take a break with a book! -...

This supplement is available during term times in the following Times Media newspapers: The Times in the Western Cape, The Sowetan in the Free State, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal; The Daily Dispatch and The Herald in the Eastern Cape.

Read to me. Explore a story.

Ndifundele. Masichubelane ngebali.

Drive your imagination

Edition 53 IsiXhosa, English

Take a break with a book!

Kufutshane nje kuza kuqala iiholide zokuphela konyaka – ixesha lokuphumla nokuchitha ixesha nosapho kunye nabahlobo. Ewe kakade, iiholide zisinika ixesha elithe chatha lokufunda nokwabelana ngamabali. Nazi ezinye iingcebiso zeholide zokukugcina wena nabantwana bakho ninamabali oneleyo kude kube phakathi kowama-2014!1. Khangela amabali eninokuwafunda

kunye. Boleka iincwadi kwithala leencwadi ezibhalwe ngababhali ongazange wakufunda abakubhalileyo, okanye uboleke iincwadi eziliqela ezibhalwe ngabona babhali ubathandayo. Funda amabali ethu ku-www.nalibali.org naku-www.nalibali.mobi.

2. Qamba amabali. Qalisa ukubalisela usapho lwakho ibali oliqambileyo. Emva koko, yongeza kwelo bali iziqendwana esitsha mihla le ukuze liqhubeke phambili. Ninganikana amathuba xa ninonke, ingulowo esongeza isiqendwana lide liphele ibali elo.

3. Yilani ikona yokufunda. Khuthaza abantwana bakho bafumane indawo abanokuyenza ikona yokufunda yeeholide ekhaya. Bavumele ukuba

basebenzise imiqamelo neengubo ukuyenza ibe ntofontofo ikona leyo. Yihombise ngemizobo yabo kunye neminye imifanekiso, ngokufanayo nepowusta yeholide yethu ekhethekileyo ekwiphepha lesi-8!

4. Tshintsha ixesha lemisebenzi yasekhaya libe lixesha lokubalisa amabali. Cela ilungu losapho ukuba lifunde ngokuvakalayo kweyona ncwadi liyithandayo lo gama abanye belungisa izidlo okanye beqoshelisa emva kwesidlo. Nikanani amathuba okufunda ngokuvakalayo.

5. Yilani imenyu. Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wokutya abona balinganiswa obathandayo abanokukuthanda, nize nibhale imenyu yamaxoki-xoki yesidlo sangokuhlwa eninokubamemela kuso.

6. Bhala ibali. Yenza iincwadi ngokudibanisa ngesiteyipla amaphepha angabhalwanga nto, uze ubhale amabali nabantwana bakho. Abantwana abancinane bangazoba imifanekiso. Babhalele loo magama bakuxelela wona, kodwa bakhuthaze ukuba bazibhalele ngokwabo. Vumela abantwana abadalana ukuba bazizobele baze bazibhalele ngokwabo bona. Fundelanani iincwadi zenu – nizifundele nabantwana abanindwendweleyo!

7. Ixesha lemidlalo yeqonga. Khetha ibali elithandwa kakhulu nelinabalinganiswa abanomdla. Ukunye nabantwana bakho, bhalani phantsi okuthethwa ngumlinganiswa ngamnye, uze ubayeke bazikhethele ukuba bafuna ukuba ngoobani na kwaba balinganiswa! Banike izinto zokuhombisa eqongeni ezifana namalaphu, iminqwazi, izihlangu okanye iimpahla, nize ke nidlale elo bali eqongeni.

8. Iindawo zokufunda. Zingaphi iindawo ezohlukileyo onokufunda okanye ubalise amabali kuzo ngexesha leeholide? Kunjani ukwenze oko emotweni okanye ebhasini, phantsi komthi, okanye ngaselwandle? Gcina uluhlu uze ekupheleni kweeholide, wabelane nathi ngalo ngokulubhala kuFacebook: www.facebook.com/nalibaliSA. Kananjalo sixelele nezihloko zamabali oye wawonwabela!

Nibe neeholide ezimyoli ezizele ngamabali!

Thatha ikhefu ngencwadi!

Soon it will be the end-of-year holidays – time to relax and spend time with family and friends. And, of course, holidays give us more time to read and share stories. Here are some holiday ideas to keep you and your children stocked up on stories well into 2014!1. Find stories to read together. Borrow library books

by authors that you have never read before, or borrow more books by your favourite authors. Read our stories on www.nalibali.org and on www.nalibali.mobi.

2. Make up stories. Start telling your family a story that you have made up. Then add another instalment each day to continue your story. You can all take turns adding each day’s instalment until the story ends.

3. Create a reading corner. Encourage your children to find a place at home that they can make into a holiday reading corner. Let them use cushions and blankets to make it comfortable. Decorate it with their drawings and other pictures, like our special holiday poster on page 8!

4. Change chore time into story time. Let a family member read aloud from their favourite book while others are preparing meals or cleaning up afterwards. Take turns being the person who reads aloud.

