A Krio narrative

Nɔto ɔltin we fain na fain - Not all that glitters is gold.

A Krio oral narration, recorded and annotated

Learn more about the annotations by visiting the text in our database: https://typecraft.org/tc2/ntceditor.html#2856

*Parallel Krio - English text*
Wan de ya, na wan titi bin de, i de na wan fawe vilej wit in mama ɛn papa ɛn in smɔl brɔda.	Once upon a time, there lived a girl in a faraway village with her mother, father and little brother.
Bɔt I bin de na po po famili so i bin fotunet se na in dɛn sɛn na Fritɔŋ fɔ go skul.	but she was in a poor family so she was fortunate to be sent to school in Freetown.
We i dɔn di skul nain i gɛt fɔ ritɔn bak na di vilej.	When she completed school she had to return to the village.
So nain in mama tɛl am se “Eee Bindu, ɔl wi mɔni we wi dɔn gɛt nain wi dɔn put pan dis yu skul.	So her mother told her that Eee Bindu, we have used all the money we have for your schooling.
I se ‘So duya trai mared we wi sɛf go ebul fɔ gɛt smɔl tin'.	She said 'So please get married so we can also benefit from it'.
Nain di pikin tɛl am se, ‘Ee mama, mi, a nɔ si no man na dis vilej oo’.	Then the child told her: "Ee, mother, I do not see any man in this village oo."
So Bindu tɔk se i nɔ si no man na dis vilej ya we go fit am.	So Bindu said that she does not see any man in the village who suits her.
Nain in mama se ‘Wɛl aw yu wan mek wi du naw?’	Then her mother asked 'Well what do you want us to do now?'
I se ‘di wan dɛm we de ya nain wi sabi.	She said 'the ones here are whom we know.'
If yu se pas yu go bak na Fritɔŋ fɔ go fɛn man, wi nɔ no bɔt dɛn.	If you want to go back to Freetown to look for a husband we do not know about them.
Bɔt ya so if yu mared yu man gɛt fam dɛm, I gɛt got dɛm, I gɛt plɛnti ship ɛn ɔda tin dɛm we wi go prɔfit frɔm’.	But if you get married here your husband will have farms, goats, sheep and other things which we will benefit from.
Nain Bindu se, ‘mama duya, nɔ ambɔg mi, rait naw nɔto mared de mɔna mi’.	Then Bindu said, 'mother please, do not disturb me, right now i am not worried about marriage'.
So go on go on, wan dɛbul bin de na dis vilej.	So as it was, there was a devil living in this village.
So i dɔn yɛri bɔt dis, nain i chenj insɛf to sɔm ansɔm man, fain fain man.	So he had heard about this, then he changed himself into a handsome man, fine man.
I de waka de kam.	He is approaching.
If yu si di we i dres, kot kot.	If you see the way he is dressed, coat coat.
Imidietli di pikin si am I se ‘ee mama, hmm, a tink se a dɔn si di man we a go lɛk oo’.	Immediately the child saw him she said 'ee mother, i think i have found the man i like'.
Nain in mama se ‘we am?’	Then her mother said 'where is he?'
I se ‘luk am na in de kam yanda so’.	She said 'Look at him coming from afar'.
Di dɛbul de kam I de spot, I de waka, i de shek.	The devil was approaching as he modelled, walked and showed off.
As i rich nia di os so nain di mami tɛl di man i se ‘papa kushɛ oo’.	As he got close to the house the mother said to the man 'Sir greetings oo'.
I se ‘kagbɔ kagbɔ’.	He responded.
I se ‘duya, mi pikin dɔn si yu frɔm fa i se i dɔn lek yu.	She said 'please, my child has seen you from afar and she likes you.
A nɔ no wetin na yu mishɔn na dis vilej bɔt if yu kin gi mi taim fɔ lisin to mi a go gladi.	I don't know what your mission in this village is but if you listen to me i will be happy.
Nain di dɛbul se, ‘mama, i tan lek se yu no mi at.	Then the devil said, 'mother, it is as if you know what is on my heart.
Di risin we mek a kam na ya na fɔ mek a go ebul fɔ fɛn uman we mi sɛf go lɛk’.	The reason why i am here is to find a woman that i would like.
