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A boy singing in front of a woman.

A canção de Sakima Sakima's song La chanson de Sakima

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Peris Wachuka

Translated by Priscilla Freitas de Oliveira

Read by Alfredo Ferreira

Language Portuguese

Level Level 3

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Autoplay story


A man, a woman, a boy and a girl standing outside a hut and some trees.

Sakima morava com seus pais e sua irmã de quatro anos. Eles moravam numa fazenda de um homem muito rico. Sua cabana com telhado de sapê ficava no final de uma fileira de árvores.

Sakima lived with his parents and his four year old sister. They lived on a rich man’s land. Their grass-thatched hut was at the end of a row of trees.

Sakima vivait avec ses parents et sa petite sœur, qui avait quatre ans. Ils vivaient sur la terre d’un homme riche. Leur hutte à toit de chaume était située au bout d’un rang d’arbres.


A boy thinking about when he was ill in bed.

Quando Sakima tinha três anos de idade, adoeceu e perdeu sua visão. Sakima era um menino talentoso.

When Sakima was three years old, he fell sick and lost his sight. Sakima was a talented boy.

Quand Sakima avait trois ans, il est tombé malade et a perdu la vue. Sakima était un garçon avec beaucoup de talent.


A boy talking to three women.

Sakima fazia muitas coisas que outros meninos de seis anos não faziam. Por exemplo, ele podia sentar-se com pessoas mais velhas da aldeia e discutir assuntos importantes.

Sakima did many things that other six year old boys did not do. For example, he could sit with older members of the village and discuss important matters.

Sakima faisait beaucoup de choses que d’autres garçons de six ans ne faisaient pas. Par exemple, il pouvait se tenir avec les membres plus âgés du village et discuter de questions importantes.


A boy and girl waving to a man and woman leaving.

Os pais de Sakima trabalhavam na casa do homem rico. Eles saíam de casa cedo pela manhã e retornavam tarde da noite. Sakima ficava com sua irmãzinha.

The parents of Sakima worked at the rich man’s house. They left home early in the morning and returned late in the evening. Sakima was left with his little sister.

Les parents de Sakima travaillaient chez l’homme riche. Ils quittaient leur maison tôt le matin et revenaient tard le soir. Sakima restait seul chez eux avec sa petite sœur.


A boy singing to a woman.

Sakima adorava cantar. Um dia sua mãe lhe perguntou, “Onde você aprende essas canções, Sakima?”

Sakima loved to sing songs. One day his mother asked him, “Where do you learn these songs from, Sakima?”

Sakima adorait chanter des chansons. Un jour sa mère lui demanda, « Où apprends-tu à chanter ces chansons, Sakima? »


A boy talking with a woman.

Sakima respondeu, “Elas só vêm, mãe. Escuto elas na miha cabeça e, então, canto.”

Sakima answered, “They just come, mother. I hear them in my head and then I sing.”

Sakima répondit, « Elles me viennent tout simplement, maman. Je les entends dans ma tête et ensuite je chante. »


A boy singing to a girl smiling.

Sakima gostava de cantar para sua irmãzinha; especialmente, se ela estivesse com fome. Sua irmã ficava escutando ele cantar sua canção favorita. Ela se balançava com a música suave.

Sakima liked to sing for his little sister, especially, if she felt hungry. His sister would listen to him singing his favourite song. She would sway to the soothing tune.

Sakima aimait chanter pour sa petite sœur, surtout si elle avait faim. Sa sœur l’écoutait chanter sa chanson préférée. Elle se balançait en écoutant la chanson apaisante.


A boy sitting and a girl standing next to him.

“Pode cantar de novo e de novo, Sakima,” sua irmã implorava. Sakima concordava e cantava de novo e de novo.

“Can you sing it again and again, Sakima,” his sister would beg him. Sakima would accept and sing it over and over again.

« Peux-tu la chanter encore et encore, Sakima? » le suppliait sa sœur. Sakima acceptait et la chantait encore et encore.


A sad-looking man and woman sitting with their heads in their hands and a boy and girl next them.

Uma noite quando seus pais retornaram para casa, estavam muito quietos. Sakima sabia que alguma coisa estava errada.

One evening when his parents returned home, they were very quiet. Sakima knew that there was something wrong.

Un soir quand ses parents sont revenus chez eux, ils étaient très tranquilles. Sakima savait qu’il y avait un problème.


A boy talking to a man and woman and a girl standing next to them.

“O que há de errado, mãe, pai?” Sakima perguntou. Sakima ficou sabendo que o filho do homem rico havia desaparecido. O homem estava muito triste e solitário.

“What is wrong, mother, father?” Sakima asked. Sakima learned that the rich man’s son was missing. The man was very sad and lonely.