5. Create a menu. Imagine the foods your favourite story characters would like and write a pretend menu for a supper you would invite them to.

6. Write a story. Make books by stapling blank sheets of paper together and write stories with your children. Younger children can draw the pictures. Offer to write the words they tell you, but also encourage them to write for themselves. Let older children draw and write on their own. Read your books to each other – and to children who visit!

7. Theatre time. Choose a well-loved story with exciting characters. With your children, write down what each character says and let them choose who they want to be! Provide props like pieces of fabric, hats, shoes or clothes and act out the story.

8. Reading places. How many different places can you read or tell stories in during the holidays? How about in a car or bus, under a tree, or on the beach? Keep a list and at the end of the holidays, share your list by posting it on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nalibaliSA. Tell us the names of the stories you enjoyed too!

Have a fabulous story-filled holiday!

For more ideas on sharing stories with children, visit www.nalibali.org or www.nalibali.mobi.

Ukuze ufumane iinkcukacha ezithe vetshe ngokwabelana ngamabali nabantwana, ndwendwela ku-www.nalibali.org okanye ku-www.nalibali.mobi.

We will be

taking a break until the last week of January 2014.

Join us then for more Nal’ibali reading magic!

Siza kuthi nqumama, khe sithathe ikhefu kude kube yiveki

yokugqibela kweyoMqungu kowama-2014. Sijoyine ngelo xesha ukuze ufumane obunye

ubunewunewu beNal’ibali!

2


Get story active!With your children, enjoy reading the story, Zebra and Crocodile on page 4. It’s best to read the story in your children’s mother tongue/s before reading it in the other language provided. Here are some ideas for you to try out before, during and after reading the story.

Before• Let your children tell you what they know about zebras and crocodiles. Then

take a quick look at the pictures and guess what the story is about.

• Ask older children to think about what kind of character a zebra and a crocodile might be in a story. For example, do they think a crocodile would be sly and mean, or shy and kind? Why?

During• As you read, help develop children’s prediction skills by asking, “What do

you think will happen next?” after you have read frame 4 of the story.

• Ask your children to find the smaller animals in some of the pictures and comment on what they are doing.

• If your children can already read, let them read the words of Zebra and/or Crocodile if they want to.

After• Talk about the story with your children. Do they think the zebra or the

crocodile was the cleverest, and why? What do you think Crocodile might have said after Zebra got away at the end of the story?

• Let your children have fun retelling the story or telling their own story using the Zebra and Crocodile puppets on this page.

Yenza ibali linike umdla! Wena nabantwana bakho, yonwabelani ukufunda ibali elithi, UQwarhashe kunye noNgwenya kwiphepha lesi-4. Kungcono ukulifunda ibali ngolwimi lwasekhaya lomntwana phambi kokulifunda ngolunye ulwimi elibhalwe ngalo. Nazi ezinye iingcebiso onokuzizama phambi kokufunda, ngexesha ulifunda nasemva kokuba ulifundile ibali.

Phambi kokuba ufunde• Vumela abantwana bakho bakuxelele abakwaziyo ngamaqwarhashe neengwenya.

Emva koko jongani emifanekisweni nize niqashele ukuba lingantoni na ibali.• Buza abantwana abadalana ukuba bacinga ukuba iqwarhashe nengwenya zizakuba

ngabalinganiswa abanjani ebalini. Umzekelo, ingaba bacinga ukuba ingwenya izakuba namaqhinga nenkohlakalo, okanye izakuba neentloni nobubele? Ngoba kutheni?

Xa ufunda• Lo gama kufundwayo, nceda ekuphuhliseni izakhono zabantwana bakho zokuxela

kwangenx’ engaphambili ngokubabuza wenjenje, “Nicinga ukuba kuza kwenzeka ntoni emva koku?” emva kokuba ufunde isakhelo sesi-4 ebalini.

• Cela abantwana bakho ukuba bafune izilwanyana ezincinane kweminye yemifanekiso baze benze amagqabantshintshi ngoko zikwenzayo.

• Ukuba abantwana bakho sele bekwazi ukufunda, bavumele bafunde amazwi kaQwarhashe kunye/okanye nakaNgwenya.

Emva kokufunda• Ncokola ngebali kunye nabantwana bakho. Ingaba bacinga ukuba yeyiphi eyona

ibonakalise ubukrelekrele phakathi kukaQwarhashe noNgwenya, kutheni becinga njalo? Bacinga ukuba uNgwenya ushiyeke esithini, emva kokuba uQwarhashe ephuncukile ekupheleni kwebali?

• Vumela abantwana bakho bazonwabise ngokubalisa kwakhona ibali okanye babalise awabo amabali besebenzisa ipapethi kaQwarhashe nekaNgwenya ezikweli phepha.

Thank you!A big, Nal’ibali thank you to Wimpy for sponsoring our Story Stars feature in 2013! Wimpy provided meal vouchers to individuals and organisations selected as Story Stars between May and November 2013 in appreciation of what they are doing to make reading and writing part of children’s daily lives.

