Ngenye imini, umama wafumana iziqhamo ezininzi.
One day, mama got a lot of fruit.
“Singazifumana nini iziqhamo?” siyabuza. “Siza kusifumana isiqhamo ngobu busuku,” watsho umama.
“When can we have some fruit?” we ask.
“We will have the fruit tonight,” says mama.
Umntakwethu uRahim uyabawa. Ungcamla zonke iziqhamo. Utya kakhulu.
My brother Rahim is greedy. He tastes all the fruit. He eats a lot of it.
“Jonga into eyenziwa nguRahim!” Kukhwaza umntakwethu omncinci. “URahim akanambeko kwaye ucingela yena yedwa,” nditsho.
“Look at what Rahim did!” shouts my little brother.
“Rahim is naughty and selfish,” I say.
Umama unomsindo kuRahim.
Mother is angry with Rahim.
Nathi sinomsindo ngakuRahim. Kodwa uRahim akaxolisi.
We are also angry with Rahim. But Rahim is not sorry.
Akuyi kumohlwaya na uRahim? Kubuza ubhuti omncinci.
“Aren’t you going to punish Rahim?” asks little brother.
“Rahim, kungekudala uzakuzisola,” uyalumkisa umama.
“Rahim, soon you will be sorry,” warns mama.
URahim uqalisa ukuziva ukuba uyagula.
Rahim starts to feel sick.
“Isisu sam sibuhlungu kakhulu,” wasebeza uRahim.
“My tummy is so sore,” whispers Rahim.
Umama wayesazi ukuba oku kuya kwenzeka. Isiqhamo siyamohlwaya uRahim!
Mama knew this would happen. The fruit is punishing Rahim!
Kamva, uRahim uthi uxolo kuthi. “Andisayi kuphinda ndibawe ngolu hlobo kwakhona,” uyathembisa. Kwaye sonke siyamkholelwa.
Later, Rahim says sorry to us. “I will never be so greedy again,” he promises.
And we all believe him.
