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Nozivele na aswana asachu Nozibele and the three hairs Nozibele no mushishi utatu

Written by Tessa Welch

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by masho kaloza

Language Luvale

Level Level 3

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


makumbi akunyima, mapwevo vatatu vayile nakumbata jikunyi.

A long time ago, three girls went out to collect wood.

Kale saana, abakashana batatu baile mu kuteeba inkuni.


lya pwile likumbi lizuma shikaho vayile ku lwiji nakusana. vahemene nakulichila meya nakuhala mumeya.

It was a hot day so they went down to the river to swim. They played and splashed and swam in the water.

Ubo bushiku kwalikabile saana, efyo baile ku mumana mu koowa. Baaleyangala, baleesabaula ameenshi no koowa.


chaluvinda, vachimwene vene ngwavo vachelewele. vatuchilile kwimbo.

Suddenly, they realised that it was late. They hurried back to the village.

Basuka bamona ukuti bwaila. Baendeshe ukubwelela ku mushi.


omu vahetele kwakamwihi nalimbo, Nozibele ahakile livoko lyenyi kushingo. avulamine wusanga!” alambililile masepa jenyi mangana vamutwaleko. wunonyi masepa jenyi vahanjikile ngwavo kwalavile.

When they were nearly home, Nozibele put her hand to her neck. She had forgotten her necklace! “Please come back with me!” she begged her friends. But her friends said it was too late.

Cilya bapalamina ku mushi, Nozibele aikete mu mukoshi. Asanga ukuti nalaba ubulungu bwamu mukoshi. Aapapeete abanankwe ati, “Napaapaata nshindikeniko!” Nomba abanankwe bamukanina abati naabwila.


kaha Nozibele ahilukile kukalwiji wukawenyi. awanyine wusanga wenyi nakutuchila kwimbo. wunonyi ajimbalile muwufuku.

So Nozibele went back to the river alone. She found her necklace and hurried home. But she got lost in the dark.

Nozibele epakubwekelamo ku mumana eka. Asanga ubulungu asenda atampa no kubwelela ku ŋanda. Nomba aaluba pantu kwalifiitile.


muwusuku amwene myeji kwiza kufuma kuchisambwe. atuchililileko naku kokomwesako.

In the distance she saw light coming from a hut. She hurried towards it and knocked at the door.

Akatalamukila, aamwene ulubuto ulwalefuma mu kayanda. Aendesha ukuyako no kuya konkonsha pa ciibi.


kulikomokela chenyi, kawa asokolwele chikolo nakuhanjika, ” waku tonda yika?” ngwajimbala shikaho nwakutonda kwakusavala,” Nozibele ahanjikile. “ingila nge chiku nankusuma!” Nozibele. kawa ahanjikile. kaha Nozibele engilile.

To her surprise, a dog opened the door and said, “What do you want?” “I’m lost and I need a place to sleep,” said Nozibele. “Come in, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog. So Nozibele went in.

Nozibele camupapwishe nganshi pa kumona Imbwa eyaisula iciibi no kumwipusha aiti, “Finshi ulefwaya?” Nozibele nao ati, “Ninduba, ndefwaya apo ningasendama.” Imbwa aiti, “Ingila nga teifyo naalakusuma!” Nozibele epakwingila.


kawa ahanjikile, ” nguhikile!” “unonyi kanda lyehi ngutelelyengaho kawa, ” akumbulwile. “hika, nge chiku nakusuma!” kawa ahanjikile. shikaho Nozibele atelekele vyakulya vya kawa.

Then the dog said, “Cook for me!” “But I’ve never cooked for a dog before,” she answered. “Cook, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog. So Nozibele cooked some food for the dog.

Elyo Imbwa yamweba ati, “Njipikilako!” Nozibele ayasuka ati, “Nomba nshatala njipikilapo imbwa.” Imbwa aiti, “Ipika nga teifyo naalakusuma.” Nozibele epakwipikila Imbwa ifyakulya.


kaha kawa ahanjikile, “ngwalileko kahela!” Nozibele akumbulwile, “kanda ngupangengaho lyehi kahela kakawa.” panga kahela nge chiku nakusuma!” kawa ahanjikile. kaha Nozibele apangile kahela.