Maz’ enethole!AbakwaNal’ibali benza umbulelo ongazenzisiyo kwabakwaWimpy ngokuxhasa inqaku lethu eliphambili leeMbalasane zamaBali ngowama-2013! AbakwaWimpy babonelele ngeevawutsha zokutya kubantu nemibutho ekhethwe njengeeMbalasane zamaBali phakathi kwekaCanzibe neyeNkanga kowama-2013, ukubabulela ngabakwenzayo ukwenza ukufunda nokubhala kube yinxalenye yobomi bemihla ngemihla babantwana.

Enjoy listening to stories in isiXhosa and in English on Nal‘ibali's radio show:

Umhlobo Wenene FM on Monday to Wednesday from 9.30 a.m. to 9.40 a.m.

SAfm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1.50 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.

Nal’ibali on radio! UNal’ibali kunomathotholo!Yonwabela ukuphulaphula amabali ngesiXhosa nangesiNgesi kwinkqubo kanomathotholo yeNal‘ibali:

Umhlobo Wenene FM ngoMvulo ukuya kuLwesithathu kusasa, ukususela ngo-9.30 ukuya ngo-9.40.

SAfm ngoMvulo, ngoLwesithathu nangoLwesihlanu emini, ukususela ngo-1.50 ukuya ngo-2.00.

How to make the puppets

1. Cut along the black lines and use glue to paste the pictures onto a sheet of paper or thin cardboard.

2. Cut carefully along the red dotted lines.3. Tape the story characters to thin sticks or

drinking straws to make puppets.

Indlela yokwenza iipapethi

1. Sika ulandela imigca emnyama uze usebenzise iglu ukuncamathisela imifanekiso kuxwebhu lwephepha okanye kwikhadibhodi ebhityileyo.

2. Sika ngobunono ulandela imigca engamachaphaza abomvu.

3. Ncamathisela ngeteyiphu abalinganiswa kwizinti ezibhityileyo okanye kwimfunxa zokusela ukuze wenze iipapethi.

3


Making a Nal'ibali differenceEvery day, in six provinces around South Africa, Nal’ibali’s Cluster Mentors inspire and support others to run reading clubs in which children can experience the joy of reading for pleasure. Here’s your chance to meet them!

Ukwenza umahluko ngeNal'ibaliYonke imihla, kumaphondo amathandathu aseMzantsi Afrika, abaCebisi bamaQela eNal’ibali bavuselela kwaye baxhase abanye ukuba baqhube iiklabhu zokufunda, apho abantwana bafumana amava obuncwane bokufundela ukuzonwabisa. Eli lithuba lakho lokuhlangana nabo!

Story stars Iimbalasane zamabali

Number of clubs: 12

Favourite reading place: the library or any quiet place

Reading is … life!

UGcinumuzi Radebe (waseKZN)

Inani leeklabhu: li-12

Eyona ndawo ayithandayo yokufunda: lithala leencwadi okanye nakuyiphi na indawo ezolileyo

Ukufunda … bubomi!

David Jeffery (Western Cape)

Number of clubs: 24

Favourite childhood book: The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl

Reading is … an adventure.

UDavid Jeffery (waseNtshona Koloni)

Inani leeklabhu: ngama-24

Eyona ncwadi yabantwana ayithandayo: ngu-The Enormous Crocodile ngokubhalwe nguRoald Dahl

Ukufunda … kukuba lidelakufa nokuzungeza.

Tsepiso Nzayo (Eastern Cape)Number of clubs: 10Favourite children’s book: Umazanendaba by Gcina Mhlophe

Favourite reading place: my bedroomUTsepiso Nzayo (waseMpuma Koloni)Inani leeklabhu: li-10Eyona ncwadi yabantwana

ayithandayo: ngu-Umazanendaba ngokubhalwe nguGcina MhlopheEyona ndawo ayithandayo yokufunda: ligumbi lam lokulala

Malusi Puwe (Eastern Cape)

Number of clubs: 22

Favourite reading place: outside

Reading is … essential.

UMalusi Puwe (waseMpuma Koloni)


Eyona ndawo ayithandayo yokufunda: kuphandle

Ukufunda … ngundoqo.

Sithembiso Nhlapo (Free State)Number of clubs: 14Favourite children’s story: Three friends in a taxi by Maryanne and Shayle BesterReading is … a key to understanding your world.USithembiso Nhlapo (waseFreyistata)Inani leeklabhu: li-14Elona bali labantwana alithandayo: ngu-Three friends in a taxi ngokubhalwe nguMaryanne noShayle BesterUkufunda … sisitshixo sokuqonda ihlabathi lakho.

Gcinumuzi Radebe (KZN)

Rinae Sikhwari (Limpopo)

Number of clubs: 22

Favourite reading place: school library

Reading is … amazing and adventurous!

URinae Sikhwari (waseLimpopo)


Eyona ndawo yokufunda ayithandayo:

lithala leencwadi lasesikolweni

Ukufunda … kuyamangalisa kwaye

ludelokufa nozungezo!

