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A silhouette of three girls carrying wood on their heads at sunset.

Nozibele e i tre capelli Nozibele and the three hairs Nozibele et les trois cheveux

Written by Tessa Welch

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Laura Pighini

Read by Sonia Pighini

Language Italian

Level Level 3

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


Three girls carrying wood on their heads.

Tanto tempo fa, tre ragazze uscirono a raccogliere il legno.

A long time ago, three girls went out to collect wood.

Il y a longtemps, trois filles sont sorties pour aller chercher du bois.


Three girls swimming in a river.

Era un giorno molto caldo, quindi andarono al fiume a nuotare. Giocarono, si schizzarono e nuotarono nell’acqua.

It was a hot day so they went down to the river to swim. They played and splashed and swam in the water.

C’était une journée très chaude, alors elles sont descendues à la rivière pour nager. Elles ont joué, fait des éclaboussures et nagé dans l’eau.


A silhouette of three girls carrying wood on their heads at sunset.

Improvvisamente, realizzarono quanto fosse tardi. Si affrettarono a tornare al villaggio.

Suddenly, they realised that it was late. They hurried back to the village.

Soudainement, elles se sont rendu compte qu’il était tard. Elles se sont dépêchées de rentrer au village.


Three girls carrying wood on their heads and one girl putting her hand to her neck.

Quando erano quasi a casa, Nozibele mise la mano intorno al suo collo. Aveva dimenticato la sua collana! “Per favore, tornate indietro con me!” Implorò le sue amiche, ma loro dissero che era troppo tardi.

When they were nearly home, Nozibele put her hand to her neck. She had forgotten her necklace! “Please come back with me!” she begged her friends. But her friends said it was too late.

Mais quand elles étaient presque arrivées chez elles, Nozibele mit sa main à son cou. Elle avait oublié son collier ! « S’il vous plaît, retournez avec moi ! » supplia-t-elle ses amies. Mais ses amies lui dirent que c’était trop tard.


Someone picking up a necklace sitting on a rock near a river.

Quindi Nozibele tornò al fiume da sola. Trovò la sua collana e corse a casa, ma si perse nel buio.

So Nozibele went back to the river alone. She found her necklace and hurried home. But she got lost in the dark.

Ainsi Nozibele retourna à la rivière toute seule. Elle trouva son collier et se dépêcha de rentrer chez elle. Mais elle se perdit dans le noir.


A girl carrying wood on her head at night time and looking at a lit-up hut.

In lontananza, vide una luce provenire da una capanna. Corse verso di essa e bussò alla porta.

In the distance she saw light coming from a hut. She hurried towards it and knocked at the door.

Au loin elle vit de la lumière qui venait d’une cabane. Elle se hâta vers la cabane et cogna à la porte.


A dog answering the door to a girl carrying wood on her head.

Con sua sorpresa, un cane aprì la porta e chiese: “Che cosa vuoi?” “Mi sono persa e ho bisogno di un posto dove dormire” disse Nozibele. “Vieni dentro o ti mordo!” Disse il cane. Nozibele entrò.

To her surprise, a dog opened the door and said, “What do you want?” “I’m lost and I need a place to sleep,” said Nozibele. “Come in, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog. So Nozibele went in.

À sa surprise, un chien ouvrit la porte et dit, « Qu’est-ce que tu veux ? » « Je suis perdue et j’ai besoin d’un endroit pour dormir, » dit Nozibele. « Rentre, sinon je te mords ! » dit le chien. Alors, Nozibele rentra.


A girl cooking and a dog standing next to her with their arms folded.

Poi il cane disse: “Cucina per me!” “Ma io non ho mai cucinato per un cane prima d’ora,” rispose lei. “Cucina o ti mordo!” Disse il cane. Così Nozibele cucinò un po’ di cibo per il cane.

Then the dog said, “Cook for me!” “But I’ve never cooked for a dog before,” she answered. “Cook, or I’ll bite you!” said the dog. So Nozibele cooked some food for the dog.

