Four colouring books are available!

Go to Igalaonline.org and click on the Colouring Books link!

Update to Igalaonline website!

Bob just made my website better!

Now you can download and print coloring books in English and Igala. The first one, Amene Ofili Tene Jisos (Wise Men Seek Jesus), is ready, and soon we will make 3 more available.

Go to Igalaonline.org and enjoy!

Announcing the IgalaOnline website!

Bob Reed donated his time and expertise to set up a website for the Igala Language Project. Thank you so much, Bob!

It's just the bare beginnings, but I'm really excited that it's finally here!

You can find it at igalaonline.org

Fable: The Rabbit and the Other Animals in Igala

 Adeji Kpai Ame̩la Ki Bo̩

O̩hiala mi kwo kwa, kwa, kwa. I li oji e̩wñ duu ki ane n; i lewa noji adeji; i ño̩ lewa noji ame̩la ki bo̩.

O̩kpo̩ta chane̩ ekpa nana. Tak ame̩la chaka lewa jeju. Me̩ni, "Ewñ ama aje̩ kama adeju efu o̩kpo̩ta-i?"

Tak o̩chaka ma fibe kpe̩ dama kakini, "A mu amiye wa ko kpa je̩."

Tak adeji miye e-wñ du ra agugu udaba ohimini. Ame̩la ki bo̩ chane̩ ekpiye ma. Ma fe̩la iye e-we̩ je̩ eñini, o̩na ma lewa je̩ e-mi.

Ma fe̩la iye e-ame̩la ki bo̩ je̩. Tak i lewa oji adeji. E-wñ bo̩na.

Adeji le toko. Ogo ki ro̩ joko, i fu da. I mo̩ro̩ ki defu-wñ le̩ ko. I fu gwe̩ nyo̩nyo̩ nyo̩nyo̩. Tak i mekpo du to̩. I momu du to̩.

Ame̩la lewunyi adeji. Oñ i muje̩wñ le̩ du gugu o̩gba ma. Ma chane̩ eje̩.

Me̩ni, "E̩la iye adeji-i nyo̩ gbe̩-o. I nachikwu duu n."

Abu kuma fe̩la iye ma je̩ kpa, kebi na akpa alo waa, adeji na yoyo. Ame̩la ki bo̩ la na gbo̩gbe̩. Alu kadeji miye-wñ da agwu udaba ohimini le̩, e̩gba duu kebi ro̩o̩ kpo̩o̩, i lewa eti ohimini, i raku diye-wñ. I yeni, "Iye-mi, do̩ko̩ atu ohimini-oo. Doba, doba."

Tak iyewñ modele owu nadala neju omi. Adeji loji-wn ke̩te̩ ke̩te̩. I le tugbo iye-wñ afe̩wñ je̩.

Tak ame̩la fu ma kakini, adeji diye-wñ kpa noo. Ma chane̩ ekpibe alu ku ma le ku ma adaba ohimini ku ma nya diye adeji kpa je̩.

Tak adeji ka ñwu ma kakini, "Ame̩ tene o̩ko̩ ku me̩ ato̩ daba n. Owñ anya ka ñwu iye-ñw ki dodele owu nadala neju ohimini ñwu me̩ todu ku me̩ loji-wñ."

Adeji yeni ame̩ jeti omi emi kowñ ara nya ka e̩le̩ ta. Ame̩la na jeju. Ma jeju kpa n.

Adeji yeni, ame deju abei ki bo̩, kowñ anya ka ñwu e̩le̩.

Tak iye-wñ mowu nadala alu ki adu te̩ ñwu le̩. Oñ i ka ñwu iye-wñ kakini, "Amela ki awa-i, ule̩ edu we̩ kpa ma le awa-i. Iche̩wñ ku ma kwo reju omi ku ma lewa alumeji omi le̩, e̩ mowu we̩ fa."

Abu kame̩la ma gbiche̩ adeji ki dabi wa n, kuma lewa kpa chaka, me̩ni owu ki loji-wñ olo le̩ de̩e̩. Ama ki to̩ubi tugbo kiye-wñ de̩. Abu ku ma roji owu le̩ alo, ma lewa alumeji ohimini. Iye adeji mowu le̩ fa. Ame̩la kpo refu omi chaka. Omi mu ma ko.