Bongani Godide (Gauteng)Number of clubs: 30 Favourite childhood story: Tselane, a Sesotho tale from long agoFavourite reading places: reading club and at home

UBongani Godide (waseGauteng)Inani leeklabhu: ngama-30 Elona bali alithandayo lasebuntwaneni bakhe: ngu-Tselane, ibali leSesotho lakudaladala

Ezona ndawo azithandayo zokufunda: yiklabhu yokufunda nasekhaya

4

12

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ua S

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ed a

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e bu

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and

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e te

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.

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war

hash

e w

ayeh

lala

kum

atyh

olo

anen

gca

esw

iti n

etha

mbi

leyo

.

Afte

r som

e tim

e, C

roco

dile

not

iced

that

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bra

look

ed fa

t and

juic

y. S

udde

nly,

he

felt

rath

er h

ungr

y.

Ekuh

ambe

ni k

wex

esha

, uN

gwen

ya

waq

wal

asel

a uk

uba

uQw

arha

she

way

etye

be n

gend

lela

evu

zisa

am

athe

. N

goku

khaw

ulez

a w

aziv

a eb

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ba.

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ten

wen

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wn

to th

e riv

er

to v

isit

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riend

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ile a

nd

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the

fresh

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ater

.

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war

hash

e w

ayet

hand

a uk

uham

bela

um

hlob

o w

akhe

em

lanj

eni a

sele

am

anzi

am

yoli

omla

mbo

iRua

ha.

1.

2.3.

4.

Wat

hi x

a ep

hind

a uQ

war

hash

e et

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la

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enya

, wab

e en

gafu

man

eki n

daw

o um

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o w

akhe

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ni, n

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ni!

Ndi

yarh

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a!” s

atsh

o is

ikha

lo s

ivel

a em

lanj

eni.

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n Ze

bra

next

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ited

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odile

, her

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end

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now

here

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e se

en. “

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p,

help

! I a

m d

row

ning

!” c

ame

a cr

y fro

m

the

river

.

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war

hash

e w

aziju

la e

mla

njen

i uku

ya

kuhl

angu

la u

siza

na lo

mhl

obo

wak

he

oway

esifa

. “H

ahah

ahaa

aa! M

mm

mm

! M

nand

i! N

goku

ndi

za k

ukut

ya!”

w

ahle

ka u

Ngw

enya

.

Zebr

a th

rew

her

self

into

the

river

to

resc

ue h

er p

oor d

ying

frie

nd.

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ahah

aaaa

! Yum

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goi

ng to

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t you

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ughe

d Cr

ocod

ile.

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u! H

ayi k

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, aw

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uze

mhl

obon

dini

on

galu

ngan

ga!”

wak

hwaz

a uQ

war

hash

e nj

engo

ko e

khab

a uN

gwen

ya k

abuh

lung

u ez

intla

funw

eni.

“Yhu

! Ndi

sind

e ce

bets

hu,”

wak

hefu

zela

uQ

war

hash

e, e

qhuq

ha e

sim

ka.

“Oh

no y

ou a

re n

ot, b

ad fr

iend

!” s

hout

ed Z

ebra

as

she

kic

ked

Croc

odile

har

d on

his

long

jaw

. “P

hew

, tha

t was

a n

arro

w e

scap

e!”

pant

ed Z

ebra

, tro

tting

aw

ay.

5.6. 8.

7.

UQ

war

hash

e ku

nye

noN

gwen

ya

Zeb

ra a

nd C

roco

dile

5


Supplement produced by The Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) and Times Media Education. Translated by Nobuntu Stengile. Nal’ibali character illustrations by Rico.

Can you find the names of the Nal'ibali characters in this word search?

Ungakwazi ukufumana amagama abalinganiswa beNal'ibali ngokuwakhangela kule phazili yamagama?

NEO

BELLA

GOGO

HOPE

NOODLE

MBALI

AFRIKA

DINTLE

MME WA AFRIKA

JOSH

C G O G O M X H I M BA D E O O B L D O S OA F R I K A M I N H LJ N O O D L E N A O LO K N P Q I R T S P AS T B E L L A L U E RH W M Y Z A N E O I PM M E W A A F R I K A

Nal'ibali fun! Ebumnandini kwaNal'ibali!Can you find six dif ferences between these two pictures?

Help Noodle find his way to Bella!

Ingaba ungazifumana izinto ezintandathu eyohluke ngazo le mifanekiso mibini?

Nceda uNoodle ukuba afumane indlela eya kuBella!

A B

6

The

amaz

ing

tale

of f

loat

ing

Zim

khith

a“O

ne, t

wo,

thre

e, a

ltoge

ther

now

…”

orde

red

the

ki

nd w

oman

.

And

with

that

, the

cro

wd

poin

ted

into

the

sky

and

roar

ed,

“Hey

, Zim

khith

a! W

e ca

n se

e up

you

r dre

ss!”

Far

up

in

the

clou

ds Z

imkh

itha

hear

d th

em. S

he lo

oked

dow

n an

d sa

w fi

ve h

undr

ed p

eopl

e po

intin

g at

her

dre

ss, a

nd sh

e st

oppe

d la

ughi

ng.

