Full Text: Umthungi waseGloucester
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: Umthungi waseGloucester
Ngesikhathi sezinkemba namawigi kanye namajazi abanzi anemihlobiso yezimbali - lapho abanumzane babegqoka amarufle, namavesti ahlotshiswe ngegolide enziwe ngendwangu ye-paduasoy ne-taffeta - kwakuhlala umthungi wezingubo eGloucester.
Wayehlala efasiteleni lesitolo esincane eWestgate Street, esonge imilenze etafuleni, kusukela ekuseni kuze kuhlwe.
Usuku lonke ngenkathi kusekhona ukukhanya wayethunga futhi esika, ehlanganisa isatin yakhe nepompadour, kanye nelutestring; izindwangu zazinamagama angajwayelekile, futhi zazibiza kakhulu ngezikhathi zoMthungi waseGloucester.
Kodwa nakuba ayethungela omakhelwane bakhe usilika omuhle, yena ngokwakhe wayempofu kakhulu, kakhulu—ikhehla elincane elifake izibuko, elinobuso obuzacile, iminwe endala egobile, nesudi yezingubo ezigugile.
Wasika amajazi akhe engamoshi lutho, ngokwendwangu yakhe efekethisiwe; kwakuyizinsalela nezicucu ezincane kakhulu ezazisakazeke etafuleni—”Zincane kakhulu ukwenza noma yini—ngaphandle kwamavesti amagundane,” kusho umthungi.
Ngelinye ilanga elibandayo kakhulu ngasezikhathini zikaKhisimusi umthungi waqala ukwenza ijazi—ijazi likasilika onentambo onombala we-cherry elifekethiswe ngama-pansy nama-rose, kanye newesikoti yesatin enombala okhilimu—ehlotshiswe nge-gauze kanye ne-chenille eluhlaza—likaMeya wase-Gloucester.
Umthungi wasebenza wasebenza, futhi wayekhuluma yedwa. Wakala usilika, wawuphendulaphendula, wawusika wawubumba ngesikelo sakhe; itafula lalingcole ligcwele izicucu ezinombala we-cherry.
”Akukho bubanzi nhlobo, futhi kusikwe ngokuphambana; akukho bubanzi nhlobo; amajazana amagundane namaribhoni amakepisi! awamagundane!” kusho uMthungi wase-Gloucester.
Ngesikhathi amakhekheba eqhwa ewa ezingilazini ezincane zamafasitela ezibiyelwe ngomthofu avala ukukhanya, umthungi wayeseqedile umsebenzi wakhe wosuku; wonke usilika nesatin kwakulele kusikiwe etafuleni.
Kwakunezingxenye eziyishumi nambili zejazi nezingxenye ezine zevesti; futhi kwakukhona izembozo zamaphakethe namakhofu, nezinkinobho konke kuhleleke kahle. Ukuze kufakwe ulwelwesi lwejazi kwakunetafeta elihle eliphuzi; kanti ezimbotsheni zezinkinobho zevesti, kwakunentambo esontiwe enombala we-cherry. Futhi konke kwakulungele ukuthungwa kuhlanganiswe ekuseni, konke kukaliwe futhi kwanele—ngaphandle kokuthi kwakushoda isigaxa esisodwa nje sikasilika osontiwe onombala we-cherry.
Umthungi waphuma esitolo sakhe sekumnyama, ngoba wayengalali lapho ebusuku; wavala iwindi, wakhiya umnyango, wahamba nokhiye. Akekho owayehlala lapho ebusuku ngaphandle kwamagundane amancane ansundu, futhi ayegijima engena ephuma ngaphandle kokusebenzisa okhiye!
Ngoba ngemuva kwamapulangwe ezindonga zazo zonke izindlu ezindala eGloucester, kunezitebhisi ezincane zamagundane nezicabha eziyimfihlo zaphansi; futhi amagundane agijima esuka endlini eya kwenye indlu ngalawo maphaseji amade amancane; angakwazi ukugijima kulo lonke idolobha ngaphandle kokuya emigwaqweni.
Manje usuku lonke ngenkathi umthungi engekho esemsebenzini, uSimpkin wayesala yedwa agade indlu; futhi naye wayewathanda amagundane, yize engazange awanike isathini lamajazi!
”Miyawu?” kwasho ikati ngenkathi umthungi evula umnyango.
”Miyawu?”
