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أَطْفَالُ الشَّمْعِ Children of wax Watoto wa nta

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Abrar Wafa, Maaouia Haj Mabrouk

Read by Mashael Muhanna

Language Arabic

Level Level 2

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


فِي يَوْمٍ مِنَ الأَيَّامِ، كَانَتْ هُنَاكَ عَائِلَةٌ سَعِيدَةٌ.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.

Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.


لَمْ يَحْدُثْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَيُّ خِلَافٍ قَطُّ. كَانُوا دَائِمًا يُعَاوِنُونَ وَالِدَيْهِمْ فِي الحَقْلِ وَفِي المَنْزِلِ.

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

Hawakugombana hata kidogo. Watoto waliwasaidia wazazi nyumbani na shambani.


لَكِنْ لَمْ يُسْمَحْ لَهُمْ بِالاِقْتِرَابِ مِنَ النَّارِ أَبَداً.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.

Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.


كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ القِيَامُ بِكُلِّ مَا لَدَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالٍ خِلَالَ اللَّيلِ، لِأَنَّهُمْ مَصْنُوعُونَ مِنَ الشَّمْعِ.

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

Walifanya kazi zao zote usiku. Hii ni kwa sababu walikuwa wameumbwa kwa nta.


وَلَكِنَّ أَحَدَ الأَوْلَادِ كَانَ يَتُوقُ إِلَى الخُرُوجِ فِي ضَوْءِ الشَّمْسِ.

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

Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.


وَذَاتَ يَوْمٍ اشْتَدَّتْ رَغْبَتُهُ فِي الخُرُوجِ فِي النَّهَارِ، فَحَذَّرَهُ إِخْوَتُهُ…

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

Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.


وَلَكِنْ بَعْدَ فَوَاتِ الأَوَانِ! فَقَدْ ذَابَ فِي الشَّمْسِ الحَارِقَةِ.

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

Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.


كَانَ أَطْفَالُ الشَّمْسِ حَزِينِينَ لِلْغَايَةِ لِرُؤْيَةِ أَخِيهِمْ يَذُوبُ.

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

Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.


إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ قَامُوا بِتَشْكِيلِ قِطْعَةِ الشَّمْعِ المُنْصَهِرِ إِلَى طَيْرٍ.

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

Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.


بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، أَخَذُوا أَخَاهُمْ المُتَشَكِّلَ عَلَى هَيْئَةِ طَيْرٍ إِلَى جَبَلٍ عَالٍ.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.

Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.


وَمَعَ بُزُوغِ الشَّمْسِ، طَارَ بَعِيداً وَهْوَ يُغَنِّي فِي ضَوْءِ النَّهَارِ.

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

Jua lilipochomoza asubuhi, akapeperuka akiimba kwa furaha.


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Abrar Wafa, Maaouia Haj Mabrouk
Read by: Mashael Muhanna
Language: Arabic
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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