Dow

n sh

e flo

ated

. But

as s

he c

ame

dow

n th

e cl

ouds

tic

kled

her

, and

she

thou

ght h

ow fu

nny

it w

as to

be

so fa

r up

whi

le e

very

one

else

was

dow

n th

ere.

And

she

bega

n to

laug

h ag

ain.

“Oh

dear

,” sa

id h

er d

ad. “

That

did

n’t w

ork.

”

“I k

now

!” sa

id h

er m

om. “

Tell

her w

e ca

n se

e he

r sp

otte

d pa

ntie

s.”

So th

e cr

owd

took

a

deep

bre

ath

and

shou

ted

at th

e to

p of

thei

r lun

gs,

“Hey

, Zim

khith

a!

We

can

see

your

sp

otty

pan

ties!

”

And

Zim

khith

a st

oppe

d la

ughi

ng a

nd fl

oate

d do

wn

fifty

met

res.

But

as

she

look

ed a

t the

hu

ge tr

affic

jam

and

th

e TV

cre

w a

nd th

e th

ousa

nds o

f peo

ple

wat

chin

g he

r, sh

e st

arte

d to

laug

h ag

ain.

And

up

she

wen

t aga

in.

The

kind

wom

an sh

ook

her h

ead.

“W

e’re

goi

ng to

hav

e to

be

a lit

tle b

it m

eane

r,” sh

e sa

id fi

rmly

. “A

ny m

inut

e no

w th

e w

ind

will

cat

ch h

er, a

nd sh

e w

ill fl

oat a

way

fo

reve

r. W

hat i

s the

wor

st th

ing

you

can

thin

k of

to sa

y to

her

?”

They

all

put t

heir

head

s tog

ethe

r and

thou

ght a

nd th

ough

t an

d th

ough

t. Fi

nally

they

had

it.

“Alto

geth

er n

ow,”

cal

led

Zim

khith

a’s d

ad, s

tand

ing

on th

e ro

of o

f a M

erce

des B

enz.

“Ev

eryb

ody

shou

t as

loud

ly a

s you

can

, all

at o

nce.

”

And

the

who

le c

row

d of

four

thou

sand

peo

ple,

and

th

e ye

llow

dog

, and

the

blac

k ca

t, an

d th

e m

an se

lling

ba

nana

s all

shou

ted

at o

nce,

“H

EY Z

IMK

HIT

HA

!

Zim

khith

a’s d

ad lo

oked

up,

and

ther

e Zi

mkh

itha

was

, floa

ting

high

, hig

h in

the

sky

abov

e th

em, l

ike

a bi

g pi

nk b

allo

on.

“Oh

my

wor

d!”

excl

aim

ed M

om. “

How

in th

e w

orld

did

she

get

up th

ere?

”

The

kind

wom

an st

ared

up

into

the

sky,

wat

chin

g Zi

mkh

itha

bobb

ing

abou

t in

the

clou

ds. “

Is sh

e …

laug

hing

?” sh

e as

ked.

“Zim

khith

a al

way

s lau

ghs,”

said

her

mom

and

dad

toge

ther

. “W

e ca

n’t s

top

her.

List

en.”

Fro

m h

igh,

hig

h up

in th

e sk

y Zi

mkh

itha’

s lau

gh c

ame

tinkl

ing

dow

n lik

e a

little

bel

l.

“Oh

no!”

crie

d he

r mom

, wrin

ging

her

han

ds. “

She

mig

ht fa

ll in

to th

e se

a.”

“Or,

onto

a ro

se b

ush,

” gr

oane

d he

r dad

.

“I a

m a

scie

ntis

t,” sa

id th

e ki

nd w

oman

, “an

d on

e of

the

first

th

ings

we

lear

n is

that

air

float

s. Sh

e m

ust h

ave

swal

low

ed so

m

uch

air f

rom

laug

hing

that

she

has fl

oate

d up

like

a b

allo

on.”

“Oh,

oh,

oh,

” cr

ied

Zim

khith

a’s p

aren

ts.

“The

re’s

onl

y on

e w

ay to

get

her

dow

n,”

said

the

kind

wom

an.

“We’

ll ha

ve to

mak

e he

r cry

.”

“Oh

dear

,” sa

id h

er m

othe

r. “T

hat’s

not

eas

y. S

he’s

such

a

gigg

ling

child

.”

“We’

ll ha

ve to

shou

t som

ethi

ng h

orrib

le to

her

,” sa

id

Zim

khith

a’s d

ad, s

obbi

ng in

to h

is h

andk

erch

ief.

“We

need

lots

and

lots

of p

eopl

e to

all

shou

t at o

nce,

” sa

id

the

wom

an. “

She’

ll ne

ver h

ear j

ust t

he th

ree

of u

s.” S

o th

ey

rang

all

the

door

bells

, and

ask

ed th

e pe

ople

to c

ome

outs

ide.