Then the dog said, “Make the bed for me!” Nozibele answered, “I’ve never made a bed for a dog.” “Make the bed, or I’ll bite you!” the dog said. So Nozibele made the bed.

Imbwa kabili aiti, “Njanshikila ubusanshi!” Nozibele nao ati, “Ine nshatala njanshikilapo imbwa ubusanshi.” Imbwa aiti, “Njanshikila ubusanshi nga teifyo nalakusuma!” Efyo Nozibele ayanshike ubusanshi.


Makumbi osena atelekelenga nakukombela nakukosela kawa. Likumbi limwe kawa ahanjikile, “Nozibele, lelo ngwatela kutambukilako masepa. komba muzuvo, teleka vyakulya shimbu kanda nguhiluke.”

Every day she had to cook and sweep and wash for the dog. Then one day the dog said, “Nozibele, today I have to visit some friends. Sweep the house, cook the food and wash my things before I come back.”

Cila bushiku aaleipikila Imbwa no kuiwashisha. Ubushiku bumo Imbwa aiti, “Nozibele, leelo mfwile ukutandalila abanandi. Upyange iŋanda, wipike ifyakulya, no kuwasha ifyakufwala fyandi fyonse ilyo nshilabwela.”


Omu kawa ayile, Nozibele ambachile jikambu jitatu mumutwe wenyi. ahakile lukambu lumwe mwishi lyakahela, kambu yikwavo muzango. atuchililile kuzuvo jimbushi.

As soon as the dog had gone, Nozibele took three hairs from her head. She put one hair under the bed, one behind the door, and one in the kraal. Then she ran home as fast as she could.

Cilyafye Imbwa yaaya, Nozibele anukwile umushishi utatu mu mutwe. Abiika umushishi umo panshi ya busanshi, umbi kunuma ya ciibi elyo umbi mwitanga. Elyo abutuka na maka yonse ukuya ku ŋanda.


Omu kawa ahilukile, atondele Nozibele. “Nozibele, wulikuli?” atambakanyine. “nguli mwishi lyakahela,” lukambu lwatete lwahanjikile. “nguli kuno kunyima ya chikolo,” lukambu lwachivali lyahanjikile. “nguli kuno, muzango,” lukambu lwamuchitatu lwahanjikile.

When the dog came back, he looked for Nozibele. “Nozibele, where are you?” he shouted. “I’m here, under the bed,” said the first hair. “I’m here, behind the door,” said the second hair. “I’m here, in the kraal,” said the third hair.

Ilyo Imbwa yabwelele, yatampile ukufwaya Nozibele. Yapunda ati, “Nozibele, Ulikwi?” Umushishi uwali mwisamba lya busanshi wabalilapo auti, “Ndimuno!” Uwacibili auti, “Ndi kuno, kunuma ya ciibi.” Umushishi wacitatu nao auti, “Ndi muno, mwitanga.”


kaha kawa ejivile Nozibele amongele. Kaha atuchililile kwimbo. Unonyi vayaya ya Nozibele vapwile namingweji kuhandamina. kawa alumukile nakuchina shikaho kavamumonako cheka.

Then the dog knew that Nozibele had tricked him. So he ran and ran all the way to the village. But Nozibele’s brothers were waiting there with big sticks. The dog turned and ran away and has never been seen since.

Imbwa yaishiba ukuti Nozibele naicenjesha naafyuka. Yaabutwike ulubilo ukuya ku mushi. Nomba bandume yakwa Nozibele baleilolela ne fimiti ifikulu. Efyo Imbwa yapilibwike no kubutuka kabili ukufuma apo tayatalile aimoneka na kabili.


Written by: Tessa Welch
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: masho kaloza
Language: Luvale
Level: Level 3
Source: Nozibele and the three hairs from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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