So nain di mami se ‘wɛl papa sidɔm nɔ’.	So the mother asked the man to have a seat.
‘Bindu go briŋ wata kam, kam gi di strenja’.	Bindu go bring water for the stranger.
So dɛn kam, dɛn kam gi am wata, sidɔm nain I tɛl di mami se i lɛk di pikin.	So they gave him water and sat down and he told the mother that he likes her child.
I se di pikin sɛf nais.	He said the child is also pretty.
So nain di mami aks Bindu, ‘Bindu na yu si yu man o, yu shɔ se yu lek am?’	So the mother asked Bindu, 'Bindu you chose your man o, are you sure you like him?'
Nain i se, ‘mama, we a dɔn tɛl yu mi wɔd na mi wɔd a nɔ de chenj a lek dis man’.	Then she said, 'mother, as i have given you my word i am not changing it, i like this man'.
‘yu rɛdi fɔ mared to dis man?’ i se ‘yɛs ma’.	Are you ready to marry this man?' she said 'yes mother'.
So nain di man se wɛl i go go kam bak fɔ lɛ dɛn kam du di mared arenjmɛnt.	So the man decided to go and come back for the marriage arrangement.
so afta tu wiks, nain di dɛbul kam bak.	So after two weeks, the devil came back.
I briŋ mɔni, i briŋ chen, fain fain tin dɛm.	He brought money, he brought chain, nice nice things.
I briŋ wan bɔks ful op wit klos fɔ di ledi, Bindu.	He brought one box filled with clothes for the lady, Bindu.
So Bindu naw, we dɛn dɔn du ɔl di sɛrimɔni disaid fɔ go wit di man.	So after the ceremony, Bindu decided to go with the man.
Bɔt in smɔl brɔda we i gɛt we de na di vilej, na bɔbɔ we bin gɛt smɔl majik.	but her younger brother in the village was a boy with magic.
Bɔt i bin gɛt krɔkrɔ ɔl oba in bɔdi.	but he had rashes all over his body.
So wetin kam apen, di de we Bindu de go, nain i de krai.	So what happened was that when Bindu was leaving he begun to cry.
I se ‘mama mama a wan go wit sista’.	He said 'mother mother i want to go with my sister'.
I se ‘a nɔ go lɛf lɛ a go wit sista’.	He said i will not stay behind i want to go with my sister.
Nain di mami se, ‘ee, Bindu, na yu wan gren brɔda dis, duya manej fɔ tek am go’.	Then the mother said 'ee Bindu this is your only brother just try and take him along'.
Bɔt yu no se mi ɛn Lamina wi nɔ de mit op’.	But you know that Lamina and i do not agree (get along).
Nain I se 'bia na yu smɔl brɔda.	Then she said, 'bear (with him) he is your younger brother.
So dɛn pak dɛn go	So they packed and left.
We dɛn rich di watasai, dɛn go insai wan bot, dɛn kros.	when they got to the riverside they got into a boat and crossed.
Dɛn go na di dɛbul in os.	They went to the devil's house.
I dɔn pripia ɛvritin naw.	He had prepared everything.
I dɔn shap di kɔtlas put am ɔnda di bed we i gɛt fɔ kam yus fɔ kil di ledi.	He has sharpened the cutlass and placed it under the bed, so that he could use it to kill the lady.
So na nɛt, we dɛn de slip, di bɔbɔ nɔ de slip.	So at night, when everyone is sleeping, the boy does not sleep.
I de ɔbsav, i de wach.	He is observing, he is watching.
Nain, di man pul di kɔtlas ɔnda di bed, nain I bigin shap am, ‘kotosiŋizɔ kotosiŋizɔ zig zag kotosiŋizɔ’.	Then the man took the cutlass from under the bed and began to sharpen it, kotosingizor kotosingizor zig zag kotosingizor.
I bigin shap am, ‘kotosiŋizɔ kotosiŋizɔ zig zag kotosiŋizɔ’.	He began to sharpen it, 'kotosingizor kotosingizor zig zag kotosingizor'.
As i es am op so we i wan chap Bindu nain di bɔbɔ ala ‘wai wai mi krɔkrɔ, mi krɔkrɔ, mi krɔkrɔ de krach mi’.	As he raised it up to cut Bindu the boy screamed 'aahh aahh my rash, my rash, my rash is itchy.
