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What Vusi’s sister said What Vusi's sister said Ifyalandile nkashi yakwa Vusi

Written by Nina Orange

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Read by Darshan Soni

Language English

Level Level 4

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


Early one morning Vusi’s granny called him, “Vusi, please take this egg to your parents. They want to make a large cake for your sister’s wedding.”

Early one morning Vusi’s granny called him, “Vusi, please take this egg to your parents. They want to make a large cake for your sister’s wedding.”

Ubushiku bumo ulucelo Vusi balimwitile kuli banakulu, “Vusi, napaapaata twala ilini ili ku bafyashi bobe. Baleefwaya ukupanga keeke iikalamba iyapabwinga bwakwa nkashi yobe.”


On his way to his parents, Vusi met two boys picking fruit. One boy grabbed the egg from Vusi and shot it at a tree. The egg broke.

On his way to his parents, Vusi met two boys picking fruit. One boy grabbed the egg from Vusi and shot it at a tree. The egg broke.

Mu nshila pakuya ku bafyashi bakwe, Vusi aakumenye abalumendo babili baleetoola ifitwalo. Umulumendo umo asompwele ilini kuli Vusi alitoba ku cimuti. Ilini lyalitobeke.


“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That egg was for a cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. What will my sister say if there is no wedding cake?”

“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That egg was for a cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. What will my sister say if there is no wedding cake?”

“Ngefi wacita?” efyailishenye Vusi. “Ilini lilya lyaciba lyakupangila keeke. Keeke yaciba no kuba yapa bwinga bwakwa nkashi yandi. Nkashi yandi alalanda shani nga takwabe keeke yapa bwinga?”


The boys were sorry for teasing Vusi. “We can’t help with the cake, but here is a walking stick for your sister,” said one. Vusi continued on his journey.

The boys were sorry for teasing Vusi. “We can’t help with the cake, but here is a walking stick for your sister,” said one. Vusi continued on his journey.

Abalumendo balilombele ubwelelo pafyo baacushishe Vusi. “Tapali ifyo twingacita pali keeke, lelo senda inkonto upeele nkashi yobe,” efyo umo aasosele. Vusi alikonkenyepo ubulendo bwakwe.


Along the way he met two men building a house. “Can we use that strong stick?” asked one. But the stick was not strong enough for building, and it broke.

Along the way he met two men building a house. “Can we use that strong stick?” asked one. But the stick was not strong enough for building, and it broke.

Mu nshila aakumenye abaume babili baleekuula iŋanda. “Bushe kuti twabomfyako icimuti ico icakosa?” efyo umo aipwishe. Lelo icimuti tacakosele icakubomfiwa mu makuule, efyo caputwike.


“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That stick was a gift for my sister. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for the cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift. What will my sister say?”

“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That stick was a gift for my sister. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for the cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift. What will my sister say?”

“Ngefi wacita?” Vusi ailishanya. “Ico icimuti caciba buupe bwakwa nkashi yandi. Abacilatoola ifitwalo ebacimpeela icimuti pantu bacitoba ilini lyakupangila keeke. Keeke yaciba no kuba yapa bwinga bwakwa nkashi yandi. Nomba tapali ilini, tapali keeke, elyo kabili tapali no bupe. Nkashi yandi alalanda shani? ”


The builders were sorry for breaking the stick. “We can’t help with the cake, but here is some thatch for your sister,” said one. And so Vusi continued on his journey.

The builders were sorry for breaking the stick. “We can’t help with the cake, but here is some thatch for your sister,” said one. And so Vusi continued on his journey.

Bakakuula balilombele ubwelelo pafyo baakontwele icimuti. “Tapali ifyo twingacita pali keeke, lelo buula icaani ici upeele nkashi yobe,” efyo umo aasosele. Vusi alikonkenyepo ubulendo bwakwe.


Along the way, Vusi met a farmer and a cow. “What delicious thatch, can I have a nibble?” asked the cow. But the thatch was so tasty that the cow ate it all!

Along the way, Vusi met a farmer and a cow. “What delicious thatch, can I have a nibble?” asked the cow. But the thatch was so tasty that the cow ate it all!

