Ko e Ngaahi Fepale ʻa ʻIsope

Aesop’s fables in Tongan — the 1870s translation by James Egan Moulton and Tevita Tonga Mohenoa.

KO E SIKOTAÁ MO E FANGA LUPÉ

Edited into modern Tongan — 1KNima

Naʻe ʻi ai ha fanga lupe naʻe nofo lilika ko ʻenau manavahē ki ha sikotā: ka naʻa nau lamalama pē mo nofo ofi ki honau punungá ʻo fuoloa ai ʻenau haó.

Pea naʻe faifai ʻo mahino ki he sikotaá ʻe ʻikai ola lelei ʻene feingá, ʻo ne fakakaukau ke ne olo mo fakahekeheke kiate kinautolu. Pea ko e ʻaho ʻe taha naʻá ne ʻalu atu ki he pununga ʻo e fanga lupé ʻo nau alea; ʻo ne pehē. "ʻOku mou manako ʻapē ke nofo tailiili mo hohaʻa ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku mou faíni! he ka ne mou fiemaʻu au ko homou tuʻi te u maluʻi kimoutolu mei he faingataʻa kotoa pē.

Naʻe tui ʻa e fanga lupé ki he ʻene laú. Ka ʻi he ʻene hoko ko e pulé naʻá ne hanga ʻo kai ʻa e lupé ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē: ʻo ne lau tokua ko e ʻinasi ia ʻo e tuʻí. Pea pehē ʻe he lupe ʻe taha ki ha niʻihi naʻe hanu aí, "ʻIsa! ko e lāungá ko e hā: ko hotau foʻui pē.

Ko kinautolu ʻoku nau loto ke foaki ʻa e mafai pulé ki ha tokotaha ʻoku anga mālohí, pe ko ha filí, ke ʻoua te nau ofo ʻoka faifai pea nau kina ai.