Nain di dɛbul put di kɔtlas bak ɔnda di bed kwik.	Then the devil quickly placed the cutlass under the bed.
Nain i se ‘na wetin na wetin’.	Then he said 'what is it, what is it'.
‘Papa na mi krɔkrɔ de krach mi, duya a beg di wata we dɛn kin tek fɔ was mi, i de na da ɔda vilej yanda, duya una go briŋ am kam fɔ mi.	Papa my rash is itchy, please the water used to bath me is from the other village, please go and get it for me.
Nain Bindu wek.	Then Bindu woke up.
‘Wɛl si am, na dis a bin tɛl mama se lɛ yu nɔ fala mi.	Well see it, this is why i told mother that you shouldn't follow me. (She says to Lamina.)
Ɔl dis yagba nain a nɔ want.	I did not want all this problems.
A nɔ wan mek yu kam distɔb mi na mi mared oo.	I don't want you to come and disturb me in my marriage oo.
I nɔ go rait oo.	it will not be right!
Tumara a go mek shɔ se a pak a sɛn yu bak.	Tomorrow i will make sure that i pack and send you back.
Nain di dɛbul se ‘ok lɛf am, a de go briŋ di wata kam’.	Then the devil said 'ok leave him, i am going to get the water'.
Nain di dɛbul go.	Then the devil left.
As i go so, nain di bɔbɔ kam, ‘sista sista’, I se ‘dis man we yu gɛt na dɛbul oo, i wan kil yu.	As he left the boy came to his sister and said 'sister sister, this your husband is a devil and he wants to kill you'.
If yu si di kɔtlas we i dɔn pul am’.	If you see the cutlass which he had pulled out'.
Nain in sista se ‘hɛ hɛ nɔ briŋ ɔl da fulish tɔk kam to mi.	Then his sister said 'hey hey do not bring all that foolish talk to me.
I se, a dɔn taya, na una ɔl de pwɛl mared os.	She said, I am done getting tired, you are the people who destroy marriages.
Uskain tɔk yu de fala mi tɔk so, kam on pas go slip.	What are you saying to me, come on, go to bed.
So di dɛbul kam wit di wata.	So the devil brought the water.
Di bɔbɔ was was was was, nain do klin.	The boy bathe and bathe and bathe and bathe, then morning came.
Di dɛbul go abawt in biznɛs.	The devil went about his business.
Di bɔbɔ sidɔm, in sista sidɔm.	The boy sat down, his sister sat down.
Bɔt di dɛbul nɔ kam kwik bikɔs in sista bin wan sɛn am bak.	But the devil didn't come back early since his sister wanted to send him back.
Nain i se Lamina yu gɛt lɔk, na we mi man nɔ kam kwik.	Then she said Lamina you are lucky, it is because my husband didn't come back on time.
Bɔt tumara mɔnin fɔs tin doklin yu de go.	but first thing tomorrow morning you are leaving.
So nain di bɔbɔ se ok sista ɛnitin yu se.	So the boy said ok sister anything you say.
So nɛt kam bak.	So night came.
Midul nɛt nain di dɛbul pul in kɔtlas bak.	In the middle of the night the devil pulled out his cutlass again.
I bigin shap am, kotosiŋizɔ kotosiŋizɔ zig zag kotosiŋizɔ.	He began to sharpen it, kotosingizor kotosingizor zig zag kotosingizor.
As i wan chap di sista so nain di bɔbɔ ala, ‘wayooo mi krɔkrɔ oo mi krɔkrɔ’.	As he wanted to cut the sister the boy screamed 'wayooo my rash oo, my rash.
Duya una go briŋ wata kam lɛ una kam was mi.	Please go and get some water to bathe me.
Mi a wan go, a wan go to mi mama, yaso nɔ fit mi.	I want to go, i want to go to my mother, this place does not suit me.
So nain di sista se ‘wɛl yu si am, mi man duya go gɛt dis wata lɛ yu briŋ am kam lɛ dis bɔbɔ go’.	Then the sister said 'well you see now, my husband please go and get the water for this boy so he can go'.
As di dɛbul go so, nain di bɔbɔ se ‘sista yu nɔ de biliv mi’.	as the devil left the boy said 'sister you do not believe me'.