Zi

mkh

itha’

s dad

stop

ped

the

traffi

c an

d as

ked

ever

yone

to

com

e an

d he

lp. S

oon

a bi

g cr

owd

had

gath

ered

, and

they

wer

e po

intin

g an

d w

avin

g an

d fil

min

g Zi

mkh

itha

on th

eir c

ellp

hone

s.

Zim

khith

a la

ughe

d an

d la

ughe

d. It

was

the

funn

iest

thin

g sh

e ha

d ev

er se

en.

“Wha

t are

we

goin

g to

say

to m

ake

her c

ry?”

ask

ed th

e

kind

wom

an.

“I k

now

!” sa

id Z

imkh

itha’

s dad

, and

he

told

them

wha

t to

say.

WE

CA

N

SEE

YO

UR

PA

NTI

ES,

AN

D T

HER

E’S

A H

OLE

IN

THEM

!”

And

Zim

khith

a st

oppe

d la

ughi

ng.

Dow

n sh

e ca

me.

D

own,

dow

n,

dow

n. E

ven

furth

er d

own,

and

fu

rther

dow

n an

d fu

rther

dow

n,

until

fina

lly sh

e

was

alm

ost o

n

the

grou

nd.

“My

prec

ious

bab

y!”

crie

d he

r mom

, gra

bbin

g he

r leg

s and

pu

lling

her

bac

k to

Ear

th. “

Than

k go

odne

ss y

ou’r

e sa

fe!”

Zim

khith

a lo

oked

at t

he c

row

d of

peo

ple

all c

heer

ing

and

laug

hing

and

cla

ppin

g th

eir h

ands

. She

was

so e

mba

rras

sed

that

she

cove

red

her f

ace

and

ran

hom

e.

“Oh

dear

,” sa

id h

er d

ad. “

We’

ve h

urt h

er fe

elin

gs. S

he’s

ve

ry u

pset

.”

So th

e pe

ople

put

thei

r hea

ds to

geth

er a

gain

and

thou

ght o

f th

e rig

ht th

ing

to sa

y to

che

er h

er u

p.

“Alto

geth

er n

ow,”

cal

led

her m

om.

And

they

shou

ted,

“H

EY, Z

IMK

HIT

HA

! WE

WER

E O

NLY

JOK

ING

!”

Zim

khith

a st

oppe

d ru

nnin

g.

“WE

PRO

MIS

E Y

OU

!” th

ey a

ll sh

oute

d. “

WE

CO

ULD

N’T

R

EALL

Y S

EE Y

OU

R P

AN

TIES

, BEC

AU

SE Y

OU

’RE

WEA

RIN

G P

INK

TR

OU

SER

S!”

And

Zim

khith

a st

arte

d to

laug

h.

“Oop

s, gr

ab h

er q

uick

ly,”

shou

ted

her m

om.

And

they

did

. Jus

t in

time.

12

Stor

y by

Hel

en B

rain

Illus

tratio

ns b

y M

agrie

t Brin

k

There

was

onc

e a

girl

nam

ed Z

imkh

itha

who

nev

er

stop

ped

laug

hing

. She

mad

e he

r dad

mad

. One

day

he

was

driv

ing

her h

ome

from

scho

ol. W

hen

he re

ache

d th

e be

ginn

ing

of th

eir r

oad,

he’

d ha

d en

ough

! He

stop

ped

th

e ca

r.

“Are

you

goi

ng

to st

op la

ughi

ng

or a

re y

ou g

oing

to

wal

k ho

me?

” he

ask

ed. B

ut

Zim

khith

a ju

st

laug

hed

loud

er.

“Rig

ht,”

he

said

, “y

ou c

an w

alk

hom

e.”

He

mad

e he

r get

out

of

the

car a

nd h

e dr

ove

hom

e.

“Whe

re’s

Zim

khith

a?”

aske

d he

r mom

whe

n he

r dad

wal

ked

in

the

fron

t doo

r. “I

’m c

ooki

ng h

er fa

vour

ite d

inne

r.”

“Oh

dear

,” h

er d

ad sa

id. “

I mad

e he

r wal

k ho

me

from

the

corn

er b

ecau

se sh

e w

ould

n’t s

top

laug

hing

.”

“My

prec

ious

bab

y?”

crie

d Zi

mkh

itha’

s mom

. “Yo

u m

ade

my

prec

ious

bab

y w

alk

hom

e? A

ll al

one?

We’

d be

tter g

o an

d fin

d he

r.” T

hey

look

ed a

nd lo

oked

, but

ther

e w

as n

o si

gn o

f Zi

mkh

itha.

“Whe

re d

id y

ou le

ave

her?

” as

ked

Mom

. “W

here

is sh

e, R

on?”

“Oh

dear

,” m

utte

red

Zim

khith

a’s d

ad, c

heck

ing

unde

r eve

ry

bush

and

up

ever

y tre

e.

“Zim

khith

a,”

calle

d he

r mom

. “W

here

are

you

?”

A w

oman

stop

ped

her c

ar. “

Can

I he

lp y

ou?”

she

aske

d.

