Editing Swahili language (section)

===19th-century collections===
In 1870, [[Edward Steere]] published [https://archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee/page/n5/mode/2up Swahili Tales as Told by Natives of Zanzibar], a collection of 23 Swahili tales with facing-text English translation, along with a selection of proverbs and riddles.<ref>Steere, Edward (1870). ''[https://archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee/ Swahili Tales as Told by Natives of Zanzibar]''. London: Bell and Daldy.</ref> Some of the tales included are: "''Kisa cha Punda wa Dobi,''"<ref>[https://archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee/page/2/mode/2up?view=theater Steere 1870], pp. 2-10.</ref> "The Story of the Washerman's Donkey," also known as "[[The Heart of a Monkey]];" "''Mwalimu Goso,''"<ref>[https://archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee/page/286/mode/2up?view=theater Steere 1870], pp. 286-294.</ref> "Goso the Teacher," a [[cumulative tale]]; and
"''Sungura na Simba,''"<ref>[https://archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee/page/370/mode/2up?view=theater Steere 1870], pp. 370-378.</ref> "The Hare and the Lion," a story about the [[Hare#In mythology and folklore|trickster hare]].

Here are some of the proverbs that Steere recorded in Swahili:<ref>[https://archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee/page/192/mode/2up?view=theater Steere 1870], pp. 192-195.</ref>
*"''Mbio za sakafuni hwishia ukingoni''." "Running on a roof ends at the edge of it."
*"''Angurumapo simba, mteza nani''?" "Who will dance to a lion's roaring?"
*"''Mlevi wa mvinyo hulevuka, mlevi wa mali halevuki''." "He that is drunk with wine gets sober, he that is drunk with wealth does not."
*"''Kikulacho kinguoni mwako''." "What bites is in your own clothes."

Here are some of the riddles that Steere recorded in Swahili:<ref>[https://archive.org/details/swahilitalesasto00stee/page/418/mode/2up?view=theater Steere 1870], pp. 418-421.</ref>
*"''Nyumba yangu kubwa, haina mlango (yayi).''" "My house is large; it has no door (egg)."
*"''Kuku wangu akazalia miibani (nanasi).''" "My hen has laid among thorns (pineapple)."
*"''Popo mbili zavuka mto (macho).''" "Two nuts cross a river (eyes)."
Steere also includes the formulaic announcement of a riddle:
*"''Kitendawili! — Tega.''" "An enigma! — Set your trap."

An anonymous publication from 1881, [https://archive.org/details/swahilistoriesf00storgoog/ Swahili Stories from Arab Sources with an English Translation], includes 15 stories in Swahili with English translations, plus an additional 14 Swahili stories that are not translated. There is also a selection of proverbs and riddles with English translations.<ref>anonymous (1881). ''[https://archive.org/details/swahilistoriesf00storgoog/ Swahili Stories from Arab Sources ]''. Zanzibar.</ref>

Here are some of the proverbs:<ref>[https://archive.org/details/swahilistoriesf00storgoog/page/n40/mode/2up ''Swahili Stories'' 1881]. pp. 34-35.</ref>
*"''Tulingane sawasawa, kama sahani na kawa''." "We match together, like a dish and a cover."
*"''Samaki mmoja akioza, wameoza wote''." "If one fish is bad, they are all bad."
*"''Wa kuume haukati wa kushoto''." "The right hand does not cut the left."
*"''Paka akiondoka, panya hutawala''." "When the cat goes away, the rat is king."

Here are some of the riddles:<ref>[https://archive.org/details/swahilistoriesf00storgoog/page/n40/mode/2up ''Swahili Stories'' 1881]. pp. 35-36.</ref>
*"''Gumugumu huzaa teketeke, gumugumu teketeke huzaa (mahindi)''." "The hard is the parent of the soft, and the soft of the hard (maize)."
*"''Mtoto wangu killa mwaka hulala chini (boga)''." "My child each year lies on the ground (pumpkin)."
*"''Nyumba vangu kubwa haina taa (kaburi).''" "My great house has no lamp (grave)."
*"''Nimetupa mshale wangu, mchana kwenda mbali nikitupa usiku hauendi mbali (macho).''" "I cast my arrow in the day time, it went far off; it I cast it at night, it does not go far (eyes)."

For additional collections of Swahili prose from the 19th century, see the inventory in J. D. Rollins's ''A History of Swahili Prose from Earliest Times to the End of the Nineteenth Century.''<ref>Rollins, Jack D. (1983)
''A History of Swahili Prose from Earliest Times to the End of the Nineteenth Century''. Leiden: Brill. pp. 55-56.</ref>