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Tom mukakulanjisa makonde
Tom the banana seller
Tomu kashitisha wa nkonde
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
Masho Kaloza
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Tom mwambata lwalo lwamakonde akuhya.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tom alasenda ulupe lwa nkonde ishapya.
Tom mwaya kumaliketi nakulanjisa makonde.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Tom alaya ku maliketi mu kushitisha inkonde.
Vathu kumaliketi vali nakulanda mihako.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Abantu pa maliketi baleeshita ifitwalo.
Oloze naumwe wauchi ali nakulanda makonde a Tom. Vasaka kulanda mihako kuli maphwevo.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
Nomba tapali nangu umo uuleshita kuli Tomu.
Vathu veji kuhanjika ngwavo, “Mungalila yetu, maphwevo kaha vakhiko veji kulanjisanga mihako.” Shikaho nge lunga navahulisa ngwavo, “Lunga muka ou?”
“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.
Oloze Tom kecheleko. Mwasanyika, “Landenu makonde ami! Landenu makonde ami ayema akuhya kanawa!”
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!”
Phwevo umwe mwambata mulumba umwe wamakonde halwalo. Mwashishika aze makonde kanawa.
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.
Phwevo mwalanda aze makonde.
The woman buys the bananas.
Uyu namaayo ashita inkonde.
Vathu vavavulu naveza kuze kukatambo. Navalanda makonde kuli Tom nakulya.
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.
Kalinwomu, lwalo lunasale lwamupolongwa. Tom mwalava jimbongo nawanemo.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Ukwabula ukupoosa inshita, inkonde shapwa mu lupe. Tomu apenda indalama apanga.
Jino Tom mwalanda sopo, sukili nachindanda. Mwahaka vize vyuma mulwalo lwenyi.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tomu ashitamo isopo, shuga no mukate. Afibiika mu lupe.
Tom mwahaka lwalo hamutwe wenyi nakuya kwimbo.
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: Masho Kaloza
