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Tlowana Marata Go Itse
Indlovu Eyayithanda Izinto
Indlela Iindlovu Ezafumana Ngayo Imiboko Emide
Curious Baby Elephant
Judith Baker
Wiehan de Jager
Atteridgeville Pilot Teachers
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Mongwe le mongwe o a itse gore tlou e na le nko e telele.
Siyazi ukuthi indlovu inomboko omude.
Sonke siyayazi into yokuba indlovu inomboko omde.
Everyone knows that the elephant has a very long nose.
Bogologolotala nko ya tlowana ene e le khutshwane, e le kima jaaka setlhako fa gare ga sefatlhego.
Emandulo umboko wendlovu wawumfishane. Wawubukeka kabi.
Kodwa kudala umboko wendlovu wawumfutshane kakhulu futhi utyebile okwesihlangu esibekwe ebusweni bayo. Wawuyimpumlo nje eqhelekileyo.
But a long time ago, the elephant’s nose was short and fat. Like a shoe in the middle of its face.
Tlowana ya go rata go itse ya tsalwa. E ne e botsa diphologolo tsotlhe dipotso ka dipopego tsa tsona.
Kwazalwa inkonyane eyayithanda izinto. Yayihlala inombuzo ngezinye izilwane.
Ngenye imini kwazalwa ithole lendlovu. Lalinomdla ngayo yonke into. Lalisoloko linombuzo kwisilwanyana ngasinye.
One day a baby elephant was born. She was curious about everything. She had a question for every animal.
Ya botsa thutlwa, “Goreng thamo ya gago e le telele?”
Yahlangana nendlulamithi. “Kungani unentamo ende?”
Lalilangazelela ukwazi ngendlulamthi. “Kutheni unomqala omde?” labuza kwindlulamthi.
She was curious about Giraffe. “Why do you have a long neck?” she asked.
Ya botsa, “Goreng lenaka la gago le le ntlha?”
Ngakusasa yahlangana nobhejane. “Kungani unophondo olucijile?”
Lalilangazelela ukwazi ngomkhombe. “Kutheni uneempondo ezitsolo?” Labuza kumkhombe.
She was curious about Rhino. “Why does your horn have a sharp point?”
Ya botsa Kubu, “Goreng matlho a gago a hibitse jaana?”
Yaphinde yahlangana nemvubu. “Kungani unamehlo abomvu?”
Lalilangazelela ukwazi ngemvubu. “Kutheni unamehlo abomvu nje?” Labuza kwimvubu.
She was curious about Hippo. “Why do you have red eyes?” she asked.
Phologotswana e, e ne e sa fele pelo. Mme bogolosegolo, e ne e batla go itse ka kwena. “Kwena e lalela ka eng?” ya botsa.
Ngoba yayithanda izinto, yafuna ukwazi ngengwenya. Ngabe ingwenya idlani ngesidlo sakusihlwa?
Kanti lalilangazelela KAKHULU ukwazi ngengwenya. ”Ingwenya itya ntoni ngesidlo sangokuhlwa?”
And she was VERY curious about Crocodile. “What does Crocodile eat for dinner?” she asked.
“Tlogela go tlhola o botsa dipotso” ga rialo mmagwe. A tsamaya a sentse sefatlhego.
“Ungalokothi ubuze umbuzo onjalo!” kusho umama wayo. Yahamba inyukubele.
“Ungakulinge uphinde ubuze umbuzo onjalo!” watsho umama walo. Waze wahamba engatyhilekanga.
“Never ask a question like that!” said her mother. Then she walked off, frowning.
“Ntshale morago. Ke tla go bontsha dilalelo tsa Kwena kwa nokeng,” ga rialo Legakabe.
Ngokushesha igwababa landizela phansi, lahlala eduze kwendlovu. Lathi, “Ngilandele siye emfuleni, uzobona-ke ukuthi ingwenya idlani kusihlwa.”
Kodwa ngokukhawuleza kwafika uNomyayi owayekrelekrele wathi, “Ndilandele siye emlanjeni. Apho uza kutsho ubone ukuba ingwenya itya ntoni ngesopholo.”
Quickly Crow flew down to baby elephant. “Follow me to the river. There you will see what Crocodile eats for dinner,” squawked Crow.
Tlowana le Lekgakabe ba leba kwa nokeng.
Nangempela indlovu yalandela igwababa.
Ngenene ithole lendlovu lalandela unomyayi ukuya emlanjeni.
So the baby elephant followed Crow down to the river.
Tlowana ya sutlha fa gare ga matlhaka, ya ema fa leribeng la noka. Ya lebelela ka fa gare ga metsi. “Kwena e kae?”
Indlovu yazimpintsha yangena emhlangeni yama osebeni lomfula. Iphi ingwenya pho?
Lazinyanzela ezingcongolweni laze lema enyeleni yomlambo. Lajonga emanzini. Yayiphi ingwenya?
She pushed through the reeds and stood on the bank. She looked into the water. Where was Crocodile?
“Dumela,” letlapa la dumedisa. “Dumela,” Tlowana a dumela. “A o ka mpolelela gore Kwena o lalela ka eng?”