E̩te̩ kabogijo kpita kakini, E̩ne̩ idada, owñ akwu o̩gba agbeju. Ibe kame̩la ma ne̩ n, ma famiye ma kpa, ama onugo la ño̩ leku ge̩. Todule̩ ewñ duu ke̩ e̩che, e̩ na kpibe tak e̩ che. E̩ che ofofo n. Todu efu e̩wñ ke̩ e̩che le̩, i ne̩wñ ke̩wñ le̩ ane̩ ake̩re̩be̩.

O̩lO̩jo̩ ño̩ ko̩ wa abale̩ ge̩.

"E̩ne̩ ki fibe ne̩ gbede. Ojolugbo defu o̩wo̩-wñ. E̩wñ anana kpai ojima defu o̩wo̩-wñ ge̩." Ita Ita 3:13, 16

"Ibe k'e̩ne̩ e̩do̩chacha akpe̩, e̩wñ ekwubo̩ i ane̩ wa. E̩ne̩ duu ki muda anaju, ekwu e̩wñ akwuu." Ita Ita 21:5.

Fable: The Nine Brothers in Igala

Ọhiala abo Igala

Amomaye Mẹla

Ọhiala mi kwo kwakwakwa, i lewa n'oji amọmaye mẹla.
 

Amọmaye mẹla ki dẹ-i, ata ma 'fanya la ñwu ma ku ma nẹ ny'oko. E-i kekele efu ma, i n'anya n. Obukọ owñ anẹ ny'oko. Ichẹwñ ki le w'iko k'aikọ akọ̣ inajọ, ma kakini, "Ananya obukọ ki na dọgba alo oo."

Taku ọma kekele m'obukọ-wñ du. I chanẹ eñwa obukọ-wñ, kẹtukẹtu mẹẹ, kẹtukẹtu mẹẹ!

Ichẹwñ ki d'ejọna achabalẹ, abe-i ki n'anya-i rule le gwudu fiaa. Ma lewefu aji, ma f'omi ku ma amọ kpa ny'ọcha, taku amanya f'omi lẹ bu chaka. E-i ki n'anya obukọ-i, i lewaji, omi i ñọ nyọ ki akpa ny'ọcha e-i-wñ gẹ n.

I muda che n'oka efu amọmaye e-i ki an'obukọ k'ejumomi-wñ achoo. I f'omi e-i-wñ kpa lẹ, i fe-i ọmaye-wñ kpa maja eti omi ọmọ.

Ichẹwñ ku ma kw'oko, ma le bọọ tẹ, todu obukọ neke hianẹ n. Oko ma che jiji nana. I leki wunyi, ọjọ du.

Abu k'ọla ki dẹ-i na wọ iye-wñ, i kwo tejubi oko araku. Tak'i lewa f'ẹrẹ kọ anagbo oji. Oñ anagbo kakini, "He hee! Ẹnẹ kọma-wñ ma n'anya n, aku i arọ?"

Taku iye ka ñwu kakini, "Uwẹ agba! owñ ma ni dẹ."

Taku anagbo ka iye lẹ kakini, "Uwẹ m'ọbẹ du, ku wẹ f'ọgba ọgọlọ wẹ meji da, k'amachichi ki wa jẹ ikete-wñ, kẹ m'ọwọ ugbanẹ du kẹ du kpa amachichi lẹ nyefu ẹwñ, kẹ fu dẹ nyọnyọ. Ẹ m'omu du tọ, kẹ nya gwuu eti aji ki ch'okokolo lẹ. Amẹla ki awa momi lẹ, ẹ m'achichi kẹ dẹ lẹ bu-ñwu ma ree. Ẹ ka ñwu ma kakini, "Ẹla ki neke rule, ki m'otihi-wñ du ch'omi, k'otihi-wñ le ki gbẹ, ki fule ra lomi-i daka onu mẹta, ki m'otihi-wn du gwo ọgọlọ mi ki chagbe-i, i lewa, u m'ọgbaluka achichi-i du ñwu jẹ chaka."

Ẹwñ duu k'anagbo ka ñw'iye, iye le teke che chaka.

Ẹla duu ki m'otihi-wñ du chomi, i le ki rule l'omi-i daka onu ka, otihi-wñ gbẹ. Amẹla duu deke che gboogbo, ma neke che n.

Taku ọchachakolo lewa. I m'otihi-wñ du chomi. Aji k'amẹla ki bọ rule loo daka onu ka k'otihi ma gbẹ, ọchachakolo m'otihi-wñ du chomi, i rule l'omi lẹ daka onu mẹla, otihi-wñ gbẹ n. Taku i m'otihi-wñ du gwo ọgọlọ iye-i. Agbe ki d'ọgọlọ iye-i, i biẹ.

