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Bana ba kerese Children of wax Les enfants de cire

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Maphokane Mapule Mohlamme

Language Sepedi

Level Level 2

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Kgale kgale go be go na le balapa le lengwe la go phela ka thabo.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.

Il était une fois une famille bien heureuse.


Ba be ba sa kgopišane. Ba be ba thuša batswadi ba bona ka gae le kua mašemong.

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

Ils ne se disputaient jamais. Ils aidaient leurs parents à la maison et dans les champs.


Eupša ba be sa dumelelwa go ba kgaufsi le mollo.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.

Mais ils n’avaient pas le droit de s’approcher d’un feu.


Ba be ba swanetšwe ke go dira mešomo ya bona bošego fela. Ka gobane ba be ba bopilwe ka kerese!

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

Ils devaient faire tout leur travail pendant la nuit. Puisqu’ils étaient faits de cire !


E fela, e mongwe wa bašimanyana o be a hlologela go bona letšatši.

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

Mais un des garçons désirait se promener au soleil.


Ka letšatši le lengwe tlhologelo ya gagwe e ile ya tla ka maatla. Bomorwarragwe ba ile ba mo lemoša…

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

Un jour son désir était trop puissant. Ses frères l’avertirent…


Eupša go be go šetše go senyegile. O ile a tologa mo letšatšing le le fišago.

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

Mais c’était trop tard ! Il fondit au soleil brûlant.


Bana ba kerese ba ile ba kwa bohloko go bona yo mongwe wa bona a tologa.

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

Les enfants de cire étaient si tristes de voir leur frère fondre.


Eupša ba ile ba dira maano. Ba ile ba tšea lekwate la kerese ye e tologilego gomme ba le bopa go ba nonyana.

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

Mais ils firent un plan. Ils façonnèrent le morceau de cire fondue en oiseau.


Ba ile ba tšea morwarrabo wa nonyana ba mo iša godimo dimo kua thabeng.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.

Ils apportèrent leur frère l’oiseau jusqu’au sommet d’une montagne haute.


Ge letšatši le hlaba, o ile a fofela godimo a opela ka fase ga tlhabo ya letšatši.

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

Et lorsque le soleil se leva, il s’envola vers la lumière du matin en chantant.


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Maphokane Mapule Mohlamme
Language: Sepedi
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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