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Ncaakaamba Mucizyi wa Vusi What Vusi's sister said

Written by Nina Orange

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Chester Mwanza

Language ChiTonga

Level Level 4

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

Buzuba bumwi mafwumofwumo, banyinakulu Vusi bakamwiita, “Vusi ndakomba utole ji eeli kubazyali bako. Bayanda kubamba nkukisi mpati yapobwe yabwiinga lyamucizyi wako.”

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.”

Naakali kuyuubwenda munzila, wakajana basankwa bobilo bakali kucela micelo. Umwi musankwa wakamunyanga ji akulifwusa mucisamu, mpoona lyakapwaika.

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.

“Ino watyani?” wakalila Vusi. “Eeli ji lyali lyakubambya nkukisi mpati lyakupobwe lya bwiinga. Nkukisi njakupobwe lyabwiinga lyamucizyi wangu. Mucizyi wangu ulaamba kuti nzi kuti kutabi nkukisi kupobwe?”

“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?”

Basankwa bakalilekelela. “Tatukonzyi kugwasya ankukisi mpati lyakupobwe, pesi kobweza nkoli ukamupe mucizyi wako.” Vusi wakazumanana alweendo lwakwe.

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.

Naakali kweenda munzila, wakajana balombwana bobilo kabayaka ŋanda. “Sena inga twabelesya kasamu ako kayumu?” Pesi kasamu tiikakali kayumu mpoona kakatyoka.

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.

“Ino mwacita nzi?” wakalila Vusi. “Ikasamu aaka cali cipego camucizyi wangu. Basikucela micelo balindipede akaambo kakuti bandipwaila ji lyakubamba nkukisi mpati yakupobwe. Nkukisi yakupobwe cali cipego cabwiinga bwamucizyi wangu. Lino kunyina ji, kunyina nkukisi yakupobwe acipego. Ulaamba kuti nzi mucizyi wangu?”

“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?”

Bayaki bakalilekelela akaambo kakutyola kasamu. “Kunyina ncotunga twacita ankukisi yakupobwe, pesi kobweza bwizu oobu ukamupe mucizyi wako.” Vusi wakazumanana alweendo lwakwe.

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.

Naakazumanana kweenda, wakajana mulimi aŋombe. “Bwabota bwizu oobo, inga tondipi ndilume asyoonto?” yakabuzya ŋombe. Bwizu bwakabotesya, nkabela, ŋombe yakabulya boonse.

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!

“Ino wacita nzi?” wakalila Vusi. “Obuya bwizu cali cipego camucizyi wangu. Bayaki mbabandipa bwizu buya akaambo kakuti bandityolela kasamu. Basikucela micelo balindipede kasamu akaambo kakuti bandipwaila ji lyakubambya nkukkisi mpati yakupobwe lya bwiinga. Nkukkisi yakupobwe cali cipego cabwiinga bwamucizyi wangu. Lino kunyina ji, kunyina nkukkisi yakupobwe a cipego.” Ulaamba kuti nzi mucizyi wangu?

“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?”

Ŋombe yakalilekelela akaambo kakuliyanda. Mpoona, mulimi wakazuminzya kuti Vusi aunke aŋombe ikapegwe mucizyi wakwe cipego ca bwiinga. Lweendo lwakazumanana.

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.

Pesi ŋombe yakatija akujokela kumulimi. Vusi wakasweeka nakali kuya ku bwiinga. Aboobo, wakamuka kusika kupobwe lyamucizyi wakwe. Batambe-tambe bakali kulya ciindi Vusi naakasika kupobwe.

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.

“Ino ndilacita buti?” Vusi wakalila. “Ŋombe yatija cali cipego, kucincanya bwizu bwandipede bayaki. Bayaki bandipa bwizu nkaambo kakuti batyola kasamu kandipede basikucela micelo. Basikucela micelo bandipa kasamu nkaambo bapwaya ji lyakubambya nkukkisi. Nkukkisi yali yakubwiinga bwamucizyi wangu. Zyipego ndinyina. Kunyina ji, kunyina nkukkisi mpati yapobwe, kunyina cipego cili coonse.”

“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.”

Mucizyi wa Vusi wakayeeya kwaciindi, mpoona wakati, “Vusi mukwesu, nsebikkide maano kapati kuzyipego. Nseyandi nkukkisi mpoati yapobwe! Cipati ncakuti tuli antoomwe, alimwi ndakkomana. Koya usame zyikobela zyibotu kutegwa tupobole.” Vusi wakacita mbuli mbwaakaambilwa.

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: Chester Mwanza
Language: ChiTonga
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.
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