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

Nozibele neexwuki nhatu Nozibele and the three hairs

Tessa Welch

Wiehan de Jager

Fritz David

Oshikwanyama

Level 3

The audio for this story is currently not available.

Three girls carrying wood on their heads.

Nale nale mefimbo lakapita, okwali kuna oukadona vatatu vali vaka tyava oikuni.

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

Three girls swimming in a river.

Fiku olo okwali kuna omutenya netango okwali latwa onghee ova tokola vaye komulonga vakayowe. Ovakala nokudanauka, tava nukilemo voo tava yoo.

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.

Ohaluka, ova dimbuluka kutya etango olali latoka. Ovaendelela vashune komaumbo.

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.

Eshi vali popepi nokufika komaumbo, Nozibele okwa tula omake aye mofingo. Okwa dimbuluka kutya okwa dimbwako oshilanda shaye! “Vakwetu kwafeinge muka teelelenge!” osho apula ookahewa kaye. Ookahewa kaye ovemulombwela kutya otango olali latoka unene.

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.

Nopo nee Nozibele okwashuna komulonga. Okwa mona oshilanda shaye ndele taendelele aye keumbo. Okwali akana ondjila yokeumbo shaashi okwali kuna omulaulu.

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.

Okwamona omutemo taudilile monduda yomwiidi yali oshinanho. Okwa endelela ayuka konduda ndele eshi afikapo takonghola pomuvelo.

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.

Oshali shemu kumwifa neenghono eshi omuvelo wayeululwa kombwa ndele taiti, “Owahala shike?” Onda kana keumbo ohandi kongo omulele,” Nozibele osho atya. “Ilamo, ngeenge inohala ndiku lumate!” ombwa taiti. Nopo nee Nozibele okwa pitilamo.

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.

Konima yokafimbo ombwa oyati, “Telekelenge!” “Inandi telekela nale ombwa ame,” tanyamukula. “Fikama utelekelenge ngeenge inohala ndiku lumate!” ombwa taiti. Nopo nee Nozibele okwa telekela ombwa oikulya.

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.

Ombwa natango oyati, “Yalelenge ombete!” Nozibele tanyamykula, “Inandi yalela nande onale ombwa ombete.” Fikama uyale ombete, ngeenge inohala ndiku lumate!” Ombwa osho yatya. Nopo nee Nozibele okwa yalela ombwa ombete.

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.

Keshe efiku okwa kala noku telekifwa, takombo yee takoshifwa kombwa. Efiku limwe ombwa oyemulombwela taiti, “Nozibele, nena ohandi ka talelapo ookaume kange. Eshi handaaluka nandi hange wakomba eumbo, wateleka oshoyo wakosha oinima aishe yayela.”

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.

Eshi tuu ombwa yapilamenako, yee Nozibele ote liduda eexwiki nhatu momutwe. Oxwiki imwe okwe itula koshi yombete, ikwao teitula konima yomuvelo, yoo ikwao tei tula moshuunda. Konima okwa lotoka amanamo ayuka keumbo lavo.

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.

Eshi ombwa yaaluka, oyali taikongo Nozibele. “Nozibele, oulipeni?” tayi ingida. “Aame ou ndili koshi yombete,” oxwiki yotete taiti. Aame ou ndili konima yomuvelo,” oxwiki onivali taiti. “Aame ou ndili moshiunda,” oxwiki oninhatu taiti.

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.

Ombwa oye shimonamo kutya Nozibele okwe i ninga oineya. Ombwa oya lotoka ndele tailotoka yalamba ondjila yafinda keumbo loo Nozibele. Nozibele okwa hangwa afika nale keumbo novamwaina mati ovahangwa vakufa eedibo. Ombwa oya tanauka meendelelo ndele tai fadukapo ndele okudja opo inaimonika vali.

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: Fritz David

Language: Oshikwanyama

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.

Read more level 3 stories:

Okamuma kombuto: Ehokololo la Wangari Maathai Shikondobolo naMbalangadja Okanona okandongi Eimbilo la Sakima Anansi noupunandunge Efiku ndadja keumbo ndaya koshilando Oxuxwa nekodi

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