Puis le chien dit, « Fais-moi à manger ! » « Mais je n’ai jamais cuisiné pour un chien auparavant, » répondit-elle. « Cuisine, sinon je te mords ! » dit le chien. Donc, Nozibele prépara de la nourriture pour le chien.


A girl making a bed with a dog standing next to her with their arms folded.

Poi il cane disse: “Fammi il letto!” Nozibele rispose: “Non ho mai fatto un letto per un cane prima d’ora.” “Fammi il letto o ti mordo!” Disse il cane. Così Nozibele gli fece il letto.

Then the dog said, “Make the bed for me!” Nozibele answered, “I’ve never made a bed for a dog.” “Make the bed, or I’ll bite you!” the dog said. So Nozibele made the bed.

Ensuite, le chien dit, « Fais le lit pour moi ! » Nozibele répondit, « Je n’ai jamais fait de lit pour un chien. » « Fais le lit, sinon je te mords ! » dit le chien. Donc, Nozibele fit le lit.


A dog standing next to an open door talking to a girl and pointing.

Ogni giorno, Nozibele doveva cucinare e spazzare e lavare per il cane. Poi un giorno il cane disse: “Nozibele, oggi devo andare a visitare degli amici. Spazza la casa, cucina il cibo e lava le mie cose prima che torni.”

Every day she had to cook and sweep and wash for the dog. Then one day the dog said, “Nozibele, today I have to visit some friends. Sweep the house, cook the food and wash my things before I come back.”

Chaque jour, elle devait cuisiner et balayer et laver pour le chien. Puis un jour le chien dit, « Nozibele, aujourd’hui je dois rendre visite à des amis. Balaye la maison, fais à manger et lave mes affaires avant mon retour. »


Someone putting a hair under a bed, behind a door and by a fence.

Appena il cane se ne andò, Nozibele si strappò tre capelli dalla testa. Ne mise uno sotto il letto, uno dietro la porta e uno nel recinto. Poi corse a casa più veloce che poté.

As soon as the dog had gone, Nozibele took three hairs from her head. She put one hair under the bed, one behind the door, and one in the kraal. Then she ran home as fast as she could.

Aussitôt que le chien fut parti, Nozibele prit trois cheveux de sa tête. Elle en mit un sous le lit, un derrière la porte et un dans le kraal. Puis elle rentra chez elle en courant aussi vite qu’elle pouvait.


An angry-looking dog.

Quando il cane tornò, cercò Nozibele. “Nozibele, dove sei?” gridò “Sono qui, sotto il letto.” Disse il primo capello “Sono qui, dietro la porta.” Disse il secondo capello “Sono qui, nel recinto,” disse il terzo capello.

When the dog came back, he looked for Nozibele. “Nozibele, where are you?” he shouted. “I’m here, under the bed,” said the first hair. “I’m here, behind the door,” said the second hair. “I’m here, in the kraal,” said the third hair.

Quand le chien revint, il chercha Nozibele. « Nozibele, où es-tu ? » cria-t-il. « Je suis ici, sous le lit, » dit le premier cheveu. « Je suis ici, derrière la porte, » dit le deuxième cheveu. « Je suis ici, dans le kraal, » dit le troisième cheveu.


Three boys waving sticks and a girl standing behind them.

Il cane capì che Nozibele l’aveva fregato. Così corse al villaggio. Ma i fratelli di Nozibele lo stavano aspettando con dei grandi bastoni. Il cane scappò e non lo rividero mai più.

Then the dog knew that Nozibele had tricked him. So he ran and ran all the way to the village. But Nozibele’s brothers were waiting there with big sticks. The dog turned and ran away and has never been seen since.

Ainsi le chien sut que Nozibele l’avait trompé. Il courut et courut jusqu’au village. Mais les frères de Nozibele l’attendaient avec des gros bâtons. Le chien vira de bord et s’enfuit et on ne l’a pas revu depuis.


Written by: Tessa Welch
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Laura Pighini
Read by: Sonia Pighini
Language: Italian
Level: Level 3
Source: Nozibele and the three hairs from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
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