Umthungi waphendula wathi, ”Simpkin, sizokwenza ingcebo yethu, kodwa ngikhathele ngiphelile njengentambo egugile. Thatha lezi zinhlamvu zemali ezimbalwa zokugcina, Simpkin, uthathe nembiza encane ye-china; uthenge isinkwa sepheni, ubisi lwepheni namasoseji epheni. Hhawu, Simpkin, ngepheni lokugcina ungithengele usilika onombala we-cherry wepheni elilodwa. Kodwa ungalilahli lelo pheni lokugcina, Simpkin, ngoba ngizobe ngiphelile futhi ngiguge njengephepha lentambo, ngoba ANGINAYO ENYE INTAMBO ESONTIWE.”
Khona-ke uSimpkin waphinde wathi, ”Miyawu?” wathatha uhlamvu lwemali nembiza encane, waphuma waya ebumnyameni.
Umthungi wayekhathele kakhulu futhi eqala ukugula. Wahlala phansi eceleni kweziko wakhuluma yedwa ngalelo jazi elihle kakhulu.
”Ngizokwenza ingcebo yami—ukusikwa ngokuvundla—iMeya yaseGloucester izoshada ngoSuku lukaKhisimusi ekuseni, futhi i-ode ijazi nevesti elifekethisiwe—elifakwe ulwelwesi lwe-taffeta ephuzi—kanti i-taffeta yanele; akukho okusele ezicucwini okungaphezu kokwenza amashali amagundane——”
Khona-ke umthungi wethuka; ngoba kungazelelwe, kumphazamisa, ekhabetheni elingakolunye uhlangothi lwekhishi kweza imisindwana eminingi—
”Tip tap, tip tap, tip tap tip!”
”Manje kungaba yini lokho?” kusho uMthungi waseGloucester, egxuma esuka esihlalweni sakhe. Ikhabethe lalembozwe ngezitsha namabhodwe amancane, amapuleti ephethini ye-willow, kanye nezinkomishi zetiye namamagi.
Umthungi wanqamula ikhishi, wema wanganyakaza eduze nekhabethe, elalele, futhi elunguza ngezibuko zakhe. Futhi ngaphansi kwenkomishi yetiye, kweza leyo misindo encane ehlekisayo-
”Tip tap, tip tap, Tip tap tip!”
”Lokhu kuyaxaka kakhulu,” kwasho uMthungi waseGloucester; wase ephakamisa inkomishi yetiye eyayibekwe yabheka phansi.
Kwaphuma igundwanekazi elincane eliphilayo, lakhothama ngenhlonipho kumthungi! Labe seligxuma lehla ekhabetheni, langena ngaphansi kwepulangwe lasodongeni.
Umthungi waphinda wahlala phansi ngasemlilweni, efudumeza izandla zakhe ezibandayo, ekhuluma yedwa ekhonona——
”Ivesti lisikwe kusilika onombala wepentshisi—umthungo we-tambour namaqhubu ama-rose ngentambo kasilika enhle. Ngabe ngenze ngokuhlakanipha ukwethemba uSimpkin ngezinhlamvu zami zemali zokugcina? Izimbobo zezinkinobho ezingamashumi amabili nanye zentambo esontekile enombala we-cherry!”
Kodwa ngokuphazima kweso, ekhabetheni, kwezwakala eminye imisindo emincane:
”Tip tap, tip tap, tip tap tip!”
”Lokhu kuyamangaza ngendlela eyisimangaliso!” kusho uMthungi waseGloucester, wabe esephendula enye inkomishi yetiye, eyayibekwe yabheka phansi.
Kwaphuma igundane elincane elingumnumzane, lakhothama kumthungi!
Khona-ke kulo lonke ikhabethe kwezwakala ihubo lokungqongqoza okuncane, konke kukhala kanyekanye, futhi kuphendulana, njengamabhungane esivalweni sefasitela esidala esidliwe yizibungu—
”Tip tap, tip tap, tip tap tip!”
”Kanti nangaphansi kwezinkomishi zetiye nangaphansi kwezitsha nezindishi, kwaphuma amanye amagundane amancane amaningi agxuma ehla ekhabetheni ayongena ngaphansi kwebhodi lodonga.
Umthungi wahlala phansi, eduze kakhulu nomlilo, ekhala—”Izimbobo zezinkinobho ezingamashumi amabili nanye zikasilika onombala we-cherry! Kumele ziqedwe ngemini yangoMgqibelo: kanti lokhu kungukuhlwa kwangoLwesibili. Kwakulungile yini ukudedela lawo magundane, okungangabazeki ukuthi ayimpahla kaSimpkin? Maye, ngiphelile, ngoba angisenayo intambo yokuthunga!”