« Qu’est-ce qu’il y a, maman et papa? » Sakima demanda. Sakima apprit que le fils de l’homme riche avait disparu. L’homme était très triste et seul.


A boy talking to a woman with her arms crossed and a man.

“Posso cantar uma canção para ele. Talvez ele fique feliz novamente,” Sakima falou para seu pais. Mas seus pais rejeitaram. “Ele é muito rico. Você é só um menino cego. Você acha mesmo que sua canção vai ajudá-lo?”

“I can sing for him. He might be happy again,” Sakima told his parents. But his parents dismissed him. “He is very rich. You are only a blind boy. Do you think your song will help him?”

« Je peux chanter pour lui. Il redeviendra peut-être heureux, » dit Sakima à ses parents. Mais ses parents rejetèrent l’idée. « Il est très riche. Tu es seulement un garçon aveugle. Penses-tu vraiment que ta chanson l’aidera? »


A girl with her hand on her tummy talking to a man, a woman and a boy.

De qualquer modo, Sakima não desistiu. E a sua irmãzinha o apoiou. Ela disse, “As canções de Sakima me acalmam quando tenho fome. Elas acalmarão o homem rico também.”

However, Sakima did not give up. His little sister supported him. She said, “Sakima’s songs soothe me when I am hungry. They will soothe the rich man too.”

Toutefois, Sakima ne démissionna pas. Sa petite sœur l’appuyait. Elle disait, « Les chansons de Sakima me calment quand j’ai faim. Elles calmeront l’homme riche aussi. »


A girl leading a blind boy with a stick through a forest.

No dia seguinte, Sakima pediu para que sua irmãzinha lhe guiasse até a casa do homem rico.

The following day, Sakima asked his little sister to lead him to the rich man’s house.

Le lendemain, Sakima demanda à sa petite sœur de le mener chez l’homme riche.


A boy standing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl standing next to him.

Ele parou perto de uma janelona e começou a cantar sua canção favorita. Lentamente, a cabeça do homem rico começou a aparecer na janelona.

He stood below one big window and began to sing his favourite song. Slowly, the head of the rich man began to show through the big window.

Il se tint sous une grande fenêtre et commença à chanter sa chanson préférée. Lentement, la tête de l’homme riche apparu à la grande fenêtre.


A boy singing outside a building singing to a man looking out of the window, and a girl and some workers standing next to him.

Os operários pararam o que eles estavam fazendo. Eles ouviram a bela canção de Sakima. Mas um homem disse, “Ninguém foi capaz de consolar o chefe. Este menino cego acha que o consolará?”

The workers stopped what they were doing. They listened to Sakima’s beautiful song. But one man said, “Nobody has been able to console the boss. Does this blind boy think he will console him?”

Les ouvriers arrêtèrent ce qu’ils faisaient. Ils écoutèrent la belle chanson de Sakima. Mais un homme dit, « Personne n’a été capable de consoler le patron. Est-ce que ce garçon aveugle pense qu’il pourra le consoler ? »


A man standing outside a building calling a boy and girl walking away.

Sakima terminou de cantar a canção e se virou para ir embora. Mas o homem rico se apressou e disse, “Por favor, cante novamente.”

Sakima finished singing his song and turned to leave. But the rich man rushed out and said, “Please sing again.”

Sakima termina de chanter sa chanson et s’apprêtait à partir. Mais l’homme riche sortit en vitesse et dit, « S’il te plaît, chante encore. »


Two men carrying a boy on a stretcher towards a man standing next to a boy and girl.

Naquele mesmo momento, dois homens vieram carregando alguém numa maca. Eles tinham encontrado o filho do homem rico espancado e deixado no acostamento da estrada.

At that very moment, two men came carrying someone on a stretcher. They had found the rich man’s son beaten up and left on the side of the road.

À ce moment, deux hommes sont arrivés en portant quelqu’un sur une civière. Ils avaient trouvé le fils de l’homme riche tabassé et abandonné sur le bord de la route.


A man standing between two boys in hospital beds and a girl standing in front of him.

O homem rico ficou tão feliz em ver seu filho novamente. Ele recompensou Sakima por consolá-lo. Levou seu filho e Sakima para o hospital para que Sakima recuperasse a sua visão.

The rich man was so happy to see his son again. He rewarded Sakima for consoling him. He took his son and Sakima to hospital so Sakima could regain his sight.

L’homme riche fut tellement content de revoir son fils. Il récompensa Sakima de l’avoir consolé. Il emmena les deux garçons à l’hôpital pour que Sakima puisse retrouver la vue.


Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Peris Wachuka
Translated by: Priscilla Freitas de Oliveira
Read by: Alfredo Ferreira
Language: Portuguese
Level: Level 3
Source: Sakima's song from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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