The carpenter is singing as he does the roof:

The carpenter is singing as he does the roof:

Ẹ̀yin tẹ́ ń lóyún lé rodo-ríndín, hẹn-ẹn

Bọ́mọ bá yàgbẹ́ o

Baba rẹ̀ ní ó ko.

Translation:

You who conceive while your infants are mere suckling babies

When your infants mess their pants

Their daddies will change their diapers.

I laughed.

The second carpenter rejoined:

Kápintà ló loyún oò

Bíríkilà ló kómọ

Kápintà ló loyún!

Translation:

The carpenter was responsible

But the pregnancy was inherited by the bricklayer

The carpenter was responsible

I chuckled.

The third carpenter went:

Kàkà kí n fẹ́ Wòsílà ma fowó rajá…!

Translation:

Rather than marry Wosila, I’d rather buy a dog…!

The lady who hired them to roof her house responded:

“Ẹ káàbọ̀ o. O pẹ́ yín díẹ̀ kí ẹ tó ó délé.”

“Welcome guys. It took you all a while to get here.”

Then she turned to me, and said, “Good afternoon uncle. Don’t listen to these dirty old men.”

Then the first carpenter went:

“Kò lè mọ́ sukuru ẹnu ò

Tẹ bá rẹ́ni tébi ń pa, tí kò rẹ́bà jẹ

Ko le mo sukuru enu

Translation:

“She can’t but pull a long face

When you meet a hungry being with no access to eba (cassava balls) to eat

She can’t but pull a long face.”

It’s so exciting to listen to these side attractions as I sit down to write at the Akodi Orisa site.