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Tom anabeba tenga la ndizi zilizoiva.
Tom carries a tray of ripe bananas.
Tom alasenda ulupe lwa nkonde ishapya.
Tom anaenda sokoni kuuza ndizi.
Tom goes to the market to sell bananas.
Tom alaya ku maliketi mu kushitisha inkonde.
Sokoni watu wananunua matunda.
People at the market are buying fruit.
Abantu pa maliketi baleeshita ifitwalo.
Lakini hakuna anayenunua ndizi za Tom. Wanapenda kununua matunda kutoka kwa akina mama.
But no one is buying
Tom’s bananas.
They prefer to buy fruit from women.
Nomba tapali nangu umo uuleshita kuli Tomu.
“Kwenye jamii yetu, ni wanawake pekee ndio wanaouza matunda,” watu wanasema. “Ni mwanamume wa aina gani huyu?” watu wanahoji.
“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.
Lakini Tom hakati tamaa. Anaita, “Nunua ndizi zangu! Nunueni ndizi zangu tamu zilizoiva!”
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!”
Mwanamke mmoja anachukua kichane cha ndizi kutoka kwenye tenga. Anaziangalia ndizi kwa umakini.
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.
Mwanamke ananunua ndizi.
The woman buys the bananas.
Uyu namaayo ashita inkonde.
Watu wengine wanakuja kwenye kichanja. Wananunua ndizi za Tom na kuzila.
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.
Mara, tenga linakuwa tupu. Tom anahesabu pesa alizopata.
Soon, the tray is empty.
Tom counts the money he earned.
Ukwabula ukupoosa inshita, inkonde shapwa mu lupe. Tomu apenda indalama apanga.
Tom ananunua sabuni, sukari, na mkate. Anaweka vitu kwenye tenga lake.
Then Tom buys soap, sugar, and bread.
He puts the things in his tray.
Tomu ashitamo isopo, shuga no mukate. Afibiika mu lupe.
Tom anajitwisha tenga kichwani na kwenda nyumbani.
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: Matteo E. Mwita
Read by: Lauwo George