“We’

ve lo

st o

ur li

ttle

girl,

” sa

id Z

imkh

itha’

s mom

. “H

ave

yo

u se

en h

er?”

The

wom

an d

rove

roun

d th

e bl

ock

and

cam

e ba

ck to

repo

rt,

“I sa

w a

bla

ck c

at, a

nd a

yel

low

dog

, and

a m

an se

lling

ba

nana

s. B

ut I

didn

’t se

e a

little

girl

any

whe

re.”

7

12

Ibali elimangalisayo likaZim

khitha owayebhabha

“Ndiyazi!,” w

atsho utata kaZimkhitha, w

aza wabaxelela ukuba

bathini.

“Inye, zimbini, zintathu, m

asitsho sonke sithi …” kuyalela

umfazi onobubele.

Ngalo m

yalelo, isihlwele solatha esibhakabhakeni saza sadum

a, “W

e Zimkhitha! Siyabona ngaphantsi kw

elokhwe yakho!”

Phezulu emafini uZim

khitha wabeva. W

ajonga ezantsi, wabona

abantu abangamakhulu am

ahlanu bolathe ilokhwe yakhe, w

aze w

ayeka ukuhleka.

Wehlela ngezantsi. K

odwa njengokuba esihla nje, am

afu am

nyumbaza, w

aza wacinga ukuba kuyahlekisa ukuba phezulu

kangako, lo gama w

onke umntu esezantsi. W

aze waqalisa

ukuhleka kwakhona.

“Ow

u Nkosi yam

,” watsho utata w

akhe. “Le nto ayisebenzanga.”

“Ndiyazi!” w

atsho um

ama w

akhe. “M

asimxelele ukuba

siyayibona ipenti yakhe enam

achokoza.”

Ngoko ke isihlw

ele saphefum

la kakhulu saza sakhw

aza kangangoko sinakho sathi, “W

e Zimkhitha!

Siyayibona ipenti yakho enam

achokoza!”

UZim

khitha wayeka

ukuhleka, waza w

ehlela ezantsi kangangeem

itha ezingam

ashumi

amahlanu. K

odwa uthe xa ejonga um

ngcelele weem

oto neentatheli zikam

abonwakude nam

awakaw

aka abantu abam

bukeleyo, waqalisa ukuhleka kw

akhona. Wasuka w

anyuka kw

akhona.

Um

fazi onobubele wahlunguzela intloko. “K

uza kufuneka sibe ngathi sithetha kakubi ukodlula oku,” w

atsho, egxininisisa. “N

gawo naw

uphi na umzuzu um

oya ungavuka aze abhabhe em

ke umphelo. Yeyiphi eyona nto im

bi eniyicingayo esinokuyithetha kuye?”

Bahlanganisa iintloko bacinga, bacinga, bacinga. Ekugqibeleni bayifum

ana.

“Sisonke ke ngoku,” wakhw

aza utata kaZimkhitha, ekhw

ele phezulu kw

iMercedes Benz. “W

onke umntu m

akakhwaze

kangangoko anakho, ngaxeshanye.”

Utata kaZim

khitha waphakam

isa amehlo w

ambona, nankuya

uZimkhitha, ebhabha phezulu, phezulu esibhakabhakeni,

njengebhaloni epinki.

“Ow

u bantu bakuthi,” kukhuza uMam

a. “Ufikelele njani

phaya phezulu?”

Um

fazi onobubele wajonga phezulu esibhakabhakeni, ebukele

uZimkhitha ebhabha em

afini. “Ingaba ... u-u-u-yahleka?” w

abuza.

“UZim

khitha wasoloko ehleka,” batsho bobabini um

ama

notata wakhe. “A

sikwazi ukum

enza angahleki. Mam

ela.” Iphum

a phezulu esibhakabhakeni intsini kaZimkhitha,

yayivakala ngathi yintsimbi ekhenkcezayo.

“Ow

u hayini!” ukhale watsho um

ama w

akhe, ethwele izandla

entloko. “Mhlaw

umbi uzakuw

ela elwandle.”

“Okanye kw

imithana enam

eva,” kuncwina utata w

akhe.

“Ndingusonzululw

azi,” watsho um

fazi onobubele, “enye yezinto zokuqala esizifundileyo yeyokuba um

oya uyabhabha. Inoba uginye um

oya omninzi ngexesha ebehleka w

atsho w

abhabha njengebhaloni.”

“Yho, yho, yho, yho” bakhala njalo abazali bakaZim

khitha.

“Inye kuphela indlela esingamthoba ngayo,” w

atsho umfazi

onobubele. “Kufuneka sim

enze alile.”

“Ow

u Nkosi,” kutsho um

ama w

akhe. “Oko akulula.

Yintombazana ehlala igigitheka leya.”

“Kufuneka sikhw

aze, simazise ngento em

bi,” watsho utata

kaZimkhitha, elilela kw

itshefu yakhe.