Amagundane amancane aphinda aphuma, futhi alalela umthungi; aqaphela iphethini yalelo jazi elihle kakhulu. Ahlebana ngolayini wetafeta, nangamathiphethi amagundane amancane.
Khona-ke ngasikhathi sinye onke abaleka kanyekanye ehla ngephasishi ngemuva kwamapulangwe asodongeni, etshiyoza futhi ebizana, njengoba ayegijima esuka endlini eya endlini; futhi alikho negundane elilodwa elalisalele ekhishini lomthungi ngenkathi uSimpkin ebuya nembiza encane yobisi!
USimpkin wavula umnyango wagxumela ngaphakathi, ekhala ngokuthukuthela ethi ”G-r-r-miaw!” njengekati elicasukile: ngoba wayelizonda iqhwa, futhi kwakuneqhwa ezindlebeni zakhe, neqhwa kukhola yakhe ngemuva kwentamo yakhe. Wabeka phansi isinkwa namasoseji phezu kwekhabethe, wase ehogela.
”Simpkin,” kusho umthungi, ”iphi intambo yami?”
Kodwa uSimpkin wabeka phansi imbiza yobisi phezu kwekhabethe, wase ebuka izinkomishi zetiye ngokusola. Wayefuna isidlo sakhe sakusihlwa segundane elincane elikhuluphele!
”Simpkin,” kusho umthungi, ”iphi INTAMBO yami?”
Kodwa uSimpkin wafihla iphasela elincane ngasese etiphothini, wafutha futhi wavungamela umthungi; futhi ukube uSimpkin wayekwazi ukukhuluma, wayezobuza athi:
”Liphi IGUNDANE lami?”
”Maye, ngiphelile!” kwasho uMthungi waseGloucester, wayeseya kulala ngokudabuka.
Ubusuku bonke uSimpkin wazingela futhi wacinga ekhishini lonke, elunguza emakhabetheni nangaphansi kwamapulangwe asodongeni, nangaphakathi etiphothini lapho ayefihle khona leyo ntambo; kodwa noma kunjalo akazange alithole igundane!
Njalo lapho umthungi evungama futhi ekhuluma ebuthongweni bakhe, uSimpkin wayethi ”Miaw-ger-r-w-s-s-ch!” futhi enze imisindo eyinqaba ethusayo, njengoba amakati enza ebusuku.
Ngoba umthungi omdala owayedabukisa wayegula kakhulu enomkhuhlane, ephendaguka embhedeni wakhe onezinsika ezine; futhi emaphusheni akhe wayelokhu evungama—”Ayisekho intambo! ayisekho intambo!”
Wagula lolo suku lonke, nangosuku olulandelayo, nangolunye; futhi kwakuzokwenzekani ngejazi elinombala wetsheri? Esitolo somthungi ku-Westgate Street usilika ofekethisiwe kanye nesathini kwakusikiwe kwabekwa phezu kwetafula—izimbobo zezinkinobho ezingamashumi amabili nanye—futhi ubani owayezofika azithunge, njengoba ifasitela lalivaliwe ngezinsimbi, nomnyango ukhiyelwe waqina?
Kodwa lokho akuwavimbeli amagundane amancane ansundu; agijima angena aphume ngaphandle kwezikhiye kuzo zonke izindlu ezindala eGloucester!
Ngaphandle abantu basemakethe babehamba kanzima eqhweni beyothenga amahanzi namakalikuni abo, kanye nokubhaka amaphayi abo kaKhisimusi; kodwa kwakungeke kube khona isidlo sakusihlwa sikaKhisimusi sikaSimpkin noMthungi ompofu omdala waseGloucester.
Umthungi wayelele egula izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu; kwase kuba ubusuku bangaphambi kukaKhisimusi, kusebusuku kakhulu. Inyanga yakhuphuka ngaphezu kophahla noshimula, yabuka phansi ngesango elingena eCollege Court. Kwakungekho zibani emafasiteleni, noma umsindo ezindlini; lonke idolobha laseGloucester lalilele zwi ngaphansi kweqhwa.
Futhi namanje uSimpkin wayefuna amagundane akhe, futhi wakhala wathi mjawu emi eceleni kombhede onezinsika ezine.
Kodwa kusezindabeni ezindala ukuthi zonke izilwane zingakhuluma, ebusuku phakathi koSuku Lwangaphambi KukaKhisimusi noSuku LukaKhisimusi ekuseni (yize kunabantu abambalwa kakhulu abangabezwa, noma abaziyo ukuthi bathini).
Ngesikhathi iwashi leCathedral lishaya ihora leshumi nambili kwaba nempendulo—njengokunanela kwezinsimbi—futhi uSimpkin wayizwa, waphuma emnyango womthungi, wazulazula eqhweni.
