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Bese E Kgolo Ya Mmala Wa Botala Jwa Legodimo Ibhasi Enkulu Eluhlaza Okwe Sibhakabhaka Ibhasi Enkulu Ezuba Big blue bus

Written by Mecelin Kakoro

Illustrated by Mango Tree

Translated by Lorato Trok

Language Tswana

Level Level 2

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


Go ne go le bese e le nngwe fela mo motseng wa ga Ebei. E ne e le kgolo e le mmala wa botala jwa legodimo. E ne e le modumo thata.

Yayiyodwa ibhasi edolobheni lika-Ebei. Yayinkulu futhi iluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Yayinomsindo omkhulu.

Kwakukho ibhasi enye jwi elalilini ka-Ebei. Yayinkulu kwaye izuba ngombala. Yayingxola kakhulu.

There was only one bus in Ebei’s village. It was big and blue. It was very noisy.


Ka letsatsi lengwe mmagwe Ebei a re, “Kamoso re ya toropong go ya go reka diaparo tsa gago tsa sekolo.”

Ngelinye ilanga umama ka-Ebei wathi, “Kusasa sizokuya edolobheni siyothenga umfaniswano wakho.”

Ngenye imini umama ka-Ebei wathi, “Kusasa ngomso sizokuya edolophini siyokuthenga iyunifomu yakho.”

One day, Ebei’s mother said, “Tomorrow we will go to town to buy your school uniform.”


Ebei o ne a itumetse thata. Ba tlile go tsamaya ka bese e e kgolo ya mmala wa botala jwa legodimo. O ne a itumetse thata ebile a sa kgone go rabala bosigo joo.

U-Ebei wajabula kakhulu. Babezohamba ngebhasi enkulu eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Kwakungavumi ukuba alale ebusuku.

U-Ebei wavuya kakhulu. Babeza kuhamba ngebhasi enkulu ezuba ngombala. Wayengakwazi ukulala ebusuku luvuyo.

Ebei was very excited. They would travel in the big blue bus. He could not sleep that night.


Ebei o ne a setse a ipaakantse fa mmagwe a tla go mo tsosa.

U-Ebei wayesevele esegqokile lapho umama wakhe engena ezomvusa.

Wayesele enxibile ngelixa umama wakhe engena ezokumvusa.

Ebei was already dressed when his mother came to wake him.


Ebei le mmagwe ba ne ba ya kwa boemelong jwa dibese. Ba ne ba emetse bese e e kgolo ya mmala wa botala jwa legodimo. Mme bese ya se ka ya fitlha.

U-Ebei nomama wakhe baya esitobhini. Balindela ibhasi enkulu eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Kodwa ibhasi ayizange ifike.

U-Ebei nomama wakhe baya esitophini sebhasi. Balinda ibhasi enkulu embala uzuba. Kodwa ibhasi ayizange ifike.

Ebei and his mother walked to the bus stop. They waited for the big blue bus. But the bus did not come.


Batho ba bangwe ba ile ba fitlha kwa boemelong jwa dibese. Ba ile ba ngongorega ka ntlha ya fa bese e le thari. “Bese e kae?” ba botsa.

Abanye abantu bafika esitobhini. Babekhononda ngoba ibhasi yayingasigcinanga isikhathi. “Ngabe ibhasi isishiyile?” Babebuza.

Abanye abantu bafika nabo esitophini. Babekhalaza kuba ibhasi yayingalibambanga ixesha layo. “Ingaba ibhasi isishiyile?” Babebuza.

Other people arrived at the bus stop. They complained because the bus was late. “Has the bus left us?” they asked.


Ebei o ne a tshwenyegile. “Ga re na go kgona go ya toropong. Ga ke na go kgona go nna le diaparo tse dintšhwa tsa sekolo,” a nagana.

U-Ebei wakhathazeka. “Ngeke sikwazi ukuya edolobheni. Ngeke ngikwazi ukuthola umfaniswano wami,” ecabanga.

U-Ebei wakhathazeka. “Asizukwazi ukuya edolophini. Asizukwazi ukuyokuthenga iyunifomu yam,” wacinga.

Ebei was worried. “We will not be able to go to town. I will not be able to get my uniform,” he thought.


Batho ba bangwe ba ne ba itlhoboga mme ba boela gae. Ebei o ne a lela. O ne a sa batle go boela gae. Mmagwe o ne a mo kgothatsa. “Re tla emanyana gape,” a rialo.

Abanye abantu baduba babuyela emakhaya. Kodwa u-Ebei wayekhala engafuni ukuya ekhaya. Kodwa umama wakhe wayemduduza ethi, “Sizolinda isikhashana eside.”

Abanye abantu bajika babuyela emakhaya. Kodwa u-Ebei wayekhala engafuni ukuya ekhaya. Umama wakhe wamthuthuzela wathi, “Siza kuqhubeka silinde.”