Taku iye-i m'ọgbaluka achichi lẹ du ñwu ki lọ. Abu k'ọchachakolo lẹ n'achichi lẹ alọ, iye-i m'ọbẹ du t'una. I m'igba-wñ le rinyọ. Taku i m'iku du tọ ọfa. Oñ i gwọnyu iku-wñ, i mudu wunyi. I mudu dago ugbo k'amọma-wñ akanya ma ro jọ.

Abu k'ọma-wñ ki anaya obukọ kw'oko wa odu, i ka ñwu kakini, "Uwẹ anẹ obukọ ny'oko gẹ no. Anya wẹ lẹ dẹẹ." Taku i m'ọchachakolo du koji obukọ ñwu ọma-wñ.

Adiko ku ma aka ñwu anaya obukọ ki dọgba lẹ lewa, ma kakini, "Ananya obukọ ki dọgba oo."

Taku ọma-i dohi kakini, "Anaya obukọ dọgba eñini gẹ noo."

Ọjọ muñwa gbadaga, amọmaye-wñ m'anya ma ko, ma le gbogbo w'ukpẹreji ulẹ oko lẹ. Taku ọma-i m'ọchachakolo-wñ du, i moji-wñ gwu. Ọchachakolo chanẹ erule. I lale gw'amọmaye-wñ du fiaa. I lew'efomi. I f'omi ọmaye-wñ ki akpomi e-i-wñ gugu ñwu kwoubi lẹ kpa ñwu.

Ma deke che abalẹ gboogbo, ọmaye-wñ e-i ogijo-i, i m'ọchachakolo-wñ-i tu kwugbo ku ma du ro lẹ. I mu da adago oji ameija ki arogu jọ lẹ. Taku ọchachakolo-i deke ta kputukputu, ura mu danyu ẹrẹ. Taku i le tefu ọjegwu.

Abu k'ọma-i le wugbo anya-wñ ki ma li n, i deke raku gboogbo. Taku i kakini, owñ adọla-wñ tef'ura ugbo k'anya-wñ tọ-i. Taku i f'ọla-wñ rọ tef'ura lẹ. Taku i mu tu dufu tefu ọjegwu.

Taku onu egu kakini, "Ewñ ẹ ẹtene?"

Taku i kakini, anya-wñ owñ atene-i.

Taku onu egu kakini, "Amanya d'oko ijẹ ta. Ẹgba duu k'amanya moji da, ẹ mejuma e-i wẹ, kẹ mudu alo."

Abu k'amanya doji kw'oko ijẹ, i mejuma anya-wñ. I m'anya-wñ du, i mu dabi wa ilẹ.

Ọjọñwa-wñ ma alo toko alu ku ma ale kwoubi lẹ, anya ọmaye-wñ e-i ogijo lẹ, i leku. I ñọ n'anya ki anẹ gẹ n. Taku i mu d'ẹnẹ ọbata kpai ẹnẹ achukata tefu amokekele-wñ ki bọ.

Ẹwñ ki chi ki ma nyọ k'onẹ ki biẹnefu ñwu ọmaye-wñ ni lẹ dẹẹ. Ẹwñ k'Ọjọ che ñw'onẹ chojoji ojoji. Alu ki yẹni e-i wẹ ki dẹ, owñ che-i wẹ.

O̩lO̩jo ño̩ kabale̩ ge̩.

“Unyi ekeji we̩ ki ny'eju ke̩ ne̩ n. O̩ya ekeji we̩ ki ny'eju ke̩ ne̩ n. I che̩ka ch'adu-wñ onobule̩, abe̩ ke-i o̩ne̩ke̩le̩, abe̩ k'okuno̩-wñ, abe̩ k'o̩ke̩ke̩te̩-wñ, abe̩ k'e̩wñ duu k'ekeji we̩ ne̩, i ki ny'eju ke̩ ne̩ n.” Akwodufu 20:17 

"E̩wñ ku me̩ ne̩ abajo̩i ki bu me̩ jo̩." Abo Hibru 13:5 

 

Fable: The Woman and the Wood Spirit in English

An Igala Fable

Once upon a time a woman went into the woods to gather wild nuts. Suddenly she raised her eyes, and there was the house of a wood spirit. She hid among the bushes and stared. Just then she heard a voice.