Kuwo wonke amaphahla nezihloko zezindlu nezindlu ezindala zokhuni eGloucester kwavela amazwi ayinkulungwane ajabulayo ecula izinkondlo ezindala zikaKhisimusi—wonke amaculo amadala engake ngezwa ngawo, namanye engingawazi, njengezinsimbi zikaWhittington.
Okokuqala nangokuzwakalayo kakhulu amaqhude akhala:
”Nkosikazi, vuka, ubhake amaphayi akho!”
”Hhawu, dilly, dilly, dilly!” kububula uSimpkin.
Futhi manje ekamelweni eliphezulu kwakukhona izibani nemisindo yokudansa, namakati aqhamuka ngaphesheya komgwaqo.
”Hey, diddle, diddle, ikati nefiddle! Wonke amakati aseGloucester—ngaphandle kwami,” kusho uSimpkin.
Ngaphansi kwemiphetho yophahla lwepulangwe izigwe nondlunkulu zacula ngamaphayi kaKhisimusi; ama-jackdaw avuka embhoshongweni weCathedral; futhi nakuba kwakuphakathi kwamabili ama-throstle nama-robin acula; umoya wawugcwele kakhulu izingoma ezincane ezitshiyozayo.
Kodwa konke lokhu kwakucasula kakhulu kuSimpkin owayelambile futhi edabukisa!
Ikakhulukazi wayecasulwe ngamaphimbo amancane ahlabayo avela ngemuva kohlaka lwokhuni. Ngicabanga ukuthi kwakungamalulwane, ngoba ahlala enamaphimbo amancane kakhulu—ikakhulukazi ngesikhathi sesithwathwa esinzima, lapho ekhuluma ebuthongweni bawo, njengoTailor of Gloucester.
Asho okuthile okungaqondakali okwakuzwakala njengokuthi—
”Bhuza, kusho impukane eluhlaza, hum, kusho inyosi,
Bhuza kanye no-hum bayakhala, nathi senza njalo!”
futhi uSimpkin wahamba enikina izindlebe zakhe sengathi unenyosi esigqokweni sakhe.
Esitolo somthungi eWestgate kwakuvela ukukhanya; futhi kwathi lapho uSimpkin enyonyoba ezolunguza efasiteleni kwakugcwele amakhandlela. Kwakunomsindo wokucikiza kwesikelo, nokuqhafaza kwentambo; namaphimbo amancane amagundane acula kakhulu nangenjabulo—
”Abathungi abangamashumi amabili nane
Bahamba bayobamba umnenke,
Indoda engcono kakhulu phakathi kwabo
Ayizange ilinge ukuthinta umsila wawo,
Wakhipha izimpondo zawo
Njengenkomo encane ye-kyloe,
Gijimani, bathungi, gijimani! noma uzonithatha nonke khona manje!”
Khona-ke ngaphandle kokuma amaphimbo amancane amagundane aqhubeka futhi—
”Hlunga i-oatmeal yenkosikazi yami,
Gaya ufulawa wenkosikazi yami,
Ukufake kwi-chestnut,
Ukuyeke kume ihora elilodwa——”
”Miyawu! Miyawu!” waphazamisa uSimpkin, wabe eseklwebha emnyango. Kodwa ukhiye wawungaphansi komcamelo womthungi, akakwazanga ukungena.
Amagundane amancane avele ahleka, azama elinye iculo—
”Amagundane amancane amathathu ahlala phansi ukuze aphothe,
UPussy wadlula walunguza ngaphakathi.
Nenzani, madoda ami amancane amahle?
Sithungela amadoda ahloniphekile amajazi.
Ngingangena nginqume imicu yenu?
Hhayi bo, Nkosazana Pussy, ungaluma unqume amakhanda ethu!”
”Miyawu! Miyawu!” kukhala uSimpkin. ”Hey diddle dinketty?” kuphendula amagundane amancane—
”Hey diddle dinketty, poppetty pet!
Abathengisi baseLondon bagqoka okubomvu klebhu;
Usilika kukhola, negolide emiphethweni,
Ngakho-ke amadoda angabathengisi amasha ngokujabula!”
Baqhafaza izigqokwana zabo zeminwe ukuze babeke isikhathi, kodwa ayikho nakanye kulezi zingoma eyajabulisa uSimpkin; wahogela futhi wamewuza emnyango wesitolo.
”Ngase ngithenga
I-pipkin ne-popkin,
I-slipkin ne-slopkin,
Konke ngepeni elilodwa——
naphezu kwekhabethe lasekhishini!” kwengeza amagundwane amancane adelelayo.
