na itomakarga sa likod ng kanyang ina. At kahitanong gawin niya, hindi nito kayangmagpakatao. Madalas ay nararamdamanng kanyang ina ang kapaguran atpagkabigo. Minsan ay pinagagawa niyarito ang mga gawaing pang-hayop.

•••

Now, if the child had stayed that same,small size, everything might have beendifferent. But the donkey child grew andgrew until he could no longer fit on hismother’s back. And no matter how hardhe tried, he could not behave like ahuman being. His mother was often tiredand frustrated. Sometimes she made him

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do work meant for animals.

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Unti-unting umiral ang pagkalito at galitkay Asno. Hindi siya puwedeng gumawang ganito at ganyan. Hindi siya puwedengmaging ganito at ganyan. Isang araw,tinadyakan niya ang kanyang ina sasobrang galit.

•••

Confusion and anger built up insideDonkey. He couldn’t do this and hecouldn’t do that. He couldn’t be like thisand he couldn’t be like that. He became soangry that, one day, he kicked his motherto the ground.

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Nakaramdam ng pagkahiya si Asno.Tumakbo siya ng napakabilis paratumakas.

•••

Donkey was filled with shame. He startedto run away as far and fast as he could.

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Gabi na nang tumigil siya sa pagktakbo, atnawala siya. “Hi haw?” bulong niya sakadiliman. “Hi Haw?” ulyaw nito. Mag-isasiya. Niyakap niya ang sarili niya naparang bolang mahigpit, at nakatulog siyang mahimbing at maligalig.

•••

By the time he stopped running, it wasnight, and Donkey was lost. “Hee haw?”he whispered to the darkness. “HeeHaw?” it echoed back. He was alone.Curling himself into a tight ball, he fell intoa deep and troubled sleep.

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Nagising si Asno at nakita ang isangkakaibang matandang lalake na nakatitigsa kanya. Tumingin siya sa mga mata nitoat nakaramdam ng pag-asa.

•••

Donkey woke up to find a strange old manstaring down at him. He looked into theold man’s eyes and started to feel atwinkle of hope.

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Nakituloy si Asno sa matandang lalake nasiyang nagturo sa kanya ng iba’t ibangparaan para mamuhay. Nakinig at natutosi Asno, at gayundin naman angmatandang lalake. Nagtulungan sila, atnagtawanan sila.

•••

Donkey went to stay with the old man,who taught him many different ways tosurvive. Donkey listened and learned, andso did the old man. They helped eachother, and they laughed together.

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Isang umaga, nakiusap ang matandanglalake na dalhin siya ni Asno sa tuktok ngisang bundok.

•••

One morning, the old man asked Donkeyto carry him to the top of a mountain.

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Nakatulog sila sa itaas ng bundok,kapantay ang mga ulap. Napanaginipan niAsno na may sakit ang kanyang ina atnananawagan ito. At nang magising siya…

•••

High up amongst the clouds they fellasleep. Donkey dreamed that his motherwas sick and calling to him. And when hewoke up…

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…nawala na ang mga ulap kasama ngkanyang kaibigan, ang matandang lalake.

•••

… the clouds had disappeared along withhis friend, the old man.

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Alam na ni Asno kung ano ang dapatgawin.

•••

Donkey finally knew what to do.

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Nakita ni Asno ang kanyang ina, nag-iisaat nagluluksa para kanyang nawawalanganak. Matagal silang tumitig sa isa’t isa. Atpagkatapos ay nagyakapan sila nangnakapahigpit.

•••

Donkey found his mother, alone andmourning her lost child. They stared ateach other for a long time. And thenhugged each other very hard.

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Ang batang asno at ang kanyang ina aytumanda nang magkasama at nakahanapng maraming paraan para mamuhaynang magkaagapay. Unti-untingpumalagay ang mga pamilya sa paligidnila.

•••

The donkey child and his mother havegrown together and found many ways ofliving side by side. Slowly, all around them,other families have started to settle.

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Storybooks CanadaStorybooks Canadastorybookscanada.ca

Batang AsnoBatang Asno

Donkey ChildDonkey ChildWritten by: Lindiwe MatshikizaIllustrated by: Meghan Judge

Translated by: (tl) Karla Comanda

This story originates from the African Storybook (africanstorybook.org) andis brought to you by Storybooks Canada in an effort to provide children’sstories in Canada’s many languages.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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