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UTom, umthengisi webhanana
Tom the banana seller
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Nokuthula Bernelee Dyonase
The audio for this story is currently not available.
UTom uphethe ingobozi yeebhanana ezivuthiweyo.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
UTom uya emarikeni uyothengisa iibhanana.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Abantu abasemarikeni bathenga iziqhamo.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Kodwa akukho mntu ozithengayo iibhanana zikaTom.
Bakhetha ukuthenga iziqhamo ebafazini.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
“Ekuhlaleni, ngabafazi bodwa abathengisa iziqhamo,” batsho abantu. “Yindoda enjani na le?” bayabuza abantu.
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
Kodwa uTom akancami.
Uyakhwaza, “Thengani iibhanana zam! Thengani iibhanana zam ezinencasa ezivuthiweyo!”
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
Omnye umfazi uthatha ipakethi yeebhanana engobozini. Ujonga iibhanana ngononophelo.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
Lo mfazi uthenga iibhanana.
The woman buys the bananas.
Abantu abaninzi beza esitendini. Bathenga iibhanana zikaTom bazitye.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
Msinyane, ingobozi ayinanto. UTom ubala imali ayenzileyo.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Aze uTom athenge isepha, iswekile, nesonka. Ufaka izinto engobozini yakhe.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
UTom ungcekelela ingobozi entlokweni yakhe agoduke.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
Written by: Humphreys Odunga
Illustrated by: Zablon Alex Nguku
Translated by: Nokuthula Bernelee Dyonase