”Mewu! klwebha! klwebha!” kwaxakazela uSimpkin okhunjini lwefasitela; ngenkathi amagundwane amancane angaphakathi egxuma esukuma, futhi onke aqala ukumemeza kanyekanye ngamazwi amancane atshiyozayo: ”Ayisekho intambo! Ayisekho intambo!” Futhi avala izivalo zamafasitela avalela uSimpkin ngaphandle.
Kodwa noma kunjalo ngemifantu yezivalo wayekwazi ukuzwa ukuqhafaza kwezigqokwana zeminwe, namazwi amancane amagundwane ecula—
”Ayisekho intambo! Ayisekho intambo!”
USimpkin wasuka esitolo wabuyela ekhaya, ecabanga engqondweni yakhe. Wathola umthungi omdala ompofu engenayo imfiva, elele ngokuthula.
Khona-ke uSimpkin wanyonyoba wathatha iphasela elincane likasilika ethiphothini, walibuka ekukhanyeni kwenyanga; futhi wazizwa enamahloni kakhulu ngobubi bakhe uma kuqhathaniswa nalawo magundane amancane alungile!
Ngesikhathi umthungi evuka ekuseni, into yokuqala ayibona engubeni ehlanganisiwe, kwakuyisixha sikasilika osontiwe onombala we-cherry, kanti eceleni kombhede wakhe kwakume uSimpkin ozisolayo!
”Maye, ngikhathele ngiphelile,” kusho uTailor of Gloucester, ”kodwa nginentambo yami esontiwe!”
Ilanga lalikhanya eqhweni ngesikhathi umthungi evuka futhi egqoka, waphumela emgwaqweni uSimpkin egijima phambi kwakhe.
Izinyoni ezingama-starling zashaya amakhwela phezu koshimula, nama-throstle nama-robin acula—kodwa acula imisindo yawo emincane, hhayi amagama ayewacule ebusuku.
”Maye,” kusho umthungi, ”nginentambo yami esontiwe; kodwa angisenamandla—noma isikhathi—esizokwanela ukwenza imbobo eyodwa yenkinobho; ngoba lolu usuku lukaKhisimusi ekuseni! UMayor of Gloucester uzoshada emini—kanti liphi ijazi lakhe elinombala we-cherry?”
Wavula umnyango wesitolo esincane eWestgate Street, futhi uSimpkin wagijimela ngaphakathi, njengekati elilindele okuthile.
Kodwa kwakungekho muntu lapho! Ngisho negundane elilodwa elincane elinsundu!
Amapulangwe ayeshanelwe ahlanzeka; izinsalela ezincane zentambo nezicucu ezincane zesilika zaziqoqwe zonke, zanyamalala phansi.
Kodwa phezu kwetafula—yeka injabulo! umthungi wamemeza—lapho, lapho ayeshiye khona izicucu ezilula zikasilika—lapho kwakulele ijazi elihle kakhulu ukwedlula onke nevesti lasathini elifekethisiwe okwake kwagqokwa iMeya yaseGloucester.
Kwakunamarosi namaphanzi emiphethweni yejazi; kanti ivesti yayihlotshiswe ngama-poppy nama-corn-flower.
Konke kwase kuqediwe ngaphandle kwembobo eyodwa yenkinobho enombala we-cherry, futhi lapho kwakushoda khona leyo mbobo yenkinobho kwakuphiniwe isiqeshana sephepha esinala magama—ngombhalo omncanyana kakhulu—
AWUSEKHO UZI
Kusukela lapho yaqala inhlanhla kaTailor of Gloucester; wakhuluphala impela, futhi waceba kakhulu.
Wayethunga amawesikoti amangalisayo abo bonke abathengisi abacebile baseGloucester, nabo bonke abanumzane abahloniphekile bendawo ezungezile.
Kwakungakaze kubonwe imifingo enjalo, noma amakhaphi namalaphethi afekethisiwe anjalo! Kodwa izimbobo zakhe zezinkinobho kwakuyimpumelelo yakhe enkulu kunakho konke.
Imithungo yalezo zimbobo zezinkinobho yayicoceke kakhulu—icoceke kakhulu—ngiyazibuza ukuthi yayingathungwa kanjani yikhehla elifake izibuko, elineminwe emidala egobile, nendikwe yomthungi.
Imithungo yalezo zimbobo zezinkinobho yayimincane kakhulu—imincane kakhulu—yayibukeka sengathi yenziwe ngamagundane amancane!