"Wall away!" The door of the house swung wide open, and out stepped the wood spirit.

"Wall to stay!" The door slammed shut!

Then to no one in particular, the spirit announced, "I'm going hunting now, but I'll be hunting near my house." With that, he took off for a distant hunting ground.

When he was far away, the woman approached the door of his house.

"Wall away!" she ordered. The door swung open.

“Wall to stay!” She exclaimed. The wall slammed shut!

The woman entered the wood spirit's house. She looked around and filled her nut basket with everything that she wanted, and then she went home.

Time after time, the woman returned to the wood spirit's house, hid until he went hunting, and then entered and took whatever she wanted. In this way, she became rich.

Finally her husband's second wife said, "I'd like to go with you wherever it is you are going."

So the woman led her to the wood spirit's house. She hid as usual until he went hunting. Then she and the second wife went inside and hauled away as many treasures as they could carry.

The next day, the second wife said, “Let's go again!”

“No,” said the woman. “We should rest today.”

“That's fine for you,” argued the second wife. “You're already fabulously wealthy! You're only saying we should rest because you have enough. I don't have enough yet. I don't want to rest.”

With that, the second wife picked up her basket and went alone to the wood spirit's house, but instead of hiding carefully as the woman did, she stood in the clearing to wait for the wood spirit to leave.

The wood spirit spotted her. When he came out of his house, he announced to no one in particular, “I'm going hunting now, and I'll be hunting far, far away.” Then he left as usual, but circled around and hid behind his house to see what the second wife would do.

The second wife went inside the house and began to fill her basket. The wood spirit crept into the house behind her and killed her and ate her.

That evening, when the husband realized his second wife was missing, he spoke harshly to the woman. “Wherever it was you took her yesterday, that's where she went today, and has not returned. Now you get out there and bring my wife back to me right away!”

The woman knew what to do. She took blacksmithing equipment. She called her dog. She took a large iron wheel. She went to the wood spirit’s house and stood in the clearing, waiting in plain view for him to go hunting.

The wood spirit spotted her. When he came out of his house, he announced to no one in particular, “I'm going hunting now, and I'll be hunting far, far away.” Then he left as usual, but circled around and hid on the ledge of his granary to see what the woman would do.

The woman went into the house. She set up the bellows. She put the iron wheel in the fire and began working the bellows.

“Whoosha, whoosha, whoosh,” went the bellows.

“Crackle, crackle, crack,” went the fire.

The iron wheel begin to smoke.

The wood spirit heard the rhythmic sound of the bellows. He couldn't help himself. He came down off his granary and started to dance to the beat. He danced all the way to an open window and thrust his head inside to see where the music was coming from.

The woman's dog saw him and started barking. “Ruff, ruff, wooo! It's gonna be rough for yooou!”

The wood spirit quickly withdrew his head from the narrow window, but couldn't help dancing to the beat of the bellows.

“Whoosha, whoosha, whoosh,” went the bellows.

“Crackle, crackle, crack,” went the fire. The iron wheel began to glow.

The wood spirit just had to see what was making the music. He thrust his head in through the window and then pushed further until his shoulders were inside the house.

Suddenly the woman turned from the bellows, snatched up the wheel with the tongs, and flung the red hot wheel around the wood spirit's neck! He jerked back to get outside, but the wheel jammed against the narrow window opening and trapped him. In an instant the wheel burned right through his neck, and he fell down dead.

The woman went home and brought her husband to the wood spirit's house. Between them they took everything. Both became a very rich and lived happily ever after.

If the second wife had not been in a hurry and gone alone to the wood spirit's house, the woman would have outwitted the wood spirit and cleverly taken the treasures little by little, and she would have eventually destroyed to the wood spirit the way she did. But because the second wife was in a hurry, she insulted the woman and handed herself over to be killed by the wood spirit.

Therefore, if anyone does good to you and takes you as a partner, you should never insult him or argue with him. Then things will turn out well for you. And if anyone coaches you, let him teach you until he is satisfied and says, “Good job!” Then things will turn out well for you.

This story illustrates the Igala proverb: If you pick mushrooms in a hurry, you will break them.

The Bible also teaches us: "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap..." 1 Timothy 6:9

Fable: The Nine Brothers in English

An Igala Fable

Once upon a time, there were nine brothers. Their father bought each of them a horse to ride to the farm every day, except the littlest brother. He had to ride a billy-goat.

