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Bya ambile nyenga wakwa Vusi What Vusi's sister said

Written by Nina Orange

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo

Language Kaonde

Level Level 4

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


Juuba jimo lukelo, bankambo yanji Vusi bamwichile, “Vusi, nasansapo iya utwale jino jike kwiba nsemi yobe. Bakeba kulenga keke mukatampe wapa masongola anyenga yobe.”

Early one morning Vusi’s granny called him, “Vusi, please take this egg to your parents. They want to make a large cake for your sister’s wedding.”


Byoailenga kuba nsemi yanji, Vusi wasambakene banyike babiji baabalume saka batola bipangwa.Umo mwanyike waangachile jiike kufuma kwi Vusi ne kwiijasa ku kichi. Jiike jaalajiikile.

On his way to his parents, Vusi met two boys picking fruit. One boy grabbed the egg from Vusi and shot it at a tree. The egg broke.


“Wauba ka?” Vusi waajijiile.”Ajo jiike jajiinga ja keke.Keke wajiinga wapa masongola a nyenga yami. Nyenga yami ukamba ambaka inge kechi kukela keke wapa masongola?”

“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That egg was for a cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. What will my sister say if there is no wedding cake?”


Banyike baabalume baumwine kutama paku kosamika Vusi. “Kafwako byo twakonsha kuuba pakeke, pano senda kano kakichi kakwendelako ukape nyenga yobe,” umo waambile. Vusi waipitaizhe lwendo lwanji.

The boys were sorry for teasing Vusi. “We can’t help with the cake, but here is a walking stick for your sister,” said one. Vusi continued on his journey.


Byo ailenga , wataine bashetu babiji babena kushimika nzubo. “Twakonsha kwingijishako kyokyo kichi kyobe kyakosa?” umo waipwizhe. Pano bino kichi kechi kyakosele bingi mukwingijisha mukushimika, kabiji kya mokokele.

Along the way he met two men building a house. “Can we use that strong stick?” asked one. But the stick was not strong enough for building, and it broke.


“Mwauba ka?” Vusi wajijiile. “Akyo kichi kyajinga kya bupe kyakwa nyenga yami. Batola bipangwa bampele kino kichi maambo balajile jiike ja keke. Uno keke wajinga wapa masongola a nyenga yami. Pano kafwako jiike, kafwako keke ne kyabupe kwafwako. Nyenga yami ukaamba ambaka?”

“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That stick was a gift for my sister. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for the cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift. What will my sister say?”


Bashimikilenga nzubo baumvwine kutama pakuchimuna kichi. Umo waambile amba,”Kafwako byo twakonsha kuuba pa keke pano bino tambula aye nsono yakuvimbila ukape nyenga yobe.” Kabiji Vusi wapitaizhe na lweendo lwanji.

The builders were sorry for breaking the stick. “We can’t help with the cake, but here is some thatch for your sister,” said one. And so Vusi continued on his journey.


Mulwendo lwanji, Vusi wasambakene njimi ne ng’ombe wanji. Ng’ombe waambile amba, “Nsono kuwama,nakonsha kujaponyi?” Nsono yawamine biingi kabiji ne ng’ombe wajile yonse.

Along the way, Vusi met a farmer and a cow. “What delicious thatch, can I have a nibble?” asked the cow. But the thatch was so tasty that the cow ate it all!


“Wauba ka?” Vusi wajijiile. “Ayo nsono yajinga kyabupe kya nyenga yami. Bamashika ba nzubo bo bampele ino nsono maambo bamokwele kichi kyafumine kubatola bipangwa. Batola bipangwa bampele kino kichi mambo balajile jiike ja keke wa nyenga yami. Keke wajinga wapa masongola a nyenga yami. Pano kafwako jiike, kafwako keke ne kyabupe kwafwako. Nyenga yami ukaamba ambaka?”

“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That thatch was a gift for my sister. The builders gave me the thatch because they broke the stick from the fruit pickers. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for my sister’s cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift. What will my sister say?”


Ng’ombe waumvwine kutama maambo witemenwe. Njimi waswile amba ng’ombe aye na Vusi ekale ke kyabupe kya nyenga yanji. Kabiji Vusi wapitaizhe na lweendo lwanji.

The cow was sorry she was greedy. The farmer agreed that the cow could go with Vusi as a gift for his sister. And so Vusi carried on.


Pano wanyemene ne kubwela kwinjimi pakimye kya kuja kajo ka mulajilo. Kabiji ne Vusi waelekele mu lweendo lwanji. Wakelelwe kufika ku masongola a nyenga yanji. Baichilwe kutanwako ku masongola bajilenga ne kuja.

But the cow ran back to the farmer at supper time. And Vusi got lost on his journey. He arrived very late for his sister’s wedding. The guests were already eating.


“Nsakuba byeepi?” Vusi wajijile. “Ng’ombe wakunyema wajinga kyabupe mukubwezhapo nsono yampele bashimika mazubo. Bamashika ba nzubo bo bampele ino nsono maambo bamokwele kichi kyafumine kubatola bipangwa. Batola bipangwa bampele kino kichi mambo balajile jiike ja keke wa nyenga yami. Keke wajinga wapa masongola a nyenga yami. Pano kafwako jiike, kafwako keke ne kyabupe kwafwako. Nyenga yami ukaamba ambaka?”

“What shall I do?” cried Vusi. “The cow that ran away was a gift, in return for the thatch the builders gave me. The builders gave me the thatch because they broke the stick from the fruit pickers. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for the cake. The cake was for the wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift.”


Nyenga wakwa Vusi walangulukile kabiji wa ambile amba, “Vusi nkasami, kena akamwa pabya bupe ne. Kena akamwa nangwa pa keke ine! Tuji kuno pamo, nasangalala. Pano vwala bivwalo byobe bya kipale, twayayi tusangalale pajino juuba! ” Byobyo aubile Vusi.

Vusi’s sister thought for a while, then she said, “Vusi my brother, I don’t really care about gifts. I don’t even care about the cake! We are all here together, I am happy. Now put on your smart clothes and let’s celebrate this day!” And so that’s what Vusi did.


Written by: Nina Orange
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
Language: Kaonde
Level: Level 4
Source: What Vusi's sister said from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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