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Abantwana bekhandlela Children of wax

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Ntombizodwa Gxowa-Dlayedwa

Language Xhosa

Level Level 2

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Kudala, kwakuhlala usapho olonwabileyo.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.


Abazange balwe omnye nomnye. Babebanceda abazali babo ekhaya nasemasimini.

They never fought with each other. They helped their parents at home and in the fields.


Kodwa babengavumelekanga ukuba basondele emlilweni.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.


Kwakufuneka benze wonke umsebenzi wabo ebusuku. Kuba babenziwe ngekhandlela!

They had to do all their work during the night. Because they were made of wax!


kodwa omnye wamakhwenkwe wayelangazelela ukuphuma phandle elangeni.

But one of the boys longed to go out in the sunlight.


Ngenye imini ulangazelelo lwakhula ngamandla. Abantakwabo bamlumkisa…

One day the longing was too strong. His brothers warned him…


k Ngenye imini ulangazelelo lwakhula ngamandla. Abantakwabo bamlumkisa…

But it was too late! He melted in the hot sun.


Abantwana bekhandlela baba lusizi kakhulu ukubona untakwabo enyibilike waphela.

The wax children were so sad to see their brother melting away.


Kodwa, benza icebo. Babumba igaqa lekhalindlela laba yintaka.

But they made a plan. They shaped the lump of melted wax into a bird.


Bathatha umntakwabo oyintaka, bamsa phezu kwentaba ephakamileyo.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.


Njengoko ilanga liphuma, wabhabhela kude evuma kukukhanya kwakusasa.

And as the sun rose, he flew away singing into the morning light.


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Ntombizodwa Gxowa-Dlayedwa
Language: Xhosa
Level: Level 2
Source: Children of wax from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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