Åntes di hu sodda’ este na estoria, tåya’ nai hu hungok. Gof kiñute put tiempon Christmas. Taitai yan gosa 🙂

Before I found this story, I never heard it. It is very cute for Christmas time. Read and enjoy 🙂

I Karabao Gi Paingen Christmas
The Water Buffalo on Christmas Night

Tinige’: Remedios L.G. Perez
Written by Remedios L.G. Perez

Pinentan: Rogelio G. Faustino
Illustrated by Rogelio G. Faustino

Esta ti apmam Christmas, ya i famagu’on para u ha fa’tinas i Belen. Malago’ si Lolita ha ayuda si Manuel yan si Jose. Malago’ lokkue’ si Tomas yan si Neni manayuda.
It was already not long until Christmas, and the children will make the Nativity. Lolita wants to help Manuel and Jose. Tomas and the baby also want to help.

“Esta ti apmam monhåyan i Belen,” ilek-ña si Manuel. “Estague’ si Maria, si Jose, yan i Niñu Jesus. På’go po’lo i ga’ga siha yan i pastores.”
“The Nativity will already be finished soon,” said Manuel. “Here is Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus. Now put the animals and the shepherds.”

Ilek-ña si Lolita, “Ayugue’ hulo’ esta i ånghet, ya estague’ i pastores. Esta kalan Christmas på’go.”
Lolita said, “The angel is already up there, and here are the shepherds. It’s already as if it’s Christmas now.”

“Nangga yo’, fan,” ilek-ña si Neni, ya malågu.
“Wait for me, please,” said the baby, and she ran.

Måtto ta’lo guato si Neni, ya umå’ågang, “Po’lo lokkue’ este i ga’-hu karabao gi Belen.”
The baby arrived there again and called, “Put my pet water buffalo in the Nativity as well.”

Ineppe si Neni as Jose, “Mungnga mapo’lo i karabao guini. Tåya’ na hu li’e’ i karabao mapo’lo gi Belen.” Mañålek todus, ya gof ti magof si Neni.
The baby was answered by Jose, “Don’t put the water buffalo here. I have never seen the water buffalo put in the Nativity.” Everyone laughed, and the baby was very unhappy.

“Håfa, Neni, na’ tumåtånges hao?” finaisen si Neni as Nåna.
“Baby, why are you crying?” the baby was asked by Mother.

Mañålek ta’lo i famagu’on, pues ilek-ña si Lolita, “Malago’ si Neni na u po’lo i karabao gi Belen. Tåya’, Nåna, na mapo’lo i karabao gi Belen.”
The children laughed again, then Lolita said, “Baby wants to put the water buffalo in the Nativity. Mother, the water buffalo is never put in the Nativity.”

“Tåya’?” manifinaisen as Nåna. “Fanmatå’chong ya bai sangåni hamyo put i karabao gi paingen Christmas.”
“Never?” they were asked by Mother. “All of you sit down and I will tell all of you about the water buffalo on Christmas night.”

Humånao si Maria yan si Jose guatu giya Belen. Gof meggai na taotao esta manmåtto guatu. Tåya’ guma’ annai siña sumåga i dos. Pues masodda’ un sågan gå’ga’ para sågan-ñiha.
Mary and Joseph went there to Bethlehem. Many people had already arrived there. There were no houses where the two could stay. Then they found an animal dwelling for their place.

“Ai adai, Maria,” ilek-ña si Jose, “gof yayas hao esta. Ti gof maolek sumåga guini.”
“Ai adai Mary,” said Joseph, “you are already very tired. It is not very good to stay here.”

Ineppe si Jose as Maria, “Tåya’ guaha, Jose. Maolek ha’ este.”
Joseph was answered by Maria, “There’s nothing (don’t worry), Joseph. This is good.”

Manyayas lokkue’ i ga’ga’ siha, lao ti manmamaigo’. “Håyi este i dos na taotao?” mamaisen i guaka.
All the animals were also tired, but they were not sleeping. “Who are these two people?” the cow asked.

“Ya håfa na’ måtto mågi i dos?” mamaisen lokkue’ i kabåyu.
“And why did the two of them come here?” the horse also asked.