“Kufuneka sifum

ane abantu abaninzi, size sikhwaze sonke

ngaxeshanye,” utshilo umfazi onobubele. “A

kasoze asive thina sobathathu.” N

goko ke bankqonkqoza kuzo zonke izindlu ezikufutshane, bacela abantu ukuba baphum

e phandle. Utata

kaZimkhitha w

amisa zonke iim

oto, wacela w

onke umntu

ukuba aze kunceda. Ngethutyana nje elingephi kw

akuzele kunyakazela ngabantu ababesolatha, bew

angawangisa, befota

uZimkhitha ngeeselula zabo.

UZim

khitha wahleka, w

ahleka. Le, yayiyeyona nto ihlekisayo w

akhe wayibona.

“Siza kuthini ukuze simenze alile?” kubuza um

fazi onobubele.

Sonke eso sihlwele sam

awaka am

ane abantu nenja emthubi,

ikati emnyam

a kunye nendoda ethengisa iibhanana sakhwaza

ngaxeshanye, “WE ZIM

KH

ITHA

! SIYAYIBO

NA IPEN

TI YA

KH

O, K

WAY

E INO

MG

QO

BHO

!”

UZim

khitha wayeka kw

a oko ukuhleka.

Nanko esihla. W

ehla, wehla, w

ehla. Wehla ngakum

bi nangakum

bi wada ekugqibeleni w

asondela kakhulu emhlabeni.

“Um

ntwana w

am

endimthandayo!”

wakhala um

ama

wakhe, em

thi nqaku ngem

ilenze em

tsalela eMhlabeni.

“Ndibulela ukuba

ungenzakalanga!”

UZim

khitha wajonga

elo gquba labantu laliyiyizela lihleka lim

qhwabela izandla.

Wayeneentloni

kangangokuba w

azigquma, ubuso

wabaleka w

agoduka.

“Ow

u Nkosi yam

,” watsho utata w

akhe. “Simkhathazile.

Ngoku uqum

bile.”

Ngoko ke abantu baphinda badibanisa iintloko bacinga into

efanelekileyo abanokuyithetha, ukumenza angaqum

bi.

“Masitsho sonke ngoku,” w

akhwaza um

ama w

akhe.

Bonke baduma besithi, “W

E ZIMK

HITH

A!

BESIKU

QH

ULA

!”

UZim

khitha wem

a, wayeka ukubaleka.

“SINYA

NISILE!” bakhw

aza bonke. “BESIN

GEN

AK

UY

IBON

I IPENTI YA

KH

O, K

UBA

U

NX

IBE IBHU

LUK

HW

E EPINK

I!”

Waza ke uZim

khitha waqala ukuhleka.

“Yho, m

bambe kam

sinyane,” wakhw

aza umam

a wakhe.

Bamthi nqaku bam

bamba. K

anye ngexesha elifanelekileyo.

Ibali nguHelen B

rainIm

ifanekiso nguMagriet B

rink

Kw

aye kukho intombazana egam

a linguZimkhitha

eyayikuthanda kakhulu ukuhleka. Kw

akumcaphukisa

kakhulu utata wakhe oku kuhleka. N

genye imini

wayem

godusa ngemoto, bevela esikolw

eni. Bathi xa befika ekuqaleni kw

esitalato sabo, wabe sele edikw

e nyhani! Wem

isa im

oto.

“Uza kude uyeke

ukuhleka okanye uza kugoduka ngeenyaw

o?” w

abuza. Kodw

a uZim

khitha wanga

uyaqinisa ukuhleka.

“Kulungile ke,”

utshilo, “hamba

ngeenyawo ugoduke.”

Wam

khupha emotw

eni w

aza waqhuba yena

wagoduka, em

shiya apho.

“Uphi uZim

khitha?” w

abuza umam

a wakhe

ukungena kukatata w

akhe. “Ndipheka okona kutya akuthandayo.”

“E-e, S’thandwa,” w

atsho utata wakhe. “N

dithe makaham

be ngeenyaw

o ukusuka phaya ekoneni kuba ebengayeki ukuhleka.”

“Usana lw

am?” w

akhala wenjenjalo um

ama kaZim

khitha. “U

the usana lwam

malugoduke ngeenyaw

o? Lodwa? M

asiye kum

khangela.” Bakhangela, bakhangela, kodwa w

ayengabonakali ndaw

o uZimkhitha.

“Um

shiye phi?” wabuza uM

ama. “U

phi Ron umntw

an’am?”

“Ow

u madoda,” w

ambom

bozela ngesingqala njalo utata kaZim

khitha, ekhangela ezicithini nasemithini.

“Zimkhitha,” w

akhwaza um

ama w

akhe. “Zimkhitha, uphi?”

Mfazi uthile w

emisa im

oto yakhe. “Ndinganinceda?” w

abuza.

“Silahlekelwe yintom

bi yethu encinane,” watsho um

ama

kaZimkhitha. “U

khe wayibona?”

Lo mfazi w

ajikeleza isitalato ngemoto w

abuya wazisa ingxelo,

“Ndibone ikati em

nyama, inja etyheli nendoda ethengisa ibhanana.

Kodw

a andibonanga ntombazana naphi na.”

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