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Tom ogulitsa nthoci
Tom the banana seller
Tomu kashitisha wa nkonde
Humphreys Odunga
Zablon Alex Nguku
David Sani Mwanza
Christine Mwanza
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Tom amanyamula nswanda.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tom alasenda ulupe lwa nkonde ishapya.
Tom amapita ku msika kukagulisa nthochi.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Tom alaya ku maliketi mu kushitisha inkonde.
Anthu pa msika agula ziphatso.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Abantu pa maliketi baleeshita ifitwalo.
Koma palibe amene agula nthoci za Tom. Asankha kugula zipatso za azimai.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
Nomba tapali nangu umo uuleshita kuli Tomu.
“M’mudzi mwathu, azimai okha ndio amene agulitsa nthochi,” anthu amatero. “Kodi uyu ndi mwamuna wotani?” Anthu afunsa.
“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.
Koma Tom saleka. Apunda, “Gulani nthoci zanga! Gulani nthoci zanga zakupsya komanso zonzuna”
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!”
Mkazi umozi atengapo nthochi zogula. Ayanganitsitsa nthoci mwacidwi.
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.
Mzimai agula ntochi.
The woman buys the bananas.
Uyu namaayo ashita inkonde.
Anthu ambiri abwera kusitolo. Agula nthoci za Tom ndi kuzidya.
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.
Posacedwa, zonse zatha. Tom awerengera ndalama zomwe wapanga.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Ukwabula ukupoosa inshita, inkonde shapwa mu lupe. Tomu apenda indalama apanga.
Pambuyo pake, Tom agula sopo, shuga, ndi mkhate. Aika zinthu mu nswanda yake.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tomu ashitamo isopo, shuga no mukate. Afibiika mu lupe.
Tom waika nswanda yake pa mutu ndipo apita ku nyumba.
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: David Sani Mwanza
Read by: Christine Mwanza
