Back to stories list

UNozibele neenhluthu ezintathu Nozibele and the three hairs

Tessa Welch

Wiehan de Jager

Xolani Bridgette Mahlangu

isiNdebele

Level 3

The audio for this story is currently not available.

Kudala, abentazana abathathu baphuma ayokutheza iinkuni.

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

Bekulilanga elitjhisako yeke behlela emlanjeni ukuyobhukuda. Badlala begodu bafafaza begodu babhukuda emanzini.

It was a hot day so they went down to the river to swim. They played and splashed and swam in the water.

Msinyana, babona ukuthi besele kuhlwile. Baphuthuma babuyela ngemakhaya.

Suddenly, they realised that it was late. They hurried back to the village.

Bathi sebeseduze nokufika ekhaya, uNozibele wabeka isandla sakhe entanyeni. Bekakhohliwe umgexo wakhe! “Ngibawa ubuyele nami!” wancenga abangani bakhe. Kodwana abangani bakhe bathi besele kuhlwile.

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.

Ngalokho uNozibele wabuyela emlanjeni yedwa. Wathola umgexo wakhe waphuthumela ekhaya. Kodwana walahleka ebumnyameni.

So Nozibele went back to the river alone. She found her necklace and hurried home. But she got lost in the dark.

Kude wabona ukukhanya okuvela endlini yotjani. Waphuthuma waya kiyo begodu wangqongqoza emnyango.

In the distance she saw light coming from a hut. She hurried towards it and knocked at the door.

Wamangala, inja yavula umnyango yathi, “Ufunani?” “Ngilahlekile ngidinga indawo yokulala” kutjho uNozibele. “Ngena, kungenjalo ngizokuluma!” Kutjho inja. Wangena ke uNozibele.

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.

Bese inja yathi, “Ngiphekela!” “Kodwana angikaze ngiphekele inja ngaphambilini,” waphendula. “Pheka, kungenjalo ngizokuluma!” Kutjho inja. Ngalokho uNozibele waphekela inja ukudla.

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.

Bese inja yathi, “Ngilungisela umbhede!” Waphendula uNozibele wathi, “Angikaze ngenzele inja umbhede.” “Lungisa umbhede, kungenjalo ngizokuluma!” kwatjho inja. Nje-ke uNozibele walungisa umbhede.

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.

Qobe langa bekufuze apheke begodu athanyele begodu ahlanze inja. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga inja yathi, “Nozibele, namhlanjesi kufanele ngivakatjhele abanye abangani. Tjhanyela indlu, upheke ukudla begodu ugezise izinto zami ngaphambi kobana ngibuye.”

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.”

Kwathi nasele ikhambile inja, uNozibele wathatha iinhluthu ezintathu ehloko yakhe. Wabeka ihluthu elilodwa ngaphasi kombhede, enye ngemva komnyango, enye ngaphakathi kwe-kraal. Bese wagijima waya ekhaya ngebelo elikhulu.

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.

Kwathi nakubuya inja, yazuma uNozibele. “Nozibele, ukuphi?” Wamemeza. “Ngilapha, ngaphasi kombhede,” kwatjho iinhluthu zokuthoma. “Ngilapha, ngemva komnyango,” kwatjho iinhluthu zesibili. “Ngilapha, e-kraal,” kwatjho iinhluthu zesithathu.

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.

Kusekela lapho inja yazi ukuthi uNozibele umkhohlisile. Ngalokho wagijima wagijima indlela yoke eya edorobheni. Kodwana abafowabo bakaNozibele bebalindile lapho bephethe iintonga ezinkulu. Inja yaphenduka yabaleka begodu azange ibonakale kusukela lapho.

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: Xolani Bridgette Mahlangu

Language: isiNdebele

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.

Read more level 3 stories:

Options

Back to stories list Download PDF