Nain i put in an ɔnda bed i pul di kɔtlas.	Then he put his hand under the bed and pulled out the cutlass.
We di sista si am i se, ‘wetin!’	When the sister saw it she said, 'what!'
Na dis a bin de tɛl yu sista so lɛ wi go, bifɔ dis man de kam.	this is what i was telling you, sister, so lets go before this man comes.
I go kam kil yu.	He will come and kill you.
Bɔt di dɛbul gɛt wan big big kak, fɔl.	But the devil had a big rooster.
So as dɛn bigin go so, nain di fɔl ala, ‘kokoriokoo, yu wɛf de go’.	As they were leaving the rooster crowed 'kokorioko, your wife is leaving'.
Nain di dɛbul se, ‘hɛɛ’.	Then the devil said, 'hey'.
Dɛn bigin rɔn naw, dɛn de rɔn, dɛn de rɔn, dɛn de rɔn, dɛn de rɔn, dɛn de rɔn.	They started running now, they were running, running, running.
As dɛn rich di watasai so, di bot, nain di dɛbul kɔnjɔ kɔnjɔ kɔnjɔ, di bot disapia.	As they reached the riverside and the boat, the devil conjured and the boat disappeared.
Nain Lamina insɛf we gɛt dis smɔl majik insɛf kɔnjɔ kɔnjɔ kɔnjɔ, di sansan tɔn to bot.	Then Lamina also who had a little magic conjured and the sand turned into a boat.
Nain dɛn go insai.	Then they went inside.
Dɛn bigin padul.	They started to paddle.
Nain in sista de ala, ‘Lamina pul o pul o, Lamina pul o lɛ wi go, Lamina pul o pul o, Lamina pul o lɛ wi go.	then his sister was shouting, 'Lamina pull pull, Lamina pull let us go.
So Lamina sɛf de padul fas fas fas fas.	So Lamina too was paddling very fast.
Nain di dɛbul rich na di ɛj ɔf di watasai.	Then the devil reached the edge of the river.
Nain i jomp insai.	Then he jumped inside.
I de kam, i de kam, i de kam, i de kam.	He is coming, he is coming, he is coming, he is coming.
Nain Lamina kɔnjɔ kɔnjɔ kɔnjɔ, i ib sɔmtin na di wata.	Then Lamina conjured, he threw something into the water.
Di wata ɔl tɔn blak.	The water turned black.
Di dɛbul nɔ de si dɛn igen te dɛn manej fɔ rich di shɔ.	The devil can not see them again till they managed to reach the shore.
Nain dɛn bigin rɔn.	Then they started running.
We di dɛbul si se dɛn dɔn rɔn naw go insai di vilej, nain i gɛt fɔ tɔn bak.	When the devil realised that they had entered the village he had to turn back.
Nain di titi tɛl am se, ‘mama, mama nɛks tɛm a go lisin to yu wɔd.	Then the girl told her that 'mother next time i will listen to your word'
A nɔ go chalɛnj yu igen.	I will not challenge you again.
A nɔ go trangayes igen oo.	I will not be stubborn again oo.
Wetin pas mi, if nɔ to Lamina we a bin wan lɛf am.	If it was not for Lamina whom i wanted to leave behind.
If i nɔ bin fala mi go na mi os, lɛk bai naw na difren tin yu fɔ dɔn yɛri.	If he did not follow me to my house you would have heard a different story.
Yu nɔ no se da man we mari to mi na big big dɛbul.	You don't know that, that man who married me is a big devil.
I wan kil mi.	He wants to kill me.
Nain di mami se, ‘wetin!, eee papa Gɔd a tɛl yu tɛnki we yu dɔn sev mi pikin in laif.	Then the mother said, 'what!, eee God i am grateful to you for saving my child's life.
Mi pikin, nɔ to ɔltin we yu si fain na fain oo’.	My child, not all that glitters is gold oo'.
I se ‘sɔntin dɛm de yu gɛt fɔ bi peshɛnt ɔntil yu gɛt di rait tin.	She said 'with certain things you have to be patient until you get the right one.
Nain i se ‘yɛs maa’.	Then he said: "Yes, Mama."
Stori dɔn.	This is the end of the story