Share

READ: The two brothers (in English, isiXhosa, Sesotho and one more official language)

accreditation
"Now where are you two walking to?"
"Now where are you two walking to?"

This story is brought to you by Nal'ibali, which means 'Here's the story' in isiXhosa. Nal'ibali is a storytelling initiative that aims to establish a culture of reading for enjoyment in children.

This story is created by Helen Brain (Author), Magriet Brink and Leo Daly (Illustrators). 

Scroll down to download the PDF story in Sesotho, isiXhosa, isiZulu and English. 

Read the story in English and isiXhosa below, and download in English, isiZulu, isiXhosa or Sesotho below:

The two brothers

Once upon a time two brothers called Kabelo and Lefa lived in a little village deep in a valley. They had two younger sisters, so their mother had four children to feed. She worked day and night, cooking and cleaning, sewing and mending, and digging and weeding her vegetable garden.  

There was never enough money for everything the family needed. “You two boys are old enough to go to the city to look for work,” their mother said one day. So Kabelo and Lefa packed up the few things they owned, put them in their old backpacks and set off for the city.  

“I’m going to be the richest man in Africa,” Kabelo boasted as they walked along the dirt road that wound up into the hills. “I am so clever and so handsome that it won’t take me long to become wealthy.”  

“That’s good,” said Lefa.  

“I suppose you’ll find a job, if you’re lucky,” Kabelo said. “Maybe you can sweep the city streets.”  

“That will be good,” said Lefa. “As long as I have something to send home to Mama and my younger sisters, I will be happy.”  

They had been walking all morning, and the sun was very hot. By lunchtime the brothers were very tired and hungry.  

two_brothers


Suddenly they saw an old man with a white beard walking along the road towards them. He was bent over under the weight of the heavy sack he was carrying on his back.  

two_brothers


“Good day, young men,” the old man said when he reached them. “Where are you going?”  

“None of your business,” snapped Kabelo. “What is in your sack, old man?”  

“Just rocks,” the old man said. “Now where are you two walking to?”  

“We are going to the city to make some money,” Lefa said politely.  

“Perhaps I can help you,” the old man said. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a leather bag filled with gold coins. “Now, which one of you would like this bag?” he asked.  

“Me, me!” cried Kabelo. “I want it.”  

“Here you are then,” said the old man, and he gave the leather bag to Kabelo, who quickly hid it in his backpack. Then he looked at the old man greedily to see what else he was carrying.  

The old man put his hand into his other pocket. This time he pulled out a small brown leather box.  

“What’s in there?” asked Kabelo, his eyes glinting.  

The old man flipped open the lid of the box. Inside was an enormous diamond. It shone and sparkled in the light, and Lefa thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.  

“Which one of you wants this diamond?” the old man asked.  

“Me, me!” shrieked Kabelo. “I want it. Give it to me.” So the old man gave Kabelo the diamond and Kabelo hid it deep in the pocket of his trousers.  

The old man picked up his heavy sack again. “Which one of you wants to help me carry this sack of rocks to your village?” he asked, trying to heave the sack over his skinny old shoulders. “It’s so heavy, and I’m very tired.”  

“Not me!” cried Kabelo. “We’re not going to the village. We’re going to the city. I don’t have time to help you.”  

two_brothers





Lefa looked back at the long road they had walked that morning. “You can’t walk all that way alone, Tata,” he said. “It’s too far for you to walk with that heavy sack before the sun sets. Let me walk with you. I will carry your sack.”  

“Don’t be stupid!” Kabelo shouted at Lefa. “Don’t think I’m going to wait for you. You’re going to walk all the way back to our village, just to help this old man? You’ll never make money like that!”  

Lefa was worried. He wanted to go with his brother, but when he saw the old man groaning under the weight of the sack, he couldn’t leave him.  

“You go ahead, Kabelo,” he said. “I’ll catch up. I’ll run all the way back to you.”  

“Well, I’m not waiting for you,” said Kabelo. “I have to get to the city and sell my shiny new diamond.” And off Kabelo went, whistling happily.  

Lefa heaved the sack onto his shoulders. It was so heavy it made his bones creak.  

“Come along, Tata,” he said with a smile. “Let’s try and get to the village before sunset.”  

All afternoon they trudged. Every step they walked the sack seemed to get heavier. Soon Lefa was wet with sweat. But still he walked on, carrying the sack for the old man.  

At last they reached the village. It was almost dark.  

“Where are you staying, Tata,” Lefa asked. “Do you need somewhere to shelter for the night? My family does not have a lot, but I know my mother would be happy to share our meal with you, and she will give you a place to sleep tonight.”  

The old man sat down on a tree stump. “This is far enough,” he said.  

two_brothers





“But you can’t stay here,” Lefa said. “It’s not safe. Someone might steal your sack.”  

“Take it,” the old man said. “Go home to your mother, and give her the sack.”  

