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Waan Vusi waa’ee obboloetti ishe jette What Vusi's sister said

Written by Nina Orange

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Demoze Degefa

Language Oromo

Level Level 4

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


Guyyaa tokko akkon Vusi waamtee akkan jetene,” Killee kana gara warra keetii gessi. Cidha obboletti keetiif kan ta’ee keekii ittin tolchani.”

Early one morning Vusi’s granny called him, “Vusi, please take this egg to your parents. They want to make a large cake for your sister’s wedding.”


Gara mana warra isaa yeroo deemuu, Vusiin namoota fuduraa guran qunnamee. Muccan tokko killee Vusi fudhate mukkati darbe cabsee.

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.


“Male gootee,” jedhe itti iyye Vusin. “Killeewan kuni keekii tolchudhafi. Keekiin kunis immp cidha obboletti kiyyatiif. Yoo keekiin jinjiranne ta’ee obboleettin kiyya mal jetti?”

“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?”


Ojoolen sunis Vusi ashuu isaanitin bayee gaddan. “Waa’ee kille caphee wanti goonu hinjiru garu sinkee obboletti keetif kuno,” jedge mucaan tokko. Vusin deemuu itti fufee.

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.


Karra gubbati namoota lama kan mana ijaaru arge. “Mukka cimaa kana ittifayadamu dandegna,” jedhe gafate tokko. Garuu mukkicha cimaa hinturre ni caphe.

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.


“Mal gotee?” jedge Vusiin. “Siinqeen suni obboletti kootif kenna dha. Siinqee kana namoota fudraa gurutu nakenne. Sababin isaas kille kiyya waan caphsanif. Keekiin cidhaa obboleti kiyyaf ture. Amma garu, killen hinjiruu, keekiin hinjiriuu, kennanis hinjoruu. Obboletin ko mal nanjet?”

“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?”


Jarii mana ijartu killee jabsu isaantin dhifama gafatan. “Waa’ee keekii homaa gochuu hindandenyuu garu nama mana ajeru sinif kennina,” jedhe tokkon isaani. Kanafuu Vusi imala isaa ittifufee.

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.


Otama deemaa jiru Vusin qotee bulaa tokkofi sa’a tokko qunname. Sanis akkan jedhe gafatee, “Malii qacan akkan bareedu kuni, xiqqoxiqqo nyadhuu? Garu qacan bayee mi’aawa waantef sani hunduma isaa nyatee fixxee.”

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!


“Malgoote?” jedhe gaafate Vusiin. “Qacan suni obboletti kootif kenna ture. Qaca kana namoota mana ijaarutu nakennee sababini isaas sinqee warri fuduraa guri nakenne narra cabsan. Jarri fudura guru wan killee narra cabsaniif sinqee kana nakennani. Keekiin cidhaa obboletti kiyyaf ture. Amma garu, killen hinjiruu, keekiin hinjiriuu, kennanis hinjoruu. Obboletin ko mal nanjet?”

“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?”


Sani sun sasattun turte. Sa’aati Vusi wajjiin deemte kenna ta’u dansetti. kanafu Vusin sa’ati fundhatee deeme.

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.


Sa’atiin garuu gara yeroodhuma san gara abba issheti deebite. Vusini gara wallaale. Cidha obboletti isaatif ture.

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.


“Malan godha?” jedhe Vusin. “Sani suni kenna bakka qaca turte nifigide deemte. Warrai mana ijaaru suni qaca nakennan, sababaa sinqee warra fudura sani cabsaniif. Warri fuduraa guru sinqee nankennan sababini isaas kille narra cabsan. keekiin suni cidhaaf ture. Amma garu, killen hinjiruu, keekiin hinjiriuu, kennanis hinjoruu.”

“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.”


Obboleetin Vusi yaadde akan jette, Vusin obbolessa kiya, ani waa’ee kennaa bayee hindhphadhu. waa’ee keekiis akkanuma. Hundi kenyaa as jirraa ani bayee gammadeera. Uffataa kee bareeda uffadhuti guyyaa kana hakanjnu.” Vusinis akkasuma godhe.

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.


Written by: Nina Orange
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Demoze Degefa
Language: Oromo
Level: Level 4
Source: What Vusi's sister said from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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