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Big blue bus
Mecelin Kakoro
Mango Tree
English
There was only one bus in Ebei's village.

It was big and blue. It was very noisy.
"Tomorrow we will go to town," said Ebei's mother. "We will buy your school uniform."
Ebei was very excited. They would travel in the big blue bus.

He could not sleep that night.
When his mother came to wake him, Ebei was already dressed.
Ebei and his mother walked to the bus stop. They waited for the big blue bus.

But the bus did not come.
Other people arrived at the bus stop. 

They complained because the bus was late. "Where is the bus?" they asked.
Ebei was worried. "We will not be able to go to town," he thought. "I will not be able to get my uniform."
Some people gave up and went home. Ebei cried. He did not want to go.

"We will wait a bit longer," said his mother.
Suddenly, they heard a noise. They saw dust in the air.

The bus was coming!
But this bus was not blue. It was not big. It was red and small.

The people did not want to get in this bus.
"Get in! Get in!" shouted the driver. "We are very late today," he called.
Ebei and his mother got in first.

Soon everyone else got in the small red bus.
Ebei looked out the window.

He saw more people at the bus stop.
Even more people were running to catch the bus. 

But they were too late. The red bus was full. It left for town.
"Where is the big blue bus?" asked Ebei's mother.

"It broke down," replied the driver. "We are fixing it. It will come tomorrow."
Ebei did not care about the colour of the bus. He did not care about the size.

All he cared about was that this bus was going to town!
You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
Big blue bus
Author - Mecelin Kakoro
Illustration - Mango Tree
Language - English
Level - First sentences
© African Storybook Initiative 2015
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org
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  • Translations and adaptations
    • Groot blou bus
      Afrikaans (Translation)
    • Toe die groot, blou bus laat was
      Afrikaans (Translation)
    • ትልቁ ሰማያዊ አውቶቡስ በዘገየ ጊዜ
      Amharic (Translation)
    • Bɔɔsʊ buruu abʊmbɔnɔ
      Anii (Adaptation)
    • Chibasi chabuluu
      ChiChewa (Translation)
    • Bhazi Hombe reBhuruu
      ChiShona (Translation)
    • Ibbasi lyangu lipati lya bbulu
      ChiTonga (Translation)
    • Bbaasi Lipati Lyabbuluu
      ChiTonga (Adaptation)
    • Basi ikulu yobilibila
      CiNyanja (Translation)
    • Kuyembekeza basi
      CiNyanja (Translation)
    • Basi yaikulu yobiriwira
      CiNyanja (Adaptation)
    • When the big blue bus was late
      English (Adaptation)
    • Waiting for the bus
      English (Adaptation)
    • Le Grand Bus Bleu
      French (Translation)
    • Moota Njahoowa Luumo
      Fulfulde Mbororoore (Translation)
    • Babbar shuɗiyar mota
      Hausa (Nigeria) (Translation)
    • Saaca Iikulu Iyabuluu
      IciBemba (Translation)
    • Ukuloleela Saca
      IciBemba (Translation)
    • Saaca Iikulu Iyabuluu
      IciBemba (Adaptation)
    • Ugbọala bọsụ ojii ukwu
      Igbo (Translation)
    • Mhlana ibhesi ifika ngemva kwesikhathi
      isiNdebele (Translation)
    • Ibhesi ekulu ehlaza sasibhakabhaka
      isiNdebele (Translation)
    • Ibhasi enkulu emzuba
      isiXhosa (Translation)
    • Ibhasi enkulu ezuba
      isiXhosa (Translation)
    • Mhla ubhazabhaza webhasi ebhulowu akafika
      isiXhosa (Translation)
    • Ibhasi elikhulu eliluhlaza
      isiZulu (Adaptation)
    • Mzukwana ibhasi lifika emva kwesikhathi
      isiZulu (Translation)
    • Kundhariza basi
      KiGiryama (Translation)
    • Bisi
      Kinyarwanda (Translation)
    • Basi kubwa la bluu
      Kiswahili (Translation)
    • Wakati basi kubwa la bluu lilipochelewa
      Kiswahili (Translation)
    • Kulisubiri basi
      Kiswahili (Translation)
    • Mótù wo faŋèn wo wù kiʼ blùu
      Lámnsoʼ (Translation)
    • Baasi ennene eya bululu
      Luganda (Translation)
    • Ebbasi Embala Eya Bbululu
      Lunyole (Translation)
    • Ebbasi Embala Eya Bbulu
      Lunyole (Translation)
    • Bbaasi ya bbululu embbede
      Lusoga (Translation)
    • Amotoka Napus Naapolon
      Ng’aturkana (Translation)
    • Omutoka Omukali Kwe Lilesi
      Oluwanga (Translation)
    • Kuiinda hi basi
      Pokomo (Translation)
    • Grande Autocarro Azul
      Portuguese (Translation)
    • Apa Besa zonene zosineguru zahulilire
      Rukwangali (Translation)
    • Большой голубой автобус
      Russian (Translation)
    • Pese ye kgolo ye talalerata
      Sepedi (Translation)
    • Pese ye kgolo e šaletše
      Sepedi (Translation)
    • Bese ya mmala wa botala ba lehodimo
      Sesotho (South Africa) (Translation)
    • Ha bese e kgolo e bolou e siilwe ke nako
      Sesotho (South Africa) (Translation)
    • Bese e kgolo ya mmala wa botala jwa legodimo
      Setswana (Translation)
    • Fa bese e kgolo e e talaloapi e le thari
      Setswana (Translation)
    • Mbasi Yaka Yamubala Wa Mbilu
      SiLozi (Translation)
    • Ibhasi lenkhulu leluhlata kwesibhakabhaka
      Siswati (Translation)
    • Ibhasi lenkhulu leluhlata sasibhakabhaka
      Siswati (Translation)
    • Thurbil mi tɔ̱c mi di̱i̱t
      Thok Nath (Nuer) (Translation)
    • Bisi khulwane ya lutombo
      Tshivenḓa (Translation)
    • Musi we bisi khulukhulu ya lutombo ya lenga
      Tshivenḓa (Translation)
    • Bazi lerikulu ra muhlovo wa wasi
      Xitsonga (Translation)
    • Ku hlwela ka bazi lerikulu ra wasi
      Xitsonga (Translation)
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