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A girl and two boys looking at a basket of fruit.

Koto Punishment

Written by Adelheid Marie Bwire

Illustrated by Melany Pietersen

Translated by Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana

Read by Chrispin Musweu, Margaret Wamuwi Sililo

Language siLozi

Level Level 2

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Reading speed

Autoplay story


A woman carrying a basket of fruit on her head and three children watching her from a house.

Lizazi leliñwi, boma nebangile miselo yemiñata.

One day, mama got a lot of fruit.


A girl and two boys looking at a basket of fruit.

“Lukaca lili miselo?” lwabuza. “Lukaca miselo kacenu busihu,” boma babulela.

“When can we have some fruit?” we ask. “We will have the fruit tonight,” says mama.


A boy eating lots of fruit.

Munyanaka Rahimi utimana hahulu, ulikanga miselo kaufela mi uicanga kabuñata.

My brother Rahim is greedy. He tastes all the fruit. He eats a lot of it.


A sad-looking boy and girl looking at a half-eaten fruit basket.

“Bona zaezize Rahimi!” munyenaka ahuwa. “Rahimi hafi mi waitata,” nabulela.

“Look at what Rahim did!” shouts my little brother. “Rahim is naughty and selfish,” I say.


An angry-looking woman standing in front of a half-eaten fruit basket.

Boma banyemezi Rahimi.

Mother is angry with Rahim.


An angry-looking boy and girl glaring at another boy.

Niluna lumunyemezi Rahimi kono yena haikutwi maswabi.

We are also angry with Rahim. But Rahim is not sorry.


A woman sitting on a chair knitting and a boy talking to her.

“Kana hamuna kumufa koto Rahimi?” munyenaa luna abuza.

“Aren’t you going to punish Rahim?” asks little brother.


A woman, boy and girl talking to a boy standing in front of them.

“Rahimi, onafa ukainyaza.” Boma ba mufa mamela.

“Rahim, soon you will be sorry,” warns mama.


An ill-looking boy.

Rahimi akala kuikutwa kukula.

Rahim starts to feel sick.


An ill-looking boy holding his tummy standing in front of a woman.

“Mba yaka ibutuku,” Rahimi ashobota.

“My tummy is so sore,” whispers Rahim.


An ill-looking boy holding his tummy and covering his mouth leaving a room.

Boma nebaziba kuli se sikaezahala. Miselo ifa koto ku Rahimi.

Mama knew this would happen. The fruit is punishing Rahim!


A woman, a boy and a girl putting their arms around another boy.

Kasamulaho, Rahimi ainyaza kuluna. “Hanina kutimana hahulu hape nikamuta,” asepisa. Kaufela luna lwa mukolwa.

Later, Rahim says sorry to us. “I will never be so greedy again,” he promises. And we all believe him.


Written by: Adelheid Marie Bwire
Illustrated by: Melany Pietersen
Translated by: Christabel Songiso, Akombelwa Muyangana
Read by: Chrispin Musweu, Margaret Wamuwi Sililo
Language: siLozi
Level: Level 2
Source: Punishment from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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