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Tomu kashitisha wa nkonde
Tom muuza ndizi
Tom the banana seller
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Sandra Mulesu
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Tom alasenda ulupe lwa nkonde ishapya.
Tom anabeba tenga la ndizi zilizoiva.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tom alaya ku maliketi mu kushitisha inkonde.
Tom anaenda sokoni kuuza ndizi.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Abantu pa maliketi baleeshita ifitwalo.
Sokoni watu wananunua matunda.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Nomba tapali nangu umo uuleshita kuli Tomu.
Lakini hakuna anayenunua ndizi za Tom. Wanapenda kununua matunda kutoka kwa akina mama.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
“Mu mushi wesu, banamaayofye ebashitisha ifitwalo,” efilanda abantu. “Mwaume wa musango shani uyu?” efyo bepusha.
“Kwenye jamii yetu, ni wanawake pekee ndio wanaouza matunda,” watu wanasema. “Ni mwanamume wa aina gani huyu?” watu wanahoji.
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
Nomba Tomu taleka. Aleeta abantu, “Shiteni inkonde shandi! Shiteni inkonde shandi ishapya kabili ishalowa!”
Lakini Tom hakati tamaa. Anaita, “Nunua ndizi zangu! Nunueni ndizi zangu tamu zilizoiva!”
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
Namaayo umo asendapo inkonde shimo pa lupe. Ashilolekesha bwino-bwino.
Mwanamke mmoja anachukua kichane cha ndizi kutoka kwenye tenga. Anaziangalia ndizi kwa umakini.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
Uyu namaayo ashita inkonde.
Mwanamke ananunua ndizi.
The woman buys the bananas.
Abantu abengi baisa pali Tomu. Balashita inkonde shakwa Tomu no kushilya.
Watu wengine wanakuja kwenye kichanja. Wananunua ndizi za Tom na kuzila.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
Ukwabula ukupoosa inshita, inkonde shapwa mu lupe. Tomu apenda indalama apanga.
Mara, tenga linakuwa tupu. Tom anahesabu pesa alizopata.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Tomu ashitamo isopo, shuga no mukate. Afibiika mu lupe.
Tom ananunua sabuni, sukari, na mkate. Anaweka vitu kwenye tenga lake.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tomu alaatengeseela ulupe lwakwe pa mutwe no kubwelela ku ŋanda.
Tom anajitwisha tenga kichwani na kwenda nyumbani.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
Written by: Humphreys Odunga
Illustrated by: Zablon Alex Nguku
Translated by: Sandra Mulesu
