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Kgale, kgale basetsana ba bararo
ba ile ba sepela go ya go rwalela
dikgong.
A long time ago, three girls went
out to collect wood.
Letšatši le be le fiša tšhiri tšhiri,
gomme ba ya nokeng go ya go
rutha.
Ba ile ba raloka ga monate , ba
gašana ka meetse mola ba rutha ka
meetseng.
It was a hot day so they went down
to the river to swim.
They played and splashed and
swam in the water.
Ge ba re phaphara!, ba lemoga gore
ešetše e le bošego.
Ba sepela ba boela motsaneng.
Suddenly, they realised that it was
late.
They hurried back to the village.
Ge ba le kgaufši le gae , Nozibele a
swara molala wa gagwe.
A lemoga go re o lebetše pheta ya
gagwe.
“A re boeleng morago , ke a le
kgopela hle.”
Nozibele o ithapeletša go bagwera
ba gagwe.
Eupša bagwera ba gana ba re e
šetše e le bošego.
When they were nearly home,
Nozibele put her hand to her neck.
She had forgotten her necklace!
“Please come back with me!” she
begged her friends.
But her friends said it was too late.
Nozibele a boela morago nokeng a
nnoši. O ile a hwetša pheta ya
gagwe a boela gae ka pela.
Ka ge e be e šetše e le bošego, go
be go le lefsifsi, o ile a timelelwa ke
tsela ya go ya gae.
So Nozibele went back to the river
alone.
She found her necklace and hurried
home.
But she got lost in the dark.
A sa le kgojana a bona go tuka
lebone ngwakong o mongwe.
O ile a phakišetša gona, a batamela
mojako a kokota.
In the distance she saw light
coming from a hut.
She hurried towards it and knocked
at the door.
O ile a makala ge mpša e le yona ye
bulago mojako.
“O nyaka eng”? Gwa botšiša mpša.
“Ke timetše gomme ke nyaka lefelo
la go robala.” Gwa realo Nozibele.
“Tsena, e se go bjalo ke tla go ja.”
Gwa realo mpša.
To her surprise, a dog opened the
door and said, “What do you want?”
“I’m lost and I need a place to
sleep,” said Nozibele.
“Come in, or I’ll bite you!” said the
dog.
So Nozibele went in.
Mpša ya re go Nozibele, “Nkapeele
dijo”
“Eupša ga sa ka ka apeela mpša
dijo.” Gwa araba Nozibele.
“ Apea, go se go bjalo ke tla go
loma.” Gwa realo mpša.
Nozibele a apeela mpša dijo.
Then the dog said, “Cook for me!”
“But I’ve never cooked for a dog
before,” she answered.
“Cook, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog.
So Nozibele cooked some food for
the dog.
Gomme mpša ya re “ Ntukišetše
malao”.
Nozibele a araba a re “Ga sa ka ka
lokišetša mpša malao”
“Ntukišetše malao, go se go bjalo
ke tla go ja”, gwa realo mpša.
Nozibele a lokišetša mpša malao.
Then the dog said, “Make the bed
for me!”
Nozibele answered, “I’ve never
made a bed for a dog.”
“Make the bed, or I’ll bite you!” the
dog said.
So Nozibele made the bed.
Ka mehla , Nozibele o be a
swanetšwe ke go swiela , go apea le
go hlatšwetša mpša.
Ka letšatši le lengwe mpša ya re “
Nozibele, lehono ke swanetše go
etela bagwera ba bangwe ba ka.
“Ka moo o swiele ntlo, o apee dijo.
O hlatšwe dilo tša ka pele ke boa”.
Every day she had to cook and
sweep and wash for the dog.
Then one day the dog said,
“Nozibele, today I have to visit
some friends. Sweep the house,
cook the food and wash my things
before I come back.”
Ge mpša e fetša go tloga, Nozibele
a ntšha meriri e meraro mo hlogong
ya gagwe.
O ile a bea moriri o mo tee ka fase
ga mpete.
O mong a o bea ka morago ga
mojako.
Gomme o mong a o bea ka
lešakeng.
Gomme a kitimela gae ka lebelo le
legolo.
As soon as the dog had gone,
Nozibele took three hairs from her
head.
She put one hair under the bed, one
behind the door, and one in the
kraal.
Then she ran home as fast as she
could.
Ge mpša e fihla gae, e ile ya nyaka
Nozibele.
“Nozibele o mo kae?”gwa goelela
mpša.
“Ke nna ye ka fase ga mpete” gwa
araba moriri wa mathomo.
“Nozibele o mo kae?” gwa goelela
mšpa.
“Ke nna ye ka morago ga mojako,”
gwa araba moriri wa boraro.
“Nozibele o mo kae”?,gwa goelela
mpša.
“ Ke nna ye ka lešakeng,” gwa
araba moriri wa boraro.
When the dog came back, he looked
for Nozibele.
“Nozibele, where are you?” he
shouted.
“I’m here, under the bed,” said the
first hair.
“I’m here, behind the door,” said the
second hair.
“I’m here, in the kraal,” said the
third hair.
Gomme mpša ya tseba ge Nozibele
a mo diretše makatika.
Gomme ya kitima ka lebelo nako e
telele go ya motseng.
Ge e fihla gabo Nozibele ya hwetša
bo butiagwe ba e letetše ka dikgati
tše kgolo
E rile ge e bona gore go hlafile, ya
tšhaba e sa lebelele morago. Ya ba
ge e le la mafelelo mpša e bonwa.
Then the dog knew that Nozibele
had tricked him.
So he ran and ran all the way to the
village.
But Nozibele’s brothers were
waiting there with big sticks.
The dog turned and ran away and
has never been seen since.
