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Uunona wezi Children of wax

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Rachel Nandjembo

Read by Rachel Nandjembo

Language Ndonga

Level Level 2

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Okwa li ku na aanegumbo ye holathane.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.


Mokukala kwawo ihaa kondjo. Ohaa kwatha aakuluntu yawo miilonga yomegumbo nomepya.

They never fought with each other. They helped their parents at home and in the fields.


Ashike kakwa li ya pitikwa okuhedha popepi nomulilo.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.


Iilonga yawo oya li ye na oku yi longa uusiku. Oshoka oya li ya mewa mezi.

They had to do all their work during the night. Because they were made of wax!


Ashike okamati kamwe oka li ka yuulukwa okuya pokaantenya pondje.

But one of the boys longed to go out in the sunlight.


Esiku limwe ehalo lye lyokuya pondje olya li enene noonkondo. Aamwayinamati oye mu kunkilile kee shi ninge…

One day the longing was too strong. His brothers warned him…


Akutu! Ekunkililo olye ya lya lata! Okwa hengumuka po kuupyu wetango.

But it was too late! He melted in the hot sun.


Aanona yezi oya li ya yemata mokumona mumwayina ta hengumuka po.

The wax children were so sad to see their brother melting away.


Ashike oya kongo ondunge. Oya me ezi ehengumuki molupe lwokadhila.

But they made a plan. They shaped the lump of melted wax into a bird.


Oya fala oshihongomwa shomumwayina kombanda yondundu onde.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.


Etango sho lya piti, oshihongomwa osha tuka po tashi imbi muuyelele woonte dhetango lyongula.

And as the sun rose, he flew away singing into the morning light.


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Rachel Nandjembo
Read by: Rachel Nandjembo
Language: Ndonga
Level: Level 2
Source: Children of wax from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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