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奶奶的香蕉 Grandma's bananas

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald

Translated by Vicky Liu

Read by Zhuo Sun

Language Chinese (Mandarin)

Level Level 4

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奶奶有一座美丽的大花园,里面种满了高粱,杂谷和木薯,但里面最棒的是香蕉。奶奶虽然有很多孙子孙女,但我心里知道她最喜欢我。她常常邀请我去她家,告诉我一些小秘密。但是有一个秘密,她从来没有告诉我,那就是她催熟香蕉的办法。

Grandma’s garden was wonderful, full of sorghum, millet, and cassava. But best of all were the bananas. Although Grandma had many grandchildren, I secretly knew that I was her favourite. She invited me often to her house. She also told me little secrets. But there was one secret she did not share with me: where she ripened bananas.


有一天,我看到奶奶在门外放了一个巨大的麦秆编成的篮子。我问奶奶这是做什么的,奶奶却只说:“这是我的神秘篮子。”篮子旁边放了几片香蕉叶子,奶奶把叶子来回翻动。我很好奇,问奶奶:“这些叶子是做什么的?”奶奶却只说:“这是我的神秘叶子。”

One day I saw a big straw basket placed in the sun outside Grandma’s house. When I asked what it was for, the only answer I got was, “It’s my magic basket.” Next to the basket, there were several banana leaves that Grandma turned from time to time. I was curious. “What are the leaves for, Grandma?” I asked. The only answer I got was, “They are my magic leaves.”


我好奇地看着奶奶,香蕉,香蕉叶子还有那个巨大的麦秆编成的篮子。但奶奶却把我打发到妈妈那儿跑腿。我求奶奶:“让我留下来看一看吧!”奶奶却坚持说:“别固执了,按我说的去做。”我只好跑开了。

It was so interesting watching Grandma, the bananas, the banana leaves and the big straw basket. But Grandma sent me off to my mother on an errand. “Grandma, please, let me watch as you prepare…” “Don’t be stubborn, child, do as you are told,” she insisted. I took off running.


当我回来的时候,奶奶正坐在外面休息,但是篮子和香蕉都不见了!我问奶奶:“篮子去哪儿了?香蕉去哪儿了?还有那些……”奶奶却说:“它们都在一个神秘的地方。”我太沮丧了!

When I returned, Grandma was sitting outside but with neither the basket nor the bananas. “Grandma, where is the basket, where are all the bananas, and where…” But the only answer I got was, “They are in my magic place.” It was so disappointing!


过了两天,奶奶让我从她的卧室拿拐杖给她。我一打开门,就闻到了熟香蕉的味道。原来奶奶的神秘篮子就放在卧室里!它上面盖了一条旧毯子,我掀起毯子,使劲地闻着那香味。

Two days later, Grandma sent me to fetch her walking stick from her bedroom. As soon as I opened the door, I was welcomed by the strong smell of ripening bananas. In the inner room was grandma’s big magic straw basket. It was well hidden by an old blanket. I lifted it and sniffed that glorious smell.


奶奶喊我的时候,我吓了一跳:“你在做什么?快把我的拐杖拿来。”我赶紧把拐杖拿出去给奶奶。奶奶看着我,问:“你在笑什么?”我这才意识到,我还在因为发现了这个神奇的秘密窃笑着。

Grandma’s voice startled me when she called, “What are you doing? Hurry up and bring me the stick.” I hurried out with her walking stick. “What are you smiling about?” Grandma asked. Her question made me realise that I was still smiling at the discovery of her magic place.


第二天,奶奶来看我妈妈,我又跑到奶奶家去偷看那些熟香蕉。有一把香蕉已经非常熟了。我采了一根香蕉,把它藏在我的裙子里。我小心地盖好篮子,跑到房子后面,偷偷地把香蕉吃了:这是我吃过的最美味的香蕉!

The following day when grandma came to visit my mother, I rushed to her house to check the bananas once more. There was a bunch of very ripe ones. I picked one and hid it in my dress. After covering the basket again, I went behind the house and quickly ate it. It was the sweetest banana I had ever tasted.


第二天,我趁奶奶在花园里摘蔬菜的时候,偷偷跑进房间,去看那些香蕉,香蕉差不多全都熟了。我禁不住诱惑,拿了四根香蕉。我踮起脚离开房间,听到奶奶在咳嗽。我把香蕉藏在裙子下面,若无其事地走开了。

The following day, when grandma was in the garden picking vegetables, I sneaked in and peered at the bananas. Nearly all were ripe. I couldn’t help taking a bunch of four. As I tiptoed towards the door, I heard grandma coughing outside. I just managed to hide the bananas under my dress and walked past her.


第二天是奶奶赶集的日子。奶奶很早就醒来了,她把成熟的香蕉和木薯运到集市上去卖。我那天没有急着去看她,但我知道,我不可能永远躲着奶奶。

The following day was market day. Grandma woke up early. She always took ripe bananas and cassava to sell at the market. I did not hurry to visit her that day. But I could not avoid her for long.


那天傍晚,我被爸爸、妈妈和奶奶叫过去。我知道他们为什么找我。那天晚上,当我上床睡觉的时候,我知道我再也不会偷东西了,不偷奶奶的,不偷爸妈的,不从任何人那里偷东西。

Later that evening I was called by my mother and father, and Grandma. I knew why. That night as I lay down to sleep, I knew I could never steal again, not from grandma, not from my parents, and certainly not from anyone else.


Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Vicky Liu
Read by: Zhuo Sun
Language: Chinese (Mandarin)
Level: Level 4
Source: Grandma's bananas from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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