Once, long ago, there was a boy called Sizwe who lived with his mother near to the Chief's kraal. Now Sizwe did so many silly things, that everybody called him "Silly Sizwe."

The Chief, who lived in that kraal, had a daughter who never ever smiled or laughed, even when someone did something very funny or tickled her.

One day, Sizwe and his mother had nothing eat, so his mother told him to go and get a job at the Chief's kraal. He was asked to collect all the eggs, which the hens had laid all around the kraal.

All day Sizwe looked for eggs, and when it was time to go home, he was given some eggs to take to his mother. He was very happy as he ran off with the eggs in his hands. But just as he passed the Chief's house, he tripped over a stone and dropped the eggs.

The Chief's daughter watched as he tried to catch them before they fell on the ground. He looked very funny, but the girl did not even smile.

When he got home, he told his mother what had happened. "You silly boy," said his mother. "You should have put the eggs in your hat and you could have brought them safely home." "Never mind Mother," said Sizwe. "I will do that next time."

The next day, Sizwe was asked to milk the Chief's cows. When he had finished milking at the end of the day, he was given a bucket of milk to take home to his mother. Just as he got to the Chief's house, he remembered that the bucket belonged to the Chief. So he poured the milk into his hat. Then Sizwe put his hat on again.

Woosh! The milk splashed all over him. He looked very funny, as the milk ran down his face and clothes. The Chief's daughter saw what happened, but she never even smiled.

"You silly child," said his mother, "If you had carried the bucket in your hand, you could have brought the milk safely home." "Never mind Mother," said Sizwe. "I will remember to do that next time."

The next day, Sizwe had to look after the Chief's pigs. He worked very hard feeding the pigs. When the work was done, he was given a little piglet to take home. Remembering what his mother had said, he tried to carry the piglet in his hands. But the piglet wriggled and wriggled, until it wriggled out of his hands. Sizwe tried to catch it, but he fell in the mud.

The Chief's daughter saw Sizwe fall in the mud, but she did not laugh. She never even smiled. His mother was very cross with Sizwe when he told her what had happened. "You stupid boy," she said, "you should have held the rope and pulled the piglet behind you." "Never mind Mother. I will do that next time," said Sizwe.

The next day, Sizwe had to work in the Chief's kitchen. He worked hard all day washing the dishes. When all the work was done, the cook gave Sizwe a big fish to take home.

Sizwe was very happy with the fish, and remembering what his mother had said, he tied a rope to the fish and went off home, pulling it behind him.

The chief's cats smelled the fish and came running out of the houses to get a bit of fish. Soon they had eaten all the fish. By the time he got to the Chief's house, all he was pulling was the fish bones. Did the chief's daughter laugh? No, she did not even smile.

"You silly, silly boy," said his mother when she told her what had happened. You should have carried it on your shoulder." "Don't worry," said Sizwe, "I will do so next time.

The next day when Sizwe got to work, he had to clean the cow's kraal. He worked hard all day. At the end of the day, he was given one of the Chief's cows to take to his mother. Sizwe was very happy. He remembered his mother's words, "Carry it home on your shoulder."

Sizwe got down on his hands and knees under the cow. Then he pushed and pushed until at last he had the cow on his shoulders. As he staggered past the Chief's house, the daughter saw Sizwe. He looked so funny! And do you know what happened? She laughed and laughed and laughed.

The Chief was so happy to hear his daughter laugh, that he called Sizwe into his house and told him that because he had made his daughter laugh, Sizwe and his mother should live in the kraal. So Sizwe and his mother went to live in the Chief's kraal. Everybody lived happily ever after.