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Tom kapotesha wamakonde
Tom the banana seller
Tomu kashitisha wa nkonde
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
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Tom wasenda kipe kya makonde apya.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tom alasenda ulupe lwa nkonde ishapya.
Tom waya kukisankanyi nakupotesha makonde.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Tom alaya ku maliketi mu kushitisha inkonde.
Bantu kuki sankanyi babena kupota makonde.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Abantu pa maliketi baleeshita ifitwalo.
Pano kechi babena kupota makonde a kwa Tom ne. Babena kupota bipangwa kubaba bakazhi.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
Nomba tapali nangu umo uuleshita kuli Tomu.
“Muno mwetu, babakazhi boba poteshatu bipangwa,” bantu baamba. “Wamulume wamu tunduka awe?” bantu waipuzha.
“In our community, only women sell fruit,” people say. “What kind of a man is this?” people ask.
“Mu mushi wesu, banamaayofye ebashitisha ifitwalo,” efilanda abantu. “Mwaume wa musango shani uyu?” efyo bepusha.
Pano Tom aye kechi ubena kuleka ne, ke abijike! Makonde! iyayi mupote makonde atobala ne kupya!”
But Tom does not give up.
He calls, “Buy my bananas!
Buy my sweet ripe bananas!”
Nomba Tomu taleka. Aleeta abantu, “Shiteni inkonde shandi! Shiteni inkonde shandi ishapya kabili ishalowa!”
Wamukazhi umo watolapo makonde. Wiatajisha bulongo.
One woman picks up a bunch of bananas from the tray.
She looks at the bananas carefully.
Namaayo umo asendapo inkonde shimo pa lupe. Ashilolekesha bwino-bwino.
Wamukazhi wapota ne makonde.
The woman buys the bananas.
Uyu namaayo ashita inkonde.
Bantu bakwabo baiya ne pakitamba kyanji. Ba pota ne makonde akwa Tom ne kuja.
More people come to the stall.
They buy Tom’s bananas and eat them.
Abantu abengi baisa pali Tomu. Balashita inkonde shakwa Tomu no kushilya.
Kipe kyanji kyapwa nekupwa. Tom wabelenga ne mali anji.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Ukwabula ukupoosa inshita, inkonde shapwa mu lupe. Tomu apenda indalama apanga.
Tom wa bwela wapota ne sopo ne shuga ne shinkwa. Wa bika ne pakipe kyanji.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tomu ashitamo isopo, shuga no mukate. Afibiika mu lupe.
Tom wasenda ne kipe kyanji pamutwe waya ne kuya kunzubo.
Tom balances the tray on his head and goes home.
Tomu alaatengeseela ulupe lwakwe pa mutwe no kubwelela ku ŋanda.
Written by: Humphreys Odunga
Illustrated by: Zablon Alex Nguku
Translated by: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