“Hekkua’, ti hu tungo’,” ilek-ña i karabao, “lao bai ketungo’ håyi siha.”
“I don’t know,” said the water buffalo, “but I will try to learn who they are.”

Ya si Jose ha po’lo i sakati gi sagan i nengkånno’ gå’ga’. Inayuda as Maria.
And Joseph placed the hay in the animal food trough. He was helped by Mary.

Ayu na puengi mafañågu gi sagan gå’ga’ i Niñu Jesus. Manmåtto guatu i pastores ya manå’i ga’-ña kinilu i Niñu Jesus. Manmåtto lokkue’ i ånghet siha ya makantåyi i Niñu Jesus. I ga’ga’ siha manmana’atan ha’. “Nihi ta li’e’ håfa guaha,” ilek-ña i kabåyu.
That night, the Baby Jesus was born in the stable (animal dwelling). The shepherds arrived there and gave their sheep to the Baby Jesus. The angels also came and they sang to the Baby Jesus. The animals were all looking. “Let us go and see what is there,” said the horse.

“Bonitu!” ilek-ña i guaka.
“Beautiful!” said the cow.

“Mampos bonitu!” ilek-ña i karabao.
“Very handsome!” said the water buffalo.

“E’kåhat,” ilek-ña i kinilu. “Mampos a’gang hao, ya mamaigo’ i Neni.”
“Take it easy,” said the sheep. “You are too loud, and the Baby is sleeping.”

Lao i karabao ti ume’kåhat, ya ilek-ña, “Bai kånta mås a’gang ki i kantan i ånghet siha.” Ya umessalao gue’ a’gagang.
But the water buffalo did not take it easy, and it said, “I will sing more loudly than the song of the angels.” And he shouted loudly.

Ai, yina’ho i Niñu, ya tumånges. Ha chule’ si Jose un pañales ya humånao guatu gi karabao. “Despensa yo’, karabao,” ilek-ña si Jose. “Bai godde hao ya un e’kåhat umagang. Ti siña maigo’ i Niñu.”
Ai, the woke up, and he cried. Joseph took a diaper cloth and went there to the water buffalo. “Excuse me, water buffalo,” said Joseph. “I will tie you and you will reduce your noise. The Baby can’t sleep.”

Ya si Jose ha godde i agå’ga’ i karabao ni’ pañales.
And Joseph tied the neck of the water buffalo with the diaper cloth.

Pumåra tumånges i Niñu, ya pues maigo’. Esta i karabao ti siña a’gang. “Nga’…Nga’…,” kumåti i karabao. Gof e’kåhat este na kåti ginen i dangkolo na karabao.
The Baby stopped crying, and then slept. Already the water buffalo could not be very loud. “Nga’…Nga’…,” cried the water buffalo. This cry from the big water buffalo was very reduced.

“Ayu na’ guaha å’paka’ gi agå’ga’ todu i karabao siha ni’ hu li’e’,” ilek-ña si Manuel. “Tåta, kao ginen i ginedden Jose ayu ni’ pañales?”
“That is why there is white on the neck of all the water buffalos that I see,” said Manuel. “Father, is it from Joseph’s tying with the diaper cloth?”

“Hunggan, enao lokkue’ ha sangåni yo’ si Nanå-hu annai dikike’ yo’,” ilek-ña si Tata.
“Yes, that is also what I was told by my mother when I was small,” said the Father.

“Nihi, Neni, ya ta po’lo i ga’-mu karabao gi Belen,” ilek-ña si Tata. Gof magof si Neni ya ha sangåni i karabao, “Adahi, karabao, sa’ mamaigo’ i Niñu. Adahi na un ya’ho.”
“Come baby and let us put your water buffalo in the Nativity,” said the father. The baby was very happy and she said to the water buffalo, “Be careful, water buffalo, because the Baby Jesus is sleeping. Be careful that you don’t wake him up.”

“Bonitu i Belen på’go,” ilek-ña si Tata. “Nihi todus ya ta fangånta.”
“The Nativity is beautiful now,” said the father. “Everyone let us go and sing.”

“Fanmåtto, manhengge, fåtta i minagof;
Come all you believers, show the happiness/joy

Fanmåtto, fanmåtto giya Belen
Come, come to Bethelem