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Tom mukakulanjisa makonde Tom the banana seller

Written by Humphreys Odunga

Illustrated by Zablon Alex Nguku

Translated by Masho Kaloza

Language Luvale

Level Level 2

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Tom nambate lupasa lwamakonde akuhya.

Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.


Tom nayi kwakulanjishila nakulanjisa makonde.

Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.


Vatu kwakulanjishila vana kulanda mihako.

People at the market are buying fruit.


Oloze vawuchi vanakulanda makonde a tom. vanasakula kulanda mihako kuli mapwevo.

But no one is buying Tom’s bananas. They prefer to buy fruit from women.


“Mungalila mwetu, mapwevo kaha vechi kulanjisanga mihako,” vatu vechi kuhanjika. “lunga muka owu?” vatu vechi kuhulisa.

“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.


Wunonyi Tom kechako. echi kusanyika “landenu makonde ami! landenu makonde ami ayema akwiha kanawa!”

But Tom does not give up. He calls, “Buy my bananas! Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”


Pwevo wumwe nambateho mulumba wumwe wamakonde halupasa. natalishisa hamakonde chakuzangama.

One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray. She looks at the bananas carefully.


Pwevo nalande makonde.

The woman buys the bananas.


Vatu vavavulu vechi kwiza nakushikama. vechi kulanda makonde a tom nakuvalya.

More people come to the stall. They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.


Kalinomu, lupasa lwasale hululu. Tom nalave mbongo nawanemo.

Soon, the tray is empty. Tom counts the money he earned.


Shikaho tom nalandemo sopo, shunga na mbolo. nahake vyuma mu lwalo

Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread. He puts the things in his tray.


Tom nolola lwalo hamutwe nakuya kwimbo.

Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.


Written by: Humphreys Odunga
Illustrated by: Zablon Alex Nguku
Translated by: Masho Kaloza
Language: Luvale
Level: Level 2
Source: Tom the banana seller from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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