Mu nshila, Vusi aakumenye umulimi ali ne ŋombe. “Yangu icaani ici ubusuma, bushe kuti nalyapo cinoono?” efyaipwishe iŋombe. Lelo icaani caliweme saana icakuti iŋombe yaliliile conse!


“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That thatch was a gift for my sister. The builders gave me the thatch because they broke the stick from the fruit pickers. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for my sister’s cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift. What will my sister say?”

“What have you done?” cried Vusi. “That thatch was a gift for my sister. The builders gave me the thatch because they broke the stick from the fruit pickers. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for my sister’s cake. The cake was for my sister’s wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift. What will my sister say?”

“Ngefi wacita?” efyailishenye Vusi. “Icaani ico caciba buupe bwakwa nkashi yandi. Bakakuula bacimpela icaani pantu bacikontola icimuti icacifuma ku bacilatoola ifitwalo. Abacilatoola ifitwalo bacimpeela icimuti pantu bacitoba ilini ilyakupangila keeke yakwa nkashi yandi. Keeke yaciba no kuba yapa bwinga bwakwe. Nomba tapali ilini, tapali keeke, elyo kabili tapali no bupe. Nkashi yandi alaayalanda shani? ”


The cow was sorry she was greedy. The farmer agreed that the cow could go with Vusi as a gift for his sister. And so Vusi carried on.

The cow was sorry she was greedy. The farmer agreed that the cow could go with Vusi as a gift for his sister. And so Vusi carried on.

Iŋombe yalilomba ubwelelo pali ubu buliili. Umulimi alisumine ukuti Vusi asende iŋombe nga ubupe bwakwa nkashi yakwe. Efyo Vusi akonkenyepo.


But the cow ran back to the farmer at supper time. And Vusi got lost on his journey. He arrived very late for his sister’s wedding. The guests were already eating.

But the cow ran back to the farmer at supper time. And Vusi got lost on his journey. He arrived very late for his sister’s wedding. The guests were already eating.

Lelo iŋombe yalibutwike no kubwelela ku mulimi ilyo inshita ya kulya icakulya ca mulalilo yafikile. Vusi nao alilubile pa bulendo bwakwe. Aafikile ku bwinga bwakwa nkashi yakwe ubushiku saana. Abaitilwe ku bwinga ninshi nabatampa no kulya.


“What shall I do?” cried Vusi. “The cow that ran away was a gift, in return for the thatch the builders gave me. The builders gave me the thatch because they broke the stick from the fruit pickers. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for the cake. The cake was for the wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift.”

“What shall I do?” cried Vusi. “The cow that ran away was a gift, in return for the thatch the builders gave me. The builders gave me the thatch because they broke the stick from the fruit pickers. The fruit pickers gave me the stick because they broke the egg for the cake. The cake was for the wedding. Now there is no egg, no cake, and no gift.”

“Nalacita shani?” efyailishenye Vusi. “lIya ŋombe ibutwike yaciba buupe, pa caani bakakuula bampeele. Bakakuula bacimpeela icaani pantu bacikontola icimuti icacifuma ku bacilatoola ifitwalo. Abacilatoola ifitwalo bacimpeela icimuti pantu bacitoba ilini lyakupangila keeke. Keeke yaciba no kuba yapa bwinga. Nomba tapali ilini, tapali keeke, kabili tapali no bupe.”


Vusi’s sister thought for a while, then she said, “Vusi my brother, I don’t really care about gifts. I don’t even care about the cake! We are all here together, I am happy. Now put on your smart clothes and let’s celebrate this day!” And so that’s what Vusi did.

Vusi’s sister thought for a while, then she said, “Vusi my brother, I don’t really care about gifts. I don’t even care about the cake! We are all here together, I am happy. Now put on your smart clothes and let’s celebrate this day!” And so that’s what Vusi did.

Nkashi yakwa Vusi alikutumene panshita iitali, elyo asosa ati, “Nshisakamene pa fyabupe, nangu pali keeke! Nintemwe pantu bonse tuli kuno kabili tuli abansansa. Nomba fwaleni ifyakufwala fyenu ifisuma tusefye ubu bushiku!” Nacine efyo Vusi aacitile.


Written by: Nina Orange
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Read by: Darshan Soni
Language: English
Level: Level 4
Source: What Vusi's sister said from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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