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ǁxahrah Punishment

Written by Adelheid Marie Bwire

Illustrated by Melany Pietersen

Translated by Sylvia Fernandu

Language Juǀʼhoan

Level Level 2

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Autoplay story


ǀAm nǀui, aia kxae nǃo’oma da’a sa ǂhai.

One day, mama got a lot of fruit.


“ǁAea nere eǃa ǀ’an eǃa ǀ’aesih ko nǃo’omada’a?” eǃa tsitsa’a. “M ka ǁkae ǀxoa nǃo’omada’a ko gǀua ke,” aia koe nǁae.

“When can we have some fruit?” we ask. “We will have the fruit tonight,” says mama.


Mi ǃo Rahim kxun. Ha tsahn nǃo’omada’a waqnhe. Ha hin ‘m ha sa ǂhai.

My brother Rahim is greedy. He tastes all the fruit. He eats a lot of it.


“Se tca Rahim du!” Mi tshima ko tjin ǃai kxui. “Rahim koara ǂ’ang te kxun,” Mi koe nǁae.

“Look at what Rahim did!” shouts my little brother. “Rahim is naughty and selfish,” I say.


Aia taun ǀxoa Rahim.

Mother is angry with Rahim.


Eǃa taun ǀxoa Rahim. Xabe Rihim ǀoa gǂara ǁae ǀ’an.

We are also angry with Rahim. But Rahim is not sorry.


“I re ǀoa ǁxahra Rahim?” tistsa’a mi tshinmaǃo.

“Aren’t you going to punish Rahim?” asks little brother.


“Rahim, kaq’inke a gǂara ǁae ǀ’an,” taqe ko nǂaiǃ’han.

“Rahim, soon you will be sorry,” warns mama.


Rahim coa to tsa’a t’am ǀkuia ha ǀ’ae.

Rahim starts to feel sick.


“Mi gǃu khui,” Rahim gogoma.

“My tummy is so sore,” whispers Rahim.


Aia ǃ’han tca gǀae nǃan. Nǃo’omada’a ka ǁxahra ha!

Mama knew this would happen. The fruit is punishing Rahim!


Dinnǃang ǁ’aka, Rahim gǂara ǁae ǀ’an. “Mi ka ǀoa ceka ko kxun kxui,” ha gahna ha ǀ’ae. Te e waqnsi ǂum ha.

Later, Rahim says sorry to us. “I will never be so greedy again,” he promises. And we all believe him.


Written by: Adelheid Marie Bwire
Illustrated by: Melany Pietersen
Translated by: Sylvia Fernandu
Language: Juǀʼhoan
Level: Level 2
Source: Punishment from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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