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A silhouette of three girls carrying wood on their heads at sunset.

Nozibele nahuki ntatu Nozibele and the three hairs

Written by Tessa Welch

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Peter Linyando Likoro

Language Rumanyo

Level Level 3

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Three girls carrying wood on their heads.

Pakare-kare, vakadona vatatu ava yendi vakatjave vikuni.

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


Three girls swimming in a river.

Kwalire liyuva lyalipyupyu ava yendi kumukuro vakayoghane. Ava dananene mumema na kukurafawira kuno vavo kuna kuyoghana.

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


A silhouette of three girls carrying wood on their heads at sunset.

Vakuharukeko, ava dimburura ashi lina toko. Ava kwangura va vyuke mumindi.

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


Three girls carrying wood on their heads and one girl putting her hand to her neck.

Opo vaka tikire pepi namundi, Nozibele a kukwata munthingo. Ava vurama shiranda shendi shamuntingo! ” Na kanderere tu vyukenu kume muka ntateko.” A kusheng kuva holi vendi. Ene ngoli vaholi vendi ava mu tantere ashi vana huliliri ntani nka lina toko.

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.


Someone picking up a necklace sitting on a rock near a river.

Nozebele a vyuka kumukuro pentjendi. A ka wana shiranda shendi shamuntingo nko kakwangura aka vyuke kumundi. Ene ngoli a kombana mumundema.

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


A girl carrying wood on her head at night time and looking at a lit-up hut.

Mukantando tupu a momo shite shina kutundo mundunda. A kwangura kuyenda ko naka ngongora palivero.

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


A dog answering the door to a girl carrying wood on her head.

A vi mu tetukita, mbwa a yi gharura livero nakughamba, ” vinke una kushana?” ” Na kombana ntani na shana livango oko ni rara,” A ghamba Nozibele.” Ngene, ndi kuni kushuma!” A yi ghamba mbwa. Nozibele a ngene.

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.


A girl cooking and a dog standing next to her with their arms folded.

Makura a ghamba, “nterekere!” Nda nakara ni terekere mbwa,” a limburura. “Tereka, ndi kuni kushuma!” A ghamba mbwa. Nozibele aterekere ndya dangandi.

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.


A girl making a bed with a dog standing next to her with their arms folded.

Makura a ghamba,” ndjarere uro!” Nozibele a limburura, ” Nda na kara niyare uro wambwa.” ” Yara uro, ndi kuni kushuma!” a ghamba mbwa. Nozibele a yara uro.

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.


A dog standing next to an open door talking to a girl and pointing.

Kehe liyuva mbyo kakareranga ngoli kukwera nakushira mbwa. Makura liyuva limwe mpo a ghambire, “Nozibele, namuntji kuna kuyenda nika dingure vaholi vamwe. Kwera mundjugho, tereka ndya ntani kusha vininke vyande kumeho oyo nika vyuka.”

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.”


Someone putting a hair under a bed, behind a door and by a fence.

Tupu ayenda ngoli mbwa, Nozibele a ghupu huki ntatu damumutwe wendi. Nko kutura ruhuki rumwe munda yauro, rumwe palivero, rumwe kuru rwalivero, ntnai rumwe muhambo. Makura nko kukumana-nama mo a duke a yende kumundi.

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.


An angry-looking dog.

Opo aka vyukire mbwa, a ya shana-shana ngoli Nozibele. “Nozibele, kuni una kara?” A yiyiri.”Ame uno munda yauro”, aru ghamba ruhuki rwakuhova. “Ame uno kuruku rwalivero, aru ghamba ruhuku rwauviri. ” Ame uno, muhambo,” aru ghamba ruhuki rwautatu.

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.


Three boys waving sticks and a girl standing behind them.

Mpo avi dimbwilire mbwa ashi Nozibele ana mukotokere. Mpo a dukire ngoli a tambe kumundi. Ene ngoli vakurwa Nozibele vavakafumu kwa mu tatililire nadimuramu dadinene. Mbya makura a piruka aka duke kutunda opo kapi nka va mu mona.

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.


Written by: Tessa Welch
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Peter Linyando Likoro
Language: Rumanyo
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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