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

Nozibele notuhuki tuhatu Nozibele and the three hairs

Written by Tessa Welch

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Maria M. Dikuua, Servasius M. Ndjunga

Read by Servasius Ndjunga

Language Thimbukushu

Level Level 3

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story

Three girls carrying wood on their heads.

Pakarekare, hashengeteya hahatu hayendire hakatje yikunyi.

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

Three girls swimming in a river.

Diyuwa ‘di dyakarire ghuyenyu, podigho haghurumukire kurware hakayoghaneko. Hakapepaghurire ghukutjakaghera nokuyoghana mumeyu.

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.

Kapupikamanana, hanongoninine eshi diyuwa kunakutokera. Hahukire wanguwangu kudighumbo.

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.

Apa hakumine pepi nodighumbo, Nozibele ghakukwatire muthingo. Ghavuramine thipako thendi thomuthingo! “Namukanderera, mutuhuke pofotji!” Dyoghakumberire hashere wendi. Ene hashere wendi hahuthire eshi dinatokera.

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.

Nozibele ghahukire pithendi kurware. Ghakathiwanine thipako thendi thomuthingo noghatambukire ghahuke kudighumbo. Ene ghayongarire mumakokore.

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.

Mumuhanyamo ghokayenda kamanana ghamonine thishe thinakwekeshera muthishashara. Ghatambukere kuthishashara noghakangongone kuthero.

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.

Yamutetukithire, yoyishi mbwa ghayandhurire thero noghaghambire eshi, “Yinye ghuna kushana?” “Nayongara nonashana mararo,” ghaghambire Nozibele. “Ngene, endi ngoñanyi nikuhume!” ghaghambire mbwa. Nozibele ghoghengenine.

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.

Munyimadhopo mbwa ghaghambire eshi, “Niterekere!” “Ene shime nishemwa kuterekera mbwa rumweya,” ghahuthire. “Tereke, ngoñanyi nikuhume!” dyoghaghambire mbwa. Nozibele ghoghaterekerire mbwa.

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.

Mbwa ghaghambire eshi, ” Niyarere ghudidi wange!” Nozibele ghahuthire eshi, “Mbadi nayara rumweya ‘me ghudidi ghombwa.” “Yare ghudidi wange, ngoñanyi nikuhume!” ghaghambire mbwa. Nozibele ghayarire ghudidi.

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.

Kehediyuwa ngaterekanga nokukomba nokuyoghera mbwa. Munyimadhopo diyuwa dimweya mbwa ghaghambire eshi, “Nozibele, dyarero nakona kadhingura hashere wange hamweya. Kombe mundhugho, tereke noyoghe yinu yange kughutho ghokahuka ‘me yoyihe yinapu kurughaniwa.”

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.

Popavene ghakaverire dikothi mbwa, Nozibele ghakudjupurire tuhuki tuhatu kumutwi wendi. Aye ghaturire kahuki kofotji munahadidi, kofotji ghaturire kunyima dhodikungu, nokofotji ghaturire muhambo. Munyimadhopo ghoghatjirire thikuma ghahuke kudighumbo.

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.

Apa ghakahukire mbwa, ghanashanashanine Nozibele. “Nozibele, kupi ghudi?” ghakughererire. “Yameno kwishi dhoghudidi,” dyokaghambire kahuki kokutanga. “Yameno, munyima dhodikungu,” dyokaghambire kahuki koghuwadi. “Yameno, muhambo,” dyokaghambire kahuki koghuhatu.

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.

Munyimadhopo mbwa ghayinongononine eshi Nozibele ne ghanamunyanyamena. Podigho ghatjirire ghatambe kudighumbo. Ene hakurwa Nozibele hohakafumu hamutaterere nodhimiramu. Mbwa ghapirukire noghahukire ghutjira nombadi hamumona karo kutundapo.

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: Maria M. Dikuua, Servasius M. Ndjunga
Read by: Servasius Ndjunga
Language: Thimbukushu
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.
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