“Sawubona,” kusho itshe ngasosebeni lomfula. “Yebo,” kuphendula indlovu. “Ungangitshela ukuthi ingwenya idlani ngesidlo sakusihlwa?”
“Molo,” kwatsho ilitye elalingakwinyele yomlambo. “Ewe,” laphendula ithole lendlovu. “Ungandichazela ukuba ingwenya itya ntoni ngesopholo?”
“Hello,” said a stone near the river bank. “Hello,” said Baby Elephant. “Can you tell me what Crocodile eats for dinner?” she asked.
“Khubama ke bolelele” ga bua letlapa. “Inama, inama gape.” Tlowana ya inamela kwa tlase ka fa nokeng go fitlhela.
“Lalela-ke, goba ngizokutshela,” kuphendula itshe. “Goba futhi, futhi,” kuqhubeka itshe. Nangempela indlovu yehlela phansi yaze.”
“Goba uze ezantsi ndizokukuxelela,” laphendula ilitye. “Yehla, yehla, kwakhona.” Ngenene ithole lendlovu lagoba, lehla, laphinda lehla laze.
“Bend down and I will tell you,” said the stone. “Lower, lower,” said the stone. So Baby Elephant bent down lower, and lower.
“Swatho!” nko ya Tlowana ya felela ka fa gare ga metlhagare ya Kwena. “Kwena e tla lalela ka wena,” ga rialo Legakabe.
“Ngqi!” Ikhala layo lase lise mhlathini wengwenya. “Helele! Izodla wena ingwenya ngesidlo sakusihlwa!” kutswininiza igwababa.
“Xhakamfu!” Impumlo yethole lendlovu yabe sele isezindlathini zengwenya. “Ingwenya iza kutya wena ngesopholo!” Wakhala watsho unomyayi.
Then suddenly, “Snap!” Baby Elephant’s nose was caught in Crocodile’s jaws. “Crocodile will eat you for dinner!” squawked Crow, and flew away.
Tlowana ya pharama fa fatshe ya itsetsepela ka maoto a yona a a tiileng, ya goga nko, ya goga, ya goga. Fela Kwena ya itshwarelela ya gana go tlogela.
Indlovu yazabalaza ngemilenze yayo yangemuva eqinile, yadonsa, yadonsa, yadonsa. Ingwenya ayizange iyidedele. Ikhala lendlovu ladonseka, ladonseka, ladonseka. Dalakaxa! Yawa yashayeka ngomhlane odakeni.
Ithole lendlovu laxhathisa ngemilenze yalo yangemva eqinileyo, latsala, latsala, latsala. Kodwa ingwenya ayatsho ukuliyeka.
Baby Elephant sat back on her strong legs and pulled. She pulled, and pulled. But Crocodile did not let go of her nose.
Nko ya Tlowana ya taologa, ya taologa go fitlhelelela “Ruthuuu!” Tlowana ya kanama.
Tshobe ingwenya emanzini. “Ngaze ngaphuthelwa ukudla okumnandi!”
Impumlo yethole lendlovu yanwebeka, yanwebeka, yanwebeka laze. “Dudlu!” lawa labetheka ngomqolo.
Baby Elephant’s nose stretched, and stretched, and stretched. Then, “Thud!” she fell on her back.
Ka go latlhegelwa ke dilalelo tsa yona, Kwena ya tlala pelo ya lelemela ka fa gare ga metsi.
Indlovu yabheka umboko wayo. “Maye! Ikhala lami leli, elide kangaka?”
Ngokudikwa kukuphuncukwa sisidlo, ingwenya yatshona phantsi kwamazi.
Crocodile sunk back into the water. He was cross about losing his dinner.
Tlowana ya batlana le nko ya yona, fela ya palelwa ke go bona kwa e felelang teng.
Lalilide kangangoba lalikwazi ukufinyelela emagatsheni aphezulu esihlahleni.
Ithole lendlovu lajonga impumlo yalo. Kodwa lalingakwazi ukubona apho yayiphela khona!
Baby Elephant looked at her nose. It was stretched very long. She could not see where it ended!
E ne e le telele jaaka tsela ya Kgalagadi, mo eleng gore e ne e kgona go fitlhelela maungo a a leng kwa godimo ga setlhare.
Indlovu kwayisiza lokhu. Yayisikwazi ukuzigeza umhlane wayo ngamanzi uma ilanga lishisa.
Impumlo yalo yayinde kangangokuba yayinokukwazi ukukha iziqhamo emasebeni aphezulu emithi.
Her nose was so long she could pick fruit from high branches.
Gape e ne e itshela ka metsi fa letsatsi le fisa thata. Go tloga ka lona letsatsi leo, dinko tsa ditlou tse di telele, di ne tsa ba tswela mosola.
Kusukela ngalelo langa, zonke izindlovu zinemiboko emide elusizo kuzona.
Impumlo yalo yayinde kangangokuba yayinokukwazi nokuhlamba umqolo walo ngamanzi. Ukusukela ngaloo mini, zonke iindlovu zaba nemiboko emide eluncedo.
Her nose was so long she could shower her back with water. From that day, all elephants had long and useful trunks.
Written by: Judith Baker
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Atteridgeville Pilot Teachers
