Adé jẹ́ ọkùnrin kan. Ó ń gbé ní abúlé kékeré kan tí orúkọ rẹ̀ ń jẹ́ Ìdòwú. Ní abúlé Ìdòwú, àwọn ilé kò pọ̀. Adé fẹ́ràn abúlé rẹ̀. Gbogbo ènìyàn mọ ara wọn níbẹ̀. Ní ọjọ́ kan, Adé jí ní àárọ̀. Oòrùn ń ràn. Ó pinnu láti lọ sí ọjà. Ọjà abúlé náà máa ń kún ní gbogbo ọjọ́ karùn-ún. Adé wọ aṣọ rẹ̀. Ó sì mú àpò rẹ̀. Ó fẹ́ ra oúnjẹ àti àgbébọ̀ kan.

Nígbà tí Adé dé ọjà, ariwo pọ̀. Àwọn ènìyàn ń ra nǹkan. Wọ́n sì ń ta nǹkan. Adé rìn láàárín ọjà. Ó ra iṣu àti ata. Lẹ́yìn náà, ó lọ sí ibi tí wọ́n ti ń ta ẹran. Ó rí ọkùnrin kan tó ní ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ adìyẹ. Adìyẹ pupa wà níbẹ̀. Adìyẹ dúdú sì wà níbẹ̀. Ní ìṣẹ́jú kan, ojú Adé kan àgbébọ̀ funfun kan. Àwọ̀ rẹ̀ funfun bíi òwú. Ó yàtọ̀ sí àwọn yòókù. Ó dúró jẹ́ẹ́, ó sì ń wo àwọn ènìyàn.

Àgbébọ̀ náà wù ú púpọ̀. Ó béèrè iye tí wọ́n ń tà á. Onítajà sọ iye owó. Adé san owó náà. Ó gbé àgbébọ̀ náà. Ó wuwo díẹ̀. Ó mú un lọ sí ilé. Nígbà tí ó dé ilé, ó fi àgbébọ̀ sínú ọgbà kékeré kan. Ó fún un ní oúnjẹ. Ó bu omi sínú àwo kékeré kan fún un. Àgbébọ̀ náà jẹun. Ó sì mu omi. Lẹ́yìn tí ó yó, ó wo Adé. Ojú rẹ̀ rí bíi pé ó ń sọ pé "mo dúpẹ́".

Ẹrin kan wà lójú Adé. Ó jókòó lẹ́gbẹ̀ẹ́ ọgbà náà. Ó sọ fún àgbébọ̀ pé "O lẹ́wà púpọ̀, àgbébọ̀ mi funfun." Ó na ọwọ́ rẹ̀. Ó fọwọ́ kan ìyẹ́ rẹ̀. Ìyẹ́ náà rọ̀. Ara àgbébọ̀ náà gbóná díẹ̀. Adé kò rí irú rẹ̀ rí. Ó jókòó níbẹ̀ fún ìgbà pípẹ́. Ó kàn ń wo ẹyẹ tuntun rẹ̀. Nígbà tí ilẹ̀ ṣú, Adé wọ inú ilé.

Ní òru, Adé sùn. Ó bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí í lá àlá. Nínú àlá náà, ó wà nínú ọgbà rẹ̀. Àgbébọ̀ funfun náà wá sí ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ̀. Lójijì, àgbébọ̀ náà sọ̀rọ̀ bí ènìyàn. Ó sọ pé "Adé, mo dúpẹ́ pé o rà mí." Ẹnu yà Adé nínú àlá rẹ̀. Kò lè dáhùn. Nígbà tí ó jí ní àárọ̀, ó rántí àlá náà. Ó rò pé "Àlá lásán ni." Ó dìde. Ó lọ sí ọ̀dọ̀ àgbébọ̀. Ó rí i pé ó wà dáradára. Ó béèrè pé "Báwo ni?" bí ẹni ń bá ọ̀rẹ́ sọ̀rọ̀. Ní ìṣẹ́jú kan, àgbébọ̀ náà bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí í dán. Ó yí padà. Ó di obìnrin arẹwà kan. Àgbébọ̀ náà ní èpè lọ́wọ́ ẹ̀mí kan, ṣùgbọ́n ìfẹ́ Adé yọ ọ́. Obìnrin náà wọ aṣọ funfun. Ó rẹ́rìn ayọ̀ sí Adé. Ó sọ pé "Orúkọ mi ni Ayọ̀. Ìwọ ti gbà mí sílẹ̀." Adé kò lè sọ̀rọ̀. Gbogbo ara rẹ̀ ń gbọ̀n. Ó kàn wò ó.

Àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ (Vocabulary)

• Abúlé: Village

• Ọjà: Market

• Àgbébọ̀: Hen

• Funfun: White

• Pinnu: To decide

• Ariwo: Noise

• Iṣu: Yam

• Wù ú: He/she liked it

• San owó: To pay money

• Ọgbà: Garden

• Oúnjẹ: Food

• Ìyẹ́: Feather

• Rọ̀: To be soft

• Gbóná: Warm

• Àlá: Dream

• Arẹwà: Beautiful

• Èpè: Curse

• Ẹ̀mí: Spirit

Àwọn ìbéèrè òye kíkà (Comprehension Questions)

1- Kí ni Adé rà ní ọjà?

2- Kí ni àgbébọ̀ náà ṣe nínú àlá Adé?

3- Kí ló dé tí àgbébọ̀ fi yí padà di obìnrin?

English Translation

Ade and the White Hen

Ade was a man. He lived in a small village named Idowu. In Idowu village, there were not many houses. Ade loved his village. Everyone knew each other there. One day, Ade woke up in the morning. The sun was shining. He decided to go to the market. The village market was always full every fifth day. Ade wore his clothes. He took his bag. He wanted to buy food and a hen.

When Ade got to the market, it was very noisy. People were buying things. They were also selling things. Ade walked through the market. He bought yam and pepper. After that, he went to the area where they sell meat. He saw a man who had many chickens. There were red chickens. There were also black chickens. In a moment, Ade’s eyes saw a white hen. Its color was white as cotton. It was different from the others. It stood still and watched the people.

Ade liked the hen very much. He asked for its price. The seller told him the price. Ade paid the money. He carried the hen. It was a bit heavy. He took it home. When he got home, he put the hen in a small garden. He gave it food. He poured water into a small bowl for it. The hen ate. It also drank water. After it was full, it looked at Ade. Its eyes were like they were saying "thank you".

A smile was on Ade's face. He sat near the garden. He said to the hen "You are very beautiful, my white hen." He stretched his hand. He touched its feather. The feather was soft. The hen's body was warm. Ade had never seen anything like it. He sat there for a long time. He just watched his new bird. When it got dark, Ade went inside the house.

At night, Ade slept. He started to dream. In his dream, he was in his garden. The white hen came to him. Suddenly, the hen spoke like a person. It said "Ade, thank you for buying me." Ade was surprised in his dream. He could not answer. When he woke up in the morning, he remembered the dream. He thought "It was just a dream." He got up. He went to the hen. He saw that it was fine. He asked "How are you?" as if talking to a friend. In a moment, the hen began to shine. It changed. It became a beautiful woman. The hen was under a curse from a spirit, but Ade’s love freed it. The woman wore a white dress. She smiled happily at Ade. She said "My name is Ayọ̀. You have set me free." Ade could not speak. His whole body was shaking. He just looked at her.