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Xindlopfana Xo Hlamarisa
Indlovu Eyayithanda Izinto
Indlela Iindlovu Ezafumana Ngayo Imiboko Emide
Curious Baby Elephant
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Hinkwenu ha swi tiva leswaku ndlopfu yi na nhompfu yo leha swinene.
Siyazi ukuthi indlovu inomboko omude.
Sonke siyayazi into yokuba indlovu inomboko omde.
Everyone knows that the elephant has a very long nose.
Kambe khale ka khaleni, nompfu ya ndlopfu a yi ri yo koma na ku nona. Ku fana na ntangu exikarhi ka xikandza xa yona.
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.
Siku rin’wana xindlopfana xi velekiwile. A xi lava ku tiva hi xin’wana na xin’wana. A xi ri na xivutiso xa xiharhi xin’wana na xin’wana.
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.
A xi lava ku tiva hi nhuntlwa. “Hikokwalaho ka yini u ri na nhamu yo leha?” xi vutisa.
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.
A xi lava ku tiva hi mhelembe. “Hikokwalaho ka yini rimhondzo ra wena ri ri na ndhawu yo tontswa?”
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?”
A xi lava ku tiva hi mpfuvu. “Hikokwalaho ka yini u ri na mahlo yo tshwuka?” xi vutisa.
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.
Nakambe a xi lava ku tiva SWINENE hi ngwenya. “Xana ngwenya yi dya yini nimadyambu?” xi vutisa.
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.
“U nga tshuki u vutisa xivutiso xo fana na xexo!” ku vula mhani wa yena. Endzhaku ka sweswo xi suke xi famba, xi khanyanisa xikandza.
“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.
Hi xihatla wukuwuku ri ehlela ehansi eka xindlopfana. “Ndzi landzi ku ya enambyeni. Ka ndhawu yaleyo u ta vona leswi ngwenya yi swi dyaka nimadyambu,” ku rila wukuwuku.
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.
Endzhaku ka sweswo xindlopfana xi landzelela wukuwuku xi rhelela xi ya enambyeni.
Nangempela indlovu yalandela igwababa.
Ngenene ithole lendlovu lalandela unomyayi ukuya emlanjeni.
So the baby elephant followed Crow down to the river.
Xindlopfana xi sindzisile ku tirhisa tinhlanga ivi xi yima eribuweni ra nambu. Xi langutile endzeni ka mati. Xana Ngwenya a yi ri kwihi?
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?
“Avuxeni,” ku pfumela ribye ekusuhi na ribuwa ra nambu. “Avuxeni,” ku vula xindlopfana. “Ndzi kombela u ndzi byela leswaku ndlopfu yi dya yini nimadyambu?” xi vutisa.
“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.
“Voyamela ehansi kutani ndzi ta ku byela,” ku vula ribye. “Ehansi, ehansi,” ku vula ribye. Hiloko xindlopfana xi voyamela ehansi swinene.
“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.
Endzhaku ka sweswo hi xihatla, “Tshoveka!” Nhompfu ya xindlopfana yi khomiwa hi tinhlaya ta ngwenya. “Ngwenya yi ta dya wena eka swakudya swa nimadyambu!” ku rila wukuwuku, ivi ri haha ri famba.
“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.
Xindlopfana a xi tshamile endzhaku ka milenge ya rona yo tiya yo tsindziyela kutani xi kokiwa. Kambe Ngwenya a yi swi kotangi ku susa nhompfu ya yona.
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.
Nhompfu ya xindlopfana yi hudula, na ku hudula, na ku hudula. Endzhaku ka sweswo, “Huduu!” xi wela enhlaneni wa xona.
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.
Ngwenya yi mbombomerile yi tlhelela endzeni ka mati. A yi hlundzukile ku va yi lahlekeriwile hi swakudya swa yona swa nimadyambu.
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.
Xindlopfana xi langutile nhompfu ya xona. A yi tsanyukile wu leha swinene. A xi kotangi ku vona lomu a wu helela kona.
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!
Nhompfu ya xona a yi lehile swinene lero a xi kota ku kha mihandzu eka marhavi ya le henhla.
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.
Nhompfu ya xona a yi ri yo leha swinene a xi kota ku tihlambisa nhlana wa xona hi mati. Ku suka siku rero, tindlopfu hinkwato ti vile na mixakwa yo leha na makhwiri ya nkoka.
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 BakerIllustrated by: Wiehan de JagerTranslated by: Mkomati John Mongwe
