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.
“Finshi wacita?” Vusi ali lilile. ” Ilini lilya lyaciba lya keke. Keke yaciba yapa bwinga bwakwa nkashi yandi. Finshi nkashi yandi alalanda nga takwabe keke ya bwinga.?
“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?”
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.
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.
“Finshi wacita?” Vusi ali lilile. “Ico icimuti caciba bupe bwakwa nkashi yandi. Abatola ama fuluti ebacimpela icimuti pantu ba citoba ilini lya keke. Keke yaciba yapa bwinga bwakwa nkashi yandi. Nomba tapali ilini, tapali keke, elyo tapali na ubupe. Finshi nkashi yandi alalanda?
“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?”
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.
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!
“Finshi wacita?” Vusi ali lilile. “Ifyani ifyo fyaciba bupe bwakwa nkashi yandi. Bakakula bacimpela ifyani pantu ba cikontola icimuti icacifuma ku batola amafuluti. Abatola amafuluti ba cimpela icimuti pantu bacitoba ilini lya keke yakwa nkashi yandi. Keke yaciba yapa bwinga bwakwa nkashi yandi. Nomba tapali ilini, tapali keke, elyo tapali na ubupe. Finshi nkashi yandi alalanda?
“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?”
Ing’ombe yali lomba ubwelelo pali bu kaitemwe. Umulimi ali sumina ukuti ing’ombe iye na Vusi nga ubupe bwakwa nkashi yakwe. Efyo Vusi akonkenyepo.
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.
Lelo ingo’mbe yalibutwike ukubwelela kuli shibulimi panshita ya cakulya ca mulalilo. Na Vusi alilubile pa bulendo bwakwe. Afikile ku bwinga bwakwa nkashi yakwe ubushiku sana. Abeni baitile ninshi nabatampa na ukulya.
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.
“Nalacita shani?” Vusi ali lilile. “lIya ing’ombe iyi butwike yali ya bupe, pa fyani bakakula bampele. Bakakula bacimpela ifyani pantu ba cikontola icimuti ica cifuma ku batola ama fuluti. Abatola ama fuluti ba cimpela icimuti pantu ba citoba ilini lya keke. Keke yaciba yapa bwinga. Nomba tapali ilini, tapali keke, elyo tapali na ubupe.”
“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.”
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.