Some people gave up and went home. But Ebei cried and did not want to go. His mother comforted him. “We will wait a bit longer,” she said.


Morago ga nakwana, ba ne ba utlwa modumo. Ba ne ba bona lerole mo moyeng. E ne e le bese!

Masishane, bezwa umsindo. Babona izintuli emoyeni. Yayiza ibhasi!

Ngokukhawuleza beva ingxolo. Babona uthuli emoyeni. Yayisiza ibhasi!

Suddenly, they heard a noise. They saw dust in the air. The bus was coming!


Mme fela bese e ne e se mmala wa botala jwa legodimo. E ne e se kgolo. Bese e ne e le khibidu ebile e le nnye. Batho ba ba neng ba emetse bese ba ne ba lebelela bese e. Ba ne ba se e palame.

Kodwa le bhasi yayingeluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Yiyingenkulu. Le bhasi yayibomvu futhi incane. Abantu ababelindile bayibuka ibhasi. Abazange bagibele.

Kodwa ibhasi yayingekho zuba. Yayingekho nkulu. Le bhasi yayibomvu yaye incinane. Abantu ababelindile bayijonga nje ibhasi. Abazange bakhwele.

But this bus was not blue. It was not big. This bus was red and small. The waiting people looked at this bus. They did not get in.


“Palamang! Palamang!” mokgweetsi a goa. “Re thari thata gompieno,” a rialo.

“Ngenani! “Ngenani!” kumemeza umshayeli ethi, “Sishiywe isikhathi namuhla.

“Ngenani! Ngenani!” wakhwaza umqhubi Waphinda wathi, “Sishiywe lixesha namhlanje.

“Get in! Get in!” shouted the driver. “We are very late today,” he said.


Ebei le mmagwe e ne e le bone bantlha go palama bese. Morago ga nakwana batho ba bangwe le bona ba palama bese e khibidu e nnye.

U-Ebei nomama wakhe bangena kuqala. Ngesikhashana wonke umuntu wangena ebhasini elibomvu elincane.

U-Ebei nomama wakhe bangena kuqala. Ngomzuzwana wonke umntu wangena ebhasini ebomvu encinane.

Ebei and his mother got in first. Soon everyone else got in the small red bus.


Ebei o ile a lebelela ka letlhabaphefo. O ile a bona batho ba bantsi mo boemelong jwa bese.

U-Ebei wabuka phandle ngefasitela. Wabona abanye abantu abaningi esitobhini.

U-Ebei wajonga phandle ngefestile. Wabona abanye abantu abaninzi esitophini.

Ebei looked out the window. He saw more people at the bus stop.


Batho ba bantsi ba ne ba tabogela go tshwara bese. Mme ba ne ba le thari. Bese e ne e tletse. Bese e khibidu e ile ya ya toropong.

Abanye abantu abaningi babegijima bejahe ukugibela ibhasi. Kodwa basebeshiywe isikhathi. Ibhasi yase igcwele. Ibhasi ebomvu yahamba yaya edolobheni.

Abanye abantu abaninzi babebaleka beleqa ukukhwela ibhasi. Kodwa babesele beshiywe lixesha. Ibhasi yayisele igcwele. Ibhasi ebomvu yahamba yaya edolophini.

Even more people were running to catch the bus. But they were too late. The bus was full. The red bus left for town.


“Bese ya mmala wa botala jwa legodimo e kgolo e kae?” mmagwe Ebei a botsa. “E robegile,” mokgweetsi a araba. “Re a e baakanya. E tla filtha kamoso,” a tlatsa.

“Iphi ibhasi enkulu eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka?” Kubuza umama ka Ebei. “Ifile,” kuphendula umshayeli. “Siyayilungisa, izobakhona kusasa,” kusho umshayeli.

“Iphi ibhasi enkulu ezuba ngombala?” Kwabuza umama ka-Ebei. “Yonakele,” waphendula umqhubi. “Siyayilungisa, iza kuba khona ngomso,” watsho umqhubi.

“Where is the big blue bus?” asked Ebei’s mother. “It broke down,” replied the driver. “We are fixing it. It will come tomorrow,” he added.


Ebei o ne a sa tshwenyege ka mmala wa bese. O ne a sa tshwenyege ka bogolo jwa bese. O ne a itumeletse fela gore bese e e ya toropong.

U-Ebei wayengenandaba nombala webhasi. Wayengenandaba nobukhulu bebhasi. Wayejabuliswa ukuthi yayiya edolobheni.

U-Ebei wayengenaxesha lombala webhasi. Wayengenaxesha lobukhulu bebhasi. Wayevuyiswa kukuba wayesiya edolophini.

Ebei did not care about the colour of the bus. He did not care about the size of the bus. He was happy because this bus was going to town.


Written by: Mecelin Kakoro
Illustrated by: Mango Tree
Translated by: Lorato Trok
Language: Tswana
Level: Level 2
Source: Big blue bus from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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