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Ndlela Leyi Risokoti Ri Nga Ponisa Tuva Wamphephisa Kanjani Utsheketshe Ujuba Indlela imbovane eyalihlangula ngayo ihobe How ant saved dove

Written by Kholeka Mabeta

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Mkomati John Mongwe

Language Tsonga

Level Level 2

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A ri ri siku ro hisa hi ximumu exihlahleni xo oma.

Lalishisa ngelinye ilanga ehlobo, ehlathini elomile.

Ilanga laligqats’ ubhobhoyi kwihlathi elomileyo.

It was a hot summer day in the dry forest.


Xisokotana a xi vangi na mati masiku yo tala.

Kwase kuyizinsuku eziningi uTsheketshe omncane engenamanzi.

Kwakusele kuziintsuku ezininzi imbovane encinane ingawaseli amanzi.

Little Ant had no water for many days.


“Ndzi lava thonsi ra mati, hambiloko ro huma eka tluka,” ku rila Xisokotana.

Ngidinga iconsi lamanzi, noma ngabe kungathiwa liconsa eqabungeni nje.

“Ndidinga ithontsi lamanzi nokuba liwa egqabini.”

“I need a drop of water, even if it falls from a leaf.”


Kambe hambi mberha wu omile.

Kodwa akusekho ngisho amazolo lawa.

Kodwa nombethe wawusele womile.

But even the dew had dried up.


“Loko ndzi nga ri na mati, ndzi ta fa,” ku rila Xisokotana. “Ndzi fanele ku ya enambyeni lowu ndzi nga twa hi wona.”

“Uma ngingaphuzi ngizofa, kuzomele ngiye kulomfula engake ngezwa ngawo,” kusho uTsheketshe omncane.

“Ukuba andiseli manzi ngoku, ndiza kufa,” yatsho imbovane encinane inyembezana. “Kufuneka ndiye kula mlambo bendive ngawo.”

“If I don’t drink, I will die,” cried Little Ant. “I must go to the river I have heard about.”


“Nambu wu tele naswona wu na matimba. Wu ta ku khukhula wu famba na wena,” maxindyana xi n’wi tsundzuxa.

“Uzomuka nomfula, ” kuxwayisa uNgwejeje ohlakaniphile.

“Umlambo uza kumka nawe,” watsho unomatse okrelekrele eyilumkisa.

“The river will sweep you away,” a wise squirrel warned him.


Kambe Xisokotana a xi ri ni torha swinene. “Ndzi ta fa loko ndzi nga nwi matsongo.” Hakunene, xi fambile ku ya lava mati enambyeni.

Kodwa uTsheketshe omncane wayenxanwe kakhulu. “Ngizofa uma ngingaphuzi,” kusho yena.

Kodwa yayomile lunxano imbovane encinane. “Ndiza kufa ukuba andiseli manzi ngoku.”

But Little Ant was so thirsty. “I will die if I don’t drink some water.”


Xi fambile xi hundza xintshitshi xa byanyi ehenhla ka marhavi yo oma.

UTsheketsheke omncane wahamba wayofuna umfula.

Imbovane encinane yahamba isiya kukhangela loo mlambo.

Little Ant went to look for the river…


Xi fambile ku kondza xi twa ku haxa ka mati. A ku ri nambu! A xi kota ku twa magandlati.

Wayenqamula otshanini obomile, nasemagatsheni omile.

Yahamba yahamba idlula kwingca eyomileyo nakumahlahla awomileyo.

across dry grass and over dry branches…


Xisokotana xi nwile mati yo titimela nkarhi wo leha.

Kwaze kwaba uzwa umsindo wamagagasi echaphaka lapha nalaphaya.

Yahamba yade yeva ukugwinkciza kwamanzi omlambo.

…until he heard the waves of the river splashing.


A a xi tsakile hikuva a xi vonangi gandlati ri ri eku teni.

UTsheketshe omncane wahabula amanzi engaphezi.

Imbovane encinane yathatha ithamo lamanzi ixesha elide.

Little Ant took a long sip of cool water.


Xisokotana xi bvungile byanyi byin’wana lebyi a byi xi hundza. Kambe xi khukhuriwile hi mati.

