Back to stories list

Ovyo ahanjikile ndumbu ya Vusi What Vusi's sister said

Written by Nina Orange

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Masho Kaloza

Language Luvale

Level Level 4

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


Likumbi limwe chimenemene khaka ya Vusi amusanyikile, “Vusi, twala liulu eli kuli visemi jove. Navatonda kwochela ndumbwove kheki yayinene hawenga wenyi.”

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.”


Mujila yenyi hakuya kuli visemi jenyi, Vusi aliwanyine navana vamalunga vavali vapwile nakuhela mihako. Kanyike umwe anyangwile liulu kuli Vusi nakulyasa hamutondo. Lize liulu lyapazukile.

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.


Vusi alilile, “Unalingi ika? Lize liulu lyapwile lyakwochesa kheki. Kheki yahachilika chandumwami. Ndumbwami mwevwa ngachilihi nge kakwechi kupwa kheki yachilika chenyiko?”

“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?”


Chize kulinyenga cha Vusi chavakwachile kumichima. Umwe wavo ahanjikile ngwenyi, “Nomu jino natuhashila kukafwa hali eyi kheki mwauhi, oloze waha mukombo ukahane ndumbwove.” Vusi atwalilileho najila yenyi.

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.


Mujila yenyi aliwanyine namalunga vavali vapwile nakutunga zuvo. Umwe ahulishile ngwenyi, “Ngachilihi, tuzachiseko ou mutondo wove wakukola?” Oloze uze mutondo kawapwile wakukola kutesa nakutungisako, shikaho wahokokele.

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.


Vusi alilile ngwenyi, “Munalingi ika?” “Uze mutondo wana wakuhana ndumbwami. Vakakuhela mihako vanguhanangawo mwomwo vachikanga liulu lyakwochesa kheki. Kheki yapwanga yachilika chawenga wandumbwami. Jino liulu lyauchi, kheki yauchi, kaha wana nawa wauchi. Ndumwami mwalinga muka?”

“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?”


Vaze vakakutunga chavavetele kumichima hakuhokola uze mutondo. Umwe wavo ahanjikile ngwenyi, “Katwechi kuhasa kukafwa hali ize khekiko, oloze mukuta wamwila ou utwalile ndumbwove.” Shikaho Vusi atwalilileho najila yenyi.

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.


Mujila yenyi, Vusi aliwanyine nanjimi nangombe. Ngombe ahulishile ngwenyi, “Mukuta wamwila wove wamwaza, achinguhane ngutafunyeko?” Oloze mwila wenyi wapwile uyema ngocho ngombe alile wosena!

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!


Vusi alilile ngwenyi, “Unalingi ika? Uze mwila wana wayayami. Vakakutunga vanguhanangawo mwomwo vahokolanga mutondo wakufuma kuli vakakuhela mihako. Vakakuhela mihako vajihanga liulu shikaho vanguhananga mutondo nguhane yayami. Vakakuhela mihako vanguhananga uze mutondo mwomwo vapwashanga liulu lyakwochesa kheki yachilika chawenga wayayami. Jino liulu lyauchi, kheki yauchi, kaha wana wauchi. Yayami mwamba ngwenyi ika?”

“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?”


Ngombe chamukwachile kumuchima hakuwana nge apwile wakuzuzuka. Njimi etavile ngombe ayenga na Vusi akapwe wana wayayenyi. Kaha Vusi atwalilileho.

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.


Oloze ngombe ahilukile kuli njimi halwola lwakulya kuchingoloshi. Shikaho Vusi ajimbalile muungeji wenyi. Akotokelele kuheta kuwenga wayayenyi. Vangeji hivali lyehi nakulya.

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.


Vusi alilile nakwamba ngwenyi, “Nangulinga ika? Ngombe nachinyi apwile wana wakushishisa mumukuta wamwila vanguhananga vakakutunga. Vakakutunga vanguhananga mwila mwomwo vahokolanga uze mutondo vanguhananga vakakuhela mihako. Vakakuhela mihako vanguhananga mutondo mwomwo vachikanga liulu lyakheki. Kheki yapwile yachifupa-wenga. Chindanda chapwile cha chilika chakusomboka. Jino liulu lyauchi, kheki yauchi, kaha nawana wauchi.”

“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.”


Yaya ya Vusi ashinganyekele chindende, kaha ahanjikile, “Vusi songo yami, kangwazakamine mawanako, kangwazakamine tuhu numba khekiko! Tuli hamwe kuno tuvosena, ngunawahilila. Shikaho vwala vyuma vyove vyamwaza mangana tuwahilile nakulivwisa halikumbi lino!” Kaha omu mukhiko alingile 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: Masho Kaloza
Language: Luvale
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.
Options
Back to stories list Download PDF