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Maguru O Abela Diphoofolo Maoto Umaguru Uphisana Ngemilenze Umaguru Uphisa Ngemilenze Maguru gives out legs

Written by Mutugi Kamundi

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Dikeledi Queen Shai

Language Sepedi

Level Level 3

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


Kgalekgale diphoofolo di be di se na maoto. Di be di gogoba fase.

Emandulo, izilwane zazingenayo imilenze. Zazihuquzela emhlabathini.

Kudala-dala, izilwanyana zazingenayo imilenze. Zazirhubuluza emhlabeni.

Long time ago, no animal had legs. They all used to crawl on the ground.


Ke batho fela bao ba bego ba na le maoto ka lebaka la go re Maguru o be a ba file maoto.

Abantu kuphela ababenemilenze ngoba uMaguru wayebaphile yona.

Yayingabantu kuphela ababenemilenze ngoba uMaguru wayebaphe yona.

Only human beings had legs because Maguru had given legs to humans.


Ka letšatši le lengwe Maguru o ile a tšea sephetho sa go fa phoofolo ye nngwe le ye nngwe maoto. O ile a sepela go dikologa motse a dira tsebišo yeo ka segodišalentšu. O be a rata go re phoofolo ye nngwe le ye nngwe e sepele bjalo ka motho.

Ngelinye ilanga uMaguru wanquma ukupha zonke izilwane imilenze. Wazungeza idolobha ememezela ngombhobho. Wayefuna isilwane ngasinye sikwazi ukuhamba njengomuntu.

Ngenye imini uMaguru wagqiba ekubeni aphe zonke izilwanyana imilenze. Wazula ilali yonke ekhwaza ngombhobho. Wayefuna isilwanyana ngasinye sikwazi ukuhamba njengomntu.

One day, Maguru decided to give legs to every animal. He walked round the village announcing from a loudspeaker. He wanted each animal to walk like a human being.


Diphoofolo di ile tša thaba kudu ge di ekwa go re di tlilo fiwa maoto. Phoofolo ye nngwe le ye nngwe e be e rata go ba le maoto gore e kgone go sepela le go kitima. Di ile tša opela, di pokapoketša mesela le go phuphusela ka mafofa a tšona.

Zajabula izilwane lapho zizwa ukuthi zizophiwa imilenze. Isilwane ngasinye sasifuna imilenze ukuze sikwazi ukuhamba nokugijima. Zacula, zatshikizisa imisila, zabhakuzisa amaphiko azo.

Zavuya izilwanyana zakuva ukuba ziza kuphiwa imilenze. Isilwanyana ngasinye sasifuna imilenze ukuze sikwazi ukuhamba nokubaleka. Zacula, zatshikizisa imisila, zabhakuzisa neempiko zazo.

The animals were happy when they heard that they would be given legs. Each animal wanted to have legs so that it could walk and run. They sang, wagged their tails and flapped their wings.


Diphoofolo di ile tša kgobokana go ahlaahla ka mokgwa woo di itemogelago bohloko bja go gogoba. Di be di ngwapšwa dimpa ke mobu mo fase. Maoto a tla di thuša gape le go ema tša kgona go bona kgole go swana le batho.

Zahlangana izilwane zidingida ubulukhuni bokuhaqazela ngezisu. Umhlabathi wawuziklwebha izisu zazo. Imilenze yayizozisiza ukuze zikwazi ukuma zibone kude, njengabantu.

Zahlangana izilwanyana zaxoxa ngobunzima bokurhubuluza ngesisu xa zihamba. Umhlaba wawuzikrwempa izisu zazo. Imilenze yayiza kuzinceda ukuba zikwazi ukuma zibone kude, njengabantu.

Animals gathered and discussed how difficult it was to crawl. The ground scratched their bellies. Legs would also help them to stand and see far, like human beings did.


Ge letšatši le fihlile, diphoofolo tše ntši di ile tša gogoba di lebile lapeng la Maguru go yo ikhweletša maoto. Dithutlwa, ditau, ditlou, mebutla, dikwena le dinonyana di ile tša ema mothalading tša letela go fiwa maoto.

