Kakusasani-sasani, zazi leliñwi bo kukwaahae Vusi bamubiza, “Vusi, isa lii le kwa bashemi bahao. Babata ku panga keke yafa mukiti wa linyalo la kezelaahao.”
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.”
Mwanzila yakuliba kwa bashemi bahae, Vusi akatana bashimani bababeli banopa-nopa litolwana. Mushimani yomuñwi aamuha Vusi lii leo ni kulinepela fa kota. Lii la pwaceha.
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.
“Kiñi semuezize?” Vusi alila. “Lii lale neeli la keke. Keke neeli ya mukiti wa linyalo la kezelaka. Kezelaka uka bulela ñi haiba hakuna kuba ni keke yamukiti wa linyalo?”
“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?”
Bashimani baswaba hahulu kabakala kusheununa Vusi. “Halukoni kukutusa ni keke, kono kiwo mulamu wa kezelahao,” alimuñwi kubona abulela. Vusi azwela pili mwa musipili wahae.
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.
Mwanzila, akatana baana bababeli bene bayaha ndu. “Lwakona kuitusisa kota yahao yeo yetiile?” alimuñwi kubona abuza. Kono kota yeo neisika tiya kuli iitusiswe kwa kuyahisa ndu mi yalobeha.
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.
“Kiñi semuezize?” Vusi alila. “Mulamu wale neeli mpo ya kezelaka. Banopi ba litolwana nebanifile ona kabakala kuli nebapwacize lii la keke. Keke neeli ya mukiti wa linyalo la kezelaka. Cwale hakuna lii, hakuna keke, hakuna mulamu hape hakuna ni mpo. Kezelaka ukabulela ñi?”
“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?”
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.
Mwa nzila yahae, Vusi akatana mulimi ni komu. “Ki bucwani kwa bunde, nakona kuluma kwateñi?” Komu yabuza. Kono bucwani neeli bo bumunati hahulu mane komu yabucelela kaufela.
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!
“Kiñi semuezize?” Vusi alila. “Bucwani bwale neeli mpo ya kezelaka. Bayahi nebanifile bona kakuli nebalobile mulamu woneuzwa kwa banopi ba litolwana. Banopi ba litolwana nebanifile wona kabakala kuli nebapwacize lii la keke ya kezelaka. Keke neeli ya mukiti wa linyalo la kezelaka. Cwale hakuna lii, hakuna keke, hape hakuna mpo. Kezelaka ukabulela ñi?”
“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?”
Komu yaswaba hahulu kabakala bulyangelino. Mulimi alumela kuli Komu iye ni Vusi iyoba mpo ya kezelahae. Kikaho Vusi azwela pili.
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.
Kono Komu yamata kukutela ku Mulimi ka nako ya mulalelo. Mi Vusi alateha mwa musipili wahae. Nafitile kakuliyeha hahulu kwa mukiti walinyalo la kezelahae. Baenyi nese bakalile kuca.
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.
“Nikaeza cwani?” Vusi alila. “Komu yematile neeli yona yenelukela kuba mpo, mwa tifo ya bucwani bone banifile bayahi. Bayahi nebanifile bucwani kakuli neba lobile mulamu woneuzwa kwa banopi ba litolwana. Banopi ba litolwana neba nifile mulamu kabakala kuli neba pwacize lii la keke. Keke neeli ya mukiti wa linyalo. Cwale hakuna lii, hakuna keke mi hakuna mpo.”
“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.”
Kezela Vusi anahana hanyinyani, kona abulela ali, “Vusi kezelaka hanina taba luli ni liimpo. Hanina taba ni keke! Lukopani kaufela luna fa, mi nitabile. Cwale yotina libyana zahao zebonahala hande mi lunyakalale mwa lizazi le!” Mi Vusi haeza sina cwalo.
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.
Nina Orange
Wiehan de Jager
Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
SiLozi (Zambia)
Level 4
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