Each morning when the rooster crowed, the older brothers chanted mockingly, "Billy goat jockey, get up and go! You need a head-start of an hour or so!"

The littlest brother got on his billy-goat and beat its sides with his heels. The goat ran his very best, bleating all the way: "Clatter, clatter, baa! Clatter, clatter, baa!" 

 

After they had been struggling along for a while, the older brothers finally got out of bed and mounted their horses. They quickly caught up with the littlest brother on his billy-goat and sped by in a flash.

When they arrived at the brook which lay between their home and their farm, they all filled their gourds with clean water to drink while they worked, and after their horses had trampled around and made the brook muddy, they galloped the rest of the way to the farm.

When the littlest brother arrived at the brook, the water was so muddy that he could not drink it, but the second youngest brother took pity on him and, unbeknownst to the others, left a gourd full of clean water there for him each day.

After work, the older brothers rode their horses fast all the way. It was always dark before the youngest got home because his billy goat was slow.

Deeply grieved, his mother went into the woods behind the house to weep. As she was wandering around weeping, she stumbled over an old lady who was sitting on the ground, covered in leaves and vines.

"Ho, ho!" laughed the old lady. "Can you get your son a horse by crying?!

"Please forgive me," exclaimed the frightened mother. "I didn't see you!"

"Here's what you must do," said the old lady. "Take a knife and wound your shins. Then sit outside and let flies gather on the wounds. Kill the flies and collect them in a dish. When you have quite a few, fry them nicely in palm oil and add salt. Then take this preparation down to the lake.

When the animals come down to drink, give each one a tiny taste. Tell them that you will give the bowlful to the winner of a contest - to any animal who can wet its tail in the water, run three times around the lake, and then soothe your shins with its wet tail."

The mother followed these instructions carefully. All the animals competed for the bowlful of tasty flies, but not one could run around the lake even once before its tail dried.

Then came the hartebeest. He dipped his tail in the water and ran around the lake nine times. Then he soothed the mother's wounded shins with his still-wet tail. The wounds closed up and healed immediately!

The mother gave the whole bowl of flies to the hartebeest to eat. While he was munching on them, she heated a knife in the fire and with it cut off the hartebeest's horns. Then she put a rope around his neck and led him home where he hitched him up among her sons' horses.

When her youngest son finally got home that evening, she told him, "No more billy goat riding for you! Here is your horse!"

The next morning, the rooster crowed before dawn as usual, and the older brothers chanted mockingly, "Billy-goat jockey, get up and go! You need a head start of an hour or so!"

This time the youngest brother responded, "The billy-goat jockey won't leave first today." And he stayed in bed. 

 

As soon as the sun rose, all his brothers got up, mounted their horses, and sped off towards the farm. 

 

When he figured they were halfway there, the littlest brother got on his hartebeest. The hartebeest started running. He whizzed past the older brothers and arrived at the brook in no time. The littlest brother filled his own gourd with water and hid another gourd for his brother who had done the same for him in the past.

The older brothers were astonished, but the eldest was jealous. Now they were the ones who had to start out early and return late. Weeks went by in the same way. 

 

Then one day, the eldest brother untied the hartebeest and led him to a place where driver ants were swarming. He made the hartebeest stand among the driver ants, which quickly swarmed up his legs and began to bite. The hartebeest kicked and bucked until the ground suddenly broke open beneath him, and he fell into the Place of the Dead.

When the youngest brother realized his steed was missing and heard what his eldest brother had done, he wept for a long time. Then he said, "I'm going to throw myself down that same hole!"So he did, and he surfaced in the Place of the Dead.

The King of the Dead asked, "What do you want?"

"I want my horse," replied the youngster.

"All the horses are in the pastures," said the King of the Dead. "When they return, point out which one is yours, and you may take him home."

And that is exactly what happened. When the horses returned from pasture, the youngest brother recognized his steed and took him back to the Land of the Living.

The next morning, all the brothers got up to go to the farm as usual, but they found the oldest brother's horse dead. Without a horse, the oldest brother became a poor man, publicly shamed among his younger brothers.

This is why it is not good to be jealous or to have evil intentions toward your brother. God gives to each individual as He chooses. Whatever He gives you, that is yours.

You will find the same lesson in the Bible.

“You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or his maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17

“Be content with what you have.” Hebrews 13:5.