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

Nozibele nohuki dhihatu Nozibele and the three hairs

Written by Tessa Welch

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Maria M Dikuua

Language Thimbukushu

Level Level 3

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Three girls carrying wood on their heads.

Pakarekare, hashengeteya hahatu hayendire ha katje yikunyi.

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


Three girls swimming in a river.

Diyuwa di dyakarire ghughenyu ghoha ghurumukire kurware ha ka yoghane. Hakapepaghurire nokukutjakaghera no kuyoghana 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, ha nongoninine eshi diyuwa ne dina tokera. Ha hukire 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 ha kumine pepi nodighumbo, Nozibele gha kukwatire muthingo. Gha vuramine thipako thendi thomuthingo! ” Na mu kanderera mutu huke pofotji muni tateko!” gha kushengire kwawashere wendi. Ene hashere wendi ha huthire eshi dina tokera.

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 gha hukire pithendi kurware. Ghaka thi wanine thipako thendi thomuthingo no gha tambukire gha huke kudighumbo. Ene gha yongarire 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.

Kuthinano thokayenda gha monithe thishe thina kwekeshera mu thishashara. Gha tambukere kuthishashara no ghaka ngongone 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.

Ya mu tetukithire, mbwa gha yandhure thero nogha ghambire eshi, Yinye ghuna kushana?” ” Ame ne na yongara no nashana mararo,” gha ghambire Nozibele. “Ngene, gho ñanyi ni kuhume!” gha ghambire mbwa. Nozibele ghogha ngenine.

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 gho gha ghambire eshi, ” Ni terekere!” Ene mbadi na terekera rumweya me mbwa, ” gha huthire. ” Tereke , gho ñanyi ni kuhume!” gha ghambire mbwa. Nozibele gho gha terekerire 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 gho gha ghambire eshi, ” Ni yarere ghudidi wange!” Nozibele gha huthire eshi, ” mbadi na yara rumeya me ghudidi ghombwa.” “Yare ghudidi wange, gho ñanyi ni kuhume!” gha ghambire mbwa. Nozibele gha yarire 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.

Kehe diyuwa nga terekanga nokukomba nokuyoghera mbwa. Munyimadhopo diyuwa dimweya mbwa ghogha ghambire eshi, ” Nozibele, dyarero na kona kadhingura hashere wange hamweya. Kombe mundhugho, tereke noyoghe yinu yange kughutho ghokahuka me yoyihe yinapu kurughana.

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.

Popa vene gha kaverire dikothi mbwa, Nozibele ghaku djupure tuhuki tuhatu mumutwi wendi. Aye gho gha turire dihuki dyofotji kwishi dhoghudidi. dyofotji gho gha diturire kunyima dhodikungu, nodyofotji ghadi turire muhambo. Munyimadhopo aye gho gha tjirire gha huke 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 gha ka hukire mbwa, ghana shanashanine Nozibele. ” Nozibele, kupi ghudi?” gha kughererire. ” Yameno kwishi dhoghudidi,” dyaghambire dihuki dyokutanga. “Yameno , munyima dhodikungu,”dyaghambire dihuki dyoghuwadi. “Yameno, muhambo,” dyaghambire dihuki dyoghuhatu.

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 gha yi nongononine eshi Nozibile ne ghana munyanyamena. Podiyo gha tjirire gha tambe kudighumbo. Ene hakurwa Nozibele hohakafumu ha mu tatere nodhimiramo. Mbwa gha pirukire no gha hukire ghutjira nombadi ha mumona karo kutunda po.

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
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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