Ako ʻa ʻApa ke Faitotonu
“ʻOku totonu ke kamata ʻa e faitotonú ʻiate au, ʻi heʻeku leá mo e meʻa kotoa ʻoku ou faí” (Children’s Songbook, 149).
Naʻe tangutu ʻa ʻApa ʻo sio ki he felueʻaki e kakaí he hala ʻi honau toumuʻá. Naʻe fuʻu fiekaia ʻa ʻApa. Naʻe ofi mai ha fefine ko Meleane naʻe fakatau atu haʻane pisikete melie, pea naʻá ne felueʻaki holo pē he halá. Naʻe ʻasi ifo mai e pisiketé ʻi honau kofukofu ngingilá. Naʻe faʻo ia ʻe Meleane ʻi ha kulo ʻoku hili ʻi hono ʻulú. Naʻe fuʻu fie maʻu moʻoni ʻe ʻApa ha kofu pisikete. Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ʻe fuʻu ifo ʻaupito.
Naʻe tuʻu ʻa Meleane ʻo tuku hifo e pisiketé ʻi muʻa ʻia ʻApa.
Naʻá ne fakakaukau, “ʻOkú ne ʻiloʻi pē ʻoku ou fiekaia pea ʻokú ne tuku e pisiketé maʻaku!” Naʻá ne toʻo fakavave hake leva ha kofu pisikete.
Naʻe fakatokangaʻi mai ia ʻe heʻene tamaí. Naʻá ne ʻeke mai, “ʻApa, ko e hā ʻena?”
Naʻe tali atu ʻe ʻApa, “Tangataʻeiki, ʻoku ou fuʻu fiekaia! ʻOku ou fie maʻu ha pisikete.”
Naʻe puke fakalelei atu ʻe he tangataʻeikí ʻa ʻApa. Naʻá ne pehē ange, “ʻApa, ʻoku ou loto ke ke maʻu ha pisikete. Ka he ʻikai lava ke ke ʻave ha meʻa mei he kakai kehé taʻe kole pe totongi ia. Naʻá ke ʻosi kole kia Meleane ke ʻoatu haʻo pisikete?”
Naʻe tali atu ʻe ʻApa mo sio pē ki he kelekelé, “ʻIkai.”
“Ta fakafoki kia Meleane ʻa e fuʻu kofu pisikete lahi ko ʻení, ka u fakatau maʻau ha kiʻi kofu siʻisiʻi. ʻOku ou loto ke ke ako ke faitotonu. ʻOkú ke ʻilo hono ʻuhingá?”
Naʻe pehē atu ʻe ʻApa, “Fakamatalaʻi mai Tangataʻeiki.”
Naʻe pehē ange ʻe he Tangataʻeikí, “ʻOku ʻuhinga ia ki hono fai e meʻa ʻoku totonú. ʻOku ʻuhinga ia ke totongi ia kae ʻikai ke kaihaʻa. ʻOku ʻuhinga ia ke tala e moʻoní kae ʻikai ke loi. ʻOku ʻuhinga ia ke ke fai e meʻa ʻokú ke tala te ke faí. Ko ia ai te ta totongi kia Meleane ha kofu pisikete. ʻOku fie maʻu ʻe Meleane ʻa e paʻangá ke fakatau ʻaki ha meʻakai ʻene fānaú. ʻApa, ʻoku ou ʻofa ʻiate koe pea pehē foki mo e Tamai Hēvaní. Pea ʻokú Ne fiefia ʻi he taimi ʻokú ke fai ai e meʻa ʻoku totonú.”
Naʻe pehē ange ʻe ʻApa, “ʻOku ou ʻofa ʻiate koe Papa. ʻOku ou loto ke faitotonu maʻu pē.”
Tā fakatātaaʻi ʻe Don Seegmiller