Ko e Fili ʻa Niá
Naʻe vaʻinga ʻa Nia ʻi he tafaʻaki ki muʻa honau ʻapí mo hono ui ia ʻe hono mehikitangá ke ʻalu ange ki fale. Ne kole ange hono mehikitangá, “ ʻE Nia, ʻalu muʻa ki he fale ʻoku fakatau ai e fuaʻiʻakaú ʻo fakatau mai ha kāloti ke ngaohi ʻaki e meʻakai efiafí?”
Naʻe “ ʻIo” fiefia ange ʻa Nia. Naʻá ne manako he ʻalu ki falekoloá, mo e tokoni ki hono mehikitangá.
Naʻe toʻo ʻe Nia e paʻanga naʻe ʻoange ʻe hono mehikitangá peá ne lue hifo he halá ki he falekoloa ofi aí.
Naʻá ne pehēange ki he faifakataú, “ ʻOku ou fie fakatau ha kāloti ki he kai efiafí.”
Naʻe faʻo ʻe he faifakataú e kālotí ʻi he loto kato ʻa Niá mo talaange hono totongí. Naʻe ʻoange ʻe Nia e paʻangá ki ai.
“Ko hoʻo veté ʻē,” ko e faifakataú ange ia peá ne fakafoki ange ki ai ha paʻanga.
Naʻe fakamālō ange ʻa Nia pea kamata ke lue ki ʻapi. ʻI heʻene lué naʻá ne sio ki he paʻanga naʻe ʻoange ʻe he faifakataú. Naʻá ne fakakaukau ʻo pehē, “Naʻe fuʻu lahi e vete naʻá ne ʻomaí. Te u maʻu leva ʻe au e paʻanga ko ʻení!”
Ka naʻe kiʻi tuʻu ʻa Nia. Naʻá ne fakakaukau pē, “He ʻikai fiefia ʻa e Tamai Hēvaní kapau te u tauhi e paʻanga ko ʻení. Kuo pau ke u faitotonu ʻi heʻeku ngaahi leá mo e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku ou faí.”
Naʻe tafoki ʻa Nia ʻo foki ki he falekoloá. Naʻá ne ʻoange e paʻangá ki he faifakataú peá ne talaange, “Naʻe fuʻu lahi e paʻanga naʻá ke fakafoki maí.”
Naʻe toʻo ʻe he faifakataú e paʻangá. Naʻá ne pehē ange, “Ko ha taʻahine lelei koe fakamālō atu hoʻo faitotonú. Kātaki ʻo ʻalu mo e ʻāpele ko ʻení ke mou kai mo ho fāmilí.” Hili ko iá naʻá ne faʻo ha ngaahi foʻi ʻāpele ʻi ha tangai pepa pea ʻoange kia Nia.
Naʻe ongoʻi māfana mo fiefia ʻa Nia ʻi hono lotó heʻene lue atu ki ʻapí. Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi naʻe fiefia ʻa e Tamai Hēvaní heʻene fili ke faitotonú.
Ngaahi tā fakatātā ʻa Louise Parker