Full Text: Indaba ka-Tom Kitten
One story, four ways to read it
Every story comes in its original version plus several simplified reading levels, so it grows with your child.
The original text is the full story with rich vocabulary and descriptive language, ideal for reading aloud together and for kids who are ready for longer sentences.
The simplified levels retell the same story in shorter, simpler sentences matched to your child's stage. Ages 2-6 uses a few short sentences per scene, perfect for first time readers. Ages 4-8 adds simple dialogue and everyday vocabulary for kids beginning to follow along. Ages 6-10 keeps the language accessible while bringing back more of the story's detail, a natural bridge to the original.
Start at the level where your child is comfortable, and move up when they're ready. Hearing the same story told in richer language each time is one of the best ways to build vocabulary in any language.
Original Text: Indaba ka-Tom Kitten
Kwasukasukela, kwakukhona amakati amancane amathathu okwakuthiwa uMittens, uTom Kitten, noMoppet. Ayenamajazi oboya amahle futhi ayechitha izinsuku zawo egingqika emphemeni futhi edlala enhlabathini.
Ngolunye usuku, unina wabo—uNkosikazi Tabitha Twitchit—wayelindele abangani etiyeni. Waletha amakati amancane ngaphakathi ukuze awageze futhi awagqokise ngaphambi kokuba izivakashi zakhe zifike.
Okokuqala, wakhuhla ubuso babo (lona nguMoppet).
Khona-ke wakama uboya babo (lona nguMittens).
Ngemuva kwalokho wakama imisila yabo namadevu abo (lo nguTom Kitten). UTom wayelokhu ezama ukuklwebha ikama.
UNkosikazi Tabitha wagqokisa uMoppet noMittens izingubo ezincane ezihlanzekile namakhola eleyisi. Wabe esekhiphela uTom izingubo eziqinile, zikanokusho ekhabetheni elidala.
UTom Kitten wayekhuluphele kakhulu futhi wayesekhulile; izinkinobho ezimbalwa zaqhashuka masinyane. Unina wabubula wazithunga futhi.
Ngesikhathi amantshontsho ekati amathathu eselungile, uMrs. Tabitha wenza iphutha wawathumela phandle engadini ngenkathi enza ithosti elishisayo elinebhotela.
“Manje gcinani izingubo zenu zihlanzekile, bantwana! Hambani ngemilenze yenu yangemuva. Hlalani kude nomgodi womlotha onodaka, uSally Henny-Penny, isibaya sezingulube, kanye nalabo Puddle-Ducks!“
UMoppet noMittens bahamba bentengantenga endleleni yasengadini. Kungekudala bakhubeka emalokweni abo bawa ngobuso. Ngesikhathi besukuma, base begcwele amabala otshani!
"Asigibele ematsheni sihlale odongeni lwasengadini," kuphakamisa uMoppet.
Baphendula izingubo zabo zabheka emuva ukuze bakwazi ukunyakaza kangcono base begxumela phezulu; ikhola yeleyisi emhlophe kaMoppet yawa phansi emgwaqweni.
UTom Kitten wayengakwazi nhlobo ukugxuma ngenkathi ezama ukuhamba ngemilenze yakhe yangemuva efake ibhulukwe. Wakhwela emadwaleni kanzima kancane kancane, enyathela ama-fern futhi elahlekelwa yizinkinobho ngapha nangapha.
Wayesemapeketwane ngesikhathi efika phezulu odongeni. UMoppet noMittens bazama ukulungisa izingubo zakhe, kodwa isigqoko sakhe sawa nezinkinobho zakhe zokugcina zaqhuma.
Ngenkathi besazabalaza, bezwa umsindo othi phithi-phathi-phadi-phathi! Ama-Puddle-Ducks amathathu afika emasha ehla ngomgwaqo elandelana, ebadazela ngesigqi sawo—phithi-phathi-phadi-phathi! phithi-phathi-wadi-phathi!
Bama base bema ngohlu, begqolozele phezulu emakatini amancane ngamehlo avuleke kakhulu, amangele.
Khona-ke amadada amabili esifazane, uRebeccah noJemima Puddle-Duck, acosha isigqoko nekhola yeleyisi abe esezigqoka.
UMittens wahleka kakhulu waze wawa odongeni. UMoppet noTom behla bamlandela; amaroko kanye nezinye izingubo zikaTom zawa ngenkathi behla.
"Mnu. Drake Puddle-Duck!" kumemeza uMoppet. "Woza usisize simgqokise! Woza ubophele uTom izinkinobho!"
Umnumzane Drake Puddle-Duck wasondela ebhaklazela kancane, ehamba ngecala, wacosha izinto ezahlukahlukene.
Kodwa wazigqoka yena ngokwakhe! Zazimlingana kabi kakhulu kunokuba zazimlingana uTom Kitten.
“Likuseni elihle!“ kusho uMnu. Drake Puddle-Duck.
Khona-ke yena, uJemima, kanye noRebeccah Puddle-Duck basuka bahamba ngomgwaqo, benyathela kanyekanye—phithi-phathi, phadili-phathi! phithi-phathi, wadili-phathi!
Khona-ke uTabitha Twitchit wehla waya engadini wathola amazinyane akhe odongeni engagqokile izingubo.
Wabadonsa odongeni, wabasheshisa, wase ebabuyisela endlini.
Wabathumela phezulu; futhi ngiyadabuka ukusho ukuthi watshela abangani bakhe ukuthi babelele embhedeni bephethwe ngumkhuhlane, okwakungelona iqiniso.
Okuphambene nalokho; babengekho embhedeni nhlobo.
Esikhundleni salokho, kwakunemisindo eyinqaba kakhulu evela phezulu, eyonakalisa umoya othulile wedili letiye.
Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi ngelinye ilanga kuzodingeka ngibhale incwadi ende ukuze nginitshele okwengeziwe ngoTom Kitten!
Kanti oPuddle-Duck—bangena echibini. Izingubo zavele zawa ngoba kwakungasekho zinkinobho zokuzibamba zihlangane.
Futhi uMnu. Drake Puddle-Duck, uJemima, noRebeccah bebelokhu bebafuna kusukela ngaleso sikhathi.