Lwathi uma lufika usuku, izilwane eziningi zahaqazela zaya emzini kaMaguru ukuyokwamukela imilenze yazo. Izindlulamithi, amabhubesi, izindlovu, onogwaja, izingwenya, nezinyoni zashaya uhele zilinde ukuphiwa imilenze.

Lwathi xa lufika usuku lwemilenze yamahala, izilwanyana ezininzi zarhubuluza zaya emzini kaMaguru ukuyokwamkela imilenze yazo. Iindlulamithi, iingonyama, iindlovu, imivundla, iingwenya, neentaka zema emgceni zilinde ukuphiwa imilenze.

When the day came, many animals crawled to Maguru’s house to get their legs. Giraffes, lions, elephants, rabbits, crocodiles, and birds queued and waited to be given legs.


Phoofolo ye nngwe le ye nngwe e ile ya fiwa maoto a mane. Dinonyana tšona di ile tša fiwa maoto a mabedi a mabedi.

Isilwane ngasinye sathola imilenze emine, kwathi izinyoni zathola imilenze emibili iyinye.

Isilwanyana ngasinye safumana imilenze emine, zaze zona iintaka zafumana imilenze emibini inye.

Each animal was given four legs. Birds were given two legs each.


Morago ga go fiwa maoto, diphofolo di ile tša se sa swana le pele. Tše dingwe di ile tša bina ka lethabo. Tše dingwe di be di swere bothata bja go ithuta go sepela ka maoto, di bile di wela fase.

Zaba nomahluko izilwane sezinemilenze. Ezinye zagida ngenxa yokujabula. Ezinye zazibhadazela zibuye ziwe zenziwa ubunzima bokuhamba ngezinyawo.

Zabonakala zinomahluko izilwanyana ngelixa sele zinemilenze. Ezinye zagida luvuyo. Ezinye zazibhadazela ziphinde ziwe zisenziwa bubunzima bokuhamba ngeenyawo.

Animals looked different on legs. Some danced in joy. Others had difficulty walking and fell down.


Di ile tša sepela go dikologa le motse di tšama di kgantšhetša batho maoto a tšona. Diphoofolo ka moka di ile tša goelela tša re, “Re ka se sa gogoba gape.”

Zazungeza idolobhana zibukisa kubantu. Zonke izilwane zathi, “Ngeke siphinde sihuquzele.”

Zahamba-hamba elalini zibonisa abantu imilenze yazo. Zonke izilwanyana zathi, “Soze siphinde sirhubuluze.”

They walked round the village showing off to human beings. All the animals said, “We will never crawl again.”


Phoofolo ya mafelelo mothalading wa go fiwa maoto e be e le Legokolodi. Maguru o ile a botšiša a re, “Na go na le yo mongwe ka morago ga gago?” “Aowa, ke nna wa mafelelo,” Legokolodi la araba ka go realo.

Isilwane sokugcina emgqeni kwakunguShongololo. UMaguru wabuza, “Ukhona okulandelayo?” “Cha, ngingowokugcina,” kuphendula uShongololo.

Isilwanyana sokugqibela ukufumana imilenze yayinguSongololo. UMaguru wabuza, “Ukhona olandela emva kwakho?” “Hayi, ndingowokugqibela,” waphendula uSongololo.

The last animal in the queue was the millipede. Maguru asked, “Is there anyone else after you?” “No, I am the last one,” Millipede answered.


Maguru a nagana, “Ge e le go re ga go na yo mongwe, nna ke tla dira eng ka maoto ao a šetšego?” Maguru o ile a fa Legokolodi maoto ka moka ao a šetšego.

UMaguru wacabanga, “Pho uma kungasekho muntu, ngizoyenzani yonke le milenze esele?” UMaguru wanika uShongololo yonke imilenze esele.

