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A wax bird flying in the sunshine.

Children of wax Children of wax

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Read by Darshan Soni

Language English

Level Level 2

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


A man, a woman and three boys standing.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.


Three boys doing chores and working in a field.

They never fought with each other. They helped their parents at home and in the fields.

They never fought with each other. They helped their parents at home and in the fields.


A man standing in front of a campfire holding his hand up and three boys standing next to him.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.

But they were not allowed to go near a fire.


Half a house in daytime with the sun above it and the other half at nighttime with the moon and stars.

They had to do all their work during the night. Because they were made of wax!

They had to do all their work during the night. Because they were made of wax!


A boy thinking about daytime.

But one of the boys longed to go out in the sunlight.

But one of the boys longed to go out in the sunlight.


A boy walking through a bright doorway and two boys covering their eyes.

One day the longing was too strong. His brothers warned him…

One day the longing was too strong. His brothers warned him…


A boy melting.

But it was too late! He melted in the hot sun.

But it was too late! He melted in the hot sun.


Two sad-looking boys with their arms around each other.

The wax children were so sad to see their brother melting away.

The wax children were so sad to see their brother melting away.


Two boys shaping a lump of melted wax into a bird.

But they made a plan. They shaped the lump of melted wax into a bird.

But they made a plan. They shaped the lump of melted wax into a bird.


A wax bird on a high mountain at sunrise.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.


A wax bird flying in the sunshine.

And as the sun rose, he flew away singing into the morning light.

And as the sun rose, he flew away singing into the morning light.


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Read by: Darshan Soni
Language: English
Level: Level 2
Source: Children of wax from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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