Kakusasana omuñwi bokukwahae Vusi bamubiza, “Vusi nakupa, isa lii le kwa bashemi bahao. Babata ku panga keke yafamukiti walinyalo la kezelahao.”
Early one morning Vusi’s granny
called him, “Vusi, please take this
egg to your parents. They want to
make a large cake for your sister’s
wedding.”
Mwanzila yahae yakuliba kwa bashemi bahae, Vusi akatana bashimani bababeli banopa miselo. Mushimani alimuñwi aamuha Vusi lii ni kulinepa fa kota. Lii la pwaceha.
On his way to his parents, Vusi met
two boys picking fruit. One boy
grabbed the egg from Vusi and shot
it at a tree. The egg broke.
“Kiñi semuezize?” Vusi alila. “Lii lale neli la keke. Keke neli ya mutikiti wa linyalo la kezelaka. Kezelaka uka bulelañii haiba hakuna kuba ni keke yamukiti walinyalo?”
“What have you done?” cried Vusi.
“That egg was for a cake. The cake
was for my sister’s wedding. What
will my sister say if there is no
wedding cake?”
Bashimani baswaba kabaka la kukala Vusi. “Halukoni kukutusa ni keke, kono kiwo mulamu wa kezelahao,” alimuñwi kubona abulela. Vusi azwela pili mwa musipili wahae.
The boys were sorry for teasing
Vusi.
“We can’t help with the cake, but
here is a walking stick for your
sister,” said one.
Vusi continued on his journey.
Mwanzila, akatana baana bababeli bene bayaha ndu. “Lwakona kuitusisa kwa mulamu wahao wo wotiile?” alimuñwi kubona abuza. Kono mulamu neusika tiya kuuyahisa mi seulobeha.
Along the way he met two men
building a house. “Can we use that
strong stick?” asked one.
But the stick was not strong enough
for building, and it broke.
“Kiñi semuezize?” Vusi alila. “Mulamu wale neli mpo ya kezelaka. Banopi ba miselo nebanifile ona kabaka la kuli nebapwacize lii la keke. Keke neli ya mukiti wa linyalo la kezelaka. Cwale hakuna lii, hakuna keke, hakuna mulamu hape hakuna ni mpo. Kezelaka ukabulela ñi?”
“What have you done?” cried Vusi.
“That stick was a gift for my sister.
The fruit pickers gave me the stick
because they broke the egg for the
cake. The cake was for my sister’s
wedding. Now there is no egg, no
cake, and no gift. What will my
sister say?”
Bayahi nebaikutwile bumaswe kabaka la kuloba mulamu. “Halukoni kukutusa ni keke, kono kibo bucwañi bwa kezelahao,” alimuñwi abulela. Cwale Vusi aekeza ni musipili wahae.
The builders were sorry for breaking
the stick.
“We can’t help with the cake, but
here is some thatch for your sister,”
said one.
And so Vusi continued on his
journey.
Mwa nzila yahae, Vusi akatana mulimi ni komu. “Ki bucwañi kwa bunde, nakona kuluma kwateni?” Komu yabuza. Kono bucwañi neli bobumunati hahulu mane komu seibucelela.
Along the way, Vusi met a farmer
and a cow. “What delicious thatch,
can I have a nibble?” asked the cow.
But the thatch was so tasty that the
cow ate it all!
“Kiñi semuezize?” Vusi alila. “Bucwañi bwale neli mpo ya kezelaka. Bayahi nebanifile bona kakuli nebalobile mulamu woneuzwa kwa banopi ba miselo. Banopi ba miselo nebanifile wona kabaka la kuli neba pwacize lii la keke ya kezelaka. Keke neli ya mukiti wa linyalo la kezelaka. Cwale hakuna lii, hakuna keke, hape hakuna mpo. Kezelaka ukabulela ñi?”
“What have you done?” cried Vusi.
“That thatch was a gift for my
sister. The builders gave me the
thatch because they broke the stick
from the fruit pickers. The fruit
pickers gave me the stick because
they broke the egg for my sister’s
cake. The cake was for my sister’s
wedding. Now there is no egg, no
cake, and no gift. What will my
sister say?”
Komu yaikutwa bumaswe kabaka la bulyangelino. Mulimi alumela kuli Komu iye ni Vusi ibe mpo ya kezelahae. Kikafo Vusi azwela pili.
The cow was sorry she was greedy.
The farmer agreed that the cow
could go with Vusi as a gift for his
sister. And so Vusi carried on.
Kono Komu yamata kukutela ku Mulimi ka nako ya mulalelo. Mi Vusi alateha mwa musipili wahae. Nafitile kakuliyeha hahulu kwa mukiti walinyalo la kezelahae. Baeñi inge bakalile kuca.
But the cow ran back to the farmer
at supper time.
And Vusi got lost on his journey.
He arrived very late for his sister’s
wedding. The guests were already
eating.
“Nikaeza cwañi?” Vusi alila. “Komu imatile yene lukela kuba mpo, mwa tifo ya bucwañi bone banifile bayahi. Bayahi nebanifile bucwañi kakuli neba lobile mulamu woneuzwa kwa banopi ba miselo. Banopi ba miselo neba nifile mulamu kabaka la kuli neba pwacize lii la keke. Keke neli ya mukiti wa linyalo. Cwale hakuna lii, hakuna keke mi hakuna mpo.”
“What shall I do?” cried Vusi.
“The cow that ran away was a gift,
in return for the thatch the builders
gave me. The builders gave me the
thatch because they broke the stick
from the fruit pickers. The fruit
pickers gave me the stick because
they broke the egg for the cake.
The cake was for the wedding. Now
there is no egg, no cake, and no
gift.”
Kezela Vusi anahana hanyinyani, kona abulela, “Vusi kezelaka hanina taba luli ni limpo. Haninataba ni keke! Lukopani kaufela luna fa, mi nitabile. Cwale yotina libyana zahao zebonahala hande mi lunyakalale kacenu!” Mi zeo kona zanaezize Vusi.
Vusi’s sister thought for a while,
then she said,
“Vusi my brother, I don’t really care
about gifts. I don’t even care about
the cake! We are all here together, I
am happy. Now put on your smart
clothes and let’s celebrate this
day!”
And so that’s what Vusi did.
