Tomu alasenda ulupe lwa nkonde ishapya.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tomu alaya kumaliketi mukushitisha inkonde.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Abantu kumaliketi balashita ifinsabwa nsabwa.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Nomba tapali nangu umo uuleshita kuli Tomu
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
“Mumushi wesu, banamayofye ebashitisha ifinsabwansabwa”, efilanda abantu. “Mwaume wamusango shani uyu?”
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
Nomba Tomu taleka. Aleta abantu, “shiteni inkonde shandi! Shiteni inkonde shandi ishapya elyo ishalowa!”
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
Namayo umo asendapo umusemo umo palupe. Bashilolekesha sana.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
Banamayo bashita inkonde.
The woman buys the bananas.
Abantu abengi balesa kwituka. Balashita inkonde shakwa Tomu nokushilya.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
Panonofye ulupe lwapwa. Tomu epakupenda indalama apanga.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Tomu ashitamo isopo, insukale no mukate. Abika ifintu fyakwe palupe.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tomu alatengesela ulupe lwakwe pa mutwe nokubwekela kung’anda.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