UMaguru wacinga, “Kulungile ke, xa kungasekho mntu, ndiza kuyenzani yonke le milenze eshiyekileyo?” UMaguru wanika uSongololo yonke imilenze eshiyekileyo.

Maguru thought, “If there is no one else, what will I do with the rest of the legs?” Maguru gave all the remaining legs to Millipede.


Legokolodi le ile la sepela le thabile kudu ka ge le filwe maoto a mantši. “Ke tla kgona go sepela ka lebelo go feta diphoofolo tše dingwe,” la nagana bjalo.

UShongololo wahamba ejabule kakhulu ngoba ethole imilenze eminingi. “Sengizoshesha kakhulu kunabo bonke,” ecabanga.

USongololo wahamba evuya kakhulu ngoba wayefumene imilenze emininzi. “Ndiza kuhamba ngokukhawuleza ke ngoku kunazo zonke izilwanyana,” wacinga njalo.

Millipede went away very happy because he had many legs. “I will move faster than any of them,” he thought.


Ge Legokolodi le se no tloga, noga ya fihla ka lapeng la Maguru. “Maguru, ke kgopela gore o mphe maoto le nna,” Noga ya kgopela ka tsela yeo.

Maduze nje emva kokuhamba kukaShongololo, kwafika uNyoka emzini kaMaguru. “Maguru, ngicela ungiphe imilenze,” kuncenga uNyoka.

Mzuzwana nje emkile uSongololo, kwafika uNyoka emzini kaMaguru. “Maguru, ndicela undiphe imilenze,” wacenga uNyoka.

As soon as Millipede had left, the snake came to Maguru’s house. “Maguru, please give me some legs,” Snake begged.


“Ke file diphoofolo maoto ka moka. Na wena o be o le kae?” Maguru a botšiša. “Ke be ke gateletšwe ke boroko,” Noga ya fetola.

“Sengiyikhiphe yonke imilenze. Wena ubukuphi?” kubuza uMaguru. “Ngiseliwe,” kuphendula uNyoka.

“Sendiphise ngayo yonke imilenze. Wena ubuphi kanti?” wabuza uMaguru. “Ndiselwe,” waphendula uNyoka.

“I have given out all the legs. Where were you?” Maguru asked. “I over-slept,” Snake replied.


Maguru o ile a lebelela ka ntlong go bona ge eba go na le maoto ao a šetšego. Efela ga se a hwetša selo.

UMaguru wacinga endlini yakhe ukubona ukuthi ayikho yini imilenze esele. Kodwa akatholanga lutho.

UMaguru wakhangela endlwini yakhe ejonga ukuba yayingekho na eseleyo. Kodwa akazange afumane nomnye.

Maguru checked in his house to see whether there were any legs remaining. But he did not find any.


Maguru o ile a tšwela ka ntle a re, “Ke maswabi, Noga, maoto a fedile.” Noga e ile ya swanelwa ke go gogoba e boela morago e se na maoto. Go tloga lona letšatši leo, Noga, e ile ya se sa robala kudu. Le lehono Noga e sa letetše sebaka se se latelago sa go hwetša maoto.

UMaguru waphuma wathi, “Ngiyaxolisa Nyoka, ayisekho imilenze esele.” UNyoka wahuquzela wabuyela ekhaya engenayo imilenze. Kusukela ngalelo langa uNyoka akalali kakhulu. Uhlale elindele usuku lapho naye ayothola imilenze.

UMaguru waphuma wathi, “Ndiyaxolisa Nyoka, akukho milenze ishiyekileyo.” UNyoka warhubuluza wabuyela ekhaya engenayo imilenze. Ukusukela loo mini uNyoka akalali kakhulu. Usoloko elindele usuku apho naye aza kufumana ngalo imilenze.

Maguru came out and said, “Sorry, Snake, there are no legs remaining.” Snake had to crawl back home without legs. Since that day Snake does not sleep much. He is always waiting for the next chance to get legs.


Written by: Mutugi Kamundi
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Dikeledi Queen Shai
Language: Sepedi
Level: Level 3
Source: Maguru gives out legs from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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