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A wax bird flying in the sunshine.

Vanona venongo Children of wax

Written by Southern African Folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Valentin Mpasi

Language Rukwangali

Level Level 2

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A man, a woman and three boys standing.

Siruwo sa ka pita, kwa kere ko epata lyatungire noruhafo.

Once upon a time, there lived a happy family.


Three boys doing chores and working in a field.

Awo kapi ngava litoona. Awo ngava vatere vakurona vawo membo nomomepya.

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.

Nye kapi va va pulisilire ku kara pepi nomundiro.

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.

Awo ngava rugana yirugana yawo nayinye masiku. Morwa kwa va ruganesere enongo!

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


A boy thinking about daytime.

Nye gumwe govamati owo kwa here ku kara poruhenya.

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.

Ezuva limwe ta karere po siruwo sosire. Vamumbya vendi va mu pere marondoro…

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


A boy melting.

Nye siruwo aso sina piti! Age ta huguruka koupyu wezuva.

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


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

Vanona venongo kwaguvire unene mokumona mukurwawo tahemuka.

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


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

Nye yipo va wizire po negano limwe. Tava pangere sidira kenongo olyo lyahemukire.

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


A wax bird on a high mountain at sunrise.

Tava twara mukurwawo gosidira keguru-guru lyondundu zonde.

They took their bird brother up to a high mountain.


A wax bird flying in the sunshine.

Ano ezuva ta lipumu, age ta tuka oku ta dimbi mosite sezuva songurangura.

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


Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Valentin Mpasi
Language: Rukwangali
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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