“No, no,” exclaimed Lefa. “I can’t take your sack. You need it.”  

“It is my gift to you,” said the old man.  

Lefa undid the knot at the top of the sack and peered inside. Something glinted in the fading daylight. Lefa reached inside the sack and took it out. It was a diamond. Then he opened the sack some more – the whole sack was filled with precious diamonds!  

two_brothers

“Thank you, thank you!” said Lefa. But when he looked around, the old man had disappeared. There was no sign of him anywhere. Only the sack of diamonds remained.  

It was a joyful meal that evening in Lefa’s home. He hadn’t been gone long, but already he had made lots of money for his family! His mother and sisters were so happy that they danced and sang until late into the night.  

Many months later, greedy Kabelo came back to the village empty-handed to show off his new car and fancy clothes. He found his family feasting on the finest food in their big new house. And around his mother’s neck, was a necklace of beautiful diamonds.  

Download the English PDF here. 

To read the story in another language, download a PDF below:

Download the Sesotho PDF here

Download the isiZulu PDF here

Umntu nomntakwabo  (isiXhosa)

Translated by Welekazi Ngece

Kudala-dala kwakukho amakhwenkwe amabini azalwa ngumntu omnye, amagama abo inguKabelo kunye noLefa, babehlala kwilalana esentlanjeni. Babenoodade wabo ababini abancinci, umama wabo wayenabantwana abane abondlayo. Wayesebenza ubusuku nemini, epheka acoce indlu, ethunga alungise ezifuna ukulungiswa, esomba asuse ukhula esitiyeni sakhe semifuno.  

“Ndiza kuba yeyona ndoda isisityebi kwiAfrika iphela,” uKabelo waqhayisa njengokuba babehamba kulo ndlela inothuli eyayineqhina elonyukayo ukuya endulini. “Ndikrelekrele, kwaye ndimhle akuzukuthatha thuba lide ukuba ndibe sisityebi.”  

“Kulungile,” watsho uLefa.  

"Ndicinga ukuba uyakuwufumana umsebenzi ukuba unethamsanqa,” watsho uKabelo. “Mhlawumbi uyakutshayela izitalato zedolophu.”  

“Kungakuhle oko,” watsho uLefa. “Ukuba nje ndingakwazi ukuthumela into kuMama noodadewethu abancinci, ndakonwaba.”  

Babesebehambe intsasa yonke, nelanga laligqatse ubhobhoyi. Ngexesha lesidlo sasemini esi sibini sasidinwe kakhulu kwaye silambile.  

Ngequbuliso babona ixhego elalineendevu neentshebe ezimhlophe lizihambela lisiza ngakubo. Laligobile ngenxa yokusindwa yingxowa enzima kunene elaliyibeke emqolo.  

“Molweni, boonyana,” latsho ixhego laku ka kubo. “Nisingise phi?”  

“Asiyongxaki yakho leyo,” wamngqavula uKabelo. “Yintoni le ikule ngxowa yakho, xhego?”  

“Ngamatye nje,” latsho ixhego. “Ke ngoku, nina nobabini nisingise phi?”  

“Siya edolophini siya kwenza imali,” watsho uLefa ngokuchubekileyo.  

“Mhlawumbi ndinganinceda,” latsho ixhego. Lafaka isandla epokothweni yalo laza larhola isingxobo sesikhumba esigcwaliswe ziinkozo zegolide. “Ngoku ke ngubani apha kuni ongathanda esi singxobo?” labuza ixhego.  

“Ndim! Ndim!” wakhwaza uKabelo. “Ndiyasifuna.”  

“Naso ke, sesakho,” latsho ixhego, linika uKabelo isingxobo sesikhumba, nowakhawuleza wasi hla kubhaka wakhe. Emva koko walijonga ngamehlo anyolukileyo ixhego efuna ukubona ukuba ingaba yintoni enye elaliyiphethe.  

Ixhego lafaka isandla salo epokothweni yalo kwakhona. Kweli lixa larhola ibhokisana encinci yesikhumba emdaka ngombala.  

“Kukho ntoni ngaphakathi?” wabuza uKabelo, amehlo akhe ekhazimla.  

Ixhego lajija lavula isiciko sebhokisi. Ngaphakathi kwakukho idayimane enkulu kakhulu. Yayikhazimla imenyezela ekukhanyeni, uLefa wayecinga ukuba yeyona nto intle awakhe wayibona.  

“Ngubani apha kuni oyifunayo le dayimani?” labuza ixhego?  

“Ndim, ndim,” wantswininiza uKabelo. “Ndiyayifuna. Yinike mna.” Ngoko ke ixhego lamnika uKabelo idayimane waze wayi hla ezantsi kwipokotho yeblukhwe yakhe.  

Ixhego lathatha ingxowa yalo enzima kwakhona. “Ngubani apha kuni ofuna ukundincedisa ndiphathe le ngxowa yamatye ndiyise elalini yenu?” labuza, lizama ukuphakamisa ingxowa liyibeke kuloo magxa alo abhityileyo. “Inzima kakhulu, kwaye ndidinwe gqitha.”  

“Asindim!” watsho uKabelo. “Asiyi elalini, siya edolophini. Andinalo ixesha lokukuncedisa.”  

ULefa wajonga emva kuloo ndlela inde ababeyihambe intsasa yonke. “Awunakuhamba wedwa yonke le ndlela, Tata,” watsho uLefa. “Kukude ukuba ungahamba nale ngxowa inzima u ke phambi kokutshona kwelanga. Mandihambe nawe. Ndiza kukuphathela ingxowa yakho.”  

“Sukuba sisidenge!” uKabelo wangxolisa uLefa. “Ungacingi ukuba mna ndiza kukulinda. Uza kuhamba yonke le ndlela ibuyela elalini yethu kwakhona, ukunceda nje eli xhego? Soze uyenze imali ukuba uza kwenza njalo!”  

ULefa wayenexhala. Wayefuna ukuhamba nomntakwabo, kodwa akubona ixhego lincwina kukusindwa yingxowa, akazange akwazi ukulishiya.  

“Qhubeka uhambe, Kabelo,” watsho. “Ndiza kukufumana. Ndiza kubaleka endleleni yam ebuyela kuwe.”  

“Kulungile, kodwa mna andizikukulinda,” watsho uKabelo. “Kufuneka ndibe sedolophini ndithengise idayimane yam entsha ekhazimlayo.” Wahamba ke uKabelo ebetha umlozi ngolonwabo.  

ULefa waqubula ingxowa wayibeka emagxeni akhe. Yayisinda kakhulu, yayisenza amathambo akhe akrikrize.  

“Yiza, Tata,” watsho ngoncumo uLefa. “Masizame uku ka elalini lingekatshoni ilanga.”  

Yonke loo mva kwemini babehamba nzima. Loo ngxowa yayisiya isinda ngaphezu kokuba yayisinda njengokuba babehamba nje. Ngokukhawuleza uLefa wayemanzi toxo ngumbilo. Nangona kunjalo wabheka phambili, ephethe ingxowa yelo xhego.  

Ngelingeni ba ka elalini. Kwakusekuqala ukuba mnyama.  

“Uhlala phi Tata?” wabuza uLefa. “Uyayifuna indawo yoku hla intloko ngokuhlwa nje?  

Usapho lwam alunanto ininzi, kodwa ndiyazi ukuba umama wam uza kukonwabela ukwabelana nawe ngesidlo sethu sangokuhlwa, akunike nendawo yokulala ngokuhlwa nje.”  

Ixhego lahlala kwisikhondo somthi. “Kukude ngokwaneleyo ngoku,” latsho.  

“Kodwa awunakuhlala apha,” watsho uLefa. “Akukhuselekanga. Kunga ka umntu ayibe ingxowa yakho.”  

“Yithathe,” latsho ixhego. “Goduka uye kumama wakho, uze umnike le ngxowa.”  

“Hayi, hayi!” wakhuza uLefa. “Andizikukwazi ukuthatha ingxowa yakho. Uyayidinga.”  

“Sisipho sam kuwe,” latsho ixhego.  

ULefa wakhulula iqhina elalibophe ingxowa wakroba ngaphakathi. Kwakukho into ebengezelayo kwelo langa elalisele libutshona. ULefa wafikelela ngaphakathi engxoweni, wakukhupha oko kwakungaphakathi. Yayiyidayimane. Emva koko waqhubeka wayivula ingxowa – ingxowa yayizaliswe ziidayimane ezinexabiso!  

“Ndiyabulela, ndiyabulela!” watsho uLefa. Kodwa akubhekabheka, lalithe shwaka ixhego. Kwakungasabonakali nophawu lwalo naphi na. Kwakushiyeke nje kuphela ingxowa enedayimane.  

Yayilurhatya olumnandi lwesidlo kuloLefa. Wayengahambanga thuba lide, kodwa wayesele enzele usapho lwakhe imali. Umama kaLefa kunye noodadewabo babonwabile, badanisa becula kwade kwahamba ubusuku.  

Emva kweenyanga ezininzi, uKabelo onyolukileyo wabuyela elalini engaphethanga nto, koko eze kuqhayisa ngemoto yakhe entsha kunye neempahla ezintle. Wafikela kusapho lwakhe olwalusitya ukutya okwakukumgangatho ophakamileyo kwindlu yabo entsha enkulu. Intamo kamama wakhe yayijikelezwe yintsimbi yehombo yentamo eyenziwe ngeedayimane.  

Download the isiXhosa PDF here. 

Find more stories in the Parent24 Storytime hub

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE