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UMgcini nekhaya leenkedama Umgcini nesikhungo esikhethekile UMgcini nekhaya leenkedama Keeper and His Special Nursery

Written by Ursula Nafula, Nina Orange

Illustrated by Magriet Brink

Translated by Kholeka Mabeta

Language Xhosa

Level Level 2

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Eli bali lithetha ngoMgcini nekhaya lakhe lezilwanyana eziziinkedama.

Lena yindaba yomgcini nesikhungo sezilwane eziyizintandane.

Eli bali lithetha ngoMgcini nekhaya lakhe lezilwanyana eziziinkedama.

This is the story of Keeper and his nursery for orphaned animals.


Le nyanga iphelileyo ibixakeke kakhulu kweli khaya. UNomsa ononyaka omnye ezelwe waba ngokowokuqala ukufika. Wayebhityile ekhathazekile.

Inyanga edlule kwakuyinyanga ematasatasa esikhungwini. UNomusa ononyaka waba ngowokuqala ukufika. Wayezacile futhi elusizi.

Le nyanga iphelileyo ibixakeke kakhulu kweli khaya. UNomsa ononyaka omnye ezelwe waba ngokowokuqala ukufika. Wayebhityile ekhathazekile.

Last month was a busy month at the nursery. The first one to arrive at the nursery was one-year old Nomsa. She was thin and sad.


Kodwa ngokukhawuleza, uNomsa womelela. Waqalisa ukudlala nezinye izilwanyana.

Kodwa ngokukhulu ukushesha uNomusa wavele waqina. Waqala ukudlala nezinye izilwane.

Kodwa ngokukhawuleza, uNomsa womelela. Waqalisa ukudlala nezinye izilwanyana.

But soon, Nomsa got stronger. She began to play with the other animals.


Ngenye imini kulonyanga, kwafika inqwelo-ntaka kwelo khaya leenkedama.

Ngelinye ilanga ngayo leyo nyanga, kwathi cababa indiza enophephela emhlane kuleso sikhungo.

Ngenye imini kulonyanga, kwafika inqwelo-ntaka kwelo khaya leenkedama.

On another day that month, a helicopter landed at the nursery.


Kulo nqwelo-ntaka kwakukho intshontsho lendlovu lombathiswe ngengubo enkulu.

Kundiza enophephela emhlane kwakunendlovu encane phansi kwengubo yokulala enkulu.

Kulo nqwelo-ntaka kwakukho intshontsho lendlovu lombathiswe ngengubo enkulu.

In the helicopter was a small elephant under a big blanket. Her name was Ndiwa.


UNdiwa wayephantsi kwengubo. Wayeneentsuku ezintlanu ubudala. UMgcini wancancisa uNdiwa ibhotile.

UNdiwa wayengaphansi kwengubo yokulala. Wayenezinsuku ezinhlanu ezelwe. Umgcini wamncelisa ibhodlela.

UNdiwa wayephantsi kwengubo. Wayeneentsuku ezintlanu ubudala. UMgcini wancancisa uNdiwa ibhotile.

Ndiwa was five days old. Keeper fed Ndiwa with a bottle.


Ngobunye ubusuku, wonke umntu wavuswa kukufika kuka Ambia.

Ngobunye ubusuku, wonke umuntu wavuswa ngukufika kuka-Ambiya.

Ngobunye ubusuku, wonke umntu wavuswa kukufika kuka Ambia.

One night, everybody was woken up by the arrival of Ambia, a giraffe.


UAmbia wayeneenyanga ezintlanu ubudala. Wayebuthathaka emva kohambo lwakhe olude.

U-Ambiya wayenezinyanga ezinhlanu. Wayebuthakathaka emva kohambo lwakhe olude.

UAmbia wayeneenyanga ezintlanu ubudala. Wayebuthathaka emva kohambo lwakhe olude.

Ambia was five months’ old. She was weak after her long journey.


Ngenxa yentamo yakhe ende, uMgcini wayibambela phezulu ibhotile encancisa uAmbia.

Ngenxa yentamo yakhe ende, umgcini kwakufanele aliphakamisele phezulu ibhodlela ukuze akwazi ukumncelisa.

Ngenxa yentamo yakhe ende, uMgcini wayibambela phezulu ibhotile encancisa uAmbia.

Because of her long neck, Keeper held the bottle high to feed Ambia.


Iinkedama zokugqibela ukufika kulo nyanga zilambile yayingamantshontsho uKopi, uKepi kunye noKeji.

Izintandane ezagcina ukufika ngaleyo nyanga kwakungamawundlu ayelambile oKopi, noKepi, noKeji.

Iinkedama zokugqibela ukufika kulo nyanga zilambile yayingamantshontsho uKopi, uKepi kunye noKeji.

The last orphans to arrive that month were three hungry cubs. Their names were Kopi, Kepi and Keji.


UMgcini nabancedi bakhe bazithanda zonke izilwanyana, nditsho nezihluphayo.

Umgcini nabasizi bakhe babezithanda zonke izilwane, ngisho nalezo ezigangile.

UMgcini nabancedi bakhe bazithanda zonke izilwanyana, nditsho nezihluphayo.

Keeper and his helpers love all of the animals, even the naughty ones.


Abantu abakwikhaya lenkedama basebenza ngamandla. Bathemba ukuba ngenye imini iinkedama zingakwazi ukuziphilela. Ezi zilwanyana zibuyele endle.

Abantu bakulesi sikhungo basebenza kanzima. Bathemba ukuthi ngelinye ilanga izintandane ziyokwazi ukuzinakekela ngokwazo. Uma kunjalo ziyokwazi ukubuyela endle.

Abantu abakwikhaya lenkedama basebenza ngamandla. Bathemba ukuba ngenye imini iinkedama zingakwazi ukuziphilela. Ezi zilwanyana zibuyele endle.

The people at the nursery work hard. They hope that one day the orphans can look after themselves. Then these animals can return to the wild.


Written by: Ursula Nafula, Nina Orange
Illustrated by: Magriet Brink
Translated by: Kholeka Mabeta
Language: Xhosa
Level: Level 2
Source: Keeper and his special nursery from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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