Pontshibobo's tree
Buhle Vilakazi
Abraham Muzee
Once upon a time, there was a young man called Pontshibobo. When he was little he was a very good boy.
He had grown into a very good man. He respected everybody he met.
Pontsihibobo had a friend called Hippo. He was not respectful like Pontshibobo.
One day Pontshibobo and Hippo were walking down the street together. Hippo had an idea, "Let's go and smoke a zol," he said.
Pontshibobo was surprised. "Why do you ask me to smoke with you? You know that I don't smoke."
Hippo got cross. "If you don't want to smoke with me you can't be my friend," he said and walked off.
Pontshibobo went home and sat under the tree in his yard and cried.
"Why are you crying?" asked the tree. Pontshibobo got a huge fright. He had never heard a tree talking before.
He told the tree about Hippo. "I have lost a friend," he said.
The tree asked Pontshibobo, "What do you really wish for?" Pontshibobo thought for a while.
Then he replied, "I want a house. I am grown up now and I want a home. I want to marry and have children."
The tree also thought for a while. "Take my leaves and my branches and build yourself a house with them," he said.
Pontshibobo did as the tree told him and he built a small, beautiful house. He married and had children.
He was happy.
But the tree was not happy. Pontshibobo had forgotten all about him and he felt sad. "I need a friend," the tree said to himself, "or else I will die."
Just at that moment Pontshibobo came into the yard. He heard what the tree said, and he saw that the tree was very sick.
Pontshibobo was also sad. He had forgotten all about the tree that had helped him build a house for his wife and children.
"I am so sorry," he cried and gave the tree a big hug.
When the tree saw that his friend was back he smiled.
He grew new branches and fresh leaves.
Pontshibobo's children climbed up the branches of the tree. Pontshibobo and his wife sat in the shade after a long day at work.
They told stories and laughed and were happy. Pontshibobo and the tree were friends forever.
You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
Pontshibobo's tree
Author - Buhle Vilakazi
Illustration - Abraham Muzee
Language - English
Level - Longer paragraphs
© African Storybook Initiative 2015
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org