Wayejabule kangangoba akalibonanga igagasi elikhulu elabe liza lizomemboza.

Ngendlela eyayivuya ngayo ayizange ilibone iliza elikhulu lamanzi elalisiza.

He was so happy he did not see the huge wave coming.


“Ndzi pfuneni vanhoo! Ndzi kombela mi ndzi pfuna! Xi huwelela.”

UTsheketshe wazama ukubambelela otshanini obomile eduze kwakhe. Kodwa wathathwa amanzi amphonsa kude.

Imbovane yazama ukubambelela emcingeni owomileyo wengca owawudlula ngakuyo. Kodwa yemka namanzi.

Ant tried to grab the dry grass floating past him. But he was swept away by the water.


“Hatlisa, khandziya ehenhla,” ku vula Tuva ro Bava ri khomile rhavi hi tontswi ya nomu ya xona.

“Ngisizeni bo! Ngisizeni bo!”

“Ndincedeni bantu. Khanindincede.”

“Help someone. Help me please.”


“Ndzi ta tshama kwala ku kondza ndzi khensa tuva,” ku vula Xisokotana.

“Shesha gibela lana, ” kusho uJuba omhlophe ebambe ukhuni ngomlomo wakhe.

“Khawuleza, bambelela apha,” latsho ihobe elimhlophe liphethe ikhuni ngomlomo.

“Quick, climb on,” said White Dove, holding a branch in his beak.


Siku rin’wana loko xa ha yimile, vafana vambirhi va tile enambyeni.


“Ku na tuva ro basa leri taka laha ku ta nwa mati,” ku vula mufana un’wana.

“Angizukuhamba ngize ngibonge kujuba. Ngizolinda aze abuye azophuza futhi, ” kusho Utsheketshe.

“Andinakuhamba ndingekalibuleli ihobe. Ndiza kulinda lide lize kusela amanzi.”

“I cannot leave until I say thank you to the dove. I will wait until he comes back to drink.”


“A ndzi nga swi koti ku pfumelela vafana va dlaya Tuva ro Basa,” ku anakanya Xisokotana.

Ngelinye ilanga esaloku alinda njalo uTsheketshe, kwaqhamuka abafana ababili bephethe izihlilingi.

Ngenye imini isalindile njalo, kwafika amakhwenkwe amabini emlanjeni ephethe iiketi zawo.

One day as he waited, two boys came to the river with their slingshots.


Endzhaku ka sweswo, Tuva ro Basa ri hahela ehansi ku suka emurhini ku ya nwa.

“Kunejuba elikhulu elimhlophe eliphuza kulomfula, lizoba ukudla kwethu kwasebusuku, ” kusho omunye umfana.

“Kukho ihobe elikhulu elimhlophe elidla ngokuza kusela amanzi apha,” yatsho enye inkwenkwe. “Siza kutya lona ngale ngokuhlwa.”

“There is a big white dove that comes here to drink,” said one boy. “We will have it for supper tonight.”


Xisokotana a xi ri na miehleketo.


Xi tlulerile eka nenge wun’we wa mufana.

“Angeke ngavumela labafana babulale uJuba omhlophe. Kodwa ngimncane kakhulu, yini nje engingayenza?”.

“Andinakuwavumela la makhwenkwe alibulale eli hobe limhlophe. Kodwa njengokuba ndimncinane kangaka nje, ndingenza ntoni?”

“I cannot let the boys kill White Dove. But I am so tiny, what can I do?”


Mufana u tlurile. “Yoo!” a ba huwa.

Ngawo lowo mzuzu uJuba omhlophe wandiza wehlela phansi ukuzophuza.

Kanye ngelo xesha ihobe elimhlophe labhabha lisuka emthini lisiya kusela.

Just then White Dove flew down from the tree to drink.


Tuva ro Basa a ri chavisa kutani ri hahile ku va ri hlayiseka.


Leyi hi yona ndlela leyi Xisokotana xi nga khensa Tuva ro Basa ku va xi ri ponisile.

UTsheketshe omncane waba nesu.

Imbovane encinane yavela necebo.

Little Ant had an idea.


Written by: Kholeka Mabeta
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Mkomati John Mongwe
Language: Tsonga
Level: Level 2
Source: How ant saved dove from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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