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Themba umtsengisi wabhanana
Tom the banana seller
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Phumla Madonsela
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Themba utfwele ikhredi yemabhanana lavutsiwe.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Themba uya emakethe kuyotsengisa bhanana.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Emakethe bantfu batsenga titselo.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Kepha akekho namunye lotsenga emabhanana aThemba.
Bantfu banconota kutsenga titselo kubesifazane.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
Bantfu bavame kutsi: “Emimmangweni yakitsi, besifazane bodvwa labatsengisa titselo.”
Bantfu bebatibuta batsi: “Yindvodza lenjani lena?”
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
Kepha Themba akatange akushaye mkhuba loko.
Watichubekela ngekutsengisa abuye amemetele atsi: “Tsengani emabhanana ami! Tsengani emabhanana ami lanongotelako futsi lavutsiwe”.
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
Lomunye wesifazane wafika watsi cuku sikhehle sabhana ekhredini yaThemba.
Wasibukisisa ngekucophelela sikhehle sabhanana.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
Lowesifazane wakutfokotela kusitsenga lesikhehle semabhanana aThemba.
The woman buys the bananas.
Ngemva kwaloko bantfu labanyenti beta kutotsenga emabhanana kuThemba.
Bebatsenga emabhanana aThemba babuye bawadle.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
Ngesikhashana lesincane ikhredi beseyingenalutfo.
Themba wabala imali lekayizuzile ngalelolanga.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Wasuka lapho waya kuyotsenga insipho, shukela kanye nesinkhwa. Watifaka tonkhe tintfo takhe ekhredini.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Themba wayihlalisisa kahle ikhredi yakhe layetfwele enhloko, wachubeka wahamba waya ekhaya.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
Written by: Humphreys Odunga
Illustrated by: Zablon Alex Nguku
Translated by